Chapter 361: Settling In

The Guest Retainer position given to this Fang Tangjing was no free lunch. Compared to a jester-retainer whose only job was to play the straight man and crack jokes, a Guest Retainer's standing with the patron was equivalent to that of an Adviser — someone qualified to take part in certain decisions and entrusted with important tasks.

Fang Tangjing was exactly that. Not only was he a scholar the patron had funded from the ground up, he had also married the patron's distant niece, making him true family... Otherwise the patron would never have assigned him the task of investigating the old nest of the Kurzhaar bandits. This, it must be understood, represented the family's future strategic investment direction — a matter of the utmost importance.

Able to shoulder such a burden, Fang Tangjing was naturally a man seasoned in the ways of the world, shrewd and tactful. So once he learned the reason behind the incident, he rushed over and persuaded Master Bo, who was about to go on a rampage and mock everyone in sight, to calm down.

Fang Tangjing had many reasons for persuading the old master. First: a scumbag like Xiong Wencan — cursing him was no big deal. Lao Xiong was a circulating official anyway; he'd roll on out in a few years, and there was nothing he could do to a local native like Master Bo.

But cursing the others required caution. It was true that Master Bo was peerless and magnanimous, but the family still had to live here. Firing a map cannon and offending all those middling native officials would actually become a troublesome affair.

During the days Fang Tangjing had been staying with the Bo family, his conversation and breadth of knowledge had been quite remarkable, so Master Bo was very fond of this young man — even though Fang Tangjing was already thirty.

So after hearing Fang Tangjing's counsel, Master Bo also sobered up a little. He was a bit of an old angry youth, but he was not yet so angry as to disregard the family's interests.

Having thought it through, Master Bo magnanimously declared: Then I shall let those petty insects off the hook. When this old master submits his memorial to the Emperor this time, I'll just impeach those two bastards named Xiong and Jiao and be done with it.

Next, Fang Tangjing offered Master Bo another idea: Since you want to blast the one named Jiao, why not make a personal trip to Dayuan? As they say, you can't catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's den. That way, Master Bo might just find some leverage in the military procurement case, and the blasting would carry real weight later... After all, that official document has no flaws whatsoever on the surface. If you truly want to stab your direct superior in the backside, old master, you need solid evidence in hand for the stabbing to feel satisfying, no?

Sometimes, changing one's perspective is crucial: the same problem is often solved this way. So when Fang Tangjing reframed the official document from a different angle, Comrade Bo Daxing, the old angry youth, immediately found this reasoning sound: a trip to that pitch-black bandit lair was indeed necessary. Once back, he would wipe out those scum clean!

And so, a Visiting Delegation with mixed motives was formed. The members were as follows: Delegation Leader Master Bo, Deputy Delegation Leader Fang Tangjing; members: one Chang Sui and one Servant of Master Bo, and one Servant of Fang Tangjing.

After the five-person delegation packed and prepared, they officially set off on June 1, 1629. The group first took a boat from Xinghua Prefecture to Quanzhou, then easily boarded a scheduled ship to Dayuan. Departing from Quanzhou, the scheduled ship first sailed south to Xiamen. After reaching Xiamen and forming a convoy with other merchant vessels, it sailed directly to Dayuan.

Aside from some black-smoke-belching workshops at Xiamen Port making Master Bo feel rather uncomfortable, the journey was quite relaxing for everyone.

The first-class cabins on the scheduled ship were very comfortable. Not only were there clean beds, but also such wondrous items as thermoses and leak-proof insulated cups. Being able to brew hot tea on a rocking boat — though he couldn't help muttering a few words about "frivolous tricks and contrivances," Master Bo ultimately drank no small amount of tea. In addition, the red-sauced fish chunks over rice also earned everyone's endless praise.

Enjoying the sea views along the way, and coming out on deck at night to admire the bright lighthouse at Penghu — thus chatting with Fang Tangjing in their leisure, Master Bo entered the Taijiang Channel at high noon.

The bustling Taijiang always dazzled first-time visitors. Yet people's attention varied: just as Fang Tangjing and the Household Staff were pointing at the "Seabed Scoop" on the port side and clicking their tongues, Master Bo, face grim, stood with hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the Imperial City on the starboard side.

The Imperial City, situated at the very center of Dayuan Island, glittered radiantly. In the 17th century, this building wrapped in red brick and reflecting blue light from its large glass curtain walls was quite majestic and imposing, even carrying a touch of fantastical color.

Yet it was precisely this building, locally called the "General's Mansion," that made Master Bo stare coldly for half the day. Only after the ship entered Taijiang did he turn around and say to Fang Tangjing: "Red brick wrapping the walls — this is an act of usurpation!"

"Heh heh, Song Weng (Bo Daxing, courtesy name Songming), please don't be so exacting. This place has always been beyond the reach of civilization. The Cao Clan was only recently granted amnesty and recruitment — how could savages know the taboos of the court?"

Inwardly, Fang Tangjing did not agree with Master Bo's nitpicking. The present age was long past the founding spirit; nowadays, social mores were extravagant and decadent. Wealthy magnates without any official rank all wore silks and satins, drove carriages with paired horses, and lived behind vermilion gates and high walls, having long cast the rules set by the Hongwu Emperor to the winds.

Even in Xinghua Prefecture, where Master Bo lived, people who exceeded the sumptuary regulations in clothing, travel, and housing were everywhere. Stepping outside, one could see rich merchants riding lavish carriages and multi-bearer sedan chairs, shouting and rampaging through the streets surrounded by arrogant household servants...

Yet Master Bo usually turned a blind eye to all this. Now, having come to this uncivilized land that knew nothing of Great Ming's rules, he insisted on criticizing others for exceeding regulations and usurping privileges... Fang Tangjing couldn't help shaking his head inwardly: it seemed Song Weng had long disapproved of Great General Cao, and now he simply had to find some fault before he'd be satisfied.

After soothing the old master with a smile, Fang Tangjing hurriedly called the Household Staff to pack their luggage and prepare to disembark. He had hoodwinked Master Bo into coming here to ride on the coattails of Master Bo's official business — only then could he conduct an in-depth investigation of certain projects not open to outsiders. Now it seemed, riding coattails wasn't so easy; this old gentleman was far too troublesome.

After the fleet entered the Taijiang Inner Sea, the ships went their separate ways following buoys of different colors. The passenger ship carrying the Visiting Delegation crossed the sea to the Chikan Wharf on the opposite shore.

When Master Bo saw the forest of cranes, iron rails, and black-smoke-belching cargo trucks on the wharf, this time he fell silent instead — probably because the enemy forces were too numerous.

The newly built Customs Hall at Chikan Wharf was very imposing. A large-span building of the same specification as the various payment halls of later generations, it made the newly arrived Ming People crane their necks upward incessantly: they couldn't fathom how such a high, wide, and airy great hall had no columns or main beams. Why hadn't the roof fallen down?

The newly disembarked passengers queued up to the hall entrance. Guided by several Peaked Caps with various police tools hanging from their waists, the Visiting Delegation followed the large characters marked on the floor to the public service window.

Seeing the female clerk inside the public service window — also wearing a Peaked Cap, a blue short-sleeved shirt, and blue epaulettes — Master Bo, queuing up to register, was visibly uncomfortable. Avoiding the exposed neck and arms of this short-haired girl across from him, Master Bo silently recited "Do not look at what is improper," and lowered his head to fill out the form.

However, gentlemen are, after all, a rare breed, so everyone else in the delegation was quite curious about the female public servant. The piggish expressions of the Chang Sui and the Accountant need no mention; even Fang Tangjing flicked open his folding fan and struck a few debonair poses before beginning to fill out his form.

After filling out the forms came some routine questioning and an infrared thermometer check. Seeing a strange person in a green robe and mask shine a beam of light onto his forehead, Master Bo was startled again.

Temporary guests like them did not need to be confined to the Quarantine Camp, but the daily infrared temperature check and designated accommodation were mandatory.

Learning that the strange event earlier was a physician probing for illness, Master Bo inwardly cursed a few more times — he knew nothing about infrared rays, and naturally took this act as some native sorcery like gu poison.

After all the procedures were completed, the Visiting Delegation was finally led to the VIP Lounge.

The VIP Lounge was for official reception use, furnished with sofas and tea tables — essentially the VIP waiting lounge of a train station in later generations.

Sofas were no longer a secret. Due to the low technical barrier, sofa shops had already spread through major cities like Fuzhou. The Transmigrators contributed the core technology of coil springs as shares, while Ming shareholder-merchants were responsible for hiring workers and manufacturing.

The members of the Visiting Delegation were naturally knowledgeable, so they made no great fuss.

Soon, two reception staff entered through the side door. The man in the lead was tall and also wore a Great Peaked Cap. He came over smiling, extended his hand, and shook hands with the somewhat unaccustomed Master Bo. The other, of ordinary appearance and dressed in a grey linen suit, remained silent from start to finish, looking every bit the attendant.

The Visiting Delegation now knew that anyone wearing a Peaked Cap was a "public officer" on this side.

The man in the lead introduced himself as surnamed Ma, the Reception Section Chief of Customs. After inspecting Master Bo's official documents and tally, Section Chief Ma nodded, then communicated with Master Bo in Mandarin tinged with a Fujian accent.

Section Chief Ma first indicated that their side already knew of Master Bo's impending arrival and had made preparations. Therefore, regarding this military procurement case, both sides could enter substantive operations starting tomorrow.

Master Bo had no objection to this point.

There was nothing more to discuss after that. Section Chief Ma warmly led the Visiting Delegation members out of Customs and took them to the Taijiang Hotel, which was specially used to receive honored guests.

The Taijiang Hotel was right at the back gate of Customs, separated only by a main road. The four-story Taijiang Hotel was considered the best-located building in the accommodation area, offering window views overlooking the charm of Taijiang. Most of the guest rooms inside were suites, specially prepared for wealthy Ming people who brought their Household Staff along.

After helping Master Bo and his party complete their check-in procedures, Section Chief Ma told the guests: tomorrow, a Staff Officer from the Military would come to coordinate this matter, and they should rest easy. Upon leaving, Section Chief Ma also kindly reminded everyone: please read the Accommodation Guide carefully.

An Accommodation Guide was very common in later generations, but in 17th-century Dayuan, it was a rarity. So after entering the room, Master Bo let the Household Staff bustle about while he himself sat on the sofa with keen interest, picked up the beautifully printed Accommodation Guide, and began to read.