Chapter 2563 - Zheng Mingjiang
Zhang Xiao paused and took a sip of tea. "In all of Guangzhou Prefecture, if there aren't ten thousand sons as filial as you, there are at least eight thousand. Countless people would sacrifice everything to save the ones they love. I'm not helping you because you're the most devoted son, or because you're well-read. I'm helping you because I believe you can still contribute something meaningful to the Senate and its people—that you can help build a brighter future for this world."
Zhang Jiayu understood his meaning perfectly. He kowtowed in gratitude. "A single conversation with you, sir, has taught me more than ten years of books. I humbly accept your instruction."
"From today onward, you're my man," Zhang Xiao said with a hint of mischief. "Consider yourself my staff aide. For now, continue your studies at home and attend the Shen'ao Study Society daily to prepare for next year's civil service examination. You must pass."
"Yes, sir."
Zhang Jiayu had originally held no interest in the civil service examination. But now he had obtained the miracle medicine to save his mother, and he could smoothly infiltrate the Baldies as an undercover agent—killing two birds with one stone. Better still, this genuine Baldy seemed intent on grooming him for important work. That would only make his undercover mission easier.
Zhang Xiao felt quite satisfied with himself. After all, he had successfully recruited the famous Zhang Jiayu. Though he wasn't a collector of historical celebrities, watching a renowned figure kowtow in submission still gave him a certain thrill. It seemed Comrade Little Du's persistence hadn't been without reason.
"Rise now. Today I'll handle matters personally for you."
Zhang Xiao could have simply appointed him as a councillor. But that position, frankly speaking, was a sinecure for buying loyalty—once you took it, your career was effectively over. Old bureaucrats like Wei Bifu and Huang Xiyin could while away their years in such roles, but wasting a promising young talent like Zhang Jiayu on one would be foolish. Better to have him take the civil service route.
Zhang Xiao instructed his orderly to arrange a sedan to transport Zhang's mother to the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital for examination, and wrote a note requesting a consultation with an Elder physician.
Just then, Huang Xiyin arrived at the office with Tian Liang in tow.
Zhang Xiao was startled by Huang Xiyin's wretched appearance. The man had clearly been beaten. Who in Guangzhou territory was so bold? He couldn't help asking, "Councillor Huang, did you fall into a ditch? How did your eye sockets get bruised purple?"
Huang Xiyin—the dignified former Ming dynasty Nanhai County Magistrate—had been pummeled by Kuang Lu's fists until his face resembled a paint shop. Utterly humiliated, he had no intention of swallowing his resentment. "Chief, Kuang Lu is a villain with sinister intentions. He wrote seditious poetry on the Academy library wall. I was injured trying to stop him. Chief, you must punish him severely as a warning to others!"
"Oh? There's such a thing?" Zhang Xiao raised an eyebrow and glanced at Tian Liang.
"Chief, Councillor Huang was indeed beaten by Kuang Lu," Tian Liang confirmed. "I've already apprehended him. He should be in the detention center now."
"This is the seditious poem he wrote!" Huang Xiyin produced a sheet of xuan paper from his sleeve. "I copied it down myself. The original is still on the Zunxin Pavilion wall—please send someone to investigate immediately."
Zhang Xiao took the paper and studied it. This Kuang Lu was indeed wild and unrestrained: the poem couldn't be more seditious, and he'd struck hard too. A fierce one, truly.
"Since Kuang Lu has already been arrested, let him stew in jail for a few days to cool off. We'll discuss it later." Zhang Xiao shook his head with a hint of resignation. "Councillor Huang, come with me to the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital to see a doctor."
"This lowly official is fine, truly fine."
"Better get checked," Zhang Xiao said. "After all, it concerns your face. Wouldn't want it disfigured."
"Many thanks for the Chief's concern!"
Zhang Xiao was in excellent spirits. First, Zhang Jiayu had kowtowed in submission and could now be taken under his wing. Second, Kuang Lu had openly written seditious poetry in the Academy and assaulted an official—now Zhang Xiao had him right where he wanted. Beating Huang Xiyin wasn't a serious matter; Senate law emphasized equality before the law, with no provisions for crimes like "subordinate offending superior" or "lowly offending noble." As long as the injuries didn't meet the threshold for serious harm, it meant only detention and compensation. But seditious poetry? That could be made as big or as small as one desired.
He was humming a tune on his way to the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital when a messenger intercepted him. "Director Zheng invites you to dinner tonight."
"Dinner?" Zhang Xiao immediately felt a prickle of unease. He understood Zheng Mingjiang well enough to know she wasn't someone who arranged casual dinner gatherings. If she was treating, she surely had something to discuss.
Zheng Mingjiang had arrived in Guangzhou on the same ship as Zhang Xiao.
Ever since she'd quarreled with her father and stormed out to "do something big," she had found herself in this timeline's Lingao.
As she gradually adapted to life there—or perhaps simply accepted her fate—she had set a goal for herself: become the academic authority of this timeline.
The goal was neither novel nor difficult, but Zheng Mingjiang still worked diligently, eager to become the psychological shadow haunting medical students as soon as possible.
After several years confined to Lingao County, she had come to deeply understand why house arrest qualified as punishment. So she decided to actively participate in various dispatch and support activities. However, her lifestyle depended heavily on Lingao's industrialization achievements, so she only wanted brief excursions for fresh air rather than extended postings—nothing like taking on a hospital directorship elsewhere.
"As an Elder, work when you should work, be a salted fish when you should be a salted fish. After all, I'm the ruling class. I don't need to follow anyone else's KPIs." This was Zheng Mingjiang's famous saying while lounging in the sun.
But being a salted fish wasn't that easy. She currently served as director of both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Neurology at Lingao General Hospital. So this particular salted fish couldn't afford to be too salty—after all, patients and expectant mothers were waiting. Even as the ruling class, she still had a doctor's conscience to answer to.
So Zheng Mingjiang decided to venture out for some fresh air. When she heard that Zhang Xiao and Lin Motian were heading north to the mainland, she decided to hitch a ride. She submitted an application to Shi Niaoren, stating that she would represent the Health Ministry to inspect and guide work at the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital, with particular focus on obstetrics and gynecology and the promotion of "new-style midwifery."
The application was approved immediately. Zheng Mingjiang, whose true purpose was sightseeing, was in excellent spirits. Before departure, she even broke into song at the dock. Had she not needed to maintain an Elder's dignity, she might have twirled around. But after the ship departed, seasickness struck—it had struck again.
Because of this, she hadn't participated in building revolutionary friendship among the Elders at all. She didn't even want to eat. While Lin Motian was actively helping Zhang Xiao identify which naturalized cadre stragglers might still be poached, Zheng Mingjiang finally emerged. Having slept whenever possible throughout the voyage, she only crawled up to the deck to join the conversation when they neared shore.
Zhang Xiao was serving as an administrative cadre for the first time; Lin Motian was returning from a Lingao business trip to continue work at the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital. The three traveled with notably different energies.
When Zhang Xiao asked Zheng Mingjiang if she had any cadres to recommend, she threw up both hands. "As you know, yours truly only wants to be an academic authority. I have absolutely no interest in being a local chief executive or frontier governor, so I know nothing about cadre reserves."
"Fine." Zhang Xiao sighed, once again confronting the reality of the Senate's severe shortage of qualified personnel.
"Chief Zheng, all your luggage is here. If there's no problem, we'll take it directly to the guesthouse."
"Mm." Zheng Mingjiang pointed at her cases. "Take these two rattan-wood cases directly to the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital. The rest goes to the guesthouse."
She didn't actually know where this so-called guesthouse was or what it looked like, but obviously there couldn't be a better place to stay in this timeline than the Senate guesthouse.
"What's in those two sealed cases?" Lin Motian asked, suddenly curious about the ones bound for the hospital.
"Hehe!" Zheng Mingjiang felt herself spring back to life from her seasickness. "These are Lingao specialties that the Health Ministry is sending to the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital. The Senate's radiance warms people's hearts!"
Though Zheng Mingjiang's smile was bright, Lin Motian felt a chill run down his spine. He'd assumed they contained medical supplies, but on second thought—hadn't he just returned from Lingao himself? What supplies would require Zheng Mingjiang to personally escort them? Her benevolent—no, benign—smile only made it feel more ominous.
Before they parted ways at the dock, Lin Motian expressed that Zhang Xiao and Zheng Mingjiang were welcome to come to the Provincial-Hong Kong General Hospital for... inspection anytime.
"Don't worry! I'll come once I've recovered from the seasickness!"
The guesthouse was located inside the Great World. Though the Great World was reasonably bustling, the guesthouse itself occupied a secluded spot, and combined with its relatively modern decor, Zheng Mingjiang found it quite satisfactory. On the coffee table in the small sitting room sat two plates of pastries, with a "Zhang's" promotional flyer tucked underneath.
Though the pastries looked appetizing and smelled delicious, Zheng Mingjiang's caution about Guangzhou's sanitary conditions kept her from eating them.
After resting overnight at the guesthouse and recovering her strength, Zheng Mingjiang brought her life secretary out for a stroll, grandly calling it "going to the grassroots." After thoroughly inspecting the Great World's commercial situation, they arrived at the entrance of Zhang's Food Shop. Zheng Mingjiang hadn't touched the pastries herself, but her secretary had polished them off and declared them delicious. This piqued her interest in the long-famous confectionery shop.
"Chief, I'm hungry."
"Alright, let's go in and take a look."
Before they could enter, a shop assistant hurried forward to greet them. "Welcome, Chief, to Zhang's Pastry Shop! Our humble establishment is honored by your presence. Please come in—we have elegant seating upstairs."
"Mm." Since she'd been recognized, Zheng Mingjiang didn't stand on ceremony. "Where are your business license and sanitary permit? Let me see them."
"Right away!" The assistants here had seen many Elders and promptly pointed at the wall. "Look here—the originals of both the business license and sanitary permit are displayed right there. The copies are in the office upstairs. If you'd like to see them, I'll fetch them immediately."
"No need." Zheng Mingjiang spoke flatly, her expression neutral, betraying no indication of whether she was satisfied. "Do you have a warehouse or preparation room here?"
(End of Chapter)