Chapter 393: A Grand Gesture

The Huangpu River, originating from Taihu, is a landmark river familiar to people nationwide in later generations. Shaped like a curved magatama jewel, the Huangpu River divides Shanghai into Puxi and Pudong, and after receiving the Wusong River (Suzhou Creek) in the city center, it finally empties into the Yangtze at Wusongkou.

In fact, before the Ming Dynasty, it was the waters of the Wusong River that flowed through the present-day Huangpu River channel.

Later, in the early Ming, because the Wusong River channel had silted up and flooded the people year after year, the then Minister of Revenue, Xia Yuanji, dredged the Great Huangpu, merged it with the Wusong River, and connected it to the Fanjiabang Channel all the way to Wusongkou, transforming the Huangpu River, which originally flowed horizontally out to sea, into the magatama shape known to later generations. Hence the saying, "The Huangpu seized the Wusong's course."

In this process, the original main stream, the Wusong River, overnight became a tributary of the Huangpu River, and the section of the Wusong River flowing through Shanghai, called Suzhou Creek, merged into the Huangpu River from across the river from the later-famous Lujiazui.

In fact, before the late Qing Dynasty, the official name for the Shanghai section of the Wusong River was not Suzhou Creek — because of the need to sign concession agreements with foreigners at the time, the name Suzhou Creek was formally adopted in the treaties for the convenience of demarcation.

Time flowed on, the seas turned to mulberry fields; since the dredging of the Huangpu River channel in the early Ming, over two hundred and sixty years had passed unnoticed.

During this period, although the Huangpu River basin, including Suzhou Creek, received occasional dredging and repair from the authorities, the paralytic symptoms of a feudal dynasty in its twilight were still unavoidable.

In the late Ming, while the main channel of the Huangpu River could still accommodate large ships, its various tributaries, including Suzhou Creek, had become severely silted. This situation, combined with unseasonal rainstorms of the Little Ice Age, led to frequent flooding throughout the downstream Yangtze River Delta, causing widespread destruction to agricultural production.

November 18, 1629. Three days after Xiong Dao received the telegram.

A ferry departed from the ancient Yangjiadu Wharf in Pudong, crossed the Huangpu River in a straight line, and docked at the wharf outside the Great East Gate of Shanghai County.

The Ming Dynasty Shanghai County was situated right on the banks of the Huangpu River, looking diagonally across at Lujiazui on the opposite shore. It was the wealthiest and most extravagant county seat in the entire Yangtze River Delta plain.

Not only were the Guanxiang districts around the county crowded with shops, bustling streets, and wharves standing like a forest, but within the county itself, the scene was one where "no commoners passed through, and arrogant servants were everywhere" — Ming Dynasty Shanghai County was the area with the highest density of powerful families in the Pearl River Delta region.

This county seat and its surrounding Guanxiang areas gathered a great number of gentry and great households, making it the undisputed stronghold of the reactionary Scholar-Official class. The phrase "arrogant servants everywhere" was no exaggeration here; "a household of moderate means could be ruined in an instant." In a place where a thrown brick would hit a gentry member's arrogant servant, ordinary households truly struggled to survive.

After the ferry docked, a crowd of various passengers quickly disembarked from the boat.

The last to leave were a master and his servant. The man in the lead, middle-aged and wearing a squirrel-fur robe, was broad and plump, his round face seemingly fixed with a permanent professional smile. He was none other than the well-known broker in the Jiading area, Du Yaren.

After leaving the wharf, Du Yaren quickly picked out a green-felt warm sedan chair from the row of taxis... sedan chairs waiting for business on the street, ducked inside, and then the four bearers diligently carried their passenger southward.

Traveling south from the county's East Gate, to the left were ships packed densely along the riverbank, and to the right were rows of shops and large residential houses. The prosperity of just the Guanxiang outside the city already surpassed the interior of the vast majority of Ming Dynasty county seats. Where the warm sedan chair passed, pedestrians wove like fabric, spokes converging at a hub; the over two hundred years of peace enjoyed by the Great Ming was on full display here in Shanghai County.

The sedan chair traveled without stopping, all the way from the Great East Gate to the South Gate, and continued further until, after passing the commercial district, a stretch of luxurious mansions and grand compounds gradually appeared ahead.

Before long, the sedan chair stopped in front of a large residence. Stepping down from the chair, Du Yaren looked up at the main gate, with its two leaves painted green, its brass beast-head knockers, and its gray tin rings, for a moment, then led his servant to a side gate.

Naturally, there was a gatekeeper at the side gate. Du Yaren went over, first announced his own name, and then, according to custom, offered some loose silver to ask the gatekeeper to pass word inside — before long, he was ushered in.

Walking along the exquisitely beautiful corridor with its carved beams and painted rafters, Du Yaren was still slightly surprised by today's meeting: he recalled that over half a year ago, he had likewise gone to Songjiang Prefecture, likewise intending to pay a visit to the owner of this grand residence, yet back then, he had been quickly dismissed by the Steward, not even making it through the door.

Unexpectedly, after more than half a year had passed, the situation had improved greatly: when he sent in his visiting card yesterday, the master of the house agreed without hesitation to meet today. By custom, when a visiting card is sent to arrange a meeting, it is usually considered proper etiquette for host and guest to meet three days later.

Pondering this, Du Yaren silently followed behind the gatekeeper, walking obediently. Before long, he was led to a side hall and served tea.

After drinking two sips of tea and eating a winter jujube from the fruit plate on the table, Du Yaren heard a string of footsteps from behind the screen. Moments later, accompanied by a maidservant and a Servant, a middle-aged man in a thick robe emerged from behind the screen.

This man appeared to be around forty years old, with a long face, phoenix eyes, a long beard under his chin, and fair skin. His whole body was adorned with gold and jade trinkets; he was clearly a scion of a wealthy and noble family.

Du Yaren hurriedly rose from his seat and bowed: "Greetings, Master Xu."

"Old Du, no need for formalities. Sit down and have some tea." The middle-aged man smiled warmly, extending a single arm to gesture Du Yaren to his seat.

Xu Jin, the Xiucai scholar, was the great-grandson of the late Grand Secretary Xu Jie, a clan brother of Xu Bengao, the current Jinyiwei Assistant Regional Commander-in-Chief, and the head of the Xu family's main branch.

Master Xu Jin was the Eldest Son of the Main Branch of this generation of the Xu family. With the old family head now advanced in years and frail, Xu Jin essentially made all the decisions on the Xu family's public affairs.

Over half a year ago, Du Yaren had traveled to the Xu family's old residence in Songjiang to seek an audience with Xu Jin, intending to discuss a land purchase, but was driven away.

Yet just yesterday, Du Yaren had once again, inexplicably, been entrusted by Xiong Dao to deliver a visiting card to the Xu family's secondary estate outside Shanghai County, intending to discuss that land purchase with Xu Jin once more. This time, a nervous Du Yaren, following Xiong Dao's instructions, met Master Xu Jin in this secondary estate without any effort at all.

After host and guest took their seats, the very amiable Master Xu showed no reserve and asked with a cheerful laugh: "Old Du, you're a broker and matchmaker. I suppose you're here today as a guest on behalf of that estate in Jiading?"

Du Yaren was not at all surprised by Master Xu's directness.

Firstly, the fact that the Xu family was willing to see him meant they must have thoroughly investigated his background and intentions beforehand. Otherwise, how could someone of Xu Jin's esteemed status casually receive a common marketplace broker?

Secondly, for Du Yaren, who frequently visited great households, Xu Jin's manner was perfectly normal: what was there for a man of his standing to chat about with a broker? Getting straight to the point was the right way.

"Hehe, Master Xu's foresight is divine." Du Yaren put on his professional smile and gave a thumbs-up. "Old Du has the audacity to come seeking your esteemed presence today precisely with the intention of facilitating this fine matter, to connect two masters so everyone can profit together."

"Mm..." Xu Jin nodded at this, took a sip from his tea bowl, and then said: "I have long heard of that Master Xiong. They say he is generous with money, loyal to his friends, and has accomplished great things."

"You flatter him." Du Yaren cupped his hands with a face full of smiles. "That Master Xiong loves making friends — that much is true."

"In that case..." Xu Jin set down his tea bowl, turned his head, and extended a hand. In the next moment, the Servant standing behind him took a yellowed paper from a Black Wooden Box held in his arms and handed it to his master.

After taking the yellow paper, Xu Jin casually passed it to Du Yaren seated below him: "Then, Old Du, why don't you tell me what benefits this deed can exchange for from your master?"

Du Yaren took it and looked. Sure enough, this paper was the master deed for the Xu Village north of Zhang Sutan, adjacent to Shanghai Port. At this point, Du Yaren was certain in his heart: this big deal today was definitely going to close!

So, overjoyed, Du Yaren looked up and said with a beaming smile: "To be honest with Master Xu, before Old Du left, Master Xiong gave instructions. He said that as long as Master Xu would honor him with this meeting, then not only would all the fields on this deed be priced as top-grade paddy land, but afterwards, there would always be a certain treasure handed over to the Xu family for distribution from Master Xiong... Hehe, Master Xu, it's a treasure on the same level as the crystal mirror!"

Du Yaren was practically drooling as he spoke — a palm-sized piece of that crystal mirror from Master Xiong could sell for over a hundred taels of silver. If such a treasure were entrusted to him, Old Du, for distribution...

"Hahahaha!" Xu Jin burst into loud laughter upon hearing this. After laughing several times, Master Xu stopped, reached for a box of high-grade Ashima cigarettes on the tea table, and drew one out.

With a "ding," the maidservant's fair hand promptly reached over and lit the master's cigarette with a battered silver Zippo.

After expertly and deeply exhaling a cloud of smoke, Master Xu nodded at Du Yaren with a face full of smiles: "Master Xiong is truly magnanimous, trading the supply route for those crystal mirrors for a mere estate."

Du Yaren nodded repeatedly: "Hehe, it's also my master's sincere wish to elevate himself by befriending Master Xu. That's why he made such a grand gesture!"

"Good, good, good! A grand gesture is good! I like grand gestures!" Xu Jin took another drag on his cigarette, then slapped his own thigh: "In that case, I'll just give you the land deeds as well!"

In the next moment, the Servant standing behind Master Xu took two steps forward and gently placed the Black Wooden Box in his hands onto the tea table beside Du Yaren.

"Huh?" Du Yaren couldn't grasp the situation for a moment. He looked at the yellow paper on the tea table, then at the Black Wooden Box, and looked up at Xu Jin with some bewilderment.

"Aren't you going around scraping up land deeds everywhere? They're all in here." Master Xu still wore a face full of smiles as he leaned forward, stretched out his arm, and gently flipped open that Black Wooden Box.