The toy samples arrived in the evening.
The first things Li Daoxuan set his eyes on were the 1:200 scale miniature catapults, capable of firing projectiles. These were smaller and far more meticulously crafted than the ones he bought last time, making them much easier to transport and handle.
There were also pint-sized bolt throwers that proved incredibly fun. Strapped with rubber bands, they shot one-centimeter plastic arrows—utterly adorable. He planned to supply these to the villagers for defending against the bandit army, expecting excellent results.
Next, his attention shifted to the 1:200 scale antique plastic houses and small castles.
The people of Gaojia Village were hardworking and brave, typically making everyday items themselves. Yet, constructing structures like “castles” or “houses” presented considerable difficulty.
Over a hundred labor offenders remained living within circles enclosed by Lego bricks, without even roofs. While this posed no problem during dry spells, Li Daoxuan’s recent “rainfall” inside the scenic box made the Lego enclosures somewhat awkward.
While welcome rain after long drought was wonderful, having no roof overhead felt anything but wonderful.
Li Daoxuan had to place a plank over the Lego circle to shield them from the rain.
With plastic houses provided by the toy company, he now had a viable solution to accommodate the labor offenders.
Gao Yiye hurried off to deliver the news.
The labor offenders were drenched from the rain as they chopped trees on the hillside. Upon hearing the command, they immediately set down their tools and expressed gratitude.
Li Daoxuan reached into the box, removed all the Lego bricks, and tossed them aside. He then grasped one of the 1:200 antique plastic houses and gently lowered it.
The labor offenders looked up to see a house plummeting from the sky. With a duang, it hit the ground, wobbled twice, and steadied. Another followed, duang…
Over a dozen houses descended one after another, arranged across a barren patch of land unsuitable for farming near Gaojia Fortress. They formed an entirely new small village.
The labor offenders exchanged bewildered glances: “What’s this…?”
Even the villagers of Gaojia watching from a distance felt a sense of disbelief: “What’s happening?”
Li Daoxuan wished he could add more houses, but he had limited samples—only about a dozen sent by the toy company. He’d have to settle with these for now and later buy more through his Little Yellow Bike app.
“Labor offenders shouldn’t think one house per person,” Li Daoxuan announced. “Twelve will share one house. Only after completing their sentence can they regain their freedom.”
Upon hearing this, the labor offenders protested: “We feel great! We could labor for life—no need to regain freedom.”
Seriously? A bunch lacking ambition.
He almost retorted, then reconsidered. No—no point.
Having recently shifted from inconsistent meals to having full bowls every day, they considered their current lives ideal. But once he found the hardest-working among them, shortened his sentence, released him early, and showered him with rewards, setting him up as a role model for others who witnessed his better life—they’d change their tune instantly. All would fight to shorten their own sentences and reclaim freedom.
Want to slack? Dream on! Roll to death for me!
Just like pet owners, seeing their cats sunbathing idly on balconies, might dream of saddling them with 30-year mortgage debts—forcing them to work at cat cafés to earn their own kibble.
Kitties, you can’t escape your owners’ vicious intentions—Mwahahahaha!
Li Daoxuan cackled like a villain, hands on hips and face turned skyward.
Gao Yiye glanced upward and said solemnly to the labor offenders, “The Deity is laughing with joy. He seems very pleased with your efforts.”
Overjoyed, they shouted, “If being model labor offenders makes the Deity happy, we’ll embrace this promising work for a lifetime! We’ll keep pleasing him!”
Autumn winds, autumn rains—chilly breezes swept in!
Every autumn, as the first rain cools the temperature, it signals the ideal window for sowing autumn wheat.
However, this year, autumn rain never fell—not a single drop.
The newly appointed Chengcheng County Magistrate Liang Shixian was wracked with anguish. Oh, my goodness; his head hurt so bad—so excruciatingly bad!
He sat in the county office reviewing reports from his Clerk, who’d journeyed a thousand li from Shaoxing alongside him. His brow furrowed deeply in frustration.
“The granaries were all looted by Bai Shui Wang Er?” Liang Shixian exclaimed. “So I, the new magistrate, step in to clean Zhang Yaocai’s mess? I must collect the taxes he failed to—and even bigger ones than his? Otherwise, we can’t fill the granaries?”
The Clerk nodded. “Yes.”
Suppressing the urge to flip his desk out of sheer rage—lest he betray his scholar’s dignity—Magistrate Liang clenched his teeth.
“Not a drop of rain falls from heaven, and still we tax more? That’s forcing commoners toward rebellion! Zhang Yaocai deserved his death. I cherish the people like my sons and serve with integrity. I refuse to follow his path.”
The Clerk wiped sweat from his brow. “However, County Lord, if you fail to collect taxes, you’ll be dismissed and prosecuted. Your head—whether chopped off by bandits or by the Emperor—will roll just like Zhang Yaocai’s did.”
Liang Shixian frowned. “I’ve stepped into a dead end?”
Heavy-hearted, the Clerk said, “Indeed! County Lord, let us resign and return home. Though we lose the official hat, at least we keep our heads.”
Liang Shixian shook his head. To fix this crisis, he needed strategy.
With wagonloads of knowledge and governance experience, his mind spun furiously like a carousel for solutions. All his studies and training scrambled for an answer.
Then—ding—one solution surfaced.
“This… must be forced upon Chengcheng County’s local gentry.”
The Clerk gasped, “Huh?!”
Liang Shixian ordered, “Impose levies! Place the peasants’ impossible-to-gather grain tax onto the local gentry and wealthy families. Let them pay silver to fill the gaps. As magistrate, I will owe them favors. Once this crisis passes, I’ll reward them amply.” Follow current novels on NoveI★Fire.net
The Clerk pondered. “This might be the only escape from a dead end. But will they agree?”
Liang Shixian snorted. “Your earlier report noted that after Bai Shui Wang Er stirred riots—causing bandits to rise everywhere—even the local gentry suffered deeply. Bai Family Fortress was stormed and looted clean; they’re victims too. Approaching them now? They might cooperate… Prepare my mount. We’ll travel through neighboring villages to discuss this with the richest among their gentry.”