Chapter 201: The Intelligence Bureau's Temporary Worker

Huang An’de felt very uncomfortable in his clothes. The topknot on his head was heavy and made him uneasy. His head full of hair, under the hot sun, was covered in sweat that dripped down from the ends of his hair.

It was nothing like the refreshing buzz cut he had in the army. Huang An’de couldn’t help but miss his days as a soldier in the Fubo Army. In the summer, not only was his hair cut short and neat, but his clothes were also made of a cotton-linen blend that was breathable, absorbed sweat, and dried quickly, much more comfortable than this thick, homespun tunic.

Huang An’de and Huang Xiong were both from the Shandong garrison. They were also related, distant cousins who were beyond the five degrees of mourning. However, Huang Xiong later went to the Qi garrison and became a junior officer, while Huang An’de remained a loafer in the Shandong garrison until he was caught stealing from the official granary with others and fled.

Because stealing was dishonorable, Huang An’de had always kept quiet about it. It was only when the General Political Security Bureau conducted a deep background check on him during his promotion to officer that the matter was uncovered. At that time, it was also found that he had originally served as a soldier in Dengzhou.

Because of this connection, Huang An’de was not only transferred to the Northern Expeditionary Force but also, like Huang Xiong, was among the first to join the advance party. His current identity was Lu Wenyuan’s personal attendant.

After Zhao and Lu had cleared the way with Sun Yuanhua, they also actively participated in the Shandong church activities through the Jesuits and quickly became familiar with the local church, gaining considerable freedom of movement and support. They immediately began to take action.

Because Huang An’de was a local, he had received special training from Xu Ke, the naval intelligence specialist of the Foreign Intelligence Bureau, before departure. He was assigned to operate in Dengzhou city as a temporary worker for the Foreign Intelligence Bureau to get a feel for the local situation, especially to try to understand the condition of the local garrison. This was the intelligence that the Operation Engine command headquarters most wanted to know.

In his instructions to him, Xu Ke also clearly expressed his hope that he would obtain information on the military deployment in Penglai Water City and the specific locations of the yamen, barracks, and gun batteries inside the water city. Although the Grand Library had given Xu Ke as much information as possible, they still needed firsthand materials to know what the inside of a Ming dynasty water city was really like.

Right now, he was wandering outside Penglai Water City. This water city was located on the east side of Danya Mountain, northwest of Dengzhou city. In the Song dynasty, a patrol inspector for hairtail fish was established here, with hairtail fish warships stationed to defend against the Khitans, and it was named Hairtail Fish Stockade. In the ninth year of the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, the construction of the water city began. A water gate was built on the north side, and the Zhenyang Gate was set up on the south side. It was surrounded by an earthen wall, and seawater was channeled into the city. The name was changed to Bellows Defense City. In the 24th year of the Wanli era (1596), the earthen wall was faced with bricks and stones. During the Tianqi era of the Ming dynasty, the governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou, Yuan Keli, had trained the navy here and commanded the troops of both Dengzhou and Dongjiang garrisons. He had more than fifty thousand land and sea troops, equipped with advanced cannons and a large number of warships. Yuan Keli had described it in a memorial to the throne as: “The ships are connected stern to stern, and the slave chieftain’s heart turns cold.” The fact that the Dongjiang Garrison could hold out for a long time on the flank of the Later Jin was inseparable from the strong support of Penglai Water City.

Due to the war in Liaodong, successive governors of Dengzhou and Laizhou had carefully managed this place. In addition, a large amount of supplies for Liaodong needed to be gathered and distributed here, and official and trade relations between Joseon and the Ming also passed through this place. As a result, merchants flocked here, creating a scene of prosperity. At that time, Koreans who crossed the sea to this place recorded the prosperous and orderly scene of “smoke signals set up on every peak with a clear view, and farming tents of the military colonies visible everywhere. The number of merchant ships and warships anchored near the shore is countless.”

In Penglai Water City, there were more than eight thousand naval troops alone. There were also civilian laborers and artisans for repairing the water city, shipwrights for building and repairing ships, and blacksmiths conscripted from all over to cast cannons. Tens of thousands of people who received some fixed income each month gathered here, causing a sizable market street to form outside the Zhenyang Gate of Penglai Water City, with shops and stalls everywhere, and business of all kinds thriving. The cries of vendors were endless.

He sat at a tea stall by the road, ordered a pot of tea, and slowly drank it with his legs crossed, occasionally glancing at the Penglai Pavilion on top of Danya Mountain, feigning great interest. Huang An’de knew that he was currently a “spy,” but he wasn’t very scared. After all, unlike the Elders, who would easily give themselves away as soon as they opened their mouths, he was a native of this place. The Huang family had been military households here for generations. Although there was no one left in his immediate family, there were still many relatives in the area, most of them serving in the army. It wouldn’t be a problem to find an acquaintance to get into the water city.

However, although there were many soldiers in uniform coming and going on the market street, he didn’t recognize many of them. Some looked familiar, but he couldn’t recall their names and didn’t dare to greet them rashly. He had “fled in disgrace” back then, so he needed a reliable person to inquire for him first. Otherwise, if he was tied up and taken to the naval yamen, by the time Master Zhao got him out with Sun Yuanhua’s letter, he would have suffered a lot.

As he was staring blankly, Huang An’de suddenly felt a light tap on his back. When he turned around, he saw a young man looking at him.

The man had a hesitant expression at first, but when he saw his true face, a look of pleasant surprise appeared.

“It’s really you!”

“You are… oh! My little brother!” After a moment of hesitation, Huang An’de also recognized him. This person was named Sun Yuan, and by a distant relation, he could be considered his cousin. He was also his comrade-in-arms, serving as a soldier here as well.

After a few years, Sun Yuan had grown into a fine young man. Although he was still wearing a uniform, the quality of the clothing was good, and he had a healthy complexion.

Huang An’de took Sun Yuan’s hand and looked him up and down. After a while, he asked, “Cousin, it’s been a few years, you’ve changed so much. Are you still at the gun battery?”

Sun Yuan smiled and said, “I’m a personal retainer for General Sun now. They said that as soon as there’s a recommendation, I’ll be promoted to an external commission.”

Huang An’de knew that for a soldier, becoming a personal retainer for a general or a civil official was a good way out. Not to mention promotions, at least the military pay was on time, and the food was much better than that of ordinary soldiers. Especially being a retainer for a governor like Sun Yuanhua, the chances of fighting and dying were slim, making it an excellent post.

He smiled and said, “It’s true that you can’t write two ‘Sun’ characters with one stroke. Your surname has brought you good fortune!”

Sun Yuan was a bit embarrassed. “Not at all. I got this retainer position because of my gunnery skills. You know, General Sun has invited many Franks from Guangdong to be instructors here, teaching how to cast and fire cannons. Master Pedro, the gunnery instructor who taught us, praised me several times, so General Sun took me in as a retainer.”

“That’s not easy! But you’ve really put your heart into learning gunnery!” Huang An’de knew that soldiers were generally unwilling to be gunners. Although cannons were not rare in the Ming Dynasty, the quality of the cannons at that time was poor, and their use was not well standardized. Accidents often happened during firing, with casualties being common. And they had to clean the cannons daily, but their pay was not much higher. Ordinary soldiers only went through the motions when practicing with cannons; few were diligent.

“Not at all!” Sun Yuan said modestly, then asked, “Brother De, you’ve been gone for a few years. Where have you settled down? Not a word from you.”

Huang An’de asked in a low voice, “Let me ask you, is that matter from last time over?”

Sun Yuan was taken aback for a moment, then realized he was asking about the theft from the official granary. He said, “It’s long over. Among the few who were caught, that kid Zhu San took all the blame and was beheaded. The others were paraded through the camp with arrows in their backs and given dozens of military floggings.”

Hearing this, Huang An’de couldn’t help but sigh. “Zhu San was a real man, so loyal! A true friend!” As he spoke, he wanted to take out some silver from his pocket to ask him to give to Zhu San’s family, but then he remembered that Xu Ke had said during training not to reveal his wealth before getting a clear picture of the situation.

Sun Yuan said, “Who says otherwise! Don’t worry, everyone is looking out for them!” He looked at Huang An’de. “Brother De! Do you want to come back and serve? You probably can’t enlist under your original name, but you can just change it! My fifth uncle helps with the paperwork. You can change your name and get back in.”

“That’s not necessary,” Huang An’de said. “I’m a personal attendant for someone now. I have food and clothing, so it’s not bad.” He then recounted the fake resume that the Foreign Intelligence Bureau had created for him, saying that after fleeing to Guangdong, he had sold himself as a retainer to a gentry family, gained the master’s trust, and was now a personal attendant. This time, he was accompanying his master to the Penglai area to do business.

“To do business here, you need some skills. Your master must be a person of great background!” Sun Yuan had seen a lot over the years here. He was also happy for Huang An’de. Being a personal attendant for a gentry, although a servant, was a good position. It was the same principle as being a retainer being better than being a soldier. Moreover, being a personal attendant for a gentry didn’t require fighting and risking one’s life on the battlefield, which was even better.

“Of course. Although my master is only a xiucai, he is a wealthy man from Guangdong and has connections with the officials in the capital,” Huang An’de boasted. “He even met with Governor Sun a few days ago.” He said, “Come, let’s have a drink together!” Huang An’de had finally found an acquaintance and of course wanted to quickly solidify the relationship. Besides, Sun Yuan was not really a stranger; they had often hung out together when they were soldiers.

Since Sun Yuan was not on duty or training today, and it was a reunion of old friends, he was also very happy and readily agreed. He even insisted on treating.

“Let me treat,” Huang An’de said. “I know you. Even though you’re a retainer, your pay is only two taels, and you might not even get the full amount each month. You also have a mother and brothers at home. I’m a single man, I eat and drink at my master’s expense, and he won’t short me on my monthly allowance. It’s fine!”

They found a small tavern and got a private room, ordering some wine and food. They talked about old times and old friends. Huang An’de inquired about many of his past friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Gradually, he began to ask about the generals and officers. Sun Yuan had no suspicions and no sense of secrecy. After a few cups of wine, he told him everything he knew: who had been promoted, who had died in battle, who had been transferred… Before long, Huang An’de had a good grasp of the general situation in Penglai Water City.