Zhang Laowu, still bleeding from scrapes that made even the tough farmers wince, was quickly carried back to the village. Short-Term Labor Village now had its own doctor — originally a wandering physician who'd meant to pass through Gaojia Village but accidentally found paradise and never left. Honestly, only a fool would walk away from stable meals and grateful patients.
The doctor's skills were impressive. He diagnosed illness the old-fashioned way: pulse, tongue, complexion — the full classical toolkit. Then he added Li Daoxuan's "celestial medicine" on top, which boosted the effectiveness so dramatically that villagers had begun quietly redefining "miracle cure" to mean "standard Tuesday afternoon."
Minor injuries, minor illnesses — in, out, healed. Efficient enough to make future medical textbooks jealous.
Zhang Laowu's diagnosis showed only surface injuries. A little ointment, a little rest, and he'd be fine. Everyone sighed in relief.
While the villagers clustered around Zhang Laowu, fussing and worrying, Li Daoxuan's attention drifted elsewhere — toward Zhong Gaoliang.
The labor convict, seeing Zhang Laowu wasn't in danger, exhaled a huge breath and slipped away toward the labor site again, wiping his hands on his clothes. No one paid him much attention.
People who do good deeds are always forgotten the fastest — a universal truth that transcends dynasties. Li Daoxuan's brow tightened slightly.
He almost woke Gao Yiye to handle the matter…
Just then, someone sprinted into view. Shansier — energetic as ever — rushed over and grabbed a villager from Zhang Family Village.
"Who pulled Zhang Laowu out of that ditch?"
The villager scratched his head.
"Uh… seemed like a labor convict? Looked strong. Didn't see which one exactly…"
Shansier clicked his tongue.
"How can you not see clearly at a time like that?"
The villager shrugged helplessly.
"We were all staring at Zhang Laowu."
"Fine. Ask around. I'll ask too. We're finding that hero."
A small smile tugged at Li Daoxuan's lips. Good. At least someone remembered that good deeds shouldn't vanish like smoke. This was exactly why Gaojia Village kept recruiting talent — so someone would always be available to handle things while others slept.
He decided Yiye could sleep longer after all.
Shansier went from group to group, questioning everyone until finally he found the name: Zhong Gaoliang. Hard to forget a name like that — practically a walking advertisement for agricultural pride.
By sunset…
The labor convicts trudged back into their village, shoulders drooping, legs dragging, tools clattering. Their routine was simple: drop tools, splash water on faces, boil a little porridge, then head to Gaojia Market Square to watch the "Shaanbei Daoqing" performance — their single luxury after a full day of breaking rocks and their backs.
The tragedy was that they had no wages yet, so they couldn't tip the performers. A collective heartbreak shared daily.
Zhong Gaoliang walked with a few coworkers, each carrying hoes over their shoulders, chatting nonsense to stay awake. They stepped into the village — and immediately spotted Shansier, Master Tan, and several attendants marching toward them.
The attendants began shouting:
"All labor convicts, assemble! Third Manager has an important announcement!"
The convicts hurried over. Zhong Gaoliang blended in, wearing the universal expression of "ooh, something's happening."
When everyone was gathered, Shansier cleared his throat loudly.
"Today, I came to Labor Village to talk about an important matter that happened earlier…"
He retold the entire story — Zhang Laowu falling, Zhong Gaoliang rescuing him, the danger, the steep ditch, the run back. Many laborers hadn't heard anything because they were working elsewhere, so the retelling caused a growing ripple of surprise.
By the time Shansier finished, the crowd had already shoved Zhong Gaoliang to the front, laughing and teasing him.
"So you did a big heroic thing, huh, Gaoliang?"
"Carried a whole grown man up an incline? Not bad!"
"Didn't know you had that strength hidden in you!"
The praise puffed him up like steamed buns in a hot pot. He grinned, enjoying the rare moment of being admired. Deep down he wondered if Shansier was here to give him a reward — maybe a good meal tonight? A slab of pork belly? That would be heavenly.
Just as he was imagining braised meat, Shansier raised his voice.
"Zhong Gaoliang risked his life to save another. Saving one life is greater than building seven pagodas. A great virtue can balance out great wrongdoing. Following the decree given earlier by Tianzun, I have decided to reduce Zhong Gaoliang's sentence."
Silence.
The entire labor village froze.
Zhong Gaoliang froze the hardest.
He'd been mentally prepared for meat. Maybe a bowl of noodles. Sentence reduction was not on the menu he expected.
His voice trembled.
"H-how much reduction? One month? Two months?"
Shansier smiled.
"You had six months left. But Zhang Laowu's life is worth far more than that. Thus — effective immediately, Zhong Gaoliang's sentence is dismissed. You are free. You are restored to white status!"
A thunderclap couldn't have hit harder.
Zhong Gaoliang went blank for exactly thirteen blinks, then exploded like a firecracker.
"I— I— I'M FREE! I'M RESTORED TO WHITE STATUS!"
The other labor convicts erupted into cheers.
"Gaoliang, congratulations!"
"Free man! Free man!"
He shook uncontrollably.
"Then… I can earn wages now? Real wages?"
Shansier nodded.
"Yes."
"And… and my farmland in Zhong Family Village… I can go farm it again?"
"Yes. The fields are yours. Tianzun even asked the Dragon King for rain. A big irrigation pond has been dug, and Tianzun filled it with water personally."
Zhong Gaoliang's jaw dropped so fast it nearly escaped his face. Then he bolted toward the direction of his village like a madman.
"My fields! I can plant sorghum again! It's only early spring — I CAN STILL MAKE IT!"
The convicts watched his silhouette disappear, expressions mixed — envy, jealousy, hope. But slowly, steadily, all of it merged into something stronger.
Dreams.
If Gaoliang was free today…
Then in half a year, they could be too.
Maybe even sooner — if they did good deeds. If they showed virtue. If they worked hard. The idea shimmered like dawn on water.
Shansier turned back to them with a cheerful smile.
"I won't say much. Your faces show you understand. Tianzun is kind. Don't disappoint His intentions."
The convicts all bowed deeply toward the sky, shouting:
"Tianzun, please watch our conduct!"
"Tianzun, we will not disappoint you!"
"This life — no more wrongdoing!"
Li Daoxuan, watching from afar, broke into a very satisfied Auntie-smile.
Excellent.
This was the real meaning of labor reform — without him lifting a finger, they already understood.
A tremendous step forward indeed.