Chapter 1795 - The Missing Wang Daniao
"Perhaps... someone doesn't want us to know that Wang Daniao is already dead," Li Zhenguo suggested.
"Then decapitation makes sense—but why castrate him?" Wu Xiang still couldn't understand.
"I think it carries the same meaning as removing the head." Gao Chongjiu considered for a moment. "Captain Wu, do you know how the nickname Wang Daniao—'Big Bird Wang'—came about?"
It transpired that Wang Daniao was "endowed with extraordinary talent," his "instrument magnificent," and he was notoriously fond of women. His colleagues at the yamen had bestowed this sobriquet upon him, and over time it had eclipsed his actual name entirely.
"I used to soak in the bathhouse with him. The size of his equipment was quite astonishing." A crude smile flickered across Gao Chongjiu's face. "This Wang Daniao was tremendously lecherous—several wives and concubines at home, yet still pursuing other women outside. Quite famous for it around the yamen."
The reasoning held water. The criminal police decided to first confirm whether the corpse was indeed Wang Daniao's.
How to verify? When Wang Daniao fled, he had departed hastily, taking only his son and primary wife. Several female relatives remained at home. Finding a few who had shared Wang Daniao's bed should allow identification of distinctive characteristics.
Wu Xiang dispatched officers to the Wang residence—though the family hadn't been formally raided, they remained under surveillance—and summoned all of Wang Daniao's concubines.
After examination, the identification was confirmed: the headless corpse in South Scissors Alley was Wang Daniao.
The concubines also identified several clothing items found at the scene as Wang Daniao's possessions.
Li Zhenguo's deduction—that decapitation and castration were meant to obscure the victim's identity—now seemed increasingly plausible.
"After three or four days of circling, we finally stand at the starting point," Wu Xiang remarked with weary satisfaction.
Only by establishing the victim's identity could a murder investigation truly begin.
With the case advanced to this stage, the police assembled a rough reconstruction of the crime.
The victim, Wang Daniao, had been hiding in Widow Wang's home for over a month. During this period, the murderer had frequently visited to meet him, arriving late and departing early, spending nights at the house—clearly intent on concealing his own identity. Despite being in danger, Wang Daniao had met with him repeatedly and permitted overnight stays, indicating not merely acquaintance but an extraordinary relationship. The two were very likely conspiring together.
For reasons yet unknown, the murderer had decided to kill Wang Daniao. The motive likely involved seizing something of value. Wu Xiang believed that something was probably the Drain Map.
For Wang Daniao, nothing mattered more than this map. When fleeing his home, he had left behind gold, silver, and treasures, taking only the Drain Map. Given its importance, he likely kept it on his person at all times.
However, existing evidence could not determine whether the murderer had obtained the Drain Map.
In the course of killing Wang Daniao, Widow Wang had played the role of accomplice. Her participation in disposing of the corpse suggested she was not coerced but had belonged to the murderer's circle from the beginning. That the murderer silenced her indicated she likely possessed critical knowledge—at minimum, she knew what the murderer and Wang Daniao had been discussing.
After deliberation, the special task force decided to begin screening the interpersonal networks surrounding Wang Daniao, Wang Dong, and Wang Xiuzhu. Simultaneously, they would attempt to locate Wang Dong—the task force believed he likely maintained another residence within Guangzhou City. A young man of his pleasure-seeking disposition would hardly content himself hibernating in some corner. Finding him should prove easier.
Liu Xiang set down the latest issue of Public Security Brief that Mu Min had sent and addressed Lin Baiguang. "It seems this matter is not straightforward."
Lin Baiguang nodded. "Beyond doubt. Wang Daniao's case almost certainly involves political factors." He unhurriedly extinguished his cigarette. "Obviously, a murderer taking such elaborate pains to dispose of a mere labor foreman makes no sense. And that Drain Map—structurally important, certainly, but useless to any individual."
"Correct. And this Zhuti Silver also smells strange." Liu Xiang felt unsettled. The municipal government was deep in preparations for the new currency issuance. The sudden appearance of Zhuti Silver left him restless.
"That mystery, I'm afraid, will only be solved after catching the murderer," Lin Baiguang said. "But don't worry too much. This won't significantly impact the new financial market order."
The quantity of Zhuti Silver seized remained small, and the Great Library's reply indicated that large-scale inflow into Guangzhou was virtually impossible. Even if it did flow in substantially, it wouldn't matter—Zhuti Silver contained nickel, which the industrial sector welcomed. If natives wished to develop this trade, all supplies should be purchased.
"Ideally, yes." Liu Xiang frowned. "In my view, the work of clearing drains and dredging silt can wait no longer. We originally hoped to find the Drain Map first, but the situation has grown complicated. With Wang Daniao dead, the map's whereabouts become even more obscure. We must begin work immediately."
Lin Baiguang nodded. "Agreed. I'll make arrangements. Incidentally, Lingao has offered technical support."
"Support would be excellent, but with or without it, we must start quickly. It rained a few days ago, and urban waterlogging is severe. I inspected the flooded areas—drains that don't drain, water bubbling up. The problems are substantial. But manpower remains insufficient."
Lin Baiguang smiled. "We now have preliminary grassroots organizations—we should use them. Manpower shortages don't matter. Mobilize through the baojia. One out of every three males to the construction sites, opening drains and clearing silt."
"Mobilizing such numbers, food becomes a major expense—plus tools..."
"We can levy a cleaning fee, collected according to housing area and number of permanent residents. Impose additional pollution discharge fees on heavy polluters." Lin Baiguang considered. "Guangzhou lacks any scavenger team. We can use this opportunity to establish one."
"Good heavens, collecting household by household—where do we find enough tax collectors? If we hand it to the police bureau, they'll run themselves ragged."
"The cleaning fee can be collected as a surtax," Lin Baiguang explained. "This is actually a local tax. We simply attach it to the retail link of grain. For every jin of grain sold, levy a certain amount of cleaning fee—people must eat, and to eat they must buy rice, paying the tax at purchase. This approach has another advantage: taxation in the circulation link is relatively invisible. In the twenty-first century, many people still believed direct tax was the only tax, spouting nonsense like 'most Chinese don't pay taxes.' In the seventeenth century, those who understand this are even fewer."
"Not a bad idea. But won't this drive up grain prices? You know we planned to levy business tax in the grain market."
The document establishing wholesale markets for grain and non-staple food had been officially issued days ago. Lin Baiguang had been scouting for suitable existing facilities—if none could be adapted, they would need to construct new ones.
"The tax amount is minuscule," Lin Baiguang assured him. "Small enough to ignore individually. But the grain consumed by Guangzhou's population each month is enormous. Aggregated, it becomes quite considerable."
"All right, you really do have a gift for this." Liu Xiang nodded. "While clearing drains, we should also clean up illegal structures and garbage throughout the city. We'll need careful planning."
Clearing drains was merely the first step; demolishing illegal structures was also straightforward. But disposing of the massive quantities of silt and garbage after clearing, and resettling residents after demolitions—all required advance planning.
Cleaning out thousands upon thousands of tons of garbage from a city of several hundred thousand at once, expecting surrounding villagers to immediately absorb it as fertilizer, was unrealistic. Designated stacking areas were essential. Once the poor living in illegal structures found their homes demolished and themselves homeless, they too would need places to go. Otherwise, serious social problems would ensue.
The two discussed at length, calculating specific resettlement methods and funding sources. Liu Xiang worked through figures with his pencil for some time before sighing. "This job is truly tedious."
"You, the one in charge, shouldn't get too mired in details. Assign the specific planning to Little Zhang—give her opportunities to develop." Lin Baiguang laughed. "She came to us for an internship. Best give her substantive work rather than endless paperwork."
"That's fair." Liu Xiang nodded and picked up another report on the table. These were the meeting minutes Zheng Shangjie had sent regarding the First Plenary Session of the Guangzhou General Chamber of Commerce. Liu Xiang recognized that the current proceedings were essentially official formalities—merchants still didn't fully understand what kind of regime the Senate represented. Following the traditional notion of "whoever holds power, obey them," industrialists and merchants inevitably appeared compliant on the surface, at the government's disposal. Expecting them to speak their true minds was unrealistic.
Though the proceedings were formal, Liu Xiang still reviewed the minutes carefully. The First Congress used proportional representation, roughly accommodating all constituencies. But examining the speeches, those who spoke most remained the major merchants and powerful guilds. Small and medium merchants barely participated at all, and the speech content was rather empty. Obviously, before the broader situation settled, no one wished to appear "too active."
But this hardly mattered. Liu Xiang understood the congress's primary purpose: establishing various trade associations underneath, organizing all industrial and commercial households. This would facilitate conveying the Senate's voice and directives while simplifying taxation.
Some larger industries—silk, grain, sauces and vinegar, printing and dyeing, spices, maritime trade—already possessed various guilds. But these organizations remained relatively loose. Due to differences among practitioners or conflicts of interest, multiple guilds within a single industry were common. Additionally, the vast numbers of small merchants and petty shops generally found it difficult to join guilds, remaining effectively outside the system.
End of Chapter