Chapter 145: SimCity 1628 Begins
Xing Honglang didn't quite understand.
Li Daoxuan knew she couldn't possibly understand.
The profound impact of circulating goods on a region's development was something only a modern mind could truly grasp.
He wanted his miniature world to flourish, and that couldn't happen without the help of merchants. However, with Shaanxi currently overrun by bandits, legitimate traders wouldn't dare enter the province. Even if they did, they'd only operate in major cities like Xi'an or the county seat, never venturing into a remote, impoverished place like Gao Family Village.
They could only rely on salt smugglers.
Gao Yiye conveyed: "The Heavenly Lord said that if you are willing to regularly come to Gao Family Village to resupply, we can prepare a spacious manor for you and your followers. It would be a comfortable place for you to rest during your visits, far more pleasant than braving the elements or pitching tents."
Xing Honglang chuckled, "I'm honored by the Heavenly Lord's high regard! Since Gao Family Village is so generous to someone like me, Xing, I wouldn't dream of taking your kindness for granted. I'll be sure to visit often from now on."
Gao Yiye affirmed, "You are most welcome."
That night, Xing Honglang indeed stayed in Gao Family Village. However, her manor wasn't ready yet, so her group had to make do with camping. Fortunately, salt smugglers were accustomed to traveling far and wide, having endured every hardship imaginable, so pitching a camp was a trivial matter for them.
Gao Yiye saw Xing Honglang off, a touch puzzled. She couldn't help but look up and ask Li Daoxuan, "Heavenly Lord, when you usually bestow homes upon the villagers, you simply grant them, manifesting your divine power on the spot, lowering a house from the heavens. Why didn't you immediately provide a residence for Xing Honglang this time?"
Li Daoxuan smiled faintly. "Xing Honglang doesn't quite understand me yet. If I were to manifest my divine power too early in front of her, it might frighten her, and she wouldn't return to Gao Family Village."
"Oh? Seeing the Heavenly Lord's divine manifestation, one should be so utterly awe-struck as to prostrate themselves in admiration, and frequently visit Gao Family Village to pay respects in the future. How could they possibly be frightened away and never return?"
Li Daoxuan chuckled. There was no need to explain that in detail.
People, after all, were remarkably complex creatures.
"Beep... beep... beep..."
His phone suddenly rang. Li Daoxuan closed the lid of the diorama box, picked up his mobile, and said, "Oh, Aunt Two? Long time no see, what made you think of calling me?"
Aunt Two was Li Daoxuan's rural relative. Not long ago, when the autumn wheat was being sown, Li Daoxuan had even called her to ask about soil pH and the proper use of chemical fertilizers.
Aunt Two's voice was warm and familiar. "Your father told me you weren't planning on coming back to the old village for the family gathering this Spring Festival. Aunt Two is worried about you, dear. Why aren't you coming home?"
Li Daoxuan glanced at the diorama box. He couldn't explain that, so he simply replied, "I'm busy with online video promotion, so I really can't go back to the old village. Staying there for over ten days at a time... it's a bit much."
Aunt Two laughed. "I know you're busy with work and making big money! You even bought your parents a two-million yuan house—all your relatives are praising you! But a busy person like you doesn't need to stay in the old village for ten days; just come back for a day. We're allowed to set off firecrackers here, so you can come for just one day, set off some fireworks with everyone, and have some fun. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Her words sparked a realization in Li Daoxuan.
That's right!
Firecrackers and fireworks were readily available in the countryside! The items he had always wanted to buy could now be easily acquired without having to search for unusual purchase channels in the city.
Li Daoxuan chuckled, "Alright then, Aunt Two, wait for me. I'll come and set off firecrackers with everyone."
A few days passed in a flash...
Spring Festival arrived!
Li Daoxuan woke up early and glanced into the box. The entire Gao Family Village was imbued with a festive atmosphere. Gao Family Fortress was adorned with red decorations and bustling with activity, while the neighboring Short-term Workers Village and Labor Offenders Village also presented a joyful scene.
For such a crucial, traditional festival, surely both rebels and government troops would pause their activities. Nothing untoward should happen.
Li Daoxuan slung his backpack on, met up with his parents, and got into the car headed for the countryside. The old green-skinned train chugged along, carrying him to a small, rundown town on the outskirts of Shuangqing City. High-speed rail didn't even reach here; only the venerable green-skinned trains could, leaving the place remarkably untouched.
Sure enough, there were firecrackers for sale in town!
Opportunities to legally buy these things were rare, only once a year, and impossible to find in the city center.
Li Daoxuan didn't hold back. Time to buy everything!
His lavish and unrestrained shopping style immediately caught the shop owner's eye. "A city kid, aren't you?" the owner remarked. "Came all the way out to the countryside just to set off firecrackers for fun?"
"Haha, yes, I'm at my Aunt Two's place to set off firecrackers."
"Well, have fun then!"
That night, relatives gathered, enjoying a lively New Year's Eve dinner, and firecrackers exploded into a dizzying spectacle. Early the next morning, Li Daoxuan bid farewell to his relatives and began his journey back to the city.
He had arrived with an empty bag, but now it was stuffed with a large haul of firecrackers. To avoid any trouble, he didn't even dare take the train, instead calling a ride-sharing car. After paying several hundred yuan for the fare, he finally brought his treasures home.
As soon as he arrived home, he naturally rushed back to the side of the box, eager and impatient.
"SimCity 1627" was so much fun! He had to continue playing, forgetting all about food and sleep. Wait, no, from today onwards, it would be called "SimCity 1628."
New Year's Day, in the first year of the Chongzhen reign.
Gao Family Village had a fresh new look for the New Year!
Before the festival, Clerk Tan Liwen had purchased a large quantity of red dye from the county town and distributed it to the villagers. As a result, on New Year's Day, people in red clothes could be seen running all over the village.
Amidst the sounds of laughter and joy, Li Daoxuan's gaze immediately fell upon an odd figure, training alone on a hillside outside the village.
It was Gao Chuwu!
Despite the freezing weather, he was wearing only a thin cotton tunic, with his cuffs and trouser legs tied tight. He was relentlessly punching and kicking the air, uttering sharp "Heys" and "Has."
It was the Guanzhong Hong Fist, the Thirty-Six Lineage Hands.
He had only learned a few forms, and he practiced these repeatedly: "Hanging a Painting on the Wall," "Fierce Tiger Climbing the Cliff," "Arhat Carrying Treasure," and "Magistrate Removing Boots."
Cheng Xu hadn't been wrong; only those with enough grievances would train so desperately in martial arts.
In the entire Gao Family Village, only Gao Chuwu trained with such desperate intensity. Even Zheng Daniu couldn't match Gao Chuwu's ferocity, perhaps because Zheng Daniu hadn't yet encountered love.
Li Daoxuan couldn't help but silently give Gao Chuwu a thumbs-up.
Huh?
He suddenly noticed something unexpected.
Li Daoxuan's gaze swept over a hillside, and behind a large rock on the far side, he spotted someone. It was Padi Tu, the refugee who often referred to himself as "Grandpa Rabbit," hiding behind the stone, secretly watching Gao Chuwu practice his martial arts from a distance.
Every time Gao Chuwu threw a punch, Padi Tu would mirror the movement, seemingly trying to dissect the mechanics of each strike.
When Gao Chuwu delivered a kick, Padi Tu would follow suit with his own.
Li Daoxuan found it amusing. "How entertaining!" he thought. In ancient times, secretly learning someone else's martial arts was supposedly a major taboo, wasn't it? Such individuals, if caught, were generally beaten to death.
So, the question was, should he expose him?
If he were to poke him with a finger when he was most engrossed in his secret learning, Padi Tu would likely be scared half to death.
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