Chapter 22: The Lord of Heaven Gains His Own Temple

　　Xiao Fan: (＾ω＾)

　　A week had passed since Xiao Fan, with his divine power, repelled the Tibetan vanguard cavalry. Together with Yao Xi, they persuaded the Anxi Protectorate's Grand Protector Guo Xin to hold their ground at Shule Town, even managing to connect the town with an underground river.

　　Though Grand Protector Guo Xin of the Anxi Protectorate had departed, he dispatched 2,000 elite Tang soldiers to garrison Shule Town, significantly bolstering its defensive capabilities. Remarkably, Guo Xin granted Shule Town autonomous governance rights. Lu Yang was appointed as the Garrison Commander, Gao Cunzheng was in charge of civil affairs, and even the title of the Saintess Yao Xi was recognized by Guo Xin. After all, the Lord of Heaven Xiao Fan had repeatedly performed miracles, leaving no room for doubt.

　　After breakfast, Xiao Fan sat in front of the ecological box, his gaze intense as he scrutinized the development work of Shule Town within. He used toothpicks to divide the model into several areas, mirroring the ward-market layout of Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty. Wards were residential areas for the miniature people, markets were their commercial zones, and he also set up barracks inside the town gates on both the east and west, serving as military areas for soldier training, and planned streets connecting these areas.

　　All these efforts were not only for the future planning of the city but also for the welfare of the miniature people. Today's Shule Town was no longer as it once was; it had transformed into an impregnable fortress. Under the protection of the Lord of Heaven, many Tang refugees had fled here from the fallen Beiting Protectorate.

　　In just a week, over a thousand Tang refugees had been resettled in Shule Town. How to sustain these refugees and help them reclaim their lives had become the pressing issue that Xiao Fan now faced.

　　In the heart of Shule Town stood the Suzhou garden residence that Xiao Fan had given to Yao Xi, around which all the wards and markets were constructed. Xiao Fan watched the miniature people bustling in the ecological box. They chopped down wood from the wooden mountains, which, though merely blocks of wood placed by Xiao Fan, appeared to them as vast mountain ranges. The people cut the wood into planks for the framework of houses. Meanwhile, others were busy making bricks and quarrying stone, eventually combining these materials to construct sturdy houses in the traditional Tang Dynasty brick-and-wood style, which Xiao Fan knew well.

　　On the other hand, the construction of the market was progressing as per Xiao Fan's meticulous design. Under the leadership of Zhao Liu and Gao Sanshiliu, workshops were being established one after another. Raw materials like bricks, wood, and stone had to undergo fine processing in these workshops. Additionally, Xiao Fan harbored a personal desire to increase the production of miniature carvings through the skilled hands of Zhao Liu and Gao Sanshiliu, albeit slightly. However, he had no intention of introducing assembly line production, understanding the value of scarcity; excessive production would strip the miniaturized crafts of their unique value.

　　In a corner of Shule Town's west gate, the barracks area was being built in an intense and orderly fashion. As the newly appointed Garrison Commander, Lu Yang named Wang Hu as his deputy. This miniature figure, Wang Hu, had left a deep impression on Xiao Fan with his brave and fearless combat skills. In the barracks area, the miniature people were constructing an armory. The Tang soldiers from Anxi surrounded the furnaces, their focused faces illuminated by the firelight, forging weapons and armor with the pig iron provided by Xiao Fan. Especially the bows and arrows, which had become the best defensive weapons in the formidable Shule Town.

　　"There are already over 3000 little people..." Xiao Fan, looking at the orderly miniature people in Shule Town, couldn't help but feel a multitude of emotions.

　　From the initial 55 people to the swift growth to 3,000, the development speed of Shule Town was astonishing. Yet, for Shule Town, this was just the beginning. Xiao Fan had designed the city with the capacity to accommodate 100,000 people in mind, hence the reserved expansion space. If the population of Shule Town reached its limit, he could upgrade the fortress, allowing more miniature people to settle down here.

　　Xiao Fan: (ˉ︶ˉ)

　　Faced with this achievement, Xiao Fan couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. His knowledge in civil engineering was perfectly applied here, not a bit wasted.

　　"Long live the Saintess! Long live the Saintess!" Suddenly, a group of miniature people gathered in the center of Shule Town, their cheering and jubilant voices filled with reverence and adoration for the Saintess.

　　Xiao Fan's attention was drawn by the cheering to the newly built courtyard.

　　A group of miniature people surrounded a young girl dressed in bright red, excitedly cheering. This girl was Yao Xi, as beautiful and captivating as a flower blooming in spring.

　　The miniature people's faces were brimming with unmistakable joy and gratitude, as if they saw in her their hope and future.

　　"Lord of Heaven." Yao Xi looked up, revealing a sweet smile to Xiao Fan. That smile, as warm as the sunlight, quickened Xiao Fan's heartbeat.

　　Since having ample food and nutrition, Yao Xi's appearance had transformed from once lean to now radiating with new vitality, making her even more exquisitely beautiful.

　　Originally boisterous, the miniature people fell silent at the moment Yao Xi called out to the Lord of Heaven. They looked up expectantly, unable to see Xiao Fan themselves, but the gratitude and joy on their faces were undeniably real.

　　"Ahem Ahem, do you need any more help?" Xiao Fan tried to disguise his shyness, pretending to cough and asked softly.

　　Yao Xi's eyes sparkled as she replied with a smile, "We already have the protection of the Lord of Heaven, and our lives are abundant and fulfilling. To express our gratitude, we have built a temple for the Lord of Heaven."

　　"What? A temple for the Lord of Heaven?" Xiao Fan repeated in surprise. Then, his gaze fell on the courtyard behind Yao Xi, where he indeed saw a meticulously crafted miniature temple.

　　Originally a porridge shop for distributing food, this courtyard had been transformed into a temple. To allow the Lord of Heaven a clear view of its interior, the miniature people had thoughtfully installed a skylight in the roof. Through this skylight, Xiao Fan could see the temple's main idol, a sculpture of the Lord of Heaven crafted by Zhao Liu and Gao Sanshiliu. Despite their earlier claims of exhaustion, unable to carve any further, they had secretly completed this piece and placed it in the temple as a surprise for Xiao Fan.

　　A wave of emotion surged in Xiao Fan's heart, but he was at a loss for words.

　　Seeing this, Yao Xi quickly added, "Lord of Heaven, this is our way of expressing gratitude for your protection."

　　"Yes! Thank you, Lord of Heaven!"

　　"Long live the Lord of Heaven!"

　　"Lord of Heaven, without you, I might have starved to death long ago."

　　Although the miniature people could not behold the Lord of Heaven's face, they still looked up at the blue sky, their voices filled with gratitude, expressing their respect and thanks.

　　At this moment, the miniature people, previously busy with construction, set down their work and swarmed towards the temple. Joyous smiles blossomed on every face, creating a scene reminiscent of a grand temple fair. Even the Tang soldiers from the Anxi barracks joined in, and over 3,000 little people gathered, forming a magnificent spectacle.

　　In front of the temple, a high platform stood. On it, Yao Xi and Gao Cunzheng stood side by side, becoming the focus of everyone's attention.

　　Gao Cunzheng, with his steady voice, recited solemn and respectful prayers. These prayers encapsulated the gratitude for the Lord of Heaven and the praise for the Saintess, carrying the people's devotion to their faith.

　　The miniature people below listened quietly. Though their faces were calm, the excitement shining in their eyes revealed their inner jubilation and gratitude. In this era filled with turmoil, receiving the protection of the Lord of Heaven was their most precious blessing.

　　As the prayers concluded, Yao Xi gently waved her hand, signaling the start of the next part of the ceremony.

　　Gao Sanshiliu, understanding the cue, lifted a wooden mallet and struck the large bell in front of the temple.

　　Dong, dong, dong.

　　The bell's sound echoed through the air, the once-central bell of Shule Town now relocated to the temple, becoming a sacred bell that extolled the glory of the Lord of Heaven. This bell, once used to warn of external threats, now resonated not with alarms but with endless reverence and praise for the Lord of Heaven. Its deep and distant tolling, almost sacred in nature, reverberated in front of the temple.

　　Many of the miniature people were in tears, bowing and worshiping towards the temple and Yao Xi, their emotions profound and beyond words.

　　Faced with this scene, Xiao Fan too was moved. This was a feeling he had never experienced before: a sense of being depended on, respected, and seeing his efforts reciprocated.

　　Xiao Fan: ( ; _ ; )/~~~

　　As the ceremony concluded, the Temple of the Lord of Heaven was officially inaugurated.

　　One by one, the villagers entered the temple, kneeling before the idol of the "Lord of Heaven," their heads knocking loudly on the ground in reverence. Of course, after bowing, it was time to make their wishes.

　　Xiao Fan watched with interest from the skylight down into the temple.

　　Xiao Fan: (｡･ω･｡)ﾉ