Chapter Nine, Dockside Suspicion

"Er Lang, did you see that?" Feng Xiang pointed at the dock and said, "The troops at the dock were originally conducting a strict inspection, but as soon as we boarded the ship, those soldiers began to gather and regroup. What does this signify?"

"Something is amiss," Feng Xiang furrowed his brows. Beside him, Xiao Erlang curiously asked, "Young Master, what is wrong?"

Feng Xiang hesitated somewhat, but the various doubts he had just discovered lingered in his mind, refusing to dissipate. After considering for a moment, he spoke softly again: "Perhaps it is unnecessary, as the people here in Guangxi may not dare to act against the prince's people. However, when leaving Kunming, Mr. Liu Xuanchu had once advised me that the situation in Guangxi is complex at present. The four factions of Ma Xiong, Xian Yu Xuan, Dai Liangchen, and Sun Yanling are fighting fiercely, both openly and covertly, for the actual control of Guangxi, and it is hard to guarantee that none of them would entertain the idea of dealing with the prince to curry favor with the court. We bear the important responsibility of facilitating communication between the prince and the King of Pingnan, and we cannot afford any mistakes. The recent strange occurrences at the dock further reinforce my belief that it is better to be a bit more troublesome and to proceed with caution."

Indeed, in such a place, where there are no defenses to guard and no supplies to gather, it seems from the teacher's book that there is little value in deploying excessive military forces for garrison duty?" Feng Xiang was even more confused than Kong Fanlin. However, Erlang, who was beside him, casually remarked: "Young master, General Kong, in my humble opinion, regardless of how many troops he has stationed, we haven't done anything against the royal law, so we can just board the ship and leave.

The group of ruthless wolves and tigers under Kong Youde has set their sights on the control of Kong Youde's fiefdom in Guangxi. Among them, there are four factions qualified and capable of inheriting Kong Youde's political legacy. These include the veteran Ma Xiong, whose qualifications and strength are second only to Xian Guoan, the old bannermen Dai Liangchen and the Wang brothers, Wang Yongnian, who have considerable support from the military, the third son of Xian Guoan, Xian Yuxuan, who is well-regarded among the troops, and finally, Sun Yanling, the husband of Kong Sizhen, along with his brother Sun Yanji. Each of these four factions is qualified to inherit Kong Youde's political legacy, yet none can be assured of victory. Consequently, they engage in relentless open and covert struggles, creating chaos in Guangxi. However, what the first three factions did not anticipate was the remarkable political acumen of the current rulers of the Qing court, who broke with tradition and issued an order granting Kong Youde's only daughter, Kong Sizhen, control over the fiefdom of Guangxi. As a result, even if the first three factions were dissatisfied, they found it difficult to oppose this decision. Sun Yanling, who had been betrothed to Kong Sizhen since childhood, joyfully rushed to Beijing to bring his wife back as his mistress, dreaming of seizing power from her and becoming the de facto king of Guangxi. However, it is unfortunate that Kong Sizhen, who grew up beside the loyal and devoted Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, would allow Sun Yanling to fulfill his wishes.

On September 20, following the orders of Wu Sangui, Feng Xiang set out directly from Kunming City, taking a detour to Guangdong to pay a visit to another old traitor, Shang Kexi and his son. At the time of parting, Liu Xuanchu, who personally came to see him off, not only repeatedly urged Feng Xiang to act with caution but also provided him with a travel document personally issued by Wu Sangui. Additionally, Liu Xuanchu dispatched twenty royal guards to protect Feng Xiang during his journey. At the same time, Liu Xuanchu discreetly informed Feng Xiang, "These twenty royal guards, besides protecting you, have another task, which is to monitor you. You should have an idea of how to handle this. However, you can rest assured that as long as you remain loyal to the prince, and with my support in the royal court, they will not dare to make things difficult for you." Feng Xiang solemnly agreed and tearfully bid farewell to Liu Xuanchu.

"Halt, what are you doing?" As Feng Xiang's team had just arrived at the dock and had not yet had the chance to hire a boat, someone nearby lazily inquired. At the same time, a group of Qing soldiers from Guangxi blocked Feng Xiang's team and, without saying a word, began to search the vehicles carrying the ammunition. It was only at this moment that Feng Xiang truly understood the difference between Wu Sangui's army and the ordinary Qing soldiers. In Yunnan, Wu Sangui's troops maintained a discipline that was almost harsh; although they also took bribes while inspecting merchants' goods, their demeanor in movement, standing, and every gesture displayed the bearing of first-rate soldiers. Otherwise, Wu Sangui would not have been able to lead 17,000 troops from Yunnan and Guizhou in rebellion, and the Kangxi Emperor would not have had to mobilize the entire nation and over a million soldiers to contend with Wu Sangui. In contrast, the Qing soldiers from Guangxi wore their hats askew, exposed their chests, hummed lewd tunes, and constantly stuffed valuable Tianma into their pockets, exhibiting a style that could easily rival that of modern urban management officers.

Er Lang agreed and ran back to report to Feng Xiang, who did not take it to heart. He instructed the house servants and guards to temporarily remove their sun hats and pass by the chief in order to board the ship. The chief then took out a small portrait and began to scrutinize Feng Xiang's group closely. Fortunately, the chief was somewhat reasonable; when Xiao Er Lang and Kong Fan Lin, along with other house servants and guards, pushed the medicine cart past him, he merely glanced at them and waved them through. However, when Feng Xiang passed in front of the chief, the chief's eyes suddenly lit up, and he hurriedly shouted: "Stop!" Fortunately, the chief was somewhat reasonable; when Xiao Er Lang and Kong Fan Lin, along with other house servants and guards, pushed the medicine cart past him, he merely glanced at them and waved them through. However, when Feng Xiang passed in front of the chief, the chief's eyes suddenly lit up, and he hurriedly shouted: "Stop!"

"That is true." Feng Xiang and Kong Fanlin nodded in agreement. Although Feng Xiang and his group had changed their clothes and names to head to Guangdong, they had not committed any illegal acts. Even if someone noticed a flaw, they could easily claim to be afraid of bandits and robbers on the road, which necessitated their low-profile visit to the Emperor in Beijing. As for the detour to Guangdong, they could simply say it was to visit relatives and friends. Even if their identities were exposed, it would only raise a little suspicion and would not cause too much trouble. After considering this, Feng Xiang waved his hand and instructed, "Continue on, go to the dock and board the ship, ignore them." As for the detour to Guangdong, they could simply say it was to visit relatives and friends. Even if their identities were exposed, it would only raise a little suspicion and would not cause too much trouble. After considering this, Feng Xiang waved his hand and instructed, "Continue on, go to the dock and board the ship, ignore them."

Feng Xiang's caution seemed to have had some effect. Upon entering the Ba Da He Township, directly controlled by the Guangxi military, from Luoping, Feng Xiang and his group planned to abandon their vehicle and take a boat down the Nanpan River to merge into the Pearl River, and then travel by water directly to Guangzhou. However, upon arriving at the dock of the Nanpan River, Feng Xiang and his group immediately noticed that something was amiss. At such a relatively remote small dock, there were actually several hundred Qing soldiers from Guangxi stationed there, rigorously searching every passerby. It is important to note that in such a secluded area, the daily flow of travelers and merchants usually amounts to only a few hundred people. The presence of so many troops for inspection and management could not possibly be sustained by the taxes collected daily.

"Brother Kong has misunderstood; I am not afraid that the travel permit issued by the prince will be ineffective." Feng Xiang shook his head and patiently explained: "This time, I am taking a detour to Guangdong under the pretext of going to the capital to meet the emperor, to handle matters for the prince. Normally, I should take the route through Guizhou and Hunan to enter the capital, then board a ship in Hunan to sail down the Yangtze River, and finally transfer to the Grand Canal directly to Beijing. If I were to enter Guangxi with an open identity, it would certainly arouse the suspicion of the local authorities and jeopardize the prince's important affairs. Therefore, to be cautious, it is better for us to disguise ourselves as merchants." Kong Fanlin and the other guards found Feng Xiang's reasoning sound and immediately complied.

As Liu Xuanchu had indeed said, on the day of September 19, three days later, Wu Sangui once again met with Feng Xiang on Wuhua Mountain. He agreed to Feng Xiang's request to enter the capital to pay his respects to the Emperor, and explained the current situation to him. Wu Sangui requested Feng Xiang to take a detour to Guangdong on his way to the capital to persuade Shang Kexi and his son to submit a memorial to the Qing court requesting an increase in military funds, thereby alleviating the pressure on Wu Sangui's side and providing an important bargaining chip for Wu Sangui in negotiations with the court regarding military funding allocations. Feng Xiang, who had already mentally prepared for this, readily agreed and confidently assured that he would accomplish the task. Hearing this, Wu Sangui was overjoyed; he first praised Feng Xiang's loyalty profusely, promised him several empty benefits, and then handed Feng Xiang fifty pounds of gold as activity funds before sending Liu Xuanchu and Wu Yingqi to personally escort Feng Xiang down the mountain.

Is that so? As long as there is nothing hidden. The captain thought to himself that after waiting for several days in this desolate place, he finally managed to gain some decent benefits. In a good mood, he shouted, "Alright, no need to check the goods, check the people, let them board the ship." The Qing soldiers acted according to orders and indeed abandoned the inspection of the goods. The captain then instructed Xiao Erlang, "Tell your men to take off their hats and bamboo hats. We are pursuing wanted criminals. If there are no wanted criminals in your merchant convoy, we will not make things difficult for you." In a good mood, he shouted again, "Alright, no need to check the goods, check the people, let them board the ship." The Qing soldiers acted according to orders and indeed abandoned the inspection of the goods. The captain then instructed Xiao Erlang, "Tell your men to take off their hats and bamboo hats. We are pursuing wanted criminals. If there are no wanted criminals in your merchant convoy, we will not make things difficult for you."

"Oh? How strange, what happened? Why are there so many Guangxi troops here?" Kong Fanlin, the head of the guards at the Pingxi Wangfu, said in surprise, "I was here last time as well, and there wasn't a single stationed troop at the dock of the Eight Great Rivers. It wasn't until we reached the area around Qingyuan Prefecture downstream that we encountered Guangxi troops setting up checkpoints. Why has it changed this time?"

As he spoke, Xiao Erlang leaned closer to examine the portrait on the wanted notice, trying to identify the differences between the likeness and Feng Xiang's appearance to help him pass through. Unexpectedly, the officer quickly folded the wanted notice and waved at Feng Xiang, saying: "You can go, I made a mistake."

In light of the complex circumstances in Guangxi, Liu Xuanchu's guidance made Feng Xiang realize his own shortcomings and act with much more caution. To avoid unnecessary trouble, upon arriving in Luoping County, which borders Yunnan and Guangxi, Feng Xiang ordered all twenty accompanying guards from the Pingxi Wangfu to change into civilian clothes and disguise themselves as drug merchants, bringing several carts of Tianma and Duzhong and other medicinal herbs into Guangxi. Regarding this order, Erlang and Kong Fanlin, the head of the guards from the Pingxi Wangfu, were both greatly puzzled. Kong Fanlin, who maintained a relatively good attitude, cautiously asked Feng Xiang: "Lord Lu, is this really necessary? Since this is your first time in an official position, you may not know that the pass documents issued by the prince can be used throughout the land. Essentially, except for the imperial palace, no one dares to obstruct us at any checkpoint."

Traveling from Kunming to Guangzhou inevitably passes through Guangxi. In stark contrast to Wu Sangui, who independently controlled Yunnan and Guizhou, the situation in Guangxi, which is also nominally a vassal state, is much more complex. Firstly, the notorious traitor Kong Youde has already been crushed by the Han mob led by Li Dingguo in Guilin, with his wife and son not escaping. Only his daughter, Kong Sizhen, who is rumored to have an ambiguous relationship with the Manchu Emperor Shunzhi, survived, but as a young girl, she is utterly incapable of governing Guangxi. Subsequently, Xian Guoan, an old general under Kong Youde, successfully forced Li Dingguo out of Guangxi and was appointed as the Governor of Guangxi by the Qing court. Xian Guoan, who held significant military power and had a high reputation, managed to stabilize the chaotic situation in Guangxi for a time. However, at the beginning of the sixth year of Kangxi's reign, Xian Guoan, due to his old age, requested retirement, and the pack of wolves and tigers under the notorious traitor Kong Youde immediately began to stir again.

Fortunately, the old traitor Wu Sangui provided me with gold, allowing me to have Erlang and Kong Fanlin separate the goods onto their backs in advance; otherwise, it would have been a boon for those traitorous soldiers. Observing the conduct of the Qing soldiers in Guangxi, Feng Xiang felt both disdain and relief. Meanwhile, under Feng Xiang's orders, Xiao Erlang stepped forward to respond, bowing and nodding to the captain leading the Qing soldiers in Guangxi, saying: "Sir, we are merely merchants dealing in medicinal materials, transporting some Tianma and Duzhong to Guangdong. Please feel free to inspect; we have not dared to carry any contraband. We kindly ask you to expedite the process, as it will be impossible to load the ship once it gets dark." As he spoke, Xiao Erlang slipped one tael of silver into the captain's hand.

"What does it represent?" Er Lang asked foolishly. Feng Xiang, furious, gave Er Lang a sharp knock on the head and scolded in a low voice, "Fool! How could I have such a stupid servant like you? As soon as we boarded the ship, this army disbanded. Doesn't that represent the fact that this army is likely coming for us?"

"What kind of joke is this? Do I look like a wanted criminal?" Feng Xiang was puzzled in his heart, but still stood his ground as instructed. In front of him, Xiao Erlang hurriedly came back, bowing and saying, "Sir, you must be mistaken; he is our young master and also our manager, not a criminal of any sort."

"Why are they coming at us?" Erlang asked, covering his head, in a state of great astonishment. "We haven't done anything wrong. Why are they coming at us?"

"Lord Lu, is it really necessary to go through such trouble?" Kong Fanlin said with confusion, "Regardless of the circumstances, we are all people of the Prince of Pingxi. Although Xian Yuxuan, Ma Xiong, Dai Liangchen, and Sun Yanling from Guangxi are not subordinates of the prince, they can still be considered his colleagues. Could it be that they would act against us?"

If it were the previous Feng Xiang, he would certainly not take these minor issues to heart. However, after receiving guidance from Liu Xuanchu in Kunming, Feng Xiang has recognized his character weaknesses and is determined to work hard to correct them. After pondering for a moment and looking at the rudimentary map of Guangxi brought by the guards such as Kong Fanlin, Feng Xiang made up his mind. Therefore, after considering for a moment, he discussed with Erlang, Kong Fanlin, and others: "Let’s be cautious. Our ship should arrive at Jiuzhou tonight. At that time, I will take five or six people with me to disembark and take the land route through Baise to Guangdong, while the others continue by water and meet in Deqing within Guangdong."

How would I know?" Feng Xiang retorted with irritation. As he recalled the situation more carefully, he increasingly felt that something was amiss—why did that officer from the Guangxi military not allow Xiao Erlang to see the portrait on the wanted notice? Who exactly was depicted on the wanted notice? Furthermore, why did that officer call out to him, and why did he let him pass so easily? At this point in his recollection, Feng Xiang remembered another detail: although that officer had directly allowed him to board the ship, when he inadvertently glanced back while boarding, it seemed that the officer was watching him. Moreover, why did that officer call out to him, and why did he let him pass so easily? Recalling this, Feng Xiang remembered another point: although that officer had directly allowed him to board the ship, when he inadvertently glanced back while boarding, it seemed that the officer was watching him, and upon noticing him look back, he immediately turned his face away, as if he had been observing him all along.

What on earth is going on? I was almost mistaken for a wanted criminal but managed to pass through easily. Feng Xiang was naturally quite dissatisfied, yet he encountered no significant trouble. He was too lazy to complicate matters further, so he led Xiao Erlang and the other servants to the dock, hired two cargo ships, and began loading them for departure. However, as he looked out from the cabin while the ship was setting off, Feng Xiang sensed that something was amiss. The Qing soldiers, who had been rigorously searching merchants and commoners at the dock just moments ago, had suddenly ceased their inspections. The soldiers stationed throughout the dock began to gather, seemingly preparing to return to their camp.