Chapter 30: You Disrespect the Deity
The word "trouble" was something to be avoided at all costs. Fragile Gao Family Village simply couldn't handle any more turmoil right now.
Li Daoxuan was about to rouse Gao Yiye, intending for her to relay his instructions.
Just then, another figure scaled the wall—it was San Shier. He clapped Gao Chuwu on the shoulder, signaling him to keep silent, then cupped his hands around his mouth and called out to Wang Er beyond the wall: "Brave Wang, Gao Family Village appreciates your kindness. You've risen in rebellion, and government troops are surely pursuing you. You're likely headed for a life on the run. If Gao Family Village were to accept these two carts of grain, our lives wouldn't improve significantly, nor would they worsen without them; they're merely superfluous. Yet, for you, this grain is essential capital for surviving life on the run—it holds immense importance. It would be better for you to keep them. This is what we call: 'Making the most effective use of limited resources.'"
Li Daoxuan chuckled inwardly. *This fellow is quite capable. With San Shier around, I'll have fewer worries.*
Hearing San Shier's words, Wang Er hesitated. Beside him, Zhong Guangdao, another rebel leader who had joined the uprising, murmured, "Brother Wang, he speaks sense. Gao Family Village gave you a pile of flour last time, which means they aren't short on grain. But we're about to make our home in the mountains, and we'll genuinely need every bit of food we can get."
Zheng Yanfu, another rebel leader, added, "Brother Wang, repaying kindness can wait until we've found our footing; it won't be too late then. Look at Gao Family Village's stance right now—they clearly want nothing to do with us."
Wang Er pondered this, then understood. Gao Family Village, it seemed, didn't dare accept his grain.
He was a decisive man, so he stopped agonizing over it. He cupped his fists toward the villagers on the wall and declared loudly, "In that case, I, Wang Er, shall take my leave for now. I will always remember the debt of gratitude I owe Gao Family Village."
With that, he waved his hand and commanded, "Let's go!"
Wang Er paused and turned back.
San Shier sighed, his voice drawn out as he inquired, "How fares the womenfolk of the wealthy families in the county town now?"
Wang Er froze, as if struck by lightning. After several seconds of stunned silence, he turned, shooting two intensely displeased glances at Zhong Guangdao and Zheng Yanfu beside him. Then, facing San Shier again, he cupped his fists once more before turning and walking away.
It took little time for them to vanish into the night.
Li Daoxuan realized they were heading in the same direction they'd taken after stealing water last time. There should be a Wangjia Village over there, though he wasn't sure how far it was from Gao Family Village.
After the brief commotion, Gao Family Village settled back into quiet.
San Shier led Gao Chuwu down from the wall. Behind them, a large number of villagers had already gathered. Wang Er's shouting had indeed roused many, but few had dared to approach the ramparts.
San Shier then began to lecture the villagers: "You, Gao Family Village, despite having walls, are completely unprepared! At night, you don't even arrange for watch shifts. It was fortunate that Wang Er came tonight; he called out loudly and woke us to speak. If other bandits had come, quietly throwing grappling hooks, scaling the walls, wouldn't we all be dead without knowing how we died?"
His criticisms were, in fact, exactly what Li Daoxuan himself had been thinking.
The Village Chief stepped forward, shaking his head. "Night watches require lanterns. Though our village is small, circling the walls with lanterns would take dozens. Where would we get the lamp oil?"
San Shier frowned; the Village Chief had a point. But he quickly scoffed, "You're worried about lamp oil? Gao Family Village is protected by the Deity! Tomorrow morning, everyone kneel properly, bow deeply towards the sky, and won't the oil simply appear?"
The villagers thought it over carefully. "He's right! The Deity most often bestows food upon us in the early morning. If, at that time, we all kneel and sincerely pray to His Holiness, perhaps we can ask for some oil!"
Li Daoxuan found their reaction rather amusing. *Why wait until tomorrow morning? I can give you oil right now.*
He walked into his kitchen, fetched a large jug of cooking oil, then found a plastic water bottle cap, intending to fill it with oil to place in the box.
However, before he could act, a middle-aged woman emerged from the cluster of tiny figures—it was San Shier's wife, Mrs. San.
Mrs. San pointed a finger at the villagers, her tone full of complaint. "I haven't been in this village long, but there are a few things I must tell you. You lot are far too disrespectful to the Deity!"
The villagers were perplexed. "Disrespectful? How have we disrespected the Deity?"
Mrs. San inwardly cursed them as "a bunch of ignorant bumpkins," but she knew better than to utter such words aloud. She huffed, "The Deity has manifested in this village, helping you all so much. Yet, have you built a temple for His Holiness? Have you fashioned a golden effigy for him? Offered incense and sacrifices? When you seek the Deity's favor, all you do is kneel and kowtow, begging for this and that, insatiable in your greed, without even a proper ceremony!"
With this barrage of questions, the villagers were all collectively dumbfounded.
Seeing how truly ignorant these people were, Mrs. San sighed, exasperatedly, "When monks implore the Buddha for blessings, they must first bathe and change into clean robes, then strike a bell, tap a wooden fish, and chant scriptures—and even then, the Buddha might not heed them. If you truly wish to entreat the Deity for anything, at least consider striking a bell, burning incense, lighting a candle. You must perform the full ritual!"
At her words, the villagers had an epiphany. *She's right! It seems our rituals are incomplete. What right do we have to ask for this and that?*
Hearing this, Li Daoxuan almost burst out laughing. *These rituals, to me, are utterly meaningless. Actually, no...*
Wait!
A lightbulb *pinged* in Li Daoxuan's mind: *These rituals, they might actually have meaning!*
Because the tiny people were so small, their voices were also very faint. Li Daoxuan often couldn't clearly hear what they were saying. Even if they shouted loudly towards the sky, he might still miss something.
If, whenever they wanted to tell him something, they first grabbed a large bell and *clang-clang-clanged* it a few times, then he would easily hear them.
*So, monks ringing bells actually served a practical purpose!*
*Damn it, feudal superstition and its formalism—I never thought I'd find it meaningful. Oh no, oh no, my materialist convictions seem to be wavering.*
Mrs. San launched into a furious tirade at the villagers: "Tomorrow morning, everyone clean yourselves up and put on fresh clothes. Especially you, Miss Gao Yiye, as the Deity's chosen messenger, you must come to my house. I'll pick out a good outfit for you, and you'll get properly dressed up. You'll lead the prayers to the Deity... And you two blacksmiths, don't even think about sleeping tonight! Forge a large bell overnight for use tomorrow morning!"
With Mrs. San's thorough arrangements laid out, the villagers dared not voice a single objection and dutifully complied.
Li Daoxuan watched the tiny people discuss their plans from "the sky," quietly amused. He had initially intended to give them the oil immediately, but now he wasn't in such a rush. He would see what happened tomorrow morning.
Furthermore...
His gaze fell upon San Shier and Mrs. San. He mused inwardly: *With these two individuals arriving in the village, my task has become considerably easier.*
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