Master Zhang inwardly thought: The Deity was right. Our Zhang Family Troupe only knows a few dozen plays. In a crowded county town, we could perform these plays repeatedly and there would always be new audiences.
But in this strange little village, with so few villagers, if we perform a different play each day, we’d go through our entire repertoire in just a few dozen days. Who would co watch when we start repeating them?
Would we then have to retreat with our tails between our legs back to the county town?
People there can barely afford food—who would co watch our plays? Go collect aid and food again? No! Absolutely not! We finally found a place to earn money here. I’d rather die than return to the county town.
A fla surged fiercely within Master Zhang: I must create new plays. Right now. Imdiately.
At that mont, his gaze swept over the dispersing crowd and spotted a Daoist priest among them.
Ma Tianzheng!
Overjoyed, Master Zhang dashed over in a bound. “Priest, a mont please.”
Ma Tianzheng pressed his palms together in greeting. “What do you wish to discuss?”
Master Zhang: “You just watched our Shaanbei Diaoqu play, right?”
Ma Tianzheng smiled: “You perford excellently. It was my religion’s story.”
Master Zhang: “Shaanbei Diaoqu mainly uses Daoist stories. I’m not a learned man and know few tales. I was hoping you could tell us more stories—I want to adapt them into Shaanbei Diaoqu plays.”
Ma Tianzheng inwardly rejoiced. As a priest, spreading the teachings was fundantal. He loved sharing Daoist stories, and now soone actively wanted to hear them and planned to adapt them into plays for the common folk? This was truly splendid.
A win-win situation with no downsides—both parties benefit. Consensus was achieved instantly.
Why wait until tomorrow? Tonight. Now. They imdiately began their all-night conversation by lamplight.
Seeing everyone had departed,
Li Daoxuan switched off the colorful lights and took them out of the case. These things had electricity—too dangerous to leave unattended in the box. If so mischievous little fellow impulsively slashed the wires with a strike of the “Celestial Rabbit Sword,” who knew what might happen.
Just after storing the lights, he spotted a group of people in a corner of Gaojia Business Circle leaving in frustration, utterly dismayed. Their spirits sagged so low they stood out sharply amidst the surrounding celebration.
Squinting, he realized it was a group of labor offenders.
Li Daoxuan’s interest piqued, and he fixed his eyes intently on the group.
The surroundings were initially noisy, muffling their voices. But as they neared the Labor Offenders Village, quieter environs allowed clear hearing.
One labor offender complained resentfully: “Sigh! Everyone else tipped the acting troupe except us—we’ve got no money.”
“Exactly!” another chid in. “Even if I had a single copper coin, I’d give it. But I have nothing. Felt downright humiliating.”
“We’re labor offenders—what face do we even have?” one sighed deeply. “It’s our fault for attacking Gaojia Village. That was an act aid at taking lives. That they spared us and still feed us is gifts from the heavens already. We can’t complain.”
“I understand. I’m not complaining,” the first speaker said miserably. “It’s just… seeing later refugees doing casual work living better than us pains . If only I hadn’t followed Zhuang Guangdao’s recklessness back then.”
“So you’re from Zhuangjia Village?”
“Yes. I’m Zhong Gaoliang.”
“That na…”
Zhong Gaoliang sighed. “I truly don’t an to complain. The Deity and Gaojia Village treat us well. Thirty-Two is genuinely kind too, sneaking us extra food sotis. I just regret the wrong path I took. If I hadn’t strayed, given my strength, I’d surely earn as much as hired workers now.”
“Ah, true!”
“I wonder when this labor punishnt will end.”
Shaking their heads in despair, the group of labor offenders entered the plastic houses of the Labor Offenders Village.
Silently listening, Li Daoxuan calculated. Hmm, it’s been long enough. These labor offenders were captured during their attack on Gaojia Village in lunar August/September of 1627. Now, at the end of lunar March 1628—over six months as labor offenders.
Naturally, for the cri of “attempted robbery and murder,” this duration is quite short. Modern law would imprison them for at least a decade.
But…
Modern tis and late Ming Dynasty existed in vastly different worlds. Modern sentencing standards couldn’t be wholly applied.
It was about ti to establish activities like “model labor offender awards” or “reduced sentences for early release,” giving these n hope to rekindle their motivation and belief in life.
Early in the morning the next day,
Thirty-Two rose early, as he often did lately. He worked late into the night recently, deeply engrossed in significant research.
It involved “adjusting wage categories.” Xing Honglang had ntioned this before, and he had been planning ever since: listing every job type in Gaojia Village and distributing “different categories” of supplies for each.
Thus:
Soone paid rice but not oil must exchange rice for oil.
Soone paid oil but not salt must exchange oil for salt.
Goods would circulate internally across Gaojia Village—a healthier system.
This was no simple task. He first needed to calculate approximate values for each commodity to ensure fair distribution. Only reasonable amounts would prevent laborers feeling shortchanged.
He was pounding his head over calculations when
Gao Yiye knocked outside: “Thirty-Two, awake? The Deity sent with a ssage.”
Rushing with pride, Thirty-Two hurried to open the door. “What are the Deity’s instructions?”
Gao Yiye: “You oversee the Labor Offenders Village’s affairs, correct?”
Thirty-Two nodded: “I manage the major aspects; Tan Liwen handles details.”
Gao Yiye: “Good. The Deity rembers five new labor offenders. Their offense wasn’t major—they apparently robbed Old Shi Si.”
This incident was recent, occurring only after Ground Rabbit arrived. Thirty-Two rembered clearly: “Yes, New Year’s Day. Those five n clubbed Old Shi Si, stole his food. Ground Rabbit’s team caught them and threw them into the Labor Offenders Village. Three months now.”
Li Daoxuan silently comnded: He’s truly skilled with community work—recalling such details even I’d forgotten happened on New Year’s Day.
“Yiye, tell Thirty-Five: These five committed minor offenses. Three months’ labor offsets their cri. Instruct him to hold a formal ‘sentence completion release ceremony,’ freeing them before other offenders. Then relocate them to the Short-term Workers Village—from now on, they receive standard wages for their work.”
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