Bai Yuan found that he rather enjoyed his new identity as a "divine envoy."
After all, who wouldn't enjoy stepping off a boat and immediately being treated like Heaven's customer service representative?
No paperwork.
No questions.
Just faith, gratitude, and a suspicious amount of bowing.
With a light flick of his folding fan, Bai Yuan slipped seamlessly into the role.
"The Dao Xuan Tianzun has spoken," he announced, voice calm and righteous, as if delivering a weather report personally approved by Heaven. "The widening of the Fen River benefits transportation, irrigation, and the future of Jiangzhou. However—"
He paused, perfectly timed.
"—it has temporarily affected the livelihoods of the fishermen."
A ripple of unease passed through the crowd.
"So," Bai Yuan continued smoothly, "the Dao Xuan Tianzun has bestowed grain as compensation, to help everyone endure this difficult period."
The moment the word grain landed, the atmosphere changed completely.
The fishermen near the docks erupted in cheers so loud they nearly drowned out the rain.
Before anyone could even bow again, the sailors aboard the massive ship sprang into action. They disappeared into the hold and reemerged hauling enormous sacks—each one heavy enough to crush optimism out of a grown man.
One sailor heaved a sack onto the dock with a solid THUD, then pointed at a fisherman standing frozen on his boat.
"You," the sailor barked. "Come here."
The fisherman approached cautiously, wondering if Heaven had finally decided to single him out for something terrible.
Instead—
BAM.
A sack weighing well over a hundred jin slammed onto his shoulder.
"Hold steady," the sailor said casually. "This is compensation for the fish you won't be catching."
The fisherman's brain went blank.
For years, deep down, the fishermen had harbored a tiny grievance.
They'd never dare blame King Ji—he was practically family—but this new Dao Xuan Tianzun had shown up out of nowhere, widened the river, scared off the fish, and left them staring at empty nets.
No one said it out loud.
But now?
With a mountain of grain pressing into his bones, a voice roared in the fisherman's heart:
With this much food, who dares complain?! Anyone who speaks ill of Dao Xuan Tianzun again—I'll personally throw them into the river.
"Fishermen, line up!" the sailors shouted. "One sack per household!"
The dock instantly turned into a disciplined queue—well, mostly disciplined.
Some people shuffled forward a little too eagerly.
That was when the painted image of Dao Xuan Tianzun on Bai Yuan's fan suddenly grinned.
"If you are not a fisherman," the image said pleasantly, "do not attempt to claim grain under false pretenses."
The grin widened.
"I can tell with one glance who truly fishes… and who merely fishes for benefits."
The fan's eyes narrowed.
"Step away now, honestly, and you will be forgiven. But if I must personally identify you…"
The voice trailed off into a soft, amused heh heh heh.
The line instantly shrank by nearly a third.
Those who slipped away did so with expressions of pure shame, like children caught stealing offerings from a shrine.
Mo Xiaopin watched the scene from nearby and shook his head inwardly.
Trying to skim profit under a god's nose, he thought. Bold. Stupid. Educational.
Before long, more than a hundred sacks of grain were distributed. The genuine fishermen returned to their boats glowing with satisfaction, their grievances evaporated faster than river mist.
Bai Yuan waited for the excitement to settle before continuing.
"The Dao Xuan Tianzun's work on the river is not yet complete," he said calmly. "The upstream section will also be widened. Until that work is finished, the water will remain turbid. Fishing will be difficult… for quite some time."
The fishermen froze.
"…Huh?"
Bai Yuan smiled. "Therefore, I offer another opportunity."
He gestured to the great ship behind him.
"I am recruiting crewmen and sailors. Steering, cleaning, maintenance, light cargo handling. Anyone familiar with boats is welcome."
The fishermen exchanged looks.
After a long pause, one man stepped forward carefully.
"And the wages?"
Bai Yuan answered without hesitation.
"Three taels of silver per month."
The riverbank exploded.
Hands shot up like arrows loosed from a hundred bows.
"Me!"
"I can steer!"
"I can scrub decks!"
"I can scrub souls if needed!"
Bai Yuan laughed.
"No need to compete. Anyone who knows boats may join."
Gao Family Village's maritime manpower was laughably thin—just a handful of sailors from Horsehoof Lake and Qichuan Port stretched across absurd distances. Recruiting over a hundred experienced river folk in one stroke was a logistical miracle.
And the fishermen?
They'd just upgraded from starving to employed by Heaven.
Next, Bai Yuan turned to Mo Xiaopin and the gathered gentry.
"This region," he said, "has long been agricultural, has it not?"
Mo Xiaopin nodded. "Indeed. Locally, we call it Jishan County. Since ancient times, farming has sustained us."
He hesitated, then coughed awkwardly.
"But… these past few years…"
Bai Yuan reached from beneath his umbrella, catching raindrops in his palm.
"Heaven has granted rain," he said gently. "And the Fen River now runs wide. Water will not be the problem."
Mo Xiaopin sighed. "My only fear is that the rain will stop."
Bai Yuan smiled.
"It won't."
He produced a blueprint.
A massive wooden waterwheel, cleverly designed, scooping river water into irrigation channels without human effort.
"This wheel," Bai Yuan explained, "draws water continuously. With proper ditches, even if Heaven forgets to rain, your fields will not."
The gentry stared as if gazing upon divine scripture.
"At least dozens will be built," Bai Yuan continued. "We will need many carpenters."
Mo Xiaopin's eyes lit up. "After Magistrate Qin Changqing's death, the official workshops shut down. The artisans are idle and anxious."
Bai Yuan raised a brow.
"Well," he said, "that's convenient."
Even Dao Xuan Tianzun hadn't anticipated this side benefit of chaos.
Soon, a single cry echoed through the city workshops:
"Work available!"
The artisans came running without even asking the pay.
When they saw the blueprint, the carpenters thumped their chests.
"We can build this!"
"Excellent," Bai Yuan said. "Wages are three taels of silver a month."
The carpenters erupted like they'd just won the imperial lottery.
"Awoooooo!"
The other artisans grew restless.
What about us? their eyes said.
Bai Yuan smiled knowingly.
"Everyone will have work," he declared. "Anyone with a skill—follow me. Wages start at three taels. Skill determines how much more."
Joy spread through the crowd like fire through dry grass.
And somewhere far above—
Dao Xuan Tianzun watched silently, nodding.
Faith, grain, silver, and water.
All flowing exactly where they needed to go.