A Prophet - Chapter 8 (Part 7)

Chapter 7 - The Master of Zhazhai Techniques

This trip to Southern Guangdong had been free of actual danger despite the scares, leaving Grandfather with an added touch of melancholy. Qiao Wumei was truly worthy of being the leader of the "Yuehaitang"; she had managed to acquire such a fish-luring technique, reforming the methods, timing her scams, and hauling in a massive profit. The Eastern faction had always been renowned for its superb "Zhazhai" (scamming/prop-rigging) methods, yet in all his years running the hall, Grandfather had never executed any major "Zhazhai" operations. He always felt that the "Zhazhai Techniques" recorded in the "Secret Manual of Zhazhai" were somewhat outdated; without absolute certainty, he never dared to pull off a major scam.

Right at this juncture, the baton of fate guided the Fourth Gang Leader onto the stage.

The Fourth Gang Leader was born in the fifth year of the Republic, surnamed Zhang, given name Zizhan, hailing from Baoding, Zhili. He lost his mother at the age of five, after which his entire family relocated to Jianghuai.

Zhang Zizhan had loved Taoist studies since childhood and possessed a passionate obsession with the art of alchemy. After the Enlightenment thinker Mr. Yan Fu translated British thinker Thomas Huxley's "Evolution and Ethics" (Tianyan Lun) into China, Zhang Zizhan came to know of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, subsequently developing a deep interest in species science and biological evolution. To this end, he once specifically crouched beneath a mule's hindquarters to observe the anatomical differences between hinneys and donkeys, resulting in a mule kicking him squarely on the forehead and leaving an eternal scar.

Zhang Zizhan was exceptionally gifted. Most subjects of knowledge came to him instantly upon viewing and were mastered upon a single try, making him a household name across the bustling metropolis of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Bund by the age of fifteen. That era coincided with the Songhu Anti-Chinese War, and both Zhang Zizhan's eldest and second elder brothers served as soldiers. During the Battle of Shanghai, his eldest brother died a glorious death on the battlefield, while his second brother miraculously survived. In the wake of the war, carrying the shame of the nation and the blood feud of his family, Zhang Zizhan published an article in the newspapers titled "A Comparison of Enemy and Friendly Weapons and the Current State of Westernization Reforms." Through his analysis of the defeat in the Songhu battle, he summarized the reasons and lessons behind the stagnation of China's technological development ever since the Westernization Movement.

A hero emerging from youth, a teenager barely out of his teens was actually capable of writing such a rigorously reasoned essay. Flowing and expansive with immense, overwhelming momentum, the text directly targeted the systemic flaws of China while simultaneously drawing upon classics and historical precedents to deduce that the Japanese were the product of ************, sending shockwaves throughout the Shanghai Bund!

Upon reading this article, the Japanese were so furious that they wailed in rage: "Eliminate this person!"

When Grandfather learned of this, he slammed the table in absolute admiration: "This person is extraordinary! I must meet him!"

At that time, Grandfather's hall was not yet located in Shanghai. For this purpose, he made a special trip to Zhabei, paying a formal visit to this child prodigy under the guise of the "successor of the Tiejuzi Taoist Sect."

Zhang Zizhan was young, full of vigor, and championed Western learning back then, holding so-called fortune-tellers like Grandfather in absolute contempt. When Grandfather spoke to him about feng shui, he ignored him; it was only later, when Grandfather shifted the conversation to Taoist studies and alchemy, that he finally engaged in dialogue. Thus, the two progressed from the arts of alchemy to emperors who died from consuming immortal elixirs, then shifted to the relationship between alchemy, gunpowder, and the Westernization Movement, eventually advancing all the way to Western physics and chemistry.

When Grandfather asked about his future plans, he replied, "To become a scientist."

Grandfather could not help but chuckle inwardly: the Japanese are about to come looking for you any second now, and you are still lost in daydreams; this is the true privilege of youth! Yet through the physics and chemistry knowledge Zhang Zizhan expounded, Grandfather vaguely sensed that if these principles were applied to "Zhazhai" operations, the "Zhazhai Technique" would undoubtedly take a massive leap forward!

Grandfather grew impatient to recruit this kid into his fold. However, Grandfather understood that a direct approach certainly would not work; the young man came from a scholarly family with a military background. Quite aside from whether Zhang Zizhan himself would be willing, even Zhang Zizhan's father held a certain disdain for Grandfather.

Grandfather had to wait for an opportunity.

A disagreement leaves no room for half a sentence more. Upon parting, Grandfather said to Zhang Zizhan's father, "Your esteemed son possesses overflowing talent, but his brilliance is overly exposed and excessively flamboyant. In the long run, I fear disaster may arise."

Zhang Zizhan's father replied, "Understood, understood. We will simply exercise caution."

Grandfather knew that this family still failed to perceive the current state of affairs; they were like the bricks in a latrine, smelly and hard. Hence, he issued another warning: "Recently, your esteemed son published an article in the newspapers, which is bound to invite calamity. Precautions must be taken."

Zhang Zizhan interjected, "I'm not afraid. If I were afraid, I wouldn't have published it."

Grandfather smiled bitterly, shook his head, offered a formal bow, and took his leave.

Upon returning to the hall, Grandfather ordered the First Gang Leader and several brothers to maintain a day-and-night vigil surrounding Zhang Zizhan's residence, issuing a strict executive order: "If outsiders launch an assault, you must rescue that kid!"

The First Gang Leader asked, "Do we save the others?"

Grandfather lowered his head in silence.

The First Gang Leader nodded: "Understood."

Sure enough, on a rainy night three days later, the First Gang Leader was crouching behind a tree wearing a raincoat, clutching a rifle alongside his brothers, when he suddenly spotted several figures sneaking swiftly from the deep recesses of the alley.

Sensing that the situation was ominous, the First Gang Leader vaulted over the wall into Zhang Zizhan's courtyard, burst into the house, and roared, "Run! People have come to assassinate you!"

Before his words had even faded, gunshots rang out in the alley; several junior foot-bound disciples had already exchanged fire with the Japanese assassins.

Hearing the gunfire, Zhang Zizhan's family stood frozen in a daze. The First Gang Leader reached out, grabbed Zhang Zizhan by the arm, and shouted, "Run! What are you still staring blankly for?!"

The family panicked and fled out the back door. Just as they slipped into the alley, unexpectedly, the Japanese had stationed an ambush on this side as well. With a series of bang, bang, bang gunshots, Zhang Zizhan's father crumpled to the ground in response.

The First Gang Leader raised his weapon to return fire, engaging in a firefight. Bang! Bang! Bang! Sparks scattered through the rain, flashing on and off.

Zhang Zizhan screamed, "Father!"

The First Gang Leader yanked Zhang Zizhan and yelled, "What the fuck are you still shouting for, the man is already dead! Move fast!"

Zhang Zizhan clung desperately to his father's hand and refused to budge. Growing frantic, the First Gang Leader gave a fierce yank, dragging him into the corner of the alley. "Do you want to die here?! Move! Only by escaping can you exact revenge!" With that, he whipped his hand around to fire a few more shots down the alley, turned back, and roared, "Quick! Step on my shoulder and vault over this wall!"

Zhang Zizhan continued to cry blindly, pushing the First Gang Leader to his absolute limit. "You fucking want to drag me down to hell with you?!" Without waiting for Zhang Zizhan's tears and shouts to finish, he hunched his back, actually scooped Zhang Zizhan up into his arms, unleashed all his physical strength in a mighty heave, and hurled Zhang Zizhan straight across the top of the wall, vaulting over it himself immediately afterward.

Behind the wall lay a residential courtyard, featuring a chicken coop right at the base of the foundation. Zhang Zizhan landed squarely on top of the chicken coop.

"Are you still alive?" The First Gang Leader checked the shell-shocked Zhang Zizhan sprawled across the chicken coop. "If you're not dead, hurry up and follow me!" With those words, he dragged Zhang Zizhan along and fled into the night.

Zhang Zizhan was finally rescued, though one of the junior foot-bound disciples who had acted alongside the First Gang Leader lost his life in the process.

The First Gang Leader was deeply displeased, pointing right at Zhang Zizhan's nose and cursing: "Just to rescue you, I sacrificed one of my brothers!"

Grandfather glanced at the First Gang Leader, causing him to fall silent and sullenly withdraw.

Grandfather gently wiped away Zhang Zizhan's tears and said, "When I visited your household last time, I told you to exercise caution. Your esteemed father ignored my warning, and now things have culminated in such a tragic outcome... Ah... What are your plans for the future?"

Zhang Zizhan choked out, "My father is dead. I am going to find my second brother; he serves as a soldier in the Nineteenth Route Army. I'm going to enlist as well and fight the damned Japanese!"

Grandfather sighed and said, "That is a fine idea... But you must think this through carefully. Your father is already gone, and your eldest brother died in battle not long ago. If you also go enlist in the army and something unfortunate happens, your family won't even have anyone left to carry on the ancestral line..."

Zhang Zizhan sobbed, "Everyone is already dead, what ancestral line is there to carry on!"

Grandfather nodded and said, "Even if you do not think of yourself, you must consider your clan. Your esteemed father loved you so deeply, allowing you to master both Eastern and Western learning—was it not precisely so that you could bring honor to the family name and benefit the people of the nation in the future? If you simply end your life like this, how could your esteemed father ever rest in peace beneath the nine springs?"

Zhang Zizhan fell silent. Thinking of his father, he burst into bitter sobs once more.

Realizing the moment had arrived, Grandfather stated, "Come with me and walk the path of heaven!"

Zhang Zizhan was startled: "Walk... the path of heaven?"

Grandfather said, "We are no mere fortune-tellers; we are the 'Jiangxiang Sect'!"

Zhang Zizhan asked, "The 'Jiangxiang Sect'?"

Grandfather recounted the origins of the "Jiangxiang Sect" to him from beginning to end.

Only after listening to the full account did Zhang Zizhan come to his senses, scratching his head in bewilderment: "A gang of swindlers?"

Grandfather nodded: "Swindlers have their good sides and bad sides. We only swindle evil men, never good people."

Zhang Zizhan retorted, "That still makes you swindlers!"

Before Grandfather could reply, the First and Second Gang Leaders charged in from outside: "You little bastard! Grandfather exhausted himself to the bone trying to save you, and we even lost a brother in the process, yet you still dare to curse us as swindlers? So what if we're swindlers?! Swindlers saved your life! Can those non-swindlers protect you?! Can the Kuomintang do it? Can the common folk do it?"

Zhang Zizhan lapsed into silence.

Grandfather looked at Zhang Zizhan and said, "Little brother, I simply cherish talent to the point of obsession. Despite your tender years, you are already well-versed in all disciplines of East and West, which commands my utmost respect. If you, my brother, are willing to join the hall, we can assist one another and punish the wicked while promoting good—wouldn't that be splendid?"

Zhang Zizhan was still hesitating when Grandfather continued, "Right now, the Japanese are searching for you everywhere. You should temporarily take up residence right here. Think it over carefully these next few days; your going or staying is entirely unrestricted. If you insist on leaving, I will send men to escort you safely away from Jianghuai!"

This was Grandfather's tactic of playing hard to get. Over the next few days, the First, Second, and Third Gang Leaders took turns launching a psychological blitz. The Third Gang Leader in particular possessed a wealth of learning, top-tier eloquence, and a deep mastery of psychological profiling, reducing Zhang Zizhan to streaming tears on multiple occasions.

In the end, Zhang Zizhan had an epiphany. He silently walked over to Grandfather's study, dropped to his knees before Grandfather, and declared, "Grandfather's grace in saving my life is equivalent to a second birth by my parents. Zizhan is willing to enlist under your banner!"

Grandfather was truly thirsting for worthy talent and hurriedly helped Zhang Zizhan to his feet. This marked the ninth year since he had assumed leadership of the hall. Over those nine years, the only truly capable figures in the hall besides the First and Second Gang Leaders were the Third Gang Leader, whom he had recruited two years prior; the remainder were merely the remnants and aging veterans under Zhang Dancheng's command.

From that moment onward, Zhang Zizhan followed Grandfather, and it was precisely starting from this juncture that Grandfather truly gained wings like a tiger, propelling the fortunes of the hall into genuine prosperity. Zhang Zizhan was simply too formidable! After thoroughly reading the "Secret Manual of Zhazhai," he immediately pointed out various shortcomings within the manual to Grandfather, stating, "The fundamental value in everything lies in innovation! The 'Zhazhai' technique has been passed down for so many years, and a great deal of it has become obsolete!"

Grandfather instructed him to create some new "Zhazhai" methods. After pondering deeply for several days, Zhang Zizhan penned a ten-thousand-word treatise titled "New Methods of Zhazhai," divided into chapters on Taoist arts, celestial numbers, meteorology, Western science (physics and chemistry), incantations, and more, effectively creating a master compilation of both old and new "Zhazhai" techniques. Upon reading it, Grandfather repeatedly gasped in wonder and praised it without reservation!