Chapter 2761: The Capital (Part 117)

"Yang Tianliang is dead." When Liu Sha heard the news, he displayed no surprise whatsoever—as if he had foreseen this outcome long ago. He repeated the words with utter indifference.

"Yes, Yang Gonggong has been holding a grand funeral for him these past few days," Xu Ke said.

"That old castrated wretch knows what he's doing!" Liu Sha sneered. "Another opportunity for him to accumulate wealth."

Liu Sha's contempt for eunuchs was plain to see.

"With Yang Tianliang dead, Yang Gonggong has essentially lost a son in his old age. Though he's adopted another, whether this new son proves reliable remains to be seen."

Liu Sha laughed. "As long as he has silver in hand and his wits about him, what difficulty could there be in finding someone to care for him in his twilight years? The problem is his insatiable greed. Give him ten thousand, and he wants twenty thousand—like Han Xin counting soldiers, the more the merrier. Why else does Shopkeeper Leng fawn over him so shamelessly? And it's not just Leng Ningyun; the proprietors of every money shop in the Capital treat eunuchs like Gods of Wealth. In this city, the richest men—the Emperor excepted—are probably them..."

He launched into a detailed account of the fortunes held by various eunuchs in the Capital. Xu Ke made no move to interrupt. His original purpose for today's conversation had been anti-Senate intelligence from Guangdong, particularly regarding Liang Cunhou. But this information proved equally valuable. When the day came for eunuchs to make their "joyful donations," every word would serve as evidence.

More importantly, Xu Ke wanted to preserve this atmosphere. After days of interrogation, he had deliberately cultivated a relaxed conversational environment. Without mental pressure, the other party wouldn't try to conceal things too carefully. Important revelations often slipped out inadvertently.

In intelligence work, no information is useless. Given how limited their current collection efforts in the Capital remained, Liu Sha's knowledge was of considerable interest. Throughout their exchange, a tape recorder spun slowly in the background.

"Eunuchs do vary in their accumulations, but I'd wager the aristocratic families are hardly impoverished either." When Liu Sha finished one topic, Xu Ke guided the conversation forward. "You dealt with Liang Cunhou quite extensively. Tell us about his family's affairs."

Liu Sha chuckled. "I knew you were most interested in his household. Speaking of which, he's your great benefactor."

The remark carried a hint of provocation. Xu Ke refused to take the bait and merely smiled. "A great benefactor indeed. Without him, the Senate's path might not have been so smooth. Unfortunately, he looked down on the overflowing prosperity the Senate offered and insisted on walking one path into darkness. Since we couldn't be brothers, we could only be enemies."

"If only such overflowing wealth would fall into my lap," Liu Sha said.

Xu Ke recognized the probe for what it was, but this man's crimes were immense. He neither dared nor had the authority to promise a pardon, so he declined to follow that thread and continued: "He looked down on this wealth. Fine—if only he had been content to live quietly as a rich man. Instead, he chose to commit acts that offend heaven and violate all reason!"

Liu Sha replied lazily, "As the saying goes, 'Those who achieve great things don't fret over trifles.' I've also heard that the Senate has a famous motto: 'Victors are not judged.' Presumably, it conducts itself accordingly."

Xu Ke hadn't expected Liu Sha to throw the accusation back in his face so directly. The Senate had indeed done its share of unsavory things over the years. As a member of the clandestine front, Xu Ke was well aware of many such matters.

Fortunately, he had long since developed a thick skin. He smiled faintly. "While we don't judge heroes by success or failure alone, the grand momentum of the world follows a simple principle: those who submit prosper, and those who resist perish. He, as head of an aristocratic family, should have understood this much."

"The grand momentum of the world—how can anyone see it clearly?" Liu Sha sighed. "When I served in the Jinyiwei and was seconded to the Eastern Depot, the Nine Thousand Years held power over both court and countryside. All officials trembled and obeyed his orders. Was that not the 'grand momentum'? Yet within a few years, that momentum had completely reversed!"

Xu Ke laughed. "What you describe wasn't the grand momentum of anything—merely a few waves on the surface! If you had read a few history books, you would know that powerful eunuchs seizing control and bringing disaster upon the nation has occurred in every dynasty. Without looking too far back, your own Great Ming had Wang Zhen, Liu Jin, and Wang Zhi. Wei Zhongxian was called the Nine Thousand Years, but Liu Jin was known as the 'Standing Emperor.' And what became of them all? Court politics shift; some rise while others fall. Whether loyal minister or treacherous one, all are passing clouds. The true grand momentum of the world lies elsewhere!"

Liu Sha seemed unconcerned. "Then where does it lie?"

"The grand momentum of the world lies solely in whether the people's hearts support or oppose you!" Xu Ke's voice rose with conviction. "Liang Cunhou never understood this from beginning to end. He remained forever entangled in distinctions between Hua and Yi, constantly invoking the Teaching of Names (Mingjiao) at every turn. He never grasped that common folk are drowning in a sea of suffering—when would they have time to listen to his sermons?" He glanced at Liu Sha. "Consider yourself, for instance. You worked for Master Wang—to put it plainly, for silver. Surely it wasn't for the sake of the Zhu family's dynasty?"

These arguments were quite novel to Liu Sha. He took a moment to digest them before responding. "By that logic, wouldn't everyone in the world become a profit-seeking disciple?"

"And what's wrong with seeking profit? Would you rather everyone become hypocrites?" Xu Ke laughed. "Acknowledge that people pursue their interests, guide them accordingly, and great things can be achieved. Even the most loyal minister, if forced to serve the public on an empty stomach day after day, will eventually starve to death—assuming he doesn't complain first."

"Forget it. I can't argue philosophy with you." Liu Sha waved his hand dismissively. "You have too many ways of twisting words (Dao-dao)."

"Then let's set philosophy aside." Xu Ke laughed. "Continue telling us about Liang Cunhou."

"There's no need for me to explain Liang Cunhou's family background—presumably you already know it better than I do. As for his affairs, there are thousands of threads to untangle. Which ones interest you?"

"Start with how you first connected with the Liang family." Xu Ke said. "The Wang family and the Liang family are separated by several thousand li and never served in court together. What brought you onto the common road of the Great Cause of Anti-Kun?"

This novel metaphor left Liu Sha momentarily confused. He considered for a while before answering. "That matter, as it happens, has some connection to me personally."

During his service in the Jinyiwei and Eastern Depot, Liu Sha's duties "monitoring the hundred officials" had kept him stationed in Guangdong for an extended period. Not only had he learned to speak passable Guangzhou vernacular, but he had also cultivated relationships with all manner of local characters from the Three Teachings and Nine Streams.

"...Those flower-kidnappers (Pai Hua) you mentioned in the Witchcraft Case—I knew them from that time."

"Why would you associate with such people?" Xu Ke was genuinely puzzled. "Since ancient times, there's been a saying: 'Even thieves have their Way.' That particular trade has always been despised. Even those in the jianghu are reluctant to associate with them."

"Isn't this exactly what you just said yourself—that people pursue profit?" Liu Sha's smile was sardonic. "Despised they may be, but they have money. Real money. We servants of the throne appear mighty and fearsome to all, but we brothers tasked with 'inspecting the hundred officials' couldn't easily reveal our identities. We couldn't swagger about like other brothers investigating cases, arresting officials and commoners alike for harsh interrogation on a whim. Naturally, acquiring silver wasn't particularly convenient for us."

"So you accepted their silver," Xu Ke said.

"Indeed. Those in that trade have committed grave crimes. Officials in the yamen don't dare accept their offerings lightly. So naturally, they could only come pay respects to someone like me—someone who had no such scruples." Liu Sha laughed at himself. "Falling into your hands now—I suppose that's karmic retribution."

"But what does this have to do with the Liang family?" Xu Ke pressed. "Surely the Liangs aren't mixed up with such people?"

"The Liang family could never have any direct connection with them. This relationship requires a longer explanation..."

Through these associations, Liu Sha had come to know many local musician households (yuehu) in the flower streets and willow lanes. In the trade of prostitution, apart from hereditary pariahs of musician households who had no choice in the matter, most women were sold by human traffickers. These traffickers sourced their "stock" through various channels—some purchased from common families, others obtained from flower-kidnappers. Particularly since Pipa girls (Pipa Zai) needed to be cultivated from childhood, many were abducted young.

"So you came to know Han Qiaojie through Fu Wen's connections?"

"People like Fu Wen are despised by gods and ghosts alike. Even prostitutes would absolutely refuse to deal with him. Actually, the connection was made through the manpower of the Guandi Temple."

Xu Ke thought: This fits. As soon as the Mao Family Inn was exposed, Gao Tianshi had immediately attempted to silence witnesses. The relationship between the two was obvious.

"How did Fu Wen come to know you in the first place? Even if you were a Jinyiwei officer back then, he wouldn't have given you silver for no reason."

"Back then, he was operating on the West River when local yamen constables captured him. Through intermediaries, he eventually reached me and promised five hundred taels of silver. I fished him out. You could say I saved his life."

"No wonder Fu Wen was willing to do such things for you!"

"Heh, if only it were that simple! Men who mutilate the living are the most heartless and faithless of all. I saved his life, spared him from death by a thousand cuts—yet the wretch felt pain over his silver. Seeking his own destruction, he actually attempted to murder this Poor Daoist by the riverbank at midnight."

Xu Ke couldn't help but be taken aback. He knew something of the jianghu world of the seventeenth century. Fu Wen's behavior would be despised beneath any mountain's banner of righteousness.

"Fortunately, this Poor Daoist possesses deep magical power and captured him on the spot. Since he had delivered himself to my doorstep, I saw no need for courtesy. I extracted one of his souls and one of his po (hun po), binding him to serve this Poor Daoist for the rest of his life..."

"Wait, wait..." Xu Ke couldn't help interrupting. "What did you just say?!"

"I extracted one of his souls and one of his po," Liu Sha replied with leisurely self-satisfaction.

"Daoist Liu, I'm aware you're well-versed in Daoist arts. But we've reached this point—there's no need to continue playing at gods and ghosts. Just speak plainly, won't you?"

Liu Sha laughed. "I know you don't believe it. You Australians never believe such things. Then again, if you did believe, you wouldn't have been so easily deceived. Believe or don't believe—it makes no difference. The point is that he believed."

"I see." Xu Ke thought: This fellow really does have some tricks! According to the interrogation records, that Witch Daoist had also believed his soul and po had been extracted, which was why he submitted to Liu Sha's commands.

"Otherwise, why would he have been willing to go to Guangzhou for such a dangerous undertaking?" Liu Sha was quite proud of himself. "Of course, the prospect of substantial profit was another factor."

Though the case of the Mao Family Inn had been solved, many mysteries remained. What the mastermind before him was now revealing constituted the most precious firsthand testimony.