Chapter 1113 - Inside and Outside Coordination
The Revenue Clerk reported that the bow-materials shop was owned by a man named Huang Yunyu. The shop dealt mainly in horn, sinew, and other bow-making materials, and also produced a small quantity of trade bows. Because its business required frequent dealings with major local ranchers and hunters, they needed connections with local powers.
Investigating along this thread, several suspicious individuals were quickly identified, and their relationships mapped out. The result was startling: multiple lines converged on one person—Kim Man-il, the island's wealthiest landowner.
This local tycoon's eagerness was deeply suspicious.
After some consideration, Liu Fuqing expanded the surveillance of Pak Deokhwan to include everyone he'd come in contact with at the pleasure houses. Finally, he added Pak Deokmeng to the surveillance list as well.
He then brought the gathered materials to Feng Zongze.
Feng Zongze leafed through them. When he saw Pak Deokhwan's name appearing repeatedly, his eyelids twitched violently. He slammed the table: "Pak Deokhwan! Damn him!"
He wasn't unaware that Pak Deokhwan had financial issues, but he'd refrained from investigating closely, thinking it would demonstrate that working for them had its rewards. He'd assumed that given his great favor, Pak Deokhwan would know when to stop. He hadn't expected him to be so bold—even getting involved in a "counter-revolutionary uprising."
Thinking of the trust he'd placed in Pak Deokhwan, Feng Zongze felt quite betrayed. His face darkened as he pondered whether to arrest him immediately. Liu Fuqing cautiously remained silent. After a long pause, Feng Zongze finally asked what the Political Security Bureau planned to do next.
"We've already arranged surveillance personnel to monitor the following individuals." He reported the specific surveillance measures in detail. "If there's any unusual activity, I'll report to you immediately."
After Liu Fuqing left, Feng Zongze hurried to find Xue Ziliang and briefed him on the situation. Xue Ziliang had received specialized training in counter-guerrilla and counter-insurgency operations. Based on the intelligence, he judged the enemy was likely to take action soon.
"The enemy has seized the initiative," Xue Ziliang said. "We still don't know exactly what they're planning. But judging from the rumors they've been spreading, they're likely to stage some large-scale terror attacks to further heighten the atmosphere..."
"You mean suicide bombers?" Feng Zongze's mind immediately conjured 21st-century news images.
"No, they don't have that capability—they might not even have that concept." Xue Ziliang shook his head. "Most likely it'll be arson and poisoning."
Both methods were relatively simple yet could cause significant social impact.
"I'll issue orders to upgrade the alert level immediately." Xue Ziliang took down his holster from the wall. "Upgrade to orange."
Orange signified "imminent attack"—it had only ever been issued once before, briefly in Lingao before the Second Anti-Encirclement Campaign.
After the warning was issued, Nangong Wudi immediately ordered additional sentries and roving patrols near wells, granaries, and other important structures. All naturalized citizens received orders to heighten their alert level. According to pre-prepared contingency plans, if a red alert was issued, all naturalized citizens would arm themselves and proceed to designated assembly points or maintain readiness in place—the entire city went into "loose outside, tight inside" mode.
The other two counties also received notice to raise their alert levels. Feng Zongze knew that given their strength, nothing foundation-shaking would occur. But precisely because of this, if serious losses did occur, he would lose all face.
Today was Sunday—ever since "Great Song" had arrived on the island, they'd begun implementing a calendar system completely different from the Ming's, including a seven-day weekly work schedule. Of course, neither naturalized citizens nor local Labor Service teams actually got Sundays off. But on this day, less critical departments and construction sites typically ended work two hours early. Markets were also organized in the city to sell various "Australian goods" shipped from Hong Kong—mainly daily necessities, cotton cloth, and silk. Mountain folk and herders would come to sell various local products as well.
Organizing markets and stimulating commerce was a consistent approach in Committee local administration. It wasn't just about obtaining local goods and increasing the population's economic dependence; it also served to gather intelligence.
This Sunday was as lively as usual. The streets were more crowded than normal. Shops and restaurants opened early. The newly-opened eateries were bustling with noise; large pots set up in courtyards along the street cooked mixed-grain rice and doenjang soup. Porcelain jars were filled with bright red kimchi—this new, flavorful pickle introduced by the "Dwarf-Crop-Heads" had immediately conquered the local populace. Many had begun learning to make "Great Song pickles." Demand for red chili powder on the island had skyrocketed.
This restaurant and several nearby sundry shops had been established on Feng Zongze's instructions by local Korean collaborators. Besides stimulating the economy, the purpose was to experiment with circulation vouchers. To implement circulation vouchers, there had to be redemption channels. Otherwise, their credit couldn't be established.
Small peddlers carrying heavy bundles on back-frames arrived from all directions, bringing coarse grains, vegetables, seafood, fruits, and various local products. They set out their wares on spread-out wrapping cloths and competed in hawking their goods. Jang Seong-seol carried a Guangdong-made bamboo basket, wandering here and there, asking prices at stalls like a housewife shopping.
Jang Seong-seol was now Pak Deokhwan's servant girl—actually a chess piece placed at his side by Cho Myeong-gwi's faction. Ostensibly to cultivate him, covertly to monitor him. Beyond that, there was a second purpose: to turn him when the time came.
The business about Lord Kim's illegitimate daughter being married off was pure fabrication. But until Pak Deokhwan lost his usefulness, they needed someone at his side to monitor and control him at all times.
Since Cho Myeong-gwi had gone to the mountains to meet with Kim Dae-hae, word had quickly returned. The instruction was for Cho and his people in the city to make their move: first poison the wells, then commit arson. But no killing—unless it could be disguised as "sudden death" or an accident—because they needed to create the impression of "divine punishment." For this purpose, Kim Dae-hae would send several men into the city.
Following Cho Myeong-gwi's instructions, Jang Seong-seol had come to the market specifically to scout whether Kim Dae-hae's men had entered the city. She asked prices here, examined goods there, while actually searching intently for people bearing special markers.
Jang Seong-seol was Cho Myeong-gwi's bondservant. Years ago, when plague swept the island, her entire family had collapsed in front of Cho Myeong-gwi's shop. He'd given them medicine and saved their lives. From that day, Jang Seong-seol had become his loyal servant. Whatever the master ordered, she did without question.
Suddenly her eyes lit up. Ahead, three peddlers approached carrying back-frames. The one in front was very young; the one at the rear was a wizened, bony old man; in the middle walked a robust man in his prime. On the surface, they looked no different from the mountain folk around them.
Jang Seong-seol quickly looked at their feet. All three wore blue cloth strips binding their trouser cuffs, with straw sandals. The sandal straps bore an inconspicuous section dyed black.
She quickly stepped aside, watching them find an empty spot, spread out their wrapping cloths, and begin hawking their wares. They were selling dried mushrooms from the mountains. Jang Seong-seol hurried over to ask prices, made a show of picking through the mushrooms for a long time, and bought some to take back.
These three sold their dried mushrooms, then went to an eatery and stuffed themselves with doenjang soup over brown rice. They sat in a tea shop for half the day. As soon as darkness fell, they slipped into Cho Myeong-gwi's shop.
Kim O-sun wore her newly-issued naturalized citizen uniform—satchel slung over her shoulder, canvas duty belt cinched at her waist—striding down the road with a martial air. Her hair had been cut short; she looked no different from any female naturalized citizen. The Kim family, father and daughter alike, had been formally added to the naturalized citizen cadre roster for their "high awareness" and "steadfastness." They were no longer "temporary" collaborators outside the system.
Kim O-sun was now "Women's Affairs Clerk." Feng Zongze had originally planned to send her and a batch of "young activists" to Lingao for training, but the tense situation had postponed that for now. Still, Kim O-sun had already learned much about Lingao from her interactions with other naturalized cadres and was filled with longing for this "holy land."
She led a team of Labor Service workers to the horse corrals outside the city. Nick needed large amounts of labor. Every week, a batch of Labor Service workers was conscripted to help with various rough work at the corrals: cleaning stalls, chopping fodder, cutting and drying hay. They also helped level ground and dig ditches—preparation for planting quality pasture grass.
After delivering the Labor Service workers to the corrals, she herself went to a small building on the outer perimeter of the horse ranch. A new dam had been built here to collect spring water flowing down from the mountains. Channels carried the clean water into the corrals for the horses to drink. For this purpose, a sluice gate and a small gatehouse had been installed.
Kim O-sun's brother, Kim Yuk-sun, was in charge of guarding the sluice at the horse ranch. As she approached, Kim Yuk-sun was polishing the iron handwheel on the sluice gate.
(End of Chapter)