The Qing army suffered another major defeat in the southwest, losing the two ports of Fangcheng and Qinzhou, and Nanning also withdrew its troops and abandoned it, and the war situation seemed to be precarious, and Guangdong was facing a major threat, and the Qing court was extremely shocked. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

But the situation has not taken a turn for the worse and is out of control. Wu Luzhen was promoted from Qiongya Bingbei Road to the land governor of Guangdong, and personally led more than 1,000 elite soldiers to Lianzhou Mansion (now Hepu) to supervise the battle. After rapid rectification, more than a dozen patrol battalions and the Guangdong New Army, totaling more than 6,000 horses, dug trenches and ditches, reconstructed the defensive line, and thwarted the "offensive" of the chaotic party.

"The continuous fighting of the chaotic party, coupled with the rainy season, the roads are difficult to travel, and the supply is difficult, and it has shown fatigue; However, our army is newly defeated, its morale is low, its troops are insufficient, it is more than enough to defend but not enough to attack, and the confrontation is already the limit, or there may still be dangers......"

Regarding Wu Luzhen's report, Zhang Renjun did not feel disappointed and confused, but was overjoyed. Although his resignation was a foregone conclusion, he was relieved that there was no danger in Guangdong for the time being. At the same time, this also proves that he has the wisdom to understand people, and he finally stabilized the war situation by changing horses, and he can be regarded as having an explanation for the imperial court.

Since Wu Luzhen reported that there was still danger, he could only continue to increase his troops in order to completely stabilize the defensive line. Seven draws and eight transfers, Zhang Renjun used the last time to piece together five battalions of troops from all over Guangdong and drove to the front line. At the same time, he appealed to the imperial court and asked for support in terms of money, food, and materials.

Although Chen Wenqiang and Wu Luzhen were given the task of supervising the New Army, Chen Wenqiang also explained to him the difficulties and that he could not raise enough funds in the short term, and the training of the New Army could only be postponed. In this regard, Zhang Renjun had no choice but to ask Chen Wenqiang to do his best, and the training of the new army could be carried out in platoons and units, and the small amount would add up.

To put it simply, Zhang Renjun wanted Chen Wenqiang to go out as soon as he had money, and to organize and train the new army according to the standard of a platoon of more than 40 people. It is not necessary to raise enough funds for a bid or a cooperative, or even a town, before starting to act.

Chen Wenqiang still gave Zhang Renjun face, promised to use this method to train the new army, and generously paid Wu Luzhen 10,000 yuan for recruiting troops and 100 rifles. Anyway, Zhang Renjun won't stay long, and the new army also has his charter. You don't have to do it all.

The reason why he is not active in organizing and training the new army is, of course, that Chen Wenqiang knows in his heart that as long as the General Staff Headquarters does not issue orders, the revolutionary army will not take the initiative to launch an offensive to the east. What's more, he really suffers from lack of funds and is difficult to provide too much money.

For the time being, Chen Wenqiang is unwilling to invest too much in the formation and training of the new army, but he does not spare money in expanding the police force. Almost all of the seizures and confiscation of the family property of bandits and criminals in the Qingxiang Township were intercepted by the Qingxiang Committee and used to expand the armed forces. And to promote the clearing of townships to other counties and townships.

Since he knew that the revolutionary army would not attack Guangdong, and even if it did, it would be a trick, Chen Wenqiang borrowed 500 men from Wu Luzhen, and all of them were incorporated into the armed police. More than 100 people were recruited from the well-organized and well-trained militia groups, equipped with the strongest firepower, and formed a five-way clean-up force, which was personally led and suddenly entered Nanhai County. Began to sweep vertically and horizontally.

"There are many bandits in Guangdong, with Guangzhao Erfu as the most. There are more Guangfu than Zhao, and Guangfu is more than the six major counties, and the six major ones are mostly in the South China Sea." Water bandits, sand bandits, bandits, and party members can be said to be all in Nanhai County, but Chen Wenqiang is fully prepared and has insider information. With the help of his ability, there are also river gunboats mobilized by Admiral Li Zhun to patrol and investigate.

Under the blow of the elite soldiers led by Chen Wenqiang, Guangyi Hall, Guangdong Hall and other halls were destroyed, and Yuan Gong and other party leaders either died or fled; The nine bandits of Yuan Shrimp were defeated, and the remnants of the bandits were discovered by gunboats on the river when they absconded to Xinhui. The guns and cannons were fired, and Yuan Shrimp was floating on the river, and the rest of the robbers rarely missed the net; Under the ferocious fire of five or six machine guns, the sand bandits were defeated after a short battle, and Liang Cannon was also killed on the spot......

Kill, kill, kill! Kill the bandits and inferior gentry, kill the bandits, kill the leaders of the party, kill the bandits...... The five-way anti-bandit troops were outflanked vertically and horizontally, and they were cleared and encircled; Chen Wenqiang led the members of the Qingxiang Township Committee to act with the team, and they followed the trial and judgment, and followed the suppression. Local police stations, militia groups, and township regiments were cleaned up and reorganized one by one, and police chiefs, directors, and militia instructors were stationed one by one to deal with the aftermath of the township cleanup.

"Since the Ministry of Labor has been in Qingxiang Township, Nanhai County, all those who have a lot of bonuses in the green forest have been arrested for the official name, and they have fled without fear; Since the beginning of the month, more than 1,000 bandits have been captured and taken captive, and more than 500 Fa-correcting people have been arrested...... The aftermath of the Qingxiang has been properly handed over to Zhang Changqing, member of the Qingxiang Committee, and all police stations, militia groups, and township regiments for handling, and the headquarters has led troops into Panyu to suppress the ......"

When Yuan Shuxun, the new governor of Liangguang, rushed to Guangzhou to take over his post, Chen Wenqiang had already led his troops to end the Qingxiang in the South China Sea and rushed to the next place where bandits were rampant - Panyu. As a subordinate official, although he did not greet him in Guangzhou, Chen Wenqiang sent the results of the Qingxiang battle, not only to arrest and correct the bandits, but also to seize some of them as gifts to welcome Yuan Shuxun.

"Wen Qiang is famous, capable, and known at home!" Yuan Shuxun didn't look angry and dissatisfied, and said to Zhang Renjun with a smile: "It is said that bandits are rampant in Guangdong, and with officials like Wen Qiang, the suppression is just around the corner!" ”

Zhang Renjun naturally knew that Chen Wenqiang's harvest in Qingxiang should be very large, and the thieves were only a part, and those bandits and the ruffians and inferior gentry who were involved with the bandits all confiscated their family property and moved to Qiongzhou. Houses, fields, and money are not worth much, but they are a great fortune when sold.

"Wen Qiang is good at dancing with long sleeves, and he is the most proficient in raising funds and expanding financial resources." Zhang Renjun did not say it thoroughly, and echoed and praised: "The cost of clearing the township is completely raised by him, and this alone saves a lot of expenses for the government." ”

"Yes, now the imperial court is short of money, and the local government is also complaining." Yuan Shuxun shook his head and sighed: "Coupled with the chaos of the Southwest Revolutionary Party, Guangdong's financial embarrassment can be imagined. With a cadre like Wen Qiang, it is the luck of Zhang Lao and the main department! ”

Zhang Renjun smiled faintly and said: "Those who are capable work hard, the old man has given Wen Qiang a lot of official positions, and he is also optimistic about his ability." Over time, it will pay off. ”

"When the main department was in Shanghai, he also had a good understanding of Wen Qiang, and now that he is working together, he will naturally take care of one or two." Yuan Shuxun understood the meaning of Zhang Renjun's words, and made a promise along the way, given time, of course, it means that he will give Chen Wenqiang time and space to develop and operate in Guangdong.

Zhang Renjun stopped at the point, and he didn't want to say anything deeper. After handling the handover, Yuan Shuxun diligently set up a banquet, which can be regarded as the end of the usual ceremonies in the officialdom. Although Zhang Renjun was expelled and returned to his hometown, his protégé has a lot of old age, and he and Yuan Shikai are sons and daughters, and Yuan Shikai has been transferred to the center of the imperial court. Yuan Shuxun naturally would not blame him.

After the political tide at the end of Ding, Qu Hongzhen, Cen Chunxuan and several related people (including Lin Shaonian, the Minister of Military Aircraft, who was involved in the impeachment of Duan Zhigui by Qu Hongzhen's faction at that time, and was later squeezed out of the capital) collapsed one after another, and Yixuan, Yuan Shikai and others can be said to have won a complete victory.

However, the Empress Dowager Cixi also realized that Yixuan, Yuan Shikai and others might monopolize the government, so on the third day of the dismissal of Qu Hongzhen, she sent Prince Zaifeng to the military aircraft department to study and enter the duty, forming a pattern of "two princes" in the military aircraft department. In order to contain Yixuan. In addition, in order to prevent Yuan Shikai's power from falling away, he dismissed Yuan Shikai from the post of governor of Zhili by means of bright promotion and secret surrender, and transferred him to the minister of military aircraft.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that Zaifeng, a young man, can fight against Yixuan and Yuan Shikai, and Cixi, an old lady, must have a trick. And the most conjecture is that Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang, was on duty in the military plane. It not only reduced the power of the local Han people to supervise the appeasement, but also contained Yixuan and Yuan Shikai in the center of the imperial court.

And Chen Wenqiang is famous for his wide range of travel. Not only did Zhang Zhidong and Zhang Renjun treat him with blue eyes and entrust him with important tasks, but even Yuan Shikai also said a lot of good things for him in the court. Such a left-right source is not a hardcore cadre of a certain faction, but it is more reassuring to the Qing court.

Yuan Shuxun is aware of these things. When he first arrived in Guangdong, his foundation was not solid, and even if he wanted to cut Chen Wenqiang's power, he did not dare to act rashly for the time being, and he always had to find out the situation and cultivate his cronies.

So. Instead, it gave Chen Wenqiang time to firmly grasp power. While clearing the countryside and suppressing bandits, he remotely commanded the implementation of various tasks. Police affairs, salt affairs, arsenals, Whampoa Bureau, Lijin Bureau, etc., from just nominal and official positions, to practical control, holding the banner of reform and the new deal, Chen Wenqiang gradually realized his goals.

Nanhai, Panyu, Sanshui, and Xiangshan have completed the township clearance, and Chen Jiongming has also completed the township clearance work in Shunde, Qingyuan, and Dongguan. Arrangements have also been made for the aftermath of the clean-up of the townships, and each county has a member of the Qingxiang Committee, who can mobilize the police and township regiments to carry out regular or irregular clean-up of bandits. The protection of armor and household registration are also strictly managed by the township bureaus, making it difficult for bandits who have fled abroad to return and gain a foothold, thus avoiding to the greatest extent the accumulation of malpractices in clearing the townships of "soldiers come and thieves go, and soldiers go to thieves."

With the support of Admiral Li Zhun of the Navy, the Marine Police was also formed, with more than 40 large and small patrol boats and more than 300 water patrol officers, making the public order in the Pearl River Delta gradually improve day by day. As an economically developed area in Guangdong, with a stable social environment, industry and commerce can develop rapidly, and tax revenue and gold can also increase significantly, which is actually the first step for Chen Wenqiang to make the cake bigger.

Before returning to Guangzhou, Chen Wenqiang first rushed to the Whampoa Ship Bureau to meet with Admiral Li Zhun of the Navy. In the suppression of bandits in Qingxiang, Li Zhun cooperated very well in dispatching inland river ships, and the formation of the marine police also gave support, and now it is time for Chen Wenqiang to compensate.

……………

The sunlight was slightly dazzling, and Chen Wenqiang gently pressed down the brim of his hat and lowered his head down. In the dock in the distance, two warships, Fubo and Chenhang, were being repaired, sparks were flying, and the personnel were busy.

"You promised to buy me a warship with a displacement of more than 3,000 tons." Li Zhun put down his binoculars and said faintly: "If there is a big ship, patrolling the sea can sail farther." ”

"I don't have the money!" Chen Wenqiang spread his hands helplessly and complained: "I have watched my industry get bigger and bigger, but who knows if I take out a loan or borrow?" The investment and construction have just been completed, and the income period has not yet arrived! ”

Li Zhun pursed his lips and teased: "If you are greedy and chew too much, who let you carry so many errands?" That is, you, can still support. changed others, and only one Guangdong-Hanzhou railway was crushed. ”

"Hehe, those who can work harder, who made me have the ability!" Chen Wenqiang smiled and said, "Although there are no warships of more than 3,000 tons, aren't the 4,000-ton ocean-going ships lent to you?" I think it's safer to have your headquarters on an ocean-going ship. ”

Li Zhun pursed his lips and sighed helplessly, but shook his head resolutely.

Cruising the sea frontier, the Guangdong Navy Division only had three warships that were barely capable of sailing in the open sea, the 1,258-ton wooden-hulled gunboat Fubo, the 1,358-ton wooden-hulled transport ship Chenhang, and the 572-ton armed warship Zhenwei. Because of Chen Wenqiang's support, he was able to borrow an ocean-going ship with a displacement of 4,500 tons, which is the most suitable ship for the open sea.

This is really pitiful compared to the navies of the great powers. Not to mention the behemoth-like battleships, even the cruisers that are now manufactured and launched by the great powers have a displacement of at least 5,000 tons.

"For the first time, it's mostly about gaining experience." Chen Wenqiang seemed to know Li Zhun's gloomy mood, and said comfortingly: "You know my personality, and I will definitely be able to get you a warship if I get you, but it's just a little later." ”

"Of course I believe you." Li Zhun nodded with a wry smile and said, "This time I went to sea for inspection, and the funds and materials required were not all raised by you. It's a lot of money, and I'm grateful. ”

Hundreds of loads of rice, sheep, pigs, rice, wheat and beans, and various production and living tools provide conditions for fishermen to settle and cultivate on the island; In order to prepare for conflicts with foreign powers, Chen Wenqiang also prepared sufficient ammunition for the fleet patrolling the sea frontier.

What Li Zhun said was not a small cost, and it should be the truth. But Chen Wenqiang disagreed, waved his hand and said: "Dongsha and Xisha are quite rich in minerals, and if they are all mined, it is really an open source path." Since the situation of each island is clear, it is possible to recruit Chinese businessmen to undertake island affairs, which is one of the ways to attract investment. ”

Li Zhun thought for a while, and said in a deep voice: "This is similar to Governor Zhang's idea, but the new governor will succeed him, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to change the course and things will not go smoothly." ”

"Oh, what did Lord Li hear?" Chen Wenqiang felt that Li Zhun had something to say, so he began to probe carefully, and asked suspiciously.

Li Zhun snorted, hesitated, and said: "The new governor is really not an incorruptible official, I heard that several major salt merchants have come to Guangzhou recently, and they have had a lot of contact with the governor, I am afraid that you will be disadvantaged." As for going to sea to patrol the frontier, it was a matter that had already been determined, but he didn't say much, just said that Brother Chen had a good way to raise money and make money. ”

Chen Wenqiang stared at Li Zhun for a while, then suddenly smiled coldly and said, "It's not good for me, presumably he hasn't figured out the depth and shallowness of the water in Guangdong." Salt merchant, well, the fat delivered to the door, I am worried that I have no excuse to clean them up! ”

"Don't be reckless." Li Zhun hurriedly persuaded: "He is the governor, and he can go straight to heaven." Although you have a wide range of contacts and backers, it is very unwise to have a direct conflict with Shangguan. ”

"Brother Li, don't worry." Chen Wenqiang patted Li Zhun's arm and said, "All the supplies have been prepared in Yulin Port, I will handle the matter here, you can rest assured that you can go to sea to patrol!" It is also the first time for the officers and men of the Navy Division to go to sea, but they should be cautious and pay attention to safety. ”

Li Zhun nodded, looked at Chen Wenqiang, his lips opened, and he didn't say anything more.

……………… (To be continued.) )