Two days later.
White Elephant City, Yanming District.
The sky was overcast, thick clouds blanketing it. A cool breeze stirred, and rain seemed imminent.
Wei He stepped down from the carriage, paid the driver, and looked around at the surroundings.
The streets were filthy, the foot traffic sparse, and most of the people walking along the roadside were ordinary civilians.
Their faces were largely marked by hardship and suffering.
Clearly, there were far more living resources than before, yet a faintly oppressive air could still be felt in the streets.
From somewhere far away, the sound of drinking and finger-guessing games drifted over on the wind.
Wei He followed the left side of the street, tightened his robe, and walked onward.
Passing several shops that had already gone out of business, he arrived before a storefront that was somewhat quiet and desolate.
Inside the shop, the wall on the right was covered with countless small Buddha carvings.
Palm-sized wooden Buddha carvings were arranged in neat rows across the wall.
At a glance, there were probably no fewer than several hundred.
On the other side stood large wooden Buddha statues, some complete and some only half-carved.
The largest Buddha faced the entrance. Most of its body had already been carved, with only a small section of one arm yet to take shape.
The shop was somewhat gloomy. Before entering, Wei He looked at the signboard: Clear Heart, Forget Worries.
Inside, an old white-haired man sat on a small chair in the middle of the shop, holding a carving knife and slowly carving a little wooden Buddha.
"Take whatever you want, customer. The prices are marked beside them." The old man did not raise his head, speaking blandly.
"All right." Wei He answered, then headed inward toward the very back.
Only when