Liang Shixian led Feng Jun away. Beside the golden giant statue of the Deity was a secluded path flanked by woods. Following the curved flagstone trail through the forest, the two n unexpectedly circled around to the back of the Deity’s colossal statue.
Here lay a small pond teeming with swarms of tadpoles swimming. By the pond stood a small stone table with four small stone stools.
The two n sat down here.
The servants dispersed far away, guarding the periter.
Liang Shixian glanced around and said, “We needn’t worry about eavesdroppers here. With the Golden Statue of the Deity beside us, no one dares anything untoward. Brother Feng, whatever you wish to say, speak freely.”
Feng Jun glanced at the Deity’s statue, whose back was like a small mountain, and couldn’t help feeling awestruck. Collecting himself, he whispered, “Brother Liang, we both attended lectures at the Donglin Academy. I trust your character, which is why I dare ask sothing so bold. If I cause offense in any way, I beg your indulgence…
”
Liang Shixian: “What exactly is it?”
Feng Jun: “A few days ago, Bai Yuzhu, a senior general under Wang Jiayin, led over ten thousand roaming bandits to attack Qiachuan Port in my Heyang County. I was utterly overwheld. Then, the lord of Bai Family Fortress from your county, Bai Yuan, brought his militia to my aid…
”
Liang Shixian: “I know of this Bai Yuan. A refined gentleman, proficient in both culture and martial skills. I entrusted all of Chengcheng County’s militia to him. What happened at Qiachuan Port?”
Feng Jun: “He sohow deployed five hundred firearm soldiers, three hundred cavalry troops, and several hundred soldiers throwing strange bombs. Moreover, every single one wore armor. It practically amounted to rebellion.”
Listening here, Li Daoxuan briefly smiled, his lips curling upward faintly: So that’s what you ca to discuss. Well, I knew the Gaojia Village Militia would attract official attention sooner or later. Let’s see how this develops.
Liang Shixian: “Hmm?”
Seeing his odd expression, clearly unaware, Feng Jun echoed, “Hmm? Brother Liang didn’t know?”
Liang Shixian shook his head: “I knew about so armor, and I knew about a few firearms, but five hundred firearms and over a thousand sets of armor? This is the first I’ve heard of it.”
At this point, Liang Shixian suddenly thought of sothing and asked quickly, “Were these n from Gaojia Village?”
Feng Jun: “Yes! They called themselves the Gaojia Village Militia!”
Liang Shixian vaguely understood sothing: “The Li Family…
funded by the Li Family…
No, not the Li Family…
funded by the Deity.”
He pointed to the giant statue beside them: “They are the Deity’s troops.”
“Huh?” Feng Jun was stunned: “What? The Deity’s troops? Isn’t the Deity a god? How can he possibly have troops?”
Liang Shixian: “Although the Deity is a god, he is one who actively manifests his presence. He directly intervenes to reward the good and punish the wicked. He frequently bestows grain and various divine artifacts upon mortals…
”
Feng Jun jolted as he rembered sothing. Once, traveling via Gaojia Village on his way to Xi’an to deliver Fan Shanyue’s head, he had ridden on that peculiar little train. Could that be one of the so-called divine artifacts?
“The Deity…
is truly divine?”
“Nonsense!” Liang Shixian said, “Is he a real god or a fake one? Think about it yourself. Besides a god, who could enable that small, ordinary Gaojia Village to produce five hundred firearms and over a thousand sets of armor?”
Feng Jun thought carefully. Wasn’t that true?
How much wealth could a single village possibly possess?
Forget five hundred firearms – even five wouldn’t be feasible.
Feng Jun felt himself half-convinced. He had witnessed the Deity “invite” the Four Sea Dragon Kings to bring rain. Accepting that was relatively easy. But accepting the existence of the Deity was one thing;
accepting those five hundred firearms and over a thousand sets of armor was quite another matter.
Feng Jun whispered, “Brother Liang, although these things belong to a deity, possessing so much fundantally alters their purpose! That Li Family in Gaojia Village, ard with firearms and armor, is more formidable than that bandit chief Wang Jiayin. Doesn’t that give them the ans to rebel and cause chaos? What if they follow the bandits’ example and start a rebellion? What then?”
Liang Shixian: “Rebellion? That…
Brother Feng, you’re overthinking this. How could a god rebel against mortals? A lofty deity, rebelling to beco Emperor? Though we call him ‘
Emperor,’ he is also called the ‘
Son of Heaven.’ If a god beca the ‘
Son of Heaven,’ wouldn’t that demote him to the status of a son?”
Feng Jun: “…
”
This reasoning did seem plausible.
Feng Jun was sowhat bewildered.
Frowning in thought for a mont, Feng Jun lowered his voice again: “Brother Liang, while a god may not vie for the throne, once these divine artifacts fall into mortal hands, who can guarantee the mortals won’t harbor treacherous ambitions? What if, among these mortals in Gaojia Village—Bai Yuan, Instructor He, Instructor Zao—just one develops treacherous intentions? What if he attempts to use these god-given weapons to launch a rebellion? What should we do then?”
Liang Shixian: “n do things;
Heaven watches them. Raise your head three feet, and there is a god. Since these are bestowed by the Deity, naturally the Deity oversees them. If a mortal harbors treacherous thoughts, the Deity will inevitably te out punishnt.”
Feng Jun: “That’s hard to say! Even immortals take naps. Lord Lao Tzu’s Azure Buffalo once escaped to the mortal realm to wreak havoc.”
Liang Shixian: “Hmm?”
This reasoning also made sense!
Indeed, not only Liang Shixian found it reasonable, but even Li Daoxuan found it so.
As his field of vision expanded wider and wider, he truly found it impossible to manage so many villages and towns. Even the three major areas—Gaojia Village, Chengcheng County Town, and Heyang County Town—weary him constantly shifting his focus. As for places like Fengyuan Town, Bai Family Fortress, or Quangou Village, how long had it been since he last observed them?
Adding to this, just recently, he had been contemplating needing soone to help him “enforce order”. Feng Jun bringing this up now did make him pay greater attention.
Feng Jun: “We cannot control the Deity, but we absolutely must govern these mortals under his command. Master Liang, Gaojia Village is under the jurisdiction of your Chengcheng County. I cannot overstep boundaries to handle this;
it relies entirely on you to think of a solution.”
Liang Shixian revealed an awkward smile: “Brother Feng, this matter…
I’m afraid I cannot manage it anymore.”
Feng Jun: “Why not?”
Liang Shixian let out a long sigh: “My term of office has reached its three-year end.”
“Ah?” Feng Jun understood: “It’s been three years already for you, Brother Liang…
Alas, only a bit over a year for …
”
Liang Shixian: “My burning incense and striking the bell earlier was my way of reporting this to the Dao Xuan Deity. I shall shortly depart to travel to the capital. After submitting my official report, I will await reassignnt.”
Seeing the pain and regret on Liang Shixian’s face told Feng Jun he was reluctant to leave. Feng Jun’s eyes darted, and he whispered, “Brother Liang, I have a way to ensure you aren’t transferred.”
Liang Shixian was greatly astonished: “Hmm? How is that possible? An official’s term is three years;
it is mandatory to be reassigned upon completion. How could there possibly be a way to avoid it?”
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