Chapter 115: The Two Xiucai

Since someone as important as Jiang Shang had begun relocating, the two Xiucai, Nan and Huang, would naturally not be left behind.

After the "Li Kui Operation," the Crossing Faction had successfully "manufactured" a juren, "Master Huang," right inside Hangzhou City.

As for the genuine Xiucai Huang Ping and the Xiucai Nan Wang who had acted as go-between, they were effectively placed under house arrest after the Autumn Examination.

Ever since Xiucai Huang Ping contracted a fever-chill illness, he could not sit the Autumn Examination and nearly lost his life. Thanks to the brilliant medical skill of "Master Miaoshu" at Tangzhuang, Xiucai Huang was able to fight the disease. In short, his condition fluctuated between better and worse, and he could not endure drafts. After this, Huang Ping remained at Tangzhuang to recuperate.

When the Transmigrators garrisoning Tangzhuang told Huang Ping not long ago that it would be best for him to go by ship, as an accountant, to seek a few more doses of 'medicine' from Master Miaoshu, Huang Ping, having few other options, could only agree.

The matter of the Autumn Examination was already abandoned, and Xiucai Huang had been convalescing at Tangzhuang for many days, with all expenses for food, drink, decoctions, and 'medicine' unpaid, relying entirely on the goodwill of his good friend Xiucai Nan. Now that the manor lord had set forth this proposal, Huang Ping truly had very little room to refuse.

For Xiucai Nan, things were even easier.

The very first moment he saw the provincial exam results, Xiucai Nan deduced the gist of the "Li Kui Operation." Even if a few details remained unclear, Nan Wang already saw the matter with perfect clarity: it was nothing more than some trickery involving false names and borrowed registration.

Immediately after, Nan Wang understood his own current predicament: these Sea Merchants had gone to such great lengths to elevate Master Huang, so their ambitions were certainly not shallow, and they would never permit the slightest error in this affair. Therefore, for his own sake, he had better stay obediently at Tangzhuang and wait for a ship.

The tactful and sensible Xiucai Nan did not find his days waiting for a ship at Tangzhuang difficult. He would not suddenly fall ill, nor would he be sunk in the river. On the contrary, all his daily living expenses were at the same standard as those purchased girls in the Back Residence.

Apart from the rear garden, the rest of Tangzhuang did not restrict the Xiucai's movements. Nan Wang spent his days writing and painting, and from time to time chatted a few sentences with the crewmen. He actually had a rough understanding of the Transmigrators' operations overseas.

Liu Niang, whose pregnancy was gradually showing, had also tasted the benefits of later-generation medicine — this was quite rare. After the Liu Family's young master returned from the gates of hell, the wondrous arts and wondrous 'medicine' of the Western Regions' exotic monk, Master Miaoshu, were widely spread as gossip by the Liu Family servants. Afterward, some wealthy households came to the Liu Family to inquire. Had they not used the excuse that the Great Master had gone to sea on a pilgrimage, a queue for specialist registration would likely have formed at the gates of Tangzhuang.

Xiucai Nan knew what Huang Ping's illness was all about. He had gradually taken the pulse of these Sea Merchants: submit to me and prosper, oppose me and perish — very overbearing, utterly without scruple.

So when the manor lord told him he could soon board a ship and go to sea, his mood was still a little stirred: the original plan to seek friends in Guangnan had only been a desperate expedient. The current Xiucai Nan was now a Ming Dynasty native with considerable understanding of the Transmigrators' hidden strength. These people had brilliant medical skills and formidable martial force. Though they now seemed to lie low, they faintly harbored great ambitions and were absolutely no ordinary sea bandits engaged in raiding. Going to sea to see the foundation these powerful people had built, and seeking shelter there — could that also be a path?

The above was the mental journey of the two Xiucai before they came to Dayuan.

After arriving at Dayuan, Xiucai Nan experienced a minor disturbance: Liu Niang, with her large belly, wearing a bamboo hat and veil, drew a crowd of onlookers after disembarking, until a headman's furious shout scattered the crowd like birds and beasts...

That night, in a room at the Dayuan Trading Post, a glazed copper lamp that burned without oil or smoke yet emitted a bright white light astonished the two Xiucai, who were being welcomed.

The person welcoming the two was a very mild-mannered middle-aged man. This man introduced himself as Dai Yun and wore a front-opening short jacket that used barbed wire teeth instead of cloth loop fasteners. Xiucai Nan knew this was called a "jacket."

Dai Yun had an utterly plain appearance, the kind you would not notice after brushing past him. His conversation during the meal was also casual and mild, revealing no sharpness. But Xiucai Nan, well-versed in the ways of the world, dared not underestimate this man: both he and Huang Ping had matters hanging over them, and this Mr. Dai who had come forward was not so simple.

After the simple and low-key welcome, on the second day, the two Xiucai, accompanied by Dai Yun, toured the existing territory of the Crossing Faction. On the road, Dai Yun told them without any concealment: a New Regime was about to emerge in Dayuan, and a state would be founded here before long.

After seeing those roaring iron beasts and the rows of red Bricks in the brick factory, the two scholars returned with heavy hearts.

On the third day, the two Xiucai were summoned separately by Dai Yun for meetings.

Nan Wang's premonition proved rather accurate: when Dai Yun met him this time, he directly told him that, entrusted by "General Manager Xia," he was preparing an intelligence organization to protect the New Regime, and asked if Xiucai Nan was interested in joining.

Nan Wang had seen "General Manager Xia" more than once and knew that Master Xia was the chief headman of these people. As for "intelligence organization," seeing Nan Wang a little confused, Dai Yun considerately explained: it was "the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Judicial Office."

Although Nan Wang had mentally prepared himself somewhat before coming, upon suddenly hearing such a terrifying job description, he still waved his hands wildly and shook his head repeatedly, just short of crying out, "This servant cannot do it."

Dai Yun chuckled, gestured for Xiucai Nan not to panic, and then told him: even if he was unwilling, no one would force him. The New Regime currently had a hundred things to undertake, and at worst, there would be a position like accountant or clerical staff waiting for Sir Nan; he would not be left idle.

After that, Dai Yun adopted a somewhat heartfelt tone. He first gave a brief evaluation of Xiucai Nan's series of performances during the Li Kui Operation, then told Nan Wang that, after assessment: Sir Nan remained calm in crises, knew how to assess the situation, acted with flexibility and adaptability, was willing to accept new things, and had an understanding of every stratum of Great Ming society — he was truly excellent material born for intelligence work.

As for the point in the assessment report that Nan Wang harbored a faint hatred for the Great Ming's privileged class due to a lack of upward mobility, Dai Yun did not mention it at this moment.

After his initial panic, seeing Dai Yun's gentle smile and hearing such a fair evaluation of himself, Sir Nan felt his earlier reaction had been a bit excessive. Somewhat sheepishly, he expressed: he was merely a frail scholar, probably incapable of such a life-risking trade.

Dai Yun burst into hearty laughter at this, then told Sir Nan that his understanding of the intelligence profession was off: entering wealthy residences and marketplaces, communicating with all sorts of people, collecting some publicly available information — that was basically the entirety of the work. In truth, it was not much different from Nan Wang's previous work as a house guest.

Even if there were situations requiring "wet work," it would never fall to a "public" figure like Nan Wang. One should know, training an assassin was far simpler than training a Nan Wang.

At the end of the conversation, Dai Yun left Sir Nan with two paths: the first was to join the intelligence system. This path suited his own qualities, offered fast promotion, and in the future, he would have the chance to grasp power he could never pursue in Great Ming — Dai Yun personally recommended it as a friend.

The second path was very ordinary: Dayuan currently had many posts lacking clerks; he could simply go to work. However, taking this path meant that, for at least ten years, Xiucai Nan could not return to Hangzhou and would have to remain in Dayuan.

Finally, Dai Yun generously gave him one week to consider.