Chapter 477: The Puppet Deity
Chapter 472 of "The Great Ming in the Box" kicks off with thrilling moments: With White Cat’s troops reinforcing it, Pingyang Prefecture indeed steadied.Two hundred firearm soldiers garrisoned inside... Read more!
With White Cat’s troops reinforcing it, Pingyang Prefecture indeed steadied.Two hundred firearm soldiers garrisoned inside the prefectural city with its high walls; the defensive strength was truly something, and not just empty talk. Nan Ying Eighth Great King attacked Pingyang Prefecture twice, only to be repelled both times by the firearm soldiers atop the city walls.
Originally, Deputy General Li Huai was a mediocre commander. But with the firearm soldiers backing him up, he suddenly became brave. Once the bandit troops’ morale was shattered by the gunfire, Li Huai would immediately open the city gates, lead his men charging out, and chase Nan Ying Eighth Great King in a panicked retreat.
After holding out for several days, Song Tongyin, the Provincial Governor of Shanxi, personally led a large army to reinforce them. In one swift assault, they crushed Nan Ying Eighth Great King’s main force, finally bringing peace to Pingyang Prefecture.
However, though the bandits retreated, Provincial Governor Song Tongyin and Governor Dou Wenda began to quarrel.
Dou Wenda, though merely a small magistrate, refused to be cowed before the Provincial Governor, exclaiming loudly, “Provincial Governor, I urge you to take all the Shanxi troops back with you. For this Pingyang Prefecture city, having just Captain Wang of Shaanxi guard it is sufficient!”
“Dou Wenda!” Song Tongyin, the Provincial Governor of Shanxi, roared angrily. “This Pingyang Prefecture is a city under Shanxi’s jurisdiction! What is the problem with having Shanxi troops guard it? Why are you obstinately insisting on having Shaanxi troops stationed here? What is your intention?”
Dou Wenda was also furious. “Since assuming office, I have worked diligently. Although I dare not boast how prosperous Pingyang Prefecture became under my governance, during this great disaster year, we barely managed to hold on! Although life was hard, the common citizens were able to survive. I never imagined that upon your arrival, Provincial Governor, with your large army, you instead turned my Pingyang Prefecture upside down! In just these few days, soldiers under your command have harmed how many of my common citizens?”
“This…”
Song Tongyin was left speechless and awkward.
Actually, Song Tongyin could also be considered a good official. He was a metropolitan graduate from the thirty-eighth year of the Wanli era, possessing top-tier knowledge and character. Back when he was still a small magistrate, he was renowned for being clean and upright, never accepting bribes, and often driving gift-bearers right out his door.
During the Tianqi reign, he once organized civilians for flood relief and disaster response, and resolved the White Lotus Sect rebellion, earning deep affection from the people. In Chongzhen Year Two, he accumulated enough merit to be promoted to Provincial Governor of Shanxi.
He was a local official with practical ability, who was also honest and incorruptible.
But this time, large numbers of rebels swarmed into Shanxi. With the province in chaos and rebels scattering everywhere, Song Tongyin led official troops all over to suppress them, exhausted yet racing against the clock. Where could he find the capacity to enforce troop discipline? Moreover, troop discipline wasn’t something one man could rectify quickly.
On their missions to quell rebels, the Shanxi troops had also harmed many common citizens, causing him immense headache.
Now, being confronted directly like this by Dou Wenda, he found it terribly hard to save face.
Song Tongyin could only lower his voice and sigh. “These martial ruffians truly have no discipline. But now, with the realm in great turmoil, these ruffians have also grown arrogant, disobeying orders, refusing commands. I truly can do nothing with them. I can only report them to the Ministry of War for punishment once the roving bandits are pacified.”
Dou Wenda: “That’s a matter for later! But the harm done by the Shanxi troops to my prefecture is happening now! I simply cannot tolerate these people. They must be driven out.”
Song Tongyin looked curiously at him. “Then, do the Shaanxi troops have none of these problems?”
Dou Wenda: “Captain Wang’s troops are incredibly disciplined! Look, just look…”
He pulled open the window. The two men looked down from the second floor of the governor’s yamen and saw a soldier of the Gaojia Village Militia helping an old man shoulder carrying poles. The poles held what seemed like the old man’s entire belongings – broken iron pots and the like – looking very heavy. The militia soldier had a smile on his face, carrying the load as he walked slowly with the old man into the distance…
Dou Wenda: “This is how soldiers should conduct themselves.”
Song Tongyin: “…”
How is this possible? Song Tongyin nearly jumped.
An illusion. It must be an illusion.
Dou Wenda: “Provincial Governor, you too were once a magistrate. You should be able to understand my current feelings. I implore you to understand and empathize.”
Song Tongyin let out a long sigh. “Fine, fine. I’ll take all the Shanxi troops away. Deputy General Li Huai I will take as well. Pingyang Prefecture shall rely on these four hundred Shaanxi troops to defend it.”
Dou Wenda was overjoyed. “Thank you, Provincial Governor!”
Having settled their argument, they reached a consensus. Song Tongyin left the city with all the Shanxi troops, advancing eastward to continue pursuing Wang Jiayin. At this time, Wang Jiayin’s main force had converged at QinShui County, still commanding a total force of 160,000 men.
The officials still needed to exert their full effort to subdue them.
With Song Tongyin’s departure, Pingyang Prefecture was now guarded solely by four hundred Shaanxi troops. It had effectively fallen into Wang Er’s hands!
Yongji Ferry Dock.
Xing Honglang, Gao Chuwu, Zhao Sheng, Zao Ying, Old Nan Feng, Master Zhan Sheng, and others were gathered around a brand new “Dao Xuan Deity Statue.”
During Li Daoxuan’s last “co-sensing,” he had damaged a clay-carved Dao Xuan Deity Statue, even causing half its face to crumble away. This had greatly alarmed everyone. After discussing, they agreed that the newly crafted deity statue must be sturdy, flexible, and of a high-class, impressive appearance.
They immediately searched the Yongji Ferry Dock for artisans and actually found some. The ancient ferry dock harbored many merchants, and the “artisans” were not just for show. They found one in particular: a “puppet craftsman” from Xiaoyi, Shanxi.
Upon inquiry, they learned that puppet shows in Xiaoyi, Shanxi, had already become highly sophisticated. The puppets there were vividly lifelike and intricately articulated, techniques almost as skillful as divine magic.
Thus, the several leaders promptly offered substantial funds to commission the puppet craftsman to create a deity puppet.
This was intricate work. Not only did the face needed to resemble the deity, but the joints of each part of the body also needed to be made flexible. The puppet was even designed with a mouth that could open and close, using “string-control technology.” In skilled hands, this puppet could dance gracefully and appear truly miraculous.
Its construction occupied many days. Finally, today, it was completed.
A crowd gathered around the puppet, examining it closely from all angles. Gao Chuwu: “Hmm, mm, this face is well carved. But why does the mouth look like a small square?”
Xing Honglang: “That’s so the mouth can move! That movable small square is the key. See? Pull this string, and the mouth opens and closes.”
Gao Chuwu reached out and grasped the string. But before he could pull it, the puppet deity moved first! The wooden block that formed its lower jaw swung open and shut as it spoke: “Hey! I’m able to come back and play here now.”
Everyone: “!”
After a momentary shock, all bowed in unison: “We greet the Deity!”
The puppet deity rattled to its feet. All the joints in its body twisted in peculiar ways, appearing slightly comical. Yet no one laughed. Because a puppet moving under human manipulation is called comical. But a puppet moving under a god’s manipulation? That’s called a – miracle!
Li Daoxuan opened its mouth, emitting a clattering sound. He realized that the material used for his “co-sensing” altered the sound of his voice. Coming from the puppet deity, his words had a rhythmic quality: “Everyone must be careful. Beware of Wang Jiayin. Jiayin is at QinShui, two hundred li from here.”
Having spoken, he felt rather satisfied with his bamboo-clapper-like speech.