fake gentry

Xie Hong racked his brains but couldn't find a way to survive.

Can a powerful strike combined with verbal attacks make the opponent bow down in submission?

Xie Hong's gaze swept over the team leader, and he knew that this was basically a dream.

During the Jin Dynasty, a hereditary military system was implemented, and military households were even worse off than commoners. The captains were of lowly birth, uneducated, and ignorant, which meant they were essentially immune to empty talk.

This guy can no longer be called a refugee; he should be called a bandit.

Should we slide down to our knees and beg for mercy?

But thinking about the look in the other person's eyes, Xie Hong felt that he might as well be dead.

He then looked at Chen San.

This guy's speech and behavior don't seem like those of a poor commoner.

Damn it, let's take a gamble and bet on this Chen San.

I'll pretend to be a member of the gentry and trick Chen San into saving his life first.

The system of aristocratic clans during the Jin Dynasty was extremely strict. There were no commoners among the upper class and no aristocratic families among the lower class. The power of aristocratic clans was extremely strong. Clans were also divided into ranks. The high-ranking clans completely controlled important positions in the court and had the power of life and death over commoners and ordinary people.

When you're out in the world, you give yourself your identity.

Although impersonating a member of the aristocratic class is a capital offense, compared to dying immediately, the crime of impersonating someone else's surname can be dealt with a little later.

Besides, with his appearance, no one would believe he wasn't from a noble family.

What was the social situation like in the early Eastern Jin Dynasty?

After the Yongjia Rebellion, a large number of refugees from the north poured into Jiangzuo. Most of them joined the ranks of refugee leaders, some were taken in as tenants or retainers by aristocratic estates, and a considerable number of them became outlaws who made a living by plundering for various reasons.

He really had no other choice but to impersonate a member of the gentry.

Among the aristocratic families that migrated south, the Langya Wang clan was at its zenith, but Wang Dun's rebellion was about to bring about the destruction of the family. At this time, impersonating someone else was basically equivalent to surrendering to the Nationalist army in 1949.

The people in front of me became refugees because of Wang Dun's rebellion; if they impersonated the Langya Wang clan, they would probably die even faster.

And the gentry of Wu region could not impersonate them.

Since Xie Hong can't speak Wu dialect, if he's exposed, he'll basically be dead.

Isn't it easy to impersonate someone?

My surname is Xie. The Xie clan of Chen Commandery has just moved south and its foundation is not yet stable. It is not yet the top aristocratic family that will be known as the Wang and Xie clans alongside the Langya Wang clan in the future.

So, what rank of aristocratic family would the Xie clan of Chen Commandery be considered now?

It's roughly above third-class, barely even second-class.

Clan leader Xie Kun was the first member of the Chen Commandery Xie clan to be granted a marquisate. He laid the foundation for the Xie clan, and now they have just reached the edge of becoming a second-class aristocratic family.

But Xie Kun would die soon, and it was his younger brother Xie Pou who truly made the Xie family powerful.

Who are this person's sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons?

Xie An, Xie Wan, Xie Shi, Xie Xuan, Xie Daoyun, Xie Lingyun.

The Xie clan of Chenjun will face a generational gap in its succession, so it's perfect for me to impersonate them.

and many more!

Xie Hong glanced at Chen San again.

This guy has a story.

He just called Wang Dun by his name, which would be absolutely unacceptable in today's society. Calling someone by their name is extremely disrespectful, equivalent to cursing their mother.

"Are you familiar with the Xie family of Chen Commandery?"

Chen San's expression stiffened slightly. How could he not know about the Xie family of Chen County?

That was a prominent family of immigrants who moved south to Dongshan in Kuaiji Commandery. The former clan head, Xie Heng, was the principal of the Imperial Academy and held the official positions of Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince and Attendant Gentleman of the Palace. He passed away two years ago. The current clan head is Marquis Xianting, Xie Kun, who is one of the Eight Worthies of Jiangzuo and a truly renowned scholar.

"My lord is...?"

Chen San never suspected that Xie Hong was an imposter, because Xie Hong's appearance was just too convincing.

This was an era in which the distinction between the gentry and commoners was clear. The commoners were from a completely different world from the gentry, which fundamentally eliminated the possibility of impersonation.

Xie Hong straightened his back and said calmly, "Chenjun Xie Hong, courtesy name Fengzhi, paternal uncle Xie Kun and Xie Youyu."

Chen San's gaze became somewhat complicated. He stared at Xie Hong for a long time without saying a word, and Xie Hong also keenly sensed the change in the other's expression.

Have a show?

"Since you are a member of the Xie family, why are you here alone?"

Xie Hong calmly replied, "My uncle Youyu wrote to me before the New Year, recruiting me as his aide. But I was only halfway there when he wrote again, saying that he had been demoted to the prefect of Yuzhang because he opposed the general's uprising. So I temporarily gave up my ambition to serve in the government. I heard that Mount Lu is the most beautiful place in the world and is very close to Yuzhang, so I planned to visit it. I never expected to become acquainted with you."

He spoke these words calmly and deliberately, displaying the proper demeanor of a member of the aristocracy.

"I see that you are not a vicious person, so why make things difficult for yourself? You might as well persuade the captain to release me, and I will definitely send you food and clothing as a reward. If you are willing to join me, I will also promise you a bright future."

Chen San looked at Xie Hong with a half-smile, then turned around and walked onto the stone platform, whispering something to the team leader.

The captain grinned menacingly: "You little brat, you've got a silver tongue. If you don't want to die, obediently become my lover. Liu Chong, you little brat, hang him outside first."

Xie Hong's face turned pale instantly as he recalled a sentence from the Book of Jin.

Male favorites became more popular than female favorites, and scholars and officials all admired them, with the whole country following suit.

There's also the evaluation of handsome men in "A New Account of Tales of the World." Pan Yue was surrounded by women when he went out, and Wei Jie was stared to death, which gave rise to the idioms "fruits were thrown into his carriage" and "Wei Jie was stared to death."

I freaking...

Xie Hong broke down completely, his blood boiling and he started cursing recklessly: "You beast, you're even worse than a beast, disgusting, ugh, absolutely disgusting."

A burly young man emerged from among the refugees, silently hoisted the struggling Xie Hong onto his back, and carried him out of the cave.

Outside the cave is a peach orchard. The peach blossoms have already faded in May, but the azaleas are in full bloom, their red and purple hues covering the mountains and fields.

Xie Hong was hung under a crooked peach tree by the young refugee, his clothes swaying in the wind, looking as if he were floating on air.

The displaced boy hoisted him up and stood guard to the side.

Before long, Chen San came out of the cave. He first arranged for more than ten refugees to go out and find food, and then led the rest of the people to pile firewood at the cave entrance in preparation for starting a fire.

Then the squad leader came out and began to play with the Han sword in his hand. As soon as he drew the sword, he was immediately amazed by the gold-inlaid fish scale pattern on the high-manganese steel sword.

"Chen San, come and see."

The captain handed the Han sword to Chen San, saying, "You've seen a lot, have you ever seen such a fine sword?"

When Chen San took it and looked at it, his heart was immediately filled with shock.

The squad leader was a lowly military household member with little knowledge, but he was not an ignorant commoner.

The swords worn by the gentry were called jade-hilted swords. The blades were generally unsharpened or had very short blades, making them unsuitable for actual combat. However, the blades of these swords gleamed with a cold light and could cut hair with a single blow.

Xie Hong's Han sword, crafted with modern technology and materials, completely overturned Chen San's understanding.

How was the fish scale pattern on the sword blade forged? How was the black jade (resin) on the hilt inlaid with gold wire and made to look like a seamless whole?

Leaving aside the forging craftsmanship of this sword, the jade on the hilt alone is worth at least 500,000 coins, enough to build a small fortified village, or even to buy a nice house in Jiankang.

Chen San didn't know that it was a synthetic product of modern industry and was worthless.

In these times of chaos and turmoil, even money can't buy true jade.

The Yongjia Rebellion led to a shortage of Hetian jade in the Western Regions, which even the gentry could not use. Many gentry even began to use talc and turquoise as substitutes for jade.

What is jade?

A symbol of power, status, and supreme identity.

Xie Hong was in excruciating pain with his hands suspended, but he kept observing every second.

The squad leader's eyes were filled with greed, while Chen San seemed thoughtful. He knew he had to start with Chen San.

The captain took the sword back from Chen San and slashed a few times before hacking down on a peach tree as thick as an arm. The peach tree fell with a thud.

"What a fine sword! What a fine sword, Liu Chong! Didn't you want my knife? It's yours now. Chen San, take him to get it."

The young refugee named Liu Chong glanced at the team leader, and Chen San immediately shouted and cursed:

"Boy, why don't you thank the squad leader? Come with me."

Liu Chong bowed to the team leader in a sullen manner to express his gratitude, then followed Chen San into the cave with his head down.

As soon as they entered the cave, Liu Chong asked in a low voice, "Uncle Cen, were you able to see that sword clearly?"

Chen San replied in a low voice, "Does my esteemed young master want that sword?"

"I want it." The young refugee raised his head, his eyes burning with desire: "A skilled craftsman must first have the right tools. With this sword, I can cut off the head of that traitorous dog Dun with a single stroke."

"Young master, don't even think about it. Back then, Cao Mengde ordered people to forge the Hundred-Refined Sword, and it took three years to obtain only five of them." Chen San's tone was somewhat complicated. "The sword of the Xie family's son is unparalleled in the world. Even the emperor's sword is no better than this. To obtain such a weapon, one would have to kill and seize it, but killing him would mean cutting oneself off from the aristocratic family, and the young master would never have the chance to restore his family's status."

Chen San looked at Liu Chong and said, "If you wish to befriend him, then we can save him first and then proceed with our plans gradually."

The young refugee shook his head bitterly: "If my father were here, I would definitely befriend him, but now I am a refugee and don't want to be looked down upon." His expression turned sorrowful and indignant: "I am no longer the young general; now I can only show myself by my mother's surname."

Chen San sighed softly. His young master had been blinded by hatred and had even considered killing a member of the aristocratic family for the sake of a sword.

If it weren't for the traitor Dun's rebellion, General Zhengxi would not have been killed, and my son Zhuozhi would not have become a refugee.

He was about to take the captain's ring-pommel sword when he suddenly frowned and said, "Something's not right. This Xie family scion's identity is fake."

Liu Chong was taken aback: "What do you mean, Uncle Cen?"