Chapter 2077 - Sanshui

Liu Si respectfully replied, "Yes." He knew the Council of Elders' methods: they would never simply have wealthy households contribute money and grain directly. Instead, they would ceremoniously levy some kind of universal tax, then shift most of the burden onto the wealthy through various "exemption clauses." The tax funds would then pay militia wages—this was called "separating revenue and expenditure." The purpose, of course, was to make the soldiers understand: it was the Council of Elders that fed them, not the local gentry.

Liu Si continued: "It's just that grain and weapons..."

"Foshan is one big ironware shop—and they used to have so many militia guards. Would militias be short of weapons? As for grain, you needn't worry once the transport lines are restored." Xi Yazhou spoke with confidence, waving his hand expansively. "Comrade Lin, I hear you have four concubines?"

Lin Ming was startled. Why would this Australian leader suddenly ask about his four concubines? In old official circles, pleasantries normally avoided family matters; at most one might inquire after "your honored wife." Concubines were servants, beneath mention. His heart sank. What if this Australian demanded he surrender his concubines? He couldn't bear to part with any—and even if he were willing, his wife would certainly refuse. But since his superior asked, he had to answer: "Yes, your humble servant does indeed have four secondary wives. Please don't mock me."

"Mock you for what?" Xi Yazhou laughed. "I've heard that despite having many wives and concubines, your household lives in harmony. Clearly you have skill in managing a family. Since ancient times, 'governing the state begins with ordering the household.' You're a local. You know the situation here well. In administering this town, you must contribute greatly. You served the Council of Elders before, and the Council will never forget your meritorious service—nor will it stint on ensuring your peace and prosperity."

"Yes, thank you for the Council's kindness. My humble household is overwhelmed with gratitude..." Lin Ming understood: these words were meant to reassure him, and also to "back him up" in his role as deputy mayor.

After inspecting all the affairs, Xi Yazhou returned to the Octopus and ordered departure.

From Foshan to Sanshui was about thirty kilometers by water. Though the Octopus was a steamboat, its speed was only six or seven kilometers per hour, and dragging several barges behind, it couldn't go much faster. Xi Yazhou had also spent several hours in Foshan. Fortunately, with the chaos of war, almost no vessels were sailing on the West River. The route was unobstructed. Before sunset, they finally arrived at Sanshui County seat.

Xi Yazhou stood on the bridge. The red sun had already set, stars were faintly visible, and in the twilight the black silhouette of the walled town emerged from the rice paddies and river networks. Hekou Town, where Sanshui County was located, was now close at hand. Atop Kuigang Hill, the Wen Pagoda stood sudden and imposing against the river, towering into the sky. Beyond the walls, the river spread broad and rolling. Xi Yazhou felt his spirits expand.

The Council of Elders' various vessels were mostly moored in Sixian Creek. Transport ships, landing craft large and small, gunboats—one after another, neatly aligned. Signal lights on the ships blinked in sequence, making the entire creek sparkle like the Milky Way.

This waterway was five meters deep, one hundred meters wide at the west mouth, two hundred meters at the east, and five hundred meters at its widest center—1.5 kilometers long. Not only was it an ideal anchorage, but it connected the West and North Rivers, making ship movements highly convenient. Departing from here, military supplies could be delivered via waterway, and the channel could serve as a pipeline drawing continuous resources from the Central and Western routes. When Thorpe conducted his staff tour in Guangdong, he had specially surveyed this location.

At the Hekou Town dock lay the Pearl River Detached Squadron flagship—the newly built 798-class river gunboat Lijiang. The 130mm muzzle-loading rifled gun's armored casemate was especially prominent against the deep blue night sky.

Though Xi Yazhou didn't particularly care about Army-Navy disputes, seeing this gunboat, he couldn't help cursing inwardly:

Damn it! All the glory goes to you lot! And the kind of glory that costs big money to boot!

Because of its strategic importance, the General Staff had specially dispatched Hong Huangnan to oversee operations and coordinate forward logistics—incidentally also avoiding Liu Xiang's nagging. Liu Xiang had been grumbling for ages about Hong reaching too far in Guangzhou, and had been endlessly bickering with the military.

Elder Hong was none too pleased with this assignment. His original plan was to ride the Northern Expedition's momentum and establish several Joint Logistics farms and orchards in prosperous Guangzhou Prefecture. He had already set his sights on Luogang in Panyu. But before he could make a move, orders transferred him to Sanshui. Though Guangzhou's logistics work was still nominally under his charge, not being there made things harder to manage.

The Octopus docked at Hekou Town's pier. The Council's Sanshui headquarters was established just outside Sanshui County's south gate, on Kuigang Hill. Less than a kilometer from Hekou Town, it was convenient for both liaising with civil offices in the city and commanding vessels on the river. Hong Huangnan had immediately identified this location upon arrival.

Xi Yazhou noticed bright lamplight atop the pagoda and thought they were using it as a lighthouse. Hong Huangnan certainly had ideas.

Guards were already waiting at the dock. Xi Yazhou had assumed that where there was a pagoda there would be a temple, and Hong Huangnan's headquarters would be in the temple. To his surprise, the guards said the command post was actually inside the Wen Pagoda itself.

"What? Inside the pagoda—how much room could there be?" Xi Yazhou was puzzled.

Though this Wen Pagoda resembled a Buddhist stupa in form, it actually had nothing to do with Buddhist temples. Rather, it was a fengshui structure. Such "Literary Pagodas" were built to encourage scholarship and inspire ambition—functioning similarly to "Zhuangyuan wells" or "Jinshi archways." The purpose was to "promote literary fortune and foster literary atmosphere." Though rare elsewhere, they were common public buildings in Lingnan.

Hong Huangnan was a Guangzhou native with a longstanding interest in Guangdong's cultural history, so naturally he knew the pagoda's origins. Moreover, the Kuigang Wen Pagoda had particularly auspicious associations. Before Sanshui built its Literary Pagoda, the county supposedly had "no Hanlin Academicians, no Imperial Guards, no fortunes of a hundred thousand." After the pagoda was built, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Sanshui's literary culture flourished: jinshi and juren degree-holders abounded. By modern times, it had even produced the famous Prime Minister of the Beiyang Government—the "Second President" Liang Shiyi. If one also counted those like Zheng Tingkui who rose to prominence from Sanshui though not originally natives, then post-pagoda Sanshui could truly be called a constellation of stars and a parade of notables.

Guided by sentries through tightly guarded security lines, Xi Yazhou ascended Kuigang Hill. The pagoda had no surrounding structures, only a circle of brick walls—very convenient for security. Passing through the gate, he saw that temporary buildings had been constructed along the wall's base. At this hour, lights blazed. Officers, messengers, and naturalized cadres hurried in and out, obviously busy.

Xi Yazhou studied the pagoda. It had an octagonal plan, nine stories, in imitation of a pavilion-style brick-and-stone tower—over forty meters high, facing west with its back to the east, each story progressively smaller. The pinnacle bore a copper gourd over a zhang tall. Each story's eight corners had copper bells suspended from the angle clamps. At this evening hour, wind stirred the bells, their sound audible for miles. The base was granite, rising more than a meter above ground, over two meters wide, with eight stone steps each over two meters long and nearly half a meter broad. Quite imposing.

Because this pagoda was designed in pavilion style, each floor was quite spacious—especially the lower ones—and could indeed serve as a simple office building.

"This way, sir," the guard said.

Xi Yazhou, hand on his command saber, climbed the steps. The first floor had been arranged as an office: several desks in rows, a large map on the wall, a blindingly bright carbide lamp hanging from the ceiling. With a ceiling height of nearly five meters, it didn't feel cramped at all.

The present Kuigang Wen Pagoda had been built in the twenty-seventh year of Wanli. As buildings went, it was still relatively new. After Hong Huangnan occupied it, he'd done some cleaning and renovation: the original narrow inverted-U window openings had all been enlarged and fitted with glass-paned windows. If not for the octagonal interior walls, entering really gave the impression of an old-fashioned office building. Only the stairway remained cramped and steep.

The guard said Elder Hong's office and quarters were on the fifth floor. Xi Yazhou had no choice but to climb the stairs. He found Hong Huangnan already waiting at the stairway landing.

Xi Yazhou noted that though this floor wasn't large, it was neat and tidy. Curtains hung at the windows. There was a camp bed, a desk, bookshelves—everything one could need. A kerosene lamp burned bright, and in the corner stood a flower stand with a potted plant of some kind. It looked peaceful and comfortable.

"You've got quite a nice little setup here," Xi Yazhou said. "Living in a proper building, no less."

"Compared to frontline commanders, this is quite comfortable. But logistics work is mentally taxing—one needs proper rest to minimize mistakes." Hong Huangnan chuckled. "Have a seat first. Let's have some tea."

(End of Chapter)