**Chapter 13**
**The Xu family yard.**
After a night's rest and plenty of food, the refugee father and son's spirits were much improved.
They stood in the courtyard, holding each other's hands tightly, heads lowered.
Waiting for the Xu family's decision.
"Tell me your names and where you come from." Xu Chuan spoke lightly.
The refugee man kept his head down. "This humble one is Li Qianfeng, twenty-eight years old. This is my child, Li Tai'a, four years old. We fled here from Xishan County."
"Tai'a—that's a good name. Your Li family isn't ordinary, is it?"
"I can see from your dark complexion that your eyes hold a divine light. You've practiced martial arts."
Li Qianfeng's body trembled. He was astonished—he hadn't expected that in a small village, there would be someone so perceptive.
"I—" Li Qianfeng hesitated.
"Do not deceive this household with lies."
Li Qianfeng's heart was bitter.
He had once been the Second Master of the Li family, a prominent clan in Xishan County. Now his family was destroyed. He didn't even know how many of his clansmen had survived.
The past was all smoke. Everything had returned to dust.
Li Qianfeng looked at his young son, his eyes full of pity.
Now he only wanted a place to live—to spare his son the suffering of displacement.
So Li Qianfeng began to speak slowly, starting from his family's background.
He spoke, pacing back and forth, feigning deep thought.
A moment later.
Xu Chuan said to the father and son, "I will take you in. But only as servants."
"Also, since your Li family has enemies, if you stay, you must change your names."
"I will provide food, clothing, and shelter. I will also provide for your son to learn martial arts."
"If you agree, I will keep your father and son."
Hearing these conditions, Li Qianfeng began to think deeply.
This family was far smaller than his own Li family. It wasn't even one-tenth as strong. But Xu Chuan himself gave him an unfathomable feeling.
His ambition was great. It seemed he intended to build his family into a powerful clan.
In this world, truly good people were few.
Before this, Li Qianfeng had begged at several houses. Most wouldn't even give a sip of water.
Ordinary peasants had no surplus to spare. They could only send him on to Qingjiang County.
He didn't know how many more days he could survive on scraps.
He could barely carry himself—let alone his son.
He was already at his limit.
And now, after a brief respite, he estimated he could no longer withstand more jostling and displacement.
Li Qianfeng could see that this family was good from top to bottom.
After much deliberation, he took Li Tai'a and knelt down. "I am willing—my son and I—to serve the Xu family as servants. Willingly. Without regret."
Xu Chuan smiled. "If that's the case, then I will give your father and son new names."
"Please bestow the names, master."
"You will be called Li Er. Your son's name is Li Zhi."
"Thank you, master."
Xu Chuan then introduced his family.
"My wife, go prepare an empty room for them to live in. After they've recovered for a few days, I'll find someone to help build them a house nearby."
"Thank you, thank you, madam." Li Er was deeply respectful.
Bai Jing smiled.
"Shitou, go get brush and paper. Write up a contract of servitude. Let the father and son sign it."
"Yes, Father."
Two copies.
After they were signed, Xu Chuan said, "In a few days, you will follow me to the county to re-register your household registration and settle in Dongxi Village. Otherwise, as unregistered people, you won't be able to withstand an inspection."
"Yes, master."
Xu Chuan instructed. Li Er nodded repeatedly.
Xu Minghu was thrilled to have a playmate his own age. He pulled Li Zhi away to see his toys.
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**A few days later.**
Xu Chuan and the Li father and son went to Qingjiang County.
Yang Zhao was the county registrar. Household registrations were handled by him.
"This humble one greets Registrar Yang." Xu Chuan respectfully cupped his hands.
Registrar Yang looked at the young man in a blue shirt before him and felt he looked familiar. "Where has this official seen you before?"
"Registrar Yang has a good memory. A few years ago, you came to Dongxi Village to handle the Yu family's property. This humble one guided you." Xu Chuan said with a smile.
"Ah, it's you. This official remembers—your name is Xu Chuan, isn't it? What business do you have with this official today?"
Yang Zhao remembered that he owed this commoner a small favor.
"Registrar Yang misunderstands. This humble one isn't here to trouble you. I've brought these two to handle household registration—to settle them in Dongxi Village."
Yang Zhao looked at the Li father and son.
By now, they were no longer tattered and swollen.
Though still somewhat thin, they looked well and had regained their vitality.
"Settle them?"
"They fled the floods in the west and wish to become my servants. I think that even servants should have an identity."
Yang Zhao nodded.
This was not uncommon.
Unable to return to their hometowns, with no means of livelihood, refugees either became beggars along the road or indentured themselves as servants to others.
Yang Zhao didn't want to ask too many questions. He looked at Li Er and said, "You and your son voluntarily wish to settle in Dongxi Village?"
"Returning to your honor, yes."
"If so, state your names and ages."
For outsiders applying for household registration, the fee was five taels of silver per person. Naturally, Xu Chuan paid the money.
Once settled, their descendants would no longer need to pay.
"Thank you, sir. This humble one will take his leave."
After that, Xu Chuan prepared to go home.
"Wait. This official has something to ask you. This time, the refugees are numerous and pitiful. How is the situation in your Dongxi Village? Is there chaos?"
"Dongxi Village is still stable for now. Wealthy families who need labor have taken in several short-term workers or servants."
In this disaster, the lake counties had been flooded with displaced people over the past month.
Every county was having headaches over how to deal with these refugees.
Though Yang Zhao was neither the county magistrate nor the vice magistrate, if he could offer good suggestions that were adopted, that would be a political achievement.
It would greatly benefit his subsequent promotion.
When he saw Xu Chuan's clothing, he knew that the Xu family must have developed well over the past few years.
After all, the last time he saw Xu Chuan, he'd been wearing coarse cloth and linen—an ordinary peasant.
Now he was dressed like a member of a moderately wealthy family.
So Yang Zhao was inspired to see if he could get some good opinions from Xu Chuan's mouth.
"What do you think should be done about these displaced people?"
Xu Chuan was a little surprised. He hadn't expected Yang Zhao to ask such a question.
"This matter—the adults surely have their own considerations. How would this humble one dare to speak recklessly and offer opinions?" He feigned fear.
"Speak freely. This official will listen. If you speak well, I will owe you another favor."
*Would I dare refuse?*
"Then this humble one will share his foolish thoughts."
Xu Chuan began. "Simply driving away the displaced people is certainly not enough. Letting them become beggars will also affect the safety of the entire Qingjiang County."
"It would be better to find a place for them to gather, then register them one by one to avoid chaos."
"For those willing to settle down, some of the fees could be waived when registering their household registration."
"Provide a few days of rations. Create some labor opportunities through the county—repairing waterworks, roads, and so on—to absorb part of them. Mobilize the wealthy households of Qingjiang County to absorb another part."
"The specifics depend on the number of refugees in Qingjiang County and the capacity of the county and the wealthy to absorb them."
Yang Zhao hadn't thought much of it at first, but as he listened, his eyes grew serious.
"I understand creating labor opportunities through the county. But how would the wealthy absorb them?"
Xu Chuan smiled gently. "The scale of this disaster in the west is quite large. Many of the refugees have martial arts training. Some may even have the potential to become warriors."
"There isn't a wealthy family that wouldn't want such high-quality household servants."
"The county could select those willing to become servants, convene the wealthy families, and even charge them a modest fee—subsidizing part of the refugees' rations and reducing the county's financial burden."
"Good. What else?" Yang Zhao nodded and continued to ask.
"If there is any idle land in the countryside under Qingjiang County, it could be rented to those willing to settle down. The first two years rent-free, then gradually increase the rent until costs are recovered."
Yang Zhao's face remained still, but his heart was deeply shaken.
He had not expected that an ordinary peasant could have such good ideas—ideas that greatly expanded his own thinking.
No wonder, in just a few years, the Xu family had grown so much.
This man was a talent!
Xu Chuan continued, "These are just this humble one's foolish thoughts. There are many details—distinguishing good people from bad, how to select who receives free land, and so on."
"This official understands." Yang Zhao paused for a moment, then smiled and looked at Xu Chuan. "For this matter, this official owes you another favor. This is my Yang family token. Keep it. Most officials will show you some courtesy with it."
"Thank you, Registrar Yang."
Xu Chuan did not refuse. He cupped his hands again. "Then this humble one will take his leave."
"Go."
Xu Chuan and the Lis returned home in the afternoon.
Yang Zhao, using Xu Chuan's proposals as a foundation, began to draft a detailed resettlement plan for the refugees.
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