Imperial power does not extend below the county level.
According to ancestral customs, every hundred households form a village, with a Village Chief. Ten villages form a town, with a Town Sheriff in charge of security and managing travelers, as well as handling civil affairs. These positions are often filled by those who have completed their military service. Ten towns form a district, which has three elders, a Steward, and a Patrolman. The elders are in charge of education; the Steward handles disputes and collects taxes; the Patrolman patrols to prevent theft and robbery.
Furthermore, commercial trade is conducted in markets, towns, and fairs of various sizes.
"Yunbei only has one town and no market?"
While waiting for the elders to arrive, Zhu Changwang was discussing local matters with his Younger Sister, which surprised her. "What about Gu'an?"
"One market and three towns."
"That seems quite unfair," Zhu Changle mumbled.
Seeing her constantly comparing Yunbei to Gu'an, Zhu Changwang found it somewhat amusing. Everyone has a sense of territorial awareness, but his sister's was exceptionally strong. She probably hadn't even heard of Yunbei before, but now, before they had even arrived, she had already claimed it as her own territory to protect.
Unfair? It wasn't really about fairness. It was just that one place had been bullying another for so long that it had become normal.
Zuo Qing led an old man carrying a torch from the courtyard. Zhu Changwang patted his Younger Sister's head, and the siblings stopped their conversation.
"This old man Liu Liang pays respects to the magistrate. I apologize for the late welcome, please forgive me."
Zhu Maonian, who had already alighted from the carriage upon seeing the arrival, quickly stopped the old man from bowing. "I dare not accept such respect from an elder."
The new magistrate's friendly attitude made Liu Liang secretly breathe a sigh of relief. As a cold wind rose, he hurriedly bent over to usher them inside, "Please, come in quickly."
"We have many people in our group, so we won't impose on your home."
Liu Liang looked up in surprise, wondering why they had come to his door if not to seek lodging.
Zhu Maonian stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the mud house before him. "We indeed missed our intended stop. Passing by here and knowing you lived nearby, we came to trouble you and ask if there's anywhere that could accommodate our group."
Liu Liang followed his gaze to his own house. The four-room mud house certainly couldn't accommodate many people. Not counting those in the carriage, there were already more than ten people standing outside. Even if he asked his family to stay elsewhere and cleared out all the beds, it wouldn't be enough. But he still needed to keep some people here.
"Sir, this is a poor and remote area. Even if you go further ahead, you won't find any place that can accommodate so many people," Liu Liang cupped his hands and said. "If you don't mind staying at this old man's humble abode for the night, I can't offer much, but at least you can have some hot water and a warm meal."
Zhu Maonian, who knew a bit about face-reading, could tell that Liu Liang wasn't lying. If even the elder's home was this simple, then having a roof over one's head was probably the true reality for the local people. He abandoned the idea of seeking lodging with local gentry or landlords.
"Then I'll trouble the elder to clear out one room for my elderly mother, my daughter-in-law who has recently given birth, and my grandson to rest for the night."
One room? Liu Liang was uncertain, not sure how to interpret this request or how many layers of meaning the official intended. He dared not take it at face value, and carefully chose his words: "Yes, I will certainly clean the room thoroughly before letting the elder lady and young master stay."
Zhu Maonian decided to be direct, "One room is enough. We can rest in the carriages for the night and set off at dawn."
"No, no, that won't do. How can we let you sleep in the carriages? That's not right, not right at all." Liu Liang waved his hands repeatedly, looking so alarmed that Zhu Maonian was getting a headache. He was considering whether to pull rank and order compliance when Zhu Changle bounced over.
"Elder, it's best to listen to the magistrate. He's the boss, so following his orders is always right, isn't it?"
That was true, but still...
"But it's not right to make him sleep outside either, is it? So why don't you clear out two rooms? How does that sound?"
"Yes, yes, that's not right," Liu Liang said, secretly glancing at the magistrate's expression. Seeing him nod with a smile, he felt more at ease and quickly added, "This old man will go prepare right away."
"We're imposing on you," Zhu Maonian turned back, "Lady Li, take some people with bedding to help out. Be polite and don't disturb the elder's family."
"Yes, sir."
As they went inside, Zhu Maonian tapped his daughter's forehead, "They probably only have three beds in total. We're taking two, what about their family?"
"If you didn't stay, he'd be even more worried!" Zhu Changle leaned back with the force of the tap, then sprang back and said in a low voice, "Big brother needs to rest well. I've been transferring inner energy to him the whole journey, that's how he's held up."
Zhu Maonian watched as Zuo Qing slowly helped his eldest son out of the carriage, and inwardly let out a long sigh. Sometimes he wished Changwang wasn't so clever, if it meant he could live a few years longer.
The people Lady Zhang kept by her side were all loyal and capable. They quickly tidied up, and Lady Li came out to whisper something to Lady Zhang before taking two bags of food from the carriage and going back inside.
Zhu Changle supported her grandmother into the room. Seeing the bare interior, she understood why Lady Li had brought food. Such a household probably couldn't feed so many people even if they gathered all their provisions.
Liu Liang looked nervous, not knowing where to put his hands and feet. The few people standing against the wall behind him didn't dare raise their heads, and knelt down at the sight of the shadows on the ground.
"Please get up, it is I who am imposing on you."
Lady Zhang immediately went forward to personally help the old woman up. By this time, Zhu Changle had already pulled and tugged the three children to their feet. This action prompted the two women and two men to stand up as well.
Liu Liang kept only two sons at home to serve, sending the rest to stay with nearby relatives.
Seeing the children as thin as reeds, Zhu Changle ran to the back kitchen, quickly grabbed a few hot flatbreads, and chased after the children to stuff them into their hands. Not giving the adults a chance to refuse, she swiftly ran back into the courtyard, passing by Qiuli who was standing there.
Qiuli was just considering whether to find a tree to lie under when she rushed past him like the wind, then came back out just as quickly. "It's hot, it's hot! Qiuli, quick, take this!"
Qiuli hurriedly reached out to take it, juggling it between his hands to cool it down.
"I'll go get some dried meat too."
She ran off again, leaving Qiuli salivating at the sight of the two plain flatbreads.
The Zhu family's servants were experts at making these breads. Whenever they reached an inn, they would borrow the kitchen to make some. They were edible even when cold, though of course not as good as when hot.
Whenever they ate them, they would build a fire and heat them up on a fork. When eating, they would tear them open and stuff some dried meat inside, sprinkle on some unknown spice, and the result was fragrant, chewy, and delicious. Apparently, this was following Zhu Changle's way of eating.
"Come on, let's find a place to eat," Zhu Changle came out carrying a decent-sized bamboo basket, covered with a cloth hiding its contents. She beckoned to the other two rascals following her and Qiuli to head out.
Qiuli looked up at the high-hanging moon. What was this feeling of a picnic all about?
