Chapter 338: The Fleet is Coming
Feng Jun’s concerns, of course, were well-founded.
Li Daoxuan also mused to himself: Rebels were different from regular troops; they didn't attack city by city, but instead jumped and darted about, striking where they pleased. If land routes were blocked, they’d simply take to the waterways, making surprise attacks everywhere a common threat. If his Field of View Expansion already encompassed Qichuan Ferry, he could deploy miniature ships to swiftly neutralize the rebel fleet. But his vision was just shy of that point, a truly frustrating predicament. He still needed to swiftly save the common people of Heyang County!
As long as most of the common people in Heyang County felt happy and joyful, generating enough Salvation Index, wouldn't his Field of View Expansion extend to Qichuan Ferry? “Yiye,” he instructed, “tell San Shier that our village must immediately give its full, unequivocal support to Heyang County’s disaster relief efforts! Have Heyang County initiate work-for-relief programs at once, and I, too, will immediately bring rain to the county.”
Gao Yiye quietly relayed Li Daoxuan’s divine mandate into San Shier’s ear.
San Shier brightened considerably. “Magistrate Feng,” he began, “we discussed aid for Heyang County before. There’s no time to waste; let’s begin at once. However, as you surely know, simply handing out grain to the populace isn't always the best approach. It needs to be distributed as wages for their labor.”
Feng Jun nodded. “Excellent. Bai Yuan and I discussed this last time. We should simply build two roads: one from Quan’gou Village, directly to the Heyang County seat, and another from right here, Gao Family Village, leading to Yang Village. I will organize a large number of civilian laborers to construct these roads, and the relief grain you provide will be distributed to them as wages. I’ve given it much thought, and if the workers get to eat their fill, or at least mostly fill their stomachs each day, they should be quite content with the work.”
San Shier smiled and shook his head. “How can anyone have the energy for hard labor on a half-full stomach? They must eat their fill! On top of that, they’ll receive additional wages: three jin of flour per day, paid in full.”
Feng Jun blinked. “What?”
When he first heard the work-for-relief plan, he had assumed it would be like simple charity, offering just enough for the workers to barely keep themselves fed. But to offer full meals, *and* three jin of flour as daily wages? This was... utterly beyond all expectation!
“Is this truly happening?” Feng Jun stammered.
San Shier affirmed, “Absolutely true.”
Overjoyed, Feng Jun exclaimed, “This is truly wonderful!”
Bai Yuan also stepped forward. “Once these work-for-relief opportunities are announced, all able-bodied men will flock to them. This will effectively dissolve your county’s militia. But Wang Jiayin’s fleet could launch an assault at any moment. If your militia is entirely engaged in road construction when he attacks, then Heyang County will be in grave danger.”
Feng Jun’s expression darkened instantly at these words. “You’re right! What am I to do? I can’t forbid the militia from joining the roadworks; cutting off their livelihood is akin to killing their parents. The militia would rebel against *me* before the rebels even arrived.”
Bai Yuan smiled. “Then your militia will need to reconsider its organizational structure.”
Feng Jun looked puzzled.
Bai Yuan explained, “We can pay the militia members wages, allowing them to focus entirely on their valuable profession as militiamen, rather than seeking other labor. Gao Family Village will cover these wages, ensuring their pay is even better than that of the road laborers. This way, they can focus solely on defending against bandits, without distraction.”
At first, Feng Jun thought the plan was brilliant.
But upon closer thought, he suddenly felt something was amiss. His nosebleed surged forth again. He wiped his face with a hand, and the blood curved downwards, pulling his features into a strange, distorted grimace. He spoke in a low, troubled tone, “If it were merely civilian laborers, that would be one thing. But for your Gao Family Village to fund and sustain my militia... something about it feels fundamentally off.”
“Magistrate Feng, you’re overthinking this,” Bai Yuan said, spreading his hands. “Isn’t the militia something that’s typically funded by local gentry and affluent families everywhere? It’s never been an official government expense. Even if our Gao Family Village doesn’t pay for it, some wealthy local, be it Squire Zhang, Squire Li, Squire Wang, or Squire Zheng, would be footing the bill instead. What great harm could possibly arise?”
Listening to him, Feng Jun again felt a flicker of logic in his words.
On one hand, it felt wrong; on the other, perfectly reasonable. Caught between conflicting thoughts, his mind seized up.
In reality, while militias differed slightly from personal retainers, the distinction wasn't vast. They were essentially private armies maintained by local gentry, operating much like mercenaries: they answered to whoever paid their wages. In the hands of ordinary gentry, such a militia was a vital force for local protection. But if it fell into the hands of someone intent on rebellion or causing unrest, it would be indistinguishable from a band of rebels.
Feng Jun considered this carefully: His Heyang County was currently home to many gentry and affluent families, each supporting several militias. Not long ago, it was with their help that the remnants of Fan Shan Yao had been eliminated. Even if Gao Family Village harbored ill intent, they couldn’t simply snatch control of the militias from the local gentry, could they?
Let them fund their own militias, if they wish. At worst, it would merely be a financial rivalry with Heyang’s existing gentry, posing no great threat.
It seemed he didn't need to overly concern himself with this particular issue.
In short, Shaanxi was currently embroiled in chaos, and the imperial court remained aloof, offering no assistance. He, as an official, could only rely on his own ingenuity to survive. Resorting to unconventional measures was entirely justified.”
Once he had rationalized it, he ceased to agonize over the matter.
“Very well, let’s proceed as planned!”
With the county magistrate Feng Jun’s assent, matters swiftly fell into place.
Gao Yiye offered a subtle smile. “Now that the road construction is settled, only one last matter remains. Our Gao Family Village will now perform a ritual to summon the Dragon King to bring forth rain to Heyang County, so that the farmers of Heyang County may also reap divine blessings.”
Feng Jun stared, utterly bewildered. “Perform a ritual? Summon the Dragon King for rain? What exactly is this? If you intend to dabble in heretical cult practices, I cannot condone it.”
Of course, this was exactly what Li Daoxuan had instructed Gao Yiye to say.
He could have adopted the same methodical approach used to win over the common folk of Chengcheng County: first, a subtle infiltration with comic books, followed by sending Daoist priests, Mrs. San, and devoted followers to lay various elaborate preparations, culminating in a Divine Miracle to sway the hearts of all the people.
But that approach was too slow!
Wang Jiayin’s fleet was a constant, imminent threat. Li Daoxuan was desperate to extend his influence into the Yellow River, desperate to see Qichuan Ferry. There was no time for such leisurely tactics. He would opt for a more direct, perhaps even brazen, approach—the path of the divine charlatan.
“Magistrate Feng, please rest assured,” Gao Yiye said, a reassuring smile on her face. “We are no cult. Ma Tianzheng, the esteemed Daoist Master of the Quanzhen Longmen sect, resides within our very village. We need only invite Daoist Master Ma to Heyang County to perform a ritual, and he can summon the Dragon King to bring forth rain. Consider our own village: we haven’t suffered from the drought at all, and that is entirely due to the Dragon King’s benevolent rain.”
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