Chapter 205: I’ll Go Down the Mountain to See
Chapter 201 of "The Great Ming in the Box" starts the action: Dian Deng Zi and Bai Yuan slipped aside to a secluded spot where no one... Find out what happens!
Dian Deng Zi and Bai Yuan slipped aside to a secluded spot where no one else could hear them.Only then did Dian Deng Zi weep and recount his story. He described in detail how he’d studied by lamplight at Shiyou Temple in Qingjian County and was falsely accused of writing military strategy books to rebel against the government.
After hearing it, Bai Yuan fell momentarily speechless.
Oh, the Ming Dynasty… truly…
A locality’s governance depended entirely on the magistrate’s competence. If it were someone like Magistrate Liang Shixian, it might be tolerable. But encountering former Chengcheng County Magistrate Zhang Yaocai, or the current Qingjian County Magistrate who pushed civilians to rebellion—such officials spelled utter disaster for ordinary people.
“Brother…” Bai Yuan said, “You’re not an evil man. There’s no need to take such risks for treasonous schemes leading to death. Heed my advice—turn back now while there’s still time.”
Dian Deng Zi glanced at his three thousand followers in the distance and whispered, “I alone might not matter, but these three thousand villagers… They rescued me from the claws of evil bailiffs, killed officials, and rebelled. They cannot return to Qingjian County now. How could I abandon them?”
Bai Yuan smiled. “What’s so difficult about settling them? So long as you wish to reform, I have a way to ensure your safety.”
“Truly?” Dian Deng Zi brightened with joy.
Bai Yuan declared, “A gentleman never falters before others or misspeaks before them! I never lie.”
Trusting him seventy to eighty percent upon seeing his sincerity, Dian Deng Zi nodded. “That’s excellent. I’ll discuss it with my villagers and see their thoughts.”
He returned to his Qingjian County compatriots, gathered several village spokesmen, and quietly consulted them: “Everyone, listen…”
After hearing him out, the village chiefs exchanged uneasy looks. One glanced warily at Bai Yuan far away and murmured, “We don’t know this man well. Who can say whether he’s good or bad? If he’s a government agent sent to lure us off the mountain, their soldiers might ambush us on the plains. We’d die without a burial place!”
Another village chief chimed in, “These gentry types? Nine out of ten are local tyrants who oppress villages. Trusting him might doom us.”
“Yes. The wealthy are all scoundrels.”
“But we have no food left,” the Old Village Chief from Jiejia Valley whispered. “The ten stones of food he gave will barely last our three thousand people a few meals. After eating it… what do we do then? Rob the rich? We can’t necessarily win! Rob the poor? Could any of you bear it?”
The group fell silent at this.
Dian Deng Zi urged, “Survival requires we try trusting him. Brothers, stay on the mountain. I’ll go down with him and listen to his plan for settling us. If he fails to present a proper scheme… he must be a liar. We can still storm Bai Family Fortress later.”
The discussion concluded.
Dian Deng Zi returned to Bai Yuan. “Lord Bai, you said you have a plan for us. Might I witness it personally?”
“Of course,” Bai Yuan thought silently: So long as you descend this mountain, victory is certain. Witnessing the Deity’s power will sway you.
Thus the tables turned. Bai Yuan descended safely, while Dian Deng Zi—accompanied by two fierce bandits—followed Bai Yuan cautiously downhill.
As the saying goes, courtesy demands reciprocity. You took one risk; I take one too.
Though nervous, Dian Deng Zi had to chance it. Uneasily tailing Bai Yuan, he had only just reached the Bai Family Fortress gate when he heard Bai Yuan loudly command the family guards inside:
“Dispatch another ten stones of food! Place them at the foot of Huanglong Mountain’s slope, so Dian Deng Zi’s people can collect them.”
A squad of guards carried out the food grains. They set down the stone-weighted sacks at Huanglong Mountain’s base, slapped their hands clean, and turned back.
Seeing Bai Yuan’s sincerity eased Dian Deng Zi’s worries considerably.
Entering the fortress, Bai Yuan beamed at Cheng Xu. “Instructor He, I’ve successfully completed the Deity’s mission by bringing Dian Deng Zi down the mountain. I now plan to take him to Gaojia Village. Guarding Huanglong Mountain will require your oversight meanwhile.”
Impressed, Cheng Xu thought this man had truly entered the enemy camp and emerged unharmed—even abducting the bandit chief back. Such audacity! “The bandit army will likely stay put until Dian Deng Zi returns. You may proceed in peace.”
Bai Yuan invited Dian Deng Zi and his two men into the carriage. He himself took the driver’s seat, flicked the reins sharply—”Yah!”
Dian Deng Zi looked astonished. “Lord Bai! You drive personally? I assumed someone of your wealth would keep coachmen.”
Bai Yuan laughed heartily, “Of a gentleman’s Six Arts, ‘Charioteering’ is one I take dead seriously. How could I yield it to others? Hahaha! Hold tight!”
As sunset painted the sky, Li Daoxuan sat updating videos. He’d edited the latest performance footage: the camera swooping down from the heavens, zooming into the theater, locking onto the Zhang Family Troupe as they enacted Daoist legends with ancient techniques. He plugged a plastic stage through Little Yellow Bike before clicking upload.
Delivery arrived: fried salt-and-pepper bullfrog. He slid on a plastic glove, grabbed a chunk, and chewed blissfully.
Suddenly, a carriage rolled in—Bai Yuan at the reins.
Bai Yuan made progress! Excellent! I knew he’d deliver, mused Li Daoxuan. I’d offer him some frog, but tossing this into the diorama might give him heart failure.
Calling Yiye over, he said, “Bring Thirty-Two and Tan Liwen here.”
The carriage halted at the entrance.
“Here we are!” Bai Yuan announced cheerfully. “Step out, sir.”
The cart’s curtain parted. Dian Deng Zi and his two men jumped down.
Their eyes widened before the enormous fortress. Its walls towered three zhang—outstripping many county walls—signifying the wealthy lord within.
Around the fortress spread wheat fields, approaching harvest. Plump wheat ears shimmered with promise.
“Wheat fields!”
“Insanely healthy wheat fields!”
Both bandits brightened immediately; skilled farmers recognized prime crops. Even in bountiful years, they’d never seen stalks this robust, let alone during this great disaster.
Their eyes turned greedy with envy.
Scanning the area, they saw villagers returning from labor. Many carried no tools—clearly not farmers—which puzzled them.
Just then, Gao Yiye, Thirty-Two, and Tan Liwen strode forward smiling. Bai Yuan hastened introductions: “This is Dian Deng Zi, Captain of Bu Zhan Ni’s Second Team. Here is Saint Lady Gao Yiye, Steward Thirty-Two, and Clerk Tan of Gaojia Village.”