Chengcheng County, the county office.
Liang Shixian was frowning as he looked at the two n below the hall.
These two n had just been dragged to the hall by a shopkeeper, who was accusing them of stealing two stead buns from his shop.
In previous years, Liang Shixian would have skipped holding a session for a minor theft like stealing buns, just giving the culprits a few sticks and tossing them out to be done with it.
But now, with grain prices soaring, a dou of rice could fetch a thousand coins, so two stead buns were a huge sum, and casually handing out a couple of beatings wasn’t suitable anymore—this had to be treated as “theft,” which could rit a “beheading” punishnt.
But…
Was beheading soone for stealing two stead buns really appropriate?
Liang Shixian felt it was inappropriate, but he didn’t know how to properly sentence this case, so he was deeply troubled.
“The people suffer more greatly, theft grows bolder! Alas!”
The Clerk approached from the side and whispered, “Dong Weng, you can’t keep dragging this out. Whatever the sentence should be, make it.”
Liang Shixian scowled darkly, “This case…”
As they were both troubled, a scholar walked in from outside. Liang Shixian didn’t recognize him, but a nearby bailiff did, “Ah, it’s Mr. Wang from the Chengcheng Bookstore.”
Mr. Wang cupped his hands to Liang Shixian, “County Lord, I am the proprietor of the Chengcheng Bookstore, with the surna Wang. I used to teach in Chengcheng County, so people call Mr. Wang. I passed by just now and saw the County Lord troubled by this case. Could I offer a solution?”
Since Liang Shixian was troubled and soone was offering advice, it was excellent. He said quickly, “Mr. Wang, please speak.”
Mr. Wang said, “Killing soone over two stead buns goes against nature, but if we don’t punish it severely, the victim might not accept it…”
He was saying exactly what Liang Shixian was troubled by.
Mr. Wang continued, “Why not handle it like this: I’ll pay so money to compensate the victim for these two thieves, so the victim can calm down. Then hand over these two thieves to my bookstore, have them carry books and clean up, using labor to pay for the two stead buns. That would be their punishnt.”
Hearing this, Liang Shixian was delighted, “This plan is brilliant, but I’m sorry to trouble you, sir.”
Mr. Wang smiled slightly, “No trouble, no trouble. My bookstore really needs so help. If I can hire two workers for a few days with two stead buns, I’d be very happy.”
Liang Shixian nodded, “Then we’ll go with your plan, sir.”
Solving a headache of a case made him quite pleased. He waved to the bailiff beside him, “Escort these two n to Mr. Wang’s bookstore and command them to work hard. If they’re lazy or neglectful, catch them back, and I’ll cut off their damned heads.”
Mr. Wang bowed, paid the victim for the two stead buns, and walked away leisurely.
Liang Shixian lifted his head and sighed softly, “The thod Mr. Wang just proposed is truly the best way to handle thieves, but it requires enough money. Otherwise, how could we afford to keep so many thieves alive?”
In the Ming Dynasty, criminals were usually held in jail awaiting execution. For non-capital cris, they’d get dozens of strokes or be exiled thousands of miles away, but they weren’t imprisoned long-term because the court couldn’t afford to feed so many offenders.
Liang Shixian actually had criticisms about this, but he was powerless.
He was still wallowing in sorrow when the Clerk ca over and whispered, “By the way, seeing Mr. Wang reminds of sothing.”
Liang Shixian asked, “What?”
The Clerk whispered, “Lately, the Chengcheng Bookstore has been selling a strange comic book for one copper coin, and buyers get two liang of flour as a gift.”
Liang Shixian froze upon hearing this, and after a few seconds, said, “One copper coin for a book plus two liang of flour? Isn’t that like distributing congee to save the people?”
The Clerk whispered, “Yes, no different from distributing congee. Many in the city have benefited and say behind closed doors that Mr. Wang is a kind proprietor. But if this continues, he might lose all his wealth and the bookstore could shut down in days.”
Liang Shixian sighed, “Ruining his family fortune just to save the people? Hmm… Now that you ntion it, I’ve beco interested in his book.”
The Clerk pulled one out from his sleeve.
Liang Shixian was shocked, “You have it?”
The Clerk’s old face flushed, “Forgive my foolishness, County Lord. My wife also bought one…”
Liang Shixian paused, then understood. With dou of rice costing a thousand coins, even soone at the Clerk’s inco level struggled, so how many common people in Chengcheng County could afford grain? What were they to do? Ah!
Feeling low, Liang Shixian took the book from the Clerk and casually scanned the cover.
Huh?
The Dao Xuan Deity Statue on the cover caught his attention.
He seed to have seen this immortal’s face sowhere?
He looked at the words beside it: “Dao Xuan Deity’s Demon Elimination Tale.”
Dao Xuan Deity?
The na also sounded familiar.
He had to think hard!
Liang Shixian, knowledgeable in many matters, imdiately activated a mory search in his mind. Things he’d seen, scenes he’d experienced, books he’d read, gods he’d worshiped all flashed through his thoughts like a spinning lantern, until with a “ding,” it settled on an enormous fortress.
In the ancestral hall on the first floor of the watchtower of Gaojia Village’s Li Family Fortress, they enshrined a household deity nad “Dao Xuan Deity,” and its statue had the sa face as this comic book cover.
Liang Shixian had it figured out now. He slowly opened the book—it was a picture book. He flipped through the pages quickly, and the story inside beca clear.
The story outside also beca clear.
Liang Shixian whispered, “I understand now.”
The Clerk was greatly curious, “What did Dong Weng understand?”
Liang Shixian said, “Behind Mr. Wang is the Li Family providing support. For over a year, the Li Family has been supplying with grain for distributing congee to save the people. But that only won a reputation as an honest official, while the Li Family got zero benefit. Now the Li Family has decided to step in directly.”
The Clerk stamred, “Eh? Isn’t the Li Family a reclusive great clan? What use is gaining fa? The more famous they get, the harder it is to stay behind the scenes, right?”
Liang Shixian said, “So they didn’t promote the Li Family itself; they brought out their ancestor, the household deity, the Tang Dynasty imperial clan mber Li Daoxuan! While distributing congee to save the people, they’re pushing their household deity in a big song. If the story is fabricated tightly enough to place the household deity in all Taoist shrines nationwide, what glory to their ancestors!”
The Clerk suddenly understood, “So that’s how it is. Dong Weng truly thinks comprehensively—I hadn’t considered it at all.”
Liang Shixian said, “The story is chaotic equipnt, unworthy of reading. But the Li Family is doing good deeds—what harm in creating a deity tale? Let them make up whatever they want. As long as they’re giving grain to the people, they can even turn into part of the story if they like.”
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