xymnovel Chapter 18 Hidden Agents and Undercurrents
Chapter 18 Hidden Agents and Undercurrents
In June of the fourteenth year of the Chongzhen reign (1641), summer arrived fiercely in Qishui.
It's only been past the Dragon Boat Festival, and the sun is already so scorching it can crack the ridges of the fields.
In the terraced fields behind Majiazhai, sweet potato vines drooped listlessly, and corn leaves curled at the edges.
The village elders said this was a sign of a severe drought.
Ma Changsheng stood on the village wall, gazing at the cracked fields in the distance, his brow furrowed.
Drought, war, and plague—the three major scourges of the late Ming Dynasty may all come together this year.
"Chief, the rain-seeking teams from all the villages are ready," Chen Jiru reported, holding a register. "As you instructed, each village will send ten people to take turns carrying the Dragon King statue in a procession, but not too much food will be used."
Ma Changsheng nodded: "The ceremony is necessary, but it shouldn't interfere with the farming season. Have fifty members of the armored team help carry water, prioritizing the irrigation of the experimental fields within the village."
The experimental field was ten mu of land specially designated by Ma Changsheng to test drought-resistant crops: in addition to sweet potatoes and corn, there were also potatoes, peanuts, and even a few tomato plants that he had obtained from caravans—which were still ornamental plants in this era.
"Can these foreign gadgets really keep you full?" Aunt Chen shook her head as she looked at the strangely shaped crops.
"It's never a bad thing to give it a try," Ma Changsheng said. "If it succeeds, it could save many people."
He knew history: the severe drought during the Chongzhen era was one of the important reasons for the fall of the Ming Dynasty.
The promotion of drought-resistant crops may change the fate of some people—at least within the sphere of influence of Majiazhai.
Besides drought relief, he had more pressing matters to attend to.
On the third day of the sixth lunar month, Tiezhu brought bad news: two more spies had been captured in the village.
"They're both new refugees. One's pretending to be mute, and the other's pretending to be lame." Tie Zhu's face was grim. "They secretly carved marks on the stockade wall at night, but the patrol team discovered them."
Ma Changsheng personally interrogated him.
The first "mute" could actually speak; he confessed as soon as he was tortured: he was sent by Sun Kewang, and his mission was to create chaos in the village, preferably by setting fire to the granary.
The second "crippled" man was more assertive, but when he saw his accomplice confess, he also relented: they were people in Zhang Xianzhong's intelligence system, and their mission was not sabotage, but long-term infiltration to collect information on the troops, supplies, and defense deployments of Majiazhai.
"Are there any accomplices?" Ma Changsheng asked.
"Yes... but I don't know him," the lame man said. "We only communicate through a single line of communication, and we only know the code words: putting a small stone under the third brick on the east side of the gate means it's safe; putting a leaf means there's trouble."
Ma Changsheng sent Tiezhu to investigate, and sure enough, they found the code at the East Gate of the village—three small pebbles.
This indicates that there is at least one hidden spy inside the village, and that it is in a "safe" state.
"Dig it out," Ma Changsheng ordered, "but don't alert them."
He devised a scheme: he deliberately leaked false intelligence, claiming that Majiazhai was planning to join forces with Zuo Liangyu to launch a surprise attack on Zhang Xianzhong's rear. Then he secretly monitored all suspicious individuals to see who would deliver the message.
Three days later, the spy surfaced—it turned out to be a seventeen-year-old apprentice from the medical camp named Wang Xiaoer.
He was usually honest and hardworking, and no one expected him to be a mole.
"Why?" Aunt Chen cried out in anguish, "I've treated you so well!"
Wang Xiaoer knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly: "They captured my mother and sister... saying that if I didn't cooperate, they would kill them..."
It's the same old trick again.
Ma Changsheng sighed. In chaotic times, human life is as worthless as grass, and family ties become the most effective weapon.
Where are your mother and sister?
"In...in Xiangyang, at Zhang Xianzhong's camp."
Ma Changsheng pondered for a moment: "If I send someone to rescue them, are you willing to atone for your sins by doing good deeds?"
Wang Xiaoer suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing with hope: "I'm willing! I'm willing!"
"Alright," Ma Changsheng said to Tiezhu, "Select five capable men to disguise themselves as merchants and go to Xiangyang. Bring plenty of silver and see if we can ransom them. If that doesn't work... we'll have to play it by ear."
He then looked at Wang Xiaoer: "During this time, you will continue to 'pass on' intelligence, but I will decide the content. Can you do that?"
"Yes! It's definitely possible!"
The hidden spy crisis has been temporarily resolved, but Ma Changsheng knows that this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Zhang Xianzhong, Sun Kewang, even Zuo Liangyu and the imperial court could all send spies to him.
A counter-espionage system must be established.
He ordered Tie Zhu to form an "internal security force" of twenty men, specifically responsible for internal security: screening newcomers, monitoring suspicious individuals, and protecting important facilities.
At the same time, the "Security Regulations of the Village" were formulated: outsiders must register and have a guarantor; a curfew is imposed at night; important areas such as granaries, armories, and the assembly hall are guarded by two guards, and the passwords are changed daily.
These measures are cumbersome, but necessary.
In chaotic times, trust is a luxury, and caution is the way to survive.
In mid-June, even greater undercurrents began to stir.
A herbalist from Jiujiang sent a secret letter: Zuo Liangyu and Zhang Xianzhong are locked in a stalemate in the Wuchang area, but they have been in private contact and may be negotiating.
"Zuo Liangyu wants to offer amnesty to Zhang Xianzhong?" Chen Jiru couldn't believe it. "Zhang Xianzhong killed the Prince of Xiang and captured Wuchang. Can the imperial court really offer him amnesty?"
"The imperial court can't, but Zuo Liangyu can," Ma Changsheng analyzed. "Zuo Liangyu has long held military power and no longer obeys the imperial court's orders. His offer of amnesty to Zhang Xianzhong is not for the imperial court, but for himself—to strengthen his power and establish a separatist regime."
If Zuo Liangyu and Zhang Xianzhong joined forces, no one in the entire Huguang region would be able to defeat them.
Is this a blessing or a curse for Majiazhai?
"It might be a good thing in the short term," Coach Sun said. "They're busy negotiating and don't have time to bother with us."
"It's a bad thing in the long run." Ma Changsheng shook his head. "With the two major forces joining forces, they will definitely clean up their own ranks. Small mountain strongholds like ours that don't obey orders are a thorn in their side."
Sure enough, a few days later, strategist Wang came again.
This wasn't an attempt to persuade them to surrender; it was a matter of "coordination."
"Chief Ma, General Zuo Liangyu has sent an envoy to negotiate with our King," strategist Wang said bluntly. "The King's intention is for all the powers in Huguang to express their stance. Which side does your Ma Family Village...stand on?"
This is forcing people to take sides.
Ma Changsheng sneered inwardly, but outwardly feigned reluctance: "Mr. Wang, I'm just a minor bandit chief; how dare I get involved in such a major matter?"
"We have no choice but to get involved," strategist Wang said in a low voice. "Zuo Liangyu's envoy said that within Huguang, you either submit to General Zuo or to King Zhang. There is no third option. Those who don't choose this path are the enemy."
Ma Changsheng pondered, "Then... what does King Zhang hope his students will do?"
"Make a public statement of support for King Zhang," said Wang's strategist. "It would be best if you could send troops and supplies to show your sincerity."
"How many troops and how much food should be sent?"
"Not many, just five hundred soldiers and one thousand bushels of grain."
It's the same old trick again. Ma Changsheng pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Mr. Wang, to be honest: if we send 500 soldiers, the village will be empty; 1,000 shi of grain is half a year's worth of food for the village. If we give it to them, Ma Family Village will collapse."
"What does Chief Ma mean...?"
"Students can express their support for King Zhang, or they can contribute some symbolic provisions," Ma Changsheng said. "But five hundred soldiers and a thousand rations are simply beyond our means. Fifty soldiers and a hundred rations is the limit."
After some haggling, an agreement was reached: Majiazhai would "publicly support" Zhang Xianzhong, providing 30 soldiers, 50 shi of grain, and 100 taels of silver.
"There's one more thing," Wang said before leaving, "Zuo Liangyu might send someone to try and win you over. At that time..."
"The students understand," Ma Changsheng nodded. "They will refuse everything."
After seeing off strategist Wang, Ma Changsheng immediately summoned his core personnel.
"We have to deal with both sides, but we can't truly trust either side," he said. "If Zhang Xianzhong wants us to make a statement, we'll make one; if Zuo Liangyu sends someone, we'll just go along with it. In short, we'll stall for time."
"How long can we hold out?" Tie Zhu asked.
"Let's drag this out until they start fighting, or... until things change." Ma Changsheng looked at the map. "I estimate that the negotiations between Zuo Liangyu and Zhang Xianzhong won't work out. Both of them are ambitious; neither of them is willing to be subservient. Sooner or later, they'll turn against each other."
His judgment was correct.
In late June, Zuo Liangyu's messenger indeed arrived.
The visitor, surnamed Zheng, was a middle-aged man dressed as a civil official, accompanied by twenty guards.
He was more polite than Zhang Xianzhong's men, but his eyes were more shrewd.
"Scholar Ma is a young talent, and General Zuo has long admired his name." Envoy Zheng spoke in a refined manner. "General, you say that the world is in chaos now, which is the time for heroes to display their abilities. If Scholar Ma can abandon the darkness and embrace the light, and submit to the court, you will surely give him an important position."
"Abandon darkness for light?" Ma Changsheng feigned ignorance. "I am a scholar who passed the imperial examinations in the Ming Dynasty. How can you talk about 'abandoning darkness'?"
Envoy Zheng laughed: "Why pretend to be confused, Scholar Ma? You associate with Zhang Xianzhong and accept his investiture; if this were to reach the ears of the imperial court..."
This was a threat. Ma Changsheng sneered inwardly, but feigned fear: "That was merely a temporary measure! Zhang's power is immense, and to protect the people of this region, I had no choice but to feign compliance. In truth, my heart has always been with the imperial court!"
"That's good." Envoy Zheng went along with it. "General Zuo is indeed a pillar of the court. If Scholar Ma is truly loyal, he should assist the general in suppressing the bandits."
Here we go again. Ma Changsheng sighed, "The students are naturally willing, but the village is small and weak..."
"You don't need to send troops," said Zheng, the envoy. "Just do one thing: when Zhang Xianzhong sends someone next time, detain him and hand him over to General Zuo. That would be a great achievement."
Using someone else to do the dirty work. Ma Changsheng was wary: this was a move to completely break him and Zhang Xianzhong's relationship.
"This... Zhang is a suspicious man. If the messenger doesn't return, he will surely seek revenge." Ma Changsheng said in a dilemma, "This small village of mine can't hold him off."
"General Zuo will send troops to assist us," Zheng promised. "After the matter is accomplished, I will recommend Ma Juren as the magistrate of Qishui County, and the local militia will be incorporated into the government army, with their provisions and pay provided by the imperial court."
The offer was tempting, but Ma Changsheng didn't believe it.
Zuo Liangyu's promise, like Zhang Xianzhong's investiture, was nothing but an empty promise.
"This matter is of great importance; please allow me a few days to consider it," Ma Changsheng said, stalling for time.
Envoy Zheng did not press further: "Very well, we will await Scholar Ma's reply in three days."
As soon as the man left, Ma Sanbao panicked: "Chang Sheng, this Zuo Liangyu is even more ruthless than Zhang Xianzhong! Sending us to capture Zhang Xianzhong's men is like pushing us into a fire pit!"
"I know," Ma Changsheng said calmly, "that's why I can't agree."
"What should we do then? If we don't agree, Zuo Liangyu might turn on us."
"So we need to put on a show." Ma Changsheng had an idea.
Three days later, Zheng's envoy arrived as promised.
Ma Changsheng received them at the Juyi Hall, but he looked flustered.
"Lord Zheng, something's happened!" He lowered his voice. "Zhang Xianzhong's men came yesterday, demanding double the tribute from the students. When the students refused, they insisted on forcibly searching the village! Fortunately, the students were prepared and managed to... to get them..."
"What did you do to them?"
"They've been detained for now," Ma Changsheng said. "But the students dare neither kill nor release them. Just when we didn't know what to do, Lord Zheng arrived. It's truly fate!"
Envoy Zheng's eyes lit up: "Where is he? Take me to see him!"
Ma Changsheng led him to a cave in the back mountain, where five people were indeed imprisoned, all tied up and gagged with cloth.
Judging from their clothing, they are indeed dressed as subordinates of Zhang Xianzhong.
"It's them!" Ma Changsheng pointed out.
Envoy Zheng examined them carefully and nodded: "Excellent! Scholar Ma has rendered a great service! I will send men to escort them back to camp immediately!"
"But..." Ma Changsheng hesitated, "If Zhang Xianzhong finds out, he will surely retaliate. And what about General Zuo's reinforcements..."
"Don't worry, I'll write a letter immediately and ask the general to send troops." Envoy Zheng wrote the letter on the spot and had his attendant send it back by fast horse.
Ma Changsheng was "overwhelmed with gratitude": "Thank you so much, Lord Zheng! I will immediately prepare a banquet to celebrate your victory!"
That evening, a banquet was held in the Hall of Righteousness.
Envoy Zheng was in high spirits and drank a few more cups.
After the banquet, Ma Changsheng personally escorted him back to his room.
The next morning, when Zheng envoy woke up, he found that the five prisoners were gone!
"What happened?!" he demanded of Ma Changsheng.
Ma Changsheng looked terrified: "The students don't know either! Everything was fine last night, but this morning the guards said the person escaped! The guards were also injured; they said someone attempted to break into the prison!"
"A prison break? Who did it?"
"The students suspect... that there are still Zhang Xianzhong's spies inside the stronghold," Ma Changsheng said. "Lord Zheng, we shouldn't stay here any longer! If those prisoners escape back to report, Zhang Xianzhong's troops will arrive at any time!"
Zheng's envoy turned pale.
He came here on a secret mission. If Zhang Xianzhong finds out, he might lose his life, let alone complete the mission.
"Then...then I'll go back and report to the general!"
"The students will send someone to escort them!" Ma Changsheng thoughtfully arranged, "Take the back roads, avoid the main roads, it'll be safer!"
The envoy from Zheng left in a panic.
As soon as everyone left, Tiezhu came out from the back room, suppressing a laugh: "Changsheng, your acting was spot on!"
Those five "prisoners" were actually local militiamen from Majiazhai in disguise.
The so-called "prison break" was also a self-directed and self-acted performance.
The goal was to scare away Zheng's envoy without breaking off relations.
"We've dealt with Zuo Liangyu's situation for now," Ma Changsheng said. "But this can't be kept secret for long. Once Envoy Zheng returns and thinks about it, he'll realize he's been tricked."
"What should we do then?"
"So we need to speed things up." Ma Changsheng walked to the map. "The construction of the second stronghold must be accelerated."
The second mountain stronghold that Ma Changsheng chose was located deep in the back mountains, in a place called "Eagle's Nest".
It was surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides, with only one hidden path leading to it, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.
More importantly, there is a huge natural cave that can accommodate thousands of people.
At the end of June, Ma Changsheng personally led the team to begin construction.
The first step is to build roads.
It wasn't a main road, but a hidden path, widened from an existing animal trail, with minimal damage to the vegetation. Multiple observation posts and ambush points were set up along the way.
The second step is to expand the cave.
The cave is naturally divided into three levels: the upper level is for storing grain, the middle level is for living quarters, and the lower level has an underground river that serves as a water source. Ma Changsheng ordered ventilation holes to be dug, a drainage system to be built, and oil lamps to be installed for lighting.
The third step is to build defensive fortifications.
A stone wall was built at the entrance, and a suspension bridge was erected; firing holes were drilled into the cliff face, and crossbows were placed there; traps were buried around the area, and bells were set up for alarms.
"This place must be able to be held for a long time," Ma Changsheng said to Instructor Sun, who was in charge of the construction. "The grain reserves must be enough to feed 3,000 people for a year; the water supply must be guaranteed; and there must be weapons workshops, medical points, and even... a school."
Instructor Sun exclaimed, "Chang Sheng, are you trying to build a small kingdom?"
"It's not a kingdom, it's a refuge," Ma Changsheng said. "If Ma Family Village can't be defended, this will be our last resort."
He also had a longer-term vision: if the world were to descend into chaos and civilization were to collapse, this place should be able to preserve the seeds of knowledge, technology, and talent.
He instructed Li Wenbin to select a batch of important books, make copies, and hide them in the cave.
They instructed Song artisans to write down the techniques of firearm manufacturing in a manual and pass it on to a few reliable apprentices.
Let Aunt Chen organize the prescriptions and train more medical staff.
He even commissioned Chen Jiru to begin compiling the "Chronicle of Majiazhai," recording everything that happened there: how the village was built, how soldiers were trained, how they survived...
"If we're all gone, future generations who see this might be able to avoid some pitfalls," Ma Changsheng said.
Chen Jiru solemnly promised: "I will write it well. So that future generations will know that in those chaotic times, there was a group of people who tried their best to live like human beings."
In July, the drought truly arrived.
For a whole month, not a drop of rain fell.
The Qishui River has dried up, wells have run dry, and fields are cracked.
The grain reserves in the village began to run out, and people from the surrounding villages began to flee the famine.
Ma Changsheng ordered the granaries to be opened and grain distributed, but with limits: "Porridge will be provided once a day to ensure no one starves, but lazy people cannot be supported. Those who are able to work must work in exchange for grain: repairing water conservancy projects, digging deep wells, and reclaiming wasteland."
At the same time, he organized caravans to buy grain in Jiangnan.
However, the Jiangnan region was also affected by the disaster, and grain prices soared.
The silver they brought was only enough to buy back half the amount of grain they had in previous years.
"At this rate, we won't make it to the autumn harvest." Chen Jiru calculated the accounts, his brows furrowed.
Ma Changsheng felt heavy-hearted as he looked at the growing number of disaster victims outside the village.
He knew that droughts were often followed by plagues, then peasant uprisings, and then... cannibalism.
Historically, the severe drought of the fourteenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign led to a plague that swept across northern China, killing millions.
Measures must be taken.
He did several things:
Mandatory sanitation measures were implemented. All refugees were required to bathe before entering the village, and their clothes had to be boiled. Drinking water had to be boiled, and garbage had to be buried deep with lime sprinkled on it daily.
Isolation and observation. Newly arrived disaster victims are placed in separate accommodations and observed for seven days without showing any signs of illness before being allowed to enter the village.
He developed medicine. He instructed Aunt Chen to prepare "epidemic prevention powder" according to the prescription he gave her, and distribute it to everyone to take daily.
Search for new water sources. Organize manpower to dig deep wells, and even try to drill wells—although deep well technology was not available in this era, it was better than nothing.
These measures consumed a lot of manpower and resources, but they were effective. By the end of July, there was no large-scale outbreak in Majiazhai and the surrounding villages.
But the outside world is already a hellish scene.
Scouts reported that in the Xiangyang area, there were countless deaths from starvation, and even instances of cannibalism. In Wuchang, grain prices had increased tenfold, and dozens of people were dying of starvation in the streets every day. The armies of Zuo Liangyu and Zhang Xianzhong had clashed multiple times over grain.
The chaotic times entered an even more brutal phase.
In early August, Ma Changsheng received three letters.
The first letter came from Zhang Xianzhong, and was strongly worded: it accused Ma Changsheng of "paying lip service while acting against orders" and demanded that he immediately send 500 soldiers and 1,000 shi of grain, otherwise "a large army will press on the border, and not a single chicken or dog will be spared."
The second letter came from Zuo Liangyu. It was gentle in tone but contained murderous intent: he invited Ma Changsheng to Jiujiang to "discuss important matters" and promised to recommend him as "Qihuang Military Commissioner", but demanded that all the local militia of Majiazhai accept reorganization.
The third letter... came from an unexpected person: Huang Zongxi.
The letter is short, but it contains a lot of information:
"Brother Changsheng: I am comforted to hear that you have built a fortified village in Qishui to protect yourself. However, the world is about to collapse, how long can a fortified village hold out? I am in Zhejiang and I see the people suffering, and my heart is breaking. I have now joined forces with friends to form the 'Remnants of the Fushe Society' in an attempt to save the country from its ills. If you are interested, you may come to Zhejiang to discuss important matters together. If not, I hope you will take good care of yourself. Your brother Zongxi writes this."
The Fushe Society was a literary society of scholars and officials in Jiangnan during the late Ming Dynasty, advocating for reform of the government and efforts to save the country from peril.
Huang Zongxi was one of the best among them.
This letter gave Ma Changsheng a third option: not to rely on Zhang Xianzhong, not to join Zuo Liangyu, but to go to Jiangnan and join the literati's national salvation movement.
Three paths, three choices.
Ma Changsheng sat in the Hall of Gathering Righteousness all night.
Choosing Zhang Xianzhong? He was a bandit, brutal and ruthless, destined to fail.
Choosing Zuo Liangyu? He's a warlord, powerful and independent, not trustworthy.
Choosing Huang Zongxi? He was a scholar who indulged in empty talk, harming the country and unlikely to achieve great things.
Neither of the roads seems like a good one.
As dawn approached, he left the Hall of Gathering Righteousness and climbed the stockade wall.
As dawn broke, the mountain village gradually came into view: neat houses, fluttering flags, early-rising villagers beginning their drills, and wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys…
Here lies everything he built: the defense system, production organization, education and healthcare, and... thousands of people who trust and follow him.
He suddenly understood.
He won't choose either path.
He chose Majiazhai.
This is his foundation, his responsibility, his...home.
In times of chaos, an ideal nation may not be built, but at least the people of a region can be protected and the flame of civilization preserved.
This is enough.
Ma Changsheng turned and climbed down the wall, having already made up his mind.
Zhang Xianzhong's letter was replied to: Some grain can be provided, but no troops will be sent; however, a price must be set.
Zuo Liangyu replied: I am unwell and unable to travel far, but my loyalty is unquestionable.
Huang Zongxi replied: "Brother, I admire your noble character. However, I have the well-being of the elderly and children in the village to care for, and dare not leave them lightly. If peace prevails in the future, I will definitely go to Zhejiang to seek your guidance."
All three options were politely declined.
He wanted to take a fourth path: self-reliance and self-improvement, to survive in the cracks and build a paradise in the chaos.
It may be difficult, and it may ultimately fail.
But at least he tried.
Back in his study, he began drafting the "Long-Term Development Plan for Majiazhai".
Outside the window, the sun rises, and it's a new day.
The chaos continues, but Majia Village must survive.
And we should live better.