Chapter 2207 - The Newly Minted Envoy

Wang Chuyi considered for a moment, then said: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Though this carries risk, the likelihood of Zhang Tianbo plotting against me is small—what would he gain by betraying me?"

Peng Shou'an thought it over. Indeed, the Lianyang region was now firmly under Australian control; there was no news of a Ming counteroffensive. If Zhang Tianbo set a trap for Wang Chuyi, he had nowhere to claim a reward—and would only invite Australian retaliation. He was a local man with roots here; he could hardly sacrifice his entire family.

Still, Peng Shou'an would not say "there's no problem"—only "the risk is considerable." If Zhang Tianbo suddenly lost his senses, Peng himself could not bear the blame.

Though the County Magistrate judged the risk to be low, prudence dictated sending men ahead to scout the Twenty-Li Station area. Only after confirming nothing amiss did they formally agree.

Thus, Zhang Tianbo and Wang Chuyi met at the Heavenly King Temple on the appointed day. Zhang Tianbo insisted that Wang Chuyi come in person, accompanied by no more than ten men. Wang Chuyi agreed to all terms.

On the day, Wang Chuyi and Peng Shou'an reached the temple and waited from the si hour until past noon, but there was no sign of Zhang Tianbo. The guard squad leader grew nervous, repeatedly dispatching men to investigate. Wang Chuyi, too, grew impatient—could his plan have leaked, and Zhang Tianbo refused to take the bait?

Peng Shou'an, however, remained calm. He said Zhang Tianbo's non-appearance actually indicated there was no danger. The man was simply observing from the shadows, testing whether the County Magistrate would actually honor the agreement—a way to gauge the other side's sincerity.

"...This is an old trick," Peng Shou'an said, seated before the altar in the main hall. "These jianghu fellows are full of schemes. Arriving late to a pacification is child's play; some make the most outlandish demands. All of it is merely to test the official's sincerity. When I served in Huguang, I was once ordered by my superiors to pacify a notorious bandit. Everything had been agreed; on the day he was to enter the city and surrender, this outlaw stopped at a village five li outside the walls, claiming he wanted a meal and asking the county to send him food."

"Oh? A meal?" Wang Chuyi was intrigued. "Once he entered the city, he could eat whatever he wanted. Why demand food on the road?"

"Merely posturing." Peng Shou'an smiled. "At the time, I was not surprised. I immediately ordered food prepared. To my amazement, he sent another messenger saying he wanted neither fish nor meat nor banquet fare—he wanted a bowl of wonton made with duck tongues..."

"Duck tongues are mostly bone with only a scrap of skin—how could you wrap wontons with them?" Wang Chuyi was skeptical. "Even if you scraped enough meat off, how many duck tongues would that take?"

"Not so many—only about a hundred." Peng Shou'an said lightly. "I understood his meaning. I immediately sent runners to scour the area, bought over a hundred ducks, slaughtered them, extracted the tongues, deboned them, and wrapped a bowl of wonton with the meat. Then I made a rich broth from the ducks, simmered it, and sent it to him."

Wang Chuyi was astounded. A poor man by origin, he had never imagined the government would go to such lengths—such extravagance—to pacify a bandit!

"...Once the wonton arrived, the bandit ate three dumplings and set down his bowl. He stripped off his upper garment, donned the cangue and chains, and entered the city to surrender." A trace of pride crept into Peng Shou'an's voice as he recalled the old days. "Later I asked him why he had demanded such a bowl of wonton. He said that if the government could not satisfy even that small request, it lacked sincerity, and he would have fled back to his mountain lair..."

Wang Chuyi said nothing, but inwardly he was disgusted. Though "murderers and arsonists seeking pacification" was the norm since ancient times, the government was willing to lavish such effort and expense on outlaws while sparing no thought or coin on law-abiding commoners. No wonder the Ming realm was ablaze with rebellion.

"That must have cost a pretty penny," Wang Chuyi remarked.

"Naturally, the expense was considerable," Peng Shou'an said. "It was the county's wealthy households who suffered. But the yamen runners came out ahead—they dined on duck for days!"

As they talked, the sun had passed its zenith; the noon hour was nearly over. Just as Wang Chuyi was about to ask whether they should wait any longer, a guard came in to report: "Zhang Tianbo has arrived at the temple gate and requests an audience with the County Magistrate."

Wang Chuyi's spirits lifted—Old Peng, that bureaucratic fox, really did know his stuff. He asked: "How many men did he bring?"

"He came alone."

"Any anomalies in the area?"

The guard squad leader reported: "We just checked with binoculars—nothing unusual!"

"Good. Show him in."

Wang Chuyi was about to rise and greet him when Peng Shou'an tugged his sleeve and whispered: "County Magistrate, if we are to act the play, we must play it to the hilt..."

Wang Chuyi nodded: "I understand."

Both parties intended to "play a role," so the "pacification" was imbued with classical atmosphere. Zhang Tianbo arrived wearing a cangue and chains, his hair loose, as if he were a convicted criminal. Upon entering the main hall, he fell to his knees and declared himself "guilty." Wang Chuyi duly removed the cangue and chains and delivered a stern admonition. Zhang Tianbo naturally "wept with gratitude" and expressed his willingness to "serve Great Song loyally."

The pacification complete, the group returned to the county seat. Peng Shou'an immediately broached the matter of pacifying Feng Haijiao and Sun Dabiao. Time was pressing; moreover, raising new tasks would steady Zhang Tianbo's nerves—such sudden submissions inevitably bred second-guessing.

Zhang Tianbo's face showed difficulty as he listened to his old superior: "Master Peng! Feng Haijiao and Sun Dabiao are indeed my sworn brothers. But they are jianghu heroes and local strongmen. I can try to persuade them, but whether they will submit to Great Song is not something I can guarantee."

"I'm not asking for a guarantee." Peng Shou'an understood his meaning. Since ancient times, pacification was a transaction; both sides made offers, followed by lengthy haggling. If Zhang Tianbo was to serve as envoy, he needed terms to bring.

The terms were tricky to formulate—the Australian system differed from Ming's, and there was no precedent. What conditions would be suitable, and how to make them believable, was a puzzle.

After much discussion with Wang Chuyi, they decided to follow the genuine pacification process: open low, let the bandit chiefs believe it, then negotiate upward. Though the back-and-forth would consume time, it would feel genuine and lull the chiefs into letting down their guard.

"The County Magistrate says that if they are willing to surrender, the county will pardon their past offenses and guarantee all their property. The lives and property of their followers will also be protected. In addition, they may assume the position of local baojia headmen—though their armed bands must disband."

These terms were middling—not harsh, but hardly generous by historical standards. Zhang Tianbo replied at once: "If that's the case, I will make the trip!"

"When you go to persuade them, act discreetly and do not spread word. Understood?"

"Understood!" Zhang Tianbo acknowledged.

"Here are fifty silver dollars from the County Magistrate as a settling-in allowance. Once the task is done, there will be a substantial reward."

"Thank you for your patronage, Your Honor!" Zhang Tianbo's face lit up with flattered surprise. Forgetting "Australian etiquette," he immediately knelt and kowtowed.

Zhang Tianbo wasted no time. He first visited Li Shuangkuai, kowtowed in thanks for his great-grandfather's care, and presented a generous gift. When Li Shuangkuai heard he had been made a "Squad Leader," his brow furrowed slightly: "I can't quite make sense of these Australian positions. Still, since they've appointed you, you must make a proper showing. The Australians are in such a hurry to bring you back—do they have some pressing task for you?"

"Great-grandfather, you are truly clairvoyant." Zhang Tianbo nodded. "The Australians want me to pacify my sworn brothers Sun and Feng."

"No wonder they're in such a rush," Li Shuangkuai said, eyes closed and smiling. "In Yangshan, your connections make you the only man for the job."

"As Great-grandfather says." Zhang Tianbo felt rather pleased with himself. "The Australians are urging me to set out immediately. But this matter is weighty—I wanted to consult with Great-grandfather first."

Li Shuangkuai said: "This is your own affair; why drag me into it? If you can do it, do it for the Australians. If you can't, find a way to fob them off."

Zhang Tianbo smiled ingratiatingly: "Though I'm not kin, I did take my master's apprenticeship. As the saying goes, 'master and disciple are like father and son.' This matter is considerable; if anything goes wrong, I cannot afford to offend either side. I still need Great-grandfather's guidance."

Li Shuangkuai pondered a moment, then asked in a low voice: "Do you truly intend to work for the Australians, or are you merely coping for the moment while looking to the long term? Think carefully before you answer."

Zhang Tianbo considered, then whispered: "Great-grandfather! We runners—whoever becomes magistrate, as long as they don't interfere with our livelihood, we naturally serve them diligently. Whether it's Ming or Song matters little."

"Slippery as ever!" Li Shuangkuai coughed and spat. "You haven't even got your post yet, and you're already straddling two boats."

"Great-grandfather jests. It's not that your disciple is slippery—this is simply how I think. After all, whether Ming or Song, someone has to work in the yamen, right?"

"True enough. But the Australians are newcomers; their true nature remains hidden. I hear they treat us yamen folk harshly and have killed quite a few. Besides, which of us constables has a clean record? For now, you must serve them—but don't serve too zealously. Beware they don't turn on you later."

"Yes, I heed Great-grandfather's teaching." Zhang Tianbo nodded.

"When you visit your two sworn brothers, don't go as Detective Squad Leader, and don't carry a mindset of working for the Australians. Go as if brothers are reuniting. Once you're there, discuss matters thoroughly among yourselves first—whether the Australian pacification is genuine or false, the three of you should reach an understanding. Then you have nothing to fear. The Australians are different from us. You must be on your guard..."

(End of Chapter)