Chapter 599 - 6: The Final Mysterious Reward
December 1, 1687.
As the end of the year approached, the island had already been engulfed in a festive atmosphere. Long strings adorned with colorful fabric hung on either side of the streets. Vendors called out, peddling sweets and interesting trinkets from around the world.
Spaniards, Portuguese, Brazilians, Dutch, and the island’s natives moved along the broad streets.
Being the dry season, the dense crowds added to the island’s sweltering heat.
Elegant women who journeyed from distant Europe could not withstand the scorching weather and frequently fainted on the beaches or streets from heatstroke.
The police office and resident clinic established at the port received reports every day from islanders, tending to these delicate European ladies.
In the past decade or so, the island’s officials were no longer purely of native origin.
Influenced by Kilian, foreigners who flocked to the island from all over the world either settled there or traveled frequently between the island and Europe, which made them almost half islanders.
Their children received advanced education on the island. Some left after growing up, while others stayed.
These mixed-heritage individuals looked quite different from the natives. They met at gatherings held by their parents and gradually formed small groups independent from the island’s natives.
Even though Chen Zhou disliked seeing Europeans take root and flourish on the island, going so far as to strictly prohibit outsiders from holding high positions.
But the island’s native population was exceedingly small, and the flow of outsiders was constant; the interests entwined could not be easily severed.
Gradually, a significant number of mixed-heritage individuals or Europeans began to garner minor official positions, using their authority to benefit their friends and old acquaintances on the island.
However, due to Chen Zhou’s influence, these "foreign officials" always held a status lower than that of the local officials.
The islanders had a saying that roughly translated to, "Avoid yellow-skinned officials, point your fingers at white-skinned ones."
This indicated that officials of native origin generally held real power and could not be easily provoked, whereas European officials, even if innocent, were at fault when things escalated, and had to endure being scolded regularly.
During the end-of-year festival preparations, the island hosted the most European visitors—
Some arrived with merchant ships, some came to sightsee, while others were visiting their children and relatives studying on the island.
These outsiders did not understand Chinese, making it inconvenient to handle their affairs. Native-born officials were usually reluctant to deal with such hassles, simply handing over matters related to outsider’s island tours to mixed-heritage or "white-skinned" officials.
...
As for how his subordinates were acting, Saturday observed everything.
When he was younger, he often criticized such officials—
If you don’t understand the language, you can learn it; how can you leave your responsibilities to outsiders?
The port was such an important area; what if something happened when you gave it all up?
But as he aged, these issues became less significant to him. There truly were many more important matters on the island, and now nearing fifty, he didn’t possess the energy to oversee such trivial details.
Besides, family, career, and personal hobbies occupied much space of his life. Now, in meetings, Saturday only symbolically brought these issues up, to warn the officials.
Once the initial stir settled, everyone reverted to the same old ways, and this seemed to have become an unwritten rule everyone acknowledged and followed.
...
On the evening of the 1st, before the sun had set, Saturday tidied the documents on his desk and left his office.
The deepening dusk was matched by the brilliant lights dotting the island. The noise of the bustling streets drowned out the sound of waves and the chirping insects and birds in the woods.
When he first set foot on the island, Saturday could never have imagined the place would become like this.
As he pondered over what dishes to instruct the cook to prepare for his beloved daughter tonight and where to go for sketching the next morning, Saturday’s footsteps suddenly halted as he stepped out of his workplace, his previously upright stance subconsciously stooped.
Across the street, beneath the dim light cast by a three-story wooden and stone building, stood a slightly stooped yet still remarkably tall figure.
His upper body was obscured by the building’s shadow, making it hard to discern his facial expressions, yet just standing there, he exuded an aura of awe.
...
"How come you’ve come here?"
Saturday hadn’t expected Chen Zhou to pay an unexpected visit. He quickly approached, his tone filled with disbelief along with the caution befitting a subordinate.
As a figure of paramount importance on the island, second to none but Chen Zhou, no one else could command such deference from Saturday.
"Can’t I just come for a visit if there’s no issue?"
Chen Zhou patted Saturday’s shoulder—
This once gaunt boy had turned into a chubby middle-aged man. The innocence on his face had changed to sternness, instilling fear among the islanders.
"Of course."
Saturday replied with a smile, then cautiously asked.
"Is there something inappropriate about my work?
Or do you have other instructions?"
...
Before he could finish speaking, Chen Zhou started walking ahead.
At this moment, Saturday dared not think about anything else. His mind rapidly reviewed all he had done in the past few months, terrified that he might have made a grave mistake unintentionally.
"I didn’t come to discuss work with you today, Saturday."
Chen Zhou’s tone was very calm.
"I wanted to tell you that I am leaving."
"Leaving?
Where are you going?"
Saturday instinctively inquired, thinking that Chen Zhou was going out to sea for fishing or relocating somewhere else on the island as he’d done before, seeking help from him to arrange it.