Chapter 620 - Departure
"The mistress has retired." Chunliu immediately sensed this person's secret late-night visit must mean important news to convey. She quickly added, "I'll wake her right away."
"No need!" Wu Zhixiang said unexpectedly. "Just quickly inform Miss Pei—that rotten-hearted villain Lü Yizhong has sent a note to Nanhai County, ordering them to issue a warrant for Miss's arrest. Please have your mistress flee immediately."
Chunliu had thought this Scholar Wu was merely a greedy, lustful dandy. She never expected him to show such chivalrous spirit at a critical moment. Her heart warmed, and she curtsied:
"Thank you, Young Master Wu, for your righteous deed."
"Don't thank me. Just have your mistress quickly find a place to hide. Once she's in prison, even immortals would be skinned alive! Besides, her case is too serious—no one would dare to vouch for her!" Wu Zhixiang pulled his eye-mask back on as he spoke, then quickly turned and disappeared into the darkness.
News that Nanhai County was about to arrest Pei Lixiu quickly reached Guo Yi. Though he didn't know why they were targeting her first instead of him, Guo Yi knew the time for retreat had come. If they couldn't catch Pei Lixiu, they would turn to him next.
He pondered for a moment, then had someone summon Sun Chang.
"Immediately send someone to Zhiming Tower and evacuate everyone according to plan. Leave the bulky goods. Employees from outside can hide at Manager Sun's place. Have some unfamiliar faces wait near Zhiming Tower tomorrow morning to intercept local employees before they go to the shop. Tell them not to go in."
If Nanhai County couldn't catch the principals, they would probably arrest a batch of employees still in the building to fulfill their quota—no need to let them get caught up in this.
Guo Yi gave Sun Chang a bankbook and seal. "This is an account opened at Delong in Sun Kecheng's name. Give it to him to pay everyone's severance."
"Understood. I'll go right away!" Sun Chang hurried off.
Guo Yi was busy packing, processing documents, and transferring items. Before he knew it, dawn was breaking and he was famished. He had someone bring breakfast. He had kept his own cook before, but had dismissed him a few days ago. Now he and the remaining people ate from the common kitchen.
While eating, Sun Chang rushed back to report: everything was done.
"Eat quickly too. Then go to Purple Treasure Shop and tell Manager Shen to close up shop today. He'd best go to the countryside to avoid being caught in the crossfire."
"Yes!" Sun Chang saw that Purple Treasure Studio had become completely empty and couldn't help feeling sad—suffering this disaster for no reason! "Master, can we come back?"
"Of course." Guo Yi remained composed. "We'll be back in just a few months."
"Yes!" Sun Chang saw his confidence but didn't know where it came from. In his view, the Australians were skilled at making things and making money, but they couldn't win against the Great Ming. Were they going to Beijing to seek powerful connections? While he was lost in thought, a servant quietly came to report: someone was asking to see him.
"I won't see them." Guo Yi said. There was no need to deal with anyone anymore.
"The visitor says it's urgent!"
"Who is it? Where's the calling card?"
"The visitor won't say. Just says it's urgent and can only be discussed face-to-face with Master Guo."
"Very well. I'll see them."
The visitor was a middle-aged man with a scholarly appearance. After exchanging greetings, he glanced hesitantly at Sun Chang.
"I have confidential matters to report."
Sun Chang quickly withdrew.
"I'll be frank." The middle-aged man lowered his voice. "I've been sent to inform you: Guangzhou Prefecture has received orders. Tomorrow morning, they will take Master and all personnel of the three Purple-Character establishments into custody."
Guo Yi raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had expected the arrests and seizures, but hadn't expected someone to come specifically to warn him.
He usually maintained some arrangements at various yamens, but only vague information had filtered out so far. This was the first time he had received such clear news.
"Thank you, sir, for coming to inform me!" Guo Yi said. "Who is your superior? I must properly thank them another day!"
"It's inconvenient to say who my employer is. I'm only to relay one message: leave cleanly, don't leave behind any documents or papers. No need to panic—Guangzhou Prefecture will definitely come tomorrow." Having said this, the visitor stood up and took his leave.
Though Guo Yi didn't know the man's background, his message was ninety-nine percent credible. The instruction he gave was the key point—what did "don't leave behind any documents or papers" mean? Clearly whoever sent the messenger was afraid the Purple-Character establishments might have left behind something important that could damage his interests.
Though he couldn't guess who it was for the moment, this person must be in official circles, and of no low rank. That final line—"No need to panic, Guangzhou Prefecture will definitely come tomorrow"—wasn't it plainly telling him he had an entire day to escape, and could even swagger out openly with his people?
With this realization, Guo Yi immediately ordered all remaining personnel on Huifu Street to assemble.
Across the Huifu Street residence, Purple Treasure Shop, and Purple Treasure Studio, some thirty to forty people were still keeping up appearances. Most were from outside areas and couldn't go home immediately. Guo Yi had already arranged with Sun Kecheng to place this group with him.
"Everyone left home and came here to work for our Purple-Character establishments. That's our fate. The Purple-Character establishments have never shortchanged anyone. Your monthly wages and year-end bonuses are the best in all Guangzhou city. Our Purple-Character establishments have always done legitimate business here in Guangzhou—never anything illegal. Not just imperial taxes—even the gifts to officials have never been stinted. This time, as you probably know, the government won't let us do business in peace and wants to seal up our shops..."
Many employees were in tears. They had been here for one to nearly three years. There were many large establishments in Guangzhou, but none that treated their workers as considerately as the Purple-Character establishments. Not just better monthly wages than elsewhere, but year-end bonuses based on ability, medical care for the sick—when employees died, the shop not only provided coffins, bought grave plots, and held funerals, but also brought their families over and placed them at outer branches. Even if old people, children, and women couldn't do heavy work, they were given light tasks and paid a few months' wages to live on.
Such a benevolent employer was now being forced to close. Everyone felt indignant at their master's fate while worrying about their own bleak future.
"The shop being sealed doesn't matter. As long as our people are still here, the Purple-Character establishments will always exist," Guo Yi said loudly. "Three months at shortest, half a year at most, I, Guo Yi, will be back. I'll stand here again, stand here—" He had only intended to stabilize morale and keep everyone together, waiting for their return. But now, recalling his days and nights with his colleagues in Guangzhou, he was overwhelmed with emotion and momentarily didn't know what to say. After a pause, he continued, "Setting off firecrackers together with everyone to reopen the establishments!"
Then he ordered six months' wages paid to everyone. Those who wanted to return home would be given travel expenses. Those who didn't want to leave could work at Sun Kecheng's place first.
The employees took their money and reluctantly departed in batches. Guo Yi had no time for sentiment. He quickly led people to search each location, checking for any important items left behind. He was busy until nearly lamplight time before slipping away in disguise, blending into the crowd.
Meanwhile, other warning signals had arrived—at the door of the Huifu Street residence, someone had left a shattered black clay pot. This was the signal from his informants placed in the Nanhai, Panyu, and Guangzhou yamens, indicating that officials were about to move against him.
By now, the entire Huifu Street residence and businesses, as well as Zhiming Tower, were completely empty. Each location had only two employees and ten Qiwei escort guards left to watch the properties.
"Everyone gone?" In a side chamber, a middle-aged man of impressive bearing in brocade robes and jade belt casually asked while leafing through a book.
"Reporting to Your Excellency: now only a few escort guards are watching the properties at each location."
"Has Nanhai County sent anyone?"
"No."
The book-reading middle-aged man was none other than Guangdong Governor Li Fengjie. Early that morning, the Nanhai County Magistrate had personally come to consult him: LĂĽ Yizhong had given him a note ordering immediate arrest of Pei Lixiu. Should he proceed?
Normally, the magistrate wouldn't have come to consult him. When the Governor-General's advisor wanted someone arrested, there was no reason to refuse. But arresting Master Guo's concubine was a different matter entirely.
Quite a few important people besides Tian Hongyu and Eunuch Yang had their eyes on the three Purple-Character properties. The Nanhai County Magistrate feared that if he helped Lü Yizhong arrest the woman and thereby delivered the properties into the Tian Imperial Father-in-law's hands—then if Eunuch Yang and other powerful figures were angered at him, he couldn't afford the consequences. So he hurried to report to the Governor.
"If Advisor LĂĽ wants to arrest someone, let him. However, your county's charity granary should be inspected. Why don't you go inspect the charity granary first?" Li Fengjie said ambiguously.
"Yes, yes, this humble official understands." The magistrate caught his meaning perfectly.
After the magistrate left, Li Fengjie paced several circles in his study. He summoned a constable:
"Go to Guangzhou Prefecture. Have them prepare the warrants for arrest. Prepare to mobilize to arrest Guo Yi and the other Australian criminals!"
Then he summoned a trusted advisor and gave him detailed instructions.
Now, hearing the report from the advisor he had sent, everything was proceeding according to his plan. He felt quite pleased.
Hmph, let's see how you people with your wishful thinking can make this work. Imagining LĂĽ Yizhong's embarrassment when he couldn't account for this to Tian Da, Li Fengjie smiled with satisfaction.
The next day, runners from Nanhai County and Guangzhou Prefecture mobilized in force, separately sealing the Huifu Street residence, Purple Treasure Shop, Purple Treasure Studio, and Zhiming Tower. Of course, they caught neither Guo Yi nor Pei Lixiu—not a single principal. Even Sun Chang, Shen Fan, and other "witnesses to be brought in for questioning" had all vanished without a trace. Only a dozen or so escort guards watching the properties were taken to the yamen. These guards naturally knew nothing—just that Master Guo had hired them to watch the properties. Sun Kecheng had long prepared the "big threshold" calling cards and silver. Before evening, he had bailed out all the guards.
Wanted posters with portraits were immediately posted at all city gates for Guo Yi and the others. But everyone knew this was futile. Those who knew the inside story of the seizure all knew the Australians had left very leisurely—obviously planned long in advance.
Wang Zunde was extremely displeased. The search results were highly disappointing. Whether Huifu Street or the three Purple-Character establishments, the seized goods and valuables—Australian merchandise—were plentiful enough. But important documents and correspondence were completely absent. Land deeds, property deeds, account books—all gone without a trace! As for personnel, never mind "principals"—they couldn't find any significant employees!
Hearing Guangzhou Prefecture's report, he knew someone must have leaked the information. He couldn't help feeling secretly resentful. Who could it have been? Li Fengjie had ordered Guo Yi's arrest—since he wanted the arrest, he certainly wouldn't have tipped them off. Think as he might, he couldn't figure out who would have leaked this information.
Thinking that someone in Guangzhou city didn't prioritize the court but instead tipped off the Australians, Wang Zunde was extremely vexed. He wanted to investigate, but couldn't figure out where to start. The Governor-General's yamen, the Governor's yamen, Guangzhou Prefecture, and Nanhai County all knew about the seizure and arrests. These four yamens together had several hundred officials large and small. Any of them could have known.
Could it be that all of Guangzhou city was full of traitors colluding with the short-hairs? Great worry rose in Wang Zunde's heart.
Just then, LĂĽ Yizhong came seeking an audience, asking how to handle the seized pirate properties.
"How much was seized?" Ever since someone had secretly informed him that Advisor Lü had privately sent a note to Nanhai County ordering the arrest of Pei Lixiu, Wang Zunde's trust in this advisor had greatly decreased. He had always looked down on meritorious nobles and imperial relatives—believing they either coasted on ancestors' achievements or rode on women's coattails, possessing no real talent, only knowing how to plunder for themselves. That Advisor Lü associated with such people made him quite contemptuous—this person was simply too fixated on fame and fortune!
"Guangzhou Prefecture and Nanhai County are still tallying. A detailed list will be submitted shortly. Here's a brief summary." LĂĽ Yizhong's expression was dark. He had given Tian Da his guarantee, but the Nanhai County Magistrate happened to be away from the yamen that day. Other county officials either claimed to be busy or said it was inconvenient to act without the magistrate. The result was a one-day delay in making the arrest, and Zhiming Tower was already empty. Then Guangzhou Prefecture's runners came to seal everything. Not only had the dedication completely failed, but Tian Da's desired Pei Lixiu hadn't been caught either.
Tian Da had flown into a rage—he had accomplished nothing on this trip to Guangzhou. How could he report back? At Lü Yizhong's residence, he cursed him roundly and threatened to strip him of his advisor position, leaving Lü Yizhong utterly humiliated.
Wang Zunde casually flipped through the list. Besides the properties on Huifu Street and Zhiming Tower, there were various commercial "money-making tools," chairs and benches, and some small machines of unknown purpose...
Wang Zunde wasn't interested in these. What concerned him was how much could be confiscated.
Much was seized from the various properties, but no silver. He looked again—no gold or silver at all. Besides leftover merchandise, there were only ornaments and decorations. The most valuable items were the full-length glass mirror and big mahogany clock in Pei Lixiu's room.
"No gold, silver, or valuables?" Wang Zunde asked. He had originally hoped the confiscated valuables could be used to reward the soldiers when the expedition departed.
"Besides various merchandise, only several hundred pieces of brocade women's clothing were found. Also several hundred bolts of silk and fabric. And several dozen boxes of women's jewelry."
"What use is this!" Wang Zunde shook his head in disappointment. These things couldn't reward the army, let alone supplement military pay. As for converting seized goods to cash—that would take months. Besides, he knew well how subordinates handled such matters, inevitably enriching themselves. If three or four taels out of ten taels' worth of goods actually made it to the treasury, that would be good. He suddenly grew suspicious: had the subordinates privately embezzled a lot of gold and silver? But then he thought they might embezzle half at most—they absolutely wouldn't dare omit everything from the list.
"I heard the Purple-Character establishments had extensive dealings with major establishments in Guangzhou. Aren't there deposits elsewhere?" Wang Zunde asked.
"Without account books, we don't know the names or amounts. No way to pursue."
"Hmph! Immediately post a notice requiring all establishments to self-report, with a deadline for payment. Anyone who fails to report or pay—this Governor will not be lenient!"
"Yes." Lü Yizhong thought the Governor-General's bluster to force merchants to hand over Australian payments probably wouldn't work—Gao Ju alone wouldn't comply. With account books, there would at least be some evidence.
However, not producing any silver at all would look too bad. Lü Yizhong's mind quickly calculated—when the time came, no matter what, he would have to pressure establishments that had dealt with the Purple-Character establishments to contribute some silver as a token. This way he should be able to scrape together fifty or sixty thousand taels. Not quite enough for military pay, but enough for rewards and bonuses.
LĂĽ Yizhong knew this business with Tian Da had cost him Wang Zunde's trust. He decided to try to recover some ground in this matter.
While Guangzhou city was in an uproar over the Guangzhou Station's leftover assets, Guo Yi and the others had already left the city. However, they weren't far away. Zhang Xin was stationed at the Qiwei Escort Bureau's Dongguan branch, directing the bureau's operations. Now their main eyes and ears were the escort bureau. Some of the indigenous workers evacuated from Guangzhou were also temporarily under his command, scattered out to gather news—especially news of imperial army movements.
As for Delong Bank, Meng Xian had also prepared for transfer—though everyone judged Delong's risk was low—he had made backups of all account books. The originals had all been transferred to a secret location for storage. The most important were several secret exchange accounts, all belonging to Guangzhou's high officials and nobles. Some materials—just leaking a hint would make excellent fodder for censors' hearsay memorials. For safety, Meng Xian had also temporarily moved to a safe house in the city to hide, leaving the manager to handle all counter business.
Others dispersed to various county towns in the Pearl River Delta, hiding and waiting for opportunities to act. Yan Maoda simply went to Leizhou to discuss the next steps in sugar industry cooperation and Vietnam trade with the Leizhou Station.
As for Guo Yi, he decided to take this opportunity to return to Lingao once—partly to report, partly to discuss next steps with the Colonial Trade Department and Foreign Intelligence Bureau.
(End of Chapter)