Daomu Biji: The Southern Archives

The inland city of Changsha wasn’t like Xiamen. It was humid, there was no breeze, and the smell of stinky tofu and spices from various stands filled the air. Something like oil fumes, fog, or firewood smoke floated up in the air.

There were peddlers, merchants with their mules, and ethnic minorities in western Hunan garb. Among the monks and beggars with unkempt hair, wealthy people sat on three-wheeled rickshaws. It was difficult to describe Changsha in one word.

After they got off the train at Changsha Station, they ate a bowl of spicy rice noodles. Zhang Haiyan had also eaten spicy food in Malacca, but it was never this spicy. As he tried to finish it all, his head ended up drenched in sweat

Changsha’s bustling main street was hardly any different from the concession regions. The alleys were laid with bluestones and there were many overcrowded teahouses.

The sounds of Xiang Opera, Huagu Opera, and Tanci (1) were flooding into the streets. At that time, there were more than fifty theaters in Changsha with various operas performing around the clock. Lanterns were lit everywhere, showing an atmosphere full of joy and merriment that was unique to the Hunan people.

This environment was very different from the one Zhang Haiyan had grown up in, so he was feeling a sense of freedom and freshness. He felt that everything was so different, vibrant, and energetic.

Zhang Haiqi seemed to have been to Changsha before and was a bit emotional, as if she was revisiting an old place. Zhang Haiyan wondered if it had been half a century since she had last visited here.

The two of them finished their meal and took a walk to digest their food. Before they came here, they had sent telegrams warning that they were coming since they were worried that they would be mistaken for spies when they arrived.

The hotel they stayed at was called Good Fortune Hotel, which was one of the best in Changsha. Now that it was the off-season, there weren’t any prostitutes coming and going, so it was very quiet.

While they walked along the streets, Zhang Haiyan and Zhang Haiqi discussed what to do when they met Zhang Qishan. Since he was a special figure, they had to achieve their goals while avoiding any possible changes.

“Mother, under this kind of situation, what mentality should we have in order to deal with it?” Zhang Haiyan asked. In fact, this question was actually very difficult to answer.

“If we make an analogy, it’s like we’re the poor relatives from the country who are coming to gain favor from our wealthy relatives,” Zhang Haiqi said. It was rare that they were all surnamed Zhang, so they had to take advantage of it.

“So, we’re going to kiss his ass.” Zhang Haiyan lit a cigarette.

“No,” Zhang Haiqi said. “You’re going to kiss his ass.”

“Should we take action first in case there are any problems?” Zhang Haiyan asked.

“Zhang Qishan has been merciful several times. I’ve already informed him that we’re coming, so I don’t think he’ll change his behavior so suddenly,” Zhang Haiqi said. “But we can only come to a conclusion after we meet him. Then we’ll act as we see fit.”

To their surprise, Zhang Qishan’s lieutenant was already waiting for them at the hotel door when they arrived. As soon as they entered, they saw an officer in a military uniform looking at a horizontal calligraphy painting on the wall in the hotel lobby. He seemed to be contemplating something.

The way they do things is really efficient, Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.

As Zhang Haiqi and Zhang Haiyan walked towards him, servants came to take their coats. Then, the guards outside closed the doors and windows and started lighting the lamps in the room.

This person must be Zhang Qishan, Zhang Haiyan thought to himself.

As Zhang Haiqi walked to the sofa in the lobby, she saw that the western-style fireplace on one side had also been lit.

Zhang Qishan looked back, eyeing the two of them.

Zhang Haiyan knew how to read people. When he looked at Zhang Qishan, he knew that this man was the embodiment of his name. His aura was just like an unshakeable mountain (2).

“Generally speaking, I’m not fond of people from the Zhang family (3). But since you’re already here, it’s impolite to make you leave right away. Are we going to talk about the past or discuss business first?” Zhang Qishan asked as he sat on the sofa and motioned for them to sit down. “Miss Zhang must have a lot to discuss with me, but I’m busy with official duties so it’s better to make it short.”

Zhang Haiqi also looked at Zhang Qishan. Nothing major has happened considering the so-called “mountains and seas must not see each other”. Are we really meeting just like that?

“Are you also from the Zhang family?”

“Actually, I don’t want to reminisce about the past. I used to be from the Zhang family, but now I’m not.”

“Is it really possible to choose not to be one of them?”

“I’ve tried it and it’s possible,” Zhang Qishan said. “If you’re here to tell me I can’t do that, then I suggest you not speak.”

Zhang Haiyan observed the hotel carefully, noting that it was probably full of Zhang Qishan’s people. It was abundantly clear that Zhang Qishan was wary of them. Zhang Haiyan felt as if the other man was giving off the same kind of vibes as Zhang Ruipu, but this was his first time being surrounded by a regular army.

Zhang Haiqi sensed the tense atmosphere and also looked around. “I don’t know about your relationship with the Zhang family or your past, but they definitely have nothing to do with me. Hailou, you can tell him why we’re here.”

Zhang Haiyan glanced at her and said to himself, I wanted to see how Mother would reveal our purpose without embarrassing herself. I didn’t expect that she would make me do it.

Zhang Haiyan coughed as Zhang Qishan looked at them coldly.

“Well, we’re all surnamed Zhang,” Zhang Haiyan said. “We’re actually here to seek shelter from our relatives. We’ve encountered a tricky matter in Xiamen and are short of people. We were hoping you could lend us a few military divisions since we’re all relatives.”

Zhang Qishan looked at Zhang Haiyan and then at Zhang Haiqi at the door. He put his hands together, moved his fingers, and said to the lieutenant, “If this person is still joking when he opens his mouth again, take both of them away.”

The lieutenant nodded and put his hand on the gun at his waist.

Zhang Haiyan immediately felt distressed when he realized that this was a serious person. They had actually heard about Zhang Qishan’s style of doing things on their way here, but he didn’t expect him to be so direct.

Zhang Haiqi spoke up at this time, “What’s the relationship between you and Mo Yungao?”

Zhang Qishan tilted his head and looked at Zhang Haiqi, obviously a little surprised. As he thought about it, Zhang Haiqi continued, “I know you’re investigating him. I’ll tell you what we know, and you’ll tell us what you know. Our goals are the same. There’s no need to waste time.” With that said, she glanced at Zhang Haiyan.

Then, Zhang Haiyan told Zhang Qishan everything that had happened.

His account was very brief, but Zhang Qishan listened very carefully. He fell silent after listening to their story and then tilted his head and looked out the window. “The Southern Archives was destroyed by a southwestern warlord, and you think he might continue to spread the plague. This Mo Yungao has no clear purpose and acts strangely.”

As Zhang Haiyan nodded, Zhang Qishan sat up and said, “It’s true that I’m investigating Mo Yungao. Too many people have gone missing in Beihai, so the people up top want me to investigate him in a low-key manner. But I haven’t made any progress. If you can provide actual evidence of what you said, I can forcibly seize his right to command the troops and stop what they’re doing. At that point, you can deal with him however you want. But if there’s no evidence, I’m afraid the people up top won’t want anything to happen. The current political situation is chaotic enough as is. This means that it’ll be impossible for me to mobilize Changsha’s defense troops to attack Beihai.”

Zhang Haiyan realized at this time that although their dialogue was very awkward, it was still effective. This Zhang Qishan was a person who didn’t pay attention to the atmosphere, but placed an emphasis on direct communication.

“If you’re willing to work with us, we’ll provide you with evidence,” Zhang Haiqi said. “But you must give us Mo Yungao in the end.”

Zhang Qishan stood up and nodded, “I actually met Mo Yungao many years ago. His behavior was very strange. He said that he admired my surname and then told me a story. It was during a fight between southeastern warlords when the plague was running rampant through the southeastern regions. He was still a platoon leader back then and entered a plague-infected area. All of his troops died because of the plague. As he was hiding in a plague-ravaged village, a young man surnamed Zhang used his blood to save Mo Yungao. From then on, Mo Yungao believed that he had met an extraordinary person.”

“An extraordinary person?”

“Combined with your statement, I believe he might have met a person from the Zhang family. He saw that the person had special abilities, so he spread the plague in order to see people from the Zhang family again.” Zhang Qishan took the military cap that the lieutenant handed him. “I don’t know much about it, but since I already told you what I know, it’s safe to say we’ve reached an agreement. I’ll wait for your evidence. When the mountain and the sea meet each other, it means that things are chaotic in the northeast. Since we have the same ancestors, Changsha can take you in if you’re willing to serve the country. In addition—” Zhang Qishan paused for a moment before adding, “Mo Yungao is on his way to Nanjing now. Officers from all over the country are going to Nanjing to report to the people up top. I can assist you in Nanjing with whatever you’re planning to do.”

With that said, Zhang Qishan left the hotel and got in a car. As it drove away, the lieutenant told the hotel staff to treat them with hospitality, good food, and to let them rest. He also informed them that there were guards outside who would protect them.

Why are they so busy? Is this what they do when poor relatives visit them? Zhang Haiyan thought to himself. He was just about to speak up, when Zhang Haiqi said, “Mo Yungao has met the patriarch.”

“The patriarch?”

“He thought that the patriarch was an extraordinary person,” Zhang Haiqi said. “This either means that Mo Yungao knows of the Zhang family’s existence, or he at least knows something about it. He’s done so many things because he wants to know more about the Zhang family.”

That was why the killers on the Nan’an were bringing all the bodies back.

****

TN Notes:

(1)Xiang Opera is a major local opera in Changsha. Huagu Opera is basically Flower-Drum Opera. Tanci is a narrative form of song in China that alternates between verse and prose.

(2) Remember, “Shan” means “mountain” in Chinese.

(3) Although Fo Ye’s surname is Zhang, he wants nothing to do with the Zhang family that Poker-face is from (i.e., the main branch).