Chapter 1276: Leaving Office
"You mean we let the mountain bandit become Prefect, then expose him?" Wang Ding asked.
"Exactly. Intercepting the mountain bandit was always troublesome. Now we let him proceed and take office, then expose him afterward." Li Yan explained. "Mountain bandits killing officials isn't particularly rare, but impersonating them is. Old Wu exposing him amounts to a contribution right after assuming his post—the reputation of a capable official, secured."
"The problem is that his contribution has little value," Wang Ding countered. "They won't promote him immediately because of it. I think it would be better to have Old Wu use this to threaten the impostor—hold the fake Prefect hostage to command Leizhou."
Jiang Shan shook his head. "The mountain bandit can simply walk away. Why should he submit to your control? You have to understand: once this matter is exposed, heads will roll. He can distinguish what's more important. Even if the other party agrees momentarily, there are too many variables. Not advisable."
"I share this view." Li Yan continued, "Actually, think of it this way: once Old Wu exposes the fake Prefect, won't the Prefect's seat be vacant?"
"Wu Mingjin acting as Prefect? The Vice Prefect is the Vice Prefect of Leizhou!"
"Can't we arrange a sudden illness?" Li Yan said lightly. "Who else is there to take the position?"
"Whether it's Prefect or Vice Prefect, the court will eventually send a new official to assume the post. They can't let Old Wu act indefinitely."
"Appointing a Prefect requires Ministry of Personnel approval. Out here where the Emperor seems distant, by the time paperwork is processed and a new Prefect arrives to take office, at least a year will have passed. As for the Vice Prefect—Leizhou has always been a remote, pestilent prefecture. It's entirely possible he might die of illness along the way... After a year or half, the situation will be quite different from now."
"There's another issue." Wang Ding added. "What if that mountain bandit doesn't exist in this timeline?" He surveyed the room. "This is quite likely to happen."
Li Yan replied: "Regardless of whether this mountain bandit exists or not, the Leizhou Prefect who takes office in 1632 must be a fraud anyway."
Wu Mingjin gazed at the inner courtyard before him as a wave of emotion surged through his heart.
In the courtyard, vegetation remained unchanged beneath the autumn sun; only he was departing.
Two or three years ago, had he received a transfer order, he probably would have wept with joy, thanking gods and ancestors, hurriedly packed his luggage, and ridden away with his family as swiftly as possible. Like a bird escaping its cage. Throughout those years, at the end of each lunar year when burning incense before the ancestral tablets, he had silently prayed to leave this place of turbulent affairs—Lingao—as soon as possible. He no longer even wished to be an official; he only prayed to return safely to his hometown in South Zhili.
Yet now, he felt no joy at all. Only a faint melancholy.
During these years, he had held a sinecure in Lingao. At first there were some civil lawsuits to handle, but over the past year or so, he had been utterly forgotten. Except for Wang Zhaomin, the county's auxiliary officials—people like Wu Ya and Sun Ruiwu—visited only during festivals. Judging by their appearances, they had clearly thrived under Australian governance. Everyone appeared ruddy and full of vigor. Rumor had it that Wu Ya had brought his entire family to Lingao, making his intention to settle here quite clear.
Compared to them, Wu Mingjin was lonely. Unwilling to work for the Australians, he had almost nothing to do apart from attending the County Consultative Council monthly to converse with local gentry, presiding over the county school's monthly examinations, and performing scheduled sacrificial rites. Private Secretary Wang handled all official correspondence. He spent most of his time in the small world of this county yamen—reading books, teaching his children, or amusing himself with poetry, wine, and tea, living a leisurely "immortal" existence. Besides Private Secretary Wang, Senator Xiong also visited every few days to play chess and share wine, occasionally presenting gifts and "allowances."
Earlier, Magistrate Wu's attitude toward Senator Xiong's visits had combined vigilance with disdain. He knew Xiong Buyou's actual position was that of Australian "Magistrate," with his "yamen" located right beside the county office. Obviously, Xiong bore the mission of monitoring him. Several times, Wu Mingjin had prepared himself to be "poisoned to death"—especially when the imperial army approached.
Now his attitude had softened almost completely. Australians were mostly humorous and interesting people. Though their language was inevitably coarse, over these years they had suppressed bandits, repaired waterworks, provided relief to the populace, encouraged industry and commerce, promoted agriculture and sericulture, and advanced education in Lingao. The county had progressed by leaps and bounds, changing with each passing day, transforming from a poor, barren border district into the wealthiest county town in Qiongzhou.
Whenever he wished, he could walk freely about—could even venture deep into the southern mountainous regions where he had never dared set foot during his magistracy. Lingao's transformation was plain for all to see. He, Wu Mingjin, was neither blind nor deaf, and even less willing to speak against his conscience. The Australians were authentic talents for saving the world, experts at governance. He himself—and many other scholars—were far from comparable.
It was laughable, really. When he had actually served as Lingao's magistrate, his first-year performance assessment earned only "medium-medium." After the Australians arrived, however, he had achieved major political accomplishments several times in succession, receiving "Outstanding" ratings. Now, with his term complete, he was being promoted to General Judge of Leizhou. This position had almost certainly been obtained through Australian maneuvering—Wu Mingjin was no fool. He generally understood that Leizhou too was now under Australian control. That he could secure this General Judge appointment, and could depart without waiting for a successor to take over the seal—with Wu Ya temporarily acting as magistrate—was obviously an Australian arrangement. As for the purpose, it was probably simple: "familiar faces are easier to deal with." If he continued "governing by doing nothing" during his Leizhou term, continuing to receive "Outstanding" assessments, promotion after this term expired would probably present no obstacle.
The butler trotted over to report: "Master, everything is prepared. Please give your instructions—shall we depart?"
"Has Private Secretary Wang boarded the carriage?"
"Reporting to Master, he has."
Wu Mingjin surveyed the courtyard once more. He was leaving here—and speaking of which, this county yamen had been renovated by the Australians. Compared to the dilapidated structure with knee-high grass and prowling foxes and rats he had inherited upon taking office, it had become far more beautiful and tidy. In this courtyard, he and his family had gathered for "Australian barbecue" during autumn and winter evenings, eaten shaved ice and sour plum soup on summer nights. He had smoked cigars and drunk Oolong tea here... Memories of the past floated through his mind, and he suddenly felt reluctant to leave.
"Let's go." He finally spoke the word, then dusted off his robe and strode out.
At the county yamen entrance, a crowd had already gathered. Beyond the auxiliary officials, most were gentry from the Consultative Council, students from the county school, and commoners there to watch the spectacle. The Australians had sent Xiong Buyou, the person he knew best. Senator Xiong beamed with smiles, accompanied by a band of musicians and several subordinates.
Before the screen wall, a band played Australian "decadent music" with wind and percussion. Wu Mingjin had heard people sing it as a ditty—it was apparently called "When Will the Gentleman Return."
Though decadent, the music suited the occasion perfectly. Wu Mingjin stood on the yamen steps and cupped his hands, bowing to the assembled crowd. Seeing Jinshi Liu among the seeing-off gentry, various emotions surged within him. His heart warmed, and the corners of his eyes grew slightly moist.
Xiong Buyou approached to shake hands and offer compliments like "promotion is just around the corner." Then Liu Dalin was helped forward to propose a toast. Since receiving treatment at Lingao General Hospital—and with Liu San training several servants and maids as physical therapists who persisted daily in administering medicine, acupuncture, massage, and rehabilitation exercises—Jinshi Liu had not only survived beyond his historical early death but had gradually regained the ability to walk with a cane. Unless traveling long distances, he no longer needed his wheelchair.
Wu Mingjin accepted the wine cup. Liu Dalin was the "head" of Lingao's great gentry households; receiving a toast from him was a considerable honor for a prefecture or county official. This ceremony was far more impressive than what some officials with poor reputations had to endure—hiring a handful of people to go through the motions when leaving office.
After drinking the wine Master Liu offered, firecrackers exploded all at once. Two commoners stepped forward and removed one of his boots—the ceremonial "taking off of boots." Then someone presented a red-lacquered wooden plaque inscribed with the two large characters "Virtuous Administration," accompanied by a Ten Thousand People Umbrella. The ceremony of seeing off the departing official was declared complete.
Director Xiong had already arranged several two-wheeled and four-wheeled carriages to transport family members and luggage. The family had boarded. Wu Mingjin climbed into the Red Flag carriage. At that moment, the band struck up a folk music arrangement of "Auld Lang Syne" in unison. The seeing-off crowd bowed together. From somewhere in the gathering he heard someone crying. Magistrate Wu could no longer contain himself; he wiped his eyes with his sleeve, bowed repeatedly, then ducked into the carriage. Accompanied by the music, the convoy started slowly and proceeded out of the city along the street fronting the county office.
Wu Mingjin's new post lay across the strait from Lingao, but he was required to travel to the provincial capital before assuming office, as was customary. Before Wu Mingjin boarded the liner to Guangzhou, the machinery of the Foreign Intelligence Bureau was already in motion.
Maneuvering Wu Mingjin into the General Judge position for Leizhou had been effortless for Guangzhou Station—his performance record and term of service both met requirements. Leizhou was a remote, pestilent prefecture where few were willing to serve. Though the income was good, foreign officials frequently failed to acclimatize or died of epidemics, so officials often regarded it as a dangerous assignment. What concerned the Intelligence Bureau now was how to maintain effective control over General Judge Wu in his new environment.
Private Secretary Wang had already been "developed," but this crafty old secretary—interested only in profit—could not be considered fully reliable. Li Yan therefore decided to assemble a team of loyal, dependable naturalized staff around Wu Mingjin and others, ensuring they remained completely in the Foreign Intelligence Bureau's hands.
The martial contingent was easy to handle; they had ample room for selection. The civil team proved more challenging—scholars had never been abundant among them, and those confirmed as reliable were fewer still. After careful consideration, Li Yan decided to dispatch Xiao Zhanfeng, the former Xiucai of Xuwen County, to serve at Wu Mingjin's side as a "supervising army" in the capacity of a clerical secretary.
(End of Chapter)