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Chapter 82: Things Are About to Get Convenient

Gao Yiye skipped to the second floor.

The second floor of the watchtower was piled high with various supplies bestowed by the Heavenly Lord. One entire room was filled with cotton. Gao Yiye used to have to sneak some out, but this time, feeling bold, she plunged her hands into the heap and pulled out a massive clump, larger than herself.

Carrying such a huge bundle of cotton up the stairs was incredibly strenuous. She couldn't see the steps and almost tumbled down, yet her mood was exceptionally bright.

Back on the third floor, she set up her spinning wheel in her room and hummed a tune. She didn't know its name, only that her mother had taught it to her...

"Hey, I'm the naughtiest girl in Gao Family Village, willful and bold as a bucket."

"First, I must be happy; everything else comes second..."

Li Daoxuan watched the girl under the lamplight, happily spinning, and for some unknown reason, his mood brightened considerably. He lay down and instantly fell asleep.

-----

Early the next morning, the sounds of the "Seventh Set of Radio Calisthenics" echoed once again over Gao Family Village.

Of the Gao Family Fortress's nine halls and eighteen courtyards, one courtyard had now been officially named "School Well." Mr. Wang had personally written the characters "School Well" and hung them at the entrance.

As soon as those two characters were hung, idlers and busybodies dared not even step into that courtyard.

The villagers believed that a place of learning was sacred, and for illiterate oafs to enter would be a desecration, so they kept their distance.

Thus, no one saw Mr. Wang, who was usually solemn and humorless during lessons, secretly doing the exercises with the children behind their backs.

At the main entrance of Gao Family Fortress, Bai Yuan swung onto a swift horse, cupping his hands in greeting to San Shier: "San Shier, I intend to return to Bai Family Fortress now."

San Shier returned a deep bow: "Many thanks, Mr. Bai, for rushing to our aid."

Bai Yuan let out a hearty laugh. He had arrived with Gao Chuwu, riding two horses. Now, on his way back, he rode one, while the other carried two large jars, perfectly balanced on either side.

One jar held sparkling "celestial sugar," the other pristine white "lard." Both were precious commodities, hard to come by in this year of severe drought.

Even though Bai Yuan was a wealthy scholar, acquiring these two items during such a year was difficult; even with money, he wouldn't know where to buy them. Gao Family Village giving him two large jars as a thank-you gift naturally delighted him.

He would enjoy several fine meals back home.

With one hand on the reins and the other waving to San Shier and the villagers who had come to see him off, Bai Yuan called out, "Everyone, I'm heading back to Bai Family Fortress now. If anything comes up, just send someone to inform me. Speaking of which, it's about time your Gao Family Fortress acquired some horses. Otherwise, a trip to my Bai Family Fortress takes two hours on foot."

San Shier cupped his hands again: "Mr. Bai speaks wisely. However, travel to and from the county town is currently inconvenient and dangerous. Last time, returning to the county town, we almost ran into trouble, thanks to meeting Wang Er midway. Once the roads are safe, I will go and purchase horses."

Bai Yuan chuckled, "Things are about to get convenient. If my prediction is correct, the road from Gao Family Village to the county town will be clear in just a few days."

San Shier: "?"

Bai Yuan offered no explanation, merely giving a hearty laugh and digging his heels into his horse's flanks: "Farewell!"

The spirited horse immediately lifted its hooves and galloped towards Bai Family Fortress. The horse carrying the sugar and lard followed suit, and the man with his two horses quickly vanished into the distance.

Everyone was puzzled. What did he mean by that last remark?

Bai Yuan was good in every way, except he loved to be enigmatic. He’d just leave without clarifying anything, and now there was no way to ask.

San Shier turned to the villagers: "Alright, don't just stand around. Go about your business. Look, the Heavenly Lord has cast a spell and released the labor reform prisoners. A new day has begun!"

Everyone turned to look, and the "colorful city walls" circling them rumbled, quickly opening a gap. Nearly two hundred labor reform prisoners timidly emerged, all looking eagerly at San Shier, waiting for him to speak those words...

San Shier, living up to expectations, declared: "Give them two grains of divine rice and let them cook their own meals. Once full, they are to begin their 'Labor Reform.'"

The labor reform prisoners immediately rejoiced, cheering in unison.

San Shier angrily snapped, "What are you cheering about?! You are being punished! Understand your place! If the Heavenly Lord hadn't decreed you be fed, I'd starve you miserable wretches half to death, or my name isn't San!"

The labor reform prisoners ignored San Shier's roar and continued to cheer: "Food! This is great!"

"I'm willing to undergo labor reform for life!"

"Labor reform is truly wonderful!"

San Shier: "..."

Witnessing this scene, Li Daoxuan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.

He suddenly noticed tiny specks of light slowly rising from a few of the labor reform prisoners, floating into the four walls of the box. Immediately, the Salvation Index soared by five points.

This increase was equivalent to saving several lives.

"Oh? So these individuals are considered successfully 'saved' just like that?"

Li Daoxuan instantly understood: these few people were already content. Their life's pursuit was simply to survive and eat their fill, and their current labor reform life had fulfilled all their expectations.

However...

Such people were rare!

Li Daoxuan pressed the "North, South, East, West" buttons on the outside of the box, and sure enough, the Field of View Expansion broadened considerably once more.

------

Two days later...

Chengcheng County, county yamen.

Cheng Xu, the ninth-rank military inspector, slumped onto the magistrate's chair, completely drained.

After Zhang Yaocai's death, Cheng Xu led his troops into the county town, maintaining order in place of the deceased magistrate, then rushed tirelessly across the region, suppressing local unrest.

But the more he suppressed, the more "unruly commoners" appeared, fires erupted everywhere, leaving him utterly exhausted.

In recent nights, he had several times seen the face of his great-grandmother in his dreams, startling him awake repeatedly in a cold sweat.

"Can't kill them all, simply can't kill them all," Cheng Xu murmured, "Rebels are everywhere, countless rebels, I can't possibly kill them all."

"Report!"

A bowman squad leader rushed in from outside, shouting, "Boss, bad news!"

Cheng Xu: "How much worse can the news be? It's all just trouble everywhere anyway."

The bowman squad leader quickly relayed, "The new Chengcheng County Magistrate will arrive in three days. He's... one of the Donglin Party."

Cheng Xu: "Damn it!"

It turned out Cheng Xu had ties to the Eunuch Party, so naturally, hearing that a Donglin Party member was becoming magistrate gave him a considerable shock.

Given the current situation in Chengcheng County, a Donglin Party arrival would surely stir up trouble, shifting all blame onto Cheng Xu, who was associated with the Eunuch Party.

The writing brush of a civil official—anyone who'd been targeted by it knew the sickening feeling. A single memorial sent up to the Emperor could be enough to compromise even the Grand Eunuch, let alone protect a minor figure like himself. No, the Grand Eunuch wouldn't bother protecting someone so insignificant. After all, Cheng Xu had merely leaned slightly towards the Eunuch Party; he wasn't a true member.

Cheng Xu shot to his feet. "This is it, it's over, completely over! I can see my great-grandmother waving me closer!"