Chapter 1652 - The Staff Reconnaissance

Upon receiving his assignment, Lin Ming understood that the Australians intended to make great use of him. This was the moment to demonstrate his loyalty. Though his heart remained in turmoil, he could read the grand trends clearly enough—he knew that the chance to follow a rising dragon came only once. Only by seizing it could he secure lasting prosperity for his children and grandchildren. He steeled himself and first paid a visit to his Centurion Garrison. The garrison's senior Centurion was old and senile, long since indifferent to affairs and interested only in collecting his stipend. Within this small garrison, Lin Ming's word was law.

Lin Ming first prepared a set of official documents. In the name of the Centurion Garrison, he dispatched notices to the county yamens and garrison posts along the West and North Rivers, stating that this station was handling "a major investigative case" and requesting their cooperation. In truth, his Foshan Centurion Garrison had no connection whatsoever to the counties along the route—they weren't even on the same administrative level—and an ordinary centurion was hardly more than a glorified foot soldier, a petty official of negligible rank. But the Jinyiwei's prestige still carried weight, and most yamens would show some face. Free food, lodging, and conscripted porters along the way would present no problem.

With these matters arranged, he returned home to settle his household affairs. He told them he would be away on official business for several months. Though his wives and concubines were reluctant to see him go, they could not obstruct official duties—there were only the usual streams of cautions and reminders. Lin Ming, eager to please his new superiors, had his womenfolk prepare various "travel dishes" for the journey, explaining that he needed them to "show respect to his superiors."

After waiting several days, the Instructor again invited him to "enjoy some flowers and wine," and on a flower boat, he met the "guests from the Center."

There were three visitors in total. The leader was not yet thirty—handsome and tall. Beside him was a man in his thirties with a full beard, powerfully built and clearly a martial practitioner. The third was a young man in his twenties, dark-skinned and radiating an air of sharp capability.

Though their appearances differed, all three possessed the same trim, hardy physique, and each seemed brimming with vigor and spirit. Lin Ming was no fool—he had already met several "Australian Chiefs" in Lingao, and he could tell at a glance from their bearing and demeanor that these three were most likely Transmigrators.

The arrival of three Transmigrators at once spoke volumes about the mission's importance. He quickly stepped forward, bowed deeply in the Manchu style, and announced in a clear voice: "Your humble officer Lin Ming, reporting to the three sirs."

"No need for formalities," the leader said. "My surname is Suo. In public, you may call me Master Suo."

"Yes, your humble officer understands."

Master Suo introduced the others in turn: "This is Master Kang; this is Master Xie."

Lin Ming dared not be careless. Regardless of how Master Suo told him "not to stand on ceremony," he still insisted on bowing to each one in turn. Once greetings were complete, they all sat down. Lin Ming perched on only half his seat, maintaining the respectful posture of one ready to receive orders at any moment.

Suo Pu observed the centurion's manner and privately felt disdainful—this man clearly had deep-seated bureaucratic habits. But seeing as he was newly surrendered rather than a naturalized citizen, one couldn't expect too much.

He opened his mouth: "Comrade Lin Ming—"

Lin Ming immediately sprang to his feet: "Please instruct me, sir—"

Suo Pu waved his hand in displeasure: "Comrade Lin Ming! You can put away this old Ming Dynasty manner. We officials all serve the Council of Elders and the People—we don't practice this kind of empty, hypocritical ceremony!"

"Yes, yes, your humble officer understands!"

"Sit down and talk." Suo Pu had always had reservations about former officials, and Centurion Lin's behavior only made him more disagreeable.

Lin Ming realized his approach had fallen flat. Knowing the Australians had no use for such things, he quickly sat back down.

"The Center says you're very familiar with the situation in Guangdong, so this mission requires you to serve as our guide, leading us deep into the West and North River regions." Suo Pu chose his words carefully. "Do you have any difficulties? Speak now, and we can discuss solutions together. Don't wait until the last moment to say this won't work and that won't work."

"I wouldn't dare. It's my honor to guide you, sirs." Lin Ming smiled ingratiatingly. "There are some difficulties, naturally, but nothing I can't overcome."

"Good. Then we're counting on you for everything." Seeing his straightforward response, without posturing or demands, Suo Pu's impression improved slightly. "How specifically we proceed—that's for you to propose."

"I've already given it thought," Lin Ming said. Eager to demonstrate his worth before his new superiors, he had already run through all the arrangements in his mind. "May I ask which route the gentlemen plan to take first?"

Suo Pu and the others had already discussed this beforehand: of Guangdong's three rivers, the West River had the best navigation conditions. Via the West River, they could not only control and influence the mountainous region of western Guangdong but also penetrate directly into Guangxi's most prosperous areas. The Yamen of the Ming Governor-General of Liang-Guang was located in Zhaoqing Prefecture along the West River, where Ming troops were stationed. This was the key area for military operations and warranted advance reconnaissance. So they had decided to travel the West River first, then the North River.

"We plan to take the West River first," Suo Pu said. "Upstream all the way to Wuzhou."

Lin Ming's heart lurched. Once you left Sanshui, the West River led straight to Zhaoqing Prefecture—the seat of the Governor-General of Liang-Guang! It was still garrisoned by several battalions. For these Australians to choose the West River first—the intent was self-evident.

"The West River is easy. It's deep and wide. We need only prepare a large vessel in advance—spacious and comfortable for living. If you wish to bring any lady companions, that would also be convenient..." As he spoke, he watched the Australians' reactions from the corner of his eye.

After his time in Lingao, he knew the Transmigrators valued their female servants greatly, investing vast sums in them, so he concluded they must be fond of women and tried to cater to this.

"This is official business. Why would we bring lady companions?" Suo Pu frowned.

"Yes, yes." Seeing that his read was completely off the mark, Lin Ming decided to stop trying to show off. He simply explained his prepared plan for traveling under the guise of a Jinyiwei investigation.

"...With the Jinyiwei title, not only will passing through checkpoints be convenient, but we can also request support from county yamens along the way. Whatever we need to do will be convenient. What do the gentlemen think?"

Suo Pu nodded—the idea wasn't bad at all. Though he found it somewhat ironic: the General Staff's reconnaissance tour for the Guangdong Campaign would be conducted under a Ming banner, using Ming resources. Truly thought-provoking.

"All right, we'll follow your plan."

"Very well. I'll go prepare the vessels..."

"You needn't worry about vessels," Suo Pu said. "I've already arranged that."

Before they had set out, the Qiwei Escort Bureau had already received orders to prepare a boat and reliable boatmen, along with several escorts to accompany them. The waterways of Ming-era Guangdong were no peaceful domain—to say nothing of river pirates everywhere, even ordinary boatmen and fishermen would murder and plunder without hesitation if given the chance.

Though Lin Ming's official credentials would provide cover, whether the river rogues would respect them remained to be seen.

"First stop: Sanshui County," Suo Pu said.

From Foshan to Sanshui was only a little over thirty kilometers. In the twenty-first century, Sanshui was a district of Foshan, but in the Ming dynasty, it was a county under Guangzhou Prefecture. Its history was not long—it had only been separated from Nanhai and Gaoyao Counties during the Jiajing reign. Its county seat, Hekou Town, was located at the northwestern corner of the Pearl River Delta, where the West River, North River, and Sui River converged—hence the name "Three Waters." This place was the gateway from Guangzhou to western Guangdong and Guangxi. Especially since western and northern Guangdong were mountainous with poor overland transport, cargo and passengers largely depended on shipping via the West and North Rivers. Its geographical advantages were obvious. Hence, in 1895, it was opened as a treaty port and a customs house was established. At the time, British customs officers wrote in their reports: "The extensive North River basin remains virtually undeveloped. These areas are extremely rich in mineral products, which can easily be transported to Sanshui for transshipment or processing. Sanshui's geographic position is similar to Guangzhou's, and it is extremely convenient for travel to and from Hong Kong. It seems destined to become a great commercial port and a natural distribution center between two great rivers."

This exceptional location made it not only the province's busiest river port but also gave rise to Guangdong's first railway: the Guangzhou-Sanshui Railway.

It was for this reason that Suo Pu had proposed at the General Staff meeting that this location be designated as the main logistics depot for the Guangdong Campaign. Supplies, ammunition, wounded soldiers, replacements, and war booty would all be collected and distributed here. And in the future, when the Council of Elders launched major economic development in Guangdong, this would become a materials transshipment center.

Suo Pu's purpose in coming was to conduct the pre-campaign staff reconnaissance for the Guangdong Campaign. Accompanying him from the General Staff was another Transmigrator, Kang Mingsi, while the young man was not a Transmigrator but Suo Pu's prized disciple, Xie Peng. This young man had been designated by the General Staff as a priority candidate for staff officer training and was here specifically for practical experience.

The reason for having Lin Ming serve as guide was the complex social conditions along the West and North Rivers. Although the Jinyiwei was "official," it dealt with investigations and thus had extensive contact with the lower strata of society and was familiar with social conditions. Compared to the escort bureau, the Jinyiwei's status made everyone wary, and they would give face when it mattered.

"Is this Lin Ming reliable?" Kang Mingsi couldn't help asking after Lin Ming had left.

"The Center says he can be trusted." Though Suo Pu found him somewhat unreliable, with his deep-rooted old habits, their conversation had left him with the impression that the man was not actually cunning. "Let's trust the Center's judgment."

The Intelligence Network's Instructor smiled. "Rest easy, gentlemen. He has a whole family in Foshan—four concubines alone. If he wanted to harbor ill intentions, he'd have to think about his own people first."

"Four concubines? He's certainly capable," Kang Mingsi remarked offhandedly.

"This Centurion Lin is renowned for collecting beautiful concubines. But that's not even the remarkable part," the Instructor said. "What's remarkable is that while other families' wives and concubines fight and squabble constantly, his household is uniquely harmonious. People outside all say Lady Lin is virtuous."

"Virtuous? Heh." Suo Pu chuckled. "Enough about his family affairs. When will Qiwei's boat be ready?"

"The boat has arrived. It's moored in the outer river, awaiting orders," the Instructor said. "The bureau sent six skilled men, all aboard. The boatmen are also bureau-selected—they know the routes well, and they're all reliable."

(End of Chapter)