The evening glow had just settled when Li Daoxuan dragged his exhausted body home.
He had spent the whole day by the Jialing River with Cai Xinzi—two old friends brewing tea in the autumn wind, chatting absolute nonsense, then hitting a Zibo-style barbecue stall until the sun dipped behind the hills. Life, for once, felt light.
Back home, he instinctively sat by the Box.
First, he peered down at Gaojia Village—everything running smoothly. Then he switched to Zhengjia Village and happened to catch twenty-something villagers riding Solar Car No.2 back home, golden sunset blazing behind them.
"Faster! The sun's going down!" Gao Chuwu panicked. "If we're late, the whole car will stop halfway!"
Zheng Daniu gritted his teeth. "The shade curtain is already pulled to the max! This is full speed!"
"Then why's it still so slow?!"
"Because the sun is dying!"
The two simpletons sweated like steamed buns, while the passengers were laughing like they were watching a comedy show. Honestly, even if the car stopped, twenty people could tow it home. But why say that? Watching two fools panic was entertainment.
Li Daoxuan couldn't help but chuckle.
Switching back to Gaojia Village, he spotted Gao Yiye jumping rope with a pack of kids. She had fully abandoned her "holy maiden" dignity, following Dao Xuan Tianzun's decree to be her true self again—meaning: the most mischievous, trouble-seeking girl in the entire village.
The kids chanted a pinyin song while jumping rope:
"Open your mouth—aaa,
Round your lips—ooo,
Flat your lips—eee,
Teeth together—iii…"
Just as the song reached peak chaos, Teacher Wang charged out of the fort swinging his ruler:
"Gao Sanwa! You little rascal! You turned the character for 'duck' into ya! Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!"
Gao Sanwa panicked and hid behind Gao Yiye.
Who immediately grabbed him by the collar—and offered him up.
"Hit him well, Teacher! Hahaha!"
Smack!
The ruler left a fiery red print on his palm.
"One hundred copies of the character 'duck'! Now go!"
Li Daoxuan burst out laughing. "Ah yes… Sanwa's childhood is officially complete."
Nearby, a group of artisans lounged in the craftsman pit, gossiping against the sunset.
"Hey, Luo Tuimao, why've you been sneaking to the county all the time? You're a registered craftsman—you've skipped service for two months. Aren't you afraid of getting caught?"
Luo Tuimao snickered. "There are tons of refugees in the county now. Everyone's just waiting for the county magistrate to hand out porridge. I blend in easily. But this time, I went to find some old craftsmen. Told them all about Gaojia Village. They'll be coming soon."
Li the craftsman slapped his thigh. "If you really bring craftsmen here, Dao Xuan Tianzun will definitely reward you!"
"Reward or not, who cares? My life is good thanks to the Tianzun. Even if I'm tiny and useless, I'll do anything to make him happy!"
Just then—
De-de-de!
Horse hooves thundered outside the fort.
A carriage rushed up with several guards on horseback. The driver leapt down; white robes fluttered.
Bai Yuan.
He landed with flair and tossed his hair dramatically.
"Hahaha! My carriage-driving skills are still flawless! Among the six gentlemanly arts, my carriage-handling remains supreme!"
Shansier had already been alerted by the sentries and arrived with his advisor Tan Liwen.
"Master Bai, long time no see. Still as dashing as ever. What brings you here today?"
Bai Yuan straightened his collar, cupped his fists toward Shansier, then looked up and gave the sky a solemn salute—clearly aiming the bow at Dao Xuan Tianzun.
"I come with a request."
Li Daoxuan raised a brow. A carriage, guards, solemn salute? Someone definitely brought the wife and child along.
Shansier asked, "What request?"
Bai Yuan took a breath. "I want to entrust my wife and son to Gaojia Village. Please… take care of them."
Shansier's heart skipped. "Your family… needs refuge?"
Bai Yuan nodded. "Beside Bai Family Fort lies Huanglong Mountain—you know this."
"Of course."
"A band of raiders has gathered on the mountain. Not a few dozen… but several thousand. Heaven only knows when they'll come down and attack the fort. I had no choice but to secure a safe place for my family."
"Thousands?!" Shansier nearly jumped out of his boots.
Bai Yuan's expression darkened. "They aren't local rebels. They came from Luochuan in the west and Yichuan in the north. You don't travel much, so the news hasn't reached you. Though Chengcheng County is stable now, the northern counties are ruined. Luochuan, Yichuan, Qingjian, Fugu, Mizhi… all teeming with rebels. Worse than our county two months ago."
Shansier staggered. "So many counties have collapsed?! I thought only we suffered!"
Bai Yuan sighed. "You underestimate Wang Er's rebellion. His reputation in the greenwood world is immense. When someone like him raises a banner, half the empire shakes."
Li Daoxuan's face tightened.
Mizhi County… so that means that "Li" is awakening too. Even if I had the aerial range, could I stop it? Even if I did… could anyone really stop the collapse of the Ming? A chain reaction of misgovernance and disaster can't be undone by removing a single spark.
Bai Yuan clasped his fist tightly.
"So… Bai Family Fort may fall at any moment. My wife and child… I entrust them to Gaojia Village. Please."
Footnotes
Solar Car No.2 — A vehicle powered by direct sunlight. When the sun drops, the car basically becomes a decorative cart.
Pinyin Song — A real educational tool used by literacy teachers to help kids memorize Mandarin vowel sounds.
Six Gentlemanly Arts — Classical noble skills (ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, mathematics). Bai Yuan is bragging about chariot driving.
Huanglong Mountain — A mountain in northern Shaanxi that historically housed both military forts and bandit groups.
Wang Er's Rebellion — Inspired by real peasant uprisings in late Ming, often triggered by drought, famine, and harsh taxes.
Mizhi County "Li" — A reference to Li Zicheng, the future rebel leader who will shake the Ming dynasty.