This time, Li Daoxuan did not print the entire A5 sheet. He printed the Supreme Treasure version of Sun Wukong into one corner, then snipped that corner out with scissors. The result was a tiny picture barely three centimeters long and two centimeters wide.
Any smaller and the Monkey King would have lost his details. Just an abstract smudge.
He placed the little picture gently into the box, setting it before Gao Yiye and the two sculptors.
Paper appearing out of thin air gave the two sculptors a real fright. This was their first time witnessing a divine manifestation since arriving at Gaojia Village. They dropped to their knees on the spot and kowtowed several times, foreheads thudding against the dirt.
Once Gao Yiye told them to get up, the two sculptors leaned forward to get a better look. The moment they saw it, they recognized the figure.
"Isn't this the Victorious Fighting Buddha, Sun Wukong?"
As professional sculptors, they were familiar with far more deities than the average villager. Even Gao Yiye herself had not recognized the figure at first glance.
"Tianzun wants you to carve this statue," Gao Yiye explained, putting on a serious expression. "It has to look exactly like the picture. And one more thing. Do not use clay. It must be made of wood."
"Exactly like the picture? Two zhang tall?" The sculptors exchanged surprised glances.
To them, a Buddha statue standing two zhang tall was already enormous. Making one out of wood would be even more challenging. What kind of tree could provide timber that large? And was there even a tree like that nearby?
Gao Yiye shook her head. "It does not need to be that big. Just make it the same height as an ordinary person."
The two sculptors breathed a sigh of relief.
"That is easy enough," one of them replied. "With our skills, we can finish a life-sized statue in just a few days. Making it look exactly like the picture will take a little more time, though. We will need several extra days to get all the details right."
Gao Yiye tilted her head and listened to the sky for a moment. Then her expression turned serious.
"One more thing. The statue needs to be painted."
The sculptors immediately froze.
"But we do not have any colored paint! That stuff costs a fortune!"
Gao Yiye waved off their concerns. "That is a minor problem. Just find the wood first and carve the statue. Once the wooden figure is ready and it is time to paint it, come and find me."
Without wasting another moment, the two sculptors hurried off to look for suitable timber.
Meanwhile, Li Daoxuan rose from beside the box.
Looks like it is time to head out again.
---
Across from the east gate of his apartment complex sat a Red Star Macalline furniture mall. He vaguely remembered seeing paints sold there. Following that memory, he walked for ten minutes and found the paint shop tucked in a corner.
Miniature paint cans, fifteen yuan each. He bought one small can of every color. The stuff was heavier than it looked. By the time he finished buying the full set, the bag weighed a ton. He barely managed to haul it home and set the pile of bottles and cans beside the diorama box.
When he returned from his trip, the village was buzzing with activity. Several blacksmiths now surrounded Li Da at the forge, hammering iron under his guidance. The rhythmic clang of metal filled the air.
New and old villagers worked together, hauling stones and timber, preparing to build the temple. Shan Shi'er walked among them with his hands behind his back, directing people here and there.
The place was starting to feel alive. Shouts and calls rose and fell.
Li Daoxuan watched like a parent watching his child grow. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, visitors arrived outside the village.
Li Daoxuan glanced toward the edge of the box. Tsk. Quite a lot of visitors.
A man on a tall horse led the group. He wore armor and a helmet, looking every bit the proper military officer. Behind him marched over a hundred soldiers in cloth armor. They approached Gaojia Village in a noisy, disorganized column.
Government soldiers.
Li Daoxuan did not need to use his brain to figure out why they were here. He frowned. A few slaps would squash them easily. But there was no need.
He lowered his head toward the box. "Yiye, go get Shan Shi'er. I will teach him how to scare off the soldiers."
---
The leading officer was named Cheng Xu. A ninth-rank military officer of the Great Ming. A Patrol Inspector.
He was currently on horseback, cursing Wang Er of Baishui's eighteen generations of ancestors.
His choice of words fully demonstrated centuries of Chinese tradition when it came to respecting the elderly and caring for the young. Phrases like: fuck your mother, screw your father, chop up your whole family, may your sons be born without assholes.
No wonder he was furious. The job of a Patrol Inspector was to catch bandits and maintain public order.
A few days ago, he had been watching an opera performance in his territory when the news arrived. Wang Er had raised his arm, gathered hundreds of peasants, stormed the county seat, and chopped Magistrate Zhang Yaocai into pieces. He also chopped the assistant magistrate, the registrar, killed several wealthy gentry, opened the granary, and seized official grain.
It happened too fast. By the time Cheng Xu got the news and rallied his soldiers to suppress the rebellion, it was already too late.
Zhang Yaocai's head hung from the city gate, swaying in the wind like a deeply morbid wind chime. Wang Er and his gang had already slipped away, leaving behind a wrecked Chengcheng County and several buildings still smoking.
No matter how you looked at it, this was Cheng Xu's failure. He would definitely be held accountable. He spent two days calming the chaotic county seat. Now all he could do was capture Wang Er as quickly as possible. Maybe that would earn him some leniency.
Cheng Xu had just come from Wangjia Village. The place was empty. Not a ghost in sight. He could not even find anyone to ask which direction Wang Er had fled. So he wandered around the area. And wandering, he arrived at Gaojia Village.
The moment he caught sight of the towering walls surrounding Gaojia Village, Cheng Xu rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
"Mother of god! Am I seeing things?"
His deputy inspector leaned closer and whispered, "Boss, your eyes are fine. There really is a city over there."
Cheng Xu sucked in a sharp breath.
"Has Wang Er actually built a fortress out here in the mountains?"
A wave of panic washed over him. If Wang Er had already established a fortified city, then bringing a hundred soldiers would be completely pointless. There was no way they could lay siege to a place like this. His last chance to capture Wang Er and redeem himself would be gone.
Oh, this is bad. If the rebels have grown this powerful, the imperial court will have my head! I can practically see my great-grandmother waving at me from the afterlife!
Just then, a familiar voice called out from nearby.
"Oh? Isn't that General Cheng?"
The village gates swung open, and a familiar figure came hurrying out. It was Shan Shi'er, the former advisor to the county magistrate.
Waving enthusiastically as though greeting an old friend, Shan Shi'er jogged toward the soldiers and stopped beside Cheng Xu's horse.
"What brings the esteemed General to Gaojia Village? What an honor to have such a distinguished guest arrive at our humble doorstep!"
Under normal circumstances, Shan Shi'er's habit of dressing up every sentence with exaggerated expressions would have made Cheng Xu want to punch him. Strangely enough, hearing those familiar words now felt like music to his ears.
Cheng Xu quickly dismounted.
"Master Shan? What on earth is going on here? A city suddenly appeared in the middle of nowhere, and I thought Wang Er had already built himself a fortress! You nearly scared me to death. Thank goodness you are here. Tell me, what is the story behind this place?"
Shan Shi'er stared at him with a baffled expression.
"A city? What city?"
Cheng Xu pointed at the enormous wall towering before them.
"What do you mean, what city? Look at that wall! It is massive! If this is not a city, then what is it?"
Shan Shi'er slowly turned his head and looked behind him. Then he glanced to the left, followed by the right.
He put on an absolutely flawless performance, pretending he could not see a thing.
Finally, he turned back to Cheng Xu with a puzzled look.
"What wall? I do not see any wall at all. There is nothing here but a poor little village filled with refugees. No walls, no city. General, how can you claim something exists when there is nothing here to begin with?"
Cheng Xu's eye twitched. He drew his saber halfway from its sheath.
"Fuck! Shan Shi'er, you're lying through your teeth with your eyes wide open. Are you messing with me?!"