Chapter 2131 - New Mission

Xu Ke nodded in understanding. A-Tao's past—having been pawned off as a concubine—was not something she could easily escape. In a hometown filled with familiar faces and long memories, old wounds would inevitably be reopened, bringing shame where she sought refuge.

"I wish to remain in Wuzhou," Luo Yangming said, "and continue serving the Senate. I've conducted business here for many years—this has become my second home. I understand the local landscape, I know its people. Whether you assign me to public service or leave me to manage the rice shop, I defer to your judgment, Chief."

Xu Ke considered this, then nodded. "Your cover remains intact. Continue your work here, operating the rice shop as before."

"Yes!" Luo Yangming agreed, though after a moment's hesitation, a shadow of concern crossed his face. "The government office requisitioned a substantial portion of our inventory. The shop has taken considerable losses..."

"The Intelligence Bureau provided the initial capital, correct?"

"That's right."

"And if I recall correctly, they gave you nothing more after that first investment. You've operated on that seed money alone all these years, built it into what it is today."

"It's all thanks to the Senate's great fortune—"

"Fortune or not, that's beside the point." Xu Ke smiled and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "You used the shop's profits to fund intelligence work, as was proper. The Bureau won't quibble over gains and losses—though naturally, we'd prefer you not lose the principal investment." His smile broadened. "Don't worry. The Senate doesn't nickel-and-dime its people. Walk upright and your shadow falls straight. Conduct yourself with integrity, and you'll always have firm ground beneath you."

"Thank you for your understanding, Chief."

"Are you facing difficulties in continuing operations?" Xu Ke asked. "Speak honestly. I'll do what I can to help."

"There are challenges, but I can manage for now."

Xu Ke handed him an envelope. "Your new contact protocols are inside," he said, his tone turning serious. "From this point forward, you answer to dual leadership—both the Center and the Political Security Bureau. Don't let that concern you. Your work remains unchanged: intelligence collection."

In practical terms, Luo Yangming was transitioning from an "intelligence agent" under the External Intelligence Bureau to a "hidden cadre" of the Political Security Bureau. The dual-leadership structure reflected Wuzhou's status as a frontline city, where intelligence operations against Ming forces remained critical. He would monitor conditions within the city while tracking information flowing between Ming-controlled territories and the Yao regions.

When Luo Yangming returned to the city, noon had already arrived. Though his stomach complained with hunger, his spirit soared—years of pent-up tension seemed to dissipate like morning mist. Chief Xu's words echoed in his mind: "Your contribution to Wuzhou will be remembered and praised by people even decades or centuries later." The phrase filled him with a vigor he hadn't felt in years. The Chiefs often spoke of serving "the Senate and the People," and previously he'd struggled to understand why "the People" warranted separate mention. Now it crystallized: conquering Wuzhou merely expanded Senate territory, but his desperate efforts to save the city from the fires of Zhurong—that was truly serving the People.

As he walked through the streets, Luo Yangming observed order gradually reasserting itself. Fubo Army soldiers patrolled alongside local yamen runners and militia squads. Porridge stations had been established before temples and government offices, dispensing gruel and boiling water to refugees. Some residents had already begun salvaging what they could from ruined homes. Though shops remained shuttered, the atmosphere of terror that had gripped the city was finally lifting.

When he reached home, his entire household—wife, concubine, and Wen Tietou—rushed to greet him, relief flooding their faces. The women immediately set about dusting his clothes and fetching wash water, and Luo Yangming noticed tear tracks still visible on their cheeks. Warmth bloomed in his chest. "I didn't venture into a tiger's den or wolf's lair," he said with a gentle smile. "Why such worry?"

His relaxed demeanor and easy smile told them everything—the meeting with the "Bandit Runts" had gone well, no disaster had befallen him. The tension finally released. Wen Tietou spoke up: "Master, the Rehabilitation Bureau sent someone earlier. There's a meeting at the Military Control Commission after lunch. I told them you'd been summoned by the Bandit—er, the Australians, and we didn't know if you'd return in time..."

Ding A-Tao's worry returned. "You've only just come back, and already they're calling for you again. What scheme are they hatching now?"

"It doesn't matter." Luo Yangming sipped the tea his concubine brought him. "This was expected. After all, I am a member of the Rehabilitation Bureau."

"If you ask me, the master should resign from that position," Ding A-Tao said as she supervised the maid bringing in the food, personally serving him rice. "We're not substantial merchants like Master Qiao. What benefit is there in getting entangled in this? The Australians will certainly conscript labor and grain. These are thankless tasks—you can't complete them without compromising your principles and making enemies."

Luo Yangming accepted the bowl with a smile and began eating. When the "Mistress" fell silent, Wen Tietou seized the opportunity. "Madam misunderstands the situation. The Rehabilitation Bureau directors are all experienced, cunning men. The Master is simply following their lead. If the sky falls, those tall fellows will hold it up—what does the Master have to fear? Besides, the Bureau is government-sponsored. Don't dismiss the Master's position as trivial; he's essentially a semi-official now. With that stamp of authority, what business venture wouldn't be easier to pursue?"

"For modest families like ours," Ding A-Tao countered, "it's wiser to guard what we have and live quietly. This whole affair has been nothing but calamity..."

Her distress over the hundreds of dan of requisitioned rice was palpable. Luo Yangming shrugged philosophically. "The rice is gone—so be it. Our family remains intact and healthy. As the saying goes, 'Wealth departs, but life remains—that's happiness!' Speaking of which, has Shopkeeper Li returned?"

Li Wensheng had left the city and Luo Yangming hadn't heard from him since, though Chief Xu's summons suggested he'd reached safety beyond the walls.

"He's back," Ding A-Tao confirmed. "The old man was exhausted after being out all night. I sent him to rest—he's probably still sleeping."

"Let him sleep. Shopkeeper Li this time..." Excitement carried Luo Yangming's words further than he intended, and he caught himself mid-sentence. He couldn't casually mention dispatching Li Wensheng to contact the Chiefs. Moreover, Li Wensheng and he needed to coordinate their accounts.

Seeing him trail off abruptly, the others exchanged puzzled glances. Wen Tietou's expression grew thoughtful. On the night before the city fell, when they'd driven the residents out, Li Wensheng could have easily hidden in the shop. Why had he inexplicably joined the refugee exodus instead? Something didn't add up.

Luo Yangming offered no further explanation. After lunch, he rose to depart for the Military Control Commission. A-Tao, still anxious, suggested Wen Tietou accompany him. Luo Yangming waved this off. "He'd be useless there. Besides, he has dock workers who need attention—better he returns to them quickly." He summoned the accountant and issued rice tokens for several hundred jin to Wen Tietou. "The shop's been ravaged by officials and bandits both. We can't maneuver freely right now. Take this rice and distribute it among your brothers. Let them weather the moment."

Wen Tietou's face lit up with joy. As a minor dock foreman, he was responsible for feeding and clothing his crew. He'd wanted to ask his "brother-in-law" for assistance, but given the shop's war losses—and the fact that Luo Yangming wasn't truly his brother-in-law—he'd found it difficult to broach the subject. "Thank you, Master! I'll consider this a loan. When conditions improve, I'll repay every grain!"

"We're family. No formalities required." Luo Yangming caught his wife's reluctant expression—she clearly mourned the expense—but had no time to comfort her. He headed straight for the Prefectural Yamen.

The Rehabilitation Bureau directors had already assembled in the Military Control Commission's conference room—formerly the Prefectural Yamen's flower hall.

This had been where the prefect received guests and hosted banquets. The directors, mostly local notables, knew the space well.

The flower hall had once been graceful, if not magnificent, with elegant furnishings and tasteful décor. Now it presented a scene of devastation. In yesterday's chaos, rogue soldiers had ransacked every government office, and the Prefectural Yamen had suffered with the rest. Calligraphy, paintings, ornamental pieces, furniture—all had been looted or destroyed. Several window shutters hung broken, and knife marks scarred the pillars.

The current seating arrangement consisted of mismatched chairs scraped together from various sources. Even the tea service showed no uniformity in color or style. Luo Yangming's gaze was drawn to three large maps hanging on the wall: the Wuzhou District Map, the Cangwu County Map, and the Wuzhou City Map. A peculiar affection welled within him—he'd been responsible for secretly receiving and supporting the surveying teams who'd created these maps.

The other directors, naturally, couldn't fathom the significance of these cartographic displays. Still, they found it unsettling that these Australian newcomers already possessed such intimate knowledge of Wuzhou Prefecture's geography.

The newly appointed "Great Song Wuzhou Prefect" was young—though by Ming official and gentry standards, all Australians, whether "True Bandits" or "False Bandits," qualified as young.

Xie Erren introduced himself first, then a surrendered local functionary presented each of the Rehabilitation Bureau directors in turn.

The Bureau directors were predominantly Wuzhou's major merchants. Some dealt in rice; others operated what were called "Pingma Hong"—Weighing and Commission Firms.

These Pingma Hong functioned essentially as brokerage houses, though Wuzhou's variant differed from brokers elsewhere who "devoured seller and buyer alike," wielding their licenses to oppress itinerant merchants. The Pingma Hong operated more as commercial agencies.

This business model arose from Wuzhou's geographical position at the confluence of the West and Gui Rivers. Regional commodity distribution—whether grain from Guangxi or salt from Guangdong—often culminated in bulk transactions at Wuzhou, where most trade settlements occurred. This environment fostered a specialized form of Pingma Hong that bought and sold on clients' behalf, subsisting on commission while serving merchants from both upriver and downriver regions.

The Pingma Hong primarily accepted consignment from suppliers to sell local products at market rates, while also purchasing goods on behalf of buyers. To demonstrate the intermediary's integrity—fair dealing that satisfied all parties, balanced like an even scale with no deviation—they adopted the name Pingma Hong.