A Prophet - Chapter 2 (Part 6)

Chapter 6 - My Years at My Master's Hall

Following the Ancestor Master meant that my food and clothing were guaranteed. Every month, the hall held a “Feast of Sustenance,” which was basically a communal meal. Normally, only those with the rank of Ba Tou were invited, though sometimes a few junior members who had performed particularly well would be allowed to attend.

The Ancestor Master invited me every time. Second Ba Tou was naturally pleased, because I belonged to him, but the other Ba Tous could not understand it. Why should such an ugly, useless fool like me be allowed at the table? The Ancestor Master had his own explanation: “Ah-Liang used to work as a waiter. He knows how to serve tea and pour wine, so let him sit at the table!”

In truth, there were servants specifically assigned to wait on everyone during meals, so there was absolutely no need for me to serve tea or pour wine. But ever since I joined the hall, the Ancestor Master had made me do those things. Every meal left me exhausted. While everyone else drank and ate, I was constantly pouring wine for one person and tea for another. The moment I finally sat down, someone would want a cigarette, and I would hurriedly take out the flint and light it for him. By the end of the meal, I had barely eaten a few bites, yet my back ached and my legs were sore from running around.

But I didn't mind. At least these were my own people. It wasn't like the teahouse, where others treated me like a dog and ordered me around. Here, everyone was a brother; they were the Ba Tous, my elders. This was what I should be doing. It was tiring, but I was happy.

I discovered that the Ancestor Master possessed tremendous self-control. Whenever he drank, he drank quite a lot. Every time a Ba Tou toasted him, he would drink. Yet I had never once seen him get drunk. Second Ba Tou was completely different. Every time he drank, he would end up under the table, vomiting and suffering from diarrhea, and in the end I would have to clean up after him.

When I first arrived at the hall, I felt as though I had finally found a warm and harmonious family. I had once again found the feeling of home that I had missed for so long. But after attending several meals, I discovered that there were conflicts between every Ba Tou, and even between the Ba Tous and the Ancestor Master. Some things simply weren't brought out into the open, but sometimes the atmosphere became extremely strange. Once, Second Ba Tou nearly came to blows with Third Ba Tou over just a few words. Third Ba Tou mocked Second Ba Tou for being a “country bumpkin,” saying that he ought to learn some poetry and literature, otherwise he would never be able to shake off that rustic air. Naturally, Second Ba Tou wasn't having any of it. He snapped, “*** knows a damn thing! How much silver do you think I bring back to the hall every year? *** only knows how to seduce women and visit brothels!”

Whenever things reached this point, the Ancestor Master would say nothing. He simply watched them perform. But once they noticed that his expression had suddenly darkened and that he was genuinely angry, they all fell silent. At that moment, the Ancestor Master would act as though nothing had happened and calmly say, “Eat, eat. Drink, drink.” All the Ba Tous would exchange glances and stare at the Ancestor Master in confusion. He would continue smiling and say, “Drink, drink.” Everyone would then drain their cups together with him. Afterward, the Ancestor Master would burst into loud laughter. The others would stare blankly for a moment before laughing along with him. I never knew whether they truly understood the Ancestor Master's intentions or were merely pretending to. In any case, I could never fathom what was in that man's heart.

As time went by, I began to understand that there were several layers to the relationships within the hall. First was the Ancestor Master himself. He was the leader of the hall and possessed absolute authority. The moment he glared, no one dared make a sound. Then there were First Ba Tou and Second Ba Tou. They had been with the Ancestor Master for a long time and were essentially his personal guards. In fact, the two of them had a very good relationship. Third Ba Tou and Fifth Ba Tou got along particularly well; both were men of learning, after all! Although Fourth Ba Tou had joined the hall later than First and Second Ba Tou, he had a good relationship with Second Ba Tou because Second Ba Tou used the props he made more than anyone else. As for Sixth Ba Tou, he was constantly running around outside, so it was impossible to tell who he was close to and who he wasn't. Seventh Ba Tou was Second Ba Tou's lapdog, always wearing the face of a sycophant. I couldn't be bothered with him.

Aside from never having to worry about food and drink, I also came close to sleeping with a woman. That happened a month after I joined the hall. One day, after the hall meeting had ended, Second Ba Tou said to me, “Big Head, Second Master is going to take you out and broaden your horizons.” Third Ba Tou and Fifth Ba Tou came along that day, as did several junior members. To tell the truth, I had been alive for twenty years and had never even held a woman's hand. It wasn't until we arrived at the brothel that I understood what Second Ba Tou meant by “broadening your horizons.”

Before we went inside, Second Ba Tou told me, “Remember, you're a master now! Every girl in there is here to serve you! Don't hold back! Stop being so damn shy!”

My heart was pounding. I glanced at the other junior members. They were rubbing their hands together, looking eager to give it a try. When we entered the brothel, the madam came smiling toward us, greeting us with exaggerated politeness. Second, Third, and Fifth Ba Tou were already familiar with this sort of place, so they naturally assumed the bearing of wealthy patrons, while the rest of us junior members followed nervously behind.

When the wine and entertainment began, we were divided between two tables. The three Ba Tous sat at one table, while the rest of us junior members sat at the other. After choosing girls for themselves, the Ba Tous told us to choose some too. How could we possibly dare? I didn't even dare lift my head to look at the girls. In the end, Second Ba Tou cursed, “What a bunch of cowards! I'll choose for you!”

He picked several girls in one go, and they happily came over to sit beside us. The girl who sat next to me was the delicate, refined type. She wasn't tall, but she was fresh and youthful, with very fair skin and eyes shimmering with allure. The moment she sat down, a faint fragrance of rouge drifted toward me. The scent made my head spin. She quickly took my hand, and I panicked. I didn't dare look at her, and my face turned bright red.

Later, one of the junior members said to me, “Brother, do you know what you looked like back then? Your whole head looked like a giant red bull's testicle!”

I thought to myself: As if you're any better! *** had muscles around his nose twitching nonstop, like a cow's ass contracting after taking a dump.

Seeing that we were too stiff and restrained, Second Ba Tou glared at us. The moment he glared, we forced ourselves to loosen up.

While drinking, the girls would place food directly into your mouth with their chopsticks. Apart from my mother, this was the first woman in my life who had ever picked food for me. I knew perfectly well that with a cowardly fool like me, the girl was really looking at the money in my pocket. She was probably thinking: “Who cares who I feed? Feeding a pig is still feeding a pig.”

After drinking and carousing for two hours, several of the Ba Tous took their girls upstairs. Before going up, Second Ba Tou turned around and shouted at us junior members, “Don't just sit there drinking! You didn't come here to drink!”

Alcohol loosens a man's inhibitions. Once we'd been drinking, our courage grew. Seeing the other junior members embracing their girls and heading upstairs, I somehow found myself following the girl upstairs as well.

Inside the girl's private room, another wave of rich fragrance overwhelmed me. The bedding and gauze curtains had probably all been perfumed. In short, everything smelled intensely sweet, enough to make my head spin.

The girl said to me, “Master, why don't you wash up?”

As she spoke, she pulled me toward a washstand in the corner. A copper basin sat on it, half-filled with clean water. I thought, I really should wash up. My head is spinning.

I lowered my head, scooped up the water, and splashed it over my face. After washing several times, I felt much more clearheaded.

When I turned around, I found the girl staring blankly at me as though she'd seen a fool. Confused, I asked, “What's wrong? Do you have a towel? I need to wipe my face.”

The girl giggled. Her laughter made me even more bewildered.

“What?”

Covering her mouth, she said, “Master, that wasn't for washing your face. It's for washing down there.”

My mind exploded, and my entire face turned scarlet.

Washing down there? That meant countless people had used that basin to wash their private parts. And I'd just used it to wash my face. A wave of nausea swept over me.

As she spoke, the girl began removing her outer clothes, revealing her petite body and a red bellyband. “Master, let me wash you.”

She reached for my clothes.

I suddenly jumped away. The girl looked confused. “Master, what's wrong?”

I asked, “How old are you?”

The girl answered, “Sixteen.”

I pulled a handful of money from my pocket, shoved it into her hands, and ran downstairs as fast as I could.

Behind me, I heard the girl calling, “Master, don't go!”

Later, when everyone had gathered again, Second Ba Tou asked me how I had enjoyed myself.

I said, “It was great, it was great!”

Second Ba Tou laughed. “You big-headed fool. You actually thought it was great? From now on, Second Master will bring you here often!”

After we returned to the hall, some time passed. One day, after the hall meeting, the Ancestor Master said to me, “Big Head, stay behind. I have something to tell you.”

After everyone else had left, the Ancestor Master summoned me into his room. I had no idea what he wanted. A servant brought in tea, and the Ancestor Master said, “This is fine Longjing tea. Have a taste.”

I had no idea what the Ancestor Master was scheming. I accepted the cup and took two sips.

The Ancestor Master opened his folding fan and fanned himself, smiling as he asked, “Why didn't you do it?”

I froze. “Do what?”

The Ancestor Master coughed. “With that girl!”

I was startled. “Huh? How did you know?”

The Ancestor Master burst into laughter.

It suddenly dawned on me: the Ancestor Master had secretly sent someone to monitor me.

The Ancestor Master said, “Tell me why. Don't be embarrassed. Tell me the truth.”

I stammered, “She was only sixteen. At the time, I thought of my own younger sister. At home, she was the apple of our parents' eye. None of those girls chooses this life willingly…”

The Ancestor Master stopped smiling. His expression became solemn.

“Who in this world doesn't have children? Men only think about the pleasure of visiting prostitutes, but they never stop to consider how they would feel if their own daughter were beneath another man's body. What you do not wish upon yourself, do not impose upon others. Big Head, the Ancestor Master did not misjudge you.”

As far as I could remember, this was the first time the Ancestor Master had ever praised me.

But the realization that even something like this was completely within his knowledge began to frighten me.

The days at the hall seemed to pass incredibly quickly. Before I knew it, several months had gone by. The waiter I had once been had gradually transformed into a genuine Ah Bao, and I had slowly adapted to life in the hall.

One evening, the Ancestor Master called me over again. Once more, he asked whether I regretted my decision. I truly couldn't figure out what he meant.

While I hesitated, the Ancestor Master picked up the teapot and said with a smile, “This pot of tea has gone weak. Go brew a fresh pot. Ever since you came to the hall from the teahouse, you haven't formally brewed tea for the Ancestor Master even once.”

I'd heard from the others that the Ancestor Master was extremely particular about tea. Even the slightest difference in flavor could be detected by him.

I'd worked at a teahouse for several years. Although I couldn't claim to be an expert in the Way of Tea, there was certainly a difference between someone who had learned it and someone who hadn't. Tea, water, fire, utensils, and the space in which the tea was prepared—I was skilled in every aspect. In my early years, when I had learned the craft from the owner of the teahouse, I had taken plenty of scoldings. I never imagined those skills would come in handy now.

I carefully brewed a pot of tea for the Ancestor Master and poured him a cup.

After tasting it, he said, “You've stopped waiting tables for several months. Your skills have grown rusty!”

I stood there dumbly, not knowing what to say.

The Ancestor Master raised a hand, signaling me to sit.

Then he suddenly asked, “Big Head, what do you think of me as a person?”

I hadn't expected him to ask such a question. The leader of the hall was asking one of his underlings what kind of person he was. What could a subordinate possibly say except that he was a good man?

I stammered, “You're very good. Very good!”

The Ancestor Master gave a cold laugh.

“Good? Is killing people good? Or setting fires?”

Sweat immediately broke out across my forehead.

“Both are good…”

The moment the words left my mouth, I realized I'd said something terribly wrong.

“Ancestor Master, I mean…”

The Ancestor Master burst into laughter, leaving me completely baffled.

He glanced at me before continuing, “I have killed many people, and I have deceived many people. Some deserved what happened to them; others were driven to it by circumstances beyond their control. The times are turbulent now. The Jiang Xiang Sect has reached a moment of life and death. The fate of the Four Great Halls is uncertain. This is the hardest time we have ever faced.”

Hearing those words, I felt a heavy knot form in my chest.

I felt as though I had always had terrible luck. My father died not long after I was born. Just when I had grown into adulthood, my mother died. And when I finally managed to join a criminal organization, I happened to arrive just as the hall was entering its most difficult period.

It was almost as though wherever I went, decline followed.

The Ancestor Master was not exaggerating.

Just a few days earlier, he had attended a grand assembly jointly convened by the four great halls of the East, South, West, and North. They had gathered to discuss the fate of their respective halls and how to respond to the changing times.

Ever since the founding of the Four Great Halls by Patriarch Fang Zhaoyu hundreds of years ago, they had maintained close ties despite being scattered across the country. They had weathered every kind of storm together, supported one another, and crossed countless obstacles. That cooperation was what had allowed the Jiang Xiang Sect to survive for centuries, with its lineage still flourishing.

After the War of Liberation broke out, the Kuomintang suffered defeat after defeat, and the lives of the four great halls in the East, South, West, and North became increasingly difficult. Especially since 1948, the situation within the country had become increasingly unstable. The Kuomintang collapsed with astonishing speed, and the territories in which the Jiang Xiang Sect could operate grew smaller and smaller.

With the situation becoming urgent, the Ancestor Master sent invitations to the leaders of the other three great halls and convened this grand assembly.

As the leader of the Eastern Branch's Mu Zi Lian Hall, the Ancestor Master brought several Ba Tous with him to the meeting. He also brought a large amount of gold and silver belonging to the hall and gave it to the other halls to help them survive the crisis.

In fact, a grand assembly where the leaders of the four great halls met together was held once every year. The Grand Masters of the other halls all knew about the Ancestor Master's legendary experiences and held him in considerable respect. Therefore, when he called this emergency meeting, everyone cooperated.

Moreover, this time the Ancestor Master had produced such a huge amount of gold and silver for them. They were deeply moved and could hardly contain their emotion.

Each of the four great halls had its own characteristics, and each Grand Master had his own distinctive style.

Our Eastern Branch's Mu Zi Lian Hall was truly like a lotus flower, possessing the quality of “remaining unstained despite growing from the mud.” Especially since the Ancestor Master had taken charge, the hall had maintained the principles of the Ah Bao, robbing the rich to aid the poor and taking pleasure in charity.

And our Grand Master—the Ancestor Master—was refined and scholarly, yet efficient in everything he did. Whether dealing with his subordinates or outsiders, he was always courteous and civilized.

The Southern Branch's Yue Hai Tang Hall consisted entirely of female Ah Baos. The Qiao Fifth Sister mentioned by Zhang Dancheng back then was the thirteenth-generation leader of Yue Hai Tang. After Qiao Fifth Sister died, leadership of the hall passed to Jiang Feiyan, known as the “Ice Beauty.”

Jiang Feiyan entered the hall at the age of twelve. Intelligent and quick-witted, she took over the hall at thirty-one. Cold as frost, she used beauty as a weapon to bring high-ranking officials and underworld figures in Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Hunan under her control. She had practically swept through the four southern provinces. Truly, women were no less capable than men!

But she established one strict rule: the sisters of the hall could never marry. In their eyes, men were meant to be used, not married.

The Western Branch's Long Xu Ya Hall had a predominantly young population of Ah Baos. This might have been related to the mountainous terrain of the western regions. Once people grew old, their legs and feet became unreliable. With their aging arms and legs, they might end up killing themselves by falling before they could even complete an operation.

Once someone in their hall reached a certain age, they were retired and provided for. As a result, the hall became bloated with personnel. The old fellows did no work and simply collected their stipends.

Over time, internal fighting began to emerge. Sometimes, several old fellows would die during a single meal.

Why?

The younger members had poisoned the older ones.

That was why the Western Branch was the most unstable of the four halls.

The leader of their hall was named Qin Baichuan. He was tall, with a full beard and dark skin, and had long-standing connections with the warlords of the western regions.

The Northern Branch's Xue Meng Cao Hall was very loosely organized. This may have had something to do with the Eighth Route Army establishing rear-area battlefields during the War of Resistance Against Japan. Ever since the war began, Xue Meng Cao had struggled to survive.

After the War of Liberation broke out, the common people in the liberated areas embraced new ideas and beliefs. Fewer and fewer people firmly believed in ghosts and gods. As a result, this hall had effectively become a shell of its former self.

Its Grand Master, Qian Linyue, wandered from place to place with several Ah Baos, carrying out schemes wherever they went. They had long since lost any base of operations.

At the grand assembly, the leaders of the various halls reached a unanimous conclusion:

The halls could not be abandoned.

They could activate the “Chu Sha,” and they could even “rob the rich.”

For now, they would survive the crisis first—and worry about everything else afterward.

Smooth awkward literal English phrasing

Improve the chapter's historical transition

Handle the sixteen-year-old scene sensitively