Guessing the truth was leagues apart from learning the truth and then accepting it was on a whole another level.
Qi Shou, however, remained calm and accepted it as it came.
As an adult who lived through modern society where truths were often unsettling, he'd gotten used to such a way of life.
So what if the manipulations from media and tycoons turned into manipulations from destiny.
In essence, it was just manipulations.
If they could do it, who said he couldn't?
With such a mindset, he wore his best clothes for the day.
A pale-yellow coarse fabric hanfu with a sharper yellow belt holding it close to his waist.
This was something made from the fabric he sought out recently.
Begrudgingly, he had settled for similar stuff to other commoners.
Despite having a system, it only gave rewards for Qi Qingluo, so it wasn't like he could produce fine cotton clothes, silks and satins from nowhere.
Even Qi Qingluo was only wrapped in pure cotton clothes due to the sweltering heat and having no option to ease it out.
It was better than their coarse linen clothing, which hardly had any room for breathing air.
"Just which damned imbecile said throwing saltpeter into water turns it into ice? No matter how much I tried, it just didn't work!"
He grumbled in a tone inaudible to anyone else, cursing countless authors who conveniently let their protagonists make ice from saltpeter.
But it just didn't work no matter how he tried it!
He even got scolded by his parents for playing with water!
Yes, water was precious even in ancient times.
Simply because there were no purifying or refinement techniques except boiling it in this time and age.
Or at least he hadn't seen it.
"What are you doing, you brat? Even woman don't take so long to get ready!"
Father Qi hollered from outside, anxiously waiting with Mother Qi, Qin Hanliu and Qi Qingluo.
For some reason, Qi Shou was the only one not yet ready.
What if they got late and couldn't get Qi Qingluo registered today?
Those officials weren't really nice people and always found loopholes to earn money.
They could easily call it breaking the law if they didn't get it registered today, saying they didn't intend to do it.
Going and not getting registered was even worse than not going!
As someone who had seen the ups and downs of life, Father Qi's worries weren't unfounded nor unnecessary.
They were spot-on as countless low-ranking officials did do such dirty stuff.
It hadn't dawned on Qi Shou yet that this wasn't the modern era where equality was practiced.
In theory, at least.
So, if the official wanted to make things difficult for him, no one would stand up for his family even if he gathered a crowd to watch a spectacle and explained everything.
They would only be cautious of getting on the bad side of the officials.
...No need to say, people were inherently selfish.
But then again, there ought to be something about Qi Shou that he was chosen by a system and even regained past life memories.
Click
Just in time for Father Qi's scolding to come again, Qi Shou came out and closed the door behind him.
There weren't any locks or mechanisms to prevent against thefts.
Just neighbours looking out for each other.
And public security was far better as bandits and thieves had enough to loot from merchants or unjust officials rather than measly food rations from commoners' houses.
"Let's go," Qi Shou motioned before taking Qi Qingluo in his own arms, whispering a few caring words, "Wife, you needn't tire your arms. Let me hold Mingzhu."
Although reluctant to part with Mingzhu even temporarily, Qin Hanliu nodded at him, her ear tips flashing red.
Such small actions showcased his affection for mother and child instead of showering them with empty promises or sweet nothings.
And seeing so many men do only that with countless mistresses outside, Qin Hanliu couldn't help but feel bashful inside.
Meanwhile, Father Qi kept glaring at his son for stealing the chance to hold Mingzhu even after delaying their trip.
With no further incident, they arrived at the court office of registrations after thirty minutes of walking.
Drenched in sweat, they only happened to arrive behind a line of thirteen families as their queue number was handed by a servant of the official's manner.
The plaque on the office read Civilian Registration.
'At least the calligraphy is decent,' mused Qi Shou, glancing at the black ink flayed across brown wood.
Naturally, as a xianxia lover, how could he have not learnt traditional and simplified Chinese.
Although the script was a bit different, he could make out more or less what it read.
Yet his look of bare acceptance was noted by the servant as inspiring awe at seeing auch beautiful calligraphy for the first time.
"Hmph! What do you commoners know? Our Master has written this awe-inspiring calligraphy himself, under the guidance of a sixth-rank official!"
He harrumphed in pride before going back inside and ignoring the baffled commoners.
In all their lives, they hadn't even met a proper ninth-ranm official, let alone someone backed by a sixth-rank official.
It made them tremble in fear, as they started checking if their 'gifts' were inadequate for this esteemed official.
'Just a sixth-rank official? Tsk tsk,' Qi Shou thought in disdain, knowing it was nothing special in the entire Imperial Court.
There were one too many of them and were even sent to exile sometimes... because there were too many of them.
Who knew if the same would occur with this guy's backer?
Musing so, he didn't even notice how time passed before it was his family's turn.
Thankfully, it wasn't even noon yet, so the registration process could be completed without issue.
But the anxious ones were behind him, prompting him to go faster.
"Hey, you! Hurry inside! Don't delay others!"
"If you don't want to head inside, then get lost!"
"Stop daydreaming, you lunatic!"
Amongst such cheers, Qi Shou led his family inside.
Lef by the same disdainful servant from before, they reached the inner office.
Although wanting to bash the servant's eyes in for leering at his wife, Qi Shou held it in for his child's sake.
'Don't worry, I'll visit here tonight,' Qi Shou thought to himself, keen on beating this lustful bastard to death.
And he had a prenomination, he might've to do the same for this official.
Luckily, it didn't come to pass.
The official couldn't even be bothered to look at them and simply asked, "Name of Child, Date and Time of Birth, Household Register."
"Qi Qingluo..."
As Father Qi beat Qi Shou to answering, he kept quiet and let his father do the honors.
He rather inquisitively looked at the study and didn't find it overly luxurious.
'Is this official not corrupt?' He frowned in thought.
Then, he couldn't do anything untoward to this official.
Just as Father Qi took out a few silver taels for the official to having completed the registration, he heard the stern voice of the middle-aged officer.
"Old man, there's no need for these, I'm just doing my duty."
Though, he said that, his hand unconsciously took one silver tael but didn't move further.