Chapter 998: First Volume, Chapter 998: The Household Registration Rush

First Volume, Chapter 998: The Household Registration Rush

Qin Feng asked softly, "Where is your father?"

The little girl lowered her head, stammering, on the verge of speaking but holding back, as if hiding some unbearable secret.

Seeing this, Qin Feng quickly comforted her: "Don't be afraid—say whatever you want. You're still young; even if you say something wrong, I, the Marquis, won't punish you."

Hearing this, the girl finally gathered her courage and whispered, "M-my father is serving in the army."

At these words, Ning Hu and the others immediately grew alert, and Qin Feng's heart sank.

According to protocol, anyone with an "official background" must be treated with extreme caution—household registration documents must not be issued lightly.

Zhang Mei's father, having joined the military, naturally fell under official background.

Thus, by the rules, Qin Feng had to revoke this family's eligibility for household registration, since once they arrived in Beixi County, this connection would amount to planting a potential destabilizing element within Beixi.

But seeing Zhang Mei's pitiful appearance, Qin Feng felt pity.

"If your father is serving in the army, why is your family living in such hardship?" As he spoke, Qin Feng examined again her clothes, patched all over.

Zhang Mei wiped away tears, choking up: "My lord, my father hasn't returned in years—I don't even know if he's still alive."

"Now, our whole family survives only because my mother mends clothes for others to earn a meager meal…"

"I heard that once you move to Beixi County, you won't go hungry anymore, so I came to try my luck."

Learning of Zhang Mei's family's plight, Qin Feng felt a deep pang of sorrow—truly, as the old saying goes, when the people prosper, they suffer; when they perish, they suffer.

Even those living within the County City endured such misery—how much worse must it be for those beyond the walls?

As the one who launched this war, Qin Feng did not blame himself, yet he deeply sympathized with these people's plight.

Qin Feng called Liu Ming over and asked softly, "Can a family like Zhang Mei's obtain Beixi County household registration?"

Without hesitation, Liu Ming replied: "For safety's sake, it's best not to issue it—but given that the girl's father is missing and her family is starving, and their background remains clean, an exception can be made."

How could Liu Ming not know Qin Feng's intentions?

Since Qin Feng had asked, it meant he had already decided to issue the registration to Zhang Mei's family; as a subordinate, Liu Ming naturally would support him.

Moreover, this girl is harmless—once her family relocates to Beixi County, they will naturally sever ties with Beixi.

Even putting it bluntly, whether moving from Beixi to Shedynasty or merely to a county town dozens of li away, for most common people, it's as if they've been cast to opposite ends of the world.

As for Zhang Mei's father, with no word for so long, he's almost certainly dead in military death.

Zhang Mei's family—five souls: one mother, four children—waiting any longer is pointless.

Since even Liu Ming had nodded, Qin Feng had no further hesitation—he immediately called Zhang Mei forward and personally signed the household registration document for her family.

The content of the household registration document was simple: it merely recorded the family's population, each member's gender, age, and name, plus the issuance date—then it was complete.

Since Beixi County Yamen had dedicated inspectors, Qin Feng's handwriting could not be forged; thus, once he signed, the document took immediate effect—later, upon arrival in Beixi County, Li Zhang and the county officials would reissue formal household registration to those who received these documents.

When Qin Feng handed the document to Zhang Mei, she could hardly believe her eyes.

Had her family not been utterly without hope, she would never have dared come here to gamble—but now, holding the document in her hands, having actually obtained it so easily, she felt as if she were dreaming.

Seeing Zhang Mei's dazed, bewildered expression, Qin Feng smiled gently: "What are you standing there for? Go home."

Hearing Qin Feng's voice, Zhang Mei snapped out of her trance. She clutched the document and walked back mechanically—until, turning a corner, she stopped, for dozens of common people stood before her.

These common people had also come to claim household registration documents but dared not approach directly.

Now, seeing Zhang Mei return with the document in hand, their eyes lit up.

A middle-aged man hurriedly asked: "Zhang Mei, did you really get the Beixi County household registration document?"

Feeling the astonished stares, Zhang Mei nodded softly: "Yes… I thought Lord Qin wouldn't issue it to us, since my father serves in the Army—but after hearing our situation, he didn't hesitate…"

Hearing this, the crowd was instantly emboldened, eager to try.

A woman nearby, cautious, asked: "Exactly how do we do it? I saw soldiers standing at the Yamen gate—if we say the wrong thing or make a mistake and draw death, we're done for."

"I heard Lord Qin once flew into a rage and had Ning Hu kick Zhou Dasheng to death."

"Neither Lord Qin nor his men are gentle souls."

Hearing this, Zhang Mei didn't know how to answer. After long hesitation, she chose honesty: "It was actually very simple…"

"Lord Qin asked about my family's situation, talked with his men for a moment, and signed the document."

"None of the soldiers around said a word."

"And Lord Qin consulted his men only because of my father's military service—if he issued it to us, won't it be even easier for you?"

With that, the people's fears vanished completely. No longer hesitating, they surged out of the Alleyway, rushing toward the County Yamen.

They had no other choice—if they could relocate to Beixi County and break through their social class, it would be like dawn after darkness, fortune turning from despair to hope.

But when the crowd rushed to the Yamen, the Tianji Camp Guards immediately surrounded them—terrifying them.

The Tianji Camp Guards barked: "Line up. Take turns to claim your household registration documents at the County Yamen."

"Anyone who disrupts order will be severely punished!"

The common people dared not delay—they quickly formed a line and walked one by one toward the County Yamen Door.

Seeing the first common people arrive, Qin Feng's spirits lifted—he immediately began signing household registration documents.

"Name."

"Zhang Da Niu."

"Age."

"Thirty-nine…"