Chapter 31: Entering the Village

◎Noble Visitors from the Capital City◎

As the elder, Grandma was more approachable when dealing with outsiders. She inquired about Upper Village and asked where the proprietors were originally from.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged couple exchanged glances, seemingly cautious. They chuckled and replied, "We're from Upper Village. Where are you folks from? Are you here to visit relatives? Just tell me who you're looking for; we know everyone in the village."

This family didn't seem ordinary to them. In the countryside, they had never encountered such refined people. Not only were their clothes made of fine fabrics, which they had never seen before, but each member was fair-skinned and attractive. The children were plump and rosy, and the young woman was stunningly beautiful. Even the man in charge, despite his sickly appearance, exuded an extraordinary aura. They found it hard to believe that this family had no background.

Grandma wiped her mouth and sighed. "My husband's ancestors were from this area. Now, it's like we've returned to our roots."

Hearing this, the couple asked in surprise, "You're from around here???"

Yu Lian showed them the official documents issued by the government. The couple waved their hands, embarrassed but smiling. "We country folk can't read much, but we do recognize the government seal. So, you really are from this region?"

The Hua family had prospered for a hundred years, and now, having grown up in the capital city, they considered themselves true natives. Officially, their household registration wasn't in this area, but with their recent move, they were reclaiming their roots.

Seeing the official documents, the couple's initial wariness lessened. They then inquired about the family's ancestors' names. The man even instructed his wife to run to the village and summon the village chief and elders to come and verify their story.

The ancestor who brought prosperity to the Hua family was named Hua Bajin – an unusual name with a story behind it. He was a talented scholar nurtured by the entire family. After passing the imperial examinations during the founding of the kingdom, the government was eager to recruit talent, and Hua Bajin seized this opportunity. Despite his humble origins, he was appointed due to his diligence and loyalty, even if his abilities were not extraordinary.

Building on Hua Bajin's success, successive generations of the family settled in the capital, eventually leading to Hua Zhan's father inheriting the hereditary title of East Yuan Marquis. Hua Zhan and his son further consolidated their power, nearly manipulating the prince into the throne, thus gaining complete control of the nation.

"Hua Bajin?" The two men furrowed their brows, pondering for a while before shaking their heads, admitting they had never heard of him.

"However, I've heard the village elders mention that a high-ranking official once came from our village, a long, long time ago. They say he even established the village school."

Yu Lian asked, "The village school? Is it still operating?"

The pair shook their heads. "Not anymore. The village chief and the elders destroyed it recently, claiming it would invite trouble. They also forbade the children from studying there."

This news cast a shadow over the Hua family. If the village school was indeed founded by their ancestors, what did its destruction signify at this point in time?

Silent, the family finished their meal, tidied up, and prepared to leave.

Just then, the tavern owner's wife returned, accompanied by an ox cart carrying a middle-aged man and two elderly individuals with gray hair.

The middle-aged man approached the Hua family, examined them, and smiled. "I'm the village chief of Upper Village. Zhu said your ancestors are from our Upper Village. Are you returning home after all these years?"

Hua Zhan had dealt with the emperor and influential officials in his lifetime; the smallest position he had encountered was that of the Jingzhao Yin (mayor of a capital city). However, he had never crossed paths with a village official before. The man before him seemed polite but was actually cunning, hardly displaying any genuine friendliness.

"My ancestor's name is Hua Bajin. This return to our hometown has been officially approved by the authorities. Here are our travel permits and proof. Please take a look."

The moment Hua Bajin's name was mentioned, the two white-haired elders instantly lost their composure. They jumped down from the ox cart, snatched the documents, glanced at them, then stuffed them back and waved the group away.

"We don't have anyone named Hua Bajin here. You can check our family records if you don't believe us."

"Be off, be off! Don't cause trouble here!"

Despite being in his prime, Hua Zhan was still recovering from injuries and had endured a challenging journey. His body appeared strong on the outside but was weak within. With a shove from the two elders, he nearly lost his balance.

Though mischievous, the twins knew how to protect their father. They rushed over to support him and glared fiercely at the elders, warning, "You're not allowed to bully our dad!"

Supported by Yu Lian, the elderly lady approached. "My late husband once mentioned that our Hua family's ancestor entrusted the care of our ancestral home to the village chief before leaving our original village."

The village chief shook his head. "I've only been in this position for less than ten years, so I'm not familiar with that matter."

This middle-aged village chief appeared somewhat reserved, but the two elders were already hastily urging them to leave. "There's no such thing as an ancestral home. Leave now, or I'll call upon the villagers to drive you out."

"In our village, we're poor. You should seek elsewhere."

The two elders' disrespectful attitude provoked the twins, who clenched their tiny fists, eager to pounce and bite them.

Just then, a group of people hurried over, consisting of both men and women, from the young to the old. At the center was an elderly man whose teeth were almost all gone. Supported by two young men and holding a cane, he shouted, "Stop! Stop right now!"

He then threw his cane towards them.

The village chief and the two elders quickly dodged out of the way.

The elder's mobility was limited, so the two young men hurried to assist him. As they approached, he sized up the Huajin family with a gaze that differed from the village chief's. It seemed like he was looking at old acquaintances or younger generations, either way, it was much more amiable.

Despite his age, the elder's eyes were still sharp enough to see clearly. After observing them, he smiled and said, "You must be the descendants of Uncle Bajin, yes? Since you've returned home, just settle here. However, it has been over a hundred years since Uncle Bajin moved away from the village. I only know this from my late father's stories. Much has changed in the village. Your ancestral home is long gone, no one knows where. If you come back, I'll take charge and allocate a piece of land for you. You can rebuild your house?"

The elder's friendly demeanor and reasonable suggestion were well-received. A hundred years was a long time, and many changes could have occurred. Having a place to settle was already fortunate.

The elder continued, "Consider this land as Uncle Bajin's former home, no payment required."

The village chief hesitated, "Uncle Two..."

The second uncle picked up the cane from the ground and struck one of them with it. "One must never forget their roots. I told you all before that the village school couldn't be demolished or destroyed, but you didn't listen. You're all cowards, afraid of death!"

"How can you chase away Uncle Bajin's descendants when they come to settle in our ancestral land? You have no conscience! Hurry up and get the land approved for them."

The village chief dared not argue but still had his doubts. If they were allowing people to settle, why wouldn't they charge for the land?

The two elders also interjected, "Second uncle..."

He swung his cane at the two elders, hitting them as well. The previously arrogant elders did not even dare to dodge. The second uncle scolded, "You ungrateful wretches, get back home! Don't just stand there, blocking my view!"

There were some things he could not say in front of Uncle Bajin's descendants, so he sent the elders and the village chief back. He then called over the young men behind him to help guide the carriage.

The coachman drove the other carriage back. When the Hua family arrived, they had rented one carriage and bought another, assuming that one spare would be enough.

Sanshu, who was assigned to drive the carriage, climbed aboard with an excited expression. He carefully touched the edge of the carriage and tried to touch the horse's rear, almost getting kicked by the horse. He chuckled and said, "This carriage is great. It's much more impressive than an ox cart, and it's fast and stable."

He had once had the chance to drive a carriage when he went to the county to help someone with work. Upon his return, he had boasted about it in the village, which was why the second uncle had chosen him to drive the carriage.

After Sanshu got the hang of it, he called for the twins and Little Guo'er to climb into the carriage. Yu Lian asked the old lady to join them, and then called for her father-in-law and mother-in-law. Hua Zhan shook his head, declining, so Yu Lian climbed in herself. Riding in a carriage might be hard on the buttocks, but it was still more comfortable than walking a long distance.

Second Uncle sat in the ox cart, conversing with Hua Zhan as they traveled.

"Uncle Bajin is the most accomplished person our Upper Village has ever seen, and I doubt there's anyone like him in all of Yuzhou. After he prospered, he established a village school for us. But he never returned after that. With so many years passing, only a few villagers still remember him. As the oldest living person in this village, I've never met Uncle Bajin either. He moved away before I was even born. I've only heard these stories from my late father."

"The village school has been running for a hundred years, but unfortunately, the children have limited abilities and are prone to playfulness. There were no truly learned teachers to guide them, so only a handful achieved any real success; most just learned how to read and write."

Sanshu interjected, "But didn't you, Second Uncle, once try for the scholarly title of Juren?"

Second Uncle shook his head. "Embarrassing, indeed. After a lifetime of trying, I only managed to obtain the rank of Juren. Uncle Bajin's descendants are nobles from the capital. They must have seen their fair share of high-ranking officials and top scholars. It's best not to mention my humble achievements."

Hua Zhan replied, "Your Grace is too kind. Back in the countryside, I am just an ordinary person like everyone else, hardly a noble."

Second Uncle reminisced, "I was fortunate to grow up during a prosperous time. Uncle Bajin had just established his village school a few years before I was born. From a young age, I was immersed in reading and writing, which allowed me to comprehend the world and eventually succeed in the imperial examinations."

It was precisely because of this that he had always been grateful for Uncle Bajin's kindness over the years and never forgotten it. Recently, when he heard that Uncle Bajin's descendants had run into trouble in the capital, they, fearing repercussions on their village, demolished the village school. Despite his objections, they insisted on removing Uncle Bajin's lineage from the family genealogy.

Travelling towards Upper Village, Yu Lian lifted the curtains to survey her surroundings. Although the area was impoverished, the scenery was picturesque, with verdant mountains and clear waters that exuded an untainted, natural ambiance. Villagers passing by would crane their necks for a glimpse, and the bolder ones approached to inquire about their identities.