Chapter 1130 - Li Siya
Anping Harbor bristled with masts. Ships of every description awaited departure: Guangzhou-style and Fujian-style junks of various tonnages, interspersed with a handful of Western-rigged sailing vessels.
In an inconspicuous corner of the dock, an unremarkable medium-sized Guangzhou junk rode at anchor. Its waterline sat deep, as though laden with cargo, ready to sail.
Sailors lounged across the deck with studied indifference. But below, in the darkness of the hold, a secret meeting was underway.
The cargo space had been emptied of goods. Two chairs occupied the reeking darkness. On one sat a young woman wrapped in a black cloak, its hood drawn low over her face until only shadows remained. Only her voice betrayed her youth.
Opposite her sat a man, similarly cloaked. What little light filtered through the hatch revealed a grimy face that was nonetheless not old. He too seemed wary of recognition, keeping a fold of fabric drawn across his features.
"I have a job for you," the man said. "Listen carefully."
"I'm listening."
"A large Fujian junk carrying Taiwan-bound migrants is anchored below Anping Battery. She sails for Bengang at dawn."
"So I must board tonight?"
"Immediately—meaning you depart the moment you agree. This evening, cargo will be transferred from this ship to that one. You'll slip across during the transfer."
"Very well. Tell me about the mission."
"Your mission is simple: make the Dutch and the Australians into enemies. Bring them to blows."
"The simpler the mission, the harder the execution." The woman's voice carried a note of dry amusement. "How much time do I have?"
"The sooner the better. His Lordship hopes for results within three or four months."
"That's too difficult."
"Three thousand taels of silver."
"Five thousand."
"Three thousand five hundred."
"Five thousand. Not a qian less."
"Three thousand eight hundred, maximum—plus a year's free use of a pass flag for your ship." The flag was valuable; sold at discount to any merchant, it would fetch at least a thousand taels.
"Four thousand, plus the flag. That is the price."
"Done."
"A thousand taels up front," the woman said. "The balance upon completion."
"No problem." A smile flickered across the man's face. "My elder brother said you are a jaw-dropping marvel of a woman. I trust you won't disappoint us."
"You flatter me." Though her face remained hidden, one could sense her radiant smile. "Please convey to His Lordship the General that I am willing to serve him wholeheartedly."
"Then I await good news." The man gave a low, restrained laugh.
The ship rocked gently. Light from the hatch swept briefly across her cheek—it was Li Siya.
She looked somewhat fuller than before, with fine lines at the corners of her eyes. Years of maneuvering among the great powers of the sea had worn away at a woman's beauty.
Li Siya did not lack money, nor did she harbor ambitions requiring vast capital. Adventure and intrigue were her entertainment—she reveled in the game.
She did not particularly hate the Australians, though she felt a vague irritation toward them. It stemmed not from any injury, but from their indifference. Having played so many tricks on them, having incited various powers against them, having even kidnapped one of their leaders, she felt they ought to hate her to the bone. Yet the Australians showed no sign of regarding her with any special enmity.
Of course, her interest in them ran far deeper than wounded pride. Since connecting her younger sister with the Australian enterprise, she had obtained much firsthand intelligence. But the question that consumed her—what exactly was the "Proof of the Seven Seas' Hegemon"—remained utterly unanswered.
Even the Committee members who had the most contact with Li Huamei, in naval and trade matters, had never let slip a word. Li Huamei dared not utter the phrase in their presence, fearing to alert them. And while her milk-sister could speak freely with ordinary sailors and soldiers, those common folk knew nothing of such matters.
Regardless, anything called the "Proof of the Seven Seas' Hegemon" surely related to naval power, and the Australians' maritime strength was legendary. Through her sister, Li Siya obtained information about the strange new devices the Australians equipped—weapons and instruments beyond anything in this age. She speculated these might be proof of some recognition, or some form of authority.
The Australians had very likely already obtained this "Proof"! Convinced of this, she had personally sailed south into the Southern Sea, pressing toward ever more distant waters, searching for traces of the Australians' northward journey.
But the expedition yielded nothing. Apart from barren green islands and naked natives, there was no trace of any advanced civilization. The Dutch navigator she had hired told her plainly that even sailing past the Tropic, she would find no Australia—only desolate, scattered landmasses.
After this fruitless voyage, Li Siya redirected her attention to Lingao itself. She had come to accept that, given the Australians' dominion over the South China Sea, their strength could not be contained in any foreseeable future. To truly probe their depths and uncover the "Proof of the Seven Seas' Hegemon," she would have to infiltrate their ranks. Since returning from her overseas journey, she had devoted herself to this preparation.
The Australians were expanding rapidly in the wake of their victories. Infiltrating their organization as merchants or defectors would be simple enough. She wanted to know:
The secret of the Australians' powerful devices. The nature of the "Proof of the Seven Seas' Hegemon," and if possible, how to obtain this power. The Australians' origins and true intentions: why had they abandoned the homeland that had granted them such capabilities to come here, and what goals did they pursue? They had never explicitly declared their intention to conquer the mainland, but many powers watched them warily. Li Siya hoped to divine their next moves and exploit them accordingly.
Her milk-sister had already established herself as a merchant trading with the Australians, but merchants were not highly valued. Given Li Huamei's known background, the Australians remained perpetually wary of her. For her to gain further trust, she would have to render greater services—or demonstrate greater utility.
But such opportunities could not be manufactured overnight. The Australians were shrewd; they would not be easily deceived. So Li Siya had conceived another approach.
She had learned from her sister that the Australians were actively seeking women meeting certain criteria as personal servants—their "servants" being, in truth, concubines. Though Australian aesthetic preferences differed markedly from those of Ming gentlemen, the various specifications they had provided made the true purpose obvious.
Therefore, finding women who precisely matched their criteria and sending them to Lingao offered an ideal method of infiltration. She could control these women by holding their families hostage.
Men were most relaxed and least guarded in bed. With beloved women, they might say anything to impress. And even if they held their tongues, casual remarks overheard on ordinary days would yield far more intelligence than Li Huamei could ever obtain.
Besides servants, the Australians' massive recruitment of refugees and sailors presented another avenue of entry. Ordinary refugees were useless, but the Australians showed particular interest in orphaned teenagers around ten years old. Reportedly, after intensive education and absorption into Australian culture, many such youths now held positions of responsibility. These children would inevitably become trusted personnel, capable of accessing considerable intelligence.
Before all else, however, creating some chaos for the Australians would please her greatly—as the saying goes, murky waters yield more fish. If the Australians clashed with the Dutch and lost personnel, perhaps they would become less selective in their recruitment. Moreover, within this scheme orchestrated by the Zheng family, Li Siya had her own design. If successful, she would be one step closer to the Australians' secrets.
Zheng Zhilong was currently no match for the Australians—this was Li Siya's assessment. The Zheng family's eagerness to incite conflict between the Dutch and Australians revealed their lack of confidence in their own strength. Of course, Liu Laoxiang's existence also prevented them from acting freely.
(End of Chapter)