“One, two, three, two, two, three, follow the master up Maoshan;
There’s an old Taoist priest on Maoshan, who took me as his apprentice to pass on his skills.
He accepted exactly ten apprentices, and nine of them became immortals;
Only I, the eldest, slacked off and failed to learn, so the master, in anger, expelled me down the mountain.
Now wandering idly with nothing to do, I’ll perform some magic tricks for all to see;
First, I’ll transform into a lion rolling a silk ball, then into a pearl curtain rolling backward, a pearl curtain rolling backward!…”
The warm and gentle autumn sunlight bathed the streets and alleys of Haiyang city. A sallow-faced man was performing in front of the largest hotel in town, Wanghailou. With bamboo clappers in hand, he sang this opening ditty of the traditional beggar’s song. As the crowd around him grew denser, he finally put away the clappers, bowed all around, then suddenly flicked his hands. From thin air, a large silk ball appeared. With a wave in the wind, the silk ball magically split into two. The onlookers burst into cheers at the sight.
“Heh, we’ve seen this guy a few times along the way, right? Why does he always do the same act? If the Maoshan Sect ever heard of him making fun like this, they’d probably slap him straight into the eighteenth layer of hell,” a skinny young man on the upper floor of the winehouse glanced down at the commotion, then turned back with a chuckling remark.
“What Maoshan Sect anymore?” responded a ruddy-faced fat man dismissively. “Didn’t the government merge all the sects into the Zhengyi Sect back in the previous dynasty? Although I’m not really part of the martial world, I still know this much. You monkey just loves to worry needlessly!”
“Cut it out. The martial world and the Taoist sects are different things. Besides, the Zhengyi unification was a matter of the previous dynasty’s imperial decree. Do you really think a mere edict could wipe out a sect entirely? There’s a lot more to it than that. You, fatty, are just good for eating and sleeping, what do you know!” the skinny guy shot back without mercy.
As it turned out, the skinny one was none other than Hou Shen, who had been following Mei Qing. The fat man was Huang Zhongman, nicknamed “Fatty Huang,” who had been thriving in the Office of Affairs.
Mei Qing wore a helpless expression as he turned to look at the two. This trip was an official assignment, and for convenience in dealing with government officials, he had agreed to Huang’s long-held request to join the inner group, and thus brought him along.
Fatty Huang was naturally delighted to join the inner group, and was even more ecstatic when told of the official trip. According to him, such assignments were the most leisurely and lucrative. Once on location, they were like lords. No matter how high the rank of local officials—be it third or fifth grade—they would all treat the visiting officers of the Embroidered Uniform Guard like mice seeing a cat, and would shower them with all sorts of gifts and favors.
If Mei Qing hadn’t intervened, the fat man would have probably ordered several large trunks to be carried along right from the start.
Originally, Mei Qing had been sent by Sixth Master to investigate the “Incense Sect” in the Yongping area, and also to look into the whereabouts of the “Thousand-Tael Lord.” Naturally, this would involve dealings with both the underworld and the legitimate authorities. Bringing along Huang and Hou, one representing the black and the other the white, would make things convenient. Unfortunately, the two seemed to be fated to clash from birth. From the moment they met, they had started bickering. He called him “Fatty,” and the other called him “Skinny Monkey.” They exchanged sarcasm and barbs all the way, ceaselessly squabbling no matter how Mei Qing tried to mediate.
Thankfully, Zhao Dayou was still recovering from the fright he had suffered on Mid-Autumn night, so only Yao and Zhou had accompanied them. Otherwise, with that confused and troublemaking fellow added to the mix, who knew how chaotic things might have become.
Fatty Huang had an unshakable passion for food. Thus, wherever they went, he would always find the biggest restaurant in town for a hearty meal. Hou Shen had mocked him countless times, asking, “Was this guy reborn from a pig? How come he’s chewing all the way?”
Huang remained unfazed: “Better than being a monkey reborn. All sharp beak and monkey face, eating like a thief with those shifty eyes.”
Anyway, upon arriving in Haiyang, Huang stayed true to form. After asking a local for recommendations, the group headed straight for Wanghailou.
Though called Wanghailou, it was merely a two-story restaurant. However, it was elegantly decorated in an antique style, situated right at a bend in the Ru River, with a mountain ridge behind. Although the sea was still a few miles away and not visible from here, the view of the river winding below while sipping wine in the breeze was quite charming.
Mei Qing and Fatty Huang sat facing each other, while Hou Shen perched on the bench sideways instead of sitting properly. Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang had taken a separate table instead of joining the trio.
Mei Qing gazed into the distance, watching the river flow clear and wide, truly embodying the openness of an autumn day. Yet he heard Huang and Hou bickering again and turned to find the two not admiring the scenery, but pointing at the magician performing tricks on the other side of the restaurant.
“Enough already, what’s so interesting about these tricks? Huang, Hou, stop arguing for a moment and call the waiter over. We still have things to do after we eat,” Mei Qing shook his head as the two kept squabbling.
“Oh come on, Mei, it’s all your idea to play this secret investigation game. We’re not that important, are we? Why all the secrecy? If we had arrived with proper carriages and attendants, wouldn’t the locals treat us like gods? We wouldn’t be stuck here in a restaurant ordering food ourselves—okay okay, don’t glare at me, Monkey. Neither of us gets a say anyway.” Fatty Huang grumbled on, twisting his thick neck around with effort to shout: “Waiter! Hurry up, we’re starving here!”
“Coming right up!” A lean waiter dashed over. He was young, his face full of smiles that wrinkled his forehead, dressed neatly in a coarse cotton jacket. As he quickly poured tea for the group, he asked, “What would the gentlemen like to eat? This is one of the finest restaurants in Haiyang. Whether it’s birds in the sky, beasts on land, or fish in the water, we may not have everything, but we’ve got quite a variety.”
“Cut the menu, we’re tired of delicacies. We’re here for something fresh. What local specialties do you have?” Huang said impatiently.
The waiter smiled and replied, “You gentlemen have come at just the right time. This is the season for fresh shrimp and crab. In Haiyang, we’ve got all sorts—local yellow crabs, mantis shrimp, razor clams, green clams, and more. Shall I bring you a selection?”
Mei Qing smiled and said, “Sounds like we’re in for a treat. Bring us what you suggested. What fish do you have?”
The waiter nodded, “Around here, where the fresh and salt water meet, we have fish from both. There’s oily-skin fish, greenstripes, melon-seed fish, and hook fish. Which would you like to try?”
Huang’s eyes widened with excitement, though he had no idea what these fish were. Not wanting to admit it, he simply asked, “What do locals usually prefer? Tell us more.”
The waiter grinned, “Around here, there’s a saying: catfish tail, mullet head, blackfish offal with a hint of oil. Coincidentally, we caught some big catfish today. How about I have the kitchen prepare some catfish tails for you?”
“Perfect, just bring it on. Any wine available? Bring us a couple of pots too.” Huang nodded enthusiastically, clearly pleased with the waiter’s suggestions.
“The local white spirit is quite strong, not as refined as the official brews, but would you gentlemen like to give it a try?” the waiter asked, bowing slightly.
“Fine, just bring it. Hurry up and serve. The boss will reward you well if the food is good.” Huang’s eyes narrowed into crescent moons as he tapped his chopsticks rhythmically on the table like a drummer.
After placing their order, Mei Qing and the others sipped tea and chatted a bit. Wanting to learn more about local customs, Mei Qing called the waiter back under the pretense of needing more hot water, and tried to ask about local affairs. Unfortunately, the waiter, though talkative, kept the conversation strictly on food and drink, making him a perfect match for Huang. Seeing that nothing useful would come out, Mei Qing simply waved him off.
“Alright, let’s have some tea first.” Huang happily took a sip from his cup. “The waiter said this is ‘Dragon Bone Fragrant Tea’ from around here. It does taste unique. Though I wonder if it’s true that the tea comes from a mountain with actual dragon bones?”
Mei Qing lifted his cup but seemed lost in thought. Since arriving in the Yongping region, they had been inquiring about the “Incense Sect” and the “Thousand-Tael Lord.” Yet, whenever the locals heard mention of the Incense Sect, they would either fall silent or look frightened and walk away. As for the “Thousand-Tael Lord,” no one had heard of him.
Yongping was a strategically important region in the Ming dynasty, and not far to the northeast lay Gulyu Pass, a battlefield often contested by armies. Haiyang had a long history, said to have been established by Yao Muyu, enfeoffed as the Marquis of Haiyang during the Han dynasty.
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, leaving the region desolate. Haiyang, too, had suffered and never regained its former glory. Although the government later relocated people from Shanxi and Shandong to the area, it never returned to its former prosperity. Though still called a city, Haiyang was in reality no more than a large town.
Originally, Mei Qing had planned to investigate directly at the Yongping Prefecture office, but found little information. By chance, he heard that the Incense Sect was particularly active in the coastal areas of southern Yongping, so they had come to this region to gather intelligence.
“We’ll ask again this afternoon. If still nothing, we’ll have to go directly to Yifeng County and question the Zhang family to get to the bottom of it,” Mei Qing sighed, speaking to Huang and Hou.
The Zhang family Mei Qing referred to was the old family friends who had once sheltered Yang Jin. Mei Qing had originally intended to remain incognito to avoid alerting anyone. But aimless searching like this wasn’t working either. If they had no other options, they would have to go directly and ask for the truth.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage