Chapter 2254: Living in Constant Fear
Feng Haijiao couldn't sleep these days.
His old nest, Qinglian Market, roiled with panic and unease. News of Sun Dabiao's destruction had been brought here the very next day by a few minions who had lost their souls.
At first, Feng Haijiao didn't quite believe it. Sun Dabiao had a full five or six hundred men there, while the Hair thieves had fewer than two hundred in total. How had they dared attack Sun Dabiao while abandoning the county seat?
However, the minions swore to heaven and earth that everything they said was true, which aroused Feng Haijiao's vigilance. At daybreak, he sent several astute minions to Dalang Market and the county seat to gather news. Each report that returned was worse than the last. Dalang Market had fallen. Spears bearing the heads of Sun Dabiao's subordinates lined the road toward the county—more than two hundred in all. Two large grave mounds had been raised at the intersection of Dalang Market, gloomy and chilling, frightening to behold. Sun Dabiao himself and his main lieutenants had been captured and were now all being "displayed to the public" before the county yamen. They all looked as if they had suffered brutal torture, each one beaten beyond recognition.
Though Feng Haijiao and Sun Dabiao had secretly nursed some disagreements, and the two sides had nearly clashed recently over spheres of influence for collecting provisions, they were sworn brothers of many years, and he understood the principle of "when the lips die, the teeth feel the cold." Sun Dabiao's sudden destruction was tantamount to a death knell tolling over Feng Haijiao's head.
The sunny spring had turned to freezing winter in the blink of an eye. Feng Haijiao's gang, once arrogant and insufferably self-important, now lived in constant fear from top to bottom, sensing doomsday was imminent. Not only did the various heroes who used to arrive in an endless stream to "join the partnership" no longer appear, but even those who had already joined were finding various excuses to slip away. Some simply left without a word.
Feng Haijiao forced himself to be calm. During meetings with his leaders, he even said a few dismissive words about Sun Dabiao to show that Sun was of no significance to him. Behind the scenes, however, he was already in complete chaos. He sent several waves of messengers to Xin Laonan's manor to ask Zhan Zhekun for a plan—especially wanting a straight answer: were the Great Ming government troops coming or not?
But that answer never came. Instead, news arrived that Sun Dabiao and his men had been beheaded and displayed in the county seat.
"Really killed?!" Though Feng Haijiao had long expected Sun Dabiao's end, hearing this news still shocked him. "Who else?"
"Not a single one of those caught and taken to the county seat survived—all had their heads chopped off. Jiang Xiaotian was killed too—the Hair thieves even killed his old mother and uncle!" The minion who had gone to gather news spoke in panic. "Sun Dabiao's son and grandson all had their heads chopped off..."
"This woman is ruthless enough." Feng Haijiao had heard earlier that the new magistrate was a woman. Learning that she had wiped out Sun Dabiao's family as her opening move, he couldn't help but feel a grudging admiration. "Were the other family members killed too?"
"No," the minion said. "I heard people say that for the captured family members of various leaders, any man who was accused by someone would be punished by law—meaning hanged. Other women and children who had places to go could leave freely; those with nowhere to go were exiled overseas. Though they said this, the enemies of each family were waiting on the roads. Kill one as soon as one comes out, leaving not even chickens or dogs... Many people now would rather go into exile... Sun Dabiao's wife hanged herself that night..."
"He and his wife never got along. That she was willing to hang herself for him—that makes her a chaste and fierce woman!" Feng Haijiao gave a thumbs up. "What about his flock of concubines? Did any hang themselves?"
"Not a single one. They all went back to their natal homes."
"Damn it, what a pity. His Seventh Concubine was a stunner..." Feng Haijiao suddenly had lustful thoughts and slapped his thigh. "Why didn't she come seek refuge with me!"
"This... perhaps she didn't know the Master admired her?" The minion hurriedly played along. "How about the small ones go fetch her..."
Feng Haijiao reconsidered: he himself was now in imminent danger. Never mind concubines—if he were killed by the Hair thieves, his own wife might not even be willing to hang herself. He felt dispirited.
Sun Dabiao had commanded wind and rain for decades only to end up like this. Feng Haijiao naturally felt like the fox mourning the rabbit's death. Moreover, Sun Dabiao's defeat brought more than grief: the wind direction in the county had shifted instantly. The various powerful households who used to associate with him actively now avoided the people he sent. Collecting provisions, which used to go quite smoothly, had become extremely difficult. Many villages simply refused to pay—even those willing to pay had endless words to stall him, either delaying or giving less. It made him very annoyed. Over time, he actually became somewhat strapped for cash.
He also had a large operation now, gathering nearly five hundred brothers under his command. Just feeding them cost dozens of shi of rice every day. His main income in the past had been "living off the river," specializing in extorting and robbing passing passenger and cargo ships. Since the war started in Guangdong, there had been few passenger and cargo ships on the Lian River. There were quite a few Australian ships, and Bi Xuansheng had agitated him several times to ambush the Australian fleet, even specially acquiring some firearms for him. But he never had the courage—he was also afraid of fighting hard with the Australians and both sides suffering losses, letting Sun Dabiao take advantage.
After he raised the Great Ming's banner, he had used it to levy grain and pay in the surrounding areas. After Wang Chuyi failed at Dalang Market, Feng Haijiao's prestige had soared. For a time, he levied grain and pay on a large scale under the title of Yangshan Right Wing Squad Leader. For a time, he was infinitely glorious, with gold, silver, money, and grain flowing continuously into his Qinglian Market. Now he could not only no longer levy grain and pay, but the National Army in the county had also strengthened patrols. When teams went out to levy grain, they often encountered patrol teams and lost a few brothers each time.
Continuing to bleed like this, he would be finished sooner or later. Feng Haijiao agonized internally. He discussed with Bi Xuansheng several times, and Bi Xuansheng urged him to abandon this place and join forces with Zhan Zhekun at Xin Family Manor—the manor was not only remote but had perilous terrain, making it easy to defend.
"Master Yang of Guangning has a mountain stockade not far from Xin Family Manor. If we station troops there, we can support each other."
He trusted Xin Laonan. Moreover, this man had limited strength and couldn't possibly harbor thoughts of annexing him—if he were Xin Laonan, he would probably have to guard against Feng Haijiao swallowing him.
But to abandon this "feng shui treasure land" of Qinglian Market where he had made his fortune—Feng Haijiao simply couldn't bring himself to make that decision.
In such panicked indecision, Feng Haijiao lived days where eating and sleeping came hard. He had always been very superstitious, and at this moment, he clung to superstition even more as spiritual sustenance, burning incense and worshipping gods every day, counting on a "miracle" to fall from the sky and save him from imminent destruction.
But the situation showed no signs of improvement. Fewer and fewer villages were willing to pay money and grain. Conversely, he heard that the large households in the county were not only giving the Australians money and grain but also able-bodied men. Now the female magistrate had strong soldiers and sturdy horses—needless to say, raising so many soldiers and horses, she would deal with him sooner or later.
Feng Haijiao was at his wit's end and had to send Bi Xuansheng to Xin Family Manor again to ask Zhan Zhekun for a plan. In his view, this man with the halo of "Assistant to the Viceroy of Two Guangs" was his last hope.
After Bi Xuansheng departed, calculating the journey, he should have returned yesterday. But he did not come up the mountain as scheduled. Feng Haijiao slept anxiously through the night. The next day, he came out of his residence wearing his military officer's uniform and took a few personal guards to inspect his subordinates.
Though Qinglian Market had once been a commercial port, since being occupied by Feng Haijiao, it had become a bandit den with no shops or residents. He had originally had no more than a hundred men, so there weren't many houses. Since becoming Squad Leader, the team had expanded rapidly, and many people had no place to live. Many bandits dwelt under thatched sheds. At this moment—sleeping, sitting, gambling, making noise—they were scattered lazily and messily by the river, with absolutely no appearance of a military unit. Even when he walked by, only the minions close to him stood up to greet him; those farther away simply pretended not to see. He looked for a while, recalling the glory when various heroes came to "dock at the pier" when he became Squad Leader, and couldn't help but feel a burst of melancholy. Looking at the military officer's uniform on his body—how proud he had been when he first put it on, and his subordinates had praised him for having "official prestige." But at this moment, this gorgeous attire seemed to mock him. He didn't deserve to wear it at all.
Feng Haijiao asked again if Bi Xuansheng had returned. After getting a negative answer, he became even more lost. He completely forgot his past disdain and wariness toward Bi Xuansheng and couldn't help but look forward to his return so they could discuss matters.
Seeing the sun turn west with Bi Xuansheng still missing, Feng Haijiao returned to his residence in disappointment. He ignored the attentive care of his concubine and maids, walked with heavy steps back to his study, sat down on the grand armchair, then collapsed softly onto the bed, looking up at the old roof, sighing long and short, not saying a word.
Just as the sky turned dark, a maid suddenly called from outside the door: "Master!"
Feng Haijiao blinked twice, gave a soft "mm," but didn't move. The maid had to report through the door: "Master Bi has returned..."
Hearing this, Feng Haijiao immediately rallied. He suddenly sat up. "Set up a banquet—I want to wash the dust off Master Bi!"
In an instant, the maids set up a table of wine and food and poured the wine. Feng Haijiao looked at Bi Xuansheng eagerly—his face was dark, travel-worn, obviously having suffered hardships on the road.
Bi Xuansheng only gave a hurried bow upon seeing Feng Haijiao, then went impatiently to the banquet table. After sitting down, he dispensed with ceremony: first grabbing a chicken and gnawing on it. In two or three bites, he stripped a chicken clean, then reached out his greasy hand to drink the wine in his cup in one gulp. "Pour wine!" he demanded.
Feng Haijiao hurriedly signaled for more wine, saying, "Don't rush—there's plenty of wine and meat."
Bi Xuansheng was not polite at all, attacking left and right, devouring wine and meat, gorging himself. Only after making a mess of cups and plates on the table did he rest his hands and pant heavily.
Feng Haijiao watched with secret alarm. What exactly had Bi Xuansheng encountered, to end up eating like a starving ghost reincarnated? And he was almost two full days late compared to the normal journey!
Next Update: Volume 7 - Guangzhou Governance Part 459 (End of Chapter)