Chapter 1: Driving Unlawfully

gure in the hall, wiping down the tables and chairs with a cloth.Twelve neatly arranged tables and chairs, each glistening with moisture..."Good morning, shopkeeper!"The young man, no more than twenty...The rooster crows three times, and the sky is just beginning to lighten.

Liu, the innkeeper of Yuelai Inn in Lutong County, sleepily yawned and slowly walked from the backyard to the front hall.

Before he even entered the room, he heard a commotion coming from the front hall. Curious, he took a step inside and saw a tall figure in the hall, wiping down the tables and chairs with a cloth.

Twelve neatly arranged tables and chairs, each glistening with moisture...

"Good morning, shopkeeper!"

The young man, no more than twenty years old by the looks of him, looked up as he heard footsteps. He greeted Liu Zhangfu with a bright smile on his handsome face.

Greeting him with his energetic smile, Liu Guanji's thin face couldn't help but blossom into a smile as well. He nodded warmly and said, "You're still ahead of me, young master!"

After a pause, he asked in puzzlement: "Aren't you going to the countryside to visit your relatives today Where is that lazy good-for-nothing Wang Dali"

Gao's tall figure continued wiping the tables and chairs, smiling as he replied, "These days more people are coming into town, business is booming. Little Wang can't handle it all on his own..."

When Liu, the shopkeeper, heard this, the smile on his face gradually disappeared, and he angrily interrupted him: "Don't you go speaking up for that lazy good-for-nothing! If he had even a third of your eyesight, we would be burning incense for him. Yesterday, if it weren't for you bailing him out, who knows what kind of mess he would have caused It's just because his father and I are old acquaintances..."

The tall figure just smiled and continued wiping the table and chairs, ignoring his words.

Mr. Liu, who was usually talkative, found himself increasingly pleased as he watched him work diligently and attentively. He was impressed by his ability to read and understand, the intelligence in his eyes, his quick and nimble hands, and his polite and courteous manner.

still honest and reliable, without a trace of the recklessness and restlessness of youth!

Where can you find such young people

It's true that good deeds are rewarded!

After the satisfied one had strolled around the front hall for two circles, Liu Zhuangui suddenly slapped his thigh and said, "Almost forgot to tell you, we met Li Zheng yesterday, he said your household registration has already been registered in the county, calculating the time, it should be within these one or two months!"

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Gao Da's figure froze for a moment, then came back to his senses and forcefully pursed his lips. He put down the broom in his hand and walked three steps forward in two, approaching Liu Zhuangshi with an extraordinary solemnity. He bowed deeply: "Manager Liu's great kindness, Yang Ge will remember it in his heart and never forget it. Even if he is reduced to ashes in the future, he will definitely repay Manager Liu for saving his life!"

He was no naive boy oblivious to the ways of the world. He had long since learned about the customs and people of this place, unlike when he first arrived with wide-eyed innocence.

He knew that the household registration system of the Great Wei Dynasty had loosened somewhat in recent years due to an increasing number of fugitive households and vagabonds.

But it's definitely not something that ordinary people can change at will just by speaking up.

At least someone like him, with no family or possessions, who doesn't even understand the customs and manners of the locals, an "outsider" like that, even if he went to the government office and smashed his brains out, he couldn't possibly get a household registration.

This is a simple example of what I can do. Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

For his household registration, Liu the shopkeeper certainly didn't spare any silver or favors...

Not to mention, if it weren't for Liu Zhuangui who took him in at Yuelai Inn, he would have starved or frozen to death on the streets.

In the Great Wei, nobody would take his college diploma seriously and just give him a bowl of hot rice to eat...

Liu Zhanggui, with a pleased expression, helped Yang Ge up and patted his shoulder, saying with a smile: "People who have read books really know how to speak eloquently. Unlike Wang Dali, that rough fellow, who only knows how to say 'You are just like my father!'”

After a pause, he sighed again and said in a serious tone: "You are not the kind of reckless youth who thinks highly of himself. We don't lack for food even if you don't have an official household registration. Even if the government investigates undocumented residents and finds you, as long as you spend some money, it will be over..."

“Now that you’ve settled down, you’ll have to pay head tax, miscellaneous taxes, and perform corvée labor. Things are getting increasingly unstable these days. The government might call for conscription any time now. You’re young, strong, an orphan with no family ties – a perfect candidate for the draft. If anything happens to you, at least you won’t have to worry about funeral expenses!”

“Why are you doing this”

From his own perspective, he truly couldn't understand Yang Ge's choice.

This was the only thing Yang Ge had ever asked him for help with in the six months he had been staying at the inn, and he truly couldn't refuse.

Yang Ge smiled gently and said, "I want a home..."

Mr. Liu glanced at him and said helplessly, "Alright, it's getting late. You should leave the city soon!"

Yang Ge would go to the countryside every month, he was already used to it.

Yang Ge nodded: "Then I'll trouble you today. I'll be back before the city gate is locked."

Liu Zhanggui shook his head. "No need to rush, it'll be fine if you can return before dusk tomorrow."

Yang Ge also gently shook his head, but did not say much more. He directly pushed out a unicycle from the corner of the front hall, bowed to Liu Zhuangguan, and went straight out.

Liu Zhanggui's eyes followed the cart piled high with sacks of grain, watching Yang Ge stride away. He sighed inwardly, muttering to himself: 'The wages I paid this kid a few days ago must all be spent here...'

After Yang Ge's figure disappeared at the end of the street, a young man with half his cheek swollen walked out of the backyard and into the front hall, mumbling: "Boss, it's time for breakfast."

Liu Zhanggui was furious, picking up a broom and hitting: "Let you eat, let you eat..."

Yang Ge pushed his tricycle, following the flow of people out of the county.

After leaving the county, he followed the relatively flat horse path southeast. After a while, he could see from afar a wide river that resembled a jade belt.

This river is named the Bian River, and it is an important section of the Grand Canal of Northern and Southern Wei.

The Bian River flows westward to reach Luoyang, the eastern capital; northward it leads to Yanyun and Beiping; southward it connects to Hangzhou via a detour. It can be considered one of the major arteries of political, military, and economic activity in the state of Wei.

At this moment, several cargo ships are sailing upstream on the Bian River. The shouts of the boatmen pulling the boats along the riverbanks are loud and magnificent, attracting many passersby to stop and watch.

Yang Ge also slowed his pace, gazing fixedly at the sparkling river on that side. After a long while, he retracted his gaze and continued pushing his tricycle along.

He followed the riverbank, going downstream all the way to Bian River...

After turning several corners, the path became increasingly rugged, yet Yang Ge's footsteps grew lighter. The heavy tricycle felt as light and nimble in his hands as a wisp of incense.

When the pedestrians on the road became sparse, he pushed his tricycle and started to run wildly, grinding the cast iron parts connecting the wheel and axle so fiercely that sparks flew!

When the sun neared noon, Yang Ge finally arrived at his destination.

"Squeal."

He gently pushed open the rickety wooden gate, made of pieces held together with twigs. Just as he was about to speak, he saw a thin, wiry old man with sparse whiskers and wearing patched-up shorts, sitting cross-legged in the courtyard. He skillfully mended a tattered fishing net with a shuttle.

When Yang Ge saw the old man, a sincere smile gradually spread across his face.

When the old man saw Yang Ge, he sighed heavily.

"You again, what brings you here!"

The old man propped himself up from the ground slowly and picked up a gray, sweat-stained towel from the stool beside him. He met them with a mixture of reproach and concern: "Didn't I tell you not to come again This old man is almost buried up to his neck in earth. How much can he eat, how much can he wear If you have that money, save it and find a wife for me and settle down..."

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Yang Ge took the handkerchief from the old man's hand, wiping his sweat while taking off the sack from the tricycle. He smiled relaxedly and said: "What are you saying I'm just one person, how much can I eat or wear"

The old man heard Yang Ge's words, his action of drawing water stopped for a moment, and he couldn't help but sigh again.

Yang Ge ignored the old man's sorrowful eyes. With nimble hands and feet, he carried one heavy sack after another into the low-ceilinged hut. He untied the sack mouths and poured grain by grain of golden wheat kernels into the food barrel.

After securing the food, he went into the kitchen as if he knew it by heart and pulled out an old, rusty hand sickle. Ignoring the old man's repeated pleas of "Don't worry about it" and "Take a break first," he left in strides, pushing his tricycle.

> Not until the sun began to set did he push back to the small courtyard with a cart piled high with firewood, neater and taller than anyone else's.

“The inn has been busy these past few days, so I have to head back early today. You can burn this firewood for now, and I’ll be back in half a month...”

When I entered the village, Zhang Laoshun and Ma Gou saw me. If they come knocking for handouts, don't feel sorry for the grain; give them a bit. But if they get too brazen, don't argue with them. Just wait until I come back to deal with them...

"Still the same, if you have any headaches or troubles, just send someone to Lu Ting County's Yue Lai Inn to find me. Just say I will give them errand money, don't worry, people will come..."

Yang Ge was tending to the firewood while chattering away, giving the old man instructions.

The old man kept circling him, opening his mouth several times but failing to speak until Yang Ge was almost done arranging the firewood. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he grabbed Yang Ge's hand and said, "Wait a moment, don't rush, I have something to show you!"

After saying that, he hurried into the inner room.

Yang Ge was confused, but he still waited where he was told.

After a little while, the old man came out, standing in the doorway with one hand hidden behind his back and the other beckoning to him. His eyes darted nervously around the yard as if he were a thief caught red-handed.

Yang Ge couldn't help but laugh when he saw this: "Let's be clear first, if it's some kind of heirloom or treasure, I don't want it!"

The old man stared and beckoned to him impatiently: "Don't talk nonsense, come here quickly!"

>

Yang Ge was confused and patted his hands as he walked over.

>

After making sure no one was around the yard, the old man mysteriously took out an object from behind... it was a fist-sized package wrapped in countless layers of cloth.

Yang Ge looked at the old man with a puzzled expression, then lowered his head to look at this cloth bag.

The old man carefully peeled back the layers of cloth, a beam of sunlight slanted in from under the eaves, reflecting a golden ray that momentarily blinded Yang Ge.

"This is..."

Yang Ge's eyes widened suddenly, and a large amount of mist rose in his eye sockets.

The old man untied the last layer of fabric, revealing two objects wrapped in the center.

A thick gold chain, weighing at least a couple of ounces, exuded an air of social status. In the center of the chain hung a Buddha pendant.

A Casio G-Shock watch face, covered in layers of rust, as if ravaged by countless years...

Looking at the two objects, Yang Ge was stunned for a second. He came to his senses and hurriedly took the cloth bag, pressing it tightly against his chest, tears welling up in his eyes.

This necklace was a birthday gift from his mother when he turned thirty-three. She said that because he had a weak constitution, wearing some gold and silver could help stabilize him.

This watch was a birthday gift from his girlfriend when he was thirty-four years old. She hoped that no matter where he went, he would remember to come home early.

Unfortunately...

The golden Buddha necklace, unable to hold him back.

A mud king's watch, it can't even point the way home.

The old man, seeing his appearance, let out a sigh of relief and said lightly, "I knew it was yours."

Yang Ge choked back tears, reaching out with one hand to tightly grasp the old man's rough, thin hand, and said hoarsely: "You... You don't have to die!"

That stretch of water he went back many times, but never found those two things.

One can only imagine how many times this elderly man, who needs a cane to walk, must have dived back and forth in the swirling waters of that river in order to retrieve those two objects.

The old man, however, was proud and grinned with a mouthful of sparse teeth, "Hee hee" laughed: "I've been worshiping the Dragon King for most of my life, so swimming down there feels like going home!"

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After a moment of pause, he shook his head with some regret: "Too bad I didn't find that iron box bigger than a carriage as you described. Perhaps it was too large and swept away by the currents..."

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Yang Ge waved his hands again and again, wanting to say "no need to look", but he couldn't utter a single word.

The old man sighed, one hand smoothing his back and the other supporting him as they sat down.

He happened to sit next to a tattered fishing net.

This is a test.

Seeing the broken fishing net, the old man thought of something and softly asked Yang Ge on his back, "Boy, do you still want to die now"

Sensing the old man's gaze, Yang Ge also turned his head to glance at the tattered fishing net beside him.

Eight months ago, the old man used this tattered fishing net to pull him out of the Bian River...twice!

He was silent for a long time, then finally shook his head and croaked, "I don't want to die."

I haven't figured out how to live yet. told.After a little while, the old man came out, standing in the doorway with one hand hidden behind his back and the other beckoning to him. His eyes darted nervously around the yard as if he were a...