Chapter 2020 - One's Own Turf

Besides fried dough sticks, various pickled vegetables from the Heaven's Kitchen Food Factory were also supplied. Originally Cui Hantang had wanted "one egg per person," but after inquiring about market prices and purchasing spoiled eggs several times, he'd had to settle for soy milk as a safer and cheaper protein source.

Cui Hantang dined with the Daoists and students to demonstrate "equality between high and low." He possessed a huge appetite—breakfast always required two bowls of rice porridge and four thick fried dough sticks to fill his stomach, dipped in chili sauce from Heaven's Kitchen. Originally, the Daoists had been quite resistant to this red, fiery condiment, but after trying it under Daoist Cui's patient guidance, they'd slowly begun consuming it too.

Breakfast concluded, everyone in the temple dispersed to their respective duties: working, studying, or attending rituals. Everything proceeded orderly.

The most idle person was Cui Hantang himself. Like Scrooge McDuck inspecting his money bin, every morning he would stroll around Five Immortals Temple.

Thanks to generous sponsorship from the Guangzhou Chamber of Commerce and support from local gentry, Cui Hantang had hired Mei Lin from the Construction Company to comprehensively repair Five Immortals Temple, renovating the existing spirit wall, archway, mountain gate, middle hall, rear hall, east and west wings, Sanyuan Hall, corridors, and other buildings. He'd also conducted some demolition work himself, tearing down some dilapidated old structures within the temple and adding dormitories and office rooms. Even the flowers and plants had been rearranged, with flower beds and potted plants added, and existing trees pruned and organized.

Finally, according to his aesthetic taste, he'd commissioned statues of five immortals riding five rams holding grain ears in their mouths—currently being processed in Lingao, expected to be placed in the square before the mountain gate.

Cui Hantang climbed the "Number One Tower in Lingnan" and walked around the great bell several times. He'd visited Five Immortals Temple and climbed the bell tower in the old timeline, but truly couldn't perceive how it was "Number One in Lingnan." Only upon re-climbing the tower in this timeline did he appreciate this "Number One."

In a seventeenth-century metropolis where buildings were almost all single-story and two-story structures proved rare, climbing this bell tower indeed conveyed a sense of "seeing all mountains as small." It often gave Cui Hantang a feeling of ruling the world: "The earth is beneath my feet. Who dares speak against me?"

The only unpleasant aspect was that a policeman was always stationed in the bell tower. Its commanding height made it an important security observation post for the Guangzhou Police Bureau—which greatly spoiled his classical illusion.

Strolling down from the Bell Tower Road, smelling flowers in the courtyard, watching goldfish in the "Immortal's Footprint" pond, occasionally humming a tune.

Suddenly a burst of bell-like singing emerged:

"You clap one, I clap one, wash hands often for a healthy body, You clap two, I clap two, touch less garbage to stay healthy, You clap three, I clap three, soap washing is very important, You clap four, I clap four, never ever waste it, You clap five, I clap five, Dysentery and Typhoid are contagious..."

Cui Hantang didn't need to look to know it was Xiao Qian leading several female Daoist students teaching children hygiene. The effect of this kindergarten exceeded his imagination.

Since assuming charge of Five Immortals Temple, like all newly appointed leaders, he'd immediately implemented several "innovations," preparing to earn some achievements—after all, in Lingao he'd only been "assisting with work," not "taking charge alone."

On one hand, he'd held a "graduation ceremony" in the temple and formally "ordained" the students he'd brought—a ceremony invented by Daoist Fu—making them formal Daoists within the New Daoism system. These "disciples of the Son of Heaven" from Lingao were naturally objects of his heavy reliance, all assigned specific duties in the temple, helping handle various affairs while continuing to learn "professional knowledge" according to their specialties and interests. For the older ones among them, he planned to assign them as abbots to famous Daoist temples in Guangzhou or even Guangdong within a year or two. The others would follow the "professional technical" path.

After the brought students graduated, he'd recruited a new batch of young students under Qing Yun's charge, starting a "training class." This training class utilized the Education Department's ordinary three-year junior primary school textbooks—recruiting students from Fangcaodi was impossible; he had to cultivate them himself. But in Lingao, the Elders' hostility toward religion made expanding the team exceedingly difficult. Currently two-thirds of the Daoist class in Lingao were Li and Miao children from Hainan Island. The situation in the Bairen Monastery's catechumen class was roughly the same.

Arriving in Guangzhou, Cui Hantang felt like he'd entered a gold mine. He'd merely mentioned to several old Daoists in the temple that he wanted to "recruit some students," and the next day over a dozen families came to send their sons to "learn the Dao." The third day, fourth day... every day parents brought boys ranging from seven or eight to fifteen or sixteen. It caught Cui Hantang completely off guard.

Such enthusiasm naturally wasn't due to "Daoist devotion." Ultimately it was merely for a place to "eat." It wasn't uncommon in religious circles. Cui Hantang had contacted many Daoists in the old timeline; many had learned Daoism initially with the mindset of "finding a way out." Here it proved even more practical: purely for "survival." Some even sent somewhat mentally deficient children, annoying Cui Hantang greatly.

What disappointed him was that he'd clearly stated "boys and girls both accepted," yet not a single girl had appeared—it seemed changing social customs would require considerable time.

Finally, Cui Hantang recruited over forty individuals—double the estimate. All were arranged in the "study halls" of the east and west wings of the rear hall. Because there were too many people, the originally arranged east wing wasn't sufficient, so he'd had to temporarily vacate the west wing for teaching rooms. This so-called "Daoist Student Class" was actually a "primary school." Naturally, he couldn't say he was operating a primary school.

The East Hall was given to several male disciples to manage, hanging a "Scripture Library" sign as a library open freely to surrounding scholars. The West Hall was assigned to Xiao Qian and several female disciples as a kindergarten, helping believing neighbors care for children, teaching nursery rhymes and characters. Many believers treated this as elementary education, sending children daily.

Cui Hantang also imitated Daoist Fu's style, establishing a small pharmacy under the front hall corridor, managed by several medical students, distributing some pills. As for the retained Daoists, the talented followed Daoist Hou to undertake rituals; the clever followed the Zhike to receive pilgrims; those with good handwriting specialized in drawing talismans and composing memorials for sale—inspired by tourism in Japan, Cui Hantang had also established a similar sales model; those who knew nothing did rough labor. As for himself, he'd become a hands-off boss, accompanying prominent pilgrims all day discussing lofty topics and persuading others to join the religion.

Seeing everything orderly, grounds clean, birds singing and flowers fragrant, reading sounds ringing through the air... Cui Hantang felt satisfied. A feeling that everything here was under control arose spontaneously. The current Five Immortals Temple had become the veritable seat of Daoist temples in the Guangdong Region—local Daoists had to register at Five Immortals Temple, otherwise they wouldn't be recognized. Holding both religious and administrative official positions, his status proved exalted.

Not only did Daoist temples in Guangzhou need to accept his leadership, even temples and independent cultivators in surrounding counties fell under his control. In the future, they would come to Five Immortals Temple annually for rotation training. It felt quite like the Zhengyi Sect of Longhu Mountain controlling all temples under heaven by imperial decree in former days.

Cui Hantang felt secretly pleased. It seemed Daoist Dai's instructions before departure—to not only gain a foothold in Guangzhou but also strive for New Daoism's interests—were thoroughly over-fulfilled. Only the point of winning over Mayor Liu Xiang remained unaccomplished. It had been close to success; Cui Hantang's breaking voodoo curses and catching spirit monkeys for Mayor Liu had warmed their relationship rapidly. But somehow the clues Cui Hantang found implicated a maid beside Mayor Liu, leading to her quarantined investigation. This made Mayor Liu lose face, inevitably venting anger on Cui Hantang, leaving him in an awkward position. Now, forget winning him over—their relationship had thoroughly devolved into a mere "working relationship."

"Old Liu, ah, I was sincere towards you." Cui Hantang sighed thinking of this.

After completing the inspection, it was past eight, and pilgrims arrived one after another. Seeing him, they all addressed him as "Daoist Master" or "Realized Man," and some, learning the Australian fashion, hurriedly called him "Chief." Cui Hantang returned greetings individually, exchanging pleasantries.

Five Immortals Temple had originally been a famous temple in Guangzhou with flourishing incense. After being occupied by Cui Hantang, its status had soared even higher, attracting not only large numbers of pilgrims but also various figures intending to climb the social ladder.

These figures were either local gentry and wealthy households or scholars. Their pilgrimage was truly not about the wine but about Cui Hantang's Elder status.

Whether they wanted to find a shortcut through him to ascend to the Council of Elders and open a new life path, or merely wanted to "make friends and find a backer," Cui Hantang welcomed them all. Whenever he had time, he would "sit and discuss the Dao" with them, incidentally promoting the Council of Elders' advanced nature.

While performing "closeness to the people," Cui Hantang suddenly saw a young student signaling him with meaningful glances. Knowing something was afoot, he quickly brushed off the conversation and walked over.

"Daoist Brother Qing Huan asks: several distinguished guests have come to offer incense. Should the Abbot receive them?"

This "Daoist Brother Qing Huan" was an old hand of the temple, assisting the Zhike with reception work—very clever.

"Oh?" Cui Hantang wondered what manner of distinguished guests would require Qing Huan to specifically invite him for reception.

"Who are they?" he asked casually.

"Heard it's the two masters of the Li family."

"What?!" Cui Hantang felt startled. "Li Suiqiu and Li Suiqi?"

"Yes." The young student was a local and naturally knew the famous names of the Li brothers.

"Tell Qing Huan to receive them first. I'll be there immediately!"