Feng Jun's concern was not paranoia. If anything, it was a painfully accurate reading of the situation.
Li Dao Xuan stood outside the box, narrowing his eyes as he observed the miniature world below. Bandits were not like imperial troops that advanced methodically from one city to the next, capturing territory step by step as if following a neat script. They behaved more like starving wolves, darting unpredictably, striking wherever defenses were weakest, and vanishing before any organized retaliation could arrive.
When roads became dangerous, they took to the rivers. When rivers were guarded, they slipped through mountain paths. There was no fixed front line, no predictable route, and that was precisely what made them so troublesome.
The current problem was simple, yet deeply irritating. His field of vision had not yet reached Qiachuan Wharf. The distance was not large, but it was just enough to prevent him from directly intervening. If he could see the wharf, he could simply place a few ship models into the river and crush any incoming bandit fleet without effort. Unfortunately, being just short of that range felt like having a sword in hand but no enemy within reach.
Which meant there was only one solution. He had to push his influence further, and fast.
The key lay in the people of Heyang County.
As long as enough of them felt that their lives were improving, as long as they experienced genuine relief and hope, the so called "salvation index" would rise, and his vision would naturally expand. Once that happened, Qiachuan Wharf would fall within his grasp.
Li Dao Xuan did not hesitate.
"Yiye, tell San Shier that Gao Village Family will fully support Heyang County's disaster relief efforts. Immediately. They are to begin work relief projects at once. At the same time, I will personally arrange for rain."
Gao Yiye listened carefully, then leaned close to San Shier and relayed the words in a low voice.
San Shier's eyes lit up at once, as if someone had just poured fresh oil into a flickering lamp.
"Magistrate Feng," he said, turning with renewed energy, "we have already discussed the matter of relief before. There is no time to waste, so we should begin immediately. However, you must understand that giving out food directly is not the best approach. A single measure of rice may earn gratitude, but ten measures may breed resentment. We must distribute aid in the form of wages."
Feng Jun nodded slowly. "That aligns with what Mister Bai mentioned earlier. In that case, we can proceed with road construction. One road from Quangou Village directly to Heyang County, and another from here, Gao Village Family, leading toward Yang Village. I will organize a large workforce. The grain you provide will be issued as wages."
He paused briefly, then added with some hesitation, "If the workers can eat until they are mostly full each day, they should already be quite satisfied."
San Shier immediately shook his head, his tone firm.
"Mostly full is not enough. They must eat their fill, properly and completely. On top of that, each worker will receive three jin of flour per day as wages. Every single day, without exception."
Feng Jun froze for a moment, as if he had misheard.
"Three jin… per day?"
He had originally assumed that work relief meant something similar to porridge distribution, where people labored in exchange for barely enough food to survive. What Gao Village Family was proposing went far beyond that expectation.
Eat until full, and still receive substantial wages on top of it.
His nose suddenly began to bleed again. He wiped it with his sleeve, only to smear it across his face in a curved line that made his expression look oddly cheerful despite his shock.
"Is this truly serious?" he asked.
"Absolutely," San Shier replied without hesitation.
Feng Jun let out a breath that was half laughter, half disbelief. "Then this is… extraordinary."
At that moment, Bai Yuan stepped forward, his expression calm but thoughtful.
"Once work relief begins, all able bodied men will rush to join the construction projects. Your militia will naturally dissolve as a result. However, Wang Jiayin's fleet could arrive at any time. If your militia is busy digging roads when the enemy appears, Heyang County will be defenseless."
Feng Jun's face stiffened again. "You are right. I cannot forbid them from working, because cutting off their income would only provoke unrest. But if they all leave their posts…"
He trailed off, clearly troubled.
Bai Yuan smiled faintly, as if he had already anticipated this dilemma.
"Then the solution is simple. Restructure the militia. Pay them proper wages, so they can treat soldiering as their primary profession instead of seeking other work. Their income must exceed that of road workers, ensuring they remain at their posts willingly. Gao Village Family will cover these expenses as well."
Feng Jun's initial reaction was approval. It sounded like a clean and effective solution.
Yet as he thought more carefully, something about it felt… off.
His nose began to bleed again.
He wiped it absentmindedly, leaving another streak across his face as he frowned. "For laborers, this arrangement is acceptable. But for the militia… having them paid by Gao Village Family… does that not feel inappropriate?"
Bai Yuan spread his hands casually.
"Magistrate Feng, you are overthinking it. Militias have always been funded by local gentry and wealthy households. They were never fully supported by the government to begin with. If Gao Village Family does not pay them, then some Zhang, Li, Wang, or Zheng household would do so instead. What difference does it make?"
Feng Jun fell silent.
He turned the idea over in his mind again and again, weighing each angle. At times it felt wrong, at times it seemed perfectly reasonable, and eventually his thoughts tangled into a knot he could not easily untie.
In truth, the distinction between militia and private guards was never particularly clear. Both were essentially armed groups maintained through private wealth. In peaceful hands, they protected the local population. In the wrong hands, they could easily become little different from bandits.
Feng Jun considered the current situation in Heyang County. There were already multiple wealthy families supporting their own militias, and it was precisely those forces that had helped eliminate the remnants of Fan Shanyue not long ago. Even if Gao Village Family had ulterior motives, they would still have to compete with these established powers.
After turning it over several more times, he finally reached a conclusion.
The situation in Shaanxi was already chaotic, and the court offered no meaningful support. If survival required unconventional measures, then so be it.
"Very well," he said at last. "We will proceed as discussed."
With the magistrate's approval, the plan moved forward smoothly.
Gao Yiye smiled gently, then continued, "Since the road construction has been settled, there is one final matter. Gao Village Family will prepare a ritual altar and invite the Dragon King to bring rain to Heyang County, so that the farmers may also benefit."
Feng Jun blinked, clearly taken aback.
"An altar? Inviting the Dragon King to summon rain? What exactly are you planning? If this is some kind of cult practice, I cannot allow it."
This, of course, was exactly what Li Dao Xuan had intended.
Under normal circumstances, he would have followed the same gradual approach used in Cheng County, slowly introducing beliefs through stories, performances, and subtle influence before revealing miracles at the right moment. However, time was no longer a luxury he possessed.
Wang Jiayin's fleet could appear at any moment. He needed results quickly.
Subtlety could wait. This time, he would take the direct route.
Gao Yiye maintained her calm smile.
"Magistrate Feng, you misunderstand. We are not a cult. The Quanzhen Longmen Daoist Ma Tianzheng is currently residing in our village. With his abilities, he can perform a ritual and invite the Dragon King to bring rain. As for proof…"
She gestured lightly around them.
"You have seen our village. We have not suffered from drought. That is the result of the Dragon King's blessing."
The room fell quiet for a moment, as if even the air itself was waiting to see whether Feng Jun would believe it.
Trivia Notes
Trivia Note: Labor-for-Relief Was Social Engineering
Labor-for-relief programs weren't just about feeding people—they controlled movement, reduced unrest, and rebuilt infrastructure simultaneously. Paying full wages, however, was rare. When done, it didn't just prevent rebellion; it rewired loyalty. Hungry men revolt. Paid men organize.
Trivia Note: Militia Were Not State Forces
Local militias were privately funded, lightly regulated, and deeply political. They existed in the gray zone between defense and rebellion. The state tolerated them because it had no better option. This tolerance would later haunt it.
Trivia Note: Rain Rituals Were Administrative Tools
Rainmaking rituals weren't superstition alone. They were public demonstrations of moral legitimacy. If rain followed, authority increased. If it didn't, blame shifted upward—to heaven, fate, or officials. Either way, pressure moved.
Faith was governance by other means.
Trivia Note: Speed Beats Orthodoxy
In crisis, governments abandon correctness for effectiveness. Subtle persuasion takes time. Miracles are immediate. History shows which one officials choose when rivers carry enemy sails.