Chapter 641: New Year's Talk

The plan had finally been seen through; Zhou Yi shook his head helplessly.

He stared at the tense-faced Yang Liushui, first chuckled twice, then teased, "Oh, my Sixth Brother, it's been a whole year — you only just now noticed something was off?"

Hearing Zhou Yi say this, Yang Liushui first breathed a sigh of relief — he had regretted the words the moment they left his mouth, afraid he'd said something he shouldn't have and brought trouble on everyone.

So Yang Liushui hurriedly explained, "Brother, truth be told, your elder brother here never dared to pry too deeply into that office where you work — not something to go asking about carelessly!"

"Ha!"

Perhaps because he'd had a bit to drink, Zhou Yi was in high spirits for conversation today. He waved his hand lightly: "Sixth Brother, the Intelligence Bureau is just a private Investigation Department set up by Lord Cao — same line of work as those Embroidered Uniform Guard offices in Guangzhou City. No need to fear it like a tiger."

After a pause, Zhou Yi continued, "Sixth Brother, rest assured. Whatever you're meant to know, I've already told you in the ordinary course of things. As for confidential matters, your younger brother here keeps his mouth shut and has never broken office rules."

Hearing this, Yang Liushui let out a long breath and nodded repeatedly: "Good, that's good! What you've said today, little brother, has cleared things up completely — turns out I was overthinking it."

"Besides."

Zhou Yi picked up the matchbox, struck a match, stared at the flame until that wisp of blue smoke rose, and only then said unhurriedly, "The imperial court's Embroidered Uniform Guard offices — those Thousand-Household Offices and Hundred-Household Offices in Guangzhou City — their agents strut about in fine clothes and on spirited horses through the prefectures and counties every day, openly and aboveboard, aren't they?"

At this, Zhou Yi cast a probing sidelong glance at Yang Liushui: "Sixth Brother, tell me — in this Liangguang territory, if the imperial court can set up shop, surely Lord Cao can too?"

"He can! He can!"

On this subject, Yang Liushui, who had "deeply benefited" from a certain power base, held an extremely firm class stance.

He stuck out his thumb and pounded his fist twice on the tabletop: "Lord Cao is this! Look at South New City — how well it's been put in order! And the officials never arbitrarily collect money from the people. Hmph, the way I see it, Lord Cao ought to open a couple more offices!"

At this, Yang Liushui suddenly recalled daily life; he slammed the table again in fury: "The imperial court just can't stand to see people doing well! Hmph, last month those Runner Dogs managing the streets had the gall to collect an 'epidemic prevention' fee of 100 wen per household! Even half-grown children counted as heads!"

The more Yang Liushui thought, the angrier he got: "Ah~ pah! That bunch of good-for-nothings at the Panyu Xianya, what epidemic can they prevent! Just aping others by inventing pretexts — nothing but a money-grubbing racket, and they can't even clean the dung and piss from the back alleys!"

"Heh heh."

Zhou Yi, amused by Yang Liushui's rant, refilled his tea and, in the course of it, chimed in casually: "Ah, who says it isn't so? If Lord Cao were managing the Old City, there certainly wouldn't be all this rotten business."

"Exactly! That's how it should be!"

Yang Liushui was filled with righteous indignation: "I say the Emperor up in Beijing has been hoodwinked by treacherous ministers! They should just let Lord Cao take the top seat in Liangguang! Uh, that Governor-General of whatever office."

"Hahaha! Sixth Brother, it's the Governor-General of Liangguang!"

"Right, right, Governor-General of Liangguang!"

At this moment, Zhou Yi laughed heartily with gratification, his face showing the benevolent smile of a father whose slacker son had finally scraped a passing grade of 60.

The next moment, he reached up and wiped his face, composing his expression into one of seriousness. Then, slowly drinking a few sips of tea, Zhou Yi finally said, "Sixth Brother, I'm heading north, and I'll be gone a long while — at least a year or two."

"Oh, that long?" Yang Liushui's train of thought snapped back to reality at once.

"Sixth Brother, with me gone, your family will need someone looking after them. Have you made any plans for the future?"

"I've had a plan for a while now, actually. I was meaning to ask you to make the call on it today anyway."

What a coincidence. On this question, Yang Liushui had in fact been mulling over some ideas privately all along. Even if Zhou Yi hadn't asked today, Yang Liushui would have brought it up to seek his brother's advice: "I'm thinking, after the new year, I might sell off this courtyard house and move the whole family to South New City, buy one of those 'commercial housing' places to settle down — they're called commercial housing, right, brother?"

"Heh heh." After hearing this, Zhou Yi somewhat teasingly "interrogated" his elder brother: "Sixth Brother, this ancestral home — you'd just sell it, just like that?"

"It's just one courtyard house, small and rundown — what's ancestral or not about it."

On this question, Yang Liushui had likely considered it for a long time; today he spoke with particular firmness and fluency: "Business is easier in New City — that's one. The child's mother is in poor health, and seeing a doctor is more convenient in New City — that's two."

"And another thing." As Yang Liushui spoke, his gaze grew increasingly resolute: "I've asked around and got it all clear. In New City, apprentices get room and board, wages, and the masters are kind and don't bully or beat them. That nephew of yours isn't scholar material — once we move there, I'll find a workshop and have him become an apprentice."

Stubbing out his cigarette, Yang Liushui lowered his head and said in a muffled voice, "I think that Iron Bed Machinist trade is pretty good — it's a proper skill. Once he learns it, he'll be able to support a family in the future, far better than following me around the streets with no proper trade."

At this, Yang Liushui raised his head, his eyes carrying hope as he looked at Zhou Yi: "Brother, do you think this path your elder brother's taking is the right one?"

"Haha, not bad — it's a proper path. There's just one thing wrong with it."

After hearing Yang Liushui's "grand strategy," Zhou Yi nodded repeatedly. But then his expression changed; drawing out his tone, he asked with great amusement, "My dear elder brother — the principle of 'living off the mountain if you dwell by the mountain, living off the water if you dwell by the water' — don't tell me you don't understand it?"

"Living off the mountain?"

Yang Liushui was a bit puzzled by this: "Brother, your elder brother has already reaped plenty of benefits from you — look at the wine and meat on this table, and this comfortable life we're living now — it all came from the things you got for us that let us prosper."

"Tch."

Zhou Yi waved his hand dismissively: "What do these trifles amount to? Nothing but things not fit for the table."

"Elder Brother, you and Sister-in-law are family to me, Zhou Yi. The way things stand now, in a few years the world may be turned upside down — I have to secure a way out for you."

At this, Zhou Yi drew a white envelope from his bosom and placed it gently on the table: "Originally, I had planned to find you a house in New City. But after hearing what you said today, I still think not moving is the better course."

"This is?"

"A letter of introduction."

Seeing Yang Liushui's bewildered look, Zhou Yi smiled mysteriously: "On Lin Family Archway West Street, there's a place called 'Kegebo Trading Company' — you know it, Elder Brother?"

"I know it, I know it. Opened two and a half years ago, wholesale sundries. Brother, not to boast, but there isn't a street or alley in this Guangzhou City, new shop or old, that I don't know about!"

"Very good. After the new year, take this letter to the trading company. That place is actually an external agency of the Guangdong Station — someone will be assigned to receive you. When you go, Sixth Brother, just go with the flow; answer whatever they ask honestly. As for your relationship with me, tell the truth — no need to hide anything. In the end, fill out a form, press your thumbprint, and it's done."

"Done?"

"Mm. The rest of the background check will be handled by dedicated personnel — you don't need to worry about it. There'll also be a simple training session afterward to learn the rules. In short, once it's done, you'll be an employee of a subordinate agency of the Intelligence General Bureau — a Seated Agent, the kind that draws a regular salary."

"S-Seated Agent!?"

Whatever else Yang Liushui might not have understood, the words "Seated Agent" he understood perfectly.

In an instant, the simple and honest Yang Liushui was sobered up, his face scared pale, waving his hands wildly: "This, this, this — isn't this — aiya, brother, you've really landed your elder brother in something huge! Won't being a Seated Agent cost me my head? Look at your elder brother — do I look like the right material for that?"

"The right material for what?"

Zhou Yi shot back disdainfully: "It's just simple Social Sentiment Monitoring. Don't tell me they'd want a man your age breaking into the Governor's Mansion at night to steal a concubine's floral bellyband?"

"Social sentiment?"

"Just the things you usually see and hear." Zhou Yi patiently explained: "You'll be the lowest-level Information Collector. Don't worry about big assignments — even small assignments won't be sent your way."

"No need to go asking around, no need to do anything extra. In your daily rounds with your stall, Sixth Brother, if you see some old rich man using Earth Dragon Dung to repair the back-alley gutters, or some poor family being bullied by the yamen runners again, or some madman on the street cursing the Emperor — just these trivial, petty things — you note them all down, and every few days go to the trading company to compile and report them. That's it."

"Oh... so that's how it is."

Hearing this, Yang Liushui's panic finally subsided. He silently smoked half a cigarette, and once his emotions had steadied, he eventually nodded slowly and said, "If that's all it is, then this job — I can do it!"

"Brother, you're a living map of Guangzhou Old City — that's a real skill. With this identity, walking the streets and alleys becomes a proper line of work." Zhou Yi gently patted the envelope a few times: "My personal backing, plus this skill of yours — that's what got you this letter of recommendation. It wasn't easy. When the time comes, go and do a good job."

Yang Liushui nodded, his face full of gratitude: "Brother knows my difficulties, and this time I'm indebted to you again."

Though he had agreed, Zhou Yi saw that Yang Liushui's expression was still somewhat uneasy, so he offered a few more words of reassurance: "Lord Cao's grace blankets the common people, with thousands of elite troops under his command. Following him to a life of good days, what is there to fear? With those cowardly and bully-prone official curs in the yamen, what could they possibly do to us brothers?"

Yang Liushui nodded: "That's true enough."

"Sixth Brother, once you step through the door of that trading company, from then on you'll be one of our own. In the future, even if I'm not around, you'll still have someone to lean on."

Zhou Yi, reaching this point, wore a proud expression. He leaned back in his chair and tapped the tabletop smugly: "Sixth Brother, what kind of unit the Intelligence Bureau is — you'll find out soon enough. Hmph, it answers to no one."

"Well, that's certainly a good thing."

"What do you mean, 'that's certainly'?"

"It's just… this Seated Agent's pay, I've no idea how much it is." Yang Liushui stammered hesitantly: "So we're not buying the commercial housing?"

"Buy what?!"

Zhou Yi was a bit exasperated, as if lamenting iron that wouldn't become steel: "If you have a house in New City, how could you still work as a Seated Agent in Old City?! Pay? What does that bit of pay matter!"

"What matters is seniority! Do you understand seniority?"

Zhou Yi's fingers rapped heavily on the tabletop a few times, emphasizing the word "seniority": "With seniority, when the time comes and Lord Cao takes his seat as Governor-General of Liangguang, you'll be able to pick a house ahead of everyone else."

"Heh heh." Zhou Yi gazed out the door at the pitch-black sky, tilted back in his chair, his face full of disdain: "Those shabby commercial houses without running water or drainage — they're bought by poor wretches who've never seen the world. Whoever wants to live in them can live in them."

"When that day comes, Sixth Brother, with your seniority, you'll be qualified to buy new-style commercial housing in Old City."

"Do you know what new-style commercial housing is?"

"Ah?!"

"Heh heh, upstairs and downstairs, electric lights and phone calls."