Chapter 810: Well-Informed

The villagers were well-informed; though they had landed directly on the mountaintop and never descended, by dawn the next day, the entire village knew Pan Yun had returned.

So the villagers, baskets slung over arms and bags in hand, climbed up the mountain early that morning.

Pan Yun and the others had just finished their morning cultivation, and seeing villagers emerge from the morning mist at the mountain gate, they stared, mouths agape.

"What is this?"

"We've come to pay respects to Mount Sanqing." It was an excuse—they had really come to ask about Wang Xiaojing and the others.

After returning to Quanzhou, Pan Yun had handed over Wang Xiaojing's letters and belongings to Wang Cong's steward, Zhang Guanshi, to deliver back.

Each family had received them, but they still wanted to learn more from Pan Yun—how far was it to Waiguo, how often would they return home, was it easy to return, how much would it cost?

What did they eat and drink over there? What was the climate like? Could they get used to the living conditions?

Pan Yun was the temple keeper of the Mountain God Temple, and the villagers deeply admired and trusted her; Seeing Miao Zhen and the other three had been raised before their eyes, and as they were surrounded, no one dared lie to them.

When the villagers heard there were no houses to live in, that they had to build their own, and that winter was bitterly cold—with cold air rising right after the Double Ninth Festival—they couldn't help but wipe away tears;

But when they learned they ate rice and flour, grew their own vegetables, and cooked their own meals, they brightened again.

With rice and vegetables, and cooking their own food, meals were always to their taste—so they weren't truly suffering.

Wang Xiaojing's mother sat beside Pan Yun and asked, "Temple Keeper, after the New Year, will you go to Waiguo again?"

Pan Yun turned to look at Wang Cong; meeting his gaze, she gave a slight nod to Wang Xiaojing's mother.

Wang Xiaojing's mother took her hand and smiled: "When the time comes, I'll make two sets of clothes and several pairs of shoes for Xiaojing—please help me deliver them to him."

Other families with loved ones in Waiguo chimed in—they all had things to entrust to Pan Yun.

Pan Yun agreed without hesitation.

Since Wang Cong had firmly decided to pursue sea trade, as his senior aunt, she must see him through, escort him for a few stretches.

Let the black and white factions on the sea know: the Wang family's ships are under her protection!

So after the New Year, she would definitely make extra trips to Waiguo.

Cultivation costs money, and Waiguo's silver mines and commerce could both earn them funds.

With Pan Yun's definite answer, Wang Xiaojing's mother spread the news; no one knew how fast village gossip traveled—no one had been specifically assigned to do it.

Yet by the time they descended the mountain, packed their things, and visited relatives back home, by nightfall, half of Yushan County knew.

On the evening of his arrival, the newly appointed Magistrate Wang heard his wife, Pan Su, mention it: "Pan Yun, the great benefactor of Mount Sanqing, has returned."

"Pan Yun? How do you know?"

"Today the Liu family came to pay New Year's respects and mentioned it offhand—her natal home is in Leping Township; her village has an aunt who married into Yinjiang Village; that aunt has a sister-in-law who married into Fenshui Village; today, when she returned home, she happened to meet her sister-in-law, who had come to pay New Year's respects at her natal home; her sister-in-law mentioned that Pan Yun returned last night, and this morning before dawn, her in-laws climbed Mount Sanqing to pay respects, and upon descending, said Pan Yun will go to Waiguo again after the New Year, and those people she took from the county are mining there."

Such a long tale would confuse most people—if not for Magistrate Wang, they'd be lost; he wasn't shocked that Pan Yun planned to go to Waiguo after the New Year—he was stunned by his wife's source of information.

"I didn't expect, after only two months here, your information network is already so extensive?"

Pan Su glanced at him: "Underestimate the back courtyard, don't you? Let me tell you, we ladies aren't idle—we can say what your men can't, and we can uncover what you can't find."

She lowered her voice: "I know this Daoist Pan Yun is now regarded as a celestial being in Yushan County—her prestige is immense. If she speaks in favor of your plans, half your work is done; if she opposes, half your plans are ruined."

Magistrate Wang frowned in thought.

Pan Su nudged him: "What are you worrying about? I've inquired—she's young, spends most of the year away training and gaining experience, rarely returns to Yushan County. At her age, she's kindhearted and soft-hearted; if you flatter her, you'll win her favor—wouldn't that be more worthwhile than bowing low to drink and dine with Master Qian and the others?"

Magistrate Wang: "Letting monks and Daoists interfere in governance will surely bring endless calamity."

Pan Su disagreed: "Monks and Daoists, scholar-gentry—aren't they all people? All have self-interest. Why is it acceptable when scholar-gentry and merchants collude with you for personal gain, but when monks and Daoists do it, it brings endless calamity? I say, it's all the same—you simply look down on monks and Daoists, just as you look down on women."

"Oh come now, wife, why bring this up again? When have I ever looked down on women?" Magistrate Wang took her hand: "You're my female Zhuge Liang—I'd trade ten of my advisors for one you."

Pan Su said: "Let's go to Mount Sanqing to burn incense tomorrow—you can meet this Temple Keeper Pan Yun. The former magistrate, Cai Cheng, is still rotting in jail; you must cultivate good relations with Mount Sanqing."

Magistrate Wang felt his wife was placing them too low: "Cai Cheng is in jail because Yu Qian accused him of driving the people to rebellion—evidence was solid. I am their parent-official; shouldn't Mount Sanqing come to me to cultivate good relations?"

Pan Su: "What's wrong with lowering your posture as a newcomer? Isn't that precisely to achieve something in Yushan County and advance your career?" She paused, then added: "Fine—who am I to argue? You're the county magistrate, my husband. Just pretend you're accompanying me to burn incense. I heard the Mountain God Temple on Mount Sanqing is highly efficacious—I'll pray for you and our child, and ask for two talismans of safety. I heard the talismans drawn by Daoist Pan Yun are sold through the Qian family and Wang Shi's trading house for fifteen to thirty taels each—but at the temple, they cost only five taels."

Even then, Magistrate Wang thought it expensive, and whistled: "Other Daoist temples charge only about one tael for safety talismans."

"There's a reason for the price—I heard this Daoist Pan Yun is a disciple of the Mountain God, with awareness that connects to the divine."

Though Pan Yun was spoken of as miraculous by the county's people, Magistrate Wang, educated in Confucianism, remained a firm atheist; his attitude toward spirits and ghosts matched Confucius's: respect them, but keep distance.

Do not believe, do not denounce, keep distance.

Coincidentally, Pan Yun felt the same about him.

For people like Ming Ren, who clearly knew something of the cultivation world and held favorable views toward such people, Pan Yun was happy to befriend them and exchange mutual benefits—see the relationship between Wang Cong and Ming Ren.

For people like Cai Cheng, ignorant yet obsessed with money and power, with corrupt intentions, she would do everything possible to crush them into the bottom of the pit—when an opportunity arose, she'd surely take it.

But for Magistrate Wang, an ordinary, well-meaning official who was simply unaware, Pan Yun hoped they would simply respect each other's distance, and handle everything strictly by regulations.

She would not interfere with the government's operations; the government would not deliberately make things difficult for her.

They would simply be ordinary official and commoner in the secular world.

In general, this third state should be the norm.

Only when this third state becomes the norm can the world develop healthily and orderly.

So on the third day of the New Year, when Magistrate Wang came with his wife and child to burn incense, Pan Yun glanced once at their facial physiognomy and knew exactly how to treat them.

Pan Yun treated them as ordinary guests, receiving them with respectful courtesy.

This lifted Magistrate Wang's spirits—he smiled and asked several extra questions: "How are Wang Xiaojing and the others doing in Waiguo?"

Wang Xiaojing's departure had originally been secret, but after the county office failed to locate them during several follow-ups, they learned their whereabouts from some family members.

Magistrate Wang didn't know what Cai Cheng had thought—but he himself thought quite openly.

In his view, these county folk who had once been rebels, as long as they didn't terrorize the countryside or join Deng Maoqi's uprising in Fujian, he could accept whatever they did.

Mining in Waiguo was even better.

Better for these troublemakers to go abroad than stay in the county, right?

Still, they were his subjects; as parent-official, Magistrate Wang felt he should care.

He hoped Pan Yun could use her kindness and tolerance to soften them, so that when they returned, they would shed their bitterness and embrace love and peace—and if they could influence their families and neighbors to create a peaceful, harmonious Yushan County, that would be even better.

So he asked Wang Xiaojing and the others in detail about their life in the land of the Wa, including but not limited to lodging, food, and medical care.

Of course, the most important points were their working hours and pay.

Hadn't they raised the banner of revolt back then precisely because the mining hours were long and the pay was extremely low?

So he went back and forth asking about these two points, watching Pan Yun's expression closely, until he confirmed that they really did seem to be paid well, and only then set his mind at ease.

In the end he asked: "If they decide to return to the country, how would they come back?"

Pan Yun: "After the sea ban was lifted, every year there are sea ships running between Onsen Jintinggang and Zhang Weigang and Quanzhou Port. In the future, there should also be shipping routes to Fuzhou Port and Tianjin Port. If they want to come back, they just need to go to the port and board a ship."

Magistrate Wang: "Who handles the return procedures? When you took them overseas, the sea ban had not yet been lifted. Once they return, will the Maritime Trade Office use that as a pretext to detain them and seize their property?"

Pan Yun: "I have already arranged identity papers for them at the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office. As long as they don't lose them, they can enter the pass in accordance with the laws of our Great Ming."

Only then did Magistrate Wang show a smile, nod, and say: "It is plain to see that Daoist Pan truly has their best interests at heart. I hope they can sincerely repent, and in the future return safely with their property to be reunited with their families."

Pan Yun also smiled: "With a parental official like Magistrate Wang worrying on their behalf, I think they will mend their ways all the better, and be all the more willing to come back."

Hearing this, Magistrate Wang lowered his eyes and said thoughtfully: "The silver mine rebellion case was not their fault. Pass on my words to them for me: tell them that, considering their hard labor and the fact that they still hold their sovereign and father in their hearts, I will have the county office ease the surveillance on their families. Only the annual home visits must still be done. This year, the corvée labor for the whole county will likewise be reduced by thirty percent, and their families are included in the reduction."

Hearing this, Pan Yun quickly formed a hand-seal and bowed: "Boundless blessings of the Heavenly Worthy. My lord, your benevolence and kindness are great. On behalf of everyone, this poor Daoist gives thanks."