Chapter 41: The Most Crucial Person

Just as the two had expected, before dinner a retainer of Li Guozhu arrived. He did not enter the house, but had a maidservant quietly come in to invite Chen Xin and Song Wenxian — though Song Wenxian had not expected to be invited along as well. The two left separately, following the retainer back to that same courtyard from midday.

This time Li Guozhu was waiting at the doorway. Seeing them approach, he came forward from a distance, hands clasped in greeting, with that Xin Youweimen still trailing behind him like a tail.

Li Guozhu courteously ushered them inside, this time to a smaller room. A maidservant poured plain tea, and after Li Guozhu waved her away, he said politely to the two, "Disturbing your rest is truly inexcusable, but what Brother Chen spoke of today has left me tossing and turning in unease. Because Brother Chen serves as Purser, and we are presently in the midst of a transaction, I feared it might draw suspicion upon Brother Chen, so I made a point of inviting Brother Song to accompany us. I beg your forgiveness for this presumption."

With that, he bowed to both of them. Song Wenxian hurriedly said, "Young Master Li is too courteous. We have cooperated many times, and we all understand one another. Proprietor Zhao himself used to praise Purser Chen's character endlessly — whether I am present or not makes no difference." Though he spoke thus, he showed no sign of leaving.

Once the pleasantries were done, Li Guozhu said impatiently to Chen Xin, "Regarding what Brother Chen spoke of this afternoon — Zheng Yiguan's recruitment by amnesty — when I thought it through according to Brother Chen's line of reasoning, it does indeed seem highly likely. This time the Jianzhou Chieftain has attacked Jinzhou; though the outcome is still unknown, after Korea was taken this year, the chieftain can indeed commit more troops against the Great Ming. Jiangnan in the Great Ming is wealthy and prosperous, a vital region for tax revenue — it absolutely must not fall into chaos. Once Zheng Yiguan stirs up trouble in the southeast, the imperial court may well offer amnesty. Then, as Brother Chen said, with money, troops, and an official rank, he will be far harder to deal with. So I wish to ask Brother Chen: is there any way to resolve this?"

Chen Xin knew what lay ahead for Zheng Zhilong — it was as if he had a golden finger pointing the way — and by now he already held the pearl of wisdom firmly in his grasp. What he wanted most was to maintain a good relationship with this Li Guozhu before him, because he only knew this man, not Zheng Zhilong. Had Zheng Yiguan been the one sitting before him, asking him to deal with Li Guozhu, he would have agreed just the same — so long as it benefited himself.

Chen Xin smiled with composure and said coolly, "Is what Young Master Li is thinking of right now how to do everything possible to prevent this Zheng Zhilong from receiving amnesty?"

Li Guozhu was briefly taken aback. "Yes."

"Then my humble suggestion to Young Master Li is this: what you should do now is gladly watch it come to pass."

Li Guozhu abruptly stood up, then sat back down. After a moment's thought, he said, "Does Brother Chen mean that amnesty may not be as good as we described?"

Chen Xin nodded. "Zheng Yiguan's amnesty can be a dead end or a living path — but it hinges on one other person. Let me first ask: what does Young Master Li consider Zheng Yiguan's greatest weakness?"

Li Guozhu answered decisively, "His foundation is not solid."

"Exactly. Zheng Yiguan's greatest flaw is that his foundation is unsteady. He grew rich overnight and won fame in his youth, drawing a great host of bandits to his side. But these sea marauders are all unruly and untamable sorts — would they truly submit to a man who rose by trading on his looks? No. They are bound together only by profit. Once Zheng Yiguan accepts amnesty, these men will one after another turn rebel again. When that happens, Zheng Zhilong's strength will be greatly diminished through internal strife. Once he loses his power, the Great Ming's attitude toward him will also shift — and then, Young Master Li, your opportunity will come."

A cold gleam flickered in Li Guozhu's eyes. The chieftains of these sea marauders were indeed all men of that ilk; what Chen Xin said was highly plausible. Zheng Yiguan was far too young, and those who truly submitted to him were few. He asked further, "Then am I truly to do nothing? And who is this other person?"

Chen Xin shook his head again. "Something must be done — but not by Young Master Li. It must be done by that most crucial person. If this person remains, Zheng Yiguan's amnesty will be a perilous trap; if this person is gone, Zheng Zhilong's entire game comes alive." Li Guozhu's expression grew solemn. "Please, Brother Chen, give me your guidance." "Young Master Li, among the officials and gentry in Fujian, you must have an inside line, or someone of great influence. That person is the most crucial one. With Young Master Li far away in Japan, whatever happens in Fujian, you cannot react in time. But this person can learn of events in the shortest time, and if capable enough, can even seize the opportunity to act directly. I wonder if Young Master Li has such a person. If you do, you must preserve this person at all costs — do not let Zheng Yiguan assassinate him. If necessary, have him withdraw to Fuzhou or elsewhere. So long as his life is preserved, the moment Zheng Yiguan shows the slightest opening, you can strike a fatal blow. Zheng Yiguan is only a mortal — how could he be ever-victorious?"

A smile crept onto Li Guozhu's lips. He said coolly, "Brother Chen is indeed a man of great talent. Without such a person, how could my late father have become the greatest of the sea merchants?"

Chen Xin said, "Young Master Li, please be sure to notify this person: he absolutely must not clash head-on with Zheng Yiguan right now. Withdraw slightly, and the opportunity will come very soon. When that time comes, at Young Master Li's single summons, I would cross a thousand mountains and rivers to come aid you in eliminating this villain."

In truth, the most crucial person Chen Xin spoke of was called Xu Xinsu — Li Dan's agent and ally in the Great Ming, who had now purchased the rank of Squad Commander in Fujian, though his influence far exceeded that of a mere Squad Commander. During Li Dan's lifetime, this man wielded enormous power, repeatedly serving as mediator between Great Ming officials and the Dutch, frequently smuggling goods to the Dutch as well. He had excellent relations with Fujian officials great and small, and possessed his own goods network, able to organize supply sources and sell imported goods. In the sixth year of Tianqi, he had successfully engineered the defection of Yang Liu and Yang Qi, turning those two into sworn enemies of Zheng Zhilong. Thus, on the matter of dealing with Zheng Zhilong, Xu Xinsu was in fact far more directly effective than Li Guozhu. Li Guozhu operated in the shadows, Xu Xinsu in the open, and the two had long been working together against Zheng Zhilong.

In the original history, it was in the tenth month of the seventh year of Tianqi that Zheng Zhilong attacked Zhongzuosuo (Xiamen) and killed Xu Xinsu, after which his amnesty proceeded smoothly and he grew powerful. So long as Xu Xinsu could be kept alive, with his years of established operations, even if Zheng Zhilong received amnesty, this man could still create a heap of trouble for him. And if Zheng Zhilong suffered even a slight setback, it could be exploited to great effect.

The offshore forces of Fujian were complex and numerous. Later developments proved that men like Yang Liu, Yang Qi, Zhong Bin, Li Kuiqi, and Liu Xiang were all the sort unwilling to bow to another. Whether Zheng Zhilong accepted amnesty or not, a battle among them was ultimately unavoidable.

So Chen Xin's emphasis on this man's crucial role was meant to drive a nail into Zheng Zhilong — to prevent him from fully gaining official support and thereby unifying the southeastern sea marauders. So long as Li Guozhu remained alive, he himself could maintain a relatively stable trade route, and Zheng Zhilong would be unable to monopolize the Japan trade. Otherwise, he would have to pay him passage fees — historically recorded as three thousand taels of silver, which would be six thousand for a round trip. Chen Xin had another very important reason for wanting to preserve Xu Xinsu: Xu Xinsu's goods network. That was not something that could be built in a day or two. If he could establish a connection with this man, he could do some business in southeastern sugars and teas himself. For now, he only needed to cultivate good relations with Li Guozhu, and when the time came, he would naturally have the opportunity to cooperate with Xu Xinsu.

Having dispensed this devious advice to Li Guozhu, Chen Xin felt immensely pleased with himself. Li Guozhu pondered for a moment, then a smile spread across his face, and he lavished praise upon Chen Xin. Song Wenxian, eyes narrowed, chimed in, "Brother Chen is a man of great talent, one whom Proprietor Zhao also held in high regard. Proprietor Zhao told me many times that he wished to have Brother Chen take charge of the ship in the future — only, considering that Brother Chen had just arrived and his seniority was too shallow, and then his departure was so sudden, he never designated Brother Chen to become the head proprietor."

Li Guozhu listened quietly, not interrupting. He knew Song Wenxian would surely have more to say. That was how these literati were — layers of preamble, and until the very end, you never knew what they really meant to say.

Song Wenxian continued rambling, "At present, the ship is still under the Second Proprietor's say. As Young Master Li knows, most of the cargo on the Fujian junk does not belong to Proprietor Zhao, and I cannot make decisions on it either. Brother Chen was thinking that after the payment for the goods on the Japanese ship is released, a bit more could be allocated to Proprietor Zhao's household — after all, a widow and orphan children..."

Chen Xin stood up and cut him off. "Mr. Song, you must not do this. Do not put Young Master Li in a difficult position. I will find another way."

Li Guozhu hurriedly pulled Chen Xin back and said to the two of them, "Is it that Han Bin is single-mindedly obstructing this?"

Song Wenxian did not say yes, merely shaking his head and saying, "Who would have thought that the moment Proprietor Zhao was gone, a man's face could change so quickly."

Li Guozhu said angrily, "For him to be so ungrateful — just watch how I deal with him later."

Chen Xin quickly urged, "This matter must not be blown out of proportion. At present, everyone on the ship is anxious and unsettled — it truly is no time to stir up more trouble. That is why Mr. Song and I devised a method, hoping to quietly secure a bit more provision for Proprietor Zhao's family and the dozen or so dead and wounded brothers. It will only require troubling Young Master Li. Though the intent is good, the method cannot bear the light of day, and I fear it may tarnish Young Master Li's good name."

Li Guozhu, a man who had traveled far and wide, already knew what kind of scheme the two were brewing. Chen Xin's performance today had greatly impressed him, and moreover, Song Wenxian was an important ally on his northern shipping route. So he played along with their little act for a while and worked out the method with them: the Japanese ship's goods would be discounted by ten percent, with Li Guozhu paying only ninety percent of the price. But on the open books, only sixty percent would be recorded. The thirty percent in between would go to Chen Xin and Song Wenxian — who were also doing this under the banner of fighting for Proprietor Zhao's family. All three had their own interests: Li Guozhu gained ten percent, Chen Xin and Song Wenxian gained thirty percent. They had all played the whore and erected the chastity arch at the same time.

Chen Xin estimated the total value of the Japanese ship's cargo to be between eighty thousand and one hundred thousand taels. Each of the three stood to gain around ten thousand taels. The three then discussed further, settling on the time and method for unloading the goods.

With a tacit understanding among them, after the discussion ended, Li Guozhu personally saw them out. Today he had earned quite a bit of silver and gained several good ideas. His mood was excellent. After this, the relationship among the three had grown considerably closer. What Chen Xin valued was these two men's resources and connections. Judging from the current situation, he was very likely to gain their support and thereby replace Proprietor Zhao's position. An income exceeding ten thousand taels was even better — once this transaction was complete, Han Bin's ambitions would come to nothing.

Li Guozhu sent a retainer to escort the two back to the guest courtyard. It was still early, and Song Wenxian invited Chen Xin to sit in his room for a while. Chen Xin had been mulling over what Song Wenxian had said about becoming a government soldier. After crossing over, he too had considered joining the military, but he was unwilling to go to any of the Nine Border Garrisons. Shaanxi and Ningxia would soon be embroiled in chaotic warfare with roving bandits, with few paths to wealth. In Shanxi and Xuanfu, they would be facing the Later Jin in a few years — if he went there as a commoner with no rank, being used as cannon fodder would be far too poor a bargain, so he had dismissed the idea. Now that Song Wenxian brought it up, he felt that becoming a government soldier in Shandong or Tianjin, with some official rank, could yield considerable benefits and would also be relatively safe. Zheng Zhilong was a very good example.

He sat down and asked Song Wenxian, "Regarding this matter of becoming a government soldier that Mr. Song mentioned — I have thought it over and indeed see benefits. How should it be carried out?"

Song Wenxian brought over a pot of tea and poured a cup for Chen Xin, saying as he did, "Brother Chen has far-reaching vision and has, in a short time, earned the respect of Young Master Li and all the brothers. Hearing you speak of Zheng Yiguan today, this thought suddenly occurred to me: if we could obtain official rank, it would be of great benefit to both of us."

Chen Xin listened attentively. Song Wenxian continued, "The benefits, Brother Chen has already spoken of today. Though the northern sea trade cannot compare with Jiangnan or Fujian, the annual profit is not small. Now that you and I are friends, I will no longer keep it from you: among the cargo on Proprietor Zhao's ship, two lords in Dengzhou, and one lord in Tianjin."

"Would this official rank then hinge upon these lords?"

"Indeed. When Proprietor Zhao was alive, though he worked for these lords, he was not entirely willing. Lord Zhong several times wished to send his own men to conduct the sea trade, but he had no connections on the Japan side, and Li Guozhu made it clear that he would only deal with Proprietor Zhao."

Chen Xin lowered his head in thought. These lords provided conveniences in the Great Ming, and Li Guozhu provided conveniences in Japan. If he obtained an official rank under these lords, he might well become a pawn in their game, and even the current thirty percent of the goods would be lost. He felt the idea might not be workable after all.

Song Wenxian, exceedingly shrewd, read his concerns from his expression and continued persuading, "Brother Chen need not worry. Terms can always be negotiated. Now that Proprietor Zhao is gone, Li Guozhu clearly favors you. So long as I put in a good word before the lords, you could well become the new head proprietor — and wouldn't you still have the final say at sea? As for the terms, well, they can always be discussed."

A faint smile touched Chen Xin's face. It seemed Li Guozhu was the key for him — fortunately, he had already won his goodwill. So long as the Japan route was in his own hands, he could negotiate terms with the lords. Doing it himself would also benefit Song Wenxian; with his scholarly background, over time Song might not be able to keep this pack of sea marauders in check. He, at least, had killed a man with his own hands.

"Then, Mr. Song, if I wish to obtain an official rank, what path should I take?"

"Official rank these days is, frankly, easy enough. If you want a civil post, you can first purchase the title of Imperial Academy Student. If you want a military post, you can serve as a soldier or serve in the guard — it depends on how Brother Chen decides."

Chen Xin, recalling the flaw in his impersonation of a Licentiate, made his decision. "A military post, then. But aren't soldiers and guards the same?"

"Soldiers are conscripts; guards are hereditary military households. The combat battalions in the Nine Border Garrisons are soldiers; the guard battalions everywhere are guards. Brother Chen, you have not yet registered your household, so either is possible. If you become a soldier, you can join the Provincial Governor's personal battalion, spend some silver to smooth the way, and it won't be hard to rise to Squad Commander or Company Commander. If you become a military household, it costs even less silver — just go to a guard battalion near Denglai or the Left and Right Guards of Tianjin. I can help arrange things there too. Only, if you want an official post, you'll still need to spend silver to purchase the rank."

"Military household?" Chen Xin felt a headache at the term. The Ming dynasty's hereditary military household system was arguably one of the stupidest systems ever devised. "If I become a conscript soldier, would I have to live in the barracks in peacetime?"

"Not necessarily. It depends on the lord's arrangements. If you have an official post, you can buy your own house or live in the barracks."

"Would I have my own barracks?"

"No. Under the Provincial Governor's command, there are only three battalions: the Left Battalion, the Right Battalion, and the Central Army Battalion. Unless Brother Chen rises to Assistant Regional Commander, you won't have your own barracks."

"And as a military household?"

"Military households are stationed separately, much like villages. There is some farmland and housing."

"Mm, farmland..."