Chapter 2218 - A Silver Tongue (Part Two)
"How could I not know him?" Zhang Tianbo said. "Every time I see Second Brother Feng, he's there. I don't like him."
"Why?"
"He feels... sinister. Young, not a whisker on his lip—looks like a eunuch!"
"Ha ha!" Jiang Xiaotian roared with laughter. "Well put. He does have that air. I hear he was recommended to Second Master Feng by some Squire Yang. Hasn't been here long, yet he's already so trusted. Quite remarkable!"
Since ancient times, men of the jianghu were full of schemes; seasoned bandits like Feng Haijiao especially so. Normally, someone like Bi Xuansheng—even if taken on out of courtesy—would never be trusted, let alone kept close.
"He's different." The wine loosened Zhang Tianbo's tongue. "Behind him is not just Squire Yang, but also a certain Master Zhan who came from Guangxi—supposedly here to rally people to rise up and 'destroy the Hair-Clippers, restore Ming.' Second Brother Feng was so bewitched by a single commission that he swallowed the man's nonsense."
"Come to think of it, joining the government isn't such a bad idea." Jiang Xiaotian said. "Back when I ran my shady trade, as long as you followed the rules, you could still do business. Now these Hair-Clippers have come along and thrown out all the rules—nothing works anymore!" He slapped his thigh in frustration.
These words stirred something in Zhang Tianbo. The "good old days" held a powerful allure. His ambitions weren't as grand as Feng Haijiao's—he didn't crave high office. If only he could "return to his post" as Yangshan's constable squad leader, he would be content.
"Even if I wanted to join the government, Sun and Feng have turf and troops—they can secure some title, big or small. I'm just a lowly runner with no backing. What could I possibly get? A uniform and orders to be a grunt?" Zhang Tianbo was full of grievances; he felt his situation was hopeless. No matter which side he sold himself to, he couldn't fetch a good price.
"Making Brother Zhang a common soldier would be a waste of talent."
Before his words died away, a leisurely voice drifted in from outside the window.
Both men flinched; their wine-fog instantly turned to cold sweat, dripping away completely. Yangshan was under Australian rule now—the words they had just exchanged marked them unmistakably as "rebels." Though this place was remote, it was still an estate with people coming and going. If someone overheard and reported them—disaster!
Jiang Xiaotian was a desperate man; he always carried a slender ox-ear dagger. Now he had it in hand; he asked in a low voice, "Friend, who are you? Why are you eavesdropping?"
A "heh heh" laugh came from outside the window. With that laugh, the door of Jiang Xiaotian's hut swung open. Two men entered, one after the other. One—a middle-aged scholar—they didn't recognize. The other—an older man with the look of a wealthy gentleman—was someone they both knew: Xin Laonan, on whose estate Zhang Tianbo's family had once sheltered.
With a familiar face present, both relaxed. Zhang Tianbo patted his chest. "Old Xin! You nearly scared me to death!"
Xin Laonan laughed. "How would I dare scare you? You're quite the important man these days."
"Important, unimportant—don't mock me." Zhang Tianbo waved a hand. "And who is this...?"
"This is Master Zhan, from Guangxi—"
The surname-Zhan scholar flicked his sleeve and bowed with folded hands. "This student is Zhan Zhekun." He drew a document from his clothing.
Jiang Xiaotian was illiterate, but Zhang Tianbo took one look and shuddered. It was the very commission—stamped with the Liangguang Governor-General's seal—for a "Staff Advisor," the same one that had been shown to Feng Haijiao. Zhang Tianbo knew genuine articles from fakes; his legs went weak. He fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowed three times, and said, "This humble one did not know Your Lordship was here—please forgive any offense!"
For all his jianghu swagger, Zhang Tianbo's deepest longing was for official status—and his deepest fear was officials. The instant Zhan Zhekun flashed his credentials, Zhang couldn't help but kneel.
Jiang Xiaotian's face was blank with confusion, but judging by Zhang Tianbo's reaction, this must be a high-ranking official. He hurriedly knelt as well and kowtowed. "Greetings to Your Lordship."
Zhan Zhekun was very satisfied with the effect of his commission. With a smile, he helped both men to their feet.
"No need for such ceremony, heroes. Please, sit."
Zhang Tianbo kept protesting—"With a superior present, how could I presume to sit"—until Xin Laonan coaxed him into perching on the edge of a chair.
"Heroes, this student, Zhan Zhekun, was sent by Governor-General Xiong Wencan to rally righteous soldiers here in the Lianyang region and resist the Hair-Clippers. I'm sure you've heard something of this."
"Yes, yes—I've heard a thing or two."
Zhan Zhekun then described how he had been dispatched to northern Guangdong to rally militia—how everywhere, righteous soldiers were surging up, killing Hair-Clipper troops, capturing Hair-Clipper ships. In mere months, they had annihilated tens of thousands of false Hair-Clippers and seized enormous quantities of their goods and grain. The rest cowered in cities, too afraid to move. He particularly emphasized the "recovery of Guangning"—and went into detail about the National Army soldiers who had "defected," opening the gates to welcome the imperial forces. All had received rewards.
"...The leaders were granted substantive ranks—bazong, baizhong, duizhong—and the common soldiers also received rewards." Zhan Zhekun glanced at Zhang Tianbo. "It is not too late to renounce darkness and embrace the light!"
Zhang Tianbo's eyelid twitched; he swallowed involuntarily. He understood perfectly what Zhan Zhekun was implying. Though he affected the jianghu manner, he secretly envied officialdom. Zhan Zhekun's hints and inducements touched his ambitions.
But the current situation—throwing in with a government that had been driven out of Guangdong, whose forces were who-knew-where, to fight the well-armed Australians—Zhang Tianbo wasn't that loyal. He might well become cannon fodder before ever wearing an official's hat.
"This humble one followed the rebels only out of necessity." Zhang Tianbo's mind raced; he quickly staked out his position. "Once the imperial forces retake Yangshan, I will be the first to rise in response—whether it's secretly opening the gates, passing intelligence, going through fire or water, I have no second thought!"
Fine-sounding words, but empty. When imperial forces would retake Yangshan was anyone's guess.
Zhan Zhekun naturally read his mind. He smiled. "The imperial recovery of Yangshan is imminent!"
"What?!"
"To speak frankly: I have come precisely for the recovery of Yangshan. Over three thousand militia have rallied from all directions and are marching toward Yangshan as we speak. Once we strike, Yangshan will simply become another Guangning."
"Is... is this true?" Zhang Tianbo was thrown off balance.
"If there were no such grand affair, would this student—a Staff Advisor from the Governor-General's own bureau—risk this perilous place just to waste words on you?" Zhan Zhekun's smile turned cold. "Feng Haijiao, Sun Dabiao, and all these heroes know how to read the times. When the great work is accomplished, they will have titles and honors for themselves and their descendants. Those who fail to read the times, however—they will not only invite disaster upon themselves but drag their families down with them..."
He didn't finish, but his meaning was crystal clear. Zhang Tianbo broke into a cold sweat. He glanced at Zhan Zhekun, then at Xin Laonan, and understood. With a bitter laugh, he said, "Brother Xin, you really are 'faithful to your commission.'"
Obviously, Zhan Zhekun had won over Xin Laonan and now held Zhang Tianbo's family in his grasp. This visit could only be to "persuade" him.
Xin Laonan didn't take offense; he chuckled. "Don't be angry, Brother. Naturally I'm looking after your family. It's just that I've watched you run errands for the Hair-Clippers all this time without gaining a single benefit. Now you're being forced to demand that Brother Sun hand over Dalang Market—truly the worst of both worlds. Why bother?"
Zhang Tianbo couldn't help gritting his teeth and lowering his head. "It's not that I lack brotherly feeling; I truly have no choice—a man under another's roof must bow his head."
"As the saying goes, 'A wise bird chooses its tree.' The Australians are overseas barbarians; even if they're sea dragons, they're not true dragons. You gentlemen are in your prime—you can still accomplish great things." Zhan Zhekun said. "The Founder once said, 'The Hu have no fate lasting a hundred years.' These Hair-Clippers may claim the name 'Song,' but they're just another breed of island barbarians. They may seem invincible now, but their fortune will not last! Within three to five years, they'll vanish like smoke. The realm will return to Ming's bright heavens!" He glanced at Zhang Tianbo. "Does Constable Zhang truly wish to remain a constable for life?"
"This humble one certainly does not." Zhang Tianbo couldn't help but answer.
"Exactly!" Zhan Zhekun seized the moment; he picked up the wine pot, poured a cup, and raised it. "Come—let us drink to Constable Zhang's renouncing darkness and embracing the light!"
Xin Laonan immediately raised his cup. "Come—bottoms up!"
The four drank together. Zhang Tianbo's head swam; he felt as if he were floating, his heart pounding. But he knew the current situation: boarding Ming's boat was probably unavoidable now. He asked, "Your Lordship's kindness—this humble one will never forget it. Only, what purpose does Your Lordship have in coming here? I will do my best to assist."
"Ha ha, well said." Zhan Zhekun was pleased with his compliance. "Since you put it so plainly, I won't hide behind my hand. This time, I have come to recover Yangshan County!"
"Recover Yangshan County?!"
"Precisely!" Zhan Zhekun nodded. In truth, he had no such intention. He had come to northern Guangdong playing it by ear. The victory at Guangning had been pure luck—they had caught the Hair-Clippers off guard during their rapid advance. Now the Hair-Clippers were on high alert, keeping a tight leash on retained personnel and granting them little authority. Replicating the Guangning model was virtually impossible. Take this Zhang Tianbo: though he had landed a Hair-Clipper title as "Detective Squad Leader," he held no real power. Expecting him to serve as an inside agent was a pipe dream.
Though Zhan Zhekun had other plans, he wasn't about to reveal them. After all, "recovering the county seat" was a magnificent achievement—with plenty of loot to be had afterward. It appealed mightily to these greenwood heroes. And the rallying cry carried great prestige.
(End of Chapter)