Chapter Nine: The Unveiling of the Hidden Forces

After escaping the tiger’s jaws, panting heavily, Sayyid thought Ding Li would finally give up the chase. But to his surprise, Ding Li simply told him to go home first. Instantly, Sayyid guessed at Ding Li’s intentions; the fear that had consumed him moments before was gone, replaced by a burning resolve. He straightened his neck, his face flushed with excitement, and spoke with eyes shining, full of determination.

“Brother Li, I want to be a special forces soldier. I want to be a soldier like you.”

Ding Li merely smiled in response, offering no clear reply. And so, the two walked in silence, one after the other, toward the docks.

The city was quiet in the dead of night. Only a few patrolling soldiers and watchmen appeared from time to time. Occasionally, a drunk would stagger by, but he’d soon be dragged off by the night patrol to sober up.

Tonight, though, the docks were unusually lively. Flames lit up the night, and crowds surged. Not far from yesterday’s altercation, on territory belonging to the Cao Trading Guild, two medium-sized sea vessels had been impounded. One was even ablaze. By the time Ding Li and Sayyid arrived, the fire was under control, but the ship would need major repairs—months before it could sail again.

No one paid attention to the shipowners; all eyes were fixed on the forces behind these vessels. To seal off cargo ships and set one aflame on Cao Guild territory—there was only one group in the whole Guangzhou Prefecture capable of such a feat.

The Zhang Trading Guild and the Governor of Lingnan East had joined forces. The fire had been started by members of the Zhang Guild, who had been apprehended. It was said the blaze was not intentional, but rather the result of a scuffle. The cause of the dispute? News spread by the Governor’s men: two ships had been caught smuggling goods, bypassing the Maritime Customs and seeking to distribute their cargo in Guangzhou and even across the Tang Empire. Though they were only medium-sized ships, the lost tax revenue was astronomical.

That night, Guangzhou’s port was sealed off by the military. The Governor’s Chief Secretary, Yang Ru, arrived in person with three hundred guards and a thousand elite troops, surrounding the site completely.

Cao Wei, the Inspector of Lingnan East, and Tian Gaolang, the eunuch assigned by the imperial court as Guangzhou’s Maritime Commissioner, both showed up. Managers from both the Zhang and Cao Guilds were present as well. After brief negotiations, Yang Ru was put in charge of the cordon, and the Zhang Guild members were bailed out—after all, their ship had been caught smuggling, and the Guild’s young master offered strong guarantees.

Cao Wei and Tian Gaolang, both with guilty secrets, had no desire to waste their energy on minor figures. They focused on finding the person responsible for the impounded ships, hoping to extricate themselves from the situation as quickly as possible.

“Brother Li! I know who owns those two ships!” Mixing with the crowd leaving the docks, Ding Li and Sayyid probed for information. No sooner had they left than Sayyid, eager to claim credit, jumped in front of Ding Li, his intelligent eyes shining.

“Oh?” Ding Li’s mind was still absorbed in the machinations of the powerful factions, but he realized Sayyid had access to far more information. The moment he heard this, the critical importance struck him. His eyes brightened, and he nodded emphatically, grabbing Sayyid’s hand and breaking into a run, urging him in a low voice: “Quick! Lao Wu and Master Liu will probably go as well! If we can find the shipowner first, whether we hand him to the Guild or to the authorities, we can use their power to deal with Lao Wu and the others!”

“Brother Li! Don’t you think we’re two heroes with the same vision?” Sayyid, gripped by Ding Li’s strong hand and swept along at a brisk pace, still managed to seek praise.

As the capital of Lingnan East, Guangzhou boasted not only the largest port but an expansive city as well. By the time Sayyid led Ding Li to the shipowner’s home, both men let out deep sighs.

“Ah!” Looking at the wrecked gate and the dilapidated courtyard, they exchanged glances and shook their heads with bitter smiles. Ding Li rubbed his furrowed brow, steeling himself before stepping inside, hoping to find some clue amidst these ruins.

There were no living beings, not even any objects worth a few coins—everything had been taken. Though there were no signs of a struggle, the broken gates alone suggested the owner hadn’t left voluntarily. The household furnishings had likely been removed deliberately, creating the impression of the shipowner’s escape.

With no clues and no useful information, Ding Li and Sayyid left disappointed, taking advantage of the dawn’s mist to hurry back to the foreign quarter. Neither spoke of the night’s events during the journey.

Summer days are long and nights short; Guangzhou was no exception. Before the hour of the tiger had passed, daylight was already bright. Unlike the bustling city center, the foreign quarter was quiet—the many expatriates, after a night of revelry, were still asleep. Only a few young laborers, like Sayyid, were up early. On their way home, many greeted Ding Li, making Sayyid puff out his chest with pride, hoping Ding Li would notice that this was all thanks to his presence.

Under the trees outside Sayyid’s door, several elderly men sat drinking tea and chatting. These were men who had spent most of their lives seeking fortune on Tang soil. Though they hadn’t found gold, they had established homes in a foreign land. Thanks to Tang’s open policies, they enjoyed a peaceful old age surrounded by descendants.

“Our Little Rus is finally back!” Before they reached the gate, a bearded elder grinned at Sayyid, jokingly tweaking his surname. The others, seeing it was indeed Sayyid, smiled warmly.

“Little Rus, out all night again? You worried your father sick!”

“That’s right, child. Last night we heard from the gatekeepers that the city was in chaos—fires, brawls, even the army called in!”

“Little Rus, best not to go out at night for now. The city’s not safe. Just yesterday, merchants from the north said the Tang is faring poorly south of the Yangtze. The rebel armies have crossed into Jiangnan. Though Wang Xianzhi was defeated in spring, some of his men joined the General of the Sky. The imperial court can’t stabilize the situation; chaos reigns! Ah, looks like the world is about to fall into disorder again—peaceful days are numbered.”

The last elder seemed to harbor a special affection for the Tang, though he addressed Sayyid, his gaze was fixed on the northern sky, muttering endlessly.

“Understood, thank you, uncles!” Sayyid’s mind was clearly elsewhere, but he responded politely, glancing toward his open gate, then at the elders, who had returned to their discussion of the war. He stepped forward and asked quietly, “Wait—my father isn’t home?”

“Oh! He went to the eastern market. Before leaving, he asked us to keep an eye on things this afternoon!” The bearded elder answered absentmindedly, then suddenly turned, his eyes gleaming with gossip. He grinned mysteriously and whispered, “Little Rus, you don’t know yet—your father’s overjoyed! He’s been bragging to us since dawn, saying he’s about to have a daughter-in-law, and next year he’ll be holding a grandson!”

“What? Daughter-in-law? Grandson?!” Sayyid leapt back in shock, staring at the bearded elder, then at the others, before slowly turning to Ding Li, who looked equally surprised.

“Oh no!”

Almost in unison, Ding Li and Sayyid cried out and dashed into the courtyard. There was no need to ask further; Sayyid’s father must have discovered Liu Sheng’s presence and assumed she was his son’s bride.

But the misunderstandings mattered little; what mattered was that Sayyid’s father had revealed Liu Sheng’s existence. Heaven knows how many informants of Lao Wu and Master Liu lurked in the foreign quarter. They might not act openly, but could easily target a defenseless young woman in secret.

“Brother Li, I’m sorry, it’s all my fault, it’s all my fault!” Sayyid apologized repeatedly as they rushed into the house, inwardly cursing his loose-tongued father and anxiously awaiting Ding Li’s instructions.

“It’s not your fault—it’s my negligence, and now your family might be in trouble. I should be the one apologizing!” Ding Li’s expression was grave; he feared nothing for himself, but dreaded harming those around him. After reassuring Sayyid, he hurried to the room arranged for Liu Sheng.

“Sheng’er! Pack your things—we’re leaving!” Ding Li’s voice arrived before he did, startling Liu Sheng, who jumped up, panic etched on her face as she demanded, “Brother Li, what happened? Why were you gone all night? You scared me!”

Tears slid down Liu Sheng’s weary, sleepless cheeks, tugging at Ding Li’s heart. But he forced himself to act quickly, stepping forward to gently wipe her face, softening his tone to comfort her: “It’s nothing. I’ve found a safer place. We need to leave now, so we don’t bring trouble to Sayyid’s family.”

“Really?” Liu Sheng clearly didn’t believe him, but after gazing at him through tearful eyes, she nodded obediently and began silently gathering her belongings.