Chapter 316: Streetlights

Every afternoon, a clerk would be sent to the post station—the Australians called it a post office—to deliver the mail. Some of the shopkeeper’s notes were marked with the characters “普” (pǔ - ordinary), “电” (diàn - electric), or “快” (kuài - fast). Following Wang Xinglong’s instructions, Lin Ming wrote these on the envelopes one by one.

He guessed these might be some kind of commercial code. In line with his principle of not meddling, he never asked. However, Wang Xinglong soon told him that they were just markings for the method of sending the mail.

“The so-called ‘普’ is the ordinary postal route, which uses carts and boats and is dispatched according to a regular schedule. If it’s ‘快,’ it’s express, sent on the same day it’s mailed, and is twice as fast as ‘普’…”

“Like the ordinary official documents and the 800-li express of the court?”

“Exactly. Brother Lin’s analogy is apt. But how can the common people use the official post stations? Only the high officials and gentry can benefit. We merchants usually use ‘flying feet,’ which are fast, but the price is not cheap. For someone like me, whose home is in a poor and remote place, there are no ‘flying feet’ to be found. For important news, I have to send a clerk to deliver the letter myself. The Australians are more considerate of us merchants…”

“This Australian post station, can it be used by merchants?”

“Why not? Not to mention us merchants, even the common people who toil in the fields can send letters for a few cents. It’s just a pity that it’s limited to this Qiongzhou Prefecture. In the Ming territory, there are very few places the postal route can reach, and you have to send ‘快’ items.”

Lin Ming knew that the postal relay system was a great burden on the court. For this reason, the court had specifically abolished the post stations throughout the country. The unemployment and unrest of the post station couriers, and their becoming bandits, had happened several times in Guangdong. However, Guangdong was after all a peaceful and prosperous place, and small disturbances could not cause a major storm and were quickly suppressed.

He had not expected the short-hair rebels to not only run a postal relay system but also make it available to the common people. It was truly incredible. In his view, doing so was completely meaningless except for “winning the hearts of the people.”

But he could not say this openly. Although Wang Xinglong was unwilling to shave his head, he was a “short-hair fan.” He would not tolerate anyone saying a single bad word about the short-hair rebels. Lin Ming observed with a cold eye and knew that he had improper intentions towards his cousin. In the Ming territory, he was probably constrained by the rules of propriety and dared not act rashly. In Lingao, this “land beyond civilization” where “propriety had collapsed,” no one cared about such matters. Lin Ming had only been here for a few days, but he already knew that it was very easy to make a living here, and there were many opportunities to get rich. There were stories everywhere of someone coming to Lingao and getting rich in just one or two years, so they took the rules of propriety very lightly.

“I wonder what the ‘电’ character means?”

"’电’ is for telegram,” Wang Xinglong said with great interest. “Speaking of telegrams, it’s a strange thing! You can send a letter from the post office here, and even if it’s a thousand li away, it will be delivered to the receiving post office in an instant. I don’t know what method the Australians use!”

He said that the Haixing Firm’s business was so prosperous now largely because of the telegram. The head office in Guangzhou exchanged information on the prices of various mountain products and local produce with the office here through the post office in Hong Kong. They would know within one or two days what prices were rising and demand was strong in Guangzhou, and what was in excess stock and prices were falling. Shopkeeper Qian could then arrange for the shopkeepers of the various branch offices in Qiongzhou to buy or stop buying accordingly.

“Even financial transactions can be done by telegram, which is much more convenient than bank notes or bills of exchange.”

Lin Ming shook his head repeatedly, unable to believe that such a thing could exist in the world.

“Brother Lin doesn’t believe it. Next time we send a telegram, we can go and see together,” Wang Xinglong said with a smile. “It’s good to open your eyes.”

Lin Ming was skeptical. After arriving in Lingao, there were too many new things that were far beyond his imagination.

While they were chatting, another clerk brought in a box of mail. This was Wang Xinglong’s job.

Every day, the Haixing Firm had to write and send many letters, and likewise, a large number of letters arrived. Wang Xinglong was specifically responsible for this. He would open and read the various letters, and then write a “summary” based on the key points of the letters. Shopkeeper Qian was busy with his affairs and could not read them one by one, so he adopted this method. Some letters concerned price changes, in which case he didn’t even need to write a summary, just fill it in on a special “bill” full of lines and grids—which Wang Xinglong called a “form.”

The two of them stopped talking and busied themselves with their respective tasks. They were the only two in the clerk’s office, and for a time, the room was silent. They worked until noon, when an apprentice brought them washing water to wash their faces and hands as usual. Then dinner was served, with both meat and vegetable dishes. There were not many dishes, but there was enough rice to eat one’s fill. Lin Ming had always been accustomed to fine food and clothing, but he hadn’t eaten well these days. Not to mention eating well, he rarely had the chance to eat his fill. He couldn’t help but have a good appetite and ate a full meal.

Wang Xinglong didn’t eat much, just finishing the dishes and eating only one bowl of rice. Seeing Lin Ming’s good appetite, he couldn’t help but smile. “Looking at Brother Lin’s appetite, you don’t look like a scholar, more like a warrior.”

Lin Ming was startled when he heard this and quickly said, “To be honest, I haven’t had a full meal in years…”

Wang Xinglong said, “When I first came to Lingao, I was also like a starving ghost reincarnated. When I saw this white rice, I didn’t even want any dishes. Thinking back to when I was in Laizhou, my family couldn’t afford to eat rice every meal.” He shook his head as he spoke, seeming to be full of emotion. “Here in Australia, even the hawkers and laborers can have enough rice and vermicelli. I never thought there would be such a place in the world…”

Lin Ming also had this feeling. The day he stayed at the For the People Inn, he ate at the public canteen outside. The long counter, covered with glass, was filled with large porcelain plates piled high with food, a great variety: vegetables, bean curd sheets, vermicelli, meat, pickles, seafood, rice, steamed buns… The diners took a plate themselves and could take as many dishes as they wanted. They paid at the end of the line. The cost was not much, but the meal was very filling. In the end, they were even given a bowl of hot soup with a few vegetable leaves and some oil floating on top.

Although he didn’t know how to convert the currency, he could roughly estimate how much a similar meal would cost in Foshan under Ming rule. The conclusion he came to was that in the Ming Dynasty, guests of a similar class could not afford it.

The prices of grain and vegetables here were so low, which could only mean that their output was very high. But the short-hair rebels had always encouraged industry and commerce, allowing farmers to enter the city to work and do business, without any concern that farmers entering the city would lead to abandoned land and no one to farm.

It seemed that the short-hair rebels must have some secret method for farming. If he could obtain this secret method and present it to the court, wouldn’t that be a great merit?

While Lin Ming was lost in thought, Wang Xinglong had already gotten up to leave. He was going out to “go shopping” with his cousin.

“Go shopping?” Lin Ming was surprised. In most towns in the Ming Dynasty, not only were the city gates closed at night, but the gates on the streets were also closed, and there was usually a curfew. Because there were no streetlights on the streets, it was very unsafe to walk at night. So, except for festivals like the Lantern Festival, very few people went out after dark. He quickly advised:

“It’s already time to light the lamps. It’s dark outside, and you’re with a woman…”

Wang Xinglong smiled. “Brother Lin, you don’t know. It’s very lively here at night, and it’s not dangerous to walk at night. You’ll know if you come with me to the street for a look.”

Lin Ming was skeptical and followed him out. The sky had not yet completely darkened, but on the street in front of the shop, the iron pillars whose purpose he had not been able to guess before were already lit. Bright flames danced behind glass covers, not only much brighter than oil lamps and candles, but even the light of the best “Australian wax” could not compare.

The lights stretched one after another along the street, as far as his eyes could see. Looking out, the street was brightly lit. It was no problem to read and write on the street, let alone walk.

Lin Ming was instantly dumbfounded and grabbed Wang Xinglong’s arm. “This, is a streetlight?”

“Exactly,” Wang Xinglong said proudly. “I wasn’t wrong, was I?”

“This whole street… has streetlights?!” Lin Ming was quite knowledgeable. He knew that in the imperial palace in the capital and in the mansions of some powerful families, stone lanterns were set up on both sides of the long paths and lit at night for illumination. This was already an extremely luxurious thing. He had originally suspected that these iron pillars with glass covers were streetlights, but he had never dared to believe that the short-hair rebels could have such financial resources to afford so much oil and wax for lighting. Besides, what was the use of lighting the streets at night?

“Not just this street. The entire East Gate Market, as well as Bopu and the county town, all have streetlights that stay on all night. Many shops do business until the third watch of the night, or even all night long.”

Because the street where the Haixing Firm was located was not a bustling market, most of the shops had already closed, and there were not many pedestrians on the street. But the pedestrians looked relaxed, not as if there was a curfew. Lin Ming composed himself and was about to say something when he saw Wang Jinchun coming out of the side door of the shop. Her attire was different from yesterday. Her two buns were tied with pink silk ribbons. She was wearing the blue long dress that the female imitation-short-hairs often wore, but over it, she wore an embroidered silk vest. The skirt below only reached her knees, revealing her calves in white socks, and on her feet were a pair of black cloth shoes. She was also carrying a straw handbag.

Lin Ming repeatedly cried out inwardly, “Strange and outlandish clothes!” But Wang Xinglong had already gone up to her with a smile on his face.

“Cousin, is Mr. Lin going with us?”

“No, no, Brother Lin is not going. He’s just going to the street to see the night view,” Wang Xinglong said bluntly, without being polite. Lin Ming cursed inwardly, “A frivolous and lecherous fellow!” But he said, “I have long heard that the night view of Lingao is like a painting. I came out to have a look. You two go ahead, go ahead…”

Wang Xinglong had no intention of being perfunctory and was about to leave with his cousin. But Wang Jinchun was enthusiastic. “If Mr. Lin likes lively places, why not go for a walk on East Gate Street? Go east from here and turn left at the second intersection. It’s the most prosperous place there, with many shops. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s good to just walk around and have a look.”

Lin Ming nodded and thanked her, but Wang Xinglong had already pulled his cousin away. Seeing the two of them walking hand in hand, he couldn’t help but cry out inwardly, “Outrageous! Outrageous!”