Chapter 1631 - Going to Guangzhou
"No, Uncle Xiao. Whatever the Senate or Executive Committee wants to rule has nothing to do with me. My opinion is already on this pardon letter: I forgive her for the crimes she committed against me. As for whether you pardon her or hang her out of consideration for your grand ambitions—I'm not interested." Zhang Yunmi's voice was flat. "I have no intention of interfering with the trial. What I mean is: Can I not appear in court?"
"As the party involved, it wouldn't be appropriate for you not to attend," Xiao Zishan said.
"I can designate someone to represent me. I think you can understand, Uncle Xiao..."
Xiao Zishan nodded. Looking at it from her perspective, the situation was indeed quite awkward.
"Let Ziqi take my place in court. I'll sign an authorization letter, entrusting her with full authority to represent me—her opinion is my opinion. Except she can't overturn my pardon letter."
"Alright. I'll raise this with the Arbitration Tribunal. Let them arrange it."
"Thank you, Uncle Xiao." Zhang Yunmi said. "I know this matter isn't easy for you adults."
"Not at all." Xiao Zishan shook his head with a bitter smile. "Guangzhou isn't in our hands yet. Since you feel the Academy dormitory isn't suitable, why not move to the Second Guesthouse first?"
"I don't want to stay in Lingao anymore. If it's not too much trouble, just send me wherever you like, Uncle Xiao. Let me have some peace and quiet. Preferably off Hainan Island."
"I can arrange for you to go to Hong Kong." Xiao Zishan said. "But it's very boring there..."
"It doesn't matter. I'll go to Hong Kong then."
"You first submit an internship application through the Academy. I'll tell Hu Qingbai to green-light it to the Organization Department immediately."
Watching Zhang Yunmi turn and leave, Xiao Zishan sighed silently. Actually, this matter was not complicated. Unfortunately, "no Senator matter is small"—any carelessness could affect unity, and worse, set a bad precedent for the future.
The truth was, anyone with discerning eyes could see that at this point, the case had little to do with Old Zhang's or Little Zhang's wishes anymore. Zhang Yunmi's strategic retreat, though somewhat passive, at least spared them the trouble of a crowd scrambling to eat human blood steamed buns.
The telephone on the desk rang. It was Ding Ding calling, asking again about the scope of reporting on this matter.
"I'll say it again: This matter is not allowed in the papers. Correct—apart from Morning Star, it's not to be published in any media that naturalized citizens can see. This is the Executive Committee's decision. Correct, the Standing Committee feels the same way!" Xiao Zishan reiterated. "This is a matter of right and wrong. You must hold firm and not let your ears go soft."
He put down the phone, feeling annoyed at Ding Ding's failure to "correctly comprehend the guiding spirit." This fellow was, after all, from a journalism background, still full of his journalism philosophy—plus his girlfriend's inclinations...
It seemed the Propaganda Department should still be managed by people from the propaganda system. In the future, Comrade Ding Ding should just focus on his professionally appropriate and promising job as chief editor of the newspaper.
A few days later, Zhang Yunmi boarded the Dabo Shipping scheduled liner to Hong Kong under the General Office's arrangement. As a Senator, she was escorted by guards dispatched by the General Office and stayed in the most luxurious stern cabin of the T800. Among the passengers in steerage below deck was one Second Young Master Huang Binkun.
Huang Binkun's destination was not Hong Kong. He did not even know there was an island in the world called Hong Kong. His destination was Guangzhou.
The idea of fleeing to the Mainland had been with him for a long time, but Huang Binkun had never acted on it—too many household matters. Old Master Huang had become a County Councilor, and now, besides being away from home all day for observation tours, study sessions, and meetings, he also had to respond to the Hair-bandits' various "campaigns" every now and then. As a County Councilor, he had to set an example. Sometimes it was the "Exterminate Rats and Eliminate Pests Campaign," sometimes the "Clean Up the Countryside Campaign," most recently the "Every Household Plant One-Tenth Acre of Castor Beans Campaign." Every time, the Huang family had to respond by mobilizing the whole village. Meanwhile, Big Brother had to manage the family business, so these miscellaneous matters inevitably fell on his shoulders.
The village and home were not peaceful either. Big Brother's children ran in and out of the house every day carrying paper flags pasted on bamboo strips, buckets of whitewash in hand, painting Huang Family Village with slogans everywhere. It was annoying to look at.
Fortunately, a distant relative of the Huang family on the Mainland wanted to relocate to Lingao. Huang Binkun seized the opportunity and asked for this errand, heading to Guangzhou.
After drifting at sea for a few days, Huang Binkun felt a joyful sense of escaping a cage. No matter how powerful the Hair-bandits were in Hainan, they were few in number and held little land. The Great Ming had received Heaven's mandate for over two hundred years, possessed all under heaven, and enjoyed deep benevolence and abundant grace. Surely there would be righteous men to restore the fallen lands.
Huang Binkun had originally hoped that upon arriving in Guangzhou, he could find a way to maneuver into the private staff of some local dignitary. With his understanding of the Hair-bandits' internal affairs, he could influence his employer, memorialize the court to strictly enforce maritime prohibition, and undermine the Hair-bandits' foundations.
However, he soon experienced the meaning of "ideals are plump, reality is bony."
As soon as the boat passed Hong Kong Island, he saw ships flying the blue-and-white double-star flag, belching black smoke, chugging back and forth in the bay. In the distance loomed the giant ships of the Hair-bandits, their black hulls seeming to cover a vast expanse of sea. Not a single shadow of the Great Ming's naval forces could be seen. Fishermen all flew the Hair-bandits' fishing flags when going out to sea. Small boats constantly rushed to the Hair-bandits' ships, hawking vegetables, wine, and food.
This scene made Huang Binkun somewhat anxious. This magnificent Pearl River estuary of the Great Ming had actually become the Hair-bandits' domain, and Great Ming officials could only let it be. Even if everything went smoothly for him in Guangzhou, it would take ten years of recuperation to restore Lingao. Setting aside everything else, just amassing ships to match these giant vessels would take several years of effort.
When the boat docked, Huang Binkun's anxious mood sank to the bottom. The traces of the great fire that had burned the Five Rams Station still had not been repaired. Just to the southeast of the city stood a giant fortress by the river, looking in style exactly like the Hair-bandits' fortress form. Below the giant fortress walls was a wharf, countless Hair-bandit ships moored, cranes spewing black smoke as they hoisted goods from the vessels.
Inside and outside the giant fortress, scaffolding stood in groves. Yet a main road had already been paved from the city gate, using the same black cinder as in Lingao—laid flat, with roadside trees planted on both sides. The saplings were small, but lined up along the street they looked quite neat. On both sides of the road stood sparse houses and shops. Pedestrians flowed unceasingly: small vendors in vests and short shirts, groups of workers in coarse cloth walking by, lavishly decorated sedan chairs swaying toward the giant fortress, no telling who was inside.
This scene reminded Huang Binkun of when the Hair-bandits had just arrived in Lingao: building their fortress at Bairen, establishing their market at the East Gate. He sighed secretly: Is what happened in Lingao going to be replayed in Guangzhou?
Carrying his luggage, Huang Binkun walked slowly off the ship. Now he no longer felt the joy of escaping a cage—only bewilderment. In Guangzhou, the Hair-bandits obviously had not openly presided over county affairs as they did in Lingao. But judging by appearances, this business of transforming the civilized with barbarians was replaying itself.
The pier was packed as usual with inn servants soliciting customers.
"Sir, come stay at our place? Our establishment is clean and tidy, with convenient facilities!"
"Sir, our establishment is an affiliate of the Qiwei Inn! No one in Guangzhou City can compare to us..."
"This gentleman, the latest Guangzhou Travel Guide—get a copy? Comes with a free pleasure-seeking map!"
The servants and hawkers swarmed the pier. Huang Binkun pushed away those crowding him with distaste. The city gate was not much different from his memory. When he was young, he had been to Guangzhou. In his recollection, Guangzhou was a prosperous and wealthy First City of the South. The neatness of its streets and prosperity of its market had given this young man from a remote small county quite a shock.
However, now as he walked into the city, he felt somewhat disappointed. The city gate still bore the blackened marks of a great fire—reportedly from the fire the Hair-bandits set when they came to the city gates last time. Although the city had streets paved with flagstones, compared to the current roads in Lingao County Town, these flagstones were neither flat nor neatly laid. They looked rather shabby. Many side streets and alleys had no flagstones at all—not even gravel—just mud roads that left his feet covered in muck.
The shops on both sides of the streets looked gray and grimy, their goods crude in quality. The walls were covered with urine stains and piled with garbage. Sewage flowed everywhere. He examined these shops with disdain, feeling they were not only unlike his memory of grandeur but actually somewhat shabby.
What he found even more unacceptable: on the roadside, at the base of walls, in nooks and crannies, there were always remnants and traces of human waste. Some weak beggars lay right next to the excrement, stretching out withered arms to beg from passersby. There had not been any beggars in Lingao County for a long time—as long as you were human, there was work to do; even the disabled had jobs arranged. Those unwilling to work found themselves working once they went to the labor reform team. Although Huang Binkun harbored many grievances against the Hair-bandits, he supported their policy of never tolerating "layabouts" with both hands.
The people in charge here are truly incompetent! Huang Binkun cursed silently. But the dirty roads and beggars in corners also told him clearly that the Hair-bandits had not yet completely extended their hands into Guangzhou City. Among ten households, there must be loyal and trustworthy men. There must be righteous men who would not bend to the Hair-bandits' tyranny.
Thinking of this, Huang Binkun's spirits rose somewhat, and he strode through the streets of Guangzhou. I must find the loyalist patriots who oppose the Hair-bandits. I must unite the gentry squeezed by the Hair-bandits. Encourage commerce and industry, build ships and train troops—
Huang Binkun grew more excited as he thought, his steps lighter and lighter. Then suddenly his foot stepped on something that felt cool but was actually warm, seemed hard but was actually soft. He looked down and saw it was a fresh, hot pile of diarrhea.
Huang Binkun stamped his foot and cried out in dismay: "Aiya! Bad luck! Bad luck! What shall I do?!"
The people on the street all looked rather strangely at this fellow making such a fuss.
Is he sick?
(End of Chapter)