Chapter 131: A Close Call
One family after another passed through, until only Su Chen’s group and Gu Fei’s family remained.
Su Chen and his companions had no documents to prove their identities, so they had arranged to blend in with Gu Zhang’s family to pass.
Since Lian’er still had her family’s household registration, which listed her family of four, they had a basis.
Gu Zhang handed over his and Lian’er’s household registrations together, murmuring, "Two families, fifteen people in total."
Just then, a nearby soldier finished his headcount and shouted, "Fifteen people."
The soldier didn’t bother to look closely. He only saw the silver note for one hundred and fifty taels and was quite pleased. ’This group alone is a pretty good haul,’ he thought.
He nodded. "Go—"
The word had barely left his lips when a middle-aged man in the robes of a civil servant walked out from the city gate.
The soldier’s face fell. He hastily pocketed the silver note and hissed, "Hurry, go—"
This man was the local County Governor. He was known for being rigid and eccentric, and he came by several times a day to check if anyone from the three restricted counties had slipped through.
Gu Zhang saw the man too. He put away the household registrations, his heart sinking. ’This is bad.’
The man was from the government office. Judging by his robes, he was an Eighth-rank County Governor. The government office and the military were two separate systems, and on a local level, neither typically bowed to the other.
The County Governor glanced at Gu Zhang’s group. Dressed in sheepskin coats, they looked every bit like authentic northerners.
He pointed at Gu Zhang. "Where is your household registration from?"
Gu Zhang panicked and was momentarily tongue-tied.
Just then, Su Chen lifted the carriage curtain. "Our household registrations are all from East Sea County," he said, speaking in the standard dialect of that region.
The County Governor sized up Su Chen. The young master wore a magnificent fox-fur cloak lined with blue-green brocade; he was clearly no ordinary person.
Then he looked back at Gu Zhang’s party, who looked for all the world like a group of country bumpkins.
The County Governor raised an eyebrow, his tone toward Su Chen softening slightly. "Are you all together?"
Su Chen nodded. "This is my uncle. He moved here years ago, but his household registration is still in East Sea County. I’ve come specifically to bring them back home."
With all the belongings piled on the mule cart, it certainly looked like they were moving.
While the County Governor was still studying Gu Zhang, Gu Fei turned to Su Chen and said, "Cousin, there must be a physician’s hall in the city, right? We can’t delay treating the wound on your leg."
A smile touched Su Chen’s lips. ’This girl... she even knows the East Sea County dialect. And the way she says ’cousin’ is surprisingly pleasant.’ He nodded. "We’ll find a physician’s hall as soon as we’re in the city."
Gu Fei turned back to her father, an innocent look on her face. "Dad, let’s hurry then."
Gu Zhang mumbled an assent. Seeing that both Su Chen and Gu Fei spoke the dialect, the County Governor’s suspicions vanished. He waved a hand. "Go on."
The group hastily urged the mule cart through the city gate.
It wasn’t until they were some distance away that everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Gu Zhang quickly bowed to Su Chen. "Thank you for your help just now, Young Master Su."
Su Chen laughed. "Why thank me, Second Uncle Gu? I’m traveling with you. I was only helping myself."
Gu Zhang smiled. "Still, it was thanks to you speaking the southern dialect, Young Master Su. Otherwise, I fear we would have been in serious trouble."
Su Chen glanced past him. Gu Fei was standing with her back to them. "My mother is from the south," he explained. "I grew up hearing it, so I picked it up naturally."
"I was surprised that your daughter knows it as well, Second Uncle Gu."
Gu Zhang just chuckled. Nothing Gu Fei did surprised him anymore.
Gu Fei pursed her lips into a smile. ’In my past life, I learned a few dialects for fun from my dorm mates in college. My skill was only good enough to fool people who weren’t native speakers, but I never expected it would come in handy in this time and place.’
Just then, the village head and the other families came over. Uncle Ma asked, "Why don’t we rest in the city for the night?"