Chapter 103: Li Ziyu

After the Australians entered the city, besides posting notices on the streets, they would send people to sell “newspapers” on the streets every few days.

Zeng Juan knew about this newspaper. At first glance, it was no different from the local “court gazette sellers,” all about major court news. But Zeng Juan had seen the Australians’ “Lin’gao Times” at Wu Ming’s place and knew they were not the same thing.

“Guangzhou Special Municipality is recruiting police! Anyone under forty and without disabilities can apply! Even women can apply! Brothers who have no food, come and see…”

He was now in a hurry to find Zhang Yu to think of a way and was in no mood to watch the excitement. He quickly walked past and went directly to Zhang Yu’s family’s walnut crisp shop.

The walnut crisp shop was steaming hot. Standing on the street, you could feel the scorching heat emanating from the oven inside. Several masters and apprentices were working shirtless. Zhang Yu, having studied, was considered a cultured person, so he wore a ramie undershirt—which was already soaked through.

Zeng Juan called Zhang Yu out and told him about his troubles, asking if he could help by asking an Australian chief to intervene.

After hearing him out, Zhang Yu looked troubled. “A-Juan, it’s not that I’m trying to brush you off, but this is not an easy matter. Although I have met Chief Hong once and have received much of his care, this matter is ultimately a family affair. He is a chief, busy with a myriad of things. Not to mention whether I have the face to ask him to intervene in this matter, even if he is willing to help, how should he handle it? As the saying goes, it’s hard for an honest official to settle family disputes.”

Zeng Juan was at a loss for words. Everything Zhang Yu said was reasonable. Even if the chief was willing to intervene, what could he do? He couldn’t kill his brother-in-law and his wife. At most, he could have the despicable couple taken to the yamen, given a few dozen strokes of the cane, and admonished. And then what? His nephews would still be abused. The government couldn’t send people to watch his brother-in-law’s house every day.

He said anxiously, “So there’s no way? They want to sell my niece to be a maid! This… this…”

Just as Zhang Yu was about to comfort him, someone on the street shouted, “A-Yu! A-Juan!”

The two were startled and looked in the direction of the voice. It was Li Ziyu!

Li Ziyu looked haggard, wearing a half-old plain robe. The carefree scarf he usually wore was gone. It was clear that a major change had occurred.

Zhang Yu took a few quick steps forward, went up to him, and grabbed his arms. “Ziyu!” For a moment, he was too excited to speak. Zeng Juan was shocked and also went up to him. “Ziyu, where have you been? We couldn’t find you…”

Li Ziyu’s eyes were moist, and he stammered, unable to speak. After a long while, he said, “It’s a long story. I’m lucky to have escaped with my life!” At this, tears streamed down his face, and he began to cry sorrowfully.

Zeng Juan said, “Don’t cry. As long as you’re alive, that’s what matters.” For some reason, this touched his emotions, and he also began to shed tears. Zhang Yu followed suit, and the three of them ended up crying together in the street.

When they were together before, Li Ziyu, priding himself on being from a family of military officers, with a better family background, wealth, and knowledge than them, was inevitably a little arrogant. However, they were after all friends for many years. Although it had only been a little over ten days since the Kun people broke through the city, it had already given the three young men a sense of the unpredictability of the world and the impermanence of life.

Their crying prompted the shop clerks to come out and console them. Zhang Yu also felt it was inappropriate to be wailing in the street like this. He quickly wiped his tears and said, “Let’s go inside and talk.”

The three of them went into the back of the house and recounted what had happened since they last met. It turned out that the day after the Australians entered the city, they had issued a notice for all military households and camp soldiers to gather at the training grounds outside the East Gate for inspection. His uncle, being a military officer, did not dare to go and fled with his entire family and him.

“My uncle said the Kun bandits hate government soldiers and generals the most. After capture, they are either incited to be killed by the surrendered soldiers or used as hard labor for road construction. He is a hereditary commander. If he didn’t run, this would surely be his fate.”

His uncle had no son, and Li Ziyu was considered his heir. He had always valued this nephew who would inherit his future position, so he took him with him when he fled. Li Ziyu’s own family, however, remained in the city.

Their destination was Zhaoqing, where the governor-general’s yamen was located. Li Ziyu’s uncle estimated that the Kun bandits wouldn’t reach Zhaoqing for a while, and Zhaoqing had a strategic location, plenty of soldiers and grain, and the governor-general was there. He thought it would be able to hold out for a long time. If he went there, at least his safety would be guaranteed. After leaving the city, they hired a Tanka boat at a high price at the White Goose Pond and sailed up the West River.

“…I never expected that we would have no trouble leaving the city, but problems arose as we sailed up the West River.” Li Ziyu trembled as he spoke. “I never thought there would be so many water bandits along the way, robbing every boat they saw. Before we even reached Sanshui, our boat had been robbed several times, and our valuables were all taken…” He was still shaken as he recounted this. “Later we found out that they were in cahoots with the boatmen! We finally reached Sixianjiao with great difficulty. Seeing that we had nothing left, the boatman’s attitude completely changed…”

And so, their escape journey at Sixianjiao became a choice between “wonton noodles” (being thrown into the river to drown) or “cleaver noodles” (being killed with a cleaver).

“My uncle’s entire family was killed. Even my cousin was taken by the bandits. She has probably taken her own life by now. I jumped into the water to escape and was lucky to have survived.” Li Ziyu’s eyes filled with tears. “Fortunately, Sanshui County was not far, and the Kun people had already entered the city. They took me in and rescued me, giving me a bowl of hot soup to revive me.”

Li Ziyu stayed in Sanshui County for a few days. As a refugee, he was sent back to Guangzhou on a return boat from the logistics department. When he returned home, it was empty—his family had been taken to the East Training Grounds for “screening.”

Li Ziyu was usually idle and knew nothing about housework. Although there was rice at home, he didn’t know how to cook. He also didn’t handle the family’s money, so for a time, he was on the verge of starvation.

“Fortunately, the Kun… people released my parents and siblings yesterday. We are finally reunited as a family, but my uncle’s family… alas!” Li Ziyu lowered his head, shed tears, and sighed. “If I had known, I should have tried to persuade my uncle!”

Zhang Yu comforted him, “This was your uncle’s fate. You can’t be blamed. Who doesn’t know that the West River is full of water bandits? Even in normal times, merchants and travelers have to be very careful, let alone during a time of war! At least you came back safely, and your family is together. That’s a great fortune in the midst of misfortune.” Zeng Juan also added a few words of comfort.

After listening to Zhang Yu’s consolation, Li Ziyu gradually stopped crying and asked about their situation since they had parted.

Zhang Yu was naturally doing better than ever. Zeng Juan then told him about his troubles.

“I originally wanted to ask A-Yu to talk to the Australians, but what A-Yu said is also reasonable. This is a family matter. Even if they want to intervene, how can they?”

Li Ziyu nodded. “A-Yu is right. It’s not reliable to ask the Kun… Australians for help in this matter. However, I have an idea, it just depends on whether you are willing, A-Juan.”

“What idea? As long as I can do it.” Zeng Juan’s spirits immediately lifted.

“Look,” Li Ziyu took out a crumpled piece of paper from his sleeve and unfolded it. “It’s this. It’s better to rely on yourself than on others.”

Zhang Yu and Zeng Juan looked closely and saw that it was the Australians’ newspaper, the “Yangcheng Express.” It was a small single-sheet newspaper, basically for conveying government orders and publicizing current events. Li Ziyu was pointing to a headline in black: “Guangzhou Special Municipality Recruits Police.”

Reading the full text, it was an open recruitment for one thousand patrol police officers by the Guangzhou Special Municipality of the Senate. The requirements were to be between eighteen and forty years old, in good health and without serious illness. Below was a series of specific conditions and benefits. Zeng Juan had no heart to read further. He understood what Li Ziyu meant by “it’s better to rely on yourself than on others.”

They were all familiar with “Kun affairs” and knew that this “police” was the same as the “constables.” As long as he became an Australian constable, his brother-in-law and his despicable wife would have to restrain themselves.

Moreover, the salary for this police position was not low. The newspaper clearly stated that they would be given eight dou of “work and food rice” per month. According to the recent rice prices, that was nearly one tael of silver. In Guangzhou, a monthly income of one tael of silver was enough to support a family!

He was currently neither a scholar nor a martial artist, and the business in his father’s shop was not good. If he could become a patrol officer and earn this salary, it would be a great help to his family and would also lighten the burden on his parents’ shoulders. This was even more important than protecting his nephews.

However, after years of traditional indoctrination, although they all knew that the Australians’ police were not the same as the Ming’s yamen runners, when it came down to it, there was still some hesitation that “this is a lowly job.”

“This job is good, but, but,” Zeng Juan stammered, “patrolling the streets and handling cases, showing my face in public, it seems to be beneath a scholar…”

Li Ziyu, however, didn’t care at all. “A-Juan, you’re overthinking it! This is the Australians’ world now, and we follow the Australians’ rules. The Australians don’t even hold imperial examinations anymore. Why do you still care about what’s beneath a scholar!”

He stood up and paced. “The Australians don’t hold imperial examinations, so we scholars have no way to advance. You’ve studied for all these years. Are you planning to be like your father, standing in front of a stinking oil pot every day dipping candles?! Now they are recruiting police. This is a way out!”

“But this is still just a yamen runner,” Zeng Juan finally voiced his concern. “Not an official.”

“And you call yourself someone who has read so many Kun books and newspapers,” Li Ziyu seemed to have undergone a great change in temperament since his escape, becoming very enthusiastic about the Australians. “The Australians have a unified system of officials and clerks! There is no distinction between officials and clerks, only cadres! If you want to be an Australian official, you have to start from the lowest level.”

Zhang Yu nodded. “That’s true. It’s said that the Australians select officials according to the old system of the Tang and Song dynasties: those who have not served in a prefecture or county cannot become a prime minister.”

“The Australians have just come ashore, and this is the time when they are widely recruiting talented people. This is an opportunity that must not be missed!” Li Ziyu urged him on. “If you do well—” he lowered his voice, “you might even become a founding minister.”

Zeng Juan shook his head. “I haven’t thought about being a founding minister. But Ziyu is right, this is indeed a way out!” He then looked at Li Ziyu. “Are you going to go?”