Chapter 10, Settling in the Tang Dynasty

The selection of the Tang Dynasty's provincial soldiers took place every three years, primarily targeting young men from self-sufficient farmers and landlords. The first criterion was wealth, followed by physical strength, and then the number of male members in the family. In other words, to become a provincial soldier, the government's selection standards required that candidates come from relatively affluent families, be young and strong men, and if a candidate was both wealthy and strong, preference would be given to those from families with a larger number of male members.

This is the father of the mountain, the village head of the Zhang family" the old man introduced to Zhang Chao

After the village head Ke Ren and Ke An arrived, they inquired about Zhang Chao's background as part of their routine procedure. Zhang Chao recounted his previous experience of practicing under the old monk in the mountains. He initially thought that Ke Ren and the others would conduct a thorough investigation, but after asking just a few questions, they concluded the matter.

"Uncle Gen, Tie Qiang Ge is now the deputy leader and has also been awarded the title of Wu Qi Wei, which makes him an official now," Ke Shan said with a smile.

Uncle Gen gratefully accepted it with countless thanks

Father, our house is too small. Now that we have grain and money, I think we should take advantage of the leisure time in winter to hire someone to dig two more storage pits and level the yard a bit larger. We might as well dig a well in the yard, which will make life more convenient in the future. The small cave can hold over a thousand pounds of grain, and it will be completely full in no time.

There is no need to be so polite with me. The old man placed the items into Uncle Gen's arms, Tomorrow I will host a banquet to formally adopt Sanlang as my son, and at that time, Uncle Gen is invited to come and have a couple of drinks.

Zhang Chao smiled faintly and lowered his voice to say to her, "Qiniang must have been attracted to him precisely because of her father's kind heart."

Upon entering the village, everyone returned to their respective homes

"Wugong, Dashan, when you get home, tell your father that we are hosting a banquet at our house tomorrow, and invite them to come and eat." The old man said to Ke Wu and Ke Shan, actively shifting the topic.

A cheerful voice sounded from outside

"It doesn't matter if you don't want to be one." The old man walked beside Zhang Chao, showing no particular expression. "Being selected as a guard is not something you can just decide to do; it's just the two of us in our family. I am already a guard, and according to the rules, you cannot be selected."

Not only can we have a good New Year, but next year we can also take a break for more than half a year. The face of the tall and robust Ke Shan, who has a yellow complexion, is flushed; he was just happy and drank a few more cups of turbid wine. However, his alcohol tolerance is average, and after a few cups, he is already feeling a bit tipsy.

Upon returning from the military office, most of my father's equipment remained at the Cavalry Office. Items such as the helmet and armor were mostly left in the storeroom, and only the bow, the horizontal saber, and his iron spear were brought home. This was to facilitate training at home on a daily basis

Twelve stones of millet were left at Qiniang Noodle House, and a dou was given to Uncle Gen, leaving ten stones to be transported back home. My father and Zhang Chao moved all this thousand jin of millet into the house; the cave dwelling was very small, and in the end, the grain was piled up beside the bed, forming a small heap of grain

The large cart is not pulled by mules or horses, but rather relies solely on human strength, which allows for smooth movement. A group of soldiers from Zhangjiagou has returned victorious after nearly a year of expedition. According to regulations, had it not been for the urgent call to arms, they would have been exempt from garrison duty for the next ten months, as well as from training at the Cavalry Office, allowing them to rest and recuperate for a full ten months

The primary responsibilities of the village head include managing household registrations, overseeing agricultural production, inspecting for non-compliance, and urging the collection of taxes and duties

Alright

"What is wrong with being a garrison soldier? As a garrison soldier, one can be exempt from taxes and also receive priority in land distribution. When going to the battlefield, if one achieves merit, they can receive rewards in money and grain, earning accolades. One could become a noble like your father, receiving land as a reward. If luck is on your side, you might even get promoted to an official position." Upon hearing Zhang Chao express his reluctance to become a garrison soldier, the men of Zhangjiakou were outraged.

In the Tang Dynasty, there were five households per unit and one hundred households per li. The li zheng served as the chief officer of one hundred households, which in later times was equivalent to a village committee director. However, during the Tang Dynasty, below the county level was the xiang, which managed five li and five hundred households. Yet, at the xiang level, there was no designated head; instead, the responsibilities of managing the xiang were rotated among five li zheng.

Zhang Chao smiled; he did not have much ambition and did not wish to hold an official position. In this era, the mortality rate for soldiers in combat remains quite high

Therefore, this village chief is actually equivalent to a local leader in later generations

The old man handed a small bag of grain and a piece of cloth to Uncle Gen from the car

The distance of five li is not far; everyone quickly arrived at the village gate while pushing and pulling the large cart.

Father felt somewhat tempted, yet was unwilling to discuss this with Zhang Chao

Qiniang also chose to avoid suspicion and returned to her maternal home first

I do not wish to be a government soldier

"Alright then, I will listen to you." The old man indeed accepted the advice readily

The iron spear has returned, and three large carts are loaded with money and grain, a generous reward indeed. Uncle Gen, leaning on his cane at the door, watched everyone bringing back the three large carts of money and grain, and he happily stepped forward to greet them

The village chief has arrived, and soon the village magistrate also came.

An important task of these village heads is to be responsible for collecting the household registration records. The household registration records serve as the foundational documents for the household registration system.

At the village entrance, an old man stands at the door, known to everyone as Uncle Gen. He is disabled, with a limp in one leg. It is said that during the Sui Dynasty, he was also a soldier, but after years of warfare and suffering, he resorted to self-mutilation to escape military service. Now, the village has arranged for him to guard the village gate, keeping watch at night and providing him with some money and grain, which is considered a way to take care of this lonely elder

The village is only five li away from Zhangjia Village, which is very close

People at that time were very willing to become militia soldiers, not only because they could be exempted from taxes and labor. Rather, becoming a militia soldier was a rare opportunity for many ordinary citizens to break away from the common folk and enter the bureaucratic class. With their abilities, there was a significant chance to earn money, grain, and land; with a bit more luck, they could gain merit and land; and with even more luck, they could be promoted to officers, thus leaping over the dragon gate and becoming part of the officialdom.

In a couple of days, I will invite the matchmaker over. You should tell the matchmaker what kind of girl you are looking for. You are already twenty-one, and there are several girls of your age in the village. Now is the right time to seek a match, just in time for the new vat to be finished, so you can get married. The old man truly has nothing more to say to Zhang Chao

The village head has arrived. The old man stood up

Ke Shan's father, Ke Renzheng, is one of the five village heads in Bailu Township, Ningmin County, and this month it happens to be his turn to preside over the affairs of Bailu Township. He has been attending to official duties at the county government in Ningmin for the past few days

After the meal, Mrs. Ke Qiniang and her two daughters closed the noodle shop and helped a group from Zhangjiagou borrow several large carts to transport money and grain back to the village. The snow on the road had not yet melted, the sky was overcast, and the north wind howled, yet everyone was very happy, laughing and chatting all the way.

It is exceedingly difficult for the ordinary commoners of this era to transcend this barrier. Although the imperial examination system was established during the Sui Dynasty, it was not yet perfected and remained merely an unattainable aspiration. The common people could barely afford to eat, let alone pursue an education. Even if one were to receive an education, without recommendations or endorsements from influential figures in the court, it would be nearly impossible to succeed in the imperial examinations and enter officialdom

Looking at this pile of corn bags, the old man felt very gratified

Alright, once the report is submitted to the county office, in a few days, your household registration will be processed

During the early Tang Dynasty, household registration management was very strict. The village heads and township heads enforced rigorous control over the household registrations within their jurisdictions, with household registrations being updated every three years. However, the records maintained by the village and township heads were updated in real time.

The village head is an elderly man with graying hair and beard, dressed in a round-collared robe, wearing a soft-topped cap on his head, and has a kind and benevolent expression.

Alright, Sanlang's hand has indeed been registered, now let us discuss the good fortune between Tieqiang and Qiniang.

Zhang Chao frowned

Only children are generally not selected. Once selected, they are given a military title and must serve for life, from the age of 21 until the age of 60

This matter will be discussed later

Father, my matters are not urgent. However, I see that you and Qiniang also have mutual feelings for each other. There is no need to delay; wouldn't it be better to invite someone to act as a matchmaker and bring her home sooner?

In an era of turmoil, food is more precious than gold, while antiques flourish in a prosperous age

Villages in the Tang Dynasty all had village gates, and many villages also had village walls. This practice continued from the Southern and Northern Dynasties and bore some resemblance to the self-defense capabilities of walled villages.

This year we can have a good New Year. The dark-faced man, Ke Wu, looked at the car filled with money and grain.

The old man originally owned 30 mu of land, but due to frequent military campaigns, he did not farm it himself. Instead, he allowed others in the village to cultivate it, collecting a rental fee in return. The rent was not considered high, set at 20 percent, with an agreement to collect 2 dou of millet per mu each year, based on an annual yield of 1 shi per mu

What are you talking about? Qi Niang's face flushed red, and she turned her head and walked away.

However, young people like Zhang Chao who actively do not wish to become government soldiers are quite rare in Guanzhong, much like the scholars during the Song and Ming dynasties who were reluctant to participate in the imperial examination, which made Ke Wu and the others find Zhang Chao's thoughts rather strange

Ke Qiniang said to Zhang Chao, "Your father has a kind heart; he takes great care of the orphans and widows in the village, often sending them grain and firewood"

The village chief of Zhangjiagou is also surnamed Ke, named Ke An, and he is the father of the black-faced man Ke Wu. As the village chief of Zhangjiagou, Ke An is subordinate to the village head Ke Ren, primarily responsible for assisting Ke Ren and managing the village's public security, mediating disputes, and assisting in tax collection.

Old Dad actually blushed, feeling somewhat embarrassed, which made Zhang Chao feel quite amused

Which family has given birth, which family has lost an elder, where outsiders have migrated, and even which family has purchased a servant, all of these must be immediately registered and reported. If they fail to perform this duty properly and there are omissions, and this is discovered by the higher authorities, then from the relevant officials in the county office to the village head and the parties involved, all will face punishment, with serious cases resulting in one to three years of forced labor

Five village heads take turns presiding over local affairs, with each serving for one month. When it is their turn, they go to the county office to listen to cases and assist the various departments in handling matters related to Bailu Township, such as tax collection, grain requisition, adjudicating lawsuits, and apprehending thieves.

Ke Ren had already heard that Old Man Zhang had brought a monk who had returned to secular life back to the village and intended to adopt him as his son and heir. Therefore, he returned to the village early today primarily to investigate and register this matter

The smooth progress of the process took Zhang Chao by surprise

Old father has thirty acres of land, and he can earn six stones of millet in rent each year. Since old father is a soldier of the government, he is exempt from taxes, so these six stones of millet do not need to be submitted to the court and belong entirely to him. Originally, old father was alone, and this amount of grain was sufficient. However, old father often provides assistance to the lonely and the elderly, and when the harvest is poor, he will also reduce the rent somewhat, which is why old father has always lived a frugal life

Under this system of selecting military personnel, it is generally difficult for ordinary individuals to become military soldiers. Zhang Chao's situation clearly does not meet the third criterion. Although the Zhang family is relatively wealthy and can afford to equip themselves, and Zhang Chao is young, the Zhang family only has two able-bodied men, and his father is already a military soldier. Therefore, under normal circumstances, Zhang Chao would not be selected.

Next year will be another year for the inspection of the guards, and once Sanlang is registered, he should participate as well. Ke Wu helped push the cart while looking at the tall Zhang Chao.

Imprisonment refers to forced labor

This is a dou of millet and three feet of cloth, which Uncle Gen is taking home

What else is there to say, my dear brother? I find Sanlang's words quite reasonable. You and Qiniang share mutual feelings and intentions, which is already sufficient. If you do not mind, I shall take on the role of the matchmaker.

Ah, that is truly congratulations to Tie Qiang

This is unacceptable

This figure is relatively fair, with a rental rate of 20% being lower, which also reflects the kindness of the elder.

When the militia goes to the battlefield to earn merits, this is the opportunity for the common people