"Yiye, tell everyone to share it out," Li Dao Xuan said with a smile, clearly in a very good mood. "This is a special reward for the Festival of Dao Xuan Tianzun's Sudden Whim. Everyone should eat well and enjoy it."
Since Dao Xuan Tianzun himself had spoken, Gao Yiye, that mischievous girl, could not possibly hold herself back any longer. She was the first to leap forward, eyes sparkling, clearly intending to take a big bite straight from the massive slab of meat. But just as she was about to sink her teeth in, she hesitated. So many people needed to share this. Biting into it directly would be a bit too uncivilized, even for her.
Luckily, a quick-witted villager immediately handed her a knife.
He held the knife but did not dare act first. This was clearly some grand ceremonial feast. Naturally, one had to wait for the Saintess to make the first move.
Gao Yiye took the knife, sliced off a small piece from the enormous chunk of beef, and popped it into her mouth. In that very instant, her expression became a spectacle worth watching.
Cantonese cuisine had one great advantage. It was incredibly accommodating. It could please most palates across the land, unlike Sichuan cuisine, which could ambush outsiders with overwhelming spice. The moment the Cantonese-style beef offal stew entered her mouth, it was as if her entire worldview shifted.
The seasoning was layered and rich. The taste unfolded in waves, one note following another, deep and complex in a way she had never experienced before.
Her cheeks puffed as she chewed, unable to even finish swallowing before she tried to speak. Her words came out muffled and messy.
"So good… this is really good… everyone… come eat… meat… it's so good…"
With the Saintess having taken the first bite, the rest of the crowd no longer needed restraint.
The villagers of Gao Village Family let out a cheer and rushed forward with their knives.
Then the people from Zheng Village and Zhong Village followed, grabbing knives and joining the feast.
Finally, the three thousand people from Qingjian County snapped out of their stunned daze. A chunk of meat had fallen from the sky, and yes, that was absolutely absurd, but absurdity could wait. Hunger could not.
Who cared where the meat came from. Who cared who Dao Xuan Tianzun was. Their empty stomachs took priority over philosophy.
They grabbed knives and rushed in.
"Hey, hey, you newcomers, you have been starving for too long. Do not eat too much at once, or you will upset your stomachs," Shan Shier shouted as he hopped around in the crowd, trying to maintain some order.
"We people of Qingjian County are not that fragile!"
"What does that even have to do with where you are from?"
"Do not eat until you burst. Relax, there will be more food later."
From Li Dao Xuan's perspective above, the sight was magnificent. Over four thousand people gathered around a single enormous piece of beef, tearing into it like a swarm of ants dismantling a feast. It was oddly mesmerizing.
Scenes like this had never been possible when the population was small. Back then, there simply were not enough people to create this kind of spectacle.
As expected, the larger the village grew, the more lively and interesting the sights became.
Raising this box full of "tiny creatures" had truly not been a waste.
The revelry inside the box lasted for a full half hour. Once they had eaten their fill, the villagers from the temporary labor camp were the first to disperse, returning to their work. They were now the most hardworking group in Gao Village Family, driven by both necessity and opportunity.
Next came the prisoners undergoing reform. They hurried back to their tasks as well, eager to earn merit points, reduce their sentences, and regain their freedom.
Then the original forty-two villagers of Gao Village Family wandered off, patting their bellies, strolling leisurely to aid digestion, their expressions full of contentment.
Only the three thousand newcomers from Qingjian County remained.
With full stomachs but no instructions, they stood around awkwardly, staring at one another, unsure of what to do next.
Gao Yiye made a round through the crowd and returned, standing cheerfully before Dian Dengzi.
"Mr. Zhao," she said with a grin, "by the order of Dao Xuan Tianzun, you are to take your fellow villagers and board the small train. You will be settled in your 'Refugee Valley.'"
"Understood," Dian Dengzi replied promptly. He turned and called out to the crowd. "Everyone, get up. See those colorful buildings over there? That is called a train station. We are heading there to board a vehicle that will take us to our new home."
The people of Qingjian County looked over curiously.
A train station was not something they had ever heard of, but one glance was enough to spot the massive machine waiting there. It looked like an enormous metal caterpillar, resting quietly beside the station.
"We are getting on that thing?"
"Is that really a vehicle? It looks like some giant bug. What if it eats people?"
Dian Dengzi raised his voice. "Do not be afraid. It is a vehicle, not a monster. Come on, all of you."
He led the way toward the train.
But before the group could even get close, a figure in white shot forward like an arrow, running faster than everyone else, legs pumping furiously. It was Bai Yuan.
"I will drive it, I will drive it!" he shouted excitedly while waving his arms. "Among the Six Arts of a Gentleman, the art of charioteering is my specialty."
The two train operators immediately broke into a cold sweat.
"Mr. Bai, you have only just learned the basics. You cannot drive it yet. This train will be carrying a full load of passengers. If anything goes wrong, the casualties would be catastrophic."
Bai Yuan froze mid-stride, then coughed awkwardly. "Ah… that is a fair point. In that case, I shall continue observing and learning inside the locomotive."
The people of Qingjian County began boarding in an orderly line.
The train had twelve carriages, each capable of holding one hundred people. That meant a maximum capacity of one thousand two hundred passengers per trip. It was not quite enough.
To transport all three thousand people, they would need to make three trips.
Fortunately, the distance was only six li. At the train's speed, each trip took only a few minutes. The real delay came from boarding and disembarking, but even so, making multiple runs was not a problem.
Soon, the first batch of one thousand two hundred people boarded the train and set off toward their new home.
With a cheerful whistle and rhythmic clatter, the train moved forward.
It passed through the wheat fields of Gao Village Family first.
Inside the train, the passengers erupted into a chorus of astonished exclamations.
The golden fields stretched out beautifully, heavy with grain, clearly nearing harvest. As the train climbed over gentle slopes, lush greenery filled their vision. Rain had fallen generously across the region, and the hills were covered in wildflowers and grasses.
Some passengers could not help but think to themselves that gathering wild vegetables here would be effortless. The land was abundant, overflowing with edible greens.
There would be more than enough. Far more than enough.
Before long, the train arrived at Refugee Valley Station and came to a stop.
Dian Dengzi was the first to step off. He immediately began shouting, urging those in the rear carriages to disembark as well.
One thousand two hundred people poured out of the train, one after another.
Then they saw it.
A village of colorful buildings lay nestled quietly within the valley. It was vibrant yet serene, carrying the beauty of a hidden paradise untouched by the chaos of the outside world.
"Wow… this is our new home?"
"It is so beautiful here."
"We can really live in these houses?"
Some people were already eager to run into the valley.
Dian Dengzi quickly raised his voice. "Do not rush. No one is allowed to claim houses on their own. That will only lead to fighting. Wait until everyone arrives. Then I and the village heads will discuss and assign housing properly."
The villagers trusted him. At his words, they calmed down and sat obediently, waiting.
The train returned, bringing the second batch, then the third.
Only after all three thousand people had arrived did they begin organizing themselves, grouping according to their original villages.
Zhao Sheng and several village heads gathered together, carefully discussing which groups would occupy which areas of the valley. Once decisions were made, each group was assigned a section and allowed to move in.
This was no simple task.
Three thousand people meant countless voices, countless needs, and countless complications. Every family had its own situation. Arguments broke out here and there, negotiations dragged on, and the entire process stretched on for half a day.
By the time the sun dipped toward the horizon, the people of Qingjian County had finally settled into their new homes.
They placed their few belongings inside, then stepped out onto the streets.
As they met one another again under the fading light, smiles slowly appeared on their faces.
A new life was about to begin.
And it was clear to all of them that whatever lay ahead, it would not be worse than before.
It could only be better.