I stole divine power in Daxia

Chapter 518 Personnel
In the second year of Taihe, in February, the warm spring breeze flowed down the thousands of miles of Luo River. The peach blossoms on both sides were like fire. At the Menshen Mountain Pass, they were in full bloom as if to burn out the entire spring.

The mountains on both sides of Menshen Mountain are thousands of feet high, like majestic gods. According to legend, they are two ancient gods who were suppressed here by the Taoist Master to guard the Taoist ancestral temple Xuandu Mountain, hence the name.

Of course, the names of these two gods were eventually buried in the vast scroll of history. With the erosion of the Luo River, even the gods in heaven lost their names and could not be revived again.

However, these two mountains are indeed blessed with beautiful scenery. They are occupied by two Taoist temples and also serve as a defense.

The ancient temple is particularly lively today. The Taoist children were asked a few days ago to clean every hall in order to welcome the upcoming distinguished guests.

Although he is called a VIP, he is actually a family member. Although Zhou Tieyi did not enter the Taoist sect, his mother is still the most honorable sub-saint seed of Taoism. His current Taoist partner is also a direct descendant of Taiyi Temple and a Taoist Xuanpin, who was conferred the title of Zixia Yuanjun, the protector of the country, by the Emperor of Great Xia. She is equally honorable.

Such a return of the Three Saints was so great that even this centuries-old temple was still prosperous and had to be cleaned and swept before welcoming them.

"I heard that Lord Zhou came here this time to preach his earthly immortal method. He was originally going to give the lecture directly on Xuandu Mountain. However, according to the brothers who came from Xuandu Mountain, the older generation was hesitant and even did not plan to hold the Luotian Grand Ceremony. They still haven't come up with a set of rules, so Lord Zhou plans to let our family members listen first."

While one Taoist boy was sweeping and cleaning, he was happily chatting with another Taoist boy.

Even for the Taoist children in Taiyi Temple, it is not easy for them to inherit the top-level methods. They need to go through step-by-step screening, and talent, character and even luck are all indispensable.

And being able to hear the method that leads directly to the third level is definitely a sign of luck.

The Taoist boy really didn't understand why the old Taoists on Xuandu Mountain were unwilling to let Zhou Tieyi preach. They were all orthodox Taoist methods. In the past, when the senior brothers from Xuandu Mountain came to their place to preach, they would open their beds to welcome them. Why wasn't it the other way around?

"That's because of the dispute over the orthodoxy."

A voice came from behind the two Taoist children.

The two idle Taoist children were suddenly startled, and quickly stood up and said carefully, "Master Uncle, the Mingguang Hall has been swept clean."

This great-grand-uncle was in charge of patrols. He was always serious and in the eyes of his disciples, he was similar to the legendary God Yama, with a gloomy face all day long and was the most revered.

But today, this Black Yama was out of character, with a smile on his face that looked like a withered vine and an old tree. "It's good to take a break after cleaning. But in the temple, you just called me the wrong name."

The two Taoist boys haven't reacted yet. Is that the wrong way to address them?

They cried out, and then they heard the Black Yama Taoist Qingyu say, "You should call him Uncle Zhou, not Lord Zhou."

The two Taoist boys reacted instantly and realized that this was a reminder from their uncle-master. Calling them Uncle Zhou was obviously much more intimate than calling them Lord Zhou, and it would also be easier to get a prize.

"Yes, great uncle."

Taoist Black Yama Qingyu nodded with a smile, "Just remember it."

Suddenly, a loud thunder streaked across the sky, and the rumbling sound of thunder continued for a long time, just like the railway tracks being built at the foot of the mountain, or as if there was a train passing in the sky.

The three of them looked up and saw a clear sky without any sign of wind or rain.

Seeing that Black Yama Qingyu Taoist was particularly easy to talk to today, the Taoist boy who had just spoken muttered, "This year's spring is really strange, with only thunder and no rain. If it weren't for the brothers in the mountains who often cast rain charms, the farmers in the fields would have dried up long ago."

Another Taoist boy echoed, "That's right. The snow on Tiandu Peak has melted away. It's still early spring, and summer hasn't even started yet. I wonder how hot this summer will be."

Taoist Qingyu also raised his head and stared at the sky. As a Taoist of the fourth rank, he certainly knew what this strange celestial phenomenon before him meant.

There is a Taoist rain talisman on Menshen Mountain and the vast Luo River at the foot of the mountain, so the peach blossoms here are in full bloom, but in more distant places, I am afraid that spring ploughing will be a difficult task this year.

Just as he was lost in thought for a while, a young Taoist came hurriedly from outside the hall, "Uncle Qingyu, Marquis Zhou is here."

Taoist Qingyu was awakened from his deep thoughts. There were only a few dozen people in Taiyi Temple. Even the Taoist children were core members. He quickly said to the two Taoist children, "Qingfeng, Mingyue, the two of you come together to welcome Lord Zhou."

Taoist Qingyu turned around and was about to leave, but the two boys Qingfeng and Mingyue were still standing there in a daze.

Taoist Qingyu urged, "Why are you two still standing there? Your chance has come."

"Uncle Master, you, we..."

Qingfeng stuttered and couldn't express his meaning clearly.

Mingyue took over the conversation, "Uncle Master, shouldn't you call Lord Zhou your nephew?"

According to their two ideas, if they called Zhou Hou "Uncle Zhou", then Taoist Qingyu should call Zhou Hou "Nephew".

Taoist Qingyu chuckled, "You will understand in the future. Remember, you must call me Uncle Shi in the past!"

Qingfeng Mingyue is a junior, and calling him "uncle" is a respectful title, so there is no problem even if he makes mistakes.

But Zhou Tieyi was the Minister of Monks of Daxia, Marquis of Shengshi, and the founder of the Taoist school of earthly immortals. Before he actually joined the Taiyi Temple, Taoist Qingyu was not familiar with Zhou Tieyi, so of course he could not directly call him nephew. Although there was nothing wrong with that, it seemed like he was taking advantage of his seniority.

Only after Zhou Tieyi recognized Qingfeng Mingyue and other nephews, he could decide whether to call Zhou Tieyi his nephew based on Zhou Tieyi's attitude. Before that, it was never wrong to call him Zhou Hou, a respectful title, at least it would not make Zhou Tieyi feel that Taiyi Temple suddenly had a group of elders to suppress him.

These are the common sense in the human world. It is normal for the two youngsters not to understand them. Taoist Qingyu even hopes that the two youngsters will stay in the mountain forever and never understand.

The ignorant Taoist boy Qingfeng Mingyue followed Taoist Qingyu and his uncle to the main hall of the mountain gate, only to see a group of elite cavalry coming from afar. The men were as sharp as dragons, the horses were as sharp as tigers, their flags were waving, and their sets of fine fish-scale armor looked like sparkling lake water under the scorching sun.

Following the elite cavalry, a black dragon horse pulled a luxurious carriage decorated with seven-treasure trees and stopped in front of the first mountain palace.

A man and two women got off the carriage. The first one to get off was a young man. His appearance was almost stunning, with dragon eyes and phoenix eyebrows. Even people who knew a little about physiognomy could tell that he was extremely noble. However, if one looked at him more closely, it was like being in a mountain range with numerous peaks and ridges. One could only see his shape but not his meaning.

The next person to come down was a young female Taoist who was wearing a dark yellow Taoist robe. When she got off the car, she subconsciously stroked her belly with her hand, which was a habitual action for pregnant people. Her face was serene, like a clear spring flowing from the mountains. Although not strange, it seemed to blend with the spring scenery at this time. With the help of the man, her feet had just landed on the ground, and the fluffy spring grass grew in clumps, interweaving into a carpet, like a cloud of tender buds, spreading out in front of the hall.

Finally, there was a slightly older woman wearing a blue Taoist robe with a pattern of fish and dragons ascending to heaven, and a Taoist cap pinned on with a yellow jade hairpin. There was nothing mysterious about her. Even her absolutely beautiful face still had a bland taste, like clear water, which would be forgotten if one was not paying attention. The only thing one could remember was that a Taoist woman with a beautiful face seemed to have just walked by.

The older female Taoist stood at the mountain gate for a few breaths before she said to the man with a sigh, "It's been a long time since I came back to the mountain gate."

Of course Zhou Tieyi knew what his mother meant. Even though Taiyi Temple was not far from Yujing Mountain, as a hostage placed by the Taoists in Yujing, Zhou's mother had never left Yujing Mountain since she married Zhou Qinlong.

Everyone thought that if Zhou's mother wanted to leave Yujing Mountain, it would be a grand event. No one was willing to let a Taoist fish-dragon escape control and swim in the sea.

But the greatest sensation is that no one in the world dares to act rashly.

At this time, Zhou Tieyi and Miaoyu had this ability. In front of these two pearls and jades, even Zhou's mother, the sub-sage of Taoism, seemed not so important anymore. Even the current emperor naturally had not thought of nailing Zhou's mother to Yujing Mountain.

The dragon trap in Yujing was solved silently.

Zhou Tieyi smiled and said, "After the steam airship is put into use this year, I will ask them to open a few more routes from Yujing Mountain to Hanshan City. In the future, mother can return to the mountain gate to stay for two days every month."

Even if Zhou's mother is unwilling to expose her current Taoist cultivation, with Zhou Tieyi's current power, there are five or six ways to allow Zhou's mother to travel back and forth between Taiyi Temple and Yujing Mountain.

Among them, adding steam airship routes is the most normal and least noticeable method.

Originally there was a flying peng between Yujing Mountain and Hanshan City, but because of the large number of flying pengs, there was only one flight every five or six days. However, with the large-scale production capacity of steam airships now being put into use.

Now that the Mohists and Gongshuists have joined forces, they can produce about five or six steam airships a month. As the technology gradually matures and steel production grows, dozens of steam airships a month will not be a dream, and hundreds of steam airships a year will be enough to completely open up Daxia's air routes.

Zhou's mother knew that her son was being nice to her, so she smiled and said, "As long as it doesn't disturb others."

"How can it disturb the people?" Ah Da, the leader of the elite cavalry and Zhou Tieyi's number one lackey, flattered, "People all over the world are now hoping for more airships so that they can travel smoothly between places. However, for the sake of safety, the young master is still only deploying airships to a few flight areas. Tianjing and Hanshan City already have Feipeng routes, so they are the most suitable flight areas."

Since the steam airship was developed, it has indeed been good news for the people. In the past, Feipeng was a top businessman and aristocratic family that only enjoyed it.

However, the cost of using an airship that burns steam is much lower than that of a flying roc that burns inkstone, especially with the assistance of the Mohist and Gongshujia mechanical engineering. A surprising fact is that the cost of using an airship for transportation is now even lower than that of using railways, and is only slightly higher than that of water transportation.

Under Zhou Tieyi's suggestion, the interior decoration of the airship has become more civilian-friendly. Without the constraints of railway lines, it can sail thousands of feet in the sky. It has now become the first choice of the aristocratic class and the merchant class.

Of course, for ordinary citizens, even if they can afford the cost of an airship, there is no need to use it.

Among the urban middle class, the word "tourism" is still limited to outings rather than long-distance travel.

However, the rise of airships did have another function, which was the appointment and dismissal of officials.

Daxia has a vast territory, and not everyone is a third-grade cultivator who can travel a thousand miles a day. Even though there was Feipeng in the past, even the grassroots pillar officials such as county magistrates could not use it easily. One reason was that the route might not be suitable, and the other was that the price was too expensive.

Therefore, the appointment and removal of officials and their arrival in office still takes a month or even several months.

However, with the deployment of airships and combined with today's water transport routes, Daxia has been able to easily control the appointment and dismissal of the most prosperous areas. This was particularly evident in the implementation of the policy of integrating officials and local staff at the beginning of this year.

In the past, it would take nearly one or two months to dismiss a local official, even in a prosperous area. But now with the convenience of airship transportation, it can be easily appointed and dismissed in three or four days at the shortest, and no more than half a month at the longest.

This also paved the way for the purge of local Confucian elders at the beginning of the year.

Zhou's mother smiled proudly. She knew that she was enjoying a privilege, but while enjoying the privilege, she could help others and benefit the people, so she naturally had a clear conscience.

As for the reforms that are taking place in the world, she had personal experience of them as she traveled with her son this time. Even though there were signs of spring drought, the people did not panic along the way.

Under the suppression of the eight major banks, local money houses are like wild horses with a tight rope. Only businessmen know how to deal with businessmen. The interest-free spring seedling loans have been smoothly disbursed. Any local money houses that dared to raise prices have been directly wiped out and brought under the name of the eight major banks.

As for the eight major banks, they now hope that some local money houses who don't know the consequences will cause trouble. How can the small amount of loans they collect from the people be compared with the industries accumulated by the money houses over decades or even hundreds of years.

New farming machines, such as steam tractors, have also begun to be put into use, but at this stage Zhou Tieyi still only dares to use them in newly built large farms. After all, new farming machines are still not a small expense for ordinary people, and if a cooperative system is adopted, in the absence of management experience at the grassroots level, it is inevitable that the more you help, the more trouble you cause.

Therefore, during difficult times, reforms must simplify the affairs of the people rather than add variables. Only when advanced experience is confirmed and a large number of new grassroots officials who agree with the new policies are available, can reforms be gradually deepened and promoted. This is the same in any dynasty.

(End of this chapter)