Chapter 24: Gao Ju's Troubles

The weather was not hot, yet Gao Ju was sweating.

He was a robust man, not some doughy rich merchant who needed supplements to handle his concubines. He had once faced dozens of swords and muskets without flinching. But now, on this late spring afternoon, a cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

A month ago, a letter had arrived from Eunuch Yang. His adopted son, Yang Tianliang, was coming to Guangzhou to discuss “important matters.” Gao Ju’s heart had been pounding ever since.

He resented the eunuch, who siphoned off half his profits. But over the years, it was Eunuch Yang’s protection that had kept him safe. He sent his dividends to the capital without fail, and every summer and winter, he sent gifts of lychees and other delicacies. He had never dared to neglect the powerful eunuch.

So why was he sending his “adopted son” now?

“Important matters?” Gao Ju smiled bitterly. He was just a merchant. What important matters could he have with a grandee from the palace? It could only mean one thing: money. A large sum, for “temporary use” or “repayment of a favor.” To send his adopted son all this way… Eunuch Yang must be desperate. He sighed. The windfall from the past few months would have to be spat out.

But it wasn’t just the money that worried him. Since the Nine-Thousand-Year-Old had come to power, the palace had become a dangerous place. His backer, Eunuch Yang, was a protégé of Gao Shiming, a Grand Eunuch who had wisely resigned to protect himself. Eunuch Yang was now a marginalized figure.

What if the Nine-Thousand-Year-Old had turned against him? Gao Ju broke out in a cold sweat again. He didn’t like Eunuch Yang, but their fates were intertwined, like two grasshoppers on a string. If Eunuch Yang fell, the agents of the Eastern Depot would be at his door the next day, and his family would be ruined.

Could this be about that? The thought made him sweat even more. “Fan me!” he roared.

A maid began to wave a fan, a gentle breeze carrying the scent of cosmetics and her own faint perfume. Normally, it would have soothed him, but now it only made him hotter. He sat up, cursing. “All of you, get out!”

The servants scurried out.

A moment later, a servant reported, “Manager Yan is here.”

“Let him in.”

Manager Yan had come to report that the Australian sea merchants had arrived.

“They’ve arrived?” Gao Ju’s eyes darted around. A bit of good news. The thought of money brought a flicker of euphoria. They had stopped asking for porcelain and were now requesting precious medicinal herbs, spices, and various hardwoods. It puzzled him. These were all things that came from the West. Why were they having him buy them on their behalf? It only deepened the mystery of their origins.

This Gao Qing was useless. Two months, and he had learned nothing.

He snorted. “How is the receiving of the goods? Are there any new items?”

“No new goods, master. We are counting them now.”

“Alright, invite them over.”

“The Australian masters also brought a… merchant with them,” Manager Yan said, unsure of the newcomer’s status.

“Just invite them all.”

“I understand,” the manager said, then lowered his voice. “The new person seems to be a martial artist. Should master…?”

Gao Ju pondered for a moment. It was probably unnecessary, but the manager’s concern was a sign of loyalty. “Tell Instructor Zhao to have a few guards wait in the courtyard. Do not show yourselves.”

“Yes, master.”

“Wait. Has there been no news from the people sent to Shaozhou?”

“No. Little Eunuch Yang only left the capital on the second day of the third month. He should be here in about ten days.”

“Tell the secretaries to find all the letters to and from Eunuch Yang. Read them again. Find out Little Eunuch Yang’s background, his age, when he was adopted, his hobbies… find out everything.”

“Yes, master.”

“Have any new court gazettes arrived?”

“No, master. Only an urgent selection report for the fourth month. It was all news of official appointments…”

“What nonsense! Fetch it at once!” The urgent selection report, a list of officials appointed by the Ministry of Personnel, could reveal the shifting political winds of the court.

After giving his instructions, he drank some tea to calm his nerves, then went to the outer study to meet his guests.

It was Bei Wei’s first time through the wormhole. To be in the house of a Ming Dynasty man was like a dream.

He was no longer a reconnaissance soldier, but he still practiced the skills he had learned. His mission was to conduct a simple staff tour, to scout the terrain for their future underground activities in Guangzhou.

Master Gao was their collaborator, but he was a collaborator for profit. He could betray them at any time. And if other forces were to harm him, their channel would be cut off. They had to be prepared.

From the moment he left their safe house, Bei Wei walked with a strange, stiff gait, each step a standard eighty centimeters. A hidden camera in his bag filmed his surroundings, but his eyes and his brain were more reliable, recording every gate, every courtyard, every turn.

The irrelevant servants had been sent away, but the new Australian’s strange behavior still drew whispers from the guides. They were also envious of his strong physique. An ordinary servant would not last three moves against him.

The host and guests were exchanging pleasantries. Bei Wei, acting as a guard, sat upright behind Chief Wen, his hands on his knees, his eyes scanning the room.

There were eleven Ming people in the hall: Master Gao, a manager, a bodyguard, two maids, two pages, and four servants in the corners. The four servants were well-proportioned, small but sturdy, their loose shirts likely concealing weapons.

And that was only a part of it. In the courtyard, behind the rockeries and trees, four more guards stood, hidden in the shadows.

The real expert was the bodyguard standing behind Master Gao, a man in a green, arrow-sleeved robe, his hands clasped, a faint aura of sharpness about him.

Bei Wei wondered how powerful these Ming Dynasty martial arts masters really were. He was itching for a fight. He was very interested in traditional Chinese martial arts, and had always been disappointed by the flowery, impractical performances he had seen.

Master Gao and Wen Desi continued their business talk, both a little absent-minded, one thinking of Eunuch Yang, the other of the expansion of the Guangzhou branch.

Wen Desi’s main purpose this time was to expand their operations. Their current setup was too closed, too reliant on Gao Ju. They needed to “go out,” to develop more agents—officials, scholars, ordinary people.

Of course, that was not yet possible. Their strange appearance and speech would draw too much attention. But the family of servants Gao Ju had given them was an opportunity. If they could win their loyalty, the road ahead would be much wider.

The meeting ended quickly. The cargo lists were exchanged, the deal done. Master Gao, anxious to read the materials his secretaries had compiled, was not in the mood for pleasantries. He ordered a banquet to be sent over and dismissed them.