Chapter 2069 - Seeking Another Lair
Hao Er nodded in measured agreement. As for the subsequent operational steps, he had already formulated his strategic calculations. He spoke with deliberate clarity:
"In my considered assessment, the Australian pirates' surveillance apparatus in Guangzhou intensifies with each passing day. The urban center is simply no viable location to conduct sensitive operations of this magnitude. Yet if we attempt to work outside the county seat proper, the roads prove demonstrably unsafe—banditry occurs with troubling frequency, and the Australians maintain thorough inspection protocols at all checkpoints. Transporting valuable materials and equipment would constitute unacceptable risk. Therefore, I propose this entire enterprise should be systematically divided into distinct operational components, with each critical phase handled in strategically separate locations to minimize exposure."
Hao Fang's proposal embodied a parallel processing strategy. Outside the county boundaries, they would concentrate on solving the fundamental technical problems: perfecting the engraved plates, refining the casting molds, developing satisfactory paper stock, and formulating proper ink formulations. Implemented this way, aside from
the slight inherent risk of occasionally transporting completed engraved plates between sites, moving raw paper stock and ink supplies would not easily arouse official suspicion even if subjected to inspection during transit.
As for the actual printing of the counterfeit silver-dollar notes, that delicate operation would naturally take place within the city itself. First, a printing workshop could be far more easily concealed within Guangzhou's dense urban fabric. Second, the primary commercial market for silver-dollar currency notes was concentrated right there in Guangzhou's bustling central districts. Once printed, the forged notes could be circulated locally and absorbed into the economy with minimal additional transportation risk.
Regarding the counterfeit silver coins—though the goldsmith's shop provided superficially adequate cover, the metallurgical operation proved simply too conspicuous in practice. It required prodigious quantities of charcoal fuel, and maintaining the necessary smelting fires inevitably produced substantial smoke, making effective concealment extremely difficult over sustained periods. Once the pirates inevitably discovered counterfeit silver dollars circulating in the commercial economy, they would predictably investigate such metallurgical establishments with draconian thoroughness. Far better to manufacture the coins in some reasonably quiet, isolated location well outside direct county oversight.
"...Your strategic plan demonstrates admirable soundness. But once the silver coins are successfully minted, they must ultimately be spent somewhere—which necessitates transporting them back toward Guangzhou. Unlike lightweight paper notes, these constitute heavy metallic items presenting significant logistical challenges..."
"The counterfeit silver coins can be spent and circulated locally at the manufacturing site itself, actually," Hao Fang mused, his strategic vision crystallizing. "In my considered judgment, the optimal manufacturing location should be Foshan township!"
Foshan enjoyed renown throughout the region for its highly developed metallurgical industry. Large and small smelting workshops operated beyond easy counting, and establishing yet another new workshop there to provide operational cover for the coin-minting operation would attract minimal attention. Procuring necessary fuel supplies and casting materials would prove remarkably convenient given the existing industrial infrastructure. Moreover, the town boasted numerous master foundrymen and metalworkers; provided the operation's true clandestine purpose remained absolutely secret, much of the routine technical work could be safely delegated to local craftsmen operating under plausible cover stories.
Furthermore, Foshan functioned as a major regional gathering place for merchants conducting trade, where commercial goods flowed in all directions through multiple transportation routes. The daily volume of merchandise and currency moving through the township's markets was genuinely incalculable, and the flow of silver coinage and paper currency reached truly massive scale. Counterfeit silver coins minted on-site there could be systematically diffused into the local economy, blending seamlessly into the enormous payment streams where individual pieces would prove far less likely to attract focused scrutiny or detection. A strategy killing two birds with one stone—brilliant operational efficiency.
Meng Guolu nodded with evident approval: "Hao Er, these are truly the carefully considered words of a seasoned strategist. This operational plan strikes me as most meticulously appropriate!" He continued with additional intelligence: "Stone Elder independently reached identical strategic conclusions. When I departed the capital, he sent explicit instructions emphasizing: production facilities and distribution networks must remain absolutely separate; different operational cells must not make direct contact under any circumstances."
"Excellently said!" Hao Er clapped his hands in emphatic agreement. "Precisely so. Stone Elder truly possesses far-seeing strategic wisdom of the highest caliber!"
"We shall divide our forces tomorrow and commence acting in our separate capacities," Meng Guolu outlined. "Hao Er, you return to Guangzhou proper and prioritize relocating the silver-coin workshop to Foshan with maximum discretion. As for those of us remaining—once we successfully identify and secure a suitable production location, we shall contact you through established protocols. Fifteen days hence, return to this temple ostensibly to offer incense and make charitable donations as any pious benefactor might. On precisely the tenth page of the temple's alms register, I shall inscribe a coded message under the name 'Meng Chang'; you will comprehend its meaning at a glance."
The mysterious Fourth Master whom Hao Er had conspicuously not encountered during the Yongtai Temple meeting was at that precise moment seated in a quiet meditation chamber at the Xilai Hermitage outside Guangzhou's Western Gate, sharing tea in apparent companionship with a Buddhist monk.
Though the two men had exchanged warm greetings upon meeting like old friends joyfully reunited after long separation, in sober truth this constituted their very first face-to-face encounter.
They studied each other with covert assessment. Fourth Master presented as rather stocky in build, decidedly short in stature, with noticeably dark skin. Slightly prominent cheekbones lent his face a broad, flat appearance, and his eyes were small and deeply set. By the aesthetic standards of the old time-space, he resembled a sun-darkened, somewhat leaner version of a certain famous actor—precisely matching the archetypal Guangdong villager's physical appearance. Dressed in coarse cloth garments befitting a common shop assistant, sitting beside Gou Er in his gray Buddhist robes, Gou Er resembled a gray mouse while Fourth Master suggested a black monkey—an oddly matched pair.
Fourth Master expressed mild surprise with raised eyebrows: "Why has Second Master adopted the external guise of a Buddhist monk?"
Gou Er lowered his voice conspiratorially to barely above a whisper: "Keep your voice down, please. My assigned dharma name is now Haixiang; my nominal master composed an appropriate verse for the occasion: 'Ocean guests temporarily moor at Yingzhou isle, the dharma-image perfectly mirrors Heaven and Earth.' I'm now formally registered as a senior dharma-master of the temple's Hai generation lineage."
Fourth Master said with a trace of admiration: "I have long heard celebrated tales of Second Master's extraordinary talents—years upon years of actively battling these Australian pirates, yet somehow always managing to escape mortal danger at the absolutely critical moment..."
Gou Er smiled with profound bitterness: "Let us not dwell excessively on past glories and failures. What grand talents do I truly possess? I've merely enjoyed considerably better luck than most of my unfortunate collaborators, nothing more."
He and the deceased Rotten-Eye Hu had indeed pulled off what seemed a spectacular coup in Wuzhou—though it had briefly shocked both the imperial court and the transmigrator leadership circles, in cold reality the "victory" proved utterly meaningless. Their Great Victory at Wuzhou had evaporated almost instantaneously like morning mist, and Xiong Wenchan's carefully accumulated political and financial capital was squandered entirely in a single catastrophic miscalculation. Worse still, believing it too strategically dangerous to leave Xiong Wenchan alive as a potential future threat, the Australians had systematically launched their comprehensive Guangxi military campaign in direct response. Now Guangxi province itself teetered on the precipice of complete Australian domination.
Gou Xunli had participated actively in conspiracy after conspiracy, barely escaping with his life time and again while his various collaborators died horrible deaths or were captured and brutally interrogated one after another in depressing succession. Gradually, almost against his will, he had acquired the darkly ironic epithet "God of Plague" among remaining resistance circles—an ominous reputation suggesting that working with him constituted a death sentence. Had Stone Elder not adamantly insisted on utilizing his services despite this reputation, he would have long since become a homeless fugitive stray with no remaining organizational support whatsoever.
At this late stage, he could not even articulate with confidence whether his relentless ongoing struggle against the Australian occupation was genuinely driven by righteous revenge for past grievances or merely represented the desperate need to earn his daily bread through the only skills he still possessed—quite possibly both motivations operated simultaneously in uncomfortable tandem.
Though he had formally accepted this latest perilous assignment and returned to Guangzhou despite the extreme personal danger, he understood with perfect clarity that the city was currently implementing comprehensive household registration systems and issuing strict identity papers to all residents. The great established households—even those not yet directly harassed or persecuted by the occupation authorities—now existed under intense, perpetual surveillance. Even seemingly casual conversations might inadvertently expose his fabricated cover identity. After extensive deliberation, weighing multiple risky alternatives, the safest available course seemed to be assuming the social role of someone completely outside the mundane secular world.
Though the Australians had instituted their systematic "Religious Corporate Reform" throughout occupied territories, their actual operational control over religious institutions remained relatively superficial and bureaucratic—Buddhist monasteries especially. Not only were such establishments extremely numerous and geographically dispersed, but the Executive Committee's Council of Elders possessed no corresponding effective oversight mechanism for day-to-day monastic affairs. For the immediate present, this represented a genuine blind spot in their otherwise formidable control apparatus.
With Stone Elder's invaluable assistance and connections, Gou Xunli had quickly obtained convincing ordination documents bearing all appropriate official seals. He shaved his head completely, donned authentic monastic robes, and transformed himself into a credible "monk" virtually overnight.
"...Nowadays the monasteries are largely unwanted and ignored by everyone—the Australians genuinely can't be bothered with detailed oversight of individual monks. With proper ordination documents securely in hand and adequate silver for modest donations, I successfully lodged here; the elderly abbot doesn't particularly care what I do with my time and generously permits me to come and go with complete freedom. Besides, with a cleanly shaved head and my naturally grown-out beard, the pirates' widely distributed wanted posters and portrait sketches prove utterly useless for identification purposes. This arrangement constitutes perhaps the single most suitable cover imaginable under present adverse circumstances."
Fourth Master pondered this thoughtfully: "Very well—so be it. The property deeds you provided have all been successfully transferred into appropriate names without complications. Contact has been firmly established with Hao's specialized network of craftsmen; everything proceeds according to our carefully developed plan. However, this particular estate you've selected is located in rather remote Qingyuan County—far too distant from Guangzhou for operational convenience. A complete round-trip by riverboat consumes several full days at minimum; communication delays prove problematic. I've personally observed that cultivated fields and residential houses exist west of Yuexiu Mountain as well, much closer to the city. Perhaps we should consider..."
Gou Xunli shook his head emphatically: "Absolutely not. The pirates have systematically organized comprehensive mutual-guarantee networks both inside and outside Guangzhou proper, implementing collective-responsibility laws with genuine teeth. With officials and military patrols constantly circulating, establishing covert operations so dangerously close to the administrative center would prove impossible to sustain. The surrounding interconnected mountain river systems make Qingyuan, Conghua, and Guangzhou all mutually accessible by water transport, ensuring convenient routes for both goods and covert personnel movements. Qingyuan itself sits astride multiple major commercial routes; whether for dispersing manufactured merchandise or conducting personnel movements, all such activities can be adequately concealed within normal commercial traffic patterns. Moreover, both dyeing operations and metallurgical casting absolutely require substantial water supplies—being situated near the North River ensures no shortage whatsoever. Right now the pirates have clearly bitten off considerably more than they can efficiently digest: Guangzhou city proper may indeed be locked down as tight as a sealed iron barrel, but outside the immediate urban center, county-level governance still follows largely the old traditional appeasement policies. Even in counties where they've appointed either genuine or puppet Australian county magistrates and nominally implemented Australian administrative systems, practical enforcement remains nothing but an enormous net riddled with gaping holes. With modest care and basic precautions, one can slip through quite easily. So while Qingyuan lies barely a hundred li from Guangzhou city as the crow flies, it constitutes an entirely different operational world in practical terms."
Fourth Master responded with evident disdain: "What has Guild-Head Gao ever actually accomplished of substance—city foxes and village rats skulking in shadows, nothing more. Never mind his limitations. You need only report concrete results to me; maintain your operationally separate spheres as planned. Excessive shared knowledge among cells serves absolutely no useful security purpose."
Gou Xunli defended his local contacts: "Though they may indeed be mere petty rogues and small-time criminals, some among them possess genuinely loyal hearts beneath rough exteriors. Guild-Head Gao himself may prove chronically unreliable, granted, but his younger brother demonstrates a solid core of personal integrity. Great pity he remains so young and inexperienced!"
Fourth Master shifted topics: "The operational funds have been successfully received and verified, the rural estate purchased without complications—there's nothing particularly urgent requiring immediate action at this moment. I too am preparing to visit Qingyuan personally for direct inspection. If and when Gao's people are needed for active operations, I'll arrange for someone to place a coded newspaper notice stating there's a serious buyer seeking Dong Qichang's Fisherman's Painting scroll at premium price. Inform Guild-Head Gao of this signal protocol discreetly in advance, to prevent confusion later when action becomes necessary."
He produced a carefully wrapped scroll painting from his travel bundle and handed it ceremoniously to Gou Er: "Instruct his designated contact to present this specific scroll to Master Hao during the material exchange as authentication; only then can sensitive goods be safely handed over according to protocol."
Gou Xunli acknowledged receipt: "Tomorrow I shall adopt the convenient pretext of soliciting alms donations and make systematic rounds to all our established local contacts throughout the network. After completing this circuit successfully, I too must identify some appropriately isolated location to ostensibly shut myself away for extended meditation retreat. Though this particular temple offers many advantages, remaining here indefinitely proves inadvisable from security perspective—linger too long in any single location, and the pirates' ever-vigilant watchdogs will inevitably detect subtle inconsistencies and flaws in one's cover story."
Fourth Master shook his head cautioning patience: "No excessive hurry yet. A mere fortnight won't yield meaningful production results regardless... Guild-Head Gao remains ultimately not a particularly steady or reliable individual. Exercise extreme care not to inadvertently expose yourselves or the broader operation through his potential recklessness."
"Once I depart the city boundaries, I'll naturally change from these conspicuous monastic robes into ordinary civilian clothes before proceeding to contacts—it won't create problems... But honestly, if the imperial court doesn't commit to sending a substantial major army here to Guangdong, what's ultimately the meaningful point of all these elaborate petty schemes and stratagems?"
"The court cannot possibly mobilize and act immediately—you understand the political realities. Moreover, the chronic years-long money shortage plaguing the imperial treasury remains fundamentally unresolved despite endless debates. If we can successfully glean actionable secrets of the Australian currency system's vulnerabilities from this counterfeiting enterprise, that intelligence alone would constitute significant gain justifying the operation. The great strategic thinkers above our station make their grand decisions based on information we provide; we operatives below need only carry out assigned orders competently and professionally, without asking excessive philosophical questions about ultimate purpose."
"And if circumstances go catastrophically wrong?"
Fourth Master paused meaningfully: "If we truly devote ourselves heart and soul to the sacred royal cause without reservation, how can we possibly fail in the end?... Besides, when operations do inevitably fall apart as they sometimes must, won't you predictably be the very first to successfully flee the scene anyway, given your established pattern?"
"Don't carelessly mistake these Australian pirates for conventional bandit rabble—that's a fatal error. You people from the comfortable capital honestly think everything follows neat logical patterns, and you've systematically underestimated the genuine caliber of talented opponents throughout the realm—otherwise how would there currently be desperate refugees everywhere, eastern barbarian invaders running rampant across multiple provinces, and now these Australian pirates established as well? Always think several moves ahead strategically. Don't allow yourself to reach a crisis point with absolutely no viable escape route remaining available when disaster inevitably strikes!"
Next update: Volume Seven—The Liangguang Campaign, Section 182
(End of Chapter)