Chapter 86: The Ancient City of Haiyang

“One, two, three, two, two, three, follow the master up Maoshan;

There lives an old Taoist priest on Maoshan, who took me as his apprentice to pass down his arts.

He accepted exactly ten apprentices, and nine of them became immortals;

Only I, the eldest, slacked off and failed to learn properly, so the master, in anger, drove me down the mountain.

Now I wander idly with nothing to do, performing magic tricks for all to see;

First, I change into a lion rolling a silk ball, then into pearls rolling up a curtain—pearls rolling up a curtain!”

“One, two, three, two, two, three, follow the master to Mount Mao;

On Mount Mao, there’s an old Taoist named Mao, who took me as his disciple to pass on his skills.

He accepted ten disciples, and nine of them became immortals;

I, the lazy one, didn’t learn anything, and the master, in anger, drove me down the mountain.

Wandering here with nothing to do, I’ll perform a magic trick for everyone to see;

First, I’ll turn a lion rolling a silk ball, then a pearl rolling up the curtain, a pearl rolling up the curtain!…”

The warm and gentle autumn sunlight bathed the streets and alleys of Haiyang City. A sallow-faced man was setting up a performance at the foot of the largest inn, Wanghai Tower, in Haiyang City. He clapped bamboo clappers and sang a segment of a lotus song. Seeing more and more people gathering around, he finally put away the clappers, clasped his hands in all directions, and suddenly, with a wave of his hands, a large silk ball appeared out of thin air. With a flourish, the silk ball in his hand suddenly turned into two. The onlookers burst into cheers.

“Hehe, we’ve seen this guy a few times on our journey, right? Why is it always the same routine? If the Mao Mountain Sect knew he was making up stories like this, they’d probably slap him straight to the eighteenth level of hell,” said a lean young man upstairs in the inn, his sharp eyes scanning the scene below before turning back with a smile.

“What Mao Mountain Sect? The government merged all the sects into the Orthodox Unity Sect back in the previous dynasty. Even though I’m not from the martial world, I know these things. You, monkey, just love to meddle in others’ business!” retorted a ruddy-faced, plump man sitting opposite him.

“Cut it out, the martial world and the Taoist sects are two different things. Besides, the merger of the Orthodox Unity Sect was a matter of the previous dynasty’s court. Do you think just because the government issued an edict, the sects really disappeared? There’s a lot more to it, you fat fool. All you know is eating and sleeping!” the lean man shot back mercilessly.

The lean man was none other than Hou Shen, who had been following Mei Qing. The plump man was Huang Zhongman, a man who thrived in the bureaucratic system.

Mei Qing looked at the two with a helpless expression. This time, they were on an official mission. To make it easier to deal with local officials and to fulfill Huang Zhongman’s long-standing desire to join the inner circle, Mei Qing had brought him along.

Huang Zhongman was overjoyed to join the inner circle. Hearing about the official mission, he was even more delighted. According to him, such missions were the most leisurely, with plenty of perks. And once they arrived at their destination, they would be treated like lords. No matter if it was a third or fifth-rank official, anyone who saw them, the imperial guards on an inspection tour, would be as scared as mice seeing a cat, and all sorts of tributes would come rolling in.

If it weren’t for Mei Qing’s intervention, Huang Zhongman would have probably ordered a few large chests to be carried along the way.

Originally, according to Mei Qing’s plan, they were sent by the Sixth Lord to investigate the affairs of the Incense Sect in the Yongping area and to gather information about the “Thousand Gold Lord.” They would inevitably have to interact with both the righteous and the underworld. Bringing Huang Zhongman and Hou Shen, one representing the righteous and the other the underworld, would make things easier. However, the two seemed to be born at odds with each other. From the moment they met, they couldn’t stand each other. One called the other a fat pig, and the other called him a skinny monkey. Their bickering and sarcastic remarks never stopped along the journey. No matter how much Mei Qing tried to mediate, there was no peace.

Fortunately, Zhao Dayou, who had been frightened during the Mid-Autumn Festival, was still recovering and hadn’t joined them. Otherwise, with that troublemaker around, who knows how chaotic things would have been.

Huang Zhongman had an insatiable love for food. Therefore, every time they arrived at a new place, he would seek out the largest inn to have a hearty meal. Hou Shen had mocked him countless times for this, saying, “Was someone born from a pig? Why do they keep eating all the way?”

Huang Zhongman retorted, “That’s better than being born from a monkey, with a pointy face and sneaky eyes, eating like a thief.”

Regardless, upon arriving in Haiyang, Huang Zhongman didn’t change his habits. After asking a local for directions, they headed straight to Wanghai Tower.

Wanghai Tower was just a small two-story inn, but it was decorated in an antique style, overlooking a bend in the Ru River with a mountain range behind it. Although the sea was still several miles away and not visible, the view of the river and the mountain was quite charming.

Mei Qing and Huang Zhongman sat opposite each other, while Hou Shen sat sideways, not properly seated but squatting on a long bench. Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang didn’t sit with the three but occupied another table.

Mei Qing gazed into the distance, feeling the vastness of the river and the clarity of the autumn scenery. However, he heard Huang and Hou bickering again. Turning around, he saw the two not appreciating the view but pointing to the other side of the inn, watching a magic performance.

“Enough, enough, what’s so interesting about this magic trick? Huang, Hou Shen, stop arguing and call the waiter over. We have things to do after eating,” Mei Qing said, shaking his head as the two continued to argue.

“Ah, Mei, it’s all because you insisted on this incognito investigation. We’re not some big shots, why all the secrecy? If we had brought carriages and official attire, wouldn’t the locals treat us like gods? We wouldn’t have to sit here ordering food ourselves—alright, alright, monkey, no need to glare at me. Neither of us has the final say,” Huang Zhongman rambled on, then turned his neck with great effort and shouted, “Waiter! Hurry up, we’re starving here!”

“Coming!” A lean waiter ran over. The waiter was young, with a smile that wrinkled his forehead, wearing a clean, coarse short robe. He quickly poured tea for everyone and asked, “Gentlemen, what would you like to eat? Our inn is one of the best in Haiyang City. Whether it’s something from the sky, the ground, or the water, we have a variety of dishes.”

“Enough with the menu. We’re tired of delicacies. In this small place, we just want something fresh. Tell us what’s special here,” Huang Zhongman said impatiently.

The waiter smiled and said, “You’ve come at the right time. It’s the season for fresh shrimp and crab here in Haiyang. We have all kinds of fish, shrimp, and crab. How about some local yellow crabs, mantis shrimp, razor clams, and green clams?”

Mei Qing smiled, “We’re in luck. Let’s try all of that. What about fish?”

The waiter nodded, “In this area, we have both saltwater and freshwater fish. We have oilfish, green stripe, melon seed, and croaker. What would you like to try?”

Huang Zhongman stared blankly, not knowing what fish the waiter was talking about, but not wanting to admit it, he loudly said, “What fish do locals like to eat? Tell us.”

The waiter smiled, “There’s a saying here: catfish tail, pike head, snakehead fish with a layer of oil. We just got some big catfish today. How about we prepare the catfish tail for you?”

“Sure, sure, hurry up. Do you have any wine? Bring us a couple of jugs,” Huang Zhongman nodded repeatedly, seemingly satisfied with the waiter’s introduction.

“Our local white liquor is quite strong, though it’s not as rich as official wine. Would you like to try it?” the waiter asked, bowing.

“Fine, bring it quickly. If it’s good, we’ll reward you,” Huang Zhongman said, his eyes narrowing into crescents, tapping his chopsticks on the table like a gong.

After ordering, Mei Qing and the others sipped their tea and chatted for a while. Mei Qing, wanting to learn more about the local customs, called the waiter over again, asking him to refill their tea and casually inquiring about local affairs. However, the waiter, though talkative, kept circling back to food and drink, making him a perfect match for Huang Zhongman. Seeing that he couldn’t get any useful information, Mei Qing waved him away.

“Well, let’s have some tea first,” Huang Zhongman said happily, taking a sip. “The waiter said this is local dragon bone tea, and it does have a unique flavor. Though he said the tea comes from a mountain with dragon bones, who knows if that’s true?”

Mei Qing held his tea, seemingly oblivious. Since arriving in the Yongping area, they had been constantly inquiring about the Incense Sect and the “Thousand Gold Lord.” However, whenever the Incense Sect was mentioned, locals would clam up, some even turning pale and walking away. As for the “Thousand Gold Lord,” no one had heard of him.

Yongping was an important town in the Ming Dynasty. Not far to the northeast was the ancient Yuguan Pass, a strategic military location. Haiyang City had a long history, said to have been founded by Yao Muyu, who was granted the title of Marquis of Haiyang during the Han Dynasty.

However, Yongping had suffered many wars. Even before the Yongle Emperor ascended the throne, the area had been devastated by the campaigns of the Prince of Yan, reducing the population by seventy to eighty percent. Haiyang had also struggled to recover. Although the court later relocated people from Shanxi and Shandong to the area, it never regained its former prosperity. Though still called a city, Haiyang was more like a large town.

Mei Qing and his group had initially gone directly to Yongping Prefecture to investigate but found little. Hearing that the Incense Sect was particularly active in the southern coastal area of Yongping, they decided to come here to gather information.

“This afternoon, we’ll ask around again. If we still find nothing, we’ll have to go directly to Yifeng County and ask the Zhang family for answers,” Mei Qing sighed, speaking to Huang and Hou.

The Zhang family Mei Qing mentioned was the one that had taken in Yang Jin. Mei Qing had initially wanted to avoid revealing their identities to avoid alerting anyone. But aimlessly searching wasn’t getting them anywhere. If all else failed, they would have to go directly and ask for the truth.

“Heh, we’ve seen this guy a few times along the road, haven’t we? Why does he always do the same act? If the Maoshan Sect ever found out he was mocking them like this, they’d probably slap him straight into the eighteenth level of hell,” a wiry young man on the upper floor of the tavern remarked with a grin, glancing briefly at the commotion below before turning back.

“What Maoshan Sect? Long gone,” replied a ruddy-faced fat man sitting opposite him, dismissively. “Didn’t the government merge all the sects into the Zhengyi Sect back in the previous dynasty? I may not be part of the martial world, but even I know that. You’re just like a monkey worrying about radishes—needlessly nosy!”

“Cut it out,” the thin man shot back. “The martial world and the Taoist sects are two different things. Besides, Zhengyi’s unification was a matter of the previous dynasty’s imperial decree. Do you really think a single edict could wipe out a sect? There’s a lot more to it than that. You, my fat friend, are just good for eating and sleeping, what do you know?”

The thin man was none other than Hou Shen, who had been following Mei Qing. The fat man was Huang Zhongman, nicknamed “Fat Huang,” who had been smoothly navigating the bureaucratic system.

Mei Qing, wearing an expression of helplessness, turned to look at the two. This trip was an official mission, and for convenience in dealing with local authorities, he had decided to bring Huang Zhongman along, partly to fulfill the latter’s long-standing wish to join the inner circle for training.

Naturally delighted to be in the inner circle, Huang Zhongman was even more thrilled at the idea of going on an official trip. According to him, such assignments were the most leisurely and lucrative, with plenty of perks. Once on site, they were treated like lords—local officials, whether third or fifth rank, would quake in fear at the sight of a Jin Yi Wei inspector from the capital, just like mice seeing a cat. They would shower the inspectors with all sorts of gifts and courtesies.

If not for Mei Qing’s intervention, the fat man would have already ordered several large trunks to be carried along, just to bring back the “souvenirs.”

Originally, Mei Qing had been tasked by the Sixth Master to investigate the incense-burning cult in the Yongping region and discreetly look into the whereabouts of the “Lord of a Thousand Taels.” Naturally, this would involve dealings with both the underworld and the establishment. Bringing along Huang Zhongman and Hou Shen, one representing the “white” and the other the “black,” seemed ideal. But to his dismay, the two seemed fated to clash from the start. No sooner had they met than they began bickering. One called the other a “fat pig,” the other retorted with “skinny monkey.” They exchanged barbs and sarcasm all the way, and no matter how Mei Qing tried to mediate, peace was elusive.

Thankfully, Zhao Dayou had not yet recovered from the fright he suffered on Mid-Autumn night, so only Yao and Zhou accompanied them. Otherwise, with that chaotic fool added to the mix, who knows what kind of mess they would have ended up in.

Fat Huang had an insatiable passion for food. So, wherever they went, he would seek out the largest restaurant in town for a hearty meal. Hou Shen never missed a chance to mock him: “Is this guy a pig reincarnated? How come he’s chewing all the way through the journey?”

Unfazed, Huang Zhongman replied, “Better than being a monkey reincarnated, with that sharp mouth and sly eyes, always sneaking bites like a thief.”

Anyway, upon arriving in Haiyang, Huang Zhongman stayed true to his nature. After asking a local for recommendations, the group headed straight for Wanghailou.

Though called Wanghailou, it was just a two-story tavern. But it was tastefully decorated in an ancient style, facing a bend in the Ru River, with a ridge of hills behind it. Although the sea was still a few miles away and not visible, the view from the tavern—gazing down at the winding river while sipping wine—was quite charming.

Mei Qing and Huang Zhongman sat facing each other, while Hou Shen perched on the bench opposite them. Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang had taken a separate table.

Looking out the window, Mei Qing admired the wide river, its waters crystal clear, truly capturing the vastness of an autumn scene. Yet he turned to find Huang and Hou bickering again, not even bothering to look at the scenery, but instead pointing at the street performer below.

“Enough already. What’s the point of watching such tricks? Huang, Hou, stop arguing and call the waiter over. We still have things to do after we eat,” Mei Qing said with a shake of his head.

“Ah, come on, Mei. It’s all your idea to do this undercover nonsense. We’re not that important, are we? Why all the secrecy? If we had arrived with proper carriages and servants, wouldn’t the locals have treated us like gods? We wouldn’t have to be stuck in a tavern ordering food ourselves—oh, and don’t glare at me, monkey. Neither of us really matters anyway,” Huang Zhongman grumbled, twisting his thick neck around to shout, “Waiter! Hurry up, we’re starving!”

“Coming right away!” A wiry waiter came running. He was young, his face full of smiles that wrinkled his forehead. He wore a neat, coarse cotton jacket. As he quickly poured tea for the group, he asked, “What would you gentlemen like to eat? This is one of the best restaurants in Haiyang. Whether it’s birds in the sky, beasts on the ground, or fish in the water, we may not have everything, but we have quite a variety.”

“Cut the menu. We’re tired of delicacies. We’re here for something fresh. What local specialties do you have?” Huang Zhongman said impatiently.

The waiter smiled and replied, “You’ve come at just the right time. This season is the best for fresh seafood in Haiyang. We have local yellow crabs, mantis shrimps, razor clams, and clams. How about I bring you a bit of each?”

Mei Qing smiled and said, “Sounds like we’re in luck. Bring us some of those. What fish do you have?”

The waiter nodded and said, “Since this is a place where fresh and saltwater meet, we have fish from both. There’s oilfish, greenfish, gudgeon, and croakers. Which would you like to try?”

Huang Zhongman’s eyes lit up. He had no idea what these fish were, but he didn’t want to admit it. So he just said loudly, “What do locals usually like? Tell us more.”

The waiter grinned. “Around here, there’s a saying: ‘Catfish tail, mullet head, blackfish offal with oil.’ As it happens, we just caught some big catfish today. How about we prepare the catfish tails for you?”

“Great, go ahead. And bring some wine too,” Huang Zhongman nodded eagerly.

“We have locally brewed white rice wine. It’s strong, though not as refined as the imperial brew. Would you like to try it?” the waiter asked, bowing slightly.

“Fine, bring it on. And if it’s good, we’ll tip you well,” Huang Zhongman said, his eyes narrowing into crescents as he tapped the chopsticks on the table like a drummer.

After placing their orders, the group sipped tea and chatted casually. Mei Qing, hoping to learn more about the local customs, called the waiter back under the pretense of needing more water, and tried to ask him about local affairs. Unfortunately, the waiter was all talk but only about food and drink, never straying from his topic. He and Huang Zhongman were a perfect match. Mei Qing, realizing he couldn’t get any useful information, waved the waiter off.

“Alright, let’s have some tea first,” Huang Zhongman said happily, taking a sip. “The waiter said this is Longgu Xiang tea from the mountains nearby. It does taste different. But I wonder if it’s true that the mountains are really full of dragon bones?”

Mei Qing raised his teacup but seemed lost in thought. Since entering the Yongping region, he had been inquiring discreetly about the incense-burning cult and the “Lord of a Thousand Taels.” But whenever the locals heard mention of the cult, they would fall silent or even flee in fear. As for the “Lord of a Thousand Taels,” no one had ever heard of him.

Yongping was a strategically important city in the Ming Empire, and not far to the northeast lay Gulyu Pass, a historically contested military stronghold. Haiyang had a long history—it was said to have been founded by Yao Muyu, a Han dynasty noble enfeoffed as the Marquis of Haiyang.

However, Yongping had suffered greatly from war. Even before the Yongle Emperor ascended the throne, during the northern campaign led by the Prince of Yan, the population had been reduced by more than eighty percent. Haiyang, too, had declined. Although the government later relocated many people from Shanxi and Shandong to Yongping, the region never regained its former glory. Though still called a city, Haiyang was little more than a large town.

Mei Qing and his companions had first gone directly to the Yongping Prefectural Office, but found little useful information. Only after hearing rumors that the southern coastal areas of Yongping were particularly active with the incense cult did they decide to investigate this region.

“This afternoon, we’ll ask around again. If we still get nothing, we’ll have to go straight to Yifeng County and ask the Zhang family directly,” Mei Qing sighed, turning to Huang and Hou.

The Zhang family Mei Qing referred to was the one that had once sheltered Yang Jin. Mei Qing had originally intended to keep his identity secret to avoid alerting anyone. But if they kept wandering aimlessly without results, he would have no choice but to confront them directly.