Chapter 456: A Little Mischief Outing
In the fourth year of Chongzhen (1631), the imperial court had mobilized over twenty thousand government troops from Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi, setting up nineteen consecutive encampments. Sixteen military officers, ranging from brigadiers to governors-general, spread out to form a colossal net, encircling Wang Jiayin's forces entrenched in Hequ County.
For all other rebel factions apart from Wang Jiayin's, the court's policy was primarily one of pacification and amnesty.
Censor Wu Shen arrived in Shaanxi, bearing a hundred thousand taels of silver—money the Chongzhen Emperor had raised through desperate means, even selling off imperial assets. His mission was to distribute relief and offer amnesty, working hand-in-hand with local prefectural and county officials.
Meanwhile, Gao Family Village was grappling with a different kind of headache: a shortage of people.
"Reporting to the Heavenly Lord," Liang Shixian said, standing in Chengcheng County and addressing the colossal golden statue of Dao Xuan Tian Zun. "Your humble subordinate managed, with no small effort, to entice some common folk from Baishui County to relocate here. The hope was that their word-of-mouth would draw even more laborers. However, Censor Wu Shen's arrival changed everything. He established a gruel distribution point in Baishui County, and now those desperate villagers, who couldn't make a living, are flocking to the county town for relief, no longer willing to come to Chengcheng County."
"Reporting to the Heavenly Lord," Feng Jun echoed from Heyang County. "The common people of Dali County, finding just enough to eat, are reluctant to move. Your humble subordinate has exhausted every trick, but they still refuse to come."
Li Daoxuan, gathering intelligence through his Co-sensing ability, observed that the court's deluge of real silver and grain was indeed having an immediate and profound effect. Shaanxi province was temporarily stabilized, and the surrounding counties presented an image of peace and order.
The common folk of this era were easily contented. As long as they weren't starving, they were generally unwilling to leave their ancestral homes; the promise of higher income didn't necessarily sway them.
One need only look to modern times: many mountain farmers remain unwilling to work in big cities, even knowing the income there could be several times higher. They still prefer to toil in the mountains, faces to the yellow earth, backs to the sky.
So, what was to be done?
As Li Daoxuan pondered this dilemma, a messenger swiftly approached the golden colossus where Liang Shixian stood. "County Magistrate," the messenger announced, "Censor Wu Shen has arrived, bringing substantial silver and grain! He claims to be here to provide disaster relief and appease the good people of Chengcheng County. He requests your presence to greet this 'angel' of the court."
At this news, Liang Shixian paused, bewildered. "Disaster relief?" he murmured.
Well, the very idea of 'disaster relief' sounded somewhat strange to the ears of Chengcheng County's residents.
It was good enough if *they* didn't have to go save others; this person actually wanted to save *them*.
Liang Shixian hastily turned, bowing deeply to the Heavenly Lord's colossal statue. "Heavenly Lord," he declared, "Your humble subordinate must take his leave to welcome this 'angel' of the court."
Li Daoxuan inwardly chuckled. *This could get interesting,* he thought. *I've been wondering how to acquire more people, and this Censor Wu Shen might just deliver a sizable population right to my doorstep. However, Liang Shixian has no knowledge of future historical events, and social graces are his weak point. Perhaps I should get involved in this matter myself.*
*It's all for fun, after all.*
*How can I make this the most entertaining?*
Li Daoxuan activated his Co-sensing ability. In the ancestral shrine of Gao Family Fortress's watchtower, the life-sized silicone statue of Dao Xuan Tian Zun abruptly sat upright.
Originally, the shrine housed only a single Clay Sculpture Heavenly Lord. But ever since the silicone version was introduced, many more silicone statues had been enshrined there.
For his future convenience with Co-sensing, Li Daoxuan had placed numerous one-centimeter silicone blocks into the diorama. Several sculptors worked tirelessly on these materials every day, creating a multitude of silicone Dao Xuan Tian Zun statues.
Thanks to the recent meticulous craftsmanship of the artisans, these silicone figures were now incredibly lifelike, virtually indistinguishable from real people unless examined closely.
Li Daoxuan casually chose one of the silicone figures to inhabit. It sat up with a sudden jolt, startling San Shier and Gao Yiye, who were offering incense in the shrine. Realizing what had happened, they quickly bowed. "Greetings, Heavenly Lord," they chorused.
Li Daoxuan chuckled. "I intend to wander among mortals for a while. Quickly, fetch me a monk's robe—one that's tattered and worn—a string of prayer beads, a cracked wine gourd, and a broken palm-leaf fan."
San Shier broke into a cold sweat. "But... what do you need those for?" he stammered.
Gao Yiye, however, her eyes twinkling, giggled. "Oh, isn't that the attire of Monk Ji Gong? A new opera troupe came last year and performed a play about him. Is the Heavenly Lord going to dress up as Ji Gong?"
Li Daoxuan laughed. "Indeed! If Bodhisattva Guanyin can go undercover in Daoism, why can't I infiltrate Buddhism? What if I pretend to be Monk Ji Gong and give the Tathagata a surprise whack on the back of the head?"
San Shier gasped in alarm, a shiver running through him.
Gao Yiye, however, clapped her hands and laughed, "Oh, yes! That sounds wonderful!"
San Shier thought to himself: *The Heavenly Lord is as fond of mischief as ever. I remember when he first arrived in Gao Family Village, he used to prank people. Oh, but he's likely joking this time; he wouldn't actually go whack the Tathagata on the head.*
He hurried to the opera troupe and borrowed the monk's robe they used for their Ji Gong performances.
Li Daoxuan was originally clad in a Daoist robe, which was carved as part of his silicone body and couldn't be removed. So, he simply slipped the monk's robe over it, grasped the wine gourd in his left hand, the tattered palm-leaf fan in his right, pulled the worn monk's hat onto his head, and smudged a little dirt onto his face.
He gently fanned himself with the broken fan, then deliberately sang in a mocking, singsong voice: "My shoes are torn, my hat is torn, my kasaya is torn... You laugh at me, he laughs at me, my fan is torn..."
He truly looked the part of Monk Ji Gong.
His disguise complete, Li Daoxuan prepared to depart for the county town.
Since this body was silicone, not a living person, traveling from one place to another was a simple matter. There was no need for solar cars or small trains.
First, he disengaged Co-sensing, returning his consciousness to his real body outside the box. Reaching in with his bare hand, he grasped the silicone figure, lifting it high...
Everyone else, except Gao Yiye, merely saw the Heavenly Lord float upwards, suspended in mid-air...
As it ascended and hovered above Gao Family Fortress, countless villagers of Gao Family Village witnessed the spectacle. "Ah, the Heavenly Lord is flying!" they exclaimed. "Look, he's floating above the Gao Family Fortress watchtower!"
"Why is the Heavenly Lord wearing a monk's robe?"
"Could it be he's off to prank some monks?"
Gao Laba guffawed. "Hahaha, the Heavenly Lord has always loved a good prank! You wouldn't believe it, but once, he filled Gao Yiye's house with so much divine rice that when she opened her door, she was almost buried beneath it!"
As everyone buzzed with chatter, Li Daoxuan used his other hand to tap on the words "Chengcheng County" outside the diorama box.
Instantly, the view within the box *switched* to Chengcheng County.
And the silicone Heavenly Lord, hovering above Gao Family Fortress, likewise vanished from mid-air in a flash.
The crowd gasped, "Wow! The Heavenly Lord used immortal magic and vanished instantly!"
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