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Chapter 241 Buying Books, Receiving Grain

Li Daoxuan watched the scene unfold with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

The two wagons of grain had been snatched clean, and Padi Tu was being held aloft by other militia soldiers.

He likely knew he'd messed up, his head hung low, while two militia soldiers beside him eyed him strangely.

Zheng Gouzi gently punched his arm. "You rascal, now you've gotten me into trouble too."

His tone wasn't harsh, nor was the punch forceful; he could guess what Padi Tu had been thinking.

Mr. Wang and Gao Yiye approached him, also regarding him with peculiar expressions.

Padi Tu looked up. "Mr. Wang, Saintess, this hero has erred. I violated orders. Punish this hero as you see fit; any penalty, this hero will accept."

Mr. Wang's expression remained odd; he didn't quite know what to say.

Gao Yiye, after listening to the Heavenly Lord's instructions, chuckled strangely. "Very well, then we shall behead you."

Gao Yiye gave him a sidelong glance. "Didn't you say you'd accept any punishment? Deliberately destroying military provisions is no small crime, you know."

Padi Tu was drenched in sweat. "This... this... just now... seeing the common folk suffer so much... this hero truly couldn't help himself..."

Gao Yiye sighed softly. "But what good is giving them two wagons of grain? How many people could that save?"

Padi Tu insisted, "Saving people requires proper methods."

Gao Yiye said, "What I'm telling you now isn't from me; it's the Heavenly Lord's direct words. The quickest way to save these people is to first spread the Heavenly Lord's renown. Only then will the Heavenly Lord find it convenient to act personally, bestowing grain upon them. It's the only way to save all the common folk in this city, not by you playing a small trick and overturning a wagon or two of grain."

Padi Tu hung his head. "This hero knows... but... I couldn't resist..."

Mr. Wang shook his head. "Actually, when you overturned the wagons, the Heavenly Lord had already ordered us to do so, but you took matters into your own hands before the command arrived."

Padi Tu stammered, "Eh? Wait, what?"

Mr. Wang continued, "The Heavenly Lord is compassionate; how could he not save the common folk? By acting rashly without awaiting the Heavenly Lord's command, are you implying that the Heavenly Lord is not compassionate, unmoved by these refugees?"

Sweat poured from Padi Tu, and he dropped to his knees with a thud. "I was wrong."

He didn't even use his usual "this hero" quirk this time, opting for "I," showing he truly wasn't joking around.

Li Daoxuan smiled. Though this man was typically brazen, prone to pranks, and known as one of the 'Three Idiots of Gao Family Village,' a closer look revealed numerous commendable qualities.

The last time he was taught military combat techniques, he refused to keep them for himself, risking his own learning to call his companions to study with him. This time, he risked severe punishment by deliberately overturning the grain wagons, all to help the refugees.

Such a quality was truly rare and precious.

Li Daoxuan spoke up, "Let him rise. Deduct half a year's military pay from him. Furthermore, when he returns, he is to copy the 'Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention' one hundred times."

Gao Yiye said, "Rise..."

Padi Tu stood up, his head still drooping.

Gao Yiye cast him a wry look. "The Heavenly Lord has forgiven you, yet you still wear such a glum expression?"

Padi Tu grumbled, "I'm happy to have my pay docked, but copying that document a hundred times... that's too difficult! This hero would rather run a hundred laps around Gao Family Village."

For someone semi-illiterate like him, writing was far more exhausting than running.

Mr. Wang chuckled, chiding him, "If it's not difficult, what kind of punishment would it be? Obey the divine decree, or beware, the Heavenly Lord might truly chop off your head."

Padi Tu jumped in fright and fell silent.

After this minor incident, the convoy continued forward, soon arriving at the Chengcheng Bookstore. The grain was transported and piled in the backyard, while the comic books were moved to the front hall and arranged on the shelves.

No sooner had they finished organizing and begun selling books than the old gate guard arrived, bringing his elderly wife, son, daughter-in-law, grandson, and a vast retinue of relatives – aunts, uncles, cousins, and even the neighbor Mr. Wang – a veritable throng all eager to buy books.

Before buying, they insisted on a final confirmation: "Is it true that you get two liang of flour for every book purchased?"

"Of course it's true!" Mr. Wang smiled. "But each person is limited to purchasing only one, mind you."

With a collective cheer, the old guard's entire family swarmed forward, even counting the infant in arms as an eligible person to purchase a book.

The group happily headed home, books in their left hands, sacks of grain in their right. Halfway there, they couldn't resist flipping through the books, curious about what strange publication could possibly come with two liang of flour.

"It's 'The Heavenly Lord Dao Xuan's Demon Extermination Legend'! Sounds like a story about an immortal vanquishing demons."

"Have you ever heard of the Heavenly Lord Dao Xuan?"

"Never!"

"Me neither."

"Oh? I have, actually!"

The poorest relative spoke up. "I heard about him a few days ago. There's a Heavenly Lord Dao Xuan giving out free medicine to the poor at the City God Temple's side hall. Our family hasn't been sick lately, so I haven't gone yet."

"So that's it."

"Well, this book didn't cost us anything, and you don't even need to be literate to enjoy it, so let's give it a good look."

"But we clearly paid for this book."

"No, no, no, the book was free. The money we paid was for the flour."

"Hahaha, what a bargain for this flour!"

The group returned home in high spirits. Having bought grain at such a low price today, they could finally eat a little more than usual tonight.

The news of the Chengcheng Bookstore selling grain at a low price—ah, no, selling *books*—quickly spread like wildfire. Since each person was limited to one purchase, everyone naturally dragged their relatives and friends along to cash in on the offer, and so the news propagated through the county town like a virus.

Little did they know, Li Daoxuan's strategy was a "group-buying tactic," leveraging insane recruitment of people to reap more benefits, causing the common folk to spontaneously advertise for him.

The first batch of two thousand books sold out in just half a day.

Those who missed out were deeply disappointed, vexed at not having gotten in on the bargain.

However, just a few days later, another two thousand books arrived with a large convoy of grain. Soon, this second batch of two thousand comic books also sold out...

These peculiar comic books swiftly became the year's bestsellers.

While most buyers were initially after the flour, once they had the books, it was inevitable they'd flip through them, curious to see which generous fool was distributing grain in such a manner.

They had no idea what to expect, but what they found was truly fascinating.

The stories in these books seemed quite good!

So they read. After all, in this year of great calamity, farming was impossible, commerce was withered, and the common folk had little else to do. Flipping through a strange book was certainly better than lying around in a daze.