The Great Ming in the Box-Chapter 59: Daily Life in the Tiny Kingdom
Li Daoxuan outright changed his TikTok account name to “Daily Life in the Tiny Kingdom (tilt-shift photography).” With this switch, he could brazenly post videos that clearly depicted the Tiny Kingdom without restraint. After all, he’d plainly admitted it was “tilt-shift photography”—surely no one would suspect he actually had a Tiny Kingdom at home, right?
He earnestly reconsidered things. The earlier video of building the temple, while attractively genuine, lacked shock value. To draw a massive wave of traffic, he’d need something more thrilling, more spectacular.
Obviously—combat!
He rummaged through his video archive and quickly found the clip of the “Supreme Bright King” attacking Gaojia Village. Perfect. He’d start here.
He meticulously edited it, adding some filters.
Uploaded it again!
With the caption: “Hardworking villagers of the Tiny Kingdom face a bandit army’s assault. Everyone has taken up arms to defend their homeland…”
Damn it…if only I’d studied harder back in school. His caption writing was utterly pathetic. Thank goodness he hadn’t become a writer—he’d have been a dead, pathetic wretch.
…
Thirty-Two and his group were hurrying toward the county seat.
No one spoke. Everyone was terrified of encountering bandit troops.
But fate plays tricks. Murphy’s Law is no joke—the more you fear something, the more likely it is to happen.
When they were about ten li from the village, sudden drumming and shouts erupted from both sides of the road. Dozens of figures burst from the woods, rustling through the undergrowth, nearly a hundred of them. Their weapons were a motley, bizarre assortment. As soon as they appeared, they blocked the mountain path both ahead and behind, their eyes fixed greedily on the bundles carried by Thirty-Two and his companions.
Third Lady, seeing their ill-intentioned stares, instinctively clutched her own bundle. It contained several jars of “elixir,” sacred objects that absolutely could not be taken.
Gao Chuwu and Zheng Daniu drew their swords first.
All the young men brandished their weapons.
But they knew perfectly well: with sheer numbers so overwhelmingly against them, mere blades couldn’t save them.
Thirty-Two feigned calm and shouted loudly, “Think carefully who you’re messing with! I am Thirty-Two, the County Lord’s secretary! These…these behind me…they’re all ‘auxiliaries’ from the county office! If you dare attack us, it’s rebellion! Punishable by death, extermination of clans—not one of you would survive!”
In this situation, he had no choice but to bluff boldly. He dragged out his old position to intimidate them, passing Gao Chuwu and the others off as “auxiliaries,” government-connected figures. Maybe that would scare these thugs.
Sadly, Thirty-Two’s words failed to intimidate the group. The leader chuckled darkly, “We even dared to kill a magistrate. You think we fear a mere secretary?”
That statement shocked everyone.
However…
Thirty-Two’s eyes lit up. He understood instantly. “Your—your men belong to Bai Shui Wang Er, Hero Wang’s troop?”
The leader sneered, “Exactly! We follow Brother Wang Er! Scared now? Hah! Who doesn’t know we killed Magistrate Zhang Yaocai around here? You think throwing a secretary title at me scares me? Hahaha!”
His laughter only offered Thirty-Two a lifeline. Thirty-Two loudly pleaded, “If you’re Hero Wang’s brothers, this can be settled amicably! Honorable sir, Hero Wang and we are old acquaintances, friends! You absolutely cannot harm us. If Hero Wang found out you attacked us… wouldn’t it damage the bond between brothers?”
The leader froze momentarily before cursing, “What nonsense is this? First, you claim an official’s relation with a magistrate! Now you’re trying to claim brotherhood with MY Brother Wang? You strike me as no good person!”
Sweating beaded on Thirty-Two’s forehead. This was life or death; one wrong word could doom them. He forced himself to look unyielding. “I warn you bluntly—Hero Wang truly knows me well! Touch me if you dare. Hero Wang would rip your bones from your flesh!”
That bluff actually stopped the petty leader in his tracks. He stood frozen, unsure whether to order, “Kill them!” Without his command, the other bandits dared not move. A stalemate gripped the scene.
At the very rear of the bandit troop, a young man quietly slipped away, sprinting toward the hill behind them.
The petty leader felt uneasy inside. What if he did offend his boss’s friends? He muttered uncertainly, “You’re lying for sure! How on earth would my Brother Wang know a fat slob like YOU?”
Thirty-Two felt equally terrified inside—he had no idea if Wang Er still remembered Gaojia Village’s kindness—but he could only brazen it out. “Then come cut me down! KILL us! Your boss will reward you… by chopping YOU into eighteen pieces and hanging your bones from a tree!”
Both sides were all bluster but no guts.
Another deadlock descended!
Tension choked the air, radiating from both camps. One misstep meant death.
At that moment, a sharp shout sliced through from a distant hill: “DROP YOUR WEAPONS!”
Everyone turned as one toward the slope. Bai Shui Wang Er had arrived, led by the young man who’d slipped away moments earlier.
Wang Er strode long and fast down the hill. Reaching the clearing, he glanced left. “Indeed, they’re Gaojia Village folk.”
He glanced right. “White Cat, withdraw your men.”
Ah—the minor leader’s name was White Cat (“White Cat”). Trembling inwardly, White Cat thought: Fate saved me! They really KNOW Brother Wang! Thankfully, I didn’t just hack them to death.
Thirty-Two’s legs instantly turned to jelly, collapsing into a heap on the ground: Whew! Thank heavens Wang Er is a bandit chief with some principle! Anyone else… we’d all be corpses.
Bandits began dispersing around them. Yet, as they drifted away, their gazes lingered greedily at the villagers’ bundles: this bandit group had gotten addicted to plundering recently… the simple sight of another’s belongings ignited belief they should be theirs. Only after Wang Er glared ferociously at them did they scatter like startled animals.
“Third Secretary… Brothers from Gaojia Village,” Wang Er clasped his fists at the group. “What are you doing out here? In these chaotic times of armies on the march? Hiding safe in Gaojia Village was best… Yet here you are, rushing about weighted by packs? Are you seeking death?”
Thirty-Two awkwardly glanced at Third Lady: It’s this wife of mine demanding we journey to the county seat.
But, she wanted to save lives—that was also the Deity’s command—so he couldn’t complain. He awkwardly raised his fists. “Reasons… compel our journey to the county seat.”
Wang Er frowned thoughtfully for several seconds. “In that case… I’ll escort you partway. And when you return from the county seat to Gaojia Village, I’ll escort you back again. Gaojia Village did me a great favor; I cannot risk endangering lifesavers.”
Joy flooded Thirty-Two’s heart: he’d known Brother Wang valued honor… but such extent?! Brother Wang had integrity as hell!
Thirty-Two stiffened with deep respect and cupped his fists: “Hero Wang… for a man such as YOU to be driven to a bandit’s path… it truly… sigh… truly proves that times are unfair.”
.
!
Chapter 59: Daily Life in the Tiny Kingdom
Comments