The Great Ming in the Box-Chapter 204: A Gentleman Upholds Justice Above All Else

The Great Ming in the Box-Chapter 204: A Gentleman Upholds Justice Above All Else

The two small train drivers began to practice repeatedly.
Li Daoxuan required them to practice until they were highly proficient. They needed to be fully aware of the exact distance at which braking could stop the train. They must diligently observe the road conditions ahead. The slightest sign of disturbance must lead to an immediate stop.
At the same time, common sense education had to be carried out in the villages. No one should linger on the tracks. Those caught damaging the tracks would be thrown directly into the Labor Offenders Village. If it caused a serious accident resulting in death, it would be life for life, with no room for discussion.
And just as Li Daoxuan was preparing the Refugee Valley and the small train simultaneously…
Bai Family Fortress.
Bai Yuan gazed seriously towards Huanglong Mountain in the north. After the ten stones of food were sent up, Dian Deng Zi indeed did not come down the mountain to cause trouble. Those three thousand people huddled under the trees at the summit.
They did not deliberately hide their traces. Standing on the fortress wall of Bai Family Fortress, one could faintly see the bandits on the mountaintop foraging for wild vegetables, digging grass roots, peeling tree bark, and such activities.
Several columns of cooking smoke rose skyward. They were consuming the grain Bai Yuan had sent them by mixing it with items like wild vegetables and grass roots.
Cheng Xu remarked, “Those people don’t seem to intend attacking Bai Family Fortress.”
Bai Yuan nodded. “It seems there isn’t at the moment, but that ten stones of food divided among three thousand people won’t last many meals. Once it’s all eaten, what they might do next is anyone’s guess.”
Just as the two were saying this, the roar of Solar Vehicle No. 3 sounded out. The two turned to look and saw a large truck loaded with substantial grain arriving.
After the driver stopped the vehicle, he dashed into Bai Family Fortress, pulled out a letter, and handed it to Bai Yuan, saying, “Lord Bai, this is a letter from Thirty-Two for you, and it’s said to contain the Deity’s instruction.”
Bai Yuan felt his spirits rushing with pride. He quickly brushed the dust off his clothes and straightened his attire. Only then did he respectfully take the letter with both hands—he took the art of ‘courtesy’ very seriously.
He opened the letter and read it attentively.
After finishing, his brow relaxed slightly. “The Deity has issued a decree, telling us to attempt contact with the bandits on the mountain. If we feel they can still be saved, we should lure them down the mountain; the Deity will arrange for them.”
Cheng Xu also felt his spirits rushing with pride upon hearing this. But after that surge, he immediately grew apprehensive. “Making contact with bandits? That is… an extremely perilous affair. If we send underlings to do it, most of them lack insight; they speak poorly and handle matters clumsily—even good intentions could lead to bad results. If I venture there personally and enter the bandit camp, it would be risking one’s life with slim odds of survival.”
Thinking of this, he glanced up at the bandits on the mountaintop. Instantly, he spotted a grandmother floating up from the summit, soaring into the sky and circling around…
Bai Yuan turned and noticed that Instructor He beside him, though face-covered, revealed distinct fear in his eyes. He couldn’t help but laugh. “Instructor He, you remain at Bai Family Fortress and command on my behalf. I’ll ascend the mountain to have my meeting with the bandits.”
Cheng Xu started inwardly; this Bai Yuan was actually…
Bai Yuan spoke with grave seriousness. “Several months ago, upon my arrival at Gaojia Village for the first time, I received the Deity’s blessing and soundly defeated the Supreme Bright King. Afterwards, the Deity entrusted me with an honorable and challenging task: to save more suffering people, liberating them from life’s hardships and troop-inflicted harm. These bandits before us have shown no evil deeds. If they are truly decent folks, they are the kind that the Deity spoke of who deserve rescue.”
Cheng Xu: “!”
Bai Yun declared proudly. “I have always considered myself a gentleman. A gentleman upholds justice above all else, reveres the worthy while embracing the multitudes, and commends the good while pitying the incapable. Now, with an opportunity to save three thousand people right before me, how could a gentleman shrink back out of fear?”
Cheng Xu sighed deeply in his heart: You are braver than I am.
Bai Yuan waved his hand. “Two men, accompany me to the mountain.”
Two loyal servants immediately approached. They followed Bai Yuan out of Bai Family Fortress toward Huanglong Mountain.
After walking about ten steps off, Cheng Xu suddenly leaned over the fortress wall and shouted after Bai Yuan: “Mr. Bai, I’ve heard a saying: ‘A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall.’ I wonder what your view is on that?”
Bai Yuan’s face froze. Sweat poured profusely down his brow. He somewhat wanted to turn back. But retreating now would be painfully awkward. So he stiffened his neck, gritted his teeth, and pressed forward. “Hmph! A gentleman has three fears: fear of heaven’s mandate, fear of great persons, and fear of sages’ words. None of those fears is for bandits. You wait here; I’ll be back shortly… uh… Instructor He, if you spot trouble, come rescue me immediately with the men.”
Everyone: “…”
Bai Yuan eventually ascended the mountain. He walked cautiously, step by step, toward the bandit camp.
He took only two subordinates with him, mirroring when Dian Deng Zi arrived at Bai Family Fortress earlier—that too involved three individuals.
The bandit soldiers on the mountaintop swiftly notified Dian Deng Zi Zhao Sheng.
Zhao Sheng had just consumed a bowl of porridge, easing his hunger a little, when he was lamenting his journey’s wanderings and hardships. Hearing his underling’s , he hastily leaned over the mountain edge to behold a white-robed Bai Yuan approaching with two others from below.
In his heart, he grew alarmed: “Isn’t that Lord Bai from Bai Family Fortress? He dares to ascend here with merely two people? Does he not fear us?”
His underling voiced some agitation: “What is his purpose in coming?”
Dian Deng Zi replied: “Since only three individuals have arrived, they must be here for talks. Why be anxious? I shall converse with him.”
He tidied his long shirt too. After all this traveling, the garment was tattered and grimy. But Dian Deng Zi earnestly smoothed its folds and descended the mountain path to welcome the newcomers.
When the two sides met on the trail, Dian Deng Zi immediately bowed deeply. “Honored Lord Bai, in your presence, this humble dwelling feels honored.”
Upon finishing, he sensed mild awkwardness—”this humble dwelling feels honored” was a phrase used when receiving guests at home, but he currently had no residence! Applying it in this wild mountain location seemed… not quite fitting?
Bai Yuan paid it no mind. If others displayed courtesy, he outdid them. He returned a grand salute to Dian Deng Zi. “This unworthy one came uninvited and disturbs you.”
He mused inside: Look, I demonstrate such decorum even toward a bandit; that must regain me points lost—hahaha—in the ‘courtesy’ aspect of the six arts.
He stated aloud: “I climbed up this time to chat… with a good… man.” He eyed Dian Deng Zi’s scholarly, frail frame; the term “good man” emerged hesitantly, punctuated by a subtle pause.
Dian Deng Zi naturally caught the pause’s implication. He couldn’t help but smile bitterly. “What good man am I? I am just a poor scholar burning midnight oil, inexplicably forced onto a rebellious path. Lord Bai, you can simply address me by Dian Deng Zi.”
Bai Yuan inquired: “Oh? It seems my companion bears deep grievances.”
Worse still: that query made Dian Deng Zi weep bitterly. Wronged! Profoundly wronged! Yet, this misery had no proper confidant. Now, with Bai Yuan—a cultured, polite soul—finally present, he couldn’t contain his sorrows pouring out.

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Chapter 204: A Gentleman Upholds Justice Above All Else