This is odd, I have worked at two seperate middle schools in China and both have lisences to employ foreign teachers. They all deal direclty with me, I do not deal directly with an agent. Is there something I missed?

Nope, I'd say you sound like you're fully in charge of your life, and not missing a trick; which is what I have been saying all along, it's up to the FT's to choose their schools carefully; and if they don't, hard luck,so don't complain when you come a cropper. Most FT's work for private schools/agents who send you to the middle schools to teach- but none of that for you-Very well done. Not that there are not many splendid private agent schools around.