Two days later, the small railway track connecting Gao Village to Bai Family Fort was finally laid. In the real world, this track stretched a full hundred meters—a considerable length.
Li Daoxuan spent quite some time assembling it. Along the way, he had to use metal scrapers to level the ground and smooth the path at many points to prevent the tracks from needing overly frequent turns and undulations.
At the locations of two deserted villages along the route, Li Daoxuan deliberately placed two intermediate railway stations. Though those villages were currently uninhabited, people would surely live there someday. In the future, scholars would marvel in disbelief: "This world actually has people taking trains back to their hometown villages to farm!" That would be a whole level above their concept of driving cars home to farm.
As soon as the small tracks reached Bai Family Fort, Bai Yuan was the first to rush out, overjoyed. "The Tianzun has bestowed a train upon Bai Family Fort too? Fantastic! Hahaha! This time, the train driver must be me, right?"
Once the small train was placed, Bai Yuan eagerly jumped into the locomotive cab.
He personally piloted the "trial run" train, choo-chooing from Bai Family Fort to Gao Village and then choo-chooing back.
The forty-li journey, including station stops and travel time, took a full half-hour. After a test run, Bai Yuan realized he didn't have that much time to drive this small train every day.
He couldn't devote all his time to the "art of charioteering"; the other five arts were waiting for him. Reluctantly, he gave up the position, personally taught two Bai Family Fort villagers how to operate the small train, and handed over the driver's seat.
Just as Bai Family Fort rejoiced over the arrival of the small train...
Chengcheng County Town, City God Temple.
Third Madame was solemnly expounding Daoist scriptures to her followers when she saw someone slip through the side hall's entrance—her husband, San Shier.
"Hmm?"
Third Madame let out a soft sound of surprise but otherwise remained composed, continuing her lecture with an unruffled expression, only slightly increasing her pace.
Shortly after, the followers, having listened to the scriptures, were sent away by her.
She then quickly walked up to San Shier, pleased. "Husband, what brings you to the county town?"
Not having seen each other for a long time, they missed each other quite a bit. San Shier took his wife's hand, whispering with a smile, "I am following the Tianzun's order, delivering a batch of books to the county town, so I came to see you. Hehe, after so long apart, shouldn't we... celebrate a short separation as better than a new marriage?"
Third Madame gave a dismissive "Hmph," her gaze drifting downward, sweeping over San Shier's lower region. "Is it functional?"
This question instantly made San Shier's expression awkward. "This... ahem... still..."
Third Madame: "I thought so! If it's not functional, no amount of separation is better than a new marriage."
San Shier thumped to the ground, unable to get up.
Li Daoxuan, observing via "Focus" from the sky, also felt a wave of secondhand awkwardness. So that's how it is! No wonder back when the 'Daoist Mystic Tianzun Cave' was first built, San Shier came to make that specific wish. No wonder Third Madame lived long-term in the county town, never returning to Gao Village to see her husband...
No wonder, no wonder!
Many details he hadn't noticed before.
This guy was no longer a man but a eunuch.
Tragic!
As a fellow man, a wave of infinite sympathy.
Third Madame said with a serious expression, "Stop wallowing in gloom. Shouldn't you have come to terms with this long ago? Let's talk business. What are the Tianzun's instructions?"
San Shier sprang up from the ground, his expression back to normal. True, he had long since accepted it. In their private conversations, he even occasionally referred to himself as "Eunuch San Shier," embracing self-deprecation and broad-mindedness.
He pulled a picture-book from his sleeve and handed it to Third Madame. "Look at this book. The Tianzun instructed me to deliver three hundred copies to you. They're piled outside, awaiting your arrangement."
Third Madame took the book. The Tale of the Daoist Mystic Tianzun Vanquishing Demons, with the Tianzun's sacred image drawn beside it. She promptly performed a deep bow of respect before slowly opening the book to look.
Upon seeing it, she was immediately delighted. "This... this... this is a wonderful book!"
San Shier whispered, "The Tianzun instructed me to give you over three hundred copies for you to arrange. Additionally, two thousand more are being printed and will be shipped over in a few days to be placed in the Chengcheng Bookshop. As you know, the Chengcheng Bookshop was purchased by Gao Village long ago and is now under Teacher Wang's name. Those two thousand copies will be sold there."
Third Madame frowned. "Will they sell? It's a year of great disaster. The common folk can't even afford food, and you want them to buy books?"
San Shier chuckled. "How could the Tianzun not think of that? He already has instructions: buy one book, get two liang of wheat flour."
Third Madame: "!"
With that, Third Madame completely understood.
"The Tianzun arranging this means he intends to bestow his divine grace upon the county town." Third Madame's mind worked rapidly. "The benevolent Tianzun doesn't wish to manifest directly and frighten the common folk. So first, we spread tales of the Tianzun's deeds and broadcast his name far and wide. Once the county town's common folk all know his esteemed title, when he manifests his divine power later, it won't scare anyone."
San Shier nodded. "Exactly. That's what I thought too."
Third Madame: "I understand. Where are the three hundred copies? I'll begin arrangements immediately."
San Shier led her out to the adjoining reception room. Three hundred copies of the book made quite a large pile on the floor. Gao Chuwu and Zheng Daniu stood beside the pile, grinning foolishly at Third Madame.
Third Madame directed the two to move all the picture-books into the room where she was staying...
Half an hour later.
A ragged pauper arrived, kneeling before Third Madame, tearfully recounting how his son had had a high fever for two days without improvement, begging for immortal medicine, etc...
Third Madame, as usual, bestowed the immortal medicine, then suddenly asked, "Do you know which deity it is who bestows this immortal medicine upon you?"
The pauper hurriedly kowtowed. "I know, this lowly one knows. It is the Daoist Mystic Tianzun."
Third Madame: "Then do you know what demons the Daoist Mystic Tianzun has vanquished, what monsters he has eradicated?"
The pauper looked utterly blank. This, he genuinely did not know.
If asked about the Supreme Elder Lord, the Primordial天尊, or the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, he could have said a few things. But the Daoist Mystic Tianzun was... ahem... too obscure, far too obscure.
Third Madame hmphed. "Your heart is not sincere. Even if you take the immortal medicine back, it will not cure your son's illness."
This statement scared the pauper half out of his wits. Desperate, he pleaded, "This lowly one's heart is sincere, truly sincere! I am just ignorant and uninformed, unaware of the Tianzun's deeds. It is this lowly one's fault. I will diligently study the scriptures, firmly remember the Tianzun's deeds..."
Seeing the铺垫 was sufficient, Third Madame swished a book from her sleeve and handed it to the pauper. "This is The Tale of the Daoist Mystic Tianzun Vanquishing Demons. Take it back and study it diligently, and you will know the Tianzun's deeds."
The pauper was overjoyed. "Many thanks, Honored Lady!"
(Ming Context: The 'book + flour' promotion is a masterstroke of disaster-era marketing. For desperate people, the flour is immediate, tangible survival. The book, initially just a means to that end, becomes the vehicle for Li Daoxuan's 'cultural victory'—ensuring his name and narrative enter households alongside the very sustenance keeping them alive.)
(Meta: While Li Daoxuan lays physical tracks between villages, Third Madame lays the psychological ones into people's minds. His infrastructure moves bodies; her proselytization moves souls. Both are essential for building his 'kingdom.')