Chapter 0298: Wishing You All Safety and the Establishment of a Stable Celestial Dynasty

For another example, as female followers, during their menstrual periods they must not touch cold well water for washing hands or laundry, as this signifies “touching cold during yin cycle drives all wealth away.” They must also use clean menstrual cloths and change them frequently, meaning “yin blood flows with water, bringing countless blessings into the household.”

Another example: as followers, one must not spit arbitrarily, nor relieve themselves indiscriminately. These are vulgar human habits that cannot enter the pure vision of immortals who tolerate no filth. Doing so would forfeit opportunities for prayer and wishes, as well as eligibility for immortal blessings.

Moreover, those who join the teachings must learn self-cultivation and refrain from displaying violence. When encountering aggravating situations, first take three deep breaths, then three more deep breaths, and finally three more deep breaths. Prefer words over actions, for violent actions shatter ten thousand fortunes and bring ruin to households.

And so on…

After fabricating these teachings, Xie Chengze felt absolutely brilliant.

This was the proper way to utilize feudal superstitions!

Along the journey, the distracted commoners learned the ritual hand gestures, making their earthquake evacuation less tedious. They temporarily set aside their confusion about post-evacuation survival. Passing by streams, they would voluntarily wash their hands while practicing the gestures. At each resting spot, they would use the temporary latrines dug by authorities to avoid violating the teachings through public relief.

Even when spitting, they would leave the group to dig a small hole, squat beside it with raised posteriors to “ptui” once, then cover it with sand.

Violent incidents became rare, with some even taking initiative to mediate conflicts, reminding others that violence destroys wealth and households. Commoners feared this most, so after taking nine deep breaths to replenish lung oxygen, their anger would dissipate.

Civil quality gradually improved throughout the population.

Of course, expenses during this period were substantial, but Xie Chengze didn’t mind, considering it necessary expenditure for popularizing health education. After all, he was spending the silver Sheng Shihai had painstakingly and exhaustively embezzled, not money he’d earned through 996 work schedules.

Hehe.

Thus, days gradually approached the mid-dog days period.

Xie Shoujun wrote to Shen Yuan in the palace, reporting that Xie Chengze had been recovering well recently with no recurrence of drug addiction. Receiving this letter comforted Shen Yuan greatly, before he turned to gaze at the useless Crown Prince.

Having been long separated from Xie Chengze, His Highness teetered on the edge of emotional outburst. During court assemblies, ministers dared to feel anger but not express it, fearing to displeasure this future ruler.

Fortunately, Xie Jinyu properly reviewed memorials. The twenty-nine-year-old new emperor now handled court affairs with ease, no longer requiring Shen Yuan’s guidance. Shen Yuan’s primary tasks now involved soothing the ministers’ panicked mindsets while contemplating what identity Xie Chengze should use to return to the capital – one that would attract universal attention yet remain unconstrained by imperial power.

Perhaps…

Shen Yuan soon conceived a plan.

Meanwhile, at the Directorate of Celestial Observation.

Zhang Yuheng requested a short leave from Guo Tianheng while holding the crude seismograph he’d begged from Su Qinghe – assembled from precision components personally crafted by Su.

“I want to conduct tests in distant seismic zones,” Zhang Yuheng explained.

Practice yields genuine knowledge – this was what the Second Prince had taught him.

This presented a rare field experiment opportunity, especially since he already knew the exact day the earthquake would occur. Zhang Yuheng had no intention of missing this precious chance.

Guo Tianheng considered this far too dangerous, but despite all his persuasion, Zhang Yuheng remained resolute in his decision. With a sigh, Guo could only grant him leave.

“Make sure you come back alive,” Guo Tianheng muttered under his breath. “The Directorate of Celestial Observation is chronically understaffed, and there’s still a pile of official duties waiting for you.”

Zhang Yuheng: …

Such thoughts should remain unspoken, Ti Ling Guo.

On the day of Zhang Yuheng’s departure, the entire Directorate gathered to see him off. Several elderly officials emerged carrying travel packs, stepping outside to stand beside Zhang Yuheng.

Zhang Yuheng looked at them in surprise.

Guo Tianheng’s eyes reddened slightly as he told them, “Go now, and return soon.”

Seeing the elders standing beside him and his colleagues remaining at the gate, Zhang Yuheng felt deeply moved. His own eyes grew moist as he bowed deeply.

The Directorate officials returned the gesture in unison. Su Qinghe took a step forward and said softly, “Have a safe journey and return unharmed.”

Zhang Yuheng nodded, then stepped onto the celestial staircase with the elderly officials, filled with solitary courage and burning determination.

May you all remain safe on this journey.

——

The earth dragon stirred with overwhelming force.

At three quarters past xu hour (7:45 PM).

Under the dim twilight sky, the silent, deserted mountain villa suddenly echoed with dull rumbles from beneath the earth, like the murmuring whispers of ancient behemoths, creating an oppressive and terrifying atmosphere.

Ants underground clustered together in tight balls, while snakes and rats fled their mountain burrows in panic. Birds scattered in chaotic flight, their noisy cries filling the air. Fish in the streams leaped abnormally from the water, as if foretelling some dreadful event.

Soon, the earth began to tremble violently, like the furious awakening of a slumbering giant. The ground shook and mountains swayed, village houses trembled unceasingly, with continuous sounds of beams and rafters snapping. City towers gradually showed signs of collapse as tiles and stones cascaded down, raising clouds of dust.

In the market streets, unattended vendor stalls overturned with the tremors. The ground cracked with numerous fissures, some appearing bottomless. After intense shaking, some chasms miraculously closed back up – one could hardly imagine the torment if anyone had fallen into them.

Distant mountains seemed equally afflicted, with massive boulders tumbling down, destroying forests and blocking roads. Rivers surged with violent waves, water splashing against embankments as if trying to break through. Some mountains split in two, shifting with the crust’s movement, as if divine power itself had moved the mountains to assert celestial dominance, refusing to let the Foolish Old Man conquer nature through mortal effort.

The last group of evacuating citizens could still hear the earthquake’s roar behind them. Though the ground beneath their feet hadn’t split open, the continuous trembling kept their hearts filled with terror.

The next day, the tremors continued.

By the third day, when the aftershocks finally ceased in the lower intensity zones of the seismic belt, the people were recalled to their homeland. They stood before their collapsed homes, hearts trembling at the sight of broken beams, hardly daring to imagine the horror if those massive timbers had fallen upon them.

Whether village wooden houses, city tile-roofed dwellings, or even the tall government offices – none had escaped the earth dragon’s wrath. Everything lay in ruins without a single structure remaining intact. Following court-issued policies, the government began organizing citizens to clear the urban debris and rebuild their homeland.

Ten days later, some residents of the medium-seismic zones were also recalled. Their hometowns were evidently more devastated than the low-seismic zones, with the earth split open by numerous fissures that had to be filled with stones and soil. Some encountered impassable chasms on their journey home and had to detour. As more people traveled these paths, new official roads gradually formed.

The ground was littered with fallen trees and scattered rocks. Working together, they cleared away the debris, carving out a broad and unobstructed new path for those who would follow.

The common people are the most resilient. To survive, they will do whatever it takes.

Their vitality is tenacious and unyielding, flourishing against all odds. Even when faced with famine under scorching sun, buried by disasterous snows in winter, or mourning the loss of blood relatives in collapsed homes—they weep until exhausted, dry their tears, and continue fighting to live.

To live, to survive.

This is not merely the instinct of self-preservation, but also the expectations and last wishes bound by blood ties.

And now, someone had preserved the lives of their blood relatives who should have perished.

Having narrowly escaped death, the people became more open-minded and unrestrained. They sang loudly, once again building their homes with their own hands. At this moment, the shadow and lingering threats of the disaster could no longer break them—all because they were sheltered by the blessings of the Heavenly Dynasty, all because they were the people of Jian’an.

Jian’an, Jian’an.

Establishing a stable Heavenly Dynasty.