Chapter 8, The Constraints of Clans

The young man lay on the bed, contemplating how to quickly make his first fortune in Yuezhou Prefecture, while also thinking about how to sever ties with the Zhang family

Moreover, that shrew of the Zhang family, after returning to Donghu Town, will certainly not conceal this matter from Lin Zhao, which means that Lin Erniang will soon learn about Lin Zhao's situation in Yuezhou Prefecture

The Great Zhou governs the country with filial piety, and in the conflict between Lin Zhao and the Zhang family, as long as it goes through the officials, he is almost certainly the losing party

With an official position, one need not fear entering the government office with the Zhang family

The family's circumstances dictate that they are destined to have no contact with any prominent figures in Donghu Town. Moreover, the situations of Lin Zhao and Lin Erniang in this household are precarious, making any opportunity for interaction with outsiders even more unlikely

Lin Zhao left his home with a total of one guan of money. He needed to reserve some for personal use, so under the guidance of the shopkeeper, he found a house to rent for four hundred coins a month. Fortunately, in this era, there was no need to pay a deposit or anything similar. The landlord was an old man who, after receiving four hundred coins from Lin Zhao, gave him a few reminders before turning to leave

In a large city like the capital Chang'an, some officials of the fourth and fifth ranks are unable to afford a house and can only rent accommodations, with some even renting for several years or even over a decade

Lin Zhao moved his luggage into this study room by himself. After sitting down and catching his breath for a few moments, he finally looked around the room.

In addition, Zhang is also Lin Zhao's biological mother, and this constraint of identity is likely to bind Lin Zhao for a lifetime

After contemplating for approximately one hour, Lin Zhao slowly closed his eyes

The money he has on him is only enough for him to stay in Yuezhou for about one month. During this month, he must earn enough money to sustain his living in the capital city.

In such an era, a city of this scale can already be regarded as an absolute metropolis

However, in order to break free from the constraints of the clan, merely engaging in business to make money is insufficient. Even if I earn money, as long as it goes through the government, it is likely that it will not end up in my hands

The young man silently spoke to himself

According to the progress of reincarnation novels from previous lives, after thirteen years of rebirth, Lin Zhao should have already made a name for himself in this world, at least to the extent of being renowned in a certain area, no longer needing to regard someone like Zhang, who is akin to a shrew, with any seriousness. However, in reality, things have not gone as smoothly as imagined

Due to possessing complete memories of her past life, Lin Zhao, although not considered a time traveler, can be regarded as having been reborn

After a whole day of rushing about, Lin Zhao felt somewhat fatigued after finishing the letter. After a brief wash-up, he lay down in the small nest he had just tidied up, closing his eyes to rest.

After much contemplation, Lin Zhao finally took out two pieces of coarse paper from his luggage. Using the ink and brush prepared for him by Lin Erniang, he wrote a letter on the paper to inform his mother that he would be staying in Yuezhou Prefecture for a period of time, so she should not worry about him

Generally speaking, as long as private ownership exists, leasing will naturally arise, especially in relatively prosperous cities where it is difficult for ordinary people to suddenly produce a large sum of money to purchase a house, and they usually opt for renting instead

For the time being, I need to earn some money in Yuezhou Prefecture to escape my current predicament

The thirteen-year-old boy lay on the bed, his hands placed behind his head, showing no signs of sleepiness

The money that I brought into the city was painstakingly saved by my mother for my education. If my mother were to find out that I was unable to study at the Lin family’s main residence and instead used this money to rent a house in the capital, I wonder how she would feel about it.

At this moment, although he felt somewhat drowsy, he could not yet sleep

Indeed, for Lin Zhao, who possesses memories from a past life, becoming a prodigy is not particularly difficult. However, having previously been completely in the dark about this world, he could not discern whether his newfound fame was a blessing or a curse. Moreover, engaging in the ostentation of poetry and literature felt somewhat awkward. Therefore, Lin Zhao simply chose to abandon this path and gradually explore what this world truly looks like.

Yuezhou Prefecture can be considered a relatively prosperous city, and naturally, there are rental houses available. Upon hearing Lin Zhao's inquiry, the innkeeper first sized him up from head to toe, and then proceeded to recommend that Lin Zhao could stay long-term at his inn. When he saw that Lin Zhao did not agree, he then began to suggest several small houses nearby.

Without the identity of an adult, it is inherently difficult to accomplish anything

One can only find a way to secure an official position

Moreover, this time marks Lin Zhao's first entry into Yuezhou Prefecture

Lin Zhao shook her head, tidied up a bit, and after making the bed, it was already afternoon

He sat by the bed, gazing at the sunlight outside through the window, momentarily lost in thought

Of course, it would be best to buy a house in the city and bring my mother to live there, so that we no longer have to endure the Zhang family's expressions in Donghu Town

After finishing, Lin Zhao carefully folded the letter, preparing to have Zheng Bo, who delivers vegetables to the city, take the letter back for him early the next morning

The scene of Yuezhou Prefecture is vastly different from that of Donghu Town. As one of the major cities in the Jiangnan region of the Great Zhou, the population within Yuezhou City has long surpassed 100,000.

One cannot simply hold the hand of my father, Lin Qingyuan, and recite a few poems by Li Bai and Du Fu, pretending to be a "prodigy"

Firstly, Lin Zhao's family was not a wealthy or noble household; they were merely a branch that assisted the main family in managing the fields. The land that truly belonged to his family amounted to only about twenty acres, which did not even qualify them as small landowners

As long as the father, Lin Qingyuan, is still alive, Lin Zhao and the Zhang family remain one family, without any division of property. This means that regardless of how much Lin Zhao earns, it all belongs to this larger family, and the Zhang family can dispose of it at will

For that father who is far away, Lin Zhao does not harbor much ill will, but he has grown to detest this harsh and overbearing stepmother to the utmost degree

With an official status, no one dares to bring up the background of one's mother

For Lin Zhao, none of these are particularly difficult to achieve, after all, he possesses a wealth of knowledge that does not belong to this world. However, the greatest challenge facing Lin Zhao at present is not making money, nor is it securing a livelihood, but rather how to free himself from the Zhang family

Early the next morning, Lin Zhao got up early, packed his belongings, and went downstairs to inquire with the inn's staff about any small houses available for rent nearby

The prices of these houses are around 300 to 400 yuan per month. Of course, this refers to residential properties without a yard. If one desires a small yard, the price generally starts from 1,000 yuan and above

Furthermore, there is one more important point that...

Soon, the sky was completely darkened

These conditions are not significantly better than Lin Zhao's residence in Donghu Town

In the city of Yuezhou, houses located within the neighborhoods generally come with courtyards. The house rented by Lin Zhao does not have a courtyard; it is situated in a relatively secluded corner. The house is quite small, containing only a bed without bedding and a stove that appears to have not been used for a long time.

In this family background, apart from being a prodigy, there is nothing else that a child can accomplish. Not to mention when he was seven or eight years old, even now at the age of thirteen, Lin Zhao, walking on the streets of Yuezhou Prefecture, would still be regarded as a child if he wished to undertake any task.

Due to the large population, all trades and industries are well represented in Yuezhou Prefecture. Walking along the main avenue of Yuezhou Prefecture, one can see inns and similar establishments everywhere. After leaving Xingwen Alley, Lin Zhao deliberately walked a bit further and finally found a small inn called "Jun Yuelai" in an alley, where he spent twenty coins for one night's stay