Chapter 301: Experience

A thin mist drifted over the Qinhuai River at Taoye Ferry. In the early morning, Mei Lou was filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers. The faint sound of a bamboo flute drifted in through the window. Li Lihua turned over in bed; she knew it was Gu Mei practicing her melodies by the river, usually for an hour.

The flute suddenly cracked a note, then fell silent. Next came panicked shouts from outside. Li Lihua sat up, frowning as she listened to the commotion.

Footsteps thudded up the stairs. Moments later, Li Ping'er pushed open the door and rushed to the bedside, her face deathly pale.

"Mother, something has happened outside."

"What could cause such alarm?"

Li Ping'er stammered, "There are dead bodies on the riverbank."

Li Lihua's face hardened. "It's not as if no one has ever drowned in the Qinhuai."

"It's... it's those two Inner Responders from Bai Shun Tang."

Li Lihua's expression changed. She hurriedly rose, threw on some clothes, and went downstairs. On the way, she encountered Gu Mei, supported by a short maid, returning from the river. Her steps were unsteady; she had clearly been badly frightened.

Quite a few people were already standing on the riverbank. She pushed aside a woman blocking her way and reached the water's edge. Two corpses floated face-up in the water. Examining their features, she recognized them as the spies planted in Bai Shun Tang.

Li Ping'er's heart pounded violently, her face growing even paler. Her voice trembling, she said, "The household guards saw nothing during last night's patrol. They must have been brought here by boat in the middle of the night. Why else would they be floating right beside Mei Lou? Most likely it was that Mobile Corps Commander Pang."

"Do not panic." Li Lihua shifted her gaze from the corpses. "He killed these two because he lacked the nerve to strike at me, yet couldn't swallow his anger. This matter ends here. On the contrary, we should be at ease now."

Li Ping'er nodded, but her hands and feet would not stop trembling. Li Lihua's reasoning was sound. If it was only about seizing Bai Shun Tang, then for now they could indeed set their minds at ease. The Qinhuai River was lined with pleasure houses, and brawls between Green Hands of the Da Hang were not unheard of. But such a silent killing meant as a warning was still exceedingly rare. Clearly, this military man's capabilities were beyond those of any Da Hang. For Li Ping'er, knowing that someone like this held leverage over her only deepened her fear.

Li Lihua took a slow breath. "Report it to Jiangning County. Have them fish out the bodies. Nothing else needs to be said."

"Should I go to Junior Supervisor Zhou, so he knows of this, and have the Military Command dispatch some soldiers to guard us?"

Li Lihua thought for a moment. "Just tell Guo Zuoshan. Don't trouble Junior Supervisor Zhou with such a trifling matter. Stationing soldiers here would only frighten the guests."

Li Ping'er acknowledged the order, then, still gripped by lingering fear, said in a low voice, "Mother, we really must not provoke these military men. They've been killing Roving Thieves north of the river for so long that their ways are no different from those Roving Bandits. This time they killed these two; next time it could be..."

"Is that all it takes to frighten you?" Li Lihua's gaze returned to the corpses. "This is exactly what he wants you to think. I've seen plenty of villains on this Qinhuai River. They only know such base methods, still the acts of a brute. This time he curried favor with Eunuch Liang by answering the call to rally to the king, letting him strut for a while. When the opportunity comes, I'll make that brute Pang understand that this Ming Dynasty ultimately does not belong to military men."

……

"Running a newspaper office is a matter for scholars. Lin Po, you are a Restoration Society scholar and have done excellent work at the newspaper office this past year."

Inside the offices of the Jiangnan Times, Pang Yu spoke gently. "I am preparing to transfer Chief Editor He back to Anqing, but the Times must continue publishing. Chief Editor He has recommended you to me, to stay in Nanjing and manage the newspaper office."

Lin Po was Liu Shenyan's courtesy name. Upon hearing this, he dropped to his knees with a thud. "I am of meager talent and shallow learning, not a fraction of Mr. He's equal. I fear I am unfit for such a heavy responsibility."

"Lin Po, no need for modesty. In your months at the newspaper office, you have already proven capable of handling the selection and layout independently. Your ability is more than sufficient for the role of chief editor. I still have an eye for judging people."

Liu Shenyan was momentarily stunned. By Pang Yu's logic, any further refusal would be tantamount to saying his boss had no eye for judging people. For a moment, he was speechless.

"Then it's settled. Your monthly salary will start at ten taels of silver, to be increased after One Year. The rest of the staff remains unchanged. This afternoon, Chief Editor He will convene everyone to announce this. You may rise now."

Liu Shenyan blinked in surprise. He had previously earned only three taels a month; he never imagined a chief editor could earn so much. He had not intended to refuse firmly in the first place, and quickly said, "I thank you for your favor, sir."

Pang Yu bade him stand, then paced a few steps around the room. "It's just that a newspaper office is ultimately not a literary society. In the end, it's a business, which differs somewhat from the personal loyalties of scholars. When manuscripts come in from the Restoration Society, you must have a clear idea in your mind, Lin Po, about which should be published and which should not."

"I will follow your instructions in all things, sir." Liu Shenyan then turned to He County Yamen. "I beg Chief Editor He to generously offer his guidance."

He County Yamen nodded with a smile. On this point, he would certainly not hold anything back. He had long wished to be rid of the newspaper office affairs. If he did not explain everything clearly to Liu Shenyan, Pang Yu might very well send him back here someday.

Transferring He County Yamen back to Anqing was not a consideration of his sworn brother's personal wishes. Rather, the recent incident with the Restoration Society had made Pang Yu worry about the society's prospects. The Jiangnan Times had always relied on the Restoration Society for its growth, and much of the content published in its pages consisted of Restoration Society Current Affairs Essays. He County Yamen's connection to it was too close, which could easily implicate Pang Yu himself. This Liu Shenyan, though a Restoration Society scholar, had lost his family and home and could only rely on Pang Yu. Making him chief editor would make the Times appear, on the surface, to have little connection to Anqing, thus reducing the risk of association with the Restoration Society.

Pang Yu stopped before the window. This courtyard was one li outside Sanshan Gate, a very ordinary compound. Its main advantage was its spacious grounds, making it the least conspicuous of Pang Yu's many properties. Compared to Dazhong Street, where the gambling den and money house were located, this was the urban-rural fringe. The rent here was cheap, and there was a river channel for shipping out newspapers.

The small courtyard downstairs bustled with people, mostly Laborers. Outwardly, it looked like a purely labor-intensive industry, bearing no relation to culture whatsoever. These laborers were moving paper, the newspaper office's largest expense. The other major item was copper movable type. Due to the timeliness of newspapers, movable type printing was necessary. In the Jiangnan region during the Ming Dynasty, copper movable type was widely used, and skilled workers were by no means scarce. When publishing monthly, they could even print illustrations, so Pang Yu had no need to worry about technical issues. However, copper type was expensive to produce, and currently they only kept two thousand commonly used characters on hand. Any missing characters had to be rented from other printing workshops.

Distribution was currently acceptable. It had spread along the Great River, with numbers downstream of Nanjing increasing every month, gradually penetrating into communities and townships. The readership had expanded from the gentry to ordinary literate commoners, thanks to the high literacy rate in Jiangnan. In places like Yangzhou, shops had already put up signs to sell it regularly. The Anqing printing section mainly targeted the middle reaches of the Yangtze, where it held some influence in cities along the river but had yet to expand into ordinary towns.

People of this era did not place much value on the role of newspapers, and the operation had always been run at a loss. So, despite being jointly run with the Restoration Society for so long, no one had ever set their sights on the newspaper office. For Pang Yu, without the silver bank, the newspaper office would also be useless—a true case of losing money just to make noise. Under the current circumstances, it was enough to maintain control over the newspaper office's finances and distribution.

The other copyists, account clerks, and labor Headmen at the newspaper office had all been transferred from Anqing and had previously been under He County Yamen's command. Now that Liu Shenyan was made chief editor, the Authority granted to him would not be that extensive. Liu Shenyan had lost his family and home; although he was a Restoration Society scholar, given the loose organization of the current Restoration Society, it could not serve as a support for him. Pang Yu was the sole patron on whom he depended for his livelihood and survival. That was the reason for choosing him.

"I hear you've settled your family in Nanjing, Lin Po?"

Liu Shenyan glanced up at Pang Yu. "Indeed, I have settled my family. My humble wife also fled from Hezhou. No relatives or friends from my family survived, so the wedding was kept simple. I invited a few friends from the Restoration Society... and Chief Editor He to bear witness, and that was the marriage."

Pang Yu made a sound of acknowledgment. "Then your honored wife must be from Jiangbei. Has she grown accustomed to life here in Nanjing?"

Hearing this, He County Yamen shot a glance at Liu Shenyan. According to the rules of the Great River Silver Bank and Bai Shun Tang, all personnel in managerial positions were required to keep their families in Anqing—primarily the Shopkeeper and account clerks, and now a cashier had been added. Keeping hostages was standard practice at the time, serving as collateral for the master. He County Yamen's own family was all kept in the Prefectural City of Anqing.

Liu Shenyan hesitated for a moment, his body twisting uneasily. "My humble wife is indeed unaccustomed to the Southern Capital."

He County Yamen quickly observed Pang Yu, then turned to Liu Shenyan. "Anqing and Hezhou are both north of the river, and it is guarded by the Defense Officer Garrison. Lin Po, you could certainly send her to Anqing; perhaps she would grow accustomed there."

Liu Shenyan was about to nod when Pang Yu interrupted. "Lin Po's family suffered calamity; he still needs to carry on the family line. There is no need to rush this."

He County Yamen, hearing this, said no more. Liu Shenyan's wife was someone he had met while crossing the river from Hezhou. He County Yamen had seen her too; she had a scar on her face. The two had lived together since arriving in Nanjing. Whether such a wartime union was reliable was hard to say. Pang Yu's meaning was that having a child would make for better collateral.

Still, it was an exception made for Liu Shenyan. He moved to kneel and offer thanks again, but Pang Yu waved his hand and dismissed him.

With only He County Yamen left in the room, Pang Yu casually sat down. "Third Brother, you couldn't stand staying in this place of luxury and decadence that is Nanjing. Are you satisfied now that you're returning to Anqing?"

He County Yamen first gave a slight bow, then found a seat at the lower end. "Second Brother knows me. I've been literate since childhood but never had the patience for serious scholarship. Running this newspaper was difficult enough, and I still had to deal with those Restoration Society literati. I can't even remember how many times I argued with Wu Yingji. With Liu Shenyan taking over, they'll find it easier to talk. Besides, this Nanjing is the Auxiliary Capital—officials everywhere, gentry everywhere, none of them to be trifled with. I had to tread carefully everywhere. In my opinion, back when I handled affairs in the county yamen, no one cared about face, so it took no mental effort. But these officials and gentry in the Southern Capital all seem to care about face, yet I never know if they actually do or not. It's all too complicated for me. I'd rather be back in Anqing, where I can be at ease."

Pang Yu paused in Strategic Patience. "I thought the same earlier. The Bai Shun Tang affair was a tangled mess, but Ruan Dacheng gave a pointer and we found the loose thread. The tangled mess was then easily unraveled."

He County Yamen offered an accompanying smile. "Regarding the Bai Shun Tang matter, are we just letting Li Lihua off?"

"Ruan Dacheng spoke up to plead for mercy, and Li Lihua has Junior Supervisor Zhou behind her. We could only issue a warning." Pang Yu sighed. "According to my original intent, no matter how the matter was resolved, I wanted to take Li Lihua's life. But given the circumstances, handling affairs is indeed not so free."

"What if Li Lihua still doesn't know her place..."

Pang Yu shook his head. "We've now established a connection with Eunuch Liang, and we separately sent him three thousand taels, as you know. With his Protection, I imagine Li Lihua won't have the nerve."

He County Yamen licked his lips. His specific post upon returning to Anqing had not yet been decided, but it would likely be either in the Document Receiving Office or as a Central Army clerk. He felt he should start getting into character. He then said to Pang Yu, "Regarding Eunuch Liang, didn't we send a bit too much? If we start with three thousand, it will be hard to give less than that amount in future Pacing."

"Silver is earned to be spent. Think back to the Civil Unrest in Tongcheng two years ago, when we risked our own lives to fight for those thirty thousand taels of silver. That money is long gone now, but what we earned from it was a Defense Officer Garrison." Pang Yu took a sip of tea and added confidently, "Trust me on this, Third Brother. No matter how much we give Liang Hongtai, it will be useful. As long as it's useful, you can't say it's too much. That's a piece of experience I've recently summed up."

"Second Brother sees things more clearly. I must learn more from you in the future."

Just at that moment, Pang Ding hurried into the room. Seeing He County Yamen present, he stopped short and said nothing. He County Yamen, noticing this, quickly rose to leave.

Pang Yu waved his hand. "Third Brother is no outsider. He will be involved in confidential matters at the Defense Officer Department in the future. Speak, and let him hear it too."

Pang Ding stepped closer and said in a low voice, "Ruan Xiansheng sent a servant to say that the court has appointed a new Nanjing Garrison. He will take office once the Tartars withdraw beyond the pass. He said to stop Pacing with Liang Hongtai."

The room fell instantly silent. Pang Ding looked at the two men somewhat oddly, then added, "According to Ruan Xiansheng, the new Garrison Commander is the former Eunuch Director of the Ministry of Revenue and Works, named Zhang Yixian. He was impeached too many times by the censors in the capital, so this time he's being sent to Nanjing." (Note 1: In the ninth month of the ninth year of Chongzhen, Zhang Yixian was appointed Nanjing Garrison.)

"No one could have foreseen this." After a moment, He County Yamen said with some embarrassment. He glanced out the window again. "The person delivering the ink has arrived. I'll take Liu Shenyan to inspect the goods, so he won't be unfamiliar with it later."

With that, he hurried downstairs, leaving behind a puzzled Pang Ding, who stared at Pang Yu in utter bewilderment.

Pang Yu wiped the sweat from his face. "Anything else?"

"There's also a message from Jiang Fan — something Li Ping'er overheard at Mei Lou. The Restoration Society people are pooling money to grease the wheels. Jiang Chen told Wu Changshi that you, young master, have silver, and they want us to put up three thousand taels. Jiang Fan says to ask you, my lord, to be prepared in advance."

Pang Yu picked up his teacup and took another sip. He set it down, sat blankly for a moment, then cursed. "These officials and gentry really are complicated. We can't wait any longer — we head back to Anqing tomorrow."