Chapter 14: At Three Virtues Hall, Da-You Devises a Cunning Scheme — At Yugeng Hall, Jue Xing Fraudulently Claims His Fee

Now, ever since Gui Xing had sent Jian and Ye on their way, he had waited day after day for word. But those two, once they had gone, vanished as completely as a clay ox plunging into the sea. He watched and waited through the end of spring and into summer, and the Dragon Boat Festival (fifth day of the fifth month) came and went — still no news. Zong Kong too was on edge waiting alongside him. By this time, Xiong A-Qi, Li A-Tian, Gan A-Ding, You A-Mei, and the rest were congregating daily in Gui Xing's Yugeng Hall, along with the old gang of ruffians, in a constant round of drinking and eating — and it was thanks to these companions keeping Gui Xing occupied that waiting had not killed him. Zong Kong, for his part, harbored another kind of anxiety. He wished desperately for the two men to succeed: first, so that his own face would be saved and the credit not stolen by the four men Qu Jue Xing had introduced; second, because once the task was done and Gui Xing paid those two, he could not fail to reward him as well, the man who had recommended them; third, from those two's share he could demand a kickback; and fourth, when the legal trouble ensued and Gui Xing needed to grease palms up and down, if he himself handled the money there would be private profit to skim from the middle. Whether this affair succeeded or failed made a great difference to his own financial prospects. So his heart was even more agitated than Gui Xing's; he constantly lurked about the Liang family gate to observe, yet saw not a stir, to his unending frustration.

One day in the height of summer of the sixth month, when Gui Xing was home drinking with the assembled ruffians and admiring the lotus flowers, he suddenly saw Zong Kong come rushing in flustered. Without a word, Zong Kong pulled Gui Xing to the study and whispered, "Someone has just come from the provincial capital saying he caught sight of Jian and Ye, both stranded there — I have no idea why. I was thinking of going to the capital to find out what is going on. What do you think, nephew?" Gui Xing said, "Those two left and vanished without a trace, and I've been watching for them every day. Since we know they are in the capital, I suppose the two of us should make the trip." With that decided, they waited until the wine was finished, then Gui Xing and Zong Kong, with Xi Lai in tow, made for the provincial capital.

Now at this time Gui Xing had opened a silk goods shop in the provincial capital under the name "Three Virtues." At the Three Virtues Hall, business was conducted at the front counter, while the inner section held three private rooms set aside for assembling and discussing matters of secrecy. Gui Xing settled in at the Three Virtues Hall, then sent Zong Kong to find the two men. It took two days, but at last he brought them before Gui Xing. They came with burning shame on their faces and nothing to say. Gui Xing said, "No need to feel so. What's past is past — I will not pursue it. So long as you two are willing from now on to help me faithfully, my offer remains the same. Everything before this need not be mentioned again." Ye Sheng said, "This matter concerns human life. It would be best to have more people and think of a sound method before making any move." Gui Xing said, "Do you have any reliable friends you could recommend?" Jian Dang said, "I have a friend named Lin Da-You. He is short in stature but has mastered martial arts through and through, and in the past made his living on the rivers and lakes by raiding homes and doing all manner of things. Of late he has reformed and opened a place called the Gathering Immortals Hall outside the North Gate, which sells opium on the surface and privately trades in raw opium underneath. He is a man of many schemes and much cunning — this matter could be discussed with him." Gui Xing said, "Could you trouble yourself to bring him to me?" Jian Dang agreed and went off.

Before long he returned with Lin Da-You. Gui Xing was greatly pleased and called for wine and food to welcome him. When three rounds had been poured, Gui Xing raised the earlier business again. Lin Da-You said, "Brother Jian mentioned it briefly at my establishment just now. But in my estimation, this matter is genuinely difficult. We live in peaceful times — who would dare kill a man for no reason?" Gui Xing said, "Then I suppose this grudge of mine can never be settled." Lin Da-You said, "There is a way — but you would need to be willing to part with silver, sir." Gui Xing said, "How much silver?" Da-You said, "My approach requires many men. First, the general reward to all must be at least five thousand. As for anyone who actually finishes off Tian Lai or his brother, figure roughly one thousand per man. Afterward, there will certainly be a lawsuit, and you will need to grease palms up and down the court — that could be ten or eighteen thousand, and you must agree to that as well." Gui Xing said, "Is that all?" Da-You said, "That is all." Gui Xing laughed heartily: "That is merely a matter of spending ten-odd thousand taels. I thought it might be one or two hundred million — that I truly could not afford. But please tell me: what is the method, and how many men would be needed?" Lin Da-You said, "The more men the better. We gather a large crowd, raid his home, and take advantage of the confusion to kill him." Gui Xing hastily said, "Attacking in force at night would lead to a lawsuit!" Lin Da-You said, "He may report it as a violent robbery; we will only admit to breaking in as burglars. That is where your connections in the outside world come in." Gui Xing said, "And what about the killing?" Da-You said, "That is precisely the point. If a single man kills a single man and is caught, there is no denying it. With my plan, we use many men. If someone is killed and we come before the court, everyone simply agrees to supply a random name — say a Zhang San or a Li Si — claiming he fled before being arrested. You manage things outside, a warrant for his capture is issued, and gradually the matter cools down." Zong Kong clapped his hands: "Brilliant, brilliant! If I hadn't introduced Brother Jian, how would we ever have found this Brother Lin?" Gui Xing said, "A superb plan. Since we need many men, I have about twenty at my place already. If you three gentlemen have any friends to recommend, that too would be welcome." Lin Da-You said, "I have two close friends: one Zhou Zanxian, and one Li A-Er — both long accustomed to moving on the rivers and lakes and able to join." Jian Dang said, "I have a kinsman, Jian Lexian, who used to deal in contraband salt around Zhaoqing; having recently gone bankrupt, he is now serving as an occasional runner (maodiff) at the Panyu county yamen. He could go along." Ye Sheng said, "I have a distant relative named Cai Shun who has had no occupation for a long time. I ask that you look after him as well, sir." Gui Xing agreed to all of them, and with that the gathering dispersed.

The next day, Lin Da-You brought Zhou Zanxian and Li A-Er; Jian Dang brought Jian Lexian; Ye Sheng and Cai Shun also arrived in turn. All assembled together, they discussed the plan — to Gui Xing's evident delight. He set out wine and food again to welcome them all, and was eager to set off at once for Tancun. Lin Da-You said, "Acting under your command, we are naturally ready to depart at once — but I am afraid that on arrival, we may not find the moment right to act. In affairs like this, one must watch for the right opportunity." Gui Xing hastily asked, "Brother Lin, do you perhaps mean to strike here in the provincial capital at his sugar shop instead?" Lin Da-You said, "How could that work? In the first place, the capital is heavily patrolled; in the second place, the sugar shop is full of people; and in the third place, we do not know what Liang Tian Lai looks like — if we killed the wrong man, all the effort would be wasted, and we would have taken on the risk for nothing. It is better to go to his home in Tancun. But once there, we may need to linger and observe his movements — there is no telling how many days that will take. As it happens, I am expecting a consignment of opium from Macao within these next few days and must be here to receive it. So I cannot depart just yet."

Gui Xing said, "When do you expect this cargo to arrive?" Da-You said, "It should be here without fail by the end of the month. Once it arrives, we will set out at once. You may rest easy, sir — when Old Lin gives his word, he will see it through if it costs him his very life." Gui Xing was greatly pleased, and from then on they feasted together daily at the Three Virtues Hall. In a flash the end of the month came, Lin Da-You's goods arrived, and he had to ship them out to the country districts, keeping him busy for several more days. It was not until early in the seventh month that they were able to set off. Lin Da-You said, "When we arrive at Tancun, we are all strangers whose faces will arouse suspicion. Better to change our disguises, go ashore at night, and proceed to your home, sir, to wait for the right opportunity. That would be more reliable." Gui Xing said, "Brother Lin truly sees clearly in all things — a man of both civil and martial talent!"

So Gui Xing went with Lin Da-You, Zong Kong went with Zhou Zanxian and Li A-Er, Jian Dang went with Jian Lexian, Ye Sheng went with Cai Shun. Some dressed as merchants from Shanxi, some as fruit peddlers, with weapons concealed on their persons. They hired boats in staggered groups and set out for Tancun. On arrival at Yugeng Hall, Gui Xing had Qu Jue Xing called over at once to discuss the plan. He also summoned Xiong A-Qi, Li A-Tian, Gan A-Ding, You A-Mei, and Gui Xing's own clansmen Ling Mei Xian, Yue Wen, Yue Wu, Yue Shun, Yue He, Zong Meng, Zong Ji, Zong Xiao, Zong He, Qi Yu, Hai Shun, Liu Yu, Liu Quan, Run Bao, Run Zhi — twenty-nine ruffians in all, counting Gui Xing and Zong Kong — squeezed together in Yugeng Hall.

Gui Xing had Zong Kong attend to the guests with wine and food, while he himself pulled Jue Xing aside to the study to share Lin Da-You's plan and discuss how to proceed. Jue Xing said, "The plan is excellent! But it requires that all hearts be united — otherwise, if afterward things are seriously brought before the court and someone cannot endure the torture and confesses everything, the consequences would not be trivial." Gui Xing said, "I need only bind them with generosity — they are not likely to implicate me."

Jue Xing let out a sigh: "My worthy nephew has no idea! Let me speak frankly, cutting right to the heart of it. This crowd — at their best, they might be called bold men of the rivers and lakes, heroes of the greenwood. But honestly speaking, they are simply a pack of ne'er-do-wells, and there is no one among them who can truly be relied upon." Hearing this, Gui Xing could not suppress a surge of despair: "According to what you say, Elder Cousin, this plan cannot succeed." Jue Xing said, "So many men have already been assembled, and they all know what this is about — each one is counting on getting his share of the reward. If we suddenly say we are not going through with it, they will harbor resentment, and once they are out in the world, this story will leak out. What could we do about that?" Gui Xing stamped his foot in frustration: "I was too rash in this — what are we to do now?" Jue Xing said, "The only thing is to distribute the reward money and tell them we are calling off the affair, sending them out with instruction to keep their mouths shut. Since they would be getting paid without having to do any work, they can hardly complain." Gui Xing said, "Not a single thing was accomplished, not a breath of revenge has been drawn — to simply throw away a great sum of money is not that a pity?" He sighed repeatedly, while Jue Xing just smiled inanely. Gui Xing said, "Come, tell me truly — do you have any solution, Elder Cousin?" Jue Xing said, "At the very beginning, not a word was said to me about any of this. And even after I brought Xiong A-Qi and the others — that was already half a year ago — you never mentioned the matter. I assumed you had let it go cold. Then unknown to me, you went off to the capital once, recruited heaven knows how many bold men, and planned this grand affair. Now things have come to a deadlock, and you come to me for counsel — what am I to do at a moment's notice? The way I see it: you all proceed with your own plan, and I will stay out of it. As for the four men Xiong A-Qi and the others — I will speak to them and tell them not to get involved. The worthy nephew need not include them in the reward money; I will keep them steady and see that they do not talk recklessly. When things truly get serious, we will deal with it then." Gui Xing panicked: "Elder Cousin, these are words of reproach! The Sage said, 'Do not remonstrate over what is done; do not censure what has already passed.' Do not reproach me, Elder Cousin — please help me think of something. I will reward you handsomely." Jue Xing gave a cold smile: "You speak of reward at every turn. In all the matters I have managed for you, have I ever taken anything? To say nothing of anything else — just those two affairs with the Chen family and the He family, which I settled when they had turned the whole world upside down. If anyone else had mediated matters of that scale for you, the fee alone would have been a thousand or eight hundred taels at least. Yet have I ever said a word about it? This shows that I am not motivated by reward. It is simply that we are relatives — when I can see what needs to be done, I cannot fail to look out for you."

Gui Xing pondered for a long while, then took out a note for five hundred taels, bowed deeply, and presented it to Jue Xing: "Elder Cousin! I beg you urgently to help me think of something. Please first accept this as a small token, and more thanks will follow after the event." Jue Xing took it, looked at it, and said, "My worthy nephew, how can you burden me with this! Truly, I am not after your reward!" As he spoke, he was already tucking the note into his pocket. Then he said, "There is a solution — one that can make this affair come out perfectly in every way." Gui Xing was overjoyed and asked what it was.

What plan did Jue Xing name? Read on to the next chapter.