Taking Servants

Xu Family Courtyard.

After a night of rest and plenty of food, the refugee father and son looked much more spirited.

They stood honestly in the courtyard, the large hand tightly clasping the small one, their heads lowered.

Waiting for Xu Chuan's decision.

"Tell me your names and where you came from first," Xu Chuan said blandly.

The refugee man raised his head. "This one is Li Ganfeng, twenty-eight years old. This is my son, Li Taia, four this year. We fled here from Xishan County."

"Ganfeng, Taia—those are names with real bearing. Your Li Family was no ordinary household, was it?"

"Your complexion is dark and wan, yet your eyes are sharp. One look tells me you've practiced martial arts."

Li Ganfeng's body trembled. Astonishment filled his heart; he had never imagined that such a small village could contain someone so perceptive.

"I..." Li Ganfeng hesitated for a while.

"My Xu Family does not take in people whose mouths are full of lies."

Bitterness welled up in Li Ganfeng's heart.

He had once been the refined and elegant Second Master of the Li Family, praised by everyone in Xishan County. Now his family had been destroyed, and he did not even know how many clansmen had survived.

The past was like smoke, all of it returning to dust.

Li Ganfeng looked at his young son, his eyes full of tenderness.

All he wanted now was a place to shelter, somewhere his son could be spared the suffering of drifting from place to place.

Thus, Li Ganfeng slowly began recounting his family's history.

Upon hearing it, Xu Chuan paced back and forth, pretending to be deep in thought.

A moment later.

He said to the Li father and son, "I can take you in, but I only take household servants."

"Correspondingly, since your Li Family has enemies, if you stay, you must change your names."

"I will provide food, clothing, lodging, and travel expenses. I can also provide your son with education and martial arts practice."

"If you agree, I will keep you two."

Hearing these terms, Li Ganfeng fell into deep thought as well.

The Xu Family was far smaller than the Li Family had been.

It was not even a tenth as prosperous, yet Xu Chuan gave him an unfathomable feeling.

His ambitions were lofty. He seemed determined to forge the Xu Family into a powerful prominent family.

In these times, there were not many kindhearted people.

He had begged at several households before, but those willing to give him even a mouthful of water had already been considered good.

Most common folk simply lacked the means to keep others and could only head for Qingjiang County.

But who knew how many more days of sleeping in the open and eating wherever they could find food lay ahead?

Even he could not endure it, much less his son.

They had nearly reached their limit before.

Now they had merely caught their breath. He feared they could no longer bear the jolting hardship of wandering.

Li Ganfeng could tell that everyone in the Xu Family, from top to bottom, was kindhearted.

After much consideration, he pulled Li Taia down to kneel. "My son and I are willing to serve as servants of the Xu Family, willingly and without complaint or regret."

Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "Since that is so, I shall give you father and son new names."

"Please bestow names upon us, Patriarch."

"You shall be called Li Er from now on, and your son shall be named Li Zhi."

"Thank you, Patriarch."

Xu Chuan then introduced his family as well.

"Madam, tidy up an empty room for them to live in. Once you father and son have rested for a few days and recovered your strength, I'll find someone to help you build a house nearby."

"Thank you, Patriarch. Thank you, Madam," Li Er said respectfully.

Bai Jing smiled faintly.

"Shitou, bring out paper and brush. Draw up servant contracts for the father and son to sign."

"Yes, Father."

Two copies were made.

After they had signed, Xu Chuan said, "In a few days, come with me to the county office. We'll redo your household registrations and register your residence in Dongxi Village. Otherwise, unregistered people won't stand up to inspection."

"Yes, Patriarch."

Whatever Xu Chuan instructed, Li Er nodded in agreement.

Xu Mingxuan was delighted to have a playmate his own age and pulled him away to show him his toys.

Several days later.

Xu Chuan took Li Er and his son to the Qingjiang County Office.

Yang Zhao was the registrar at the county office, and household registration matters were handled by him.

"Greetings, Yang Registrar." Xu Chuan respectfully cupped his hands.

Yang Registrar examined the youth in the blue-green long robe before him. He found him somewhat familiar. "This official seems to have seen you somewhere before."

"Yang Registrar has an excellent memory. Several years ago, when you came to Dongxi Village to handle the Yu Family Estate, this one was the one who led the way," Xu Chuan said with a smile.

"So it was you. This official remembers—you are called Xu Chuan, correct? What do you wish to ask this official to do today?"

Yang Zhao remembered that he had personally promised to owe Xu Chuan a small favor.

"Yang Registrar misunderstands. This one has not come to trouble you. I brought these two here to handle household registration and settle in Dongxi Village."

Yang Zhao looked again at Li Er and his son.

They were no longer dressed in rags with disheveled hair and dirt-streaked faces.

Though still somewhat thin, both had upright features and carried a natural heroic air.

"Settle down?"

"They fled here because of the Western Flood Disaster and, with no road left before them, wished to become servants of my household. I thought that even servants ought to have an identity."

Yang Zhao nodded.

Such matters were commonplace.

Unable to return home in the short term and with no livelihood, they either became beggars and begged along the roads, or became someone else's servants, living at another's mercy.

Yang Zhao did not wish to ask further. Looking at Li Er, he said, "Are you father and son voluntarily settling in Dongxi Village?"

"In reply to Lord Registrar, yes."

"Since that is so, state your names and ages."

Each outsider applying for household registration had to pay five taels of silver, naturally paid by Xu Chuan.

Once they had settled their registration, however, their descendants would no longer need to pay silver to register.

"Thank you, my lord. If there is nothing else, this one shall take leave."

Having finished the matter, Xu Chuan still needed to hurry home.

"Wait. This official has something to ask you. There are an enormous number of refugees who have fled here this time. How is Dongxi Village doing? Has it become chaotic?"

"Dongxi Village is fairly stable at present. Wealthier households in need will take on several temporary laborers or servants."

This disaster had brought many refugees into the entire Yuehu Prefecture.

Every county, as well as the Prefecture City, was troubled over how to deal with this group of refugees.

Though Yang Zhao was neither county magistrate nor county assistant, if one of his good suggestions were adopted, it would count as political merit.

It would be of tremendous benefit to his future promotion.

Seeing Xu Chuan's attire, he knew that the Xu Family must have developed quite well in recent years.

After all, when they had last met, Xu Chuan had worn coarse hemp clothing and looked like an ordinary commoner.

Now, even his clothing and means of living were approaching those of some wealthy households.

Thus, an idea flashed through Yang Zhao's mind. He wanted to hear whether Xu Chuan might offer some useful insight.

"Then how do you think these refugees should be settled?"

Xu Chuan was slightly startled. He had not expected Yang Zhao to ask such a question.

"My lords the county magistrate naturally have their own considerations in this matter. How would this one dare speak carelessly and make rash judgments?" Xu Chuan said with a frightened expression.

"Speak freely. I shall listen freely. If you speak well, this official will owe you another favor."

He really likes owing favors?

"Then this one shall offer his humble view."

Xu Chuan began, "It certainly will not do to leave the refugees unattended. If they are allowed to become beggars, it will also affect the security of all Qingjiang County."

"It would be best to find a place for them to gather, then register and manage them one by one to prevent disorder."

"Those willing to settle down could be exempted from some processing fees and registered in the household rolls."

"Provide several days of rations. The county office can offer some work opportunities, such as repairing waterworks and roads, absorbing a portion of them. Mobilize Qingjiang County's wealthy households to absorb another portion internally."

"The specifics will depend on the number of refugees in Qingjiang County this time, as well as how many the county office and wealthy households can absorb."

Yang Zhao had not cared much at first, but as he listened, his gaze gradually turned serious.

"I understand the county office providing work opportunities, but how are wealthy households supposed to absorb them?"

Xu Chuan smiled lightly. "The disaster in the west is quite extensive this time. Among the refugees, many possess martial skills, and there may even be martial artists hidden among them."

"No wealthy household would fail to want such high-quality servants."

"The county office can select those willing to become servants, gather the wealthy households, and openly recruit people. It could even appropriately collect some silver from the wealthy households to subsidize part of the refugees' food costs, easing the county office's financial pressure."

"Mm. Anything else?" Yang Zhao nodded and continued asking.

"Also, if the villages under Qingjiang County still have spare farmland, it can be rented free for the first two years to refugees willing to settle down. The rental fee can be raised afterward until the costs are recovered."

Yang Zhao's face remained calm, but inwardly he was greatly shocked.

He had not expected an ordinary commoner to truly possess such remarkable insight. It greatly broadened his thinking.

No wonder his family had risen day by day in only a few years.

He was a talent!

Xu Chuan continued, "These are merely this one's humble views. There are still many details involved, such as distinguishing good citizens from bad ones, and how to choose those granted free land."

"This official understands." Yang Zhao pondered for a moment, then smiled at Xu Chuan. "For this matter, this official owes you another favor. This is my Yang Family Token. Take it. Ordinary officials who see it will show you some measure of respect."

"Many thanks, Yang Registrar."

Xu Chuan did not refuse. After accepting it, he cupped his hands again. "Then this one shall leave first."

"Go."

Xu Chuan and the Li father and son returned home that afternoon.

Yang Zhao, meanwhile, began drafting a detailed refugee resettlement plan based on Xu Chuan's suggestions.