Chapter Forty-Two: Fuxu Town

By the time Ding Li and Zhang Wu arrived at Fuxu Town, dusk was already approaching. They had not been far from their destination, but as soon as they emerged from the forest, both realized the gravity of their situation: when Cao Hai and Cao You left, they had either slaughtered or scattered all the mounts along the official road.

What was even more unfortunate was that, all the way to Fuxu Town, they did not encounter a single merchant caravan—a highly unusual occurrence under normal circumstances.

The port of Guangzhou Prefecture was in fact not as large as Fuxu Port. Fuxu Port was the greatest port in the Tang Empire for merchant ships heading overseas, without exception. All foreign goods arriving by sea at Fuxu Port were inspected and taxed by the Port Maritime Office, before being escorted by merchant caravans to Guangzhou Prefecture, and thence formally entering Tang territory to be distributed across the country.

Though called a “town,” Fuxu was in fact built on a scale comparable to a medium-sized city. Within its walls, troops controlled by the Port Maritime Office and some under the command of the Regional Commander guarded the area. The inspections were not overly strict, but as Zhang Wu explained, Ding Li learned that there were over two thousand regular troops stationed in Fuxu Town alone, with the Port Maritime Officer and the Regional Commander wielding nearly equal power—no doubt to maintain a balance.

When Ding Li and the injured Zhang Wu entered Fuxu Town through the north gate, Ding Li was somewhat apprehensive, but the gate guards barely spared Zhang Wu a glance. All they did was, by “custom,” collect a ten-copper entrance fee, ask no further questions, and hand both men a finely crafted wooden token.

“Brother Wu, those guards just now didn’t even seem to notice your injury. Is this formidable defense just for show?” Ding Li couldn’t help but voice his doubts once they were some distance from the gate. He toyed with the token, which bore the character “Virtuous,” and grinned, pressing further: “Also, what’s this token for? A certificate of good citizenship?”

“Brother Li, Fuxu Town is not quite what it appears. Of course, you could say the guards are just for show. But let me warn you, those unremarkable guards are actually elite troops from our Lingnan Eastern Circuit, especially here in Fuxu Town—they include veterans sent by our Commander Li to campaign against Nanzhao!” Zhang Wu smiled faintly, knowing Ding Li was visiting Fuxu Port for the first time, and patiently explained. “As for the token, you know about the ‘unsavory’ people in the Tang, right? Here in Fuxu Town, anyone—whether arriving by sea or from elsewhere—who doesn’t have this token, if caught by the city patrol, can be executed on the spot under military law!”

“So strict?” Ding Li was startled, examining the token again. Glancing at the passersby, he noticed that most wore their tokens at their waists, presumably for convenience. Then another question occurred to him, and he asked, “Brother Wu, I see everyone keeps their token at the waist, probably to prove they’re law-abiding. But what if someone steals it? It’s not impossible—if someone wanted revenge, couldn’t they steal your token and put you in mortal danger?”

Zhang Wu burst out laughing. “Brother Li, how can you be so silly? Did you notice all the security agencies along the way? If you lose your token, just find the nearest one flying the banner of Guangzhou Prefecture, and they’ll issue a replacement for twenty copper coins. But generally, no one steals them—these tokens are worthless, can’t be traded for money! Even the patrols won’t barge into homes without cause. So you needn’t worry.”

“Oh, I see.” Ding Li nodded with sudden understanding, though he still thought twenty copper coins was too much for a wooden token, however well made—the cost couldn’t be more than three coppers. Clearly, this was just another way for those in power to line their pockets.

“Also, Brother Li, within Fuxu Town, never get into a public brawl! The troops here don’t care who’s right or wrong—if you disturb public order, neither side will come out well!” Suddenly, Zhang Wu stopped, glancing at a crowd ahead. Seeing Ding Li was distracted, he quickly warned him, as if worried Ding Li might intervene.

“So they don’t distinguish right from wrong? What about foreigners? Do they have the same privileges as in the Foreigners’ Quarter of Guangzhou?” Ding Li was annoyed and confused as to how such a harsh policy could govern a place effectively.

“Privileges? That is their so-called privilege!” Zhang Wu snorted coldly, his gaze toward the foreign faces growing contemptuous. “Brother Li, there are actually more foreigners here than Tang people. Such seemingly indiscriminate rules are meant precisely to keep the foreigners in check! Many of them come from the privileged Foreigners’ Quarter in Guangzhou, and that privilege has made them arrogant and unruly here in Fuxu Town. They’re constantly causing trouble! Before Commander Li took office, Fuxu Town was chaotic. When he arrived, he deployed over ten thousand regular troops in one sweep to restore order. Things look peaceful now, but at night, you’d be surprised what goes on in this city.”

“It does sound rather lawless...” Copying the locals, Ding Li threaded his token onto his belt and replied casually. Just as he looked up, the very thing Zhang Wu had feared occurred. Seeing Ding Li’s puzzled gaze fixed on the crowd ahead, Zhang Wu quickly tried to steer him away, making an excuse: “Brother Li, this way is closer to our Zhang Trading House branch. The Second Master is surely there—he won’t expect us to arrive so soon. We might even surprise him!”

“Did we travel that fast? If we hadn’t lost our horses, we’d have made it by lunchtime!” Ding Li looked up at the slanting sun in confusion, gave Zhang Wu a questioning glance, then pushed past him, ignoring his excuse, and walked straight toward the crowd, muttering, “What’s going on up there? Why are women and children crying? Let’s see what’s happening—how can anyone bully women and children?”

“Oh, Brother Li, let’s just go to the branch!” Zhang Wu knew he couldn’t dissuade Ding Li, but made one last attempt, only to be met with a fierce glare. With a helpless shake of his head and a sheepish grin, he followed after.

It wasn’t that Zhang Wu was afraid of trouble; he was mainly anxious about Zhang Mingzhi’s injuries, and he himself was wounded. He didn’t want to get involved in anything as soon as they arrived in Fuxu Town. But he knew that once Ding Li set his mind to something, not even nine oxen could drag him back.

Just as Ding Li had heard, once he pushed into the crowd, he saw a young woman slumped on the ground, a child of about three or four wailing beside her. The woman clung desperately to the robe of a man in blue, crying out loudly.

But the man showed no hint of shame—only anger. Were it not for the murmuring crowd, he might already have struck her.

“Please, don’t abandon us!” the woman wept in despair, her pleas clearly futile. Yet whenever her eyes fell on the child beside her, a flicker of hope lit her gaze. She clung to the man, begging, “How can you be so heartless? What will become of us? What of all our promises—have you forgotten?”

“How many times must I tell you? I don’t love you anymore! The one I love now is her—not you!” The man’s patience had worn thin. He bent to yank his robe free, but the woman’s grip was unbreakable. Though a chill flickered in his eyes, the sound of the child’s crying made it fade. When he looked at the woman again, his expression hardened, his voice so cold that even the onlookers shuddered. “How many times must I say it? I don’t love you anymore!”

“No, I don’t believe it! I don’t!” The woman’s eyes grew vacant, her cries turning shrill, but she still tried to hold on. Lifting her tear-stained face, she pleaded, shaking her head desperately. “This can’t be! We made vows together! You must be bewitched by that foreign witch from Dashi! It must be her sorcery! You can’t be so cruel—what will become of us?”

Dashi was the Tang term for the Arabs and Persians—a broad label for various western peoples. Their religious beliefs were far from unified, and some even spread heresies in the Tang Empire. Since the early days of Tang contact with Dashi, these foreigners had often been suspected of spreading strange faiths, and so the woman believed her husband had been bewitched by the Dashi woman he now loved.

A sudden slap rang out.

The woman’s pleas, the child’s wailing, and the murmurs in the crowd all fell silent. No one had expected the man in blue to strike so viciously. Even Ding Li was startled by the abruptness.

The woman, knocked to the ground by the blow, pushed herself up with trembling hands, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth and five red finger marks blooming on her cheek—the force of the strike plain for all to see.