Chapter 556: I'll Call a Friend to Help You All
Li Daoxuan's colossal hand seized Qin Changqing, lifting him six or seven meters into the air.
As the statue moved, Li Daoxuan found it remarkably agile and powerful. It wasn't just made of silicone; it had a metal skeleton for support, preventing its body from being soft and rubbery.
He rather liked this body.
Li Daoxuan didn't immediately crush Qin Changqing to death. Instead, he controlled the force, letting Qin Changqing feel immense pressure squeezing him into a ball, yet just enough to avoid actual injury.
Qin Changqing was utterly terrified, unable to utter a single word, his two feet merely flailing in mid-air.
The people of Jiangzhou, however, erupted in cheers, many shouting and roaring, tears streaming down their faces.
It was no wonder they were so excited; a deity they had worshipped their entire lives had suddenly manifested. Who wouldn't be thrilled?
Li Daoxuan inquired, "Tell me... is Qin Changqing a good official?"
The common folk froze for a moment.
But now it was Jiwang asking, and the answer was... well...
One man roared, "No, he's not a good official! He's a vile magistrate!"
Another person joined the chorus, shouting, "He took money from the rich and helped them oppress honest citizens!"
"Steward Zhou forcibly took Old Yang's granddaughter, and when Old Yang sought justice at the prefectural yamen, this vile magistrate instead locked him up and tortured him to death!"
"He helped Steward Li seize Zheng's two acres of land!"
It seemed the people harbored long-held resentment towards Prefect Qin Changqing. They had never found an outlet for their anger before, but now that Jiwang had appeared to "preside over justice," their pent-up grievances surged forth like a flood bursting its dam.
Li Daoxuan listened intently, wondering if anyone would say a single good word about Qin Changqing. Yet, there wasn't a single one; aside from curses, not one compliment could be found.
At this, Li Daoxuan knew exactly what to do.
"Whether this official should die is for you to decide."
With that, Li Daoxuan slowly lowered Qin Changqing into the very center of the crowd...
The moment he was released, a "Ptooey!" rang out, and a glob of saliva landed squarely on Qin Changqing's face.
Then, a stone flew from the side, hitting Qin Changqing's head with a dull thud, ricocheting off and striking a nearby civilian. The civilian clutched his forehead and yelled, "Ow! Stop throwing stones, you're hitting our own people! Why not just use your fists?"
"Right, right, don't accidentally hurt our own!"
A group of villagers swung their fists and rained down a furious beating upon Qin Changqing in the middle.
These common folk, usually without any protection, had endured oppression by corrupt officials in silent submission. But now, with the eight-meter-tall Jiwang presiding, they finally understood what it felt like to have powerful backing. No longer subject to humiliation, they unleashed all their pent-up fury with their bare fists.
Those on the periphery, unable to reach, grew agitated: "Let me in! Let me get a few kicks in too!"
"Take turns hitting him! Don't just have all the fun yourselves; let us on the outside enjoy it too!"
By this time, almost the entire population of Jiangzhou City was surging towards the entrance of Jiwang Temple. The tiny intersection was already packed, the surrounding walls climbed with people, and even distant rooftops were crowded. Some even caused commotion by stepping through flimsy roofs and falling inside.
In the throng, Qin Changqing was quickly beaten beyond recognition by the villagers' fists and feet. Even after their "target" was no longer recognizable, the people still didn't disperse, remaining in a reverent circle, three layers deep inside and three layers outside, gazing at the colossal Jiwang.
"Thank you, Jiwang!"
"Great beneficence, Jiwang!"
Seeing that the situation was under control, Li Daoxuan could begin to implement his plan. He slowly spoke, his voice echoing, "Rain... has fallen... This year, you can plant your crops..."
The people exclaimed, "Jiwang protect us! A bountiful harvest this year!"
Jiwang was the God of Bountiful Harvests, so naturally, the people's first plea was for that.
Li Daoxuan continued, "Just a bountiful harvest isn't enough; you also need convenient transportation..."
This was a truth that even moderately knowledgeable commoners understood. They paused, a little unsure why Jiwang would bring this up now.
Li Daoxuan explained, "Jiwang only oversees harvests, not other matters... Therefore... I've invited a friend to help you all. His name is Dao Xuan Tian Zun..."
The common folk didn't know who Dao Xuan Tian Zun was, but if Jiwang called him a friend, that was good enough. Why ask so many questions? Just thank him, that was the right thing to do: "Many thanks, Jiwang!"
Li Daoxuan instructed, "Dao Xuan Tian Zun will help you dredge river channels and assist you in prospering. You must cooperate fully..."
The people replied, "As you command!"
Soon, the gigantic Jiwang floated upward, climbing higher and higher... disappearing into a low-hanging cloud. The cloud closed, and Jiwang vanished.
The people cried, "Wow! Jiwang has returned to the heavens!"
Then, the clouds parted again. This time, a much smaller deity flew out, closer in size to an ordinary person.
This was, of course, Li Daoxuan producing another life-sized small silicone Heavenly Lord. This smaller Heavenly Lord descended from the sky, plopping down before the crowd with a soft thud. This time, the silicone body had no metal skeleton, so it was very soft and bouncy.
Upon landing, it bent curiously, twisting into angles no human could possibly manage, then bounced back with a whoosh before finally standing steady.
The people stared, speechless.
The silicone Heavenly Lord shook its hands and feet—it was alive!
Grinning, it chuckled, "Heh heh. Jiwang sent me to look after you all."
The people, unsure what to say, simply continued, "Many thanks, Heavenly Lord!"
The silicone Heavenly Lord pointed towards the Fen River beside the prefectural city, which now resembled little more than a ditch: "I will widen and deepen this river, restoring its former navigational capacity. You all, quickly inform the fishermen on the river to come ashore and drag their small wooden boats up as well, lest my spell accidentally damage them later."
The people were half-skeptical.
They believed in Jiwang, but were somewhat wary of this deity of unknown origin. Had they not seen him descend from the heavens, some might have even taken him for a fraud.
However...
That dramatic entrance from the sky still carried a certain divine aura. The people dared not defy him and obediently followed his command.
The fishermen hastily steered their small wooden boats to the riverbanks. The villagers on shore helped them drag the boats far away from the water's edge.
Soon, not a single boat could be seen on that stretch of the Fen River.
The silicone Heavenly Lord climbed onto the southern city wall, faced the narrow Fen River, and raised its hands: "Watch closely, everyone!"
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