Chapter 578: Arriving in Xi'an
Gao Yiye’s face blossomed with a smile.
Buying and selling official posts—a practice the Heavenly Lord thoroughly disdained.
The Heavenly Lord, in his lessons to Gao Yiye on political ethics, had specifically elucidated the perils of selling official positions.
Yet, in all the narratives she’d heard, such illicit transactions typically stemmed from venal officials; now, the very emperor himself was engaging in the practice.
A soft, resonant chuckle from the Heavenly Lord echoed in Gao Yiye's mind: “To cling to his last shred of dignity, Zhu Youjian has cast aside all imperial decorum. Though, losing that last shred would be even more undignified.”
Gao Yiye’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink. “Such talk of dignity, or lack thereof, isn't proper for a girl like me,” she mused. “The Heavenly Lord is truly mischievous, especially after his last comment about how I'd be more ‘pleasantly plump’ if I gained weight.”
She left Wu Shen’s question hanging for a moment, turning instead to Shi Kefa. “Minister Shi,” she inquired, “does this latest incident—the Prince of Qin's household seizing the celestial fertilizer—stir any particular thoughts within you?”
Shi Kefa’s heart jolted. His mind instantly reverberated with concepts like ‘advanced productive forces’ and ‘backward political systems.’ Startled, he violently shook his head, as if to physically expel the heretical idea.
Gao Yiye did not press the point, shifting her focus back to Wu Shen. “Minister Wu,” she said, “if I were to extend credit for another shipment of celestial fertilizer, can you guarantee it wouldn't be forcibly seized once more?”
That was indeed the crux of the problem!
Wu Shen considered the matter with meticulous care. “I'll organize additional guards to secure the fertilizer shop,” he declared, “and absolutely prevent the Prince of Qin’s household from interfering again!”
Gao Yiye smiled. “That's futile,” she said gently. “You are a civil official, without a personal army. You can only command local constables and garrison troops. But every one of them is a native of Xi’an. Which local would dare cross the formidable Prince of Qin's household? If the Prince of Qin’s people come to seize it again, those guards will likely help them carry the fertilizer away, rather than risking their lives to defend it for you.”
Wu Shen was speechless, a stark realization dawning on him.
Shi Kefa’s expression mirrored his colleague’s dismay.
Both men found themselves utterly helpless; the mere thought of it sent a throbbing ache through their temples.
Gao Yiye concluded, “Unless, of course, you deploy my people.”
Wu Shen asked, intrigued, “How so?”
Gao Yiye explained, “My people are not from Xi’an; thus, they hold no fear of the Prince of Qin's household. They will watch over the celestial fertilizer. If the Prince of Qin's people dare to attempt to seize it, my people will not hesitate to retaliate.”
As she uttered that final, decisive word, “fight,” Gao Yiye’s tone inadvertently softened. She was, after all, still a young woman who had never truly engaged in combat, and the raw menace the word demanded was somewhat absent from her voice.
But at the very instant that word left her lips, Padi Tu, standing behind her, bared his teeth in a chilling grin and declared, “Beat them down!”
Padi Tu’s eerie interjection was, to say the least, utterly improper. When their leader spoke, it was hardly the place for a mere guard to chime in. Yet, he had always been a man unbound by convention; in all of Gao Family Village, only he possessed such audacious disregard for etiquette. And in that moment, his audaciousness perfectly compensated for the faint hint of ferocity that had been lacking in Gao Yiye's tone.
Wu Shen raised an eyebrow. “Oh? You genuinely dare to confront the Prince of Qin’s household?”
A wry chuckle escaped Padi Tu. “Those who commit villainous acts and oppress the innocent,” he declared, “there isn't a single one I would not dare strike. This Rabbit Lord traverses the world precisely to redress wrongs and uphold justice!”
Wu Shen merely murmured, “Indeed.”
He recognized him for what he was: a rogue, brimming with reckless energy.
Shi Kefa lowered his voice. “If he dares to strike,” he murmured, “then I, your humble servant, dare to shield him.”
Wu Shen, in truth, shared a similar sentiment. While the Prince of Qin’s household was formidable, the civil officials held no inherent fear of it. Their sole frustration stemmed from their lack of military command; a direct confrontation with the Prince of Qin’s people would invariably lead to immediate setbacks. However, if they avoided a direct skirmish and instead engaged in rhetorical battles at court afterward, the civil officials would certainly emerge victorious against the Prince of Qin’s household.
To be blunt: if a steward from the Prince of Qin’s household were to beat a civil official’s subordinate, the official would find themselves without recourse. But, conversely, if a civil official’s subordinate were to strike a servant of the Prince of Qin’s household, the Prince of Qin’s people would find themselves equally powerless against the civil officials.
After all, as long as regular troops weren't mobilized for a fight, and only household retainers were involved, the worst outcome would simply be a prolonged dispute.
Wu Shen and Shi Kefa exchanged a knowing glance, each seeing unspoken agreement in the other’s eyes. With that, there was truly nothing left to fear.
Wu Shen turned back to Gao Yiye. “Miss Gao,” he declared, “let us settle this matter then. Your people shall stand guard over the shop, ensuring the celestial fertilizer reaches the common folk. Should any conflict arise with the Prince of Qin’s household, I shall personally shoulder all consequences.”
Gao Yiye smiled. “Then there shall be no issues.”
——
The following dawn, another substantial shipment of celestial fertilizer stood prepared.
Rain, and even snow, had graced both Shaanxi and Shanxi for several days. As the proverb went, ‘auspicious snow promises a bountiful year,’ hinting at a potentially prosperous harvest in the coming year, with significantly more acreage available for cultivation than during the recent drought. Consequently, the demand for celestial fertilizer would naturally be higher.
Therefore, Gao Family Village had prepared scores of wagons laden with celestial fertilizer. A grand procession, impressive and long, set out on the road toward Xi'an.
Leading this formidable convoy, naturally, were Padi Tu and Zheng Gouzi.
They also commanded a hundred soldiers from the Gao Family Village Militia. Naturally, entering Xi’an, they could not openly wear armor or carry flintlock rifles. Thus, these hundred men were all highly adept with bladed weapons.
Padi Tu, at the head of the column, boomed with laughter. “Xi’an! This Rabbit Lord has arrived, hahahaha! My first stop on this journey of chivalry and justice is the ancient capital of Xi’an. As expected, my grand stage must be the largest from the very beginning!”
Zheng Gouzi rolled his eyes. “Without armor or our new flintlock rifles,” he grumbled, “our advantage is far from significant. Don't lose yourself in boastful pride; be careful you aren’t butchered by the Prince of Qin’s household. You won’t even have a place to seek redress then!”
Padi Tu roared with laughter. “Lack of armor and flintlock rifles only vexes men such as yourself,” he retorted. “For a true martial arts hero like this Rabbit Lord, it makes no difference! Have you ever heard of a grand hero donning armor and wielding a flintlock? A true hero needs only a simple cloth robe and a three-foot blade; that is quite enough!”
Zheng Gouzi slapped a hand over his face.
Padi Tu caressed the hilt of his blade and cackled. “Today, this Rabbit Lord shall use his three-foot blade to safeguard the peace and order of this world!”
Zheng Gouzi deadpanned, “May I punch you now?”
At that very moment, a figure wearing a conical straw hat, seated atop one of the fertilizer wagons, suddenly lifted their head and grinned. “Xi’an is in sight!” they announced.
Padi Tu and Zheng Gouzi hadn't paid any mind to the straw-hatted figure until now. Squinting for a better view, they discovered, to their astonishment, that it was indeed a Heavenly Lord!
The two men leapt with alarm. “Our humble respects, Heavenly Lord!” they exclaimed in unison. “Heavenly Lord, why have you graced us with your presence?”
The Puppet Heavenly Lord offered a soft chuckle. “Just for a bit of fun,” he replied.
Indeed, the Heavenly Lord’s fondness for diversion was well-known among all.
He was, without doubt, the deity most inclined toward earthly amusements that the people of Gao Family Village had ever encountered.
Of course, his visit to Xi’an this time held more profound motivations than mere amusement, though these were not convenient to divulge to Padi Tu and the others.
Li Daoxuan’s enhanced field of view drew steadily closer to Xi’an.
He could now discern the Yanliang District of modern-day Xi’an, merely a hundred li distant from the central urban area. All it would take was to bring a little more happiness and a sense of well-being to the common people, and for the Salvation Index to climb just a mere fraction further, and Xi'an would come into his full view.
This was an incredibly significant ancient capital, a vast metropolis, and Li Daoxuan was eager to witness it firsthand.
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