Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan entered the old woman's house, only to find that the family's situation was not very good.
The interior layout was simple: one bedroom, one main hall, and one kitchen/dining area. The furnishings in the main hall were very simple but also very clean; besides a table, chairs, and a cabinet, there was only an old grandfather clock.
"Grandma, what's your last name? Do you live alone?" Zhu Ziyang's gaze swept over the room's environment, while Jiang Nannan spoke to the old woman.
"Yang. I also have a little granddaughter, she's asleep," the old woman replied. She walked to the cabinet, searching for something.
"Then where are your son and daughter-in-law? Are they not home?" Jiang Nannan asked subconsciously.
"My son died, and my daughter-in-law followed him," the old woman said, her tone flat, as if speaking of an insignificant matter.
"Ah!" Hearing this, Jiang Nannan couldn't help but show apology, saying, "I'm sorry, Grandma."
"It's alright, this old woman is used to it," the old woman said, her aged face devoid of any emotion, like wood.
"Grandma, what's our village called? It doesn't look like there are many people here?" Seeing this, Zhu Ziyang changed the subject and asked.
"The guests don't know, but our village is called Zhangyang Village, under the jurisdiction of Viscount Nuoding of Hetian Town," the old woman replied calmly. "Everyone in the village has moved to other places."
"Moved to other places?" Jiang Nannan was very puzzled, tilting her head and saying, "Why did they move?"
"If they don't move, the children won't be able to awaken their Spirit," the old woman said, her voice finally tinged with emotion—a helpless mix of pain, struggle, and despair.
"Why?" Jiang Nannan asked, confused. "Doesn't Falan City have a Spirit Master Association?"
"The Spirit Master Association requires a fifty gold coin fee to awaken a Spirit," the old woman didn't speak, but Zhu Ziyang answered Jiang Nannan's question, his face thoughtful. He said, "
He still had more to say, but Jiang Nannan wasn't foolish and already understood. Fifty gold coins, for a family in such a small village, might be a lifetime's savings.
After the Spirit Hall was destroyed, the Spirit Master Association was established by the Empires to take over all matters related to Spirit Masters, including Spirit awakening. After ten thousand years, the local Spirit Master Associations had been controlled by local nobles, which was undoubtedly bad news for ordinary people. There were probably countless small villages like Zhangyang Village within the Three Great Empires.
"The guest is right," the old woman said after a moment of silence, agreeing. "When the old Viscount was still alive, he would bestow grace every year, sending Spirit Masters to every village to help children awaken their Spirit for free. But now, I haven't seen a Spirit Master from the Viscount's manor in over ten years."
"Nowadays, families who want to awaken a Spirit but don't want to sell themselves to the Viscount's manor have all moved away. Those left in the village are just old folks who can't move, and some children who couldn't awaken their Spirit, but what can be done..." The old woman babbled on, as if a dam had broken, then abruptly stopped. "This old woman is being long-winded, please forgive me, guests."
..." Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan were both silent.
He understood that this was the true portrayal of an ordinary person's life in this era.
In this era, Spirit awakening matters were controlled by the Empire nobles. Commoners who wanted to awaken their Spirit either had to pay fifty gold coins to the Spirit Master Association, where Spirit Masters from the association would perform the Spirit awakening (a Spirit Master Association existed in every city of the Empire); or they could sell themselves to a noble's estate and become a noble's servant, and every noble would awaken the Spirits for their own servants.
Besides these two methods, some high-level Spirit Masters, while traveling the continent, would also show kindness and help children in passing villages awaken their Spirit.
Nobles like Hong Zhen, the City Lord of Anyang City, were, after all, very rare.
This was an era of solidified social classes, where the only path for commoner children was tightly blocked, with only one or two remaining cracks, yet some still couldn't reach them.
Zhu Ziyang suddenly felt like crying, sadness welling up in his heart, though he didn't know where it came from.
The old woman found a key from the cabinet, then walked towards the locked bedroom, saying in a low voice, "Guests, please rest in this room tonight."
"Okay! Thank you for the trouble," Zhu Ziyang said, his face expressionless, but his eyes were unusually deep, wondering what he was thinking.
"Guests, please come in," the old woman opened the bedroom door, walked in with an oil lamp, and said to the two.
The two followed the old woman into the bedroom, only to see that the bedroom was decorated festively, with a large red bed and red bed curtains, and the character for '囍' (double happiness) pasted on the dressing table by the bed.
Such a scene made Jiang Nannan's pretty face flush slightly.
"This was my son and daughter-in-law's wedding room; they only stayed one night and never came back," the old woman lit a red candle and said to herself, "You two guests will have to make do."
"Okay, thank you," Zhu Ziyang didn't decline. Although he had a compassionate heart, he wouldn't act hypocritically because of it.
"This old woman won't delay your rest, guests," the old woman said, her attitude always maintaining a sense of detachment and reverence, clearly having realized Zhu Ziyang's and Jiang Nannan's identities.
"Good night, Grandma," Jiang Nannan said subconsciously.
The old woman exited the room, not forgetting to close the door.
"Let's rest, we have to get up early tomorrow to travel," Zhu Ziyang said.
"Okay!" Jiang Nannan nodded, folded the bedding on the bed, placed it aside, then took out her own bedding from her luggage and spread it out.
The two slept in their clothes.
The night passed without a word.
—
The next day, early morning.
Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan stepped out of the room and found that the old woman was also already awake.
Beside her was a shy little girl, looking about four or five years old, secretly observing Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan.
"Grandma, you're up so early!" Jiang Nannan greeted her with a smile, then looked at the little girl, waving with a smile, "She's your granddaughter, right? She's so cute!"
"I'm old, I'm a light sleeper," the old woman replied. Hearing Jiang Nannan mention her granddaughter, her face showed affection as she looked at the little girl beside her and said, "Yes, Nuan Nuan, say hello to the guests."
"Hello," the little girl called out weakly.
Jiang Nannan was a little surprised. She bent down and stroked the little girl's head, saying with a smile, "So you're Nuan Nuan, just like me! My name is Nuan Nuan too."
"Really!" the little girl exclaimed in surprise, her eyes looking at Jiang Nannan with a bit more closeness.
"Two guests..." The old woman spoke, then hesitated.
"Grandma, is there something you need our help with?" Zhu Ziyang noticed the old woman's hesitant expression and spoke up.
"This..." The old woman hesitated, her aged face showing a trace of anticipation, and she said, "You two guests are Spirit Masters, aren't you?"
"That's right," Zhu Ziyang nodded and replied, already vaguely guessing what the old woman was about to say.
"That's wonderful, that's wonderful!" the old woman said repeatedly, her aged face showing a pleading look as she gazed at Zhu Ziyang. "Can this old woman ask you for a favor? If you ever pass by here again in the future, could you please help my poor little granddaughter awaken her Spirit?"
The old woman's words were exactly what Zhu Ziyang had expected, and he fell silent.
Seeing his reaction, the old woman became anxious but dared not speak loudly, fearing she might anger Zhu Ziyang. She could only plead more humbly, "This child lost her parents when she was just one year old, and this old woman is nearing the grave; I could be gone at any time. This child is still young; if I'm gone, having a Spirit might give her a chance to survive..."
"Alright, Grandma, you don't need to say anymore," Zhu Ziyang interrupted the old woman, his expression calm.
The old woman, however, was terrified, her face ashen. She thought her words had angered Zhu Ziyang, and her lips trembled, unable to speak.
However, Zhu Ziyang's next words instantly made the old woman's face flush.
"I promise you, Grandma," Zhu Ziyang said, his face still calm, but his eyes sparkled with an unusual light. As a commoner himself, he felt it was necessary for him to do something.
"This, this..." The old woman was overjoyed, her body trembling as she was about to kneel before Zhu Ziyang, but Jiang Nannan stopped her in time.
"Grandma, I can assure you, by this time next year, I will definitely return. At that time, you can have the other age-appropriate children from the village come along, and I will help them awaken their Spirit together," Zhu Ziyang said.
"Yes! Yes! Thank you! Thank you!" The old woman was exceptionally agitated. Although Zhu Ziyang had only spoken a light, fleeting sentence, it was their only hope!
Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan left Zhangyang Village with somewhat heavy hearts.