Chapter 29: Jue Xing Marshals His Forces with Flawless Cunning — A Seven Eavesdrops on Private Words

Now, while Ling Guixing and his companions were in the midst of their revelry, a man suddenly burst through the door crying out that disaster had struck, giving everyone a terrible fright. They turned to look — it was Jian Lexian. Guixing quickly asked, "What disaster?" Lexian said, "After I saw you all off at the start of your journey, I went back to selling contraband salt in Zhaoqing..." Zongkong cut him off: "We're asking about the disaster — what has that got to do with anything? Get to the point!" Lexian said, "Things have a proper order; let me tell it step by step. — Then, too, the master was kind enough to give me a good sum of money, so with sufficient capital it was easier to do business, and in two or three months I'd made a tidy profit. I noticed that the pewterware of Zhaoqing is very fine — they say it is celebrated throughout the realm — so I bought a full set of table service to present to the master as a gift, and brought it myself by boat. Yesterday afternoon, when the boat reached Foshan, a vessel suddenly came toward us from the opposite direction, and I spotted a man aboard who looked very much like Qifu. On a sudden suspicion I told the boatman to turn the helm and follow that boat. After a while, as dusk fell, that vessel moored for the night, and I had my boatman pull our boat tight alongside his. When the night grew still, I listened carefully, and suddenly heard someone say, 'We have been away from home only one day and the master is already so melancholy — the road ahead is long indeed! At this rate, I fear you may wear yourself out with grief before ever reaching Beijing.' That voice was unmistakably Qifu's. Then another voice said, 'I know, I know — but when I think of all this injustice and suffering, I cannot help but grieve. And now this journey to the capital — who knows whether it will come to anything or not!...' After that the words grew indistinct and I could make out no more. That second voice was Liang Tianlai's. I reckoned that master and servant making for the capital could mean no good, so first thing this morning I tried to come and report — but I ran into an old acquaintance who insisted on keeping me at Yingzuisha in Foshan for the better part of the day, which is why I have only just arrived. Master, you must act quickly!"

Guixing said in astonishment, "Just a few days ago he was ill — how has he recovered so fast?" Juexing stamped his foot and said, "We've been tricked! If you don't believe me, go back to the provincial capital and ask Cheng Wanli — he will still swear Tianlai is lying sick." Guixing said anxiously, "What shall we do? I beg you, Uncle, devise a plan at once." Juexing sighed. "I had privately sworn to myself that from now on I would not say another word or devise another scheme, to spare myself hearing Cousin Zongkong call me 'a reborn Zhuge Liang' and 'full of clever stratagems' at every turn — it is insufferable." Zongkong said, "Hmph! Can't you accept a compliment?" Juexing said, "Very well. This time Tianlai is heading for the capital — to file a complaint directly with the throne, surely. In a case of such gravity, the Emperor will dispatch imperial commissioners. So let us all sit and wait. When that day comes we will be netted and dragged to our execution in one go. At least I won't be the only one dying!" Guixing said, "Enough of that! With the crisis upon us, why waste breath on such talk? Uncle, please devise a plan at once!" Zongkong said, "Nephew, don't panic. Just because he is going to the capital doesn't mean he will certainly petition the throne. Lexian heard only a couple of sentences through the boat hull, and isn't certain it was even Tianlai's voice. How can we be sure?" While Zongkong was still speaking, Juexing had already paced off to the study. Guixing followed, leaving the rest behind, and came to discuss matters with Juexing. "Uncle, this is a grave matter! Please, for my sake, devise a plan." Juexing said, "This is a case of 'we are all in the same boat' — how could I refuse? I'm simply vexed, that's all." Guixing said, "Forget all that — I'll take all the blame!" Juexing said, "The only option now is to intercept and kill him. Send men to press ahead on the road and wait at Nanxiong Pass; when he arrives, finish him with a single blade." Guixing said, "Wouldn't that just create another murder case?" Juexing said, "We have already stirred up a storm here, with seven or eight dead — are we afraid of that? Can we really lose our nerve over killing one more?" Guixing said, "I suppose when one has started, one must finish — there is no other way. But who is capable of going?" Juexing said, "That was rather an idle suggestion. Who among us could actually carry it out? He has already departed. Even if we sent men after him right now — if they catch him, fine. But if they miss him and have to come back for more instructions, and we send men out again, all that back and forth means he will have left Guangdong long before anything can be done. That is no plan at all." Guixing said, "Are we truly to do nothing and await our doom?" Juexing said, "There is a way. Nephew, calm yourself. Go out, tell the others to make merry tonight and drink their fill. Tomorrow morning early I shall have need of them. Go keep them company, and leave me alone here to quietly work out a foolproof scheme." Guixing agreed and went to attend to the others.

By then everyone was full of private dread; no one had any heart for wine. They drained a few cups in a fog, then dispersed. After a short rest they retired for the night, and Zongkong too said his farewells and went home. Guixing came to confer with Juexing. Juexing said, "I have everything arranged. Tomorrow morning, one by one, we all set out for the provincial capital — but two men must remain here." Guixing said, "Who?" Juexing said, "Xiong Aqi, and your uncle Zongkong." Guixing said, "What purpose will they serve?" Juexing said, "Aqi will be useful. Leaving your uncle behind is simply to keep Aqi company. Otherwise, once you have gone and there are only women in the household, it would hardly be proper to leave an outsider here." Their plans settled, they each went off to rest, and the night passed without further incident.

The next morning, one by one everyone was dispatched on his way, all with orders to rendezvous at Sande Inn, leaving only Zongkong and Aqi behind. Juexing drew Aqi aside and whispered certain instructions in his ear, adding, "This matter must be handled in utmost secrecy. Not a third person is to know besides you and me. The moment you have reliable news, come to the provincial capital and tell me." Aqi nodded his assent. Then Juexing set off with Guixing and Xilai by boat to the provincial capital. When they reached Sande Inn, all the assembled ruffians had already been waiting for some time. Juexing said, "We must first send men to Nanxiong. Who is willing to go?" Li Atian said, "I'll go." Gan Ading said, "So will I." Juexing said, "Good, two men. But I fear you may not recognise Tianlai. Let Yue Wen, Yue Wu, Yue Shun, and Yue He go with you as well — they know Tianlai well, and having more eyes means he is less likely to slip through the net." He continued, "Someone must also be sent to the Ganzhou customs post. Who is willing?" Mei Xian said, "I've been there before and know the road well — I can go." Zonghe said, "I want to go too." Juexing said, "You may also bring Liu Yu, Liu Quan, Jian Dang, and Ye Sheng." He then said to Guixing, "Nephew, have an exchange draft for thirty thousand taels made out to Nanxiong at once. I have already written a letter; Xilai must make this journey." Guixing hurried to the counting room to have it prepared. Juexing said to Xilai, "Take this letter of mine and go to Nanxiong; deliver it to the thousand-captain's yamen. The Nanxiong thousand-captain, Liu Sheng, is a sworn brother of mine. I am entrusting this entire matter to him to handle. As for the thirty-thousand-tael draft — when you arrive in Nanxiong, first draw ten thousand and present it to Thousand-Captain Liu; deposit the remaining twenty thousand in the bank. If Liu says he needs to grease the customs post and wants more money, draw on the account as needed. The men at the Ganzhou post will likewise draw from you — guard the funds with your life." He then addressed Li Atian, Ling Mei Xian, and the others: "Once you have reached your positions, each of you is to take up lodging at the customs post. Both posts will be under Liu's patronage, so keep your eyes sharp. When Tianlai passes through the post, simply point him out to the customs officers — they will know how to deal with him without your needing to lift a hand. All that is required of you is to identify Tianlai, and that will be merit enough." He gave each man traveling money, and they set out at once through the North Gate, pressing forward at full speed by land. Guixing also urged Xilai, "This matter is a matter of life and death. You have served me many years, and I know you are capable — that is why I am sending you. Handle it well, and I will reward you handsomely when you return. Take good care on the road." Xilai assented repeatedly, and the whole party went streaming out through the North Gate.

Lin Dayou said, "The others all have assignments — what are we to do?" Juexing said, "There is one more place I should like to ask you to go." Dayou said, "Where?" Juexing said, "I am worried that Tianlai may not go by way of Nanxiong and instead take the Heping Ridge route. I should like you to go and intercept him there. We have no useful connections there, so it cannot be managed through bribery — it must be either by cunning or by force. Others might prove unreliable, so I am keeping you for that side." Dayou said, "The Heping Ridge route follows the East River — why then was he in Foshan?" Juexing said, "It is hard to say. Perhaps he feared our many eyes and ears, and went to Foshan deliberately to mislead us — that is possible. Moreover, since Lexian heard him from a neighboring boat, is it not equally possible that Tianlai spotted Lexian? If he saw Lexian and realized he had been noticed, he might change his route — who can say for certain?" Dayou said, "In that case I shall take that road." Zhou Zanxian and Li Aer said together, "We will go with Brother Lin to lend a hand." Juexing said, "Good. Take Runbao, Runzhi, Zongmeng, and Zongji with you." Lin Dayou said, "Once I am there — unless he doesn't take that road — if he does, I guarantee he will be yours for the taking." And so each man took his travel money and set off toward Heping Ridge.

Juexing then called Lexian over and said, "You can go to Shaozhou for a spell — that is a busy place and no rough action can be taken there. Take some traveling money and hire yourself a small sampan at the Taiping Customs House; set up a little trading business on the water. Every boat heading north has to pass through customs. Keep a sharp watch. If you see Tianlai, ride ahead to Nanxiong and report to Li Atian and the others at the customs post, so they can be ready to act. You just need to get there half a day ahead of him, and preparations can be made." Lexian took his money and went.

Guixing, seeing that everyone had been dispatched and deployed, asked Juexing, "What method is to be used against Tianlai at Nanxiong?" Juexing said, "I have asked Thousand-Captain Liu to arrange things at the customs post. When Tianlai appears, they will detain him and flatly accuse him of smuggling munitions; then hand him over to the local magistrate, with further bribes to the yamen to have him convicted of a capital crime. Is that not a clean solution?" Guixing said, "But he isn't carrying any munitions — how can he be framed for it?" Juexing said, "Nephew, how naïve you are! Couldn't Thousand-Captain Liu produce a few catties of gunpowder and a couple of muskets from his own garrison? Have them packed into a crate beforehand, marked with Liang Tianlai's name, and stored at the post. When he passes through, casually drop it beside his luggage — and no matter how many mouths he has to plead with, he won't be able to talk his way out." Guixing said, "Uncle, your ingenuity is truly supernatural!" Juexing said, "It is only a case of 'man proposes, Heaven disposes.' I stayed up all last night calculating, and I believe I have left nothing to chance. I only hope the men I have sent will not be lazy about pressing forward. There have been northerly winds for several days; counting from the day Lexian spotted Tianlai in Foshan, at his fastest he can be no further than Qingyuan by now — and overland is much faster than by water." They discussed the matter at some length, then each retired to rest.

From that point on, both men took up residence at Sande Inn. Ling Guixing fretted like an ant on a hot pan — one moment clutching his head, the next pacing in and out. Qu Juexing too could not help heaving sigh after sigh. The assistants who came to comfort them all said, "This is no more than Jian Lexian's own account of what he heard. Whether it is even true is still uncertain — why be so agitated?" Guixing, hearing this, forced himself to take some comfort, and began to nurse the hope that it was all just a rumor Lexian had invented. Before he knew it six or seven days had passed, and then one day Xiong Aqi came hurrying in, saying to Juexing, "It is absolutely certain — you must make ready at once!" Guixing was seized with a fresh shock of alarm.

What was it that Aqi declared "absolutely certain"? Read on to the next chapter.