Chapter 1739: The Mo Family

After lying down, she unexpectedly couldn't fall asleep for a long time. Though she felt no affection for this husband, since she had married him, she was a person of the Mo family in life and a ghost of the Mo family in death. Even if she had dissatisfaction, she could only swallow it like tears and endure.

She fell asleep in a daze very late that night, but as soon as the sky began to lighten, Gao Huichun woke. There was homework to be done in the morning for a great household—nothing more than supervising water and fire, serving in-laws and husband. Even in a family with servants and maids, this was the daily duty of a daughter-in-law. Especially the morning and evening greetings, which were the top priority.

The Mo family had not originally been considered a great household. Before Mo Rongxin's father passed the provincial examination, they had been ordinary citizens, making their living by peddling. Only after the old master passed the provincial examination did they rise up—considered a "gentry family" in any decent sense. Though Mo Rongxin himself never even passed the Xiucai examination, buying a Jian-student degree had barely maintained his dignity. In the eyes of the "proper gentry" in Guangzhou, however, his family counted only as "counterfeit goods." Those who most despised them called the Mo family the "Broken Boot Party." Someone had even coined a slogan for them: "Father acted as a eunuch's son; son acts as a beggar's father-in-law." But the Mo family had controlled Wenlan Academy for decades, had money in hand, and both father and son excelled at social dealings—so they hadn't been publicly expelled from gentry ranks. Still, the first-class gentry of Guangzhou never associated with them. When academy matters required attention, they spoke only to the Headmaster.

Perhaps because they were looked down upon by "proper" gentry, the Mo family emphasized "etiquette and propriety" above all, desperately trying to prove themselves a "family of poetry and books." When Gao Huichun first married in, she had suffered greatly for this set of "etiquette"—ridiculed by sisters-in-law, teased by her father-in-law's concubines, even mocked behind her back by favored maids who called her "Beggar Miss."

After enduring these few years, Gao Huichun had finally become flawless in etiquette. She rose early, finished washing and dressing, and went to her father-in-law's main room to pay morning respects as usual.

Accompanied by a maid, she entered the courtyard and saw that the partition doors of the main room stood already open. She was slightly surprised—for all Mo Rongxin's stress on "etiquette," in practice he indulged nightly in sensuality and pleasure, retiring around the third watch. Naturally, he couldn't rise early, and sometimes he didn't come home at all after carousing outside. So the Mo family had devised a workaround: the younger generation didn't enter the main room to pay respects but kowtowed under the corridor, which counted as attendance.

Unexpectedly, her father-in-law had already risen today. She saw him seated in the center, being served breakfast by the Third Concubine—though his face didn't look well, somewhat pale.

Gao Huichun went in and kowtowed. Mo Rongxin nodded. "Rise."

Ordinarily, the next sentence would be "You may leave." Yet Mo Rongxin didn't say this, and Gao Huichun didn't dare withdraw on her own. She had to stand with hands at her sides, awaiting orders.

After a long silence, she heard her father-in-law ask: "Huichun, is your father in good health recently?"

This surprised her again. It wasn't a holiday or formal occasion. Why did her father-in-law suddenly care about her father's health?

In truth, she had no way of knowing whether Gao Tianshi was in good health. Gao Huichun rarely returned to her natal home—only once or twice a year. Moreover, Gao Tianshi paid her little attention. After returning, beyond the customary kowtow, father and daughter had nothing to say to each other. Except for learning a little about her father's affairs during conversations with her mother, they might as well have been strangers.

But she couldn't fail to answer. She hurried to say: "Many thanks to the Master for asking—my father's health is still peaceful."

"You haven't returned home for a visit in a long time." Mo Rongxin put down his spoon and took the Australian small towel handed by the Third Concubine to wipe his mouth. "Go back for a visit for a few days tomorrow. And bring some gifts along."

Now Gao Huichun was even more confused. It wasn't a holiday—why suddenly send her home to visit her parents? Since it was her father-in-law's intention, strictly speaking she couldn't ask why. Besides, returning home for a trip would be pleasant enough—at least she could talk intimately with her mother.

She thanked him immediately and withdrew. Not long after returning to her room, the housekeeper came leading servants carrying loads of gifts. Normally, when a daughter-in-law returned home, the accompanying gifts were just "water gifts"—roast meats, wind-dried geese, various pastries, at most some silk and satin fabric. But this time, not only were the water gifts as usual, but there were also many precious items: Suzhou and Hangzhou silks, foreign goods, including two catties of Liaodong ginseng. Gao Huichun glanced over the lot and estimated the value at over five hundred taels of silver—no longer a merely "heavy gift."

"These are all gifts the Master graciously provides for the Fifth Young Mistress's visit." The housekeeper's face was full of flattery. "Also a handwritten letter from the Master. Please trouble the Fifth Young Mistress to deliver it to the Master In-law for his perusal."

Gao Huichun already understood that her father-in-law must have something important to ask of her father. But in the past, her father-in-law had mostly gone to discuss matters secretly with her father himself. Why suddenly use her visit as a pretense this time? With the hair-thieves having recently entered the city, could it be related to that?

She had countless question marks in her heart. On the surface, she remained calm. "I understand."

"Much obliged to the Fifth Young Mistress." The housekeeper smiled with unprecedented warmth. Since she had married over, she had never seen the housekeeper smile so warmly at her—usually it was a smile without warmth. He paid another respect. "The Master has instructed: starting this month, your monthly allowance will increase by one tael of silver, and the food money from the public account will also increase by five mace for you..."

Gao Huichun stood up. "Thank the Master for me."

The housekeeper added that the Master had noted there were too few people serving in the Fifth Master's room and would allocate more servant women. He also said that the courtyard where the couple lived needed repair, and another courtyard had been allocated—she should move over in a few days.

The new courtyard was not only larger but in a much better location. This sudden solicitude made her uneasy—in the past, when she had needed even a rough servant woman for her room, she had waited endlessly. In the end, she'd had to give the housekeeper benefits before anyone was assigned. Her sudden rise in status within the Mo family made her secretly suspicious. Could the matter Master Mo wanted to ask her father be truly significant? Thinking of this, she couldn't help feeling worried.

---

Lin Baiguang stood on the time-reporting platform commonly known as Double Gate Tower. First built in the Song Dynasty, this pavilion was ten zhang and four chi long, four zhang and four chi deep, three zhang and two chi high. The upper portion was a tower, the lower portion two side-by-side large gates—hence "Double Gates." In the Song Dynasty, Guangzhou casting craftsman Xian Yunxing and others had made the time-reporting device "Bronze Clepsydra" to cover the tower. During the day, time plates were hung; at night, the watch was beaten. It had become a key time-reporting system for Guangzhou.

Now, the Chengxuan Street Demolition Command Post was established on the Double Gate Tower. Several blood-red banners hung from it, inscribed in bucket-sized Song typeface: "Illegal structures will be demolished!" "Violent resistance against the law leads to a dead end!" "Illegal buildings are not protected by law!"

Throughout the Double Gate Tower, murderous-looking Detective Brigade members were everywhere. They held pry bars, iron shovels, and large baskets, rubbing their fists and palms, every one of them eager to perform well before the new masters.

Beyond them stood fully armed National Army soldiers. Early that morning, National Army soldiers had suddenly deployed, completely blocking both ends of Chengxuan Street and all intersecting roads, strictly prohibiting people and vehicles from entering or leaving.

Surrounded by his entourage, Lin Baiguang ascended the Double Gate Tower. He leaned against the railing and surveyed the street below. The sheds squeezing the road to a thin line looked little different from yesterday's view atop the tower. He raised his binoculars to peer into the distance. Faintly, some spots had been cleared, but most remained untouched.

A naturalized citizen cadre ran over to report: "Report to Chief—all preparations are complete!"

Lin Baiguang asked: "How is the propaganda effect?"

"Only very few shop owners demolished on their own," the cadre said awkwardly. "Many were very polite and promised to self-demolish, but there's been no movement until now."

Lin Baiguang nodded. This was within expectations. So-called "convincing people with reason" had to be backed by strength. He turned to address the group of naturalized citizen cadres, high and low, following behind him:

"Comrades, this is our first battle to transform old Guangzhou and benefit its people. We must fight it well. Not only must we smoothly demolish these illegal structures and restore a clear, clean Chengxuan Street for everyone, but we must also let the people of Guangzhou understand our determination—and demonstrate that we are a civilized, progressive new regime with the mission of benefiting citizens! Therefore, during the entire demolition process, everyone must follow the three disciplines we announced at the meeting: Do not destroy shopkeepers' tools and goods; Do not privately take building materials and goods; Do not accept money from shop owners for any reason—even drinking water is forbidden."

"Yes!" The cadres responded in unison.

"As for you—" Lin Baiguang turned to look at the dozen or so squadron leaders and team leaders of the Detective Brigade— "the discipline is the same." He spoke slowly. "I know you've always had your bastard rules, and operations like this are good opportunities for profit and kickbacks. I advise you all to be sensible and stop fishing for money in this oil pot. Anyone who dares take a single tile or half a brick without authorization—pack up your bedding and go join your head bailiffs."

"The lowly ones dare not!" Hearing they would be sent to join the head bailiffs, the Detective Brigade captains were all terrified and hurriedly proclaimed their compliance.

"Now announce the action plan!" Lin Baiguang ordered. "Xie Buliao, speak!"

Xie Buliao hastily stepped forward, opened the cloth covering the large display board on the gate tower, revealing a detailed schematic diagram of the Chengxuan Street demolition operation—marked with dense data and colors.

He began explaining in detail the work area and content assigned to each team: all demolition teams had been assigned sections, each team contracting one section. Within each team were specialized work groups—some for demolition, some for moving goods and tools from the sheds, some for transporting construction waste, and some specialized in preventing shop owners and assistants from obstruction or mischief. Each group performed its own function in a clear division of labor.

(End of this chapter)