Thinking of all those years of hard studying through the window, almost going mad from reading books just to pass the imperial examination, and then taking a tough decision to spend a fortune to buy the real position as the governor of Da Zhou, incurring a large amount of capital in Beijing in the process! Now, with the debt still unpaid, I have to bear the sin of losing territory as a loyal official. Wang Kui's tears couldn't stop flowing... According to the rules of the Great Qing Dynasty, if a loyal official loses territory, he either maintains dignity or loses it completely!
His life as an official is truly too bitter...
Huang Shijie and Zhang Dingxiang arrived slightly later than others because they needed to collect floating wealth of Huang family in Shuangpai Town and recruit more personnel as militia. Once they entered the city, they directly headed to the state government office. Upon arriving at the hall, they saw Wang Kuiyi crying so much that he was nearly inconsolable.
"What are you crying for, Governor Wang?"
"Governor, why do you have a rope on your table? The rebels are coming at any moment. Why aren't you rushing to fortify your defenses?"
Upon hearing what the two men said, Wang Kuiyi felt like dying, with a mournful face, he said: "Defense? What to defend? There are no soldiers left. Yuzhong Gate, Wu Canjian haven't come back......Ziying, Zhang Baizong, you guys run away as quickly as possible... As a guardian of the land, I can't run away. I can only die to repay the king. This rope is what I prepared to hang myself with!"
The moment the rebels come, I'll hang myself! Ahhhhh..."
Mentioning hanging oneself, Wang Kuiyi couldn't help but start crying.
It looks like he's not really keen on dying after all!
Both Huang Shijie and Zhang Dingxiang breathed a sigh of relief.
Although they have no real affection for Wang Kuiyi, the magistrate of Daozhou still has some value to us... We need to give him a reason to live!
"Governor Wang, please don't give up, things are not this bad yet!"
"That's right! It hasn't come to that point... The official and Mr. Huang Shuxiao discussed a method on the way to Daozhou that can resolve your difficulties, Governor Wang."
Wang Kuiyi looked up at Huang Shijie and Zhang Dingxiang: "Could it be seeking assistance from Zhongshizhang in Guilin?" He said this, shaking his head as he spoke, "No use, no use... The Long Mao army is currently laying siege to Lingling in Yongzhou Prefecture. Even if Zhongshizhang wants to save, he would certainly save Lingling first; where could there be time for our Daozhou?"
Huang Shijie shook his head and said, "Governor Wang is mistaken. It is essential to seek help from Zhongshizhang, but at the same time, we should also save ourselves!"
"Self-rescue? How can we do that?" Wang Kuiyi asked with a bitter expression.
"Organize a militia!" Zhang Dingxiang said, "Excellency Wang, I've done the math. At present, we have over three hundred soldiers at our disposal, which is still a bit short. If we can raise a militia of one thousand men, then we won't have to fear anything!"
Huang Shijie said, "Without a thousand, even eight hundred is fine. As long as we have eight hundred militia, we won't be afraid."
"Not afraid?" Wang Kuiyi was almost laughing and crying, "Even if we can raise eight hundred militia, what good will that do when General Yu's two thousand troops have been defeated? Useless, Daozhou cannot be held..."
Huang Shijie and Zhang Dingxiang exchanged a glance, then moved closer to Wang Kuiyi together, speaking in lowered voices as they began to persuade him.
"His Excellency Wang, what we don't have to be afraid of with our militia is not the Long Mao but the higher-ups!" Zhou Dingxiang, the military scoundrel, had a sly smile on his face and pointed at the sky with his finger. "Jiang Shimiao relied on having a thousand or two of militia in his hand. Who has he feared? With false reports of military achievements, he has climbed from a scholar to a prefectural governor... His rank is higher than yours!"
Huang Shijie said, "What's to fear about losing territory? The Long Mao are poised to seize the An family's holdings in Hunan... By then, there will be many officials who have lost their territories, but very few with troops. As long as we have troops, we have nothing to fear!"
Governor Wang Kuiyi thought for a moment, then shook his head: "But I owe a great deal of debt in the capital for purchasing the post..."
"Then don't pay it back!" Huang Shijie smiled, "His Excellency Wang, in fact, my Huang family's old business also owes a lot... Now my family is gone, this debt must be paid back. But as long as I have 800 militia in hand, I don't believe anyone will dare to ask for money from me!"
His Excellency Wang, have you not read that book 'The Art of Reverse Strategy'? This is a time of chaos... In times of chaos, having troops is the most important! The emperor himself has to be flattered, let alone the corrupt officials in the capital?
"Against the Ordinary, that's a rebellion!"
Governor Wang Kuiyi took a deep breath: "Ziying, are you asking me to become......to be a feudal warlord?"
Huang Shijie raised his thumb with pride: "Excellency, you are wise! Your Excellency, now that we've come to this point, let's just do as the 'Against the Ordinary' suggests... let's act!"
Zhang Dingxiang made a gesture of beheading: "Just do it! Not doing it is a road to death!"
"How can I do it? I haven't finished reading the 'Against the Ordinary' yet!" Wang Kuiyi trembled and asked, "The Long Mao...... fear is it soon to come?"
Huang Shijie said, "Your Excellency, the Long Mao are about to arrive, but they haven't come yet, have they? As long as the Long Mao don't come, you can issue warrants to apprehend criminals... use the excuse of preventing bandits to detain all the wealthy families in Daozhou City. Then you can force them to pay money to ransom their kin! With the money, we can hire people for military service! For recruitment, we can have the local magnates from the four districts send people."
Zhang Dingxiang supplemented: "Yuzhong Gate's camp is still inside the city. There are some leftover soldiers and a lot of military supplies inside. His Excellency can issue a few orders, and we will take them all!"
Huang Shijie added, "And also... His Excellency, you can also recommend me and Zhang Baizong to handle the militia! Quickly submit an official document to Zhongshizhang, saying that we have raised eight hundred militia to help you defend the city. Please ask him to consider recommending an favor for us in front of the emperor."
“This, this...” Governor Wang Kuiyi had already understood Huang Shijie and Zhang Dingxiang's intentions. They were going to use their power to the full extent because if they didn't use it now, they would have nothing left!
Upon realizing this, Wang Kuiyi nodded, shouting out loudly, "Quickly fetch Mr. Lu, I need to issue letters of order and write a memorial... Also, go fetch Zhang San and Zhang the Constable for me. I need to arrest people! I need to arrest the Long Mao and the Triad members!"
One of the "family members" that Governor Wang Kuiyi brought from Beijing, who was guarding outside, immediately shouted a reply in a loud voice: "Yes!"
......
While Wang Kuiyi had his subordinate Zhuang Captain using his warrants to go around the city, falsely arresting people and extorting money, the true leader of the Heaven and Earth Society, Jiao Hong, was actually leading a group of Heaven and Earth Society disciples disguised as Qing troops. Accompanied by several large carts, they were entering the city in a swaggering manner with Yuhuai Ming's dry son Yuhuai Dashao, Yuhuai Xiaobao, Yuhuai Sanbao, and Yuhuai SiBAO.
With a grand and brazen demeanor, they proudly marched into the city!
As they entered the city gates, a captain of the Daozhou city defense camp saluted and bowed to Jiao Hong: "Captain Jiao, it's truly a timely return for you!"
Jiao Hong asked: "Old Wave, what's happening?"
The officer with the surname Bo replied with a wry smile: "Governor Wang seems to have taken some kind of medication, as he's issued a bunch of warrants, ordering Zhang San to arrest the Heaven and Earth Society disciples throughout the city!"
"Arresting Heaven and Earth Society disciples?" Jiao Hong let out a joyful laugh, "How can they catch up with us? They even asked Master Zhang to do it..."
"Not at all!" the Captain Bo nodded, "Mr. Zhang is looking all over for you to discuss countermeasures!"
“Then I will go and discuss with Zhuang San...” Jiao Hong smiled and said, "Buozong, my carts are filled with good things. Would you like to search them?"
Buozong waved his hand: "What need to search? They're all brothers from the Heaven and Earth Society, our own people!" Saying this, he gestured with his hand, "Go in then!"
But Jiao Hong took out a bag of silver and threw it over: "Please treat your brothers to a drink!"
"Thank you!"
"Thank you, Master Jiao!"
"Thank Master Jiao for your generosity..."
North of Daozhou City, there was great joy......The gatekeeper and all the people below him were disciples of the Heaven and Earth Society!
This was the Southern Chinese city during the late Qing Dynasty. The society had infiltrated every aspect. In Guangzhou, the situation was even more exaggerated, with many Manchu children from the Eight Banners also joining the Heaven and Earth Society.
The situation in Daozhou was not much better, as there were large amounts of privately mined ore in the surrounding areas, making it a gathering place for illegal mines. And almost everyone involved in these mines was part of the Heaven and Earth Society. Therefore, the local government and Green Camp in Daozhou had long been infiltrated by the society... The police officers sent out by Wang Kuiyi to capture members of the Heaven and Earth Society were actually disciples of the society themselves!
Of course, the Heaven and Earth Society disciples were also divided into layers. The rich ones were extremely wealthy, while the poor ones were truly impoverished.
As Jiao Hong and the others passed through the city gate and walked on the streets of Daozhou, what they saw was a sea of beggars lining the streets... and they were all strong-bodied beggars who had joined the Heaven and Earth Society!
