"Yiye, have everyone share the meal," Li Daoxuan said with a smile. "A special reward for Heavenly Inspiration Day—eat joyfully."
With his instruction, how could the mischievous girl Gao Yiye resist? She was the first to leap forward, initially tempted to bite directly, but reconsidered—with so many sharing, biting seemed uncivilized.
Fortunately, a clever villager nearby immediately handed her a knife.
He had the knife but dared not act first. Such "large festival ceremonies" required the Saintess to initiate.
Gao Yiye used the knife to cut a small piece from the massive beef chunk, popped it into her mouth—and her expression instantly transformed spectacularly.
Cantonese cuisine had the advantage of strong compatibility, suiting most Chinese palates, unlike Sichuan cuisine that could overwhelm outsiders.
The Cantonese beef offal stew flavor flooding her mouth proved extraordinary.
Such rich seasoning, such complex layers of taste.
Gao Yiye's mouth stuffed with beef, cheeks bulging, she spoke while chewing, words muffled: "So gooood, really gooood, everyone... come sha... share... so gooood..."
With the Saintess having acted, others could begin eating.
Gao Villagers cheered first, grabbing knives to approach...
Then Zheng Village, Zhong Village, and others followed with knives...
Finally, the three thousand Qingjian people snapped from their "meat falling from heaven" shock. Never mind where this meat came from, never mind which deity the Tianzun was—puzzling matters aside, fill bellies first. Grab knives and approach...
"Hey, newcomers, you've starved long—don't eat too much at once, you'll get stomach trouble," San Shi'er called, hopping among the crowd.
"We Qingjian folk aren't that fragile!"
"Hey, that's unrelated to where you're from!"
"Don't overeat! Rest assured, next meal's still coming."
From Li Daoxuan's perspective above, over four thousand people encircled the enormous beef chunk, commencing a gluttonous feast—like a massive ant colony transporting food, fascinating to watch.
Such grand scenes were unseen during earlier population shortages.
Indeed, as the village developed and expanded, he witnessed increasingly novel spectacles.
These box pets were truly not raised in vain.
The celebration inside the box lasted a full half-hour. Satiated Short-Term Labor villagers dispersed first, returning to work—currently Gao Village's hardest workers. Next, convict laborers hurried back to labor diligently, earning merit points for early sentence reduction and restored commoner status. Then Gao Village's original forty-two inhabitants patted full bellies, strolling contentedly to aid digestion.
Only the three thousand-plus Qingjian people remained, bellies full but uncertain what to do, exchanging bewildered glances, awaiting arrangements.
Gao Yiye circled back, smiling cheerfully before Dian Dengzi: "Mr. Zhao, the Tianzun decrees: take your countryfolk, first ride the little train to your 'Refugee Valley' to settle."
"Understood." Dian Dengzi promptly instructed everyone: "Everyone up! See those colorful buildings over there? That's called a railway station. We'll ride from there to our new home."
Qingjian commoners glanced curiously—never heard of railway stations. But one look revealed an enormous strange vehicle, like a giant caterpillar, resting quietly beside the station.
"Board that vehicle?"
"Is that really a vehicle? Looks like a monstrous insect that eats people."
Dian Dengzi called loudly: "Don't fear! That's a vehicle, not some monster. Everyone, come!"
He led toward the little train.
Then someone in white robes dashed ahead faster, sprinting toward the train—Bai Yuan, waving while running: "I'll drive! I'll drive! Among the Six Arts, 'charioteering' is my specialty!"
The two train drivers broke into sweat: "Master Bai, you've only just learned. Can't drive immediately—requires practice. This trip carries many passengers. Any accident means heavy casualties."
Bai Yuan: "Er... true enough. Then I'll continue observing and learning inside the engine."
Qingjian people queued to board the train.
Twelve carriages, each holding only one hundred people—the train could transport only twelve hundred per trip. Transport capacity remained insufficient.
Requiring three trips to move all Qingjian folk to Refugee Valley.
Fortunately, single journey spanned only six li. At the train's speed, mere minutes per trip—only passenger loading/unloading consumed extra time. Multiple trips posed no major issue.
Thus, the first twelve hundred boarded the little train, departing toward their new home.
Woo! Clackety-clack...
Amid pleasant sounds, the little train first traversed Gao Village's wheat fields.
Passengers collectively gasped "Wow!"—beautiful wheat fields nearing harvest. The train crossed slopes, all along the way lush greenery flourishing—along the entire route everywhere had received rain, mountainsides covered with wildflowers and grass.
Some passengers thought privately: Digging wild vegetables here seems easy—wild vegetables everywhere.
Grass roots also inexhaustible, utterly inexhaustible.
Soon, the train reached Refugee Valley Station, halting. Dian Dengzi disembarked first, then loudly directed people from subsequent carriages to alight.
Twelve hundred people successively jumped from the train—then saw the colorful settlement filled with brightly colored buildings, quietly nestled within the valley, possessing an otherworldly, peach-blossom-spring beauty.
"Wow, this is our new home?"
"Such a beautiful place!"
"Can we really move in here?"
Some attempted dashing into the valley.
Dian Dengzi Zhao Sheng shouted: "Don't rush! Don't rush! Can't claim houses yourselves—would cause fights. Wait until everyone arrives. Village heads and I will discuss room allocation."
Villagers generally obeyed him. Hearing this, they quieted, sitting properly, awaiting the little train's return with second and third loads. Once all assembled, everyone grouped by original villages.
Zhao Sheng and several village heads gathered, discussing which village occupied which valley sector, then entering zones to settle among colorful large houses.
This proved no simple matter—three thousand people, many voices, each household with differing circumstances. Commotion lasted half a day until sunset, when Qingjian folk finally secured respective dwellings.
Everyone placed their scant belongings, emerged outdoors, meeting on streets—corners of mouths involuntarily lifting into smiles. New life beginning, clearly no worse than before, only better.