Li Daoxuan gazed at the original villagers of Gao Family Village, a faint crease forming between his brows. These were the people he had nurtured from the very beginning, ever since he first acquired the diorama box. They had been with him the longest, and his connection to them ran the deepest.
He had watched them with his own eyes, rising from nothing to gradually achieve prosperity and live happy, fulfilling lives. Their journey of salvation had, in many ways, been his own journey of self-redemption.
Seeing them happy brought joy to Li Daoxuan. Witnessing them well-fed and warmly clothed brought him a deep sense of satisfaction. They provided immense emotional value to Li Daoxuan.
Now, this group of villagers also wished to save others. This was, of course, a good thing, but…
Could Chuǎng Wang truly be swayed?
He was no longer a mere minor bandit chief. He was the supreme leader of the seventy-two factions and three hundred thousand rebels who had gathered at the Xingyang Conference. If his rebellion succeeded, he might ascend to the imperial throne, though Li Daoxuan knew this was an impossibility.
Gao Yingxiang, unlike Li Daoxuan, did not know the future. He would certainly believe he had a chance at success. Persuading him would be incredibly difficult.
Li Daoxuan furrowed his brow and spoke into the box.
"Yiye. Are you truly set on going?"
Gao Yiye nodded.
"Yes, I am."
Li Daoxuan asked, "Do you understand that once a person gains immense power, it becomes very difficult for them to relinquish that authority?"
Gao Yiye bit her lower lip.
"I understand. You have taught me so much, and my understanding of the world and human affairs is no longer as naive as it once was."
Li Daoxuan pressed further.
"Then you still want to go?"
Gao Yiye replied, "But even so, no matter what, he is still my second uncle. How can I stand by and watch him make one mistake after another without trying to help him?"
Li Daoxuan said, "There is one more thing you must know. What Gao Yingxiang is doing now is a capital crime. If he clashes with our Gao Family Village Militia, he will certainly be killed."
"If you can persuade him to cease his actions, then it will count as a surrender. With a surrender, the standard sentence can be reduced by up to forty percent, and in most cases the death penalty would not be applied."
"However, after returning to Gao Family Village, he will still be held accountable for the atrocities committed by the rebels. He will undoubtedly be sent to Huanglong Mountain Prison as a labor reform prisoner. As for how many years he will serve, I have not yet decided. It may even be life imprisonment."
Gao Yiye bit her lower lip again.
"I understand. Uncle, as the supreme leader of the rebels, must take responsibility for their burning, killing, and looting."
"For Dao Xuan Tianzun to spare his life is already immense compassion. Labor reform is essential."
"I only ask Dao Xuan Tianzun to show leniency when the time comes."
Li Daoxuan said, "Mm. It is good that you understand this."
Gao Yiye replied, "Thank you, Dao Xuan Tianzun."
All the original villagers of Gao Family Village bowed together.
"Thank you, Dao Xuan Tianzun."
Whoosh!
Shi Kefa suddenly leaped forward.
"Wait!"
Everyone instantly turned to look at him.
Shi Kefa declared loudly, "Is that all the discussion? What about the Great Ming Code? What about it? Setting aside the extermination of nine generations of relatives for a moment, for someone like Gao Yingxiang, the Great Ming Code dictates only one path: death."
"He rebelled against the imperial court. Should he not be handed over to the court for trial?"
Shi Kefa raised his head and looked toward the sky.
"Dao Xuan Tianzun. You are a deity and possess celestial methods of judgment. Your subordinate dares not offer an opinion."
"But what about the Great Ming Code of the mortal realm? Your subordinate is dull-witted and humbly asks Dao Xuan Tianzun for guidance."
Li Daoxuan sighed deeply.
"Shi Kefa."
Shi Kefa quickly straightened.
"Your subordinate is listening attentively."
Li Daoxuan said, "According to the Great Ming Code, if a rebel leader lays down his weapons and accepts imperial pacification, how should he be dealt with?"
"Consider how the Great Ming has handled such individuals over the past two hundred years. List them."
Shi Kefa thought carefully. Then cold sweat instantly broke out on his back.
"According to the Great Ming Code, if a rebellious chieftain lays down his weapons and accepts imperial pacification, he may face extermination of nine generations of relatives, death by slow slicing, execution by waist cutting, be pardoned and restored to civilian status, or even…"
"…receive promotion and wealth as a great general."
By the time he uttered the final words, his face was flushed with embarrassment, and he wished he could sink into the ground.
Li Daoxuan remarked calmly, "The Great Ming Code is remarkably flexible. Truly impressive."
Shi Kefa was rendered completely speechless.
Li Daoxuan continued, "You should first return and carefully review the Great Ming Code. There are many areas that require improvement."
"Until it is reformed into something more reasonable, using it to judge cases may well be inferior to my own celestial methods."
Shi Kefa bowed deeply.
"Your subordinate understands."
Li Daoxuan turned to Gao Yiye.
"Go. But you must prioritize safety. Especially the Village Chief. He is advanced in age. Do not place the elder in danger."
All the original villagers bowed deeply together.
"Thank you, Dao Xuan Tianzun!"
The original villagers immediately began preparing for their departure.
This group held an extraordinarily important status within Gao Family Village.
Whenever Gao Yiye traveled, she was always accompanied by guards.
Whenever the Village Chief prepared to leave, his reputation alone was enough to draw countless helpers, turning the entire village into a bustling scene.
Someone even drove a special car at full speed toward the Chang'an Automobile Factory to summon Senior Technical Director Gao Yiyi.
Before a full day had passed, Gao Yiyi rushed back on a large train, exclaiming anxiously, "Brother Yingxiang is actually Chuǎng Wang? This is… alas. I must go persuade him to return as well."
Another day later, Gao Laba's son, Gao Shan, who was far away in Yan'an Prefecture, also rushed back.
"I want to go with you all."
"How do we get there?"
"First, take the train to Hedong Circuit to pick up Gao Chuwu."
"Right, we need Gao Chuwu. He alone can fight ten men."
"With him, we could even charge into Gao Yingxiang's main camp if necessary."
"We might not get in. He has three hundred thousand men."
"There is always a way."
"After meeting Gao Chuwu, we will go to Luoyang to see Mr. Bai Yuan and ask him to find a way to contact Gao Yingxiang."
The group boarded the train bound for Hedong Circuit.
With a long whistle, the large train carried them forward.
Gao Chuwu had already received the news and prepared his luggage, joining the group without delay.
At this point, all forty-two of Gao Family Village's original villagers had assembled.
There were no more trains available. The railway from Hedong Circuit to Luoyang was still under construction and not yet open. Fortunately, the cement road had already been completed.
The group boarded a Solar Car, drove across the Xiaolangdi Yellow River Bridge, transferred once more, and finally arrived in Luoyang.
The mobilization of this group was no small matter. Even Bai Yuan personally came out to greet them.
After exchanging greetings and skipping an entire mountain of pleasantries, Bai Yuan said seriously, "Meeting Gao Yingxiang will not be easy. He is constantly pursued by government forces and rarely stays in one place."
Gao Yiye asked urgently, "Then how can we find him?"
Bai Yuan replied, "The easiest way may be through Lao Huihui."
Gao Yiye bowed deeply.
"Please, Mr. Bai, help us contact Lao Huihui. No matter how dangerous it may be, we must meet Uncle Gao Yingxiang."