Liang Shixian swiftly organized an inspection patrol, including the Clerk, ten newly recruited constables each accompanied by three assistants, forming a large group of over forty people.
They first circled the county town, but found few wealthy families remained. Wang Er’s previous uprising had decimated most of them. The scant survivors could contribute little financial relief.
Liang Shixian then led them beyond the city walls, wandering aimlessly through the countryside.
Their path took them through Stone Family Village, Du Family Village, Chegai Village, Daxian Village… Each area was desolate. Among ten residential buildings, scarcely one still housed inhabitants. Everywhere was cracked yellow soil; starved corpses lay bleaching by roadsides.
Occasionally, a structure resembling the residence of a wealthy family appeared. Approaching revealed ashes left by bandit uprisings – debris and ruin instead of erstwhile glory.
The rare human survivors they encountered were withered like fallen leaves, their eyes hollow and numb.
Witnessing this, Liang Shixian felt his heart ache. Tears welling, he took brush to paper: “Dingmao Year. Chengcheng suffers drought, famine devastates the land. Unable to shoulder burdens, corpses litter the paths. So seized grain from the wealthy; fearing capture, they turned bandits. Banditry worsened hunger. Barren land continues for years, a dou of rice costs a thousand coins beyond reach. n consu n; joining the bandits as if returning ho – refugees beco rebels, chaos begins. Remote regions see Chengcheng as a sea of misery…”
His writing trailed into choking sobs. “The people of Chengcheng suffer bitterly. Having taken office here, how can I save them? Forget paying taxes; life itself is their struggle.”
The Clerk whispered, “Could we request funds from the imperial court to aid the victims?”
Liang Shixian shook his head. He knew the court was penniless; managing a small county like Chengcheng was beyond their ans.
The disheartened procession moved onward, weighed by lancholy. Suddenly, a constable loudly announced, “County Lord! Ahead lies a village that… prepares for autumn sowing!”
“What?” A rushing pride swept through Liang Shixian. “Such a village survives?”
He hastened to higher ground for a view. Beside an embanknt stood a village of considerable size. At its heart rose an enormous fortress. Only the wealthy could build such a thing – its fortress wall alone stood three zhang high. Surely, only an imnsely powerful family possessed such resources.
Beside the fortress huddled several simple dwellings forming a smaller enclave. Clearly, poorer residents lived here – tenant farrs serving the wealthy lord of the fortress.
Yet, this was peripheral to the main discovery: vast tracts of land centered upon the fortress appeared moist. Sprouting green shoots marked places where rain had recently fallen.
Nurous peasants labored: ploughing, hoeing, digging channels – undertaking last preparations before sowing.
Liang Shixian rejoiced. “Heaven never seals all paths! Rain fell here; life persists!”
The Clerk joined his elation. “County Lord, that fortress signifies extraordinary wealth. Consulting its lord might yield financial assistance.”
Liang Shixian regained focus. True – demanding contributions from the rich was his mission. But such a fortress ant formidable connections behind its builder. Likely nobility, perhaps generations of imperial officials. An imnsely influential lineage.
As a re seventh-rank County Magistrate, could he command such a lord’s attention?
The thought truly unsettled him!
Still, despite fear, he must proceed. His purpose was for Chengcheng County’s countless commoners! Integrity stood his foundation; righteousness straightened his spine. Nothing warranted dread.
Liang Shixian set his jaw. “Forward! We seek an audience.”
—
Inside Gaojia Fortress
Thirty-Two lounged on a chair, legs casually crossed, an air of utter satisfaction. He watched his newly hired Clerk, Tan Liwen, scribble feverishly as he inventoried the second-floor granary stores.
Since the bandits dispersed, smoother routes allowed easier travel to and from the county town. Thirty-Two had visited several tis recently, reuniting with his wife. He recruited the Clerk, assistants, and other personnel too. The fortress now boasted several horses, assembled carts, and ample supplies of chaotic equipnt.
Tan Liwen was a scholar who repeatedly failed imperial exams. Poverty clung to him; patches adorned his clothes. A decade of intense study earned only repeated rejections. He abandoned scholarly pursuits for a Clerk’s position – a novice still clumsy in duties.
“Ah! An error here!” Tan Liwen panicked, scratching urgently but unable to correct it. Flustered, he discarded the spoiled sheet and rewrote the entire entry.
Thirty-Two scowled. “How incompetent! One error every few words? Wasting precious paper! Our paper workshop just started production; paper remains scarce!”
Tan Liwen offered an apologetic smile. “My most sincere apologies, Dong Weng. I shall exercise utmost caution henceforth.”
“Humph!” Thirty-Two snorted.
Though outwardly critical, inner glee threatened to overflow. Only iron restraint hid his desire to sing aloud. “From Clerk to Dong Weng” – the reversal brought ecstatic satisfaction.
Just then, a recently hired assistant rushed in. “Dong Weng! The newly appointed County Magistrate approaches – within two li of our village!”
“Eh?” The shock jolted Thirty-Two upright. “Quick! Alert all villagers! Conceal the armor! Hide every divine relic bestowed by the Deity! Keep them from greedy officials’ eyes to forestall unnecessary trouble!”
The assistant grinned. “The Deity could smite the corrupt official flat with one blow! Why fear?”
Thirty-Two snorted again. “After ti here, don’t you grasp the Deity’s nature? He doesn’t strike indiscriminately. Only the utterly vile rit his intervention. Spare the chatter and act!”
The assistant hurried away. Across the village, shouts quickly sounded. In monts every divine artifact vanished. Even the colossal solar-powered vehicle wore coarse cloth to hide it completely.
Thirty-Two swiftly climbed to the third floor and summoned Gao Yiye. His tone lowered to urgent instructions: “That Cheng Xu was a martial ruffian; easily deceived – told him Lord Bai funded building this fortress, and he believed it. Yet this new County Magisrate appears knowledgeable in many matters, keen-witted and un-foolable. Our usual tactics won’t sway him.”
“Fortunately, he’s newly appointed, unfamiliar locally. I concocted a story: This fortress belongs to Lord Li. Rembering the Deity shares the surna Li places him as the owner. This is the Li Family Fortress. Rember clearly: In this guise, I will stand as the Li Family’s senior Steward; you’ll impersonate the master’s wife. morize your role thoroughly – no mistakes permitted.”
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