Chapter 442: Heavenly Lord, Someone Is Insulting You
The arrival of these limestone miners, and the successful negotiation with them, opened up new avenues of thought for everyone in the fortress.
Zhao Sheng declared, "Everyone, I believe that establishing a system where workers from outside the fortress deliver various supplies to us is an excellent method. All the stone and timber needed for building the fortress can be brought in by these external workers. This reduces the risk of our own people having to leave the fortress, and we can also gradually draw these outsiders into our ranks."
“Indeed!” Zao Ying affirmed. “Especially with people we haven’t yet interacted with, those we don’t quite trust, this method of engagement is ideal. After a prolonged period of contact, once we’re certain of their character beyond a doubt, we can then welcome them into the fortress.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Soon after, the fortress gate opened. Under the protection of a large detachment of cavalry and infantry, grain was sent out from the fortress and distributed to the common folk from Linyi County who had pushed the carts of limestone.
These people had been conscripted in Linyi County and had trekked over a hundred li. Now, finally able to eat a proper meal, they were overcome with emotion. Their eyes reddened, and tears streamed down their faces. They didn't even wait to return, setting up pots right outside the fortress to start boiling noodle dumplings...
The people inside the fortress watched the wretched state of those outside and couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow.
Many of the common folk who had come from Pujiu Temple thought to themselves: "How fortunate we were not to be conscripted by the bandits, but instead rescued by Leader Xing and brought to Gudu Ferry. Life in this fortress is completely free of worry. If we had been a step too slow, if Pujiu Temple had been breached and we had followed the bandits, our fate would surely be the same as those people outside."
A chill ran down their spines at the thought.
A swift horse arrived from the north.
On its back was a capable, lean man. When he reached the fortress, the man was clearly surprised to find a crowd of people cooking there, and he froze for a moment. But while the man might have been stunned, his horse was not; the swift horse instantly cut through the cluster of cooking refugees and galloped to the base of the fortress wall.
Cupping his hands, he bowed to the people on the wall. "Is this the water fortress of Xing Honglang, Leader Xing of Yongji?"
Xing Honglang called out loudly, "I am Xing Honglang of Yongji! Who are you? And what is your business here?"
The man smiled. "I am an envoy under the Heaven-Spanning Single-Stroke King, Wang Jiayin."
He announced the title with arrogant loudness, clearly proud, but the moment the name was uttered, the brows of everyone inside the fortress furrowed. Outside, the refugees cooking their meals clenched their fists, inwardly cursing: "Damn it! Isn't that the ultimate boss, the very instigator of our suffering? How dare you, you bastard, show your face here?"
The leaders inside the fortress exchanged glances, a cold sneer in each of their hearts.
Zhao Sheng murmured, "This fellow, still steeped in banditry, dares to call himself king? What proper king would call himself the 'Heaven-Spanning Single-Stroke King'? Calling oneself Prince of Qin, Prince of Yan, or Prince of Lu at least sounds somewhat regal, but 'Heaven-Spanning Single-Stroke King' immediately marks him as a bandit chief. And now he calls himself an 'envoy'? Where do bandits get envoys?"
The others chuckled. Even Zhan Seng couldn’t help but shake his head. "A-mi-tou-Fo! This person's way of speaking is so incongruous, not at all like a proper envoy."
Everyone thought to themselves: "This monk hasn't even pronounced 'Amitabha' correctly once, not at all like a proper monk, and yet he dares to criticize someone else for not acting like a proper envoy?"
Xing Honglang whispered, "Stop laughing, everyone! Since the other side has gone through the motions of sending an envoy, it means they want to talk. We must also adhere to the rules of the martial world; when it's time for civil discourse, we must engage in civil discourse."
Her words made sense!
The others stopped laughing, watching with cool, observant eyes.
Xing Honglang spoke up, calling out loudly, "Open the fortress gate! Invite the envoy in!"
The fortress gate opened...
The envoy led his horse, slowly walking in. Before he arrived, he had assumed a salt smuggler's water fortress would be a chaotic mess, utterly disorganized. But upon stepping inside the fortress walls and looking around, he was so shocked he gasped in cold air.
He saw that the fortress was immaculately clean and orderly, everything meticulously arranged. The soldiers in the fortress were all superbly equipped, armed to the teeth. As he walked, soldiers carrying flintlock rifles would grin at him, revealing rows of healthy teeth.
These soldiers had excellent morale and bearing; every one of them looked well-fed and well-rested. This was worlds apart from the pathetic, malnourished appearance of ordinary rebel troops.
The envoy began to feel an enormous weight settle on him.
Entering the central command, he found a large wooden hall. Above the entrance hung a plaque with three large characters: "Council Hall." Xing Honglang and the others invited him inside.
The moment the envoy entered the room, he felt as if a pair of eyes was glaring at him.
He fixed his gaze, and saw that in the center, on the main seat of honor in the Council Hall, sat a clay sculpture of a deity. It depicted a very young deity, looking handsome, dashing, and imposing. It was clad in a Daoist robe, one hand holding a precious sword, the other a whisk.
The envoy couldn't help but ask curiously, "Who might this be..."
“Dao Xuan Tian Zun,” Xing Honglang smiled. “The deity who protects us.”
The envoy thought to himself: "Where did they dig up this heretical god? Are you people on the same level as the White Lotus Society?"
However, he could only voice these complaints inwardly; he dared not speak them aloud.
He feigned reverence, bowing to the statue of Dao Xuan Tian Zun, but inwardly cursed: "What a blithering idiot of a god!"
Meanwhile...
Li Daoxuan was currently directing his viewpoint towards Han City, watching Shi Jian and Bai Mao entertain a large group of government soldiers. The two were pretending to be wealthy young masters who had come to the army to earn some military merit. They lacked nothing but generosity. Feasting, all they had to do was relentlessly host feasts, and relentlessly win over people's loyalty.
He was thoroughly engrossed in watching, when he suddenly felt the outer wall of the box flicker. He wondered inwardly, "Is someone trying to summon me by ringing a bell?"
He glanced over, and to his surprise, a line of text popped up on the box, a rare occurrence: "Someone beyond your field of view is insulting you. There is a statue nearby that can serve as a vessel. Do you wish to Co-sense with it? Yes/No?"
Li Daoxuan exclaimed, "Huh? What's going on?"
Anyone with a normal intellect would grasp it instantly.
Li Daoxuan’s heart suddenly pounded with excitement. "Co-sensing with a statue?"
I've heard of this before!
Statues like these aren't just designed to give people something to burn incense and worship; they're meant to serve as bridges for deities to "connect with the mortal realm."
But this box is rather peculiar. Does someone have to insult me for it to offer me a chance to connect?"
Never mind that, I'll just try it first!
Li Daoxuan's finger tapped the word "Yes"...
In an instant, he felt as if he had entered a time tunnel, flying through countless crisscrossing beams of light. Then, with a whoosh, the surrounding time tunnel vanished.
He saw himself sitting inside a wooden room, a large table before him. Around the table sat a circle of people: Gao Chuwu, Xing Honglang, Zao Ying, Lao Nanfeng, Zhao Sheng, plus a big monk he didn't recognize, and a robust, capable-looking man.
“Huh? This must be Shanxi!”
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