A fierce wife enters the house: She helps up a house full of spineless people.

Just as dawn was breaking, there was movement in the courtyard.

Wang Guilan, Chen Xinghua, and a few others got up. Looking at the dilapidated courtyard, they felt a pang of sadness.

"Mom, stop looking and hurry up and get something to eat. Everyone's starving," Wang Jinzhu said as she came out.

"Oh dear, there's not even a stove here, how are we supposed to cook?" Wang Guilan worried.

"Let's set up a makeshift stove in the yard and gather some dry firewood. We still have some rice in the truck, so let's cook some porridge to tide us over."

Wang Jinzhu instructed, "Uncle Shun, Uncle Gui, take a few men to repair the courtyard wall and block up the collapsed parts with planks or stones. This courtyard is too dilapidated; anyone can come in, and our things are not safe."

Everyone immediately split up and took action.

Just then, a commotion came from outside the courtyard. Several ragged, slovenly-looking men peeked out from the gate, their eyes fixed on the oxcart and horse-drawn carriage inside.

The men stood outside the door for a while, whispering among themselves. One of them, a skinny man, shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hey, what kind of wealthy family has come to stay in our Houkou Village?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Dali frowned. Holding a stone he was about to use for repairs, he turned to look outside and roared, "What are you looking at! Never seen anyone before?!"

Skinny Monkey was startled by Wang Dali's fierce appearance and took a step back, but he immediately hardened his tone: "What? This is our Houkou Village's territory. How dare you outsiders be so arrogant?"

Wang Tianfang put down the piece of wood he was holding, strode to the door, and looked at them coldly: "It's none of your business that we're staying here. Get out of here and stop getting in the way."

The men glanced at Wang Tianfang's muscular physique, then at the other burly men in the yard carrying tools, and realized they were not to be trifled with. They left, cursing under their breath.

"The people around here don't look like good people." Wang Xiaobao leaned over and spat on the ground.

"Poor mountains and bad waters breed unruly people." Wang Jinzhu walked over. "Everyone, hurry up and get the walls repaired, and make sure the doors are sturdy. We've just arrived, with carts and provisions, so we're bound to be watched. Everyone take turns keeping watch these next few nights; we can't let our guard down."

After breakfast, everyone continued tidying up the yard. By noon, the yard wall was barely blocked, and the gate was also jammed shut with thick wooden sticks.

The first day was spent packing up, and before they knew it, it was noon on the second day. Wang Jinzhu went to the village entrance early to wait for Scarface.

Upon seeing the man arrive, Wang Jinzhu quickly stepped forward to greet him: "Sir, you've arrived. We've found a courtyard to stay in temporarily. Let's go in and sit down to talk."

Scarface waved his hand: "No, let's talk here. What are your thoughts on the household registration issue?"

"I've thought it through, I'm definitely going to do it." Wang Jinzhu cut straight to the point, "Sir, please give me a definite answer, how do I get this household registration done? How much will it cost?"

Scarface held up two fingers: "Two taels of silver per person. There are twenty-nine of you, that's fifty-eight taels. Send one of you to come with me, and I'll take care of it for you."

Fifty-eight taels!

Two taels of silver per person for household registration isn't too outrageous in these chaotic times. With this status, they wouldn't have to live in constant fear of being arrested in the prefectural city.

"Alright, fifty-eight taels it is." Wang Jinzhu readily agreed. She turned and went back into the house, counted out fifty-eight taels of silver from her bundle, and handed it to Scarface.

Scarface took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face: "You woman, you're quite decisive. Who's coming with me?"

Wang Jinzhu's gaze swept over the men in the courtyard.

"Father, Tianfang, you two come with me."

His father knew the people of Wangjia Village better than he did.

Seeing the three of them emerge, Scarface turned and led the way, saying, "Stay close."

After several twists and turns, Scarface led them through an inconspicuous back door into what appeared to be a side courtyard of a government office.

"Boss, a business deal has come in." Scarface bowed and scraped to a fat official who was dozing off.

The portly official lifted his eyelids and asked lazily, "What is it?"

"These are merchants from out of town. They've suffered some misfortune and want to register their household in our prefecture." Scarface said, while discreetly slipping a few taels of silver into their hands.

The portly official squeezed the silver coins, his expression softening slightly, before finally looking directly at Wang Jinzhu and the other two. "What are your names? Where are you from? How many people are in your family? Tell me everything."

Wang Jinzhu stepped forward and presented the prepared statement and list.

The portly official listened absentmindedly, then casually picked up a pen and began scribbling on a stack of blank household registration documents. He didn't even check any information; after finishing one stack, he stamped it with his official seal and tossed it to Wang Jinzhu.

"Alright, take it."

The whole process was incredibly fast.

Wang Jinzhu took the stack of documents, still fragrant with ink, and looked at them one by one. The names, places of origin, and ages were all written clearly, and each was stamped with a bright red official seal.

This stack of paper was bought with fifty-eight taels of silver.

But it was this stack of papers that transformed them from refugees who could be expelled at any moment into residents of the prefectural city recognized by the government.

Worth it.

"Thank you, sir." Wang Jinzhu carefully put the document into her bosom.

"Let's go." Scarface, having taken his share of the benefits, didn't want to linger and led them back the way they came.

Back in the dilapidated courtyard, Wang Jinzhu distributed the completed household registration documents. When Wang Shun, Wang Gui, and the others received the thin yet incredibly heavy piece of paper with trembling hands, the grown men's eyes reddened.

"Are we people of the prefecture city now?" Wang Shun's voice was trembling with tears.

"Yes." Wang Jinzhu nodded. "From today onwards, we will settle down here and put down roots."

After calming everyone down, Wang Jinzhu pulled Wang Dali and Wang Tianfang aside.

"Father, Tianfang, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Daughter, tell me." Wang Dali now listens to his daughter's every word.

"I want to buy this courtyard," Wang Jinzhu said, dropping a bombshell.

"What?!" Wang Dali's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Buy this? This lousy place is bad luck even if you give it to me for free! Half the walls have collapsed, and there are more rat holes than people living in the house. Why would I buy it?"

"Father, this courtyard is dilapidated, but it's big enough." Wang Jinzhu pointed to the courtyard. "Look, there are seven or eight rooms in total, including the main house and the side rooms, which is enough for all of us to live in. The front yard is so big that we'll have room to reopen the workshop in the future. Besides, it doesn't look expensive."

"I'll listen to Jinzhu." Wang Tianfang stood by his wife's side as always.