Chapter 83: The Sweet Harbor Tempest - The Heads

Zhu An always slept in the courtyard of his study. It wasn’t that he disliked seeing his wife—she had passed away many years ago—but it was more convenient for handling his affairs. He would stay in his study late into the night every day. His main daily tasks were reviewing accounts, writing and reading letters to clients and clerks in other branches, and especially, personally scrutinizing the accounts sent by his managers to check for any oversights or, worse, embezzlement.

Towards his clerks, Third Master Zhu could hardly be called a generous employer. He provided them with enough to eat, buy clothes, and wash up, and that was it. That’s why most of his clerks came from the poorest parts of Guangdong, where people would work for almost no wages, just for a meal. As for how their families survived, or how they would support a wife and children in the future, that was never his concern.

As a result, it was not uncommon for the clerks to play tricks in the shop. Unfortunately for them, none could match Third Master Zhu’s shrewdness. No matter how well the fake accounts were prepared, he could always find a clue. Not to mention, he was an excellent judge of character. If a clerk or manager’s expression suddenly aroused his suspicion, they would be packing their bags and leaving. So, for decades, no one had ever been able to take advantage of him.

This morning, Third Master Zhu woke up early as usual. It was his old habit to rise at dawn. Besides, the recent struggle with Huanan was in full swing, and he hadn’t been sleeping well. To guard against Huanan resorting to extreme measures, he had doubled the number of night watchmen and household guards around his residence.

As he stirred, the concubine sleeping next to him also woke up. Having a woman sleep beside him was not for carnal pleasure, but purely for convenience in serving him at night and in the morning. Unlike other wealthy men, Third Master Zhu was not one to indulge in women, and he did not keep many maids and concubines. He often said, “Women are a burden—not just physically, but also financially.”

Today, it was Qiu Han attending to him. Due to her connection with Gu Dachun, Qiu Han’s status in the Zhu residence had risen. The good fortune of attending to the master fell to her more often.

Qiu Han quickly got up, dressed, and washed up in the outer room. When she returned to the bedroom, she was already neatly dressed. She said softly, “Won’t you sleep a little longer, Master?”

“No more sleep!”

This conversation was a daily routine.

Qiu Han draped a thin, lined jacket over his shoulders, helped him sit on the edge of the bed, and put on his socks, trousers, and shoes. Then she helped him stand up, tied his sash, and put on his long robe. After that, she combed his hair and tied it into a bun.

Suddenly, a scream came from outside, followed by the sound of a copper basin falling to the ground. Third Master Zhu frowned. Qiu Han quickly put down the comb and went to see.

A moment later, Qiu Han returned, her expression flustered.

“Master! There are many boxes under the eaves of the study!”

“Boxes?” Third Master Zhu didn’t understand at first, but it was clear something was amiss. He walked out of the bedroom and saw eleven wooden boxes neatly arranged under the eaves in front of his study.

His heart tightened. Third Master Zhu clearly remembered that these things were not there last night. Where did they come from?

“Open them!” he commanded. A household guard who had already arrived stepped forward and opened a box. The guard suddenly trembled and nearly dropped the box. He quickly put it down and said in a shaky voice:

“Master, it’s a human head!”

A chorus of women’s screams immediately filled the courtyard.

“What are you screaming for? Get them all out!” Third Master Zhu waved his hand impatiently and walked over himself.

Inside the box, preserved in lime, was a complete human head. The blood was still fresh; it must have been severed recently. Third Master Zhu had never seen this person before. What did this mean? He was perplexed.

The boxes were opened one by one. They were all filled with heads. Suddenly, his heart almost stopped beating. He clearly recognized the half-charred, half-closed eyes of Qiu Han’s brother, Gu Dachun.

He turned to Qiu Han, who was cowering behind him. “Come and see!”

“I dare not look—”

“Come here now!” he roared impatiently.

The moment Qiu Han saw her brother’s head, she fainted. After she came to, she crawled to Third Master Zhu’s feet, weeping and begging him to avenge her brother.

As for the other heads, Qiu Han recognized them all. They were the key members of the Gu family pirate gang, all related to each other.

Qiu Han fainted again from crying, but Third Master Zhu had no mind to attend to her. He was seized by a chilling cold, and he collapsed into his study chair, unable to stand for a long time.

The appearance of all these heads here told him what had happened without asking: the Gu family pirates had been completely wiped out. That was secondary. The real question was, who could have, in one night, evaded the night watchmen and guards, and placed eleven wooden boxes filled with heads neatly under the eaves of his study?

This cold and precise act showed the confidence of the mastermind. They had no regard for his guards and knew his every move. They acted in the dead of night, silently bypassing all security, and accurately found his study among the many courtyards. This reality alone was enough to send a chill down his spine.

This was a cold and real threat, and also a warning—Huanan was not without means to deal with him. And he had run out of tricks.

On the same day that Bei Wei and his men “delivered the gift” to Zhu An, Wen Tong began to take action against the various firms of the Haiyi Guild. Liao Daxing, with gifts and attendants, went to Haian Street, visiting each sugar company and presenting them with six types of traditional gifts.

This was the first time the Huanan Sugar Company had made a public appearance on Haian Street. Although most of the firms politely declined Liao Daxing’s visit, claiming the master was not in, none of them refused the gifts. A few even received him, and after a few polite words, saw him out.

This probing confirmed Chen Tianxiong’s and the others’ speculation—the attitude of most of the merchants in the Haiyi Guild had softened. Once the news of Gu Dachun’s annihilation at sea got out, Third Master Zhu’s prestige in Haian Street would plummet. The sugar companies of the Haiyi Guild would change their stance within a few days.

The tale of the eleven heads in the Zhu residence was spreading through every teahouse in Xuwen. The storytellers embellished it with vivid details, and the listeners were captivated. Although the Haiyi Guild had tried to suppress the rumors in the teahouses of Haian Street, they were not the government, so the stories continued to be told and heard.

A dull and tense atmosphere permeated Haian Street. In stark contrast to this atmosphere, the owners, managers, and stewards of the various sugar companies were busy every day, inviting each other to watch operas, attend banquets, and visit brothels. In these settings, everyone was nervously consulting with each other, exchanging opinions in private.

However, the central figure of the Haiyi Guild, Third Master Zhu, was rarely seen at these occasions. He was “ill.” As for what illness, the Zhu residence was tight-lipped. Even if he weren’t “ill,” he would have had little of his former persuasiveness. The morale was broken! Everyone in the Haiyi Guild knew this. The sugar pressing season was almost two-thirds over, yet their warehouses were empty. Huanan showed no signs of collapsing. Their ships continued to enter and leave Haian Port, continuously shipping out sugar. Seeing the number of sugarcane farmers selling to them dwindling, the various firms were panicking. The consensus was that this stalemate could not continue.

“Reporting to the masters,” Wen Qing said, bowing to Chen Tianxiong and Wen Tong, who were enjoying a “post-meal game of chess.” “There is someone outside asking to see you, brought by Boss Zhu of the Dachang Rice Shop. Should I let them in?” Chen Tianxiong was pondering his next move, a “horse” piece hovering hesitantly over the board.

“Who is it? Didn’t you ask?”

“They say they’re from the Haiyi Guild—”

“Should we see them?” Wen Tong asked.

“There’s no reason not to. Let them in.”

Zhou Shidi, who had been “watching the game in silence,” spoke up, “It’s better to be careful. It’s already dark. What if…”

“Don’t worry,” Chen Tianxiong said. “Third Master Zhu doesn’t have the guts to try anything desperate.” He smiled. “Besides, with you here, what do we have to fear!”

The visitor was dressed for travel, wearing a conical hat, seemingly to conceal his face. When he removed the hat, Chen Tianxiong nodded.

“Boss Feng, what brings you here so late at night?”

“You’re too kind!” The visitor was none other than Feng Guangfeng, the owner of “Richang Ji.” He was stunned that this stranger knew his name. “Indeed, I am Feng Guangfeng.” He bowed. “And you must be Manager Wen?”

“This is Manager Wen. I am just a humble clerk,” Chen Tianxiong said.

After the introductions, Chen Tianxiong, not wanting the other party to remember him too clearly, didn’t even give his name and deliberately sat in a dimly lit area.

“Gentlemen!” Feng Guangfeng’s tone was extremely sincere. “There has been a misunderstanding between Huanan and the Haiyi Guild. The Haiyi Guild has caused much offense. I have come today specifically to apologize.”

Wen Tong said, “We are all in the sugar business, there should be no north, south, east, or west. In the future, we will rely on your guidance and support.”

“Of course, of course,” Feng Guangfeng said. “I have come this time…”

“Wait,” Chen Tianxiong interrupted. “Boss Feng, are you here on behalf of ‘Richang Ji,’ or the ‘Haiyi Guild’?”

The implication of this question was significant. Feng Guangfeng did not dare to answer casually. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “The Haiyi Guild, of course!”

“So, everyone in the Haiyi Guild knows you are here?”

“Not everyone—” Feng Guangfeng quickly clarified. “But most of the members of the Haiyi Guild would be happy to see me here.”