Where Did These Little People Come From?

Li Daoxuan suddenly noticed that there were five extra little people in the box. Yes, extra.

That morning, after buying food for the little people, he had even counted them. There had been forty-two in total, not one more or one less. (If you have forgotten, please see Chapter 5.)

But now there were forty-seven little people in the box.

The five newcomers seemed to have "slipped in" through the edge of the Scenery Box.

They wore matching dark red uniforms, with broadswords hanging at their waists and iron rulers in their hands. On their backs were white circles bearing the character for "yamen." They looked like constables from ancient times.

When they had "slipped into" the Scenery Box, Li Daoxuan had been watching the villagers, so he had missed the exact moment the five little people entered. By the time he noticed them, they had already reached the village entrance.

Li Daoxuan was utterly baffled. How did these five constables get into my Scenery Box? This is weird!

It was like someone who kept hamsters-forty-two of them, to be precise-suddenly discovering five more in the enclosure, and of a different breed from his own, at that. Who would not be bewildered?

He circled the Scenery Box, examining it from every angle. All four sides were glass, sealed tight. The only possible way in or out was the lid, but he had definitely closed it after putting in the rice.

The air holes?

No, the air holes are tiny, and they're too high up. The little people couldn't possibly get in or out through them.

This is ridiculous!

While he was still investigating, he saw the five newly arrived miniature constables apparently start arguing with the miniature villagers. He hurriedly pressed his ear close and listened intently.

One miniature constable was loudly berating them. "You lowborn scum! You keep leaving your taxes unpaid. Are you trying to rebel?"

Another waved his iron ruler around. "If you don't pay up, I'll throw every last one of you in jail!"

The miniature Village Chief came forward with an ingratiating smile. "Sir, sir, it's not that we refuse to pay. We really have no money or grain. Everyone's on the verge of starving to death. Just look at the weather. We haven't had a single drop of rain in months, and all the crops in the fields have died..."

The miniature constable sneered. "Drought is no excuse. The Imperial Court's taxes must be paid in full, no matter what. Otherwise, it's rebellion."

The miniature Village Chief looked miserable. "Sir, look at the people in our village. Every one of us is yellow-faced and half-starved. A gust of wind could knock us over. Do we look like we have any money left? Everyone's starving to death. We really have no way to pay the taxes."

"You worthless scum," the miniature constable said. "I'm going to search the village right now. If I find you've been hiding grain instead of paying up, you can rot in prison!"

He shoved the miniature Village Chief aside and swaggered into the village.

Watching this, Li Daoxuan grew curious too. Huh? What's going on? Are these miniature constables and villagers acting out another story?

When I first saw this Scenery Box, they were acting out a story inside it too. A bunch of miniature bandits were burning, killing, and looting in the village. Back then, I thought the little people were motorized and following a preset script, so I reached in and intervened, killing the miniature bandits.

I thought that would be the end of the performances. Who knew they'd start acting out a story about constables oppressing innocent villagers?

What on earth is going on?

Could you imagine keeping a boxful of hamsters that periodically played dress-up and acted out a story?

A profoundly mysterious, utterly bizarre feeling rose within him.

This box isn't as simple as I imagined. I'm probably not just keeping a boxful of little people.

The five miniature constables stirred up havoc in the village, barging into villagers' homes at will and ransacking their cupboards and chests. Shouts and commotion rang out everywhere.

The miniature Village Chief grew tense. There was nothing to fear from searches of ordinary homes, since everyone really did have next to no grain. But Gao Yiye's house was half filled with rice grains the size of eggs. If the constables found them, then...

The more nervous he became, the more he gave away their hiding place.

The miniature constables soon noticed that the villagers kept glancing, deliberately or otherwise, toward one dilapidated house, as though something that must not be seen was hidden inside.

All the young people in the village were guarding that shabby house. Two of them were even bracing their backs against the door, as though afraid something might leap out if it opened.

The miniature constables immediately fixed their attention on that house.

"Move aside! Move aside!" One miniature constable approached Gao Yiye's home.

The miniature villagers became desperately nervous, their expressions all changing. Without thinking, the miniature Village Chief stepped into the constable's path.

The miniature constable shoved him hard, sending the miniature Village Chief stumbling and falling to one side.

The miniature constables lunged up to the house. "Get out of the way!"

Several young people clenched their fists, but none dared strike, and none was willing to move aside.

A miniature constable lashed out with his foot. Gao Yiye and Gao Chuwu had been bracing their backs against the door, and his sudden kick knocked them both aside. With nothing holding the wooden door shut, the rice inside immediately pushed it open and came sliding out.

With a clattering rush, the miniature constable at the front was buried in rice. The others behind him were badly startled too and all jumped back.

The constable buried in the rice shook his head hard and poked it out. Seeing that he had actually been buried beneath rice grains the size of eggs, he could not help recoiling in shock. The other four constables gaped as well, too astonished to close their mouths for a long while.

The villagers had no idea what to say either, and all remained silent.

The scene sank into an eerie silence. Several seconds passed before the miniature constable buried in the rice shouted, "What are you gawking at? Get me out of here!"

The other four miniature constables hurried forward, pushed the rice grains aside, and pulled him out.

One miniature constable stammered, "Gao Family Village has been hiding something like this? This... rice... what is going on? Why is it so big?"

The miniature Village Chief threw caution to the wind. "This is Divine Rice bestowed on us by the Heavenly Deity to save our lives. If you dare touch it, the Heavenly Deity will take your lives!"

The five constables exchanged looks, unsure whether to believe him.

The scene froze once more. For several dozen seconds, no one spoke.

Li Daoxuan had watched quietly up to this point, unsure whether he should intervene. This scene was rather strange. If I want to protect my forty-two little people, shouldn't I reach in now and swat these five newly arrived miniature constables to death, just like I did with the miniature bandits last time?

But is that really the right thing to do?

Where did these five miniature constables come from? How did they get into the box? Will other little people come running into the box later?

There are still so many things I haven't figured out!

Acting rashly now might not be the best solution.