Stretching exercises... One, two, three, four... Two, two, three, four...
Today, the children's movements were starting to keep up with the images.
Swinging arms and kicking legs, their little faces flushed red.
Watching the children do calisthenics from the side, Teacher Wang felt an inexplicable urge. *My body has always been weak,* he thought. *First, I haven't eaten well for years. Second, I've been hunched over books since childhood, neglecting my limbs. I'm so weak I couldn't even tie a chicken's legs.*
*Now that I have good food, I should exercise too.*
*Why not... join the children for a round?*
He quietly shuffled over, standing behind the children. That way, he wouldn't be embarrassed if they saw him. He started swinging his arms along—swing the arms, shake the legs, take deep breaths, sing and jump with the children, and I won't grow old...
The calisthenics broadcast blared loudly from the watchtower, reaching every corner of Gaojia Village. Villagers got out of bed one by one, and some just naturally started following along. Since **Dao Xuan Tianzun** led it, this must be divine exercise. Following along couldn't be bad.
Watching this scene, Li Daoxuan was reminded of his own school days. Wait, thinking about school reminded him of something else...
Nutritious breakfast. A bottle of milk for every child.
That was incredibly important! The average height of the entire Chinese nation relied on that unassuming daily bottle of milk.
Hold on!
Most Chinese people are lactose intolerant. Drinking milk can easily cause diarrhea. For someone in poor health, a bad bout of diarrhea could literally send them to their own funeral feast. If modern people are like this, imagine these late-Ming dynasty folks who have never touched milk.
Li Daoxuan went to the cupboard, found a bag of goat milk powder, and checked the expiration date. Good, not expired yet.
He mixed himself a large cup first, adding two spoonfuls of sugar. Then, from his own cup, he scooped a tiny spoonful into a mineral water bottle cap and gently placed it before Gao Yiyi. "Gao Yiyi, this is goat milk. Tell **Shansier** to arrange its distribution. Everyone gets one bamboo tube..."
***
Not long after, an amusing scene unfolded below the watchtower.
Over a hundred residents of Gaojia Village, carrying all sorts of jars and containers, formed a long line to get their milk. It looked just like the early days of China's economic reform, when people lined up outside supply and marketing cooperatives with milk tickets.
**Shansier's** family servant was in charge of distributing the milk. Holding a bamboo tube, he dipped it into the "giant milk basin"—the mineral water bottle cap—scooped up a tubeful, and poured it into the pot held out by Gao Sanniang.
Gao Sanniang took the pot, had a sip, and immediately squinted her eyes in bliss. "Ah... goat milk... I've heard of it since I was a child, but never tasted it. This is the first time I've had something this good."
**Shansier** scolded jokingly, "Get your milk and move along. Don't block the people behind you."
Gao Sanniang: "That first tube was mine. I need another one for my son. Come on, give me another."
"Your son only counts as half a person. Half a tube."
"No way! Miss Yiyi just said **Dao Xuan Tianzun's** order was one tube *per person*. My son may be small, but he's a person. You can't cut his portion."
**Shansier** laughed heartily. "You, Gao Sanniang! You can't even read, but you've already learned to quibble over words. Fine, another tube for you. Next..."
Joyful chatter echoed below the watchtower.
By the time everyone had their share, Gao Yiyi and **Shansier**, the two managers, were tired.
Gao Yiyi just stood there, but **Shansier** plopped down on the steps below the watchtower, fetched himself a bamboo tube of milk, and gulped down half of it with gusto. "Truly immortal goat milk," he chortled. "The goaty smell is much lighter than the milk from our mortal goats. And it's sweetened too! Ah, such a fine thing... If this were sent as tribute to His Majesty, I reckon even he'd forsake deer milk for this... Hehe... What virtue do I, **Shansier**, possess, to now eat and drink better than His Majesty? Hahahaha!"
Li Daoxuan watched, amused. He reached down, pinched a small pile of goat milk powder, and placed it before **Shansier**.
The sudden appearance of a small white mound startled **Shansier**, but he quickly understood. "Ah! **Dao Xuan Tianzun** has bestowed more flour upon us!"
"Not flour," Gao Yiyi interjected. "**Dao Xuan Tianzun** says this is called milk powder. Put it in water, add a little sugar, stir, and it becomes the goat milk you just drank."
"What?" **Shansier** was astonished. "There exists such a convenient divine substance?"
Gao Yiyi relayed, "**Dao Xuan Tianzun** scolds you for your lack of knowledge. Milk powder was invented by the Mongols as early as the Yuan Dynasty. You, Steward **Shansier**, claim to be well-informed, yet you didn't even know this?"
**Shansier** hurriedly bowed. "This humble one's meager knowledge is like a firefly trying to compete with the bright moon before **Dao Xuan Tianzun's** vast wisdom."
Gao Yiyi continued, "**Dao Xuan Tianzun** says to entrust this milk powder to you. From now on, reconstitute it into goat milk every morning and distribute one bamboo tube to each person in the village."
**Shansier**: "I obey!"
After agreeing, **Shansier's** face showed a hint of distress. "That... Miss Yiyi, there's a matter I'd like to report to **Dao Xuan Tianzun**."
Gao Yiyi smiled. "**Dao Xuan Tianzun** already sees through your thoughts. You want to say you have too many tasks and can't handle them alone anymore, don't you?"
**Shansier** nodded vigorously. "**Dao Xuan Tianzun** is truly omniscient. This humble one's petty concerns..."
Gao Yiyi relayed, "**Dao Xuan Tianzun** says: As Gaojia Village's population grows, so do the tasks. It's impossible for one person to manage everything. The flour, milk powder, oil, salt, sugar, and silver he entrusts to you—after distributing the villagers' share, you may use the surplus flexibly to hire some assistants."
**Shansier** was overjoyed. "That... is excellent!"
Having worked in government, he knew one thing well: once **Dao Xuan Tianzun** allowed him to hire assistants, it essentially meant he was permitted to form his own "miniature yamen," with himself as the highest official—like a county magistrate.
**Shansier** slapped his thigh in delight. "Wahahaha! I'll hire people! I've already thought about who to hire first!"
Curious, Gao Yiyi asked, "This next question isn't from **Dao Xuan Tianzun**, it's from me. Who are you planning to hire first? Why are you laughing so smugly?"
**Shansier**: "I'm going to hire a private secretary."
Gao Yiyi: "Pfft!"
Li Daoxuan: "Pfft!"
Ignoring Gao Yiyi's stunned expression, **Shansier** pounded the table, roaring with laughter. "I'm going to hire a private secretary first! Hahahaha! I'll make him handle all the miscellaneous tasks. If his work displeases me in the slightest, I'll kick him right in the crotch! Hahahaha... Hahahaha!"
Gao Yiyi: "..."
Li Daoxuan: "..."
People!
Why do people always end up becoming the very thing they once despised?
Li Daoxuan suddenly remembered what he had said to Cai Xinzhi when commissioning the Hakka walled village: **"Now I'm the client!"**
Ahhhh!
He flopped face-down in front of his computer, rolling around on the floor, writhing, bouncing. So embarrassing! So utterly embarrassing!