Chapter 32: Too Steady
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Bai Yu was not wrong. The Embroidered Uniform Guard was an organization with an extraordinarily broad range of operations.
From rebellion at the top end to collecting protection money at the bottom, it gave its employees ample room to display their talents.
Monitoring and investigating rumors and movements among the common people that might threaten imperial authority was indeed one of the Embroidered Uniform Guard’s duties. That way, incidents like messages hidden in fish bellies or stone men with a single eye would not happen again. History had already provided enough warnings.
Liu Cunyi said hesitantly, “As you put it, can that rhyme about reporting and exposing wrongdoing really work?”
As a lifelong native of the capital, who would willingly abandon his home and flee elsewhere if there were even the slightest alternative?
Bai Yu explained, “You may not like lofty principles, but when a small man contends with a great one, the only way to survive is to make an even bigger disturbance and draw in an even more powerful figure. Only then is there any chance of finding a narrow path to life.
“Of course, the choice is entirely yours. If you still want to flee elsewhere, wait a few days. I can scrape together some money for you. I certainly won’t stop you.”
Neither Bai Yu nor Liu Cunyi mentioned having him bring out the painting and offer it voluntarily to Captain Yan.
If they thought that would make everything all right, they were underestimating the ancient world’s society, where human rights were worth almost nothing.
Why assume that a mighty Thousand-Household Officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard would show tenderness toward a lowly nobody who had “made a mistake,” or let him off lightly?
What if Captain Yan accepted the painting, then turned around and sent Liu Cunyi to the execution ground for banditry? Who would be able to say a word?
At last, Liu Cunyi gritted his teeth. “This time I’ll take your advice and stay in the capital for one more gamble.
“If fate is against me, I won’t blame you. At worst, eighteen years from now I’ll be a hero all over again!”
Bai Yu therefore instructed him, “Good. Then keep begging for two more days while I speak with my superior first.”
After all, Bai Yu now had Captain Qian as his immediate superior. He could not possibly go around him.
A look of longing and anticipation appeared on Liu Cunyi’s face. “If I manage to clear my name this time, can I follow you from then on?
“When I listened to storytellers, I once heard an ancient saying: ‘If you become rich and honored, do not forget your old friends.’
“Now that you’ve made something of yourself, it wouldn’t be too much to ask you to let me help collect money or something, would it?”
That was another reason Brother Liu had abandoned the idea of fleeing.
Bai Yu readily agreed and casually painted him a grand vision. “Of course, of course! Once we get past this hurdle, anything is possible!
“Wasn’t your dream to work as a bouncer in the West Courtyard Alley of the Entertainment Quarter? Forget being a bouncer from now on. You can be in charge of collecting money there!”
Once he established himself and began wholesaling poems to the talented courtesans of the pleasure houses, wouldn’t he need someone to run errands and collect the payments?
After the two old brothers had finished imagining their bright future, they went their separate ways, each convinced that a splendid destiny lay ahead.
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The next day, Bai Yu arrived at West Street by the Imperial Wall and first met up with Captain Qian.
Then Captain Qian said, “We’re desperately short of men. Today we’ll have to go ask Old Feng for a few more.”
As they walked, Bai Yu said, “I came up with an idea yesterday about how to get our work off the ground.”
“Let’s hear it.” Captain Qian was curious to know what this young fellow had in mind.
Bai Yu hurriedly said, “I have a distant kinsman and dear elder brother who told me yesterday that he heard a rhyme on the street:
“‘Jiajing, Jiajing—every household is clean.’
“Later, we can have him formally report it to us. Then we can begin investigating the rumor in a perfectly legitimate manner. Wouldn’t that get our work off the ground? We might even be able to pin a charge of dereliction of duty on Commander Feng.”
Captain Qian’s first reaction was, “Are you trying to stir up trouble again?”
Bai Yu protested, “Commander, how can you say that? This is all for the sake of getting our work started.”
“I doubt that rhyme was made up by you, wasn’t it?” Captain Qian said suspiciously.
Though Lieutenant Bai was young, Captain Qian had personally experienced just how audacious he could be.
Bai Yu declared with complete certainty, “I absolutely did not invent it. It is genuinely circulating among the people!”
As an old-fashioned man, Captain Qian found this method of working—“creating trouble whenever none existed”—far too radical. He could not quite accept it.
He replied, “Let’s proceed more cautiously. Once I’ve called in a few favors, coordinating matters will be safer.”
Seeing how excessively cautious Captain Qian was, Bai Yu tried to persuade him repeatedly. “Of course you can call in favors, Commander, but Deputy Commander Feng has connections too. Connections aren’t omnipotent.”
As they spoke, they arrived at Deputy Commander Feng’s office, and Bai Yu had no choice but to fall silent.
In front of outsiders, he still had to give Captain Qian his due.
“What are you here for again?” Deputy Commander Feng asked impatiently. “Didn’t I assign everything yesterday?”
Captain Qian requested that more men be assigned to him—at least enough to bring his force up to fifty, the full complement of a large company or a chief banner unit.
Deputy Commander Feng refused. He would give him only ten men.
Captain Qian’s face flushed with anger. “I’m a proper sixth-rank Hundred-Household Officer, for heaven’s sake! Are you saying I’m supposed to have only ten men under me?”
Deputy Commander Feng pointed at Bai Yu. “You don’t have ten men under you. Counting Lieutenant Bai, whom you brought along, you have eleven.”
Bai Yu: “...”
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This Deputy Commander Feng had quite a sense of humor, didn’t he?
At that point, the conversation reached an impasse. Captain Qian had lost all face, yet could not think of a way to strike back on the spot.
As a mere lieutenant, Bai Yu stood to one side with his eyes lowered and his mind composed, as though he were invisible.
In truth, he was rather pleased to see Captain Qian humiliated by Deputy Commander Feng yet again.
If a man was not hurt badly enough, how would he ever consider changing his ways? Now let us see how Captain Qian could continue being so cautious.
Just then, a lieutenant stationed at West Peace Gate came running over and reported, “The Guard Commander has sent a dispatch to West Peace Gate!”
Deputy Commander Feng immediately rose and scolded him. “Why didn’t you bring it to me at once?”
The lieutenant reported again, “The Guard Commander ordered that Captain Qian personally receive the dispatch.”
Deputy Commander Feng froze.
That procedure made no sense. If the Guard Commander had an order to deliver to West Peace Gate, why had he bypassed the commanding officer and contacted his subordinate, Captain Qian, directly?
Wasn’t that an act of going over his head? Didn’t it make the Guard Commander and Captain Qian seem closer?
Captain Qian, who had been thoroughly disgraced moments earlier, immediately straightened his back and said smugly, “Some people simply have too many petty thoughts and can’t tell what matters!
“I won’t keep you company any longer. I’ll take my leave for now. If there’s anything else, we can discuss it after I receive the Guard Commander’s dispatch!”
Bai Yu was speechless. Captain Qian had just been trampled until he had no face left, and yet he had suddenly perked up again. What was one supposed to make of that?
Once they were outside, Captain Qian gave a cold snort. “Were you laughing at me just now?”
“Absolutely not!” Bai Yu denied it at once.
Seeing that West Peace Gate lay just ahead, Captain Qian ordered, “Stand here and don’t move. I’ll receive the dispatch, then come back and teach you a lesson.”
Little Lieutenant Bai was still a young man, after all, and lacked a certain steadiness. He needed to learn some rules. It was for his own good.
Otherwise, if he developed the habit of acting above the law, disaster would catch up with him sooner or later. By then, regret would come too late.
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