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A Prophet - Chapter 13 (Part 3)

Chapter 3 - Master Zu's Schemes 

Master Zu received the "Palace Indoctrination Token" from Yoshiko Nishida and returned to Jianghuai in his new capacity as the Emperor's Deputy Instructor.

"Master Zu is back! Master Zu is back!" the housekeeper shouted. Jiang Feiyan, Huang Farong, the First Gang Leader, the Second Gang Leader, the Third Gang Leader, and others rushed out in a swarm.

"Master Zu!"

Master Zu smiled at everyone and said, "It's fine, everything is fine."

The housekeeper hurriedly instructed the servants to prepare food, wanting to wash away the dust of travel and calm Master Zu's shock.

Master Zu said, "There is no rush. Second Gang Leader, take Mei Xuanzi's son and come with me to the Plum Blossom Society."

Everyone stared blankly at Master Zu. Master Zu looked back at them and added, "It's nothing, everyone rest for now, we'll talk tonight."

At that moment, Mei Xuanzi was pacing anxiously inside the Plum Blossom Society. Hearing that Master Zu had arrived with his young master, he hastily stood up and went out to greet them.

The two entered the room, and Master Zu said, "Returning the property completely intact," as he handed the son over to Mei Xuanzi.

Mei Xuanzi hugged his son tightly, handed him over to a servant, and then asked, "Master Zu, what is the meaning of this?"

Master Zu smiled. "I should be the one asking Master Mei what this means."

Mei Xuanzi stammered, "That day, I only wanted to have a heart-to-heart chat with Master Zu..."

"To talk about cooperation, you mean."

Mei Xuanzi was startled.

Master Zu reached out, pulled out the "Palace Indoctrination Token," and slapped it down onto the table. "I have one too."

"Uh..." Mei Xuanzi was struck by an awkward silence. "This..."

Master Zu said, "You have one, I have one, and Zuo Yongchan has one as well. His Majesty the Emperor wants us to work for him, but doesn't want us to unite. That's why Zuo Yongchan vied for favor by telling me about your collusion with Qi Chunfu."

"He was the one who told you?" Mei Xuanzi asked in shock.

Master Zu gave a cold laugh. "This is precisely what His Majesty the Emperor wants to see: everyone working for them, yet none of them united. They must have also promised to let you sit in the number one chair of Jiangnan."

"This..." Sweat beaded on Mei Xuanzi's forehead.

"Hehe, rest assured, Master Mei, the number one chair isn't yours—it's mine," Master Zu said coldly.

"Have you also become a traitor?" Mei Xuanzi asked in terror.

"Even as a traitor, I'd make a better one than you!" With that, Master Zu stood up and left without looking back.

That night, the faction headquarters was exceptionally lively, and everyone was overjoyed at Master Zu's safe return.

At the dining table, Jiang Feiyan asked what had really happened. Master Zu recounted, "It was a narrow escape. After being taken to the French Concession, I was locked in a secret cell where you couldn't possibly search for me. Fortunately, Fourth Master Jia has some influence in the French Concession; I gave the guard some silver coins to pass a message to Fourth Master Jia, who spent a hefty sum bribing the police station before finally getting me released. The Japanese wanted to put me to death, so I first went to Fourth Master Jia's residence to hide for a while. Only now that the tension has eased did I dare to return. I've made Sister Yan and all the brothers worry. I propose a toast to everyone."

Everyone raised their glasses and said, "Master Zu is a fortunate person protected by heaven."

After the meal, everyone dispersed, and Master Zu called Jiang Feiyan into the study to reveal the true situation piece by piece.

Hearing this, Jiang Feiyan was shocked. "Master Zu actually agreed to the Japanese?"

Master Zu smiled coldly and said, "Bowing your head doesn't mean losing out, Sister Yan, listen to me..."

As Jiang Feiyan listened, her furrowed brows gradually smoothed out, only to turn anxious once again as she said, "Master Zu, doing this is extremely dangerous! You could lose your life at any moment!"

Master Zu let out a sigh. "There is no choice; there is no other way."

Jiang Feiyan looked at Master Zu's weathered face, a trace of pity welling up in her heart. "Master Zu... why don't we..."

"If Sister Yan has something to say, speak freely."

"Why don't..." Despite being a Grand Master of her generation, Jiang Feiyan seemed utterly hesitant at this moment, her face flushed and her words trailing off.

"Why don't what?" Master Zu asked, puzzled.

Jiang Feiyan suddenly raised her head, looked deeply into Master Zu's eyes, and said, "Why don't we leave together!"

Master Zu was stunned. We? Leave together? He immediately understood what Jiang Feiyan meant.

Master Zu was a man of high emotional intelligence. When he first met Jiang Feiyan in 1932, he had read the word "admiration" in her eyes. In 1933, when Master Zu brought Zhang Zijian to the "Yue Haitang" brothel to propose marriage, and Jiang Feiyan inquired about Master Zu's lifelong affairs, Master Zu had understood the implication, yet he had consistently and deliberately avoided such matters.

It wasn't that Master Zu lacked feeling or affection, but rather that he believed a person of Ah Bao's background was simply unsuited for marriage. If two swindlers united, any child born would just be a little swindler. He had walked this path himself and did not want his children to live under the shadow of a swindler.

Besides, the life of an Ah Bao hung by a thread; who could say when he might lose his life, leaving behind an orphaned widow and child while underworld enemies came seeking revenge? How would they survive?

Furthermore, both of them were Grand Masters. If they were to unite, it would create a sensation across the entire Southeast Asia. Not to mention friends in the domestic underworld, Jiang Feiyan and Master Zu had numerous friends in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, and Nanyang. If things were done this way, what would the brothers of the faction think? In the future, if a conflict ever arose between the two factions, how would it be handled? No one could guarantee that faction and faction would maintain everlasting peace.

More importantly, under the present circumstances, how could Master Zu just up and leave! When he received the grand banner of "Muliang" from the elder Zhang Dancheng back then, he had solidified his resolve to lead the "Jiangxiang School" toward brilliance, and firmly anchored his belief in robbing the rich to help the poor and punishing evil to promote good! Now the Japanese wanted to manipulate all the "sectarian sects" in China, and the conspiracy behind it remained unknown. How could he, as the master of a Jiangxiang School chapter, just run away?

Seeing that Master Zu remained silent, Jiang Feiyan understood a thing or two. She said, "Master Zu, you alone cannot change the overall situation, and neither can I. Fifth Mother's death suddenly made me feel that all of this isn't so important anymore. I want to live the life of an ordinary person. We can hand the chapter over to someone else—countless people are desperate to fight for this position. We can go abroad together, to a place where no one can find us, conceal our identities, and live out our remaining years in peace."

At the most emotional moment, Jiang Feiyan couldn't help but place her hand over Master Zu's.

How could Master Zu not yearn for that kind of life? He could walk away without a backward glance; the Japanese would never find him, nor would the Chinese. He would no longer need to rack his brains every day scheming, nor exhaust his mind worrying about the chapter's livelihood. Paper-transfixing sorcery, fortune-telling, and geomancy could all be cast to the wind, leaving only happiness. He could hold Jiang Feiyan's hand, strolling along the golden beaches of France, lingering down the tree-lined avenues of England, and embracing inside a magnificent American church.

Yet what would become of the brothers of the faction? After he left, who would take the helm? Would the brothers defect to the Japanese invaders and seek glory through treason, or fight to the death? Would they be slaughtered by the Japanese, or scatter like birds and beasts, fleeing in all directions? The First Gang Leader's look of desperate loyalty in protecting his master, the Second Gang Leader's gaze of sworn allegiance, Zhang Zijian's tears of entrustment, Huang Farong's desolate and lonely sighs... all of these tugged at Master Zu's heart.

Seeing that Master Zu still remained silent, Jiang Feiyan withdrew her hand, a profound desolation washing over her heart. After a long silence, she said, "Master Zu, is it because Feiyan's body is no longer clean that Master Zu refuses to show favor?"

Master Zu raised his head and looked guiltily at Jiang Feiyan. "Sister Yan misunderstands. Sister Yan has given everything for the 'Jiangxiang School'; I feel only respect for you, how could there be any disdain? I... I cannot bear to leave my brothers. But I do have a plan..."

Jiang Feiyan said no more, simply leaning in close to listen.

The next day, Master Zu bid farewell to Jiang Feiyan. Carrying the covert scheme formulated with Master Zu, Jiang Feiyan quietly returned to Guangdong.

Shortly after Jiang Feiyan left, Master Zu summoned Huang Farong.

"I want to mention something to you; see if you think it's feasible."

Huang Farong blinked her large eyes rapidly and asked, "What instructions does Master Zu have?"

Master Zu said, "If one day I unfortunately meet my demise, 'Muliang' will be controlled by you. What do you think of that?"

Hearing this, Huang Farong's small face turned pale with fright, and she dropped to her knees with a thud. "Master Zu, I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare!"

Master Zu calmly stated, "Those who presumptuously discuss the Grand Master shall die; those who fracture the faction shall die. You surely know these rules, don't you?"

Terrified to the point of tears, Huang Farong trembled as she said, "Please forgive me, Master Zu, please forgive me."

Master Zu glanced at her sideways and said, "Considering this is your first offense, I'll spare you this time, but if there's a next time, I will never forgive you!" Master Zu heightened his tone.

Huang Farong kowtowed heavily, repeating, "Thank you, Master Zu, thank you, Master Zu." Yet in her heart, she thought: How does he know what I discussed with Godmother? Could Godmother have betrayed me?

"Stop trying to guess," Master Zu said. "Though I am not always at the headquarters, nothing that happens can be kept from me."

Huang Farong's heart skipped a beat. Hasn't this turned into the Eastern Depot secret police?

"Get up," Master Zu sighed.

Huang Farong stood up, trembling with fear.

"You're a clever girl, but cleverness can be the undoing of cleverness. You must understand that principle!" Master Zu said.

Huang Farong hurriedly replied, "Master Zu, I won't dare do it again, I truly won't dare!"

Master Zu nodded silently. "I have a task for you."

"Please give your orders, Master Zu."

"I want you to make a trip back to your hometown in Shandong."

"What for? I don't want to go back to that household; my parents will just try to force me into marriage."

"I'm not asking you to go home; I want you to go to Jiaozhou. Sound out the background of Zheng the Half-Immortal of Jiaozhou, check the scale of his faction, the number of his disciples, and his recent methods of paper-transfixing sorcery..."

Huang Farong said, "That's easy enough. I can infiltrate his faction under the guise of seeking instruction as a disciple. Why does Master Zu want to investigate his background? He's not even on our territory."

"Just go and do it... Besides, prepare plenty of silver coins and quietly slip them into your home. Though you cannot return home, you must never forget the grace of your parents raising you..."

Huang Farong's eyes reddened. Lowering her head, she said, "Thank you, Master Zu." With that, she took her leave.

Watching Huang Farong's retreating figure, Master Zu's expression grew solemn...

The next day, Huang Farong packed her belongings and headed toward Shandong with a hefty sum of money. Along the way, she was still surprised as to why Master Zu had given her so much money to repay her parents, happily calculating her plans as she traveled. She had no idea that this was her final severance pay from Master Zu, who had already decided to eliminate her.

Meanwhile, the Second Gang Leader rushed toward Beiping, and the Third Gang Leader headed toward Hebei. Master Zu's game of chess had begun...

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