Chapter 1383 - Zhongyuan Festival Plan

As the laughter subsided, Gou Chengxuan said: "Mr. Hao's living conditions here are rather bitter—dirty and foul-smelling. It makes it difficult for us to come discuss matters. Shall I speak to the Master about arranging a proper residence elsewhere for you?"

Hao Yuan shook his head. "Don't despise the filth and stench. The human hearts here are far cleaner than elsewhere. Here, I am like a fish in water, stable as Mount Tai."

"Living here, don't the pa-cchia and yamen runners come to make trouble?"

"Heh, not at all. No one is that blind. The Baozheng's mother here was sick unto death—it was I who helped find a doctor and fetch medicine to save her. He wanted to kowtow and become sworn brothers with me. As for the pa-cchia, they're too lazy to wade into this stinking mud pond looking for trouble. And those 'running official errands' from the yamen dare come here even less. There's a pit of corpses in the chaotic graveyard behind us, the Qiantang River in front—knock someone down and throw them in, and even Bao Qingtian himself couldn't find them. Besides, what oil could be squeezed from people here?"

"Mr. Hao is truly a great hermit hiding in the city." Gou Chengxuan's flattery came out somewhat awkwardly.

"What hermit? I'm just an ordinary weaver. Happened to learn a few characters—not born blind to them—read some books, can understand reason." Hao Yuan smiled faintly. "I simply can't stand this Master Zhao treating poor people like dirt, manipulating lives with a flip of his hand. Someone ought to teach him a lesson."

Gou Chengxuan and Cao Guangjiu laughed dryly, not daring to pursue the topic. Hao Yuan naturally possessed the bearing of a strong man—it made these two "scoundrels" feel genuine awe.

"The Master wishes to know: when does Mr. Hao plan to give Master Zhao a hard blow?" Gou Chengxuan asked.

"First, let's thoroughly smudge Master Zhao's reputation." Hao Yuan's smile vanished in an instant. He tapped his finger on the table. "In less than half a month, it will be the Zhongyuan Festival—the fifteenth of the seventh month. The fifteenth is the Ghost Festival, for worshipping ancestors and offering sacrifices to wandering souls and wild ghosts. There have been too many disasters these years; the underworld is crowded with resentful spirits. What better time to make Master Zhao bleed a little to appease their anger?"

He continued: "The fifteenth of the seventh month is an interesting day. The Zhongyuan Ghost Festival. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva manifests his power, the gates of hell open wide, wandering souls and wild ghosts are all released. People float river lanterns and perform Yankou rites. Very well—let us also seek justice for those wandering spirits! Since we're releasing river lanterns, let's release a grand one. Make a hundred thousand lanterns and float them directly to the pier of Phoenix Mountain Villa. Then erect a ritual altar at the Villa's main gate and perform a massive Yankou ceremony. Living and dead alike—those with grievances may voice their grievances, those with hatred may express their hatred."

"A ritual ceremony? Who would dare perform one there—at the main gate of Phoenix Mountain Villa? He's now a man of considerable standing in the provincial capital. Ordinary monks probably wouldn't have the courage."

"So long as money is spent, we'll find monks willing to do it. At worst, hire some itinerant monks!" Gou Chengxuan slapped his thigh.

"Heh, ordinary monks wouldn't dare—but extraordinary monks exist." Hao Yuan was confident. "Why seek out vagabond monks? If we're going to do this, we must engage high monks of great virtue, to demonstrate that Master Zhao has offended both gods and men. Isn't Master Zhao so fond of currying favor with the Cross Religion? Remember the religious case last year?"

Gou Chengxuan and Cao Guangjiu nodded simultaneously. Hao Yuan's thinking ran deep indeed! Though that religious case had quieted down, the Buddhist monks' hatred of the Cross Religion had not dissolved. And though Zhao Yingong hadn't publicly professed the faith, his frequent visits to churches and close associations with gentry who followed the Cross Religion were plain for all to see. With proper guidance, the monks' hatred of the Cross Religion could easily be redirected onto Zhao Yingong's head.

"Mr. Hao leaves nothing to chance..." Cao Guangjiu complimented him from the heart.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Hao Yuan said. "If they're willing to take the lead, isn't that killing two birds with one stone? Zhang Guangtian might even be grateful to us."

He added that the placards should specifically mention Zhao Yingong's collusion with foreign Cross Religion monks, hinting that someone at Phoenix Mountain Villa practiced "Western evil arts."

"Make special note of his dealings with foreign monks—his dabbling in Western dark magic. That's why he has so many strange gadgets to sell. Don't forget: many of his goods are Australian! Who can clearly explain the origins of Australian goods? Give the scholars and common people of this whole city a reminder."

"Brilliant, truly brilliant!" Gou Chengxuan was already filled with hatred for bandits; hearing this struck exactly the right chord. "Not that I'm babbling, but I see this Master Zhao as a genuine bandit replacement!"

"Heh, whether he's a bandit or not is beside the point." Hao Yuan smiled faintly. "Just smear the reputation of these so-called 'Australians.' In the future, it won't be so easy for them to deceive common folk by playing ghost and doctor at the same time. We must let the common people see their true faces clearly! Otherwise, drive out one Zhao Yingong, and there'll be a Liu Yingong or a Wang Yingong to take his place."

Gou Chengxuan and Cao Guangjiu understood only partially, but they didn't ask for clarification. One was already filled with hatred for the bandits; the other was paid to do a job and cared nothing for the rest.

Hao Yuan added: "However, don't drag kneeling gentry who follow the Cross Religion into the placards. We're dealing with Zhao Yingong—don't create unnecessary enemies."

"Good! Let's do it this way!" Gou Chengxuan slapped the table with enthusiasm. "After I report back to the Master, I'll send people to handle it!"

Cao Guangjiu also confirmed that he would prepare sufficient manpower, ready to distribute placards, spread rumors, and then incite the common people to cause disturbances.

"What about Wanbi Bookshop?" Gou Chengxuan suddenly remembered.

"Wanbi Bookshop is inside the city. Gathering even two or three hundred people walking together on the streets—let alone several thousand—would make the yamen nervous. They'd send people out immediately to maintain order." Cao Guangjiu was experienced in such matters and understood the difference between operating inside versus outside the city walls. Outside the city, thousands of people could fight with weapons, and local officials would simply wait until it was over before stepping in to clean up.

Hao Yuan said: "Old Cao is right. In doing this, we can't make the government lose too much face. Making too big a commotion inside the city won't work. Outside the city gates is another matter. Besides, of Zhao Yingong's two strongholds in Hangzhou, Phoenix Mountain Villa is the core. Knock that out, and he won't catch his breath for at least half a year—maybe a full year. With that breathing room, we can then deal with him at leisure."

They discussed specific arrangements and details. Since it was still the sixth lunar month, they had a full month to prepare.

Cao Guangjiu and Gou Chengxuan slipped away under escort only when night reached the third watch—there was no place for them to stay here, and even if there were, they wouldn't have wanted to.

After seeing off the two men, Hao Yuan stretched his back and sat down on the bed. He had no intention of sleeping. His eyes were bright and piercing, as though contemplating something weighty.

Just then, the straw-woven door curtain lifted at one corner, revealing a child with a cleanly shaven head, about eleven or twelve years old. She carried a large chipped bowl containing several steaming pieces of coarse grain cake.

"Uncle Hao, you've been busy until midnight again. Mother steamed these and told me to bring them to you for a late-night snack."

"Your family isn't well-off either. This cake is dry food for your father's work tomorrow, isn't it? If I eat it, what will he have? Take it back—I'm not hungry."

"There's still more cake. It isn't anything special—hardly fit for humans, honestly." The child laughed. Looking more closely, she had bright, graceful eyes and a slender face with a pointed chin—she was actually a girl. Quite pretty, though her complexion was grey-green and her cheeks sunken.

"'Not fit for humans,' yet you still can't eat your fill of it." Hao Yuan smiled faintly. "Uncle Hao can feed himself, and I don't have work tomorrow. Better take it back. Grain is so expensive these days—your parents aren't in good health. Every extra mouthful helps them."

"You saved my father's life. You saved mine. If not for you, I'd have been sold off as a slave girl. If you refuse even a piece of coarse grain cake, you're forcing us to feel guilty for the rest of our lives." The girl spoke firmly.

"I didn't save people expecting something in return." Hao Yuan smiled.

"I know—you're accumulating virtue by doing good deeds." The girl said. "If you expected repayment, would you have come to a place like ours?" She pressed the coarse grain cakes into Hao Yuan's hands. "Eat, eat. Once you've eaten them, our hearts will rest easy. Our family only has this much to give—we'd love to cook you a bowl of lotus root starch dumplings, but we can't." She sighed as she spoke.

Hao Yuan had no choice but to take a bite. The coarse grain cake was an ugly dark mess. Called "mixed grain," it was mostly rice bran with some bean dregs and miscellaneous grains thrown in. In the mouth, it was not only coarse and difficult to chew and swallow but had an indescribable musty, sour taste.

Yet even this, not every household in Nanxiawa could afford to fill their stomachs with. The little girl's father did small trade, specializing in snacks like lotus root starch dumplings and red bean paste—barely enough to scrape by.

The girl clapped her hands and laughed. "See, Uncle Hao—you're definitely not from a poor family! If it were us eating this stuff, we'd have swallowed it in two or three bites."

Hao Yuan patted her bald head. "If I were from a rich family, would I be living here?"

"Maybe your family was rich before."

Hao Yuan laughed. "Before, ah..." His smile became distant and wistful.

"I guessed right." The girl clapped again. In truth, the residents of Nanxiawa had long suspected that "Mr. Hao" might be the fallen son of a once-wealthy family who had somehow drifted here. But no one said so to his face—everyone felt this was a sore subject for him.

"No, even before, my family wasn't rich." Hao Yuan returned to the present moment with a quick, deflecting smile. "You're a girl—staying at my place too late at night isn't proper. Hurry back."

"What kind of person am I that anyone cares about such things?" The girl laughed. "Who here worries about propriety? Any day now I might be taken out and sold. Last time, if not for Uncle Hao's help, who knows which household I'd be suffering in by now—maybe beaten to death already."

Hao Yuan took another bite of the coarse grain cake. "There's nothing special about that. I happened to have a few coins. Without those coins, what good would my kind heart be?"

"So my luck was good—Uncle Hao is my lucky star. No—you're Nanxiawa's lucky star..."

(End of this chapter)