Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Zhang Mingde was startled when he thought of this.

Now Zhang Mingde and Zhang Jinhe understood why Qin Qiong, their employer, treated Li Shimin with such respect.

So it turns out he was an emperor!

Village head Wang Shen was also among those who realized what was happening.

I thought of Li Shimin, and the group of people around him.

Wang Shen was also familiar with the few people who called Li Shimin "Grandpa".

Li Tai, who spent his days with Wang Shen researching printing techniques in the workshop, was also a prince.

Wang Shen swallowed hard, then looked at Li Tai and Li Ke on the other side.

Zhang Erya, Zhang Jinhe, and the others also looked at Li Lizhi, Princess Yuzhang, Princess Chengyang, and the little princess.

The gap between them and others is simply too great.

After everything was over, the atmosphere became a little awkward.

The familiar feeling from before is gone.

"Your Highness!" Zhang Jinhe called out to Princess Yuzhang.

I knew that Princess Li Lizhi of Yuzhang had an extraordinary temperament and manners, but I never expected her to be so frightening.

“Jinniang, you’re being so formal. Aren’t we still good sisters?” Princess Yuzhang pulled Zhang Jinhe along. “You’ll be the same as before, just like before.”

Zhang Jinhe felt a little awkward. "Alright! Did you know all along, young master?"

"Young master already knew, but he just didn't say anything." Princess Yuzhang no longer concealed it, because there was no need to.

"So that's how it is!" Zhang Jinhe didn't expect that Xiao Ran knew everything so early on, yet still acted as if nothing had happened.

Xiao Ran is indeed quite different.

For the villagers and Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya to treat the princess and prince with normalcy is as difficult as climbing to heaven.

It wasn't because the princesses and princes had changed, but because of the "hierarchical rules" accumulated over hundreds of years in the Tang Dynasty and the "deterrent power" inherent in imperial authority.

Furthermore, the "psychological gap" caused by the difference in status has long blocked the path to a "normal mindset".

The most fundamental thing is the awe ingrained in people's bones regarding the hierarchy.

In the Tang Dynasty, the "royal family" and the "common people" were never from the same world.

The royal family are "of the highest order," and they are born into a society where they enjoy the worship of all people. Even their clothing, eating, and speaking are subject to their own set of rules.

The villagers were registered households, relying on the land for their livelihood. They had to perform great rites when they met a seventh-rank county official, let alone princes and princesses.

Zhang Jinhe used to call Princess Yuzhang "Sixth Sister" and they would chase after Xiao Hei in the fields together, a time of carefree indifference to her identity.

Now that I know the other person is a "princess," my first thought isn't "It's still that same lady," but rather, "Was I impolite before? Did I offend the royal family?"

This instinctive reverence for the distinction between the noble and the lowly is ingrained from childhood hearing village elders say "one should not approach the imperial family" and seeing government notices that "those who offend the royal family will be punished."

It can't be erased with just a simple "it's the same as before".

Let's look at the "deterrence and fear" brought about by imperial power.

When the villagers learned that Li Shimin was the emperor, the first thing they remembered was not "he came to the village and ate millet".

Rather, it was "the emperor who could determine life and death, and predict fortune and misfortune."

Village head Wang Shen, who had previously studied printing techniques with Li Tai in the workshop, even dared to say, "Si Lang's character is carved crookedly."

Now that they know Li Tai is a prince, they have to think twice before speaking, "Will these words displease His Highness? Will they implicate the whole village?"

What they fear is not the princes and princesses themselves, but "the power behind the royal status".

If one says or does something disrespectful, at best one will be punished, and at worst one's family and even the entire Kaolao Village will be implicated.

This fear of making mistakes makes them afraid to joke around as freely as they used to.

There is also the "psychological barrier" caused by the difference in identity.

Zhang Erya and Zhang Jinhe were ordinary people who wore patched clothes and ate coarse grains.

Princesses and princes wore fine silks and satins, lived in palaces, and were accompanied by guards when they went out.

This vast difference made them subconsciously feel that "we are not on the same wavelength."

Zhang Jinhe previously shared roasted sweet potatoes with Princess Yuzhang, holding hands, and felt that "we are good sisters".

Now that I know the other person is a princess, I hesitate to reach out, thinking, "My hands are muddy, will I get the princess's clothes dirty?"

It's not about feeling inferior; it's about the "real gap" that's right in front of us.

The princess's world has a court and rules, while their world only has fields and crops.

The previous closeness was a coincidence of "not knowing the gap," but now that they know, a sense of distance of "not daring to get close" naturally arises.

The village elders often say, "Without rules, there can be no order," but the "rules" of the royal family are paramount.

For example, Zhang Mingde, when he met Li Lizhi before, even dared to advise "Fifth Sister to do less work".

Now that they know she is Princess Chang Le, they have to bow and address her as "Your Highness" before they can even look up at her, wondering if they are overstepping their bounds.

It's not that they don't want to maintain a "normal mindset," it's that the "rules" don't allow it.

In the Tang Dynasty, being "unruly" towards the royal family was considered disrespectful to imperial authority. Not only would one be accused of being "ignorant," but others would also perceive Kaolao Village as "uneducated."

This adherence to "rules" has long become instinctive, making it impossible for them to get along as freely as before.

Ultimately, it wasn't that the villagers, Zhang Jinhe, and Zhang Erya "didn't want to maintain a normal mindset," but rather that the Tang Dynasty's system, the intimidation of imperial power, and the disparity in their social status turned "a normal mindset" into "impossible."

Just as there are countless mountains and rivers separating a field ridge from a palace, it cannot be bridged by simply saying "it's the same as before".

The only ones who could truly achieve the same level of understanding were Xiao Ran and Sun Simiao, who knew their identities early on.

Yan Yao and Di Renjie were still young, and San Niang was not very old either.

But now the two little princesses who play together look quite different.

The two little princesses felt isolated because the other three didn't call them when they were together.

You can feel the obvious distance between them.

The little princess went to find Xiao Ran, feeling down and throwing herself into his arms.

"Little Bag~"

"Sizi, what's wrong?" Xiao Ran picked up the little princess.

"Third Sister~ Yao Niang~ won't play with me~"

The little princess was about to cry.

Princess Chengyang also walked over in a sullen mood and hugged Li Lizhi.

Xiao Ran held the little princess, gently rubbing her reddened eyes with his fingertips, his voice soft and slow:

"Don't worry, Sizi, it's not that they don't want to play with you."

Xiao Ran chuckled and gently pinched her nose. "They're not ignoring you on purpose, they're just a little flustered because they suddenly found out you're a princess!"

Li Lizhi was also comforting the little princess of Chengyang.

Sun Simiao stroked his white beard, his gaze falling on the few children who were looking at each other timidly in the threshing ground. His tone was calm yet insightful:
“It’s not that the children have grown distant, nor that the villagers are deliberately becoming estranged. It’s that the word ‘identity’ is like a lukewarm stone, sinking into people’s hearts and needing to be warmed slowly.”

"The highest official they've ever met in their lives is just a county clerk. How could they not panic when they suddenly realize that the person they've been with every day is a prince?" "It's normal to panic—it's like seedlings in a field suddenly encountering a blazing sun. They'll wilt for a while. It's not that the seedlings are bad; it's that they haven't adapted to the light."

Li Yuan and Empress Xiao agreed, so no one blamed Zhang Jinhe, Zhang Erya, or the villagers.

They wouldn't blame Yan Yao, Di Renjie, or San Niang either.

The three of them were not very old, but they knew that the princess's status was noble and that she was different from themselves.

Xiao Ran pulled the two little princesses along and looked to the other side, "Third Aunt, you three come here, let's go watch cartoons."

Hearing Xiao Ran call out, Third Sister, Di Renjie, and Yan Yao ran back.

I still think Xiao Ran is better.

The villagers did not distance themselves from Xiao Ran, even as his rank rose, because his "nobility" was "grown up together with everyone."

The princess's "nobility" is something she was born with.

The former is a tangible "honor that is close at hand," while the latter is an "innate nobility" engraved in the system and separated by rules.

These two kinds of "expensive" hold completely different weight and distance in the hearts of the villagers.

The villagers were witnesses to Xiao Ran's rise from nothing to his title, and were even "participants" in the entire process.

He was originally just a rogue without a registered residence, but he was given the title of "County Earl of Agriculture and Grain" because of potatoes and corn.

This title embodies the "common interests" of the villagers.

He helped improve everyone's lives; the title was "the court's recognition of this merit," not "a reason for estrangement."

Moreover, his title did not change the "mode of interaction".

Even after being granted a title, he remained the same as before, neither arrogant nor looking down on the villagers.

In the villagers' eyes, he was still "the young man Xiao who could work and laugh with them," and the title was just "a name given to him."

He wasn't turned into an "adult" who needed to bow and scrape.

This state of "high rank but not distant person" naturally prevents people from becoming estranged.

The princess's identity was "inherent" and "revealed suddenly."

Previously, the villagers treated Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang as "gentle ladies from the city".

We worked together and shared roasted sweet potatoes; we didn't feel any "distance" between us.

But once they learned that they were "royal daughters," this "innate nobility" clashed with the villagers' "everyday perception."

In their minds, a "princess" is someone who "lives in a palace and is surrounded by servants," and is from a completely different world from "themselves on the ridge of the field."

More importantly, the princess's status comes with its own set of "rules and regulations".

Even if the princesses didn't change, the villagers would subconsciously feel that they "had to follow the rules."

We can no longer joke around as freely as before, we can't let the princess get muddy, and we even have to think carefully about whether we'll be disrespectful when we speak.

It's not that we're deliberately distancing ourselves; it's that we don't know "how to get along like before."

The villagers' assessment of "expensive" is very "realistic".

Those who bring benefits and can be lived with will not be alienated, no matter how "expensive" they are.

It's just a "symbol of prestige" and has nothing to do with daily life; even if you're familiar with it, you'll feel alienated.

Xiao Ran's title is tied to the villagers' "life": his contributions ensure that everyone has enough to eat and wear, and his presence protects the village's experimental fields—this is a "tangible benefit."

If the villagers feel that "the higher his rank, the better he treats us," they will naturally be more willing to be close to him.

For the villagers, the princess's status was more of a "symbol of nobility".

It has nothing to do with everyday things like "planting grain and harvesting"; instead, it reminds people of the rules of "distinction between superiors and inferiors," causing them to subconsciously step back.

As the cartoon started playing in the living room, the two little princesses temporarily forgot about their previous unpleasantness.

It feels like going back to the old days when a few kids would watch cartoons together.

Di Renjie, San Niang, and Yan Yao stared intently at the screen, forgetting that the two people beside them were princesses of noble status.

Seeing Xiao Ran on the other side, Zhang Jinhe took the initiative to walk over.

"Xiao Langjun!"

"Jinniang, what's wrong?"

Zhang Jinhe smiled and said, "Unbeknownst to us, it's been almost a year since we met."

"Yes! If it weren't for Jinniang and Aweng's help, whether I could have stayed or not would have been another matter!"

Zhang Jinhe smiled. He never dreamed that Xiao Ran could bring so many benefits.

I'm so glad I treated Xiao Ran well before and didn't drive him away.

“We didn’t do anything. It’s all thanks to the young master’s own abilities that he was able to stay.” Zhang Jinhe glanced to the other side, towards the living room.

"I didn't expect that Fifth Sister, Sixth Sister, and Sizi are all princesses. It's a bit hard to get used to. Second Sister, Third Sister, and I have no way to distance ourselves from the princesses."

Xiao Ran nodded. "Jinniang, I know, and so do Wu Niang and the others. They all know what's going on. You didn't do anything wrong, and neither did San Niang and the others. You can't blame anyone."

"Sizi is small and a little uncomfortable. She's feeling uneasy, but we can comfort her a bit more."

Zhang Jinhe nodded. Xiao Ran was as considerate and understanding as ever.

“The princes are all very approachable and easy to get along with.” Zhang Jinhe was telling the truth.

Princess Li Lizhi of Yuzhang, along with her two young maids, integrated very well.

So much so that Li Lizhi and her sisters often forgot that they were princesses and that their home was in the palace, not Kaolao Village.

"That's true, everything's fine." Xiao Ran looked outside; the autumn wind was bleak, and autumn had arrived again without them realizing it.

"Can we start picking chestnuts and persimmons now?" Xiao Ran smiled.

Zhang Erya, who was on the other side, also came over. "Young master, are you still making roasted chestnuts and persimmon cakes this year?"

Memories from before suddenly flooded my mind.

I used to make a lot of money selling roasted chestnuts and persimmon cakes to supplement my family's income.

Zhang Erya is still in charge of managing the money.

I know how wealthy Xiao Ran is.

“If we want some, we can make some, like roasted chestnuts and persimmon cakes. We’ll make them for ourselves, not sell them.” Xiao Ran smiled. “The family is doing alright now, we have enough money, and we don’t compete with others for profit.”

"If we're too busy, we can just buy it directly," Xiao Ran added.

There must be many people in Kaolao Village who make roasted chestnuts and persimmon cakes. Others can't buy them, but Xiao Ran definitely won't have any problem.

“That’s a good idea. We’re just killing time anyway, so let’s make it ourselves!” Zhang Erya quickly said.

In the past year, Zhang Erya has rarely worked in the fields, mainly taking care of the household.

With so many people living together, it wasn't easy, but with Li Lizhi, Princess Yuzhang, Zhang Jinhe, and Xiao Yu all helping out, Zhang Erya wasn't under too much pressure.

"I wonder if Fifth Sister still wants the persimmon frost?"

"Yes, we will." Li Lizhi also came out. "I also want to save some persimmon frost for my mother. It works well for coughs, and my father also needs some for medicine."

Zhang Jinhe smiled and took Li Lizhi's arm. "Okay, I'll talk to the others in the village later. Like last year, we'll leave the persimmon frost." (End of Chapter)