The Great Ming in the Box-Chapter 62: He Offered Far Too Much
When Thirty-Two and Third Lady returned to their home in the county town, they discovered that all their belongings had been completely looted.
Days earlier, due to Bai Shui Wang Er’s rampage, every residence in the “wealthy district” had been ransacked. The entire neighborhood was in ruins, with several houses burned down, leaving only charred timbers behind.
Thirty-Two was clearly a benevolent man who often spoke out for the common people, yet his home hadn’t escaped the plundering. The door had been kicked in, and anything of value had been taken, leaving it utterly empty.
Other kind-hearted families he knew had met the same fate.
When the scattered troops swept through, did they care about who was good or bad? Blinded with the urge to kill, they had no patience to discern. The rich and cruel were cut down with a slash; those who built bridges and repaired roads were cut down with a slash; even the quiet and moderate were cut down with a slash.
Third Lady thought it over carefully: “I simply won’t live at home anymore. I’ll go straight to the City God Temple to seek lodging.”
Third Lady continued: “I often visited the City God Temple to offer incense, giving robes and provisions like rice and flour to the monks. Today, if I bring more silver, the monks will surely be willing to let me stay.”
Thirty-Two chuckled: “That’s true indeed. With money, nothing is impossible to accomplish.”
Third Lady patted the jar containing the divine medicine: “Once I move into the City God Temple, I’ll put on a robe and use the god of the Deity to treat the illnesses of some impoverished good citizens who can’t afford medical care. That way, I’ll be saving the world.”
Thirty-Two said: “I’m just worried the monks at the temple won’t permit it…”
Third Lady smiled: “The City God is an immortal of the Daoist, and so is the Deity. Since they belong to the same Daoist tradition, why wouldn’t they allow it? I’ve never heard of the Temple of the Primordial Deity forbidding offerings to the Supreme Lord of Dao.”
Thirty-Two replied: “Ah, I see.”
His eyes rolled thoughtfully, and he grinned: “Use more effort, save more poor commoners. If anyone here finds life unbearable, urge them to come to Gaojia Village. Our village still needs a lot of hands.”
Third Lady retorted: “I don’t need you to tell me that.”
With their plan settled, they made their way to the City God Temple. True enough, money made lodging seem as easy as lifting a finger. The monks welcomed their benefactor with deference. No, not “benefactor” — Benefactor Mother settled in.
With his wife comfortably arranged, Thirty-Two prepared to start his own task.
He walked to a private school in the eastern part of town.
To be precise, it wasn’t a private school but a “family school.”
It lacked official certification; it was simply run by a poor scholar with no wife who had set up a few desks in his own home and enrolled a handful of children from the nearby community as students.
The scholar wore a faded blue robe, its hem patched in places. As soon as he saw Thirty-Two, his face lit up with surprise and relief. “Sir Thirty-Two! Since Bai Shui Wang Er’s uprising days ago, your precious daughter hasn’t attended class. I’ve been very worried. I went to your home to inquire, but saw… ah… it truly frightened me…”
Thirty-Two said: “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Wang. At that time, my family fled the county town and took refuge in Gaojia Village. My daughter remains there still and hasn’t dared return to the county.”
Mr. Wang clasped his hands respectfully: “Safe and sound, that’s what matters. That villain Bai Shui Wang Er is truly despicable, disrupting your daughter’s studies. When she returns to the county, I will dedicate my full effort to catching her up on the missed lessons.”
Thirty-Two shook his head: “My daughter likely won’t be returning to the county any time soon.”
Mr. Wang sighed: “Ai!”
This sigh carried profound disappointment. Fewer students meant less tuition income. The patches on his robe weren’t for show; Mr. Wang’s life was truly hard.
Thirty-Two shifted the topic: “Mr. Wang, the reason I’ve come today is to request a significant favor. I’d like you to come and stay temporarily in Gaojia Village to help with my daughter’s education. Naturally, I will show substantial gratitude.”
Mr. Wang shook his head: “This… I’m afraid… that’s not appropriate. I still have several other students here. If I go to Gaojia Village, abandoning those others… my heart couldn’t bear it.”
He was unwilling to venture outside the city. What awaited out there? Rebels running amok, killing everywhere! With the Chengcheng County Magistrate dead, and the Inspector Cheng Xu holed up into a Sharp Knife Troop, and the Provincial Governor of Shaanxi ignoring the turmoil – leaving the city was a death wish!
Thirty-Two knew it was time for silver to enter the stage.
He reached into his bundle, pulled out a lump of silver the size of a big fist, and placed it firmly on the table.
The sight of the silver made Mr. Wang seem to shrink physically: “Aiya? Sir Thirty-Two, what… what is the meaning of this?”
Thirty-Two replied: “How could we ask Mr. Wang to travel over a dozen miles to Gaojia Village, enduring the toil of the journey, without some compensation for your hardship? This silver is solely meant to ease your burden. As for your other students, I will visit their families myself and refund their tuition fees.”
Mr. Wang grew agitated: “How could this possibly be done? Though the tuition fees from those students are meager, I have already accepted them and thus have a responsibility to see them through! How could I abandon them halfway just because you offer me more money? This behavior, Sir Thirty-Two, is unworthy of a sage! It insults propriety! We scholars bear brushes, ink, integrity, and fists! We never…”
Thirty-Two reached into his bundle again. With a soft brash, he pulled out an even larger lump of silver, bigger than a fist. The two massive blocks of silver glistened side-by-side on the table, blindingly bright.
Mr. Wang declared: “I will go!”
…
Meanwhile, in Shuangqing City.
Li Daoxuan carefully carried a large box over to his scenic box.
He lifted the lid gently. Inside lay a miniature version of a Hakka roundhouse. His custom-ordered Hakka roundhouse was finally complete.
This model was meticulously scaled down based on the famed “Chonglin Manor.” Measuring 0.54 meters long and 0.64 meters wide, its enclosing walls stood an impressive 4.5 centimeters tall. Inside, it boasted 262 rooms, 9 main halls, and 18 courtyard wells. (See chapter comments for image.)
While real roundhouses lack a base, Cai Xinzi had created this “model” for Li Daoxuan with one. It was securely mounted onto a large, thick, and sturdy composite material board. Underneath this base, Cai Xinzi had installed a motorized electric control system featuring two rows of tires, each tire boasting a diameter of 6 centimeters.
The internal dividing walls within the roundhouse were made of thin sheet metal. However, Cai Xinzi hadn’t used metal for the roofs or outer walls. The demanding client, Li Daoxuan, had altered his specifications multiple times! He’d thrown out a chaotic list of requirements like “sunlight resistant” and “lightning proof.” Consequently, roofs and outer walls employed composite material board coated with waterproof sealant. Only the interior partitions used thin sheeting to conserve space.
This project cost Cai Xinzi at least 500 silver.
Chapter 62: He Offered Far Too Much
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