Chapter 2688: The Capital (Part 44)

Mr. Zhou's expression grew increasingly crestfallen, his mood visibly souring with each passing moment.

After a lengthy silence, he spoke: "Master Wang, I wish to inspect all the locations the Shorn-hair Thieves passed through. Could guides and guards be arranged?"

"Easily done. Allow me to make the arrangements." Wang Yehao observed the man's mercurial expressions—shifting from surprise to disbelief, then to fear, revulsion, and finally disappointment. Liu Sha's words had clearly struck their mark.

These accounts, after all, were not fabricated from thin air. Wang Yehao had long since recognized that beneath Hearthstone Immortal's cynical exterior—his careless speech, his slight avarice and lechery—lay the heart of a genuinely kind soul.

One need only observe his treatment of bondmaids to understand. Ordinary men, regardless of station, rarely showed such consideration even to their formally wedded wives, let alone servants.

In essence, Hearthstone Immortal was a soft-hearted, kind "Useless Good Person."

To ensure his unwavering loyalty and prevent him from defecting to his Australian accomplices, only sowing discord would suffice.

The Shorn-hair Thieves' rampage of arson and plunder outside Guangzhou's walls had inadvertently played into Wang Yehao's hands.

"The Shorn-hair Thieves have now proclaimed a dynastic title and established their own era," Wang Yehao remarked. "This complicates matters considerably."

Sea bandits and roving brigands were common enough; the Court could suppress or appease them as circumstances warranted. But proclaiming a dynastic title and establishing an era signified ambitions to stand as equals against the Court itself. Even the northwestern rebels, for all their fearsome power, merely styled themselves as various Kings or Generals while still employing the Great Ming's era name, claiming no dynasty of their own.

Mr. Zhou grasped this principle immediately. "They've founded a state? What do they call it?"

"The Shorn-hair Thieves claim descent from the Song, flying the banner of 'Australian Song.' At times they also style themselves the 'Great Song Australian Provisional Court.' Externally, they call their forces the Fubo Army."

Mr. Zhou, whose countenance had been dark with displeasure, suddenly struggled to suppress a laugh, as though he found something tremendously amusing.

"And the Era Name?"

"They call it 'Common Era'..."

"Common Era?!" Hearthstone Daoist slammed his palm against the table and rose to his feet. "Slavish worship of foreign customs!"

"What?" The others stared in bewilderment.

Hearthstone Immortal then explained that this so-called Common Era was the calendar employed by the Red Hairs and Franks, prevalent throughout the Western nations.

"I see." Wang Yehao grew more perplexed than before. What connection did these Australians have with Westerners? If mishandled, they might well be colluding with foreign powers—a matter demanding the utmost caution.

"Strange indeed," Jin Wenchi murmured. "When raising troops to carve out territory, falsely invoking a former dynasty's legacy is commonplace. But prefixing the dynastic title is unheard of—does this not openly declare illegitimacy? As for 'Great Song Australian Provisional Court'—that barely qualifies as a proper title at all."

"In this humble one's view, there must be a deeper mystery here." Liu Sha's divinatory instincts stirred to life. "Our National Dynasty stands on Fire Virtue, and the Former Song likewise claimed Fire Virtue. To attack Fire with Fire—how could such an endeavor succeed? Therefore, the Shorn-hair Thieves appended the character 'Ao'—containing the water radical—seeking to invoke Water Virtue instead. I hear they favor black and blue in their attire; presumably this consideration plays a part as well."

"Indeed. Their external proclamations predominantly use 'Fubo Army.' Beyond invoking Ma Yuan's ancient precedent, this too likely serves to claim Water Virtue."

Wang Yehao offered no judgment of his own, instead asking: "What is Mr. Zhou's opinion?"

Mr. Zhou's face was blank with incomprehension; even Zhou Lezhi could tell his teacher knew nothing of such matters. Yet unwilling to betray his ignorance, he nodded with affected profundity:

"Mm, yes—Master Liu speaks with great insight. That... Was the Former Song truly Fire Virtue? I had thought it Wood Virtue."

"Has the Teacher never heard the phrase, 'The Inflamed Song rose, receiving Zhou's abdication'?" Liu Sha's face showed undisguised astonishment.

Mr. Zhou genuinely could not recall the source, but seeing everyone's expressions suggesting he alone was ignorant, he dared not press further, offering only an embarrassed laugh.

"By proclaiming a dynastic title and establishing their own era, these Shorn-hair Thieves have revealed their treasonous hearts." Wang Yehao sighed heavily. "Yet Guangdong has suffered such devastation—countless lives ruined, mountains and rivers shattered. For the present, we lack the strength to suppress them again."

Jin Wenchi, who understood his master's mind best, added: "For now, we can only bide our time, waiting for the Shorn-hair Thieves to fall into internal disorder. The difficulty lies in our scant knowledge of their inner workings..."

Liu Sha smiled. "What challenge is there in that? This humble one knows just the person—a native of Lingao who fled back after Regional Commander He's campaign. He knows the Shorn-hair Thieves' circumstances intimately."

"Such a person exists?!" Wang Yehao was genuinely surprised. "Where is he now?"

"He returned but dares not show his face; currently he scrapes by in a Doukou. This humble one has set men to watch him. If Master wishes to make inquiries, he can be brought here at any time."

"Fetch him and see that he's settled comfortably—don't frighten the man." Wang Yehao instructed. What he needed most at present was someone who truly understood the enemy's situation.

After Gou Chengxuan slipped from Liu Sha's grasp, he steeled himself and sought out a Doukou, paying respects to the Dagu and thereby joining the local Beggar's Gang.

Under the protection of the Guandi Temple's influence, his status as a fugitive no longer posed an obstacle; the authorities would not trouble him. Being of scholar origin and literate, the Dagu kept him at the Doukou to handle clerical matters. His days passed in relative comfort, and gradually his vigilance relaxed.

Thus it came as a shock when, one day on the street, he was bundled into a sack and thrust into a sedan chair in pitch darkness, carried who knew how far. Terror gripped him—he feared the Shorn-hair Thieves had sent men for revenge.

When the sack was finally untied and he emerged blinking, he found himself in a grand hall. Standing before him was that fortune-telling Daoist.

Gou Chengxuan's heart seized with panic. This Daoist had once held him and refused to let go, and now had specifically arranged his abduction... What designs did the man harbor?

"Might I inquire as to Sir's honorable surname and given name?"

Another man's voice drifted over, unhurried and measured. Only then did Gou Chengxuan notice several other figures seated throughout the hall.

Judging by their appearance—some young, some middle-aged, all dressed in the manner of gentry or scholars—he could not discern their backgrounds. But the speaker was older, his bearing and manner distinctly elevated; clearly an official, and a high-ranking one at that.

Gou Chengxuan's mind worked quickly. These were no common robbers—he had nothing left to steal, and was hardly a handsome youth worth abducting. As long as they were not Shorn-hair Thieves, anyone could be reasoned with. Composing himself, he cupped his hands: "This student is Gou Chengxuan. Might I ask Sir's...?"

"Since you style yourself 'student,' you must be a scholar. Why then do you consort with beggars in a Doukou?"

The question struck at Gou Chengxuan's deepest wound. He could not help but heave a long sigh: "I shall not conceal the truth from Sir. This student was once a Licentiate who had passed the examinations, with modest property to his family's name. Alas, calamity befell us, and I was reduced to this."

"Oh? Since that is so, tell us your story."

Gou Chengxuan grew increasingly certain that this old man before him was no ordinary figure. He had already concluded the man must be a high official, and bore no resemblance to a Shorn-hair Thief. Thus he recounted everything from beginning to end: how the Shorn-hair Thieves had landed at Lingao; how Gou Family Village was attacked; how he and his father escaped as the only survivors to Guangzhou; how they later split up to pursue their separate efforts; how he had attached himself to Regional Commander He's command to scheme against the Thieves; and finally, how he fled back after the defeat at Lingao.

"...You say Gou Family Village—the entire village was massacred?" Before the old man could respond, a young advisor-like figure beside him interrupted with an expression of shocked concern.

Gou Chengxuan studied him carefully. He did not recognize this person and could not fathom why he showed such particular interest in Gou Family Village.

"Men and women, old and young—not one was spared. This student's uncle, several aunts—all were either killed or took their own lives. The clan's elders and children alike were slaughtered; even the maids and servants were shown no mercy. Pity my Gou Family Village—four to five hundred souls, every last one cut down. Only our father and son, along with two servants, escaped..."

Memories flooded back: once he had been Grand Master Gou, the man who commanded wind and rain, who bullied men and dominated women throughout Lingao County. Now he was reduced to a beggar in a Doukou. The flight, the contempt, the insults, the injuries he had suffered since—all the accumulated bitterness surged within him, and he burst into loud weeping.

The advisor who had questioned him wore a face full of compassion, sinking into his seat as though struck senseless.

The old man, however, remained calm and composed: "Since your father also escaped, along with two servants, where are they all now?"

"My father took one servant with him. They were last in Danzhou, making contact with righteous men and preparing to support the Heavenly Army when it arrives. The other servant originally accompanied me to Lingao; his current whereabouts are unknown..."

The old man clearly did not know where Danzhou was. Another middle-aged advisor at his side whispered a few words of explanation, and he nodded. Gou Chengxuan sensed approval in the other party's demeanor; the fire in his heart, long guttered to cold ashes, flickered to life once more.

"So you bear a vendetta against the Shorn-hair Thieves."

"An irreconcilable one—we cannot live under the same sky." By now Gou Chengxuan was entirely convinced the other party was an enemy of the Shorn-hair Thieves; his words grew increasingly resolute.

"The Court's campaign against the Shorn-hair Thieves has failed; their power grows monstrous. How should this be handled?"

Gou Chengxuan paused, struck by the question. These words carried the unmistakable tone of a government policy inquiry—this old man was no ordinary figure. After a moment's thought, he replied: "Endure and await opportunity, watching for internal chaos among the Shorn-hair Thieves."

Wang Yehao was secretly impressed. "Endure and await opportunity" was common enough counsel; given Guangdong's current state, endurance was unavoidable regardless of preference. So-called "waiting for opportunity" typically served as mere rhetoric for playing the submissive grandson. But the latter clause revealed genuine substance.

"Why does Sir believe the Shorn-hair Thieves will descend into internal chaos?"

"Master may not be aware—these Shorn-hair Thieves differ from ordinary bandits..." Gou Chengxuan proceeded to explain that the Shorn-hair Thieves were all Senators; though Wen and Ma were styled as bandit chiefs, in terms of actual rank they were merely members among Senators. "...Among the Shorn-hair Thieves, there have long been those dissatisfied with Wen and Ma's monopoly on power. When they first landed, they numbered a thousand strong. Later, due to disputes over the distribution of women, they fell to killing one another—which is how their numbers dwindled to a mere few hundred Senators."

"I see." Wang Yehao stroked his beard thoughtfully. It seemed this notion of "watching for internal chaos" was not empty rhetoric after all. At this realization, he found himself valuing Gou Chengxuan somewhat more highly; until now, no one had been able to provide such detailed and accurate intelligence. By comparison, this Hearthstone Immortal seemed to know nothing of such matters... At this thought, he could not help but glance toward Mr. Zhou.

Hearthstone Immortal's expression at that moment resembled that of a man who had swallowed a fly. One heard him ask, slowly: "Did they truly fight over women?"

Gou Chengxuan spoke with absolute certainty: "Could such a thing be fabricated? Everyone in Lingao knows the truth!" Though unsure why this advisor cared so particularly about such matters, seeing an opportunity to expose the Shorn-hair Thieves' ugly scandals, Gou Chengxuan's spirits lifted. He embellished liberally, finally concluding: "To secure their positions, Wen and Ma dispatched men far and wide to search for, purchase, and abduct women for their depraved pleasures. During this invasion of the Pearl River, they seized many women once again..."

(End of Chapter)