Chapter 6: Section Five

The visitor's eyes lit up at the sight of Huang Shi's tall, sturdy frame. As Huang Shi bowed in salute, he felt the gaze circle his entire body several times, and then he heard a loud exclamation of praise: "What a fine fellow, a true warrior indeed."

"Yuanzhi, who is this man?"

"He is a personal guard I have newly taken on, named Huang Shi." Zhang Yuanzhi's respectful voice came from beside him.

"To have such a fine man as a personal guard, you make me truly envious!"

Huang Shi, his head still lowered, heard the visitor's repeated clicks of admiration. The general even walked to one side to take another look. Huang Shi held his posture without moving a muscle.

"Yuanzhi, I am exceedingly fond of this man. Would you be willing to part with him?"

"My lord has given the order; how would this subordinate dare disobey? Huang Shi, why don't you quickly thank his lordship for his favor."

Being Mao Wenlong's personal guard was certainly better than being Zhang Yuanzhi's. Huang Shi suppressed his joy at the promotion and answered in a clear voice: "Many thanks for my lord's misplaced favor. This subordinate will certainly repay it by shattering his very bones to dust."

"Good, good. You may rise."

Huang Shi voiced his thanks once more. As he rose, the general had already walked to the center seat and sat down. He heard Zhang Yuanzhi say with an ingratiating smile: "My lord is burdened with military affairs. What brings you to your subordinate's quarters today?"

"When I returned to Guangning today, I heard that Lord Wang wanted to dispatch you and the others on a campaign. So I came to your place to take a look and see if there were any problems."

"My lord can rest assured. All is well here with your subordinate."

"Yuanzhi, you need not call yourself my subordinate anymore. Now you are Mao Wenlong's subordinate. If he found out, it would not reflect well on me."

Zhang Yuanzhi bowed again upon hearing this: "My lord will forever be this subordinate's lord."

The general smiled at these words, and his gaze shifted back to Huang Shi. By this point, Huang Shi already knew that great trouble was afoot. Sure enough, he heard that general say:

"Huang Shi, is it? Listen carefully. I am Sun Degong, Mobile Corps Commander of Guangning."

By the time he followed Sun Degong back to Guangning, Huang Shi was already utterly despondent. He was not entirely clear on exactly what kind of scoundrel the man he now followed was, but he vaguely remembered that a year from now, this great traitor would betray the Ming army, leading to the disastrous defeat at Shaling.

The historical record of that massacre was: corpses piled like mountains, still not fully collected even decades later.

Sun Degong treated Huang Shi rather well. Not only did he immediately reward him with five taels of silver, he also arranged a temporary residence for him in Guangning city. Though very small, it was fully furnished. Upon learning that Huang Shi had no family dependents, Sun Degong also indicated that as long as he worked hard, he need not worry about any of these things at all.

The next day, Huang Shi was ordered to interrogate a Later Jin spy, but the wretch could not withstand the torture and died in prison before revealing anything. Sun Degong did not reprimand him, only telling him to be more careful in the future.

Huang Shi subsequently requested leave to return to Liuhe to move his belongings. His appearance greatly startled Old Zhang's family, because Mao Wenlong's army had already departed the day before, and they had all assumed Huang Shi had left with them.

Old Zhang's wife brought out a stack of newly made clothes from the inner room: "Shitou, I was just saying how you left without picking up your things. Yesterday I had my youngest son deliver them to you, but he waited all night and you never came back."

After Huang Shi finished recounting his strange turn of fortune, Old Zhang and his three sons all showed envious expressions. The five taels of silver were also pressed upon Old Zhang with no room for refusal. As Huang Shi put it, he would not lack for silver to spend in the future, and this small sum was merely a token to repay their deep kindness. During that final dinner at Old Zhang's house, Huang Shi sensed that the man very much hoped he could help advance his sons someday.

Advance them to do what, become traitors? Huang Shi agreed with a bitter smile, figuring that being a traitor was still better than being dead. Now he and Sun Degong were grasshoppers tied to the same string. At least he had shaken off the shadow of death and achieved half his goal. He consoled himself that this wasn't so bad; at the very least, he could protect these people who cared about him.

"I thought I had come to this era to accomplish great deeds; never imagined I would walk a completely opposite path. Truly, fate makes fools of men." When Huang Shi awoke the next morning, his head still throbbed faintly; the previous night's hangover had not fully passed. Seeing that it was getting late, he hurriedly got up to bid farewell to Old Zhang's family, returned the small house to them, then swiftly mounted his horse and raced back to Guangning.

Sixth month of the first year of the Tianqi reign

During this recent period, Huang Shi, full of jealousy, had been waiting for the official battle report of the great victory at Zhenjiang. In his original plan, he was to extract as much benefit as possible from this great victory. Unfortunately, that beautiful dream could not come true now.

Sun Degong, who had shattered Huang Shi's beautiful dream, was naturally the target of his hatred. Sun Degong, of course, had no idea of Huang Shi's opinion of him. His personal guard captain Fei Liguo relayed an order for Huang Shi to come for an audience immediately; Sun Degong had an important command to give him.

Sun Degong had just received a mission: Liaodong Provincial Governor Wang Huazhen wanted him to find a way to persuade Li Yongfang to defect. Sun Degong reasoned that going to Liaoyang as a spy was most likely a one-way trip, and he was naturally unwilling to risk his trusted men. But seeing a great merit before him, he was also unwilling to let it slip away for nothing, so he decided to send Huang Shi on this errand. A newcomer — no heartache if he died, and even better if he succeeded.

Only three people were in the study: Huang Shi, Fei Liguo, and Sun Degong. Amid an air of solemnity, Sun Degong opened by asking: "Huang Shi, how have I treated you?"

Could he possibly say that you cut off my path to glory and wealth? Huang Shi answered with a face full of sincerity: "My lord's kindness to this humble man is as high as the heavens and as deep as the sea."

Sun Degong nodded with satisfaction: "Very well. I have a dangerous mission to entrust to you."

"Willing to go through fire and water for my lord."

"Here is a letter. You are to deliver it to Liaoyang." As soon as Sun Degong finished speaking, Fei Liguo came forward holding a box.

"Yes." Huang Shi agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Sun Degong clearly had not expected to hear such a crisp reply. After confirming that Huang Shi did not intend to ask any questions, he said curiously: "Huang Shi, do you not ask to whom I am sending this letter, nor why I am writing it?"

"My lord must already have a complete plan. This subordinate only knows to obey orders and act."

"Hmm, very good. After you cross the Liaohe, someone will come to make contact with you. You just follow that person. Now I will tell you the contact point and the secret code."

"Yes."

"This letter is written to General Li Yongfang. You must personally deliver the letter into his hands."

"Yes."

"Destroying the letter is also a last resort. I wish for dead men to tell no tales."

"My lord can rest assured. This subordinate will certainly not cling to life and fear death."

"Huang Shi, when you return after completing this mission, I will certainly not be stingy with generous rewards."

"This subordinate thanks my lord in advance."

"You depart tomorrow night. Do you have any requests for this evening, Huang Shi?"

"No reward without merit. This subordinate will certainly fulfill my lord's instructions. I shall request my reward from my lord then."

"Then go and make your preparations, Huang Shi." Sun Degong was extremely satisfied and indicated that Huang Shi could leave.

After firmly memorizing the location and secret code in his mind, Huang Shi took his leave of Sun Degong and exited. The moment he left the study, his first impulse was to curse aloud. Entrusting him with such a near-certain-death mission, Sun Degong spoke as if he were handing him a heaven-sent merit for nothing.

Sun Degong clearly also knew the chances of survival were slim, so he casually sent a newcomer to fulfill the assignment. Huang Shi's first thought was to flee, but he immediately dismissed the idea: "Desert the army — do I intend to go back to being a beggar?"

"It's not too late yet. I absolutely cannot sink into depravity. I should think carefully about how to act." Huang Shi did not sleep a wink that night. A hazy plan took shape in his mind.

The next day, Huang Shi shaved off the hair on his forehead. Sun Degong praised him repeatedly upon seeing it. Huang Shi laughed inwardly to himself; watching all those years of queue dramas had finally been put to practical use.

After a night of thinking, Huang Shi recalled that Sun Degong seemed to have been bought over by Li Yongfang in the first place, so he felt that this trip should not pose any mortal danger. Staying alive was good enough. He could not run away; running away would only mean going back to being a beggar.

After nightfall, he spurred his horse straight for the Liaohe. After crossing the river at Sanchahe, Huang Shi found the Guangning spy at the contact point. Traveling by night and hiding by day, they reached the vicinity of Liaoyang city. The spy introduced Huang Shi to a middle-aged man and then departed. Throughout this time, not a single person uttered a word of nonsense.

The middle-aged man sized Huang Shi up and down for a long time: "Tonight, you and I will rest here. Tomorrow evening, when the Tartars are lax just before closing the city gates, I will take you to slip into the city."

"Fine. But when passing through the city gate, if we encounter questioning, how should I answer?"

"That has already been arranged for you. The Tartars know I am a merchant, with a wife and family property in the city. Tomorrow I am bringing goods home. You are my shopkeeper. The Tartars will not be suspicious."

"I know your name, but what if they ask about other specific names?" Huang Shi pressed with another question.

"Not bad," the merchant seemed very satisfied with Huang Shi's response. In espionage work, no one wanted to partner with a fool. "I will tell you now. Memorize them firmly. First, the surname of the lady of the house is..."

Huang Shi hurriedly interrupted the merchant's dictation: "Do you have paper and brush? Wouldn't it be better to write it down?"

The middle-aged merchant looked at Huang Shi in surprise upon hearing this: "You can read?"

"How could a shopkeeper possibly be illiterate?" Huang Shi countered with a smile.

……

After reciting a large batch of names, ages, and appearances in one breath, Huang Shi picked up the slip of paper and glanced at it again, then smiled: "Well?"

The middle-aged man nodded in praise: "Though not quite a photographic memory, you, sir, can certainly be counted a man of talent and intelligence."

Huang Shi stretched out his arms and yawned: "Everything is in place. You should rest early too, sir."

The merchant rubbed his hands together, rose, and made to return to his room.

"You're very nervous, aren't you?" During this time, Huang Shi had noticed the merchant habitually rubbing his hands.

The man before him forced a smile and said to Huang Shi: "In a business where the blade is pressed to one's neck, how could one not be the least bit nervous?"

"Everything is for the Great Ming, for His Majesty." As he spoke these words, Huang Shi extended his hand.

The middle-aged man rushed forward a step and grasped Huang Shi's hands, the nervous expression on his face vanishing without a trace in an instant: "For His Majesty, for the Great Ming!"

On the road to Liaoyang the next day, the merchant incessantly pointed out landmarks to Huang Shi. Huang Shi occasionally asked about the origins of place names, and the merchant tirelessly recounted them to him.

"This road has been here since I was a boy. My late father brought me along this way when he traveled on business," the middle-aged man was very talkative. "See that bridge? It still bears the characters I carved as a child. In my younger days, I also came here on outings with my humble wife…"

Huang Shi politely went to look at the calligraphic treasure the merchant had left behind — it was nothing more than childish scribbles along the lines of "so-and-so was here." The merchant rubbed his hands, laughed heartily with pride, and Huang Shi very courteously joined in with a few laughs.

Even the longest road must eventually come to an end, and besides, the inn they had set out from was not far from Liaoyang City. Huang Shi heard the man beside him stop in his tracks, take two deep breaths, and then say in a low voice: "Let us go in."

"Is this your first time leading someone in?"

"It is." The merchant nodded and drew another breath: "Is there a problem?"

"No. Don't be too nervous; nothing will go wrong." Huang Shi did not want the merchant's expression to betray any flaw.

The middle-aged man's face paled slightly, and he did not move his feet forward: "Several people have already died delivering messages for the Great Ming — their entire families slaughtered by the Jianzhou slaves…"

Seeing the faintly mocking smile on Huang Shi's face, he hurriedly cupped his hands: "I have made a fool of myself before you, sir."

"Let us go in."

The merchant drew another deep breath and steadied his breathing: "Very well."

As they walked through the gate of Liaoyang City, the merchant began rubbing his hands once more. He glanced back at the composed Huang Shi, gave an embarrassed smile, puffed out his chest, and strode forward.

When it was Huang Shi's turn to be inspected, he raised both arms high and submitted to the Later Jin soldiers patting him down, his demeanor relaxed and composed. The Later Jin soldiers had not yet discovered the secret letter; though Huang Shi was tense inside, not a trace of it showed on his face.

"Hold it!"

A Later Jin official ran over and crouched down. His fingers reached into the seam of Huang Shi's shoe, caught the corner of a paper, and with a sharp tug, pulled out a slip.