Chapter 338: The Fleet is Coming
Chapter 333 of "The Great Ming in the Box" begins revealing: Lord Fengâs concerns were certainly well-founded.Li Daoxuan privately thought: Unlike officials, bandits didnât fight city... Continue the adventure!
Lord Fengâs concerns were certainly well-founded.Li Daoxuan privately thought: Unlike officials, bandits didnât fight city by city. Instead, they hopped around, weaving and striking unpredictably. When land routes were blocked, they took to waterways, making surprise attacks everywhereâno surprise there.
If his vision had reached Qiachuan Port, he could have deployed his ship model to deal with the bandit fleet immediately. But his vision hadnât quite reached there yet, which was quite awkward.
He still had to urgently save the citizens of Heyang County!
As long as most of Heyang Countyâs citizens felt happiness and joy, surrendering their âRescue Index,â wouldnât his vision reach Qiachuan Port then?
âYiye, tell Thirty-Two. Our village must fully support Heyang Countyâs disaster reliefâfull support! Have Heyang County initiate work-for-relief immediately. At the same time, I will go at once to bring rain to Heyang County.â
Gao Yiye quietly relayed Li Daoxuanâs divine decree into Thirty-Twoâs ear.
Thirty-Two rushed with pride: âLord Feng, we already discussed aiding Heyang County last time. Without delay, let us begin at once. But as you surely knowâgive a man a full bowl of rice and he feels gratitude, but give him a dou of rice and he grows resentful. Simply handing out grain to Heyangâs citizens does them no good. Therefore⌠we must provide aid through wages.â
Feng Jun nodded. âThat would be excellent. Mr. Bai and I discussed this last time. Letâs simply construct two roads: one from Quangou Village straight to Heyang County, and another from Gaojia Village to Yang Village⌠I will organize numerous laborers. The aid and food from you will be distributed to them as wages. After careful thought, I believe keeping workers at half-satiety daily would make them work quite happily.â
Thirty-Two shook his head with a smile. âWho has strength to work at half-satiety? They must eat their fill! Moreover, additional wages must be paidâthree jin of flour per day, delivered without fail.â
Feng Jun: âAh?â
His first impression of the âwork-for-reliefâ scheme had been like distributing congee to help citizensâlaborers working to barely eat. Little had he expected Gaojia Village to insist on full meals plus three jin of flour daily as wagesâthis wasâŚ
This far exceeded his expectations!
Feng Junâs nose bled instantly. He wiped at it; the blood on his face formed two curved lines, like a smile.
Feng Jun: âIs this real?â
Thirty-Two: âPerfectly true.â
Feng Jun rejoiced: âThen this is truly excellent!â
Bai Yuan also stepped forward. âOnce work-for-relief is announced, every young adult man will want labor. The militia in your county will disband. Yet Wang Jiayinâs fleet could strike at any moment. If bandits arrive while your militia is digging roads, Heyang County will stand in grave danger.â
Hearing this, Feng Junâs expression darkened again. âYouâre right! What then? I canât order the militia not to build roads. Cutting off a manâs livelihood is like killing his parentsâlong before bandits attack, the militia would have rebelled.â
Bai Yuan smiled. âTherefore, we must rethink how your militia is organized.â
Feng Jun: â?â
Bai Yuan continued, âPay the militia wages. Let them focus wholeheartedly on this promising career without wandering off to other jobs. Gaojia Village will provide their wages, ensuring their income exceeds road construction labor. Thus, they can guard against bandits with peace of mind.â
At first glance, Feng Jun thought the plan excellent.
But on deeper reflection, something felt amiss. Fresh blood gushed from his nose. Wiping his face smeared the blood downward, warping his expression strangely. He muttered lowly, âLaborers pose no issue⌠but if Gaojia Village pays and supports the militia⌠something just feels wrong.â
Bai Yuan spread his hands. âLord Feng overthink things. Militias have always been sustained by local gentry. Since when has the government funded them? Even without Gaojia Village covering the cost, some Zhang Yuanwai, Mr. Li, Wang Yuanwai, or Zheng Yuanwai would fund them. How could any trouble arise?â
Feng Jun found this reasoning somewhat persuasive.
Left this way, it felt off. Right that way, it made sense.
Back and forth, his mind jammed.
In truth, militias differed little from private retainers. They were âcivilian forcesâ maintained by local gentry through wealthâmuch like mercenaries, loyal to their paymaster.
In ordinary gentryâs hands, they became vital protectors.
In the hands of rebels? Theyâd barely differ from bandits.
Feng Jun pondered deeply: Heyang County already hosted local gentry maintaining several militias. Recently, they eradicated Fan Shanyueâs remnants. Even harboring vile motives, Gaojia Village couldnât simply seize militias from local gentry, could they?
Let Gaojia Village support militias if they wishedâat worst competing in wealth with Heyangâs gentry. No serious threat.
Perhaps he neednât worry much here.
Ultimately, Shaanxi drowned in chaos. With the imperial court indifferent, Feng Jun had to save himself through any means necessaryâeven extreme measures.
Once clear-minded, he dismissed the conflict.
âGood! Let us proceed!â
Now that County Magistrate Feng Jun approved, matters proceeded smoothly.
Gao Yiye smiled. âSince road construction is settled, only one task remains: Gaojia Village will now perform a ritual, inviting the Dragon King to rain upon Heyang County, granting its farmers tangible benefit.â
Her words baffled Feng Jun. âPerform a ritual? Invite the Dragon King for rain? What sorcery is this? If this involves cult practice, I refuse.â
Li Daoxuan had instructed Gao Yiye to say precisely this intentionally.
Previously for Chengcheng County, heâd gradually influenced locals through comic books, then dispatched priests like Third Lady and believers for elaborate groundwork before manifesting divinity.
But that was too slow!
Wang Jiayinâs fleet threatened imminently. Li Daoxuan urgently needed vision over Qiachuan Port and reach into the Yellow River. Lacking leisure now, he resorted to brash âdivine beingâ theatrics.
Gao Yiye continued smiling. âRest assured, Lord Feng, we practice no cult. Ma TianzhengâDaoist Ma of the Quanzhen Dragon Gate sectâresides here at Gaojia Village. Simply invite him to Heyang County to perform the ritual, and he shall summon the Dragon King. See how our village escapes drought? The Dragon King brought that rain.â