Chapter 51: The Four Wonders of Little South Sea

The night market of Fuxu Town, its most bustling area was not on the shore, but nestled in the heart of the city where a tributary from the southern seas of Fuxu Harbor wound its way inward, forming what was known as Little South Sea. Though named for the nearby ocean, it was in truth but a lake, meticulously crafted by human hands, borrowing the name for grandeur alone.

Along the stone steps at the edge of Little South Sea, elegant pleasure boats lay moored in neat rows. Their decorations, though varied, were all exceedingly lavish—a clear attempt to entice the town's wealthy merchants, magnates, and nobility. Even the lake’s center was dotted with boats adrift amid shimmering lanterns, as if unwilling to be tainted by the dust of the shore, pure as lotus blossoms rising from the water.

Walking through the night, Zhang Mingzhi dismissed the servants who had accompanied him, then stood beneath the pavilion on the bridge spanning Little South Sea. He placed a hand on Ding Li’s shoulder, pausing in thought before sighing meaningfully, “Ah, Ali! Look at this fat morsel before us. Soon, our South Sea Syndicate will swallow it whole. With nothing but these pleasure boats along the shore, we’ll rake in gold by the day!”

Ding Li was startled by the remark. Although the lake was not vast—one could see its far shore at a glance—there were hundreds of pleasure boats within and without its bounds. If all their business were to fall into their hands, he was certain Zhang Mingzhi’s promise of fortunes was no exaggeration. He marveled silently at the breadth of Zhang Mingzhi's ambition.

“Shouyi! Didn’t we come here for dinner? Why are you talking business again?” Zhang Yurou, behind them, pouted in discontent, shooting Ding Li a sideways glare as though blaming him for the diversion.

“What’s the rush? Since we’re here, shouldn’t Ali see the true no-man’s-land of Fuxu?” Zhang Mingzhi replied with a laugh, though he looked troubled when he saw Zhang Yurou dressed in men’s attire. Neither Ding Li nor Zhang Wu had expected her spare outfit for outings to be a disguise as a young man.

Yet, with her slender waist-length hair pulled back, the disguise was hardly convincing—anyone not blind could see through it. Her flawless features lost a bit of feminine softness but gained a boldness rarely seen in women. At this moment, she was not only beautiful, but handsome as well.

“Brother Li, our Little South Sea boasts four delights: wine, meat, wealth, and beauty!” Zhang Wu took the opportunity to whisper in Ding Li’s ear, his tone so low that even Ding Li had to strain to hear him, as if afraid Zhang Yurou might overhear. “The wine and meat here are ordinary. But wealth and beauty—those are truly first-rate! Especially the latter, you’ll never want to leave!”

“Hmph...” Ding Li snorted indifferently, shrugging as though unimpressed, perhaps still nursing resentment over Zhang Wu’s earlier schemes. Seeing this, Zhang Wu was quick to protest, tugging at Ding Li’s sleeve and raising his voice slightly, “Brother Li! Don’t doubt me! See these pleasure boats? Any one you board, you’ll find a bevy of beauties—not quite enough to topple a kingdom, but unmatched in allure!”

Ding Li gave no reply, but when he turned to look at Zhang Wu, his eyes narrowed in amusement, tinged with a hint of pity.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Zhang Wu, unsettled by Ding Li’s gaze, asked instinctively, only then realizing he had forgotten Zhang Yurou was right beside them in disguise.

“Zhang Wu...” The name was uttered like a demon’s call from hell. Zhang Wu shivered, turning to meet the steely gaze of Zhang Yurou. Her expression was icy, teeth clenched as if she wished to kill him with her eyes.

“Sister Rou, I—I...” Zhang Wu stammered, desperately gesturing to Ding Li for help, then, in a flash of inspiration, explained hurriedly, “Brother Li’s here for the first time. I was just introducing him to the customs of Fuxu Town!”

“It better be just that!” To Zhang Wu’s surprise, Zhang Yurou let the matter drop, though her glare was full of threat and she spat the words with barely contained fury.

Zhang Wu couldn’t fathom why Zhang Yurou had suddenly changed her demeanor, but he knew Ding Li had orchestrated the situation. Just as he was about to confront Ding Li, Ding Li drew him closer, smiling curiously, “Brother Wu! I understand the latter—beauty, after all, I am a man myself! But what about the former? Wealth? Surely it’s more than a few copper coins?”

Seeing Ding Li’s knowing smile, Zhang Wu quickly let go of his earlier grievance, his enthusiasm reigniting. He looked at Ding Li with undisguised contempt, snorting coldly as his lips curled in disdain, “Hmph! Brother Li, you really are a country bumpkin! Copper coins? That’s all you think of! But I can’t blame you.”

He pointed to several three-story pleasure boats, towering and extravagantly adorned, patiently explaining to the ‘country bumpkin’ at his side, “See those boats? They look like three stories, but there’s another level beneath. The upper floors are for merriment—eating, drinking, entertainment. Below is the gambling den! Every night, some people win enough here to buy a grand mansion in Guangzhou. Of course, where there’s gambling, there’s loss. Many gamblers, even some well-off merchants, have drowned themselves in this lake after losing everything.”

“Ah! Nine in ten lose at gambling. There’s no such thing as easy riches.” Ding Li shook his head with a sigh. Though he had never gambled himself, he had witnessed plenty who were ruined by it. Even in the slums of Guangzhou where he once lived, he remembered a notorious gambler who sold his wife and daughter, ended up destitute, and was eventually found dead in a tributary of the Guangzhou port, said to have fled creditors.

Still, Ding Li now understood the four delights of Little South Sea from Zhang Wu’s account. He quickened his pace to catch up, asking in a low voice, “Brother Wu, does the Zhang Commerce Guild also dabble in gambling?”

Glancing at Zhang Mingzhi ahead, Ding Li added, “And does our second brother fancy such things? This isn’t exactly a respectable business—it doesn’t fit with the Guild’s usual style.”

“No, our second brother isn’t interested in that. Besides, our money isn’t so easily won! Every casino has its tricks—mostly to lure outsiders. Even those who know the game are just playing with fate. Anyone who enters isn’t short of money, though some gamblers are exceptions.” Speaking of his master, Zhang Wu shook his head earnestly, then shot Ding Li another look of disdain, snorting, “Brother Li, don’t be foolish! What is a merchant, if not someone who seeks profit? Reputation means nothing compared to profit. The Zhangs simply avoid dirty waters to protect their name.”

“That’s true—profit above all.” Ding Li nodded in understanding, recalling the famous saying: when capitalists see fifty percent profit, they dare risk; at one hundred percent, they trample all laws; at three hundred percent, they’ll brave the gallows.

Then he remembered Zhang Mingzhi’s words beneath the pavilion and pulled Zhang Wu aside, asking, “Brother Wu, what Second Brother said earlier sounded as though he’s interested in this business now?”

“That’s right! But it’s not his own desire—he’s forced into it.” Zhang Wu nodded, not forgetting to defend his master. Seeing Ding Li’s confusion, he sighed and patiently explained, “You don’t know yet! Recently, the Cao clan has been expanding, reaching into Little South Sea. Word is, the biggest power here, Old Hua the Fifth, has secretly struck a deal with the Caos. The Zhangs and the Caos are mortal enemies now. Whatever the Caos want, we’ll try to stop them! And this piece of meat is truly fat. If our South Sea Syndicate takes it, we’ll expand our power much faster. After all, to feed all our brothers, money is still the key.”

“I see, that makes sense,” Ding Li nodded, understanding the rivalry between two opposing factions. He recalled that Chairman Mao once said, whatever they do, we’re opposed, and will do whatever it takes to stop them.

But Ding Li frowned, quietly asking, “So you want me to develop the South Sea Syndicate here in Fuxu Town? And, it looks like my opponent has changed from Old Liu the Third to this Old Hua the Fifth?”

“What did you expect? The South Sea Syndicate was meant for Fuxu! Or should we just stick to that tiny dock at Guangzhou port?” Zhang Wu glared at Ding Li, then shook his head to correct him, “But you’re wrong about your opponent—it hasn’t changed, it’s grown! The main force of the Chaozhou Gang is here, and besides them, you’ll face not only Old Hua the Fifth and the Chaozhou Gang, but also the Tian family of the Maritime Bureau and the Cao family with their Inspector.”

“You and Second Brother have too much faith in me,” Ding Li gasped, caught off guard by the enormity of the task. Zhang Wu smiled, nodded, and clapped Ding Li’s shoulder, his voice solemn, “Brother Li, I believe in you! I know you can do it!”

“Your belief does me no good!” Ding Li brushed off Zhang Wu’s hand with annoyance, pursed his lips, then glanced at the shore where the grand pleasure boats stood like cranes among chickens. He rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

As he walked, pondering, after a moment Ding Li raised his head again, his eyes gleaming, lips curling into a confident smile. He snorted coldly, “So, it’s just a few lousy underground casinos? You think I can’t handle them?”