At noon, a pot of Cantonese beef offal hotpot was placed on Li Daoxuan’s desk. While happily eating, he browsed his video channel “Daily Life in the Tiny Kingdom.”
Yesterday, he had uploaded a short clip of “Shaanbei Diaoqu,” and checking it today brought a satisfied smile. “This piece sounds really old-fashioned!”
“This troupe looks so darn rustic, full of countryside vibes. Did the creator actually travel to rural Northern Shaanxi to find a local band just for this video?”
“Getting this rustic is no easy feat.”
“Troupes are hard to find nowadays. Hiring them might not cost much, but tracking them down requires extensive wandering through Northern Shaanxi villages. Finding them probably costs way more than hiring them.”
“New here? You don’t know the creator’s quirks yet—he’s all about big investments! He splurges wildly on special effects and hiring professionals for every video.”
“I totally believe he spent a fortune hiring people to comb through Northern Shaanxi villages to find such a rustic troupe.”
Likes poured in rapidly. Many plastic opera stages sold through the shopping cart, selling quite a few plastic houses alongside. He pocketed another small tens of thousands in commission.
Money used to excite Li Daoxuan, but earning so much lately left him mildly numb. He closed the tab without a second thought.
Opening it, he saw a message from Cai Xinzi: “There’s a micro-sculpting art exhibition. Interested?”
Li Daoxuan, surprised, typed: “Huh?”
Cai Xinzi replied: “Remember that client who keeps commissioning miniature Buddha statues? Just messaged me about a micro-sculpting art expo in Magic City (Shanghai), inviting artists nationwide. You bring your pieces for display—mostly for exchange. He thinks your work is amazing and qualifies.”
Li Daoxuan chuckled: “No time to run off to Shanghai.”
Cai Xinzi: “You wouldn’t need to go personally. Masters are allowed some reserve. Just send someone with your work.”
Li Daoxuan: “Like you?”
Cai Xinzi: “Exactly me! I’m heading to Shanghai anyway for an anime merchandise business conference. You’ve made me good money; helping you out is the least I can do.”
Li Daoxuan wasn’t planning to participate, but his gaze fell on the “Dao Xuan Deity Cave” on his desk. Built with the collective effort of over a hundred villagers when they arrived, this tiny Daoist temple had to be dismantled later to make room for the Hakka roundhouse. He’d “taken it up to the heavens.”
Inside sat a tiny “Dao Xuan Deity statue,” miniature incense burner, candle holders, a small table, chairs, and even a playful touch—a miniature “Hanyu Pinyin” book placed on its table.
This thing… seemed quite nice? ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ Nove1Fire.net
Leaving it here felt wasteful. Why not exhibit it? Let everyone enjoy the novelty.
“Fine! I have a miniature Daoist temple. Take it to Shanghai for me.”
“Deal. Dropping by tomorrow to pick it up.”
Closing WeChat, Li Daoxuan picked up his bowl. Just then, a large crowd entered his view.
Cheng Xu had returned. Bai Yuan too. Behind them trailed many disheveled, gaunt, and dispirited commoners.
Over three thousand people appeared—an overwhelming sight. Gaojia Village itself only had around a thousand residents. Seeing so many newcomers, panic was inevitable.
Gaojia Fortress villagers froze in alarm. Many stopped working, eyeing the arrivals warily. Only recognizing the militia and Bai Yuan did they relax.
Thirty-Two (the manager) and Gao Yiye rushed forward.
Thirty-Two shouted from afar: “Mr. Bai, you brought the people of Qingjian County!?”
Bai Yuan smiled back: “Yes! Honored to finally serve the Deity some. These three thousand from Qingjian County left my Bai Family Fortress early this morning. They walked over two hours, covering thirty-some li. They’re exhausted and hungry, Third Manager. See about getting some food arranged to settle them.”
Thirty-Two nodded agreeably: “Food we have plenty, bestowed generously by the Deity. But cooking pots…”
Dian Deng Zi stepped forward: “We brought many pots with us.”
Thirty-Two hesitated: “But… firewood for cooking… We can’t provide much immediately. The trees near Gaojia Village are gone. Gathering wood requires going farther away. Cooking might take time. The friends from Qingjian may have to wait, hungry.”
Everyone fell into an awkward silence.
Listening from above, Li Daoxuan sighed internally: Exactly. A small village of just over a thousand absorbing over three thousand refugees highlighted shortages everywhere. Every practical detail trips them up.
Only his golden hand, his mighty assistance, could solve this kind of bottleneck.
Coincidentally, a pot of Cantonese beef offal sat on his desk. Today, he decided, he’d treat these newcomers to something special. Let them experience what it meant to “search the world later and find nothing tasting quite this good.”
Li Daoxuan spoke: “Yiye! Inform everyone. Today is a festival—named ‘Deity’s Unexpected Festival.’ Gather them all for a grand feast.”
Gao Yiye immediately boomed the divine edict.
At her call, surrounding Gaojia villagers halted their work. Joyfully, they surged forward. Over a thousand people assembled quickly, everyone adopting a posture of reverence, bowing towards the sky in thanks for the Deity’s immense grace. Then, with wide, expectant eyes, they stared intently at the low cloud.
Waiting to see what creation the Deity would “unexpectedly” produce.
The three thousand newcomers looked utterly bewildered. Dian Deng Zi spoke for them: “Who is the Deity? And what strange festival is this ‘Deity’s Unexpected Festival’?”
Bai Yuan just grinned: “Just watch!”
The low cloud parted. An enormous chunk of meat descended from the heavens. As it neared the ground, it paused mid-air. A strange, non-absorbent sheet unfurled beneath it, settling smoothly on the earth… and the huge meat chunk landed squarely upon it…
This meat differed from the Deity’s usual gifts—raw chicken, raw pork meant for villagers to cook. This time, the Deity bestowed cooked meat, its surface glistening with a rich sauce. Even from a distance, its savory aroma filled the air.
“The grain looks like beef… could it be… a huge slab of braised beef?”
Thirty-Two, Bai Yuan, and Cheng Xu were more worldly, yet even they stared. This beef resembled braised beef visually, yet the scent hinted at subtle differences—more complex spices than they’d ever encountered before. Its mere aroma promised an experience utterly foreign.