Chapter 186: Counter-espionage

Although she didn’t know the exact details of the plan, she knew that the Master had recently started raising a large number of silkworms and had opened a filature. A steady stream of cocoons and raw silk had been arriving at the villa. With her intelligence, it was not difficult for her to connect the dots.

Originally, this was just speculation, and she was unwilling to delve deeper into it. Now, hearing it from Hao Yuan’s mouth, it was like a clap of thunder. Putting together the various events of the past few months, she knew that Hao Yuan was not slandering him.

Tears welled up in her eyes. Hao Yuan knew the time was right. He needed to say no more. He bowed and said, “I will take my leave.”

---

This time, although Xihua still reported to Zhao Yigong, she concealed much of the content. She couldn’t bring herself to say it, nor was she willing to.

Zhao Yigong, whom she had once respected like a father and brother and revered like a god, now seemed to have a kind of indescribable ferocity behind his gentle smile and kind words.

Such a change in expression certainly did not escape Zhao Yigong. “Are you feeling unwell?”

“No,” Xihua forced a smile. “This servant just feels so tired. To put it bluntly, I’m caught in the middle, not a person on either side.”

“Endure it a little longer. The enemy will soon make their move,” Zhao Yigong said sternly. “You are now not only protecting the safety of the villa, but also the peace of everyone, young and old, within it.”

“Yes, this servant knows,” Xihua said, bowing her head. “This servant will go through fire and water and die a thousand deaths without regret.”

After she left, Zhao Tong became a little worried. “Chief, Xihua seems a bit unstable. I feel she’s somewhat distraught.”

“She’s still a child, and the opponent is very formidable. She’s finding it hard to cope,” Zhao Yigong mused. “This Hao Yuan is no ordinary person. We must get rid of him after this is over.”

Zhao Tong couldn’t help but ask, “Chief, do you think this Hao Yuan has already seen through our plan?”

Zhao Yigong pondered for a moment. “This matter is very delicate now. However, his willingness to risk danger and enter the villa at least shows that he has high hopes for Xihua.”

“But Chief, there is also such a thing as counter-espionage,” Zhao Tong, having studied for a few months at the Political Security Bureau, said. “If this Hao Yuan turns the tables on us, I’m afraid Xihua is too inexperienced and will be bewitched by him.”

Zhao Yigong was silent for a long time, then shook his head. “It shouldn’t come to that. She wouldn’t be so heartless.”

Xihua owed him a great debt of gratitude. He had helped with her father’s funeral, and he had used his influence with the authorities to reclaim her family’s ancestral graves, which had been seized by her relatives. In ancient society, these two acts alone were favors that could never be repaid. Not to mention that if he hadn’t intervened, Xihua would have long since fallen into prostitution.

If these three great favors couldn’t buy a person’s loyalty, then that person must be cold and heartless to the extreme. He understood Xihua; she placed great importance on the words “grace” and “righteousness.” It shouldn’t be like this.

Seeing Zhao Yigong hesitate, Zhao Tong added, “Chief, the ancients said: ‘One should not have the heart to harm others, but one cannot be without the heart to guard against others.’ What if…”

“You have a point.” Zhao Yigong nodded. “Starting today, assign a few more people to watch her. Ensure 24-hour surveillance. If there is any unusual movement, report directly to me.”

“Yes!”

“And keep a close eye on that Jia Le and the other spies.”

“I’ve arranged for it all.”

“The situation is full of twists and turns. Before the situation becomes clear, do not act rashly.”

---

For the next few days, she saw Hao Yuan at the construction site almost every day. Each time they met, Hao Yuan would discuss some principles with her. But these meetings were not long, only a dozen minutes or so each time.

A few days later, Jia Le brought her a message that Hao Yuan wanted to meet her outside the villa.

Xihua hesitated for a moment, but still went to report it to Zhao Yigong.

“Just go. This time, he will surely show you his hand. Don’t be in a hurry to agree. See what he wants.”

“Yes, this servant understands.”

“Needless to say, he will surely tempt you with great benefits.” Zhao Yigong looked at her with a serious expression. “You are a woman of insight and can distinguish right from wrong. Go.”

Xihua made an excuse, registered it with the management office, and then requested a small sedan chair to go out.

The meeting place was at an outer office of the Maoxing Company.

Xihua entered through the front door, and a clerk naturally came out to receive her. Because the visitor was a woman, a few servant women also came to greet her and led her into the guest room at the back for honored guests.

It was called a “room,” but it was actually an exquisite small courtyard with three small main rooms. The doors and windows were all open, making it very cool and shady. Xihua had gone out without any pomp and circumstance, not even bringing an attendant maid. She was only accompanied by two sedan chair bearers and two guards from the villa. These men were all taken to another place to be entertained by the clerks.

Xihua sat down. A servant woman brought tea and snacks, then quickly and cleanly left, leaving her alone in the room, gazing at the small courtyard paved with bluestones and shaded by dense trees.

The thought of seeing Hao Yuan soon made Xihua’s heart pound, a feeling she had never experienced in her fifteen years. What would he say to her this time?

Her wait did not last long. A door to the side opened gently, and Hao Yuan walked out.

He was dressed in the blue robe of a scholar, wearing a three-peaked cap. He walked lightly, with an elegant posture. His expression, however, was more serious than usual.

Xihua had already been feeling anxious, but now a feeling of shyness was suddenly mixed in.

“Have you thought about what I told you?”

“I have.” Xihua nodded, looking at him. “The principles you spoke of are very thorough and clear. Things I used to take for granted, I now see have so many reasons behind them. But I still have one question.”

“Go on.”

“You speak very well, but mere principles cannot change reality, am I right?”

“Correct.” Hao Yuan nodded in approval.

“I know you want to deal with Master Zhao, but as you said, without Master Zhao, there will be Master Wang and Master Liu. Even if the dynasty changes, it’s just a new batch of Master Zhaos coming to power. In times of prosperity or decline, it is always the people who suffer.”

“Exactly so.”

“Then what is the use of what you are doing?”

“You must have heard of many secret societies and sects. This is Hangzhou, and the Luo Sect’s influence is very strong here.”

“Yes, I have heard of it.”

“According to the practices of these secret societies and sects, all those who oppose the government and the powerful will form secret societies, establish organizations, occupy mountains as kings, and set up branches everywhere. Their members use secret codes or special hand gestures to greet each other,” Hao Yuan said calmly. “But we are not like that. We are just a few people lighting candles in the dark. Tens of thousands of people are immersed in boundless darkness. They cannot see themselves, nor can they see others, let alone the path under their feet. We have seen it, and we want to light candles. Even if it is just a spark, we want to illuminate the path for those who come after us!”

His voice was low, but his tone was sonorous and powerful. “In our lifetime, it is impossible for any visible change to occur. We are the dead. Our true life lies in the future. We will be a handful of dust, a few dry bones. But this little bit of light will illuminate a few people, who will inherit our ideas and illuminate more people. One person after another, one bit of light after another, and one day, light will return to the earth!”

His expression was both firm and sad. He paused for a moment and then continued, “But how far this future is from the present, no one knows. Maybe it’s a hundred years, maybe it’s five hundred years. Apart from planting the seeds of fire in people’s hearts as much as possible, everything else is impossible. Even if we rise in rebellion, in the end, it will only be to replace them with another group of Master Zhaos…”

Xihua seemed to be mesmerized, staring at Hao Yuan. Although there were many things in his words that she didn’t understand, Hao Yuan’s image had never seemed so tall.

“Well, are you a little confused?”

Xihua smiled embarrassedly. “I indeed don’t quite understand.”

Hao Yuan explained for another ten minutes or so, and then he told her very clearly that he needed her help.

“You probably already knew that I was the Huang Gai, didn’t you?” Xihua asked, feeling a sense of relief in her heart.

“I knew,” Hao Yuan nodded. “But you are a good child, which is why I came to see you. You have suffered.”

“You’re sweet-talking me again.” Xihua lowered her head and smiled.

“If you were an ordinary woman who only knew of petty favors, why would I come to see you specifically? Even if it was Huang Gai, Jiang Gan also risked his life to go to Jiangdong.”

“What do you need my help with?”

“A map of the Phoenix Villa, the deployment of the household guards, and where Zhao Yigong actually sleeps at night,” Hao Yuan said. “In a few days, we will make our move against the Phoenix Villa.”

Xihua’s heart trembled. Although she had long known the purpose of Hao Yuan’s persuasion, hearing him say it himself was still a great shock.

“The Phoenix Villa does provide for tens of thousands of people,” Xihua hesitated.

“Don’t worry, we will not harm the refugees of the Cihuitang in the slightest. We are only dealing with Master Zhao and the lackeys he brought with him.”

“But, without Master Zhao, won’t those refugees be without food and clothing?”

“The industries of the Cihuitang are golden geese that lay golden eggs. Without Master Zhao, others will naturally take over their management,” Hao Yuan said.

“Then what’s the difference between that and Master Zhao managing it? Isn’t that the same as what you said, driving away Master Zhao only to have Master Wang come along?”

“Correct. For now, Master Wang and Master Zhao are one and the same,” Hao Yuan said sternly. “But Master Zhao is, after all, different.”

“In what way?”

“In many ways. I will only ask you one thing: in the city of Hangzhou, is there any filature, whether private or a workshop, that is as much of a living hell as the Cihuitang’s filature?”

“No…”

“Do you know that Master Zhao’s filature is just a small test of his skills? As long as the Phoenix Villa exists, and the refugee slave laborers are exploited by him for another day, he will have even more and more ruthless machines to put into use. By that time, his silver will grow more and more. He will become even more lawless and completely shed his hypocritical mask.”