Chapter 180: Mandate of Heaven?

The group arrived at a Huaiyang cuisine restaurant. The flavors were not much different from those of Jiangnan. They ordered some wine and drank as they talked. Zhou Laifu had already scouted two locations that afternoon, and he reported their positions to Chen Xin. Chen Xin casually asked a few questions, then told Zhou Laifu to make the decision himself.

Zhou Laifu thought for a moment, then said to Liu Minyou, "Proprietor, I believe choosing the shop outside Copperware Lane is better. It's not far from the customs office, the foot traffic and location are both good, and it meets the shop-selection criteria you two proprietors set. Besides, Yangzhou copperware has long been renowned, so buying copper materials there would also be more convenient..."

Before he could finish, Liu Minyou nodded and said, "Laifu, if you think it's good, just pick it. Wendeng is far from Linqing, Tianjin, and Yangzhou — travel is inconvenient. We've already discussed it. From now on, you'll be stationed in Linqing, traveling to various places along the Grand Canal. Many matters you'll have to decide on your own. Unless it's a major issue, you can settle things first and then report back to Wendeng once every two months."

Zhou Laifu's mouth opened and closed. He had originally thought the two were merely assigning him to manage a single shop. He hadn't expected them to give him such heavy responsibility. Somewhat apprehensively, he said, "Proprietor, I..."

Liu Minyou patted his shoulder and smiled. "You've always done very well in Tianjin. General Chen and I both think highly of you and trust you. From now on, you'll be managing the Grand Canal trade. After I return, I'll send more people to you. Rest assured, your family will also be looked after."

Liu Minyou turned to Chen Xin and asked, "Isn't that right, General Chen?"

Chen Xin was staring at the table without speaking. Everyone at the table looked at him strangely — this energetic man rarely had moments like this. Liu Minyou quickly stepped on his foot. Chen Xin let out a yelp and raised his head. Realizing everyone was looking at him, he hurriedly said, "Yes, yes."

Zhou Laifu stood up, somewhat emotional, raised his wine cup, and said to the two, "Laifu was nothing more than a tailor in a clothing shop a few years ago. I am grateful that you two, my lords, thought highly of me and entrusted me with such heavy responsibility. Laifu will devote all his heart and strength, and will not betray your trust."

Chen Xin laughed heartily and also stood up with his wine. "When Laifu first came to know the two of us, we were still in humble circumstances. For several years, Laifu kept the clothing shop in perfect order. Being given an important role was only right and proper."

The few of them drank together. Song Wenxian and the others all raised their cups to congratulate Zhou Laifu. Zhou Laifu had been promoted to an important post, and his income would certainly increase greatly. In his delight, he refused no one and kept calling for more wine. The personal guards at the other table saw this and also came over one after another to offer toasts. The scene was very lively.

Song Wenxian said to Zhou Laifu, "Your elder brother here envies nothing else about you, Laifu — only that you reside on the Grand Canal, able to travel frequently to all these places in Jiangnan. Such romantic fortune is not shallow."

Zhou Laifu was already a bit tipsy. He grinned cheerfully and said, "That still requires Mr. Song to lead the way to be any fun. Yesterday, if not for you leading me, how would I know which were good and which were not?"

Liu Minyou heard this. So Zhou Laifu had also followed Song Wenxian to the brothels. It seemed this Song Wenxian had become the brothel guide for this group. Liu Minyou had originally found Song Wenxian quite disagreeable, but after experiencing the slaughter in the north, his standards for judging people had changed a great deal. Compared to those Jianzhou Bandits who took pleasure in massacre, many so-called bad people in life could be considered thoroughly good. Moreover, Song Wenxian had fought alongside him against the assassins on the painted barge. So Liu Minyou's relationship with Song Wenxian was now not bad. Hearing this, he only smiled.

Song Wenxian was indeed still his old self. He said to Zhou Laifu, "This trip was too rushed — I didn't even have time to select a Yangzhou Slim Horse. Once you and Brother Ding have finished this busy period, you must properly help your elder brother find a good one. It's about time I took a concubine."

Liu Minyou laughed. This time, Song Wenxian, like him, had also been promoted to the empty title of Guard Secretary. He was indeed following the two great joys of promotion: changing one's courtesy name and taking a concubine.

Ding Ding laughed heartily upon hearing this and said, "Brother Song, this is only right. As the saying goes, 'If you want a concubine, seek her in Yangzhou.' The Yangzhou Slim Horses are not famed without reason. There are many households in Yangzhou that specialize in raising them. They pick clever young girls of a few years old from poor families, train them well, and once sold, make several dozen times the profit. A Yangzhou Slim Horse is not just about looks and talents — the foster mother also teaches them the way of being a concubine, how to get along with the principal wife and in-laws. Poetry, song, dance, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting — they know a bit of everything. If a wealthy merchant comes, there are even Slim Horses specially trained in accounting. That is why, though there are many beautiful women under heaven, none compare to these women who have studied the way of the concubine since childhood. Even wealthy patrons from Beizhili, Huguang, Jiangxi, and Sichuan make special trips here just to buy a concubine to their liking."...

Song Wenxian clapped his hands and laughed loudly. "Marvelous! If we weren't in a hurry to leave, I would certainly go and choose one, to see the spectacle with my own eyes."

From the neighboring table, a burst of laughter suddenly rang out as well. Four people were sitting there drinking. One, dressed in purple and looking like a young gentleman, said to Song Wenxian, "My good sir, to miss seeing the Slim Horses is like never having been to Yangzhou. To let such an opportunity slip by would truly be a pity."

Liu Minyou recognized the voice — it was the same group from last night on the street who said that street courtesans could not compare to famous courtesans. He couldn't help but look at them a few more times. They were all handsome young gentlemen, probably out traveling with nothing better to do.

Song Wenxian laughed heartily, went over, and offered them a toast, then asked the young gentleman about the scene of selecting Slim Horses. The purple-clad young gentleman, growing merry with drink, said to another young gentleman in red, "Brother Chen, how about the two of us put on a performance for this gentleman?"

The red-clad young gentleman loudly cheered. The two pushed aside the table next to them, placed a chair for Song Wenxian to sit beside them, and struck a pose. Chen Xin and the other diners all found it amusing and watched the two intently.

The red-clad young gentleman cleared his throat and said in a shrill voice, "Madam, which handsome young gentleman has come today?"

The purple-clad young gentleman flattened his mouth, put on the look of an old woman, and said in a thin, reedy voice, "That young gentleman is truly dignified in bearing, well-read in poetry and books, with fields stretching endlessly at home. Best of all — the principal wife is dead!"

The diners in the establishment all burst into laughter. The purple-clad young gentleman continued, "Daughter, let's go out and take a look."

The red-clad young gentleman pretended to be shy and nodded. The two of them, imitating women with bound feet, slowly walked over to Song Wenxian. Song Wenxian held back his laughter, waiting for them to speak.

The purple-clad young gentleman said, "The young lady pays respects to the guest."

The red-clad young gentleman performed a woman's curtsy. The purple-clad young gentleman then continued, "Young lady, step forward."

"Young lady, glance at the gentleman."

The red-clad young gentleman turned around in an exaggerated circle, casting flirtatious glances at the crowd. Even Liu Minyou laughed. The diners all cheered in approval.

"Young lady, lend your hand for a look."

The red-clad young gentleman pulled up his large sleeve and extended it before Song Wenxian. There was even hair on the hand. Song Wenxian roared with laughter and said, "Marvelous!"

"How old is the young lady?"

"This little one is fifty this year."

Song Wenxian clutched his stomach and clapped his hands in laughter.

"Young lady, turn around."

"Young lady, please return."

Then the two together cupped their hands toward the surrounding diners. Chen Xin and the others all applauded and cheered — this was the custom of their Wendeng Battalion. The others found it amusing and followed suit.

Chen Xin and the others all brought wine over and offered a round of toasts. Those four young gentlemen could all hold their liquor well, draining their cups as soon as the wine arrived. Then they came back to return the toasts. The purple-clad young gentleman came first, and upon arriving, first toasted Chen Xin, who sat at the head. Then he said to the others, "Those brought together by fate are drinking friends. Did all you gentlemen find it amusing?"

Song Wenxian shook his head and sighed, "Amusing indeed. Next time, I will certainly come."

"Gentlemen, you should come next time after the start of spring. Yangzhou's Qingming Festival is famed throughout the land. On that day, all the men and women of the city go out, every household sweeps the graves. Meddlesome folk and famous courtesans of the pleasure quarters all gather without exception. Light carriages and fine horses, flutes and drums on painted boats, riding horses and flying falcons on high mounds and level hills, cockfighting and cuju on lush groves and clear slopes. Strumming lutes and plucking zithers, ruffians wrestling, children flying kites, old monks discoursing on karma."

Chen Xin smiled and said, "Just hearing you describe it, young sir, one can imagine the magnificence."

This young gentleman laughed heartily, cupped his hands to everyone, and then went to toast other tables. With these few jesters and comedians present, the eating establishment was extraordinarily lively, and the shopkeeper sold a great deal more wine. After eating and drinking for a while longer, Chen Xin said to Song Wenxian, "In a moment, pay the wine bill for those four young gentlemen as well."

The words had barely faded when the purple-clad young gentleman's voice came from outside the establishment: "Gentlemen, drink at your leisure. The wine bill has been settled in full. To make friends through wine — is that not a joy?"

Another person urged him, "Zongzi, hurry up." Then the few of them, loudly chanting "Bring in the Wine," slowly faded into the distance.

Liu Minyou asked Chen Xin in a low voice, "Could Qingming really be that lively? It sounds quite interesting. Why was none of that around in our time?"...

"Who knows? In our time, only Christmas was that lively."

The next day, Zhou Laifu settled on the shop and residence. Liu Minyou also paid a visit to Ding Ding's home — in truth, to investigate his background. Ding Ding had a wife and a concubine at home, along with two children, making him a family of moderate means. Liu Minyou felt more at ease with such a household. He gave the accountant detailed instructions once more. Everyone helped tidy up the residence and shop and bought some more utensils. In the end, they were busy for another whole day. The Yangzhou section of the Grand Canal runs north to south, and at night there were no trackers, so Chen Xin had no choice but to wait another day and set out the next morning.

Early in the morning, they boarded the boat. After putting away his bundle, Liu Minyou went to Chen Xin's cabin and saw Chen Xin staring out the window in a daze again. He walked over, waved a hand in front of his eyes, and said, "What are you spacing out about? These past two days you've looked completely distracted."

Chen Xin turned his head and smiled, but said nothing. Liu Minyou asked, "What exactly is it? I rarely see you like this."

Outside, along the Grand Canal, the early-rising pedestrians were slowly increasing in number. Yangzhou was gradually waking up. Chen Xin watched for a long while, then took a book out of his bundle, opened to a page, and handed it to Liu Minyou.

Liu Minyou gave him a few strange looks, then took the book and began reading. On the page, the text on the left read: "The Thirty-Fifth Image — originally the Thirty-Fourth Image — Xun below, Xun above — Xun"

The Prophecy says:

There is hair on the head, white clothes are feared. In times of peace, the king is slain by a king.

The Ode says:

In times of peace, again blood flowers fly.

Five-colored patterns form the outer garment.

Floodwaters surge to heaven, the seedling does not bloom.

The Central Plains once saw dreams utterly undone.

Liu Minyou rubbed his nose and said, "What's this thing supposed to mean?"

Chen Xin looked out the window and cursed, "And you call yourself a graduate student. What is Taiping? Take the last two lines of the eulogy — pull out a few characters."

Liu Minyou thought for a moment, slapped his leg, and said, "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Hong Xiuquan — what's so..."

He suddenly stopped and looked at Chen Xin. "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom — that's... talking about Qing dynasty events?"

Chen Xin nodded. "But we're still in the Ming dynasty. Apart from the two of us, no one knows what it means. Yet this book was written in the Tang dynasty. Take another look at the thirty-third image."

Liu Minyou froze for a long moment, then flipped to the thirty-third image. It read: "Prophecy says: The Yellow River's waters clear, when qi flows smoothly comes order. Host and guest are indistinguishable, the earthly branches lack a son. Eulogy says: From the heavens a long white waterfall comes, the barbarians' vigor does not wane. The fences and barriers are mostly torn down, the young children are half to be pitied."

The accompanying illustration showed a painting — a boat carrying a group of people, with eight banners planted on it.

Liu Minyou murmured, "The Yellow River's waters clear, when qi flows smoothly comes order — Qing, Shunzhi... This is the Eight Banners entering the pass. In other words, this is destiny?! Then we..."

Chen Xin was still looking out the window, saying nothing. Liu Minyou suddenly flipped over the cover. On it were written three large characters: "Tui Bei Tu."