Qingxiang swept the whole county of Shunde in a stormy manner. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

Due to the secrecy of the operation, the traffic arteries in Shunde County were basically blocked, blocked and investigated, and they were detained at the slightest suspicion to be interrogated by the Qingxiang Commissioner; Chen Wenqiang's killing and ruthlessness in the county town made the gentry frightened, whether it was an inferior gentry or a righteous gentry, as well as gentry of all ethnic groups, they were afraid that they would be implicated by robbers and end up with a ruined family, and they became active in commanding and attacking.

First of all, the city was closed and thieves were cleared, and the illegal collection of firearms was confiscated, and through the breakthrough of the inferior gentry and local ruffians, the police arrested nearly 100 robbers in the county seat alone. Subsequently, Chen Wenqiang led his men and horses to Longjiang Township, where the banditry was the most serious, and it was another bloody storm.

It is not only necessary to arrest bandits through inferior gentry and local ruffians, but also to set up township and town police substations, rectify the township regiments, and advise the squires to raise funds to run regiments; It is also necessary for the gentry and the township group to check the household registration, "take ten mutual guarantees, and if there are any bandits in the future, the mutual insurance person cannot be raised, and he will be sitting."

Under the powerful offensive, many bandits turned themselves in, and it was inevitable that they would resist stubbornly. The bandit leader Lu Ling and Deng Jiang led hundreds of people to engage with the officers and soldiers in Shunde Lecong, broke through two checkpoints one after another, and finally defeated the armed police who came to reinforce from the left.

This was the largest battle in Qingxiang, Shunde, and the rest of the small-scale battles were even more innumerable. In the past month, the township has been repeatedly carried out in Shunde, and each township and town has experienced it at least twice.

The so-called elimination of evil, Chen Wenqiang just wants to do it thoroughly, and not leave a chance for the bandits to rise again. And strong determination and thunderous actions have indeed brought about a change in people's hearts.

Batches of government robbers were arrested and brought to justice, relatives were forcibly removed, and family property was confiscated from the government; Batches of ruffians and hooligans were moved away with their families. Houses and property have been confiscated; One by one, the inferior gentry were removed from the township bureau and punished according to their crimes...... The hesitant and hesitant gentry and the common people began to change their attitudes, pointing out that more and more people were attacking the bandits and tying them up. Chen Wenqiang did not disappoint them, and all the bandits arrested in this way were punished on the spot, completely eliminating the gentry and common people's fears of retaliation.

Either say nothing, do nothing; If we want to do this, we hope that the officers and men will do it thoroughly. Chop the grass and eradicate the roots. For some gentry and common people, this is indeed the mentality. In the past, in the Qing Township, there were either inferior gentry, local ruffians and bandits, or bandits fled first when they heard the news, and it was difficult to eradicate them. As soon as the officers and soldiers left, the bandits became rampant again, and some of those who pointed at the bandits caused the disaster of killing.

This accumulation of shortcomings has long been insightful, and it has been published in the newspaper, "The gentleman is hanging red to buy." or detect the bandits' traces and secretly report the camp flood, then the inferior gentry will reverse the news, so that the bandits can take revenge. There are those who burn houses, and there are those who rob and kill. In order to take care of their lives, the gentry had no choice but to perfunctory their duties, and even hid their homes, and kept silent about business......"

Now it's a different story. The inferior gentry and local ruffians are among the severe crackdowns, and the lightest punishment must be forcibly removed. It can be said that it has cut off the foundation of the bandits' hiding and cut off the channels for the bandits to obtain information. Once the bandits were caught, most of them were brought to justice on the spot, and a small number of those who did not commit crimes were also taken to Qiongzhou to serve hard labor, basically losing the opportunity for revenge.

Worries are removed, for the sake of peace in the future. The enthusiasm of the gentry and the common people naturally rose.

The most important point is the new look of Qingxiang this time. There are very few officers and men who rob and harass the people under the pretext of arresting bandits, and it is also very rare for them to be falsely accused of being bandits and indiscriminately killing innocent people, so that the people's antipathy and resentment towards the Qingxiang have been reduced to a minimum.

Chen Wenqiang's personal participation and use of his abilities have greatly improved the efficiency of the work of clearing the township. Good or bad. Whether he possessed firearms or harbored bandits, the suspects he interrogated quickly and with astonishing accuracy.

The Giant Bandit Zone is new, the district and the arrested; The famous bandit leader Li Fulin was killed, and the bandits either died or surrendered...... In Longjiang Township alone, the officers and men of Qingxiang Township arrested more than 100 bandits listed by the government, forced dozens of bandits to turn themselves in, and more than 100 gangsters and local ruffians were locked up for questioning, hundreds of firearms were confiscated, and tens of thousands of bandit property confiscated from the public ......

Clear a township, consolidate a township, set up a police bureau, rectify and organize the township regiment, support the gentry to enter the township bureau to do things, strengthen the protection of armor, check the household registration, and register outsiders...... This series of rules and regulations greatly ensured the aftermath of Qingxiang.

The most deterrent measures against bandits and harbourers are forced relocation and confiscation of family property. This can be said to be a poisonous ploy to draw wages from the bottom of the kettle, and despite the criticism of Zhulian, the effect is really good. Many bandits had no choice but to turn themselves in and seek leniency.

In fact, this measure is not Chen Wenqiang's originality, Guangdong had a similar policy when it resettled stragglers, but there was a lack of resettlement funds, and the officials in Qiongzhou were unwilling to accept it.

In the view of Zhang Renjun, the governor of Liangguang, only if this policy can be implemented, the suppression of bandits in the township has already shown hope for success. What's more, the cost of clearing the township was not only borne by Chen Wenqiang, but also sent him tens of thousands of yuan to solve the urgent needs of the government. In return, Zhang Renjun happily played the imperial court, exaggerating the achievements of the Qingxiang and suppressing bandits under his leadership, and on the other hand, he promoted Wanfuhua to Qiongya Dao to reward his merit in relocating the people.

Qiongya Bingbei Road, Qiongya Road, these two official positions are in hand, and the administrative and military power of the whole Qiongzhou falls into the hands of the Revival Association. And this possibility is very big now.

……………

"I said before that Qingxiang can also make money." Chen Wenqiang looked at the statistics and said meaningfully: "There are many bandits in Longjiang Township, Daliang Township, Rongqi and other places, but our harvest is also abundant!" If the public security is a little better, I'm afraid there won't be so much bandit property to confiscate! ”

"Your Excellency is clever." Chen Jiongming nodded in agreement, "At first, my subordinates were worried that the cost of clearing the township would not be enough, but now it seems that the idea of raising the township with the Qingxiang and helping the bandits to suppress the bandits has become a reality." ”

"Otherwise, Qingxiang can't last!" Chen Wenqiang smiled bitterly and said, "I'm afraid that the reputation of this official will be very unbearable outside, but I can't take care of it. ”

"Adults appease the place, suppress the bandits, the credit lies in the people, and there is no need to mind a little criticism."

"Are you prepared for this?" Chen Wenqiang looked at Chen Jiongming with a smile.

"Yes. My lord, my subordinates are not afraid of rumors, and only take it as their responsibility to suppress bandits and benefit the people. Chen Jiongming met Chen Wenqiang's gaze and made a resolute expression.

"Good." Chen Wenqiang lowered his head and continued to look at the information, and only said slowly for a long time: "This official appoints you as the deputy director of the Qingxiang Committee and the director of the Qingxiang Aftermath Committee. In the future, you will have to pick up the important task of clearing the township. ”

Chen Jiongming hurriedly bowed down and promised: "Lord Xie is promoted, and his subordinates will do their best to live up to the cultivation grace of adults." ”

Chen Wenqiang raised his head and smiled, and said: "The model of Qingxiang has basically been established, as long as it can be resolutely implemented, it is expected to suppress the bandits, but it is only a matter of time." The police will continue to recruit. The militia should continue to be established. The official also borrowed hundreds of men and horses from Qiongzhou, all of whom were elite soldiers. Together, it's almost enough for you. As for weapons and ammunition, we will also provide them, but they will be paid in installments. ”

"Won't the adults personally preside over the work of clearing the township?" Chen Jiongming asked with some confusion.

"If there is time, this official may personally go out." Chen Wenqiang said ambiguously: "But in the future, you and the Qingxiang Committee will be mainly responsible for the work of clearing the township, after all, this is a long-term and long-lasting work, and there are too many official affairs." Time and energy are limited. ”

"My subordinates understood."

Chen Wenqiang shook his head slightly, but didn't say anything more. Chen Jiongming understood something. What he thinks is not the same thing as what Chen Wenqiang thinks.

"You have to focus your energy on the periphery of Guangzhou for the time being, especially in the Pearl River Delta, where banditry is rampant. Township cleanup must be carried out repeatedly, militia groups and township groups must be continuously strengthened, and public order must be continuously consolidated. Chen Wenqiang earnestly taught: "Don't make the township incomplete because of the greed for speed, leaving hidden dangers. There is only one place to clear and one place to stabilize. Only by thoroughly implementing the specific rules and regulations can we put an end to the resurgence of banditry. Only in this way can we gradually compress the living place of the bandits throughout the whole province of Guangdong, and finally achieve complete success. ”

"My lord, that's the case. If the bandits are in contact with each other, wouldn't it ......" Chen Jiongming stopped talking, because Chen Wenqiang laughed out loud.

"Jingcun, you haven't understood the key and difficulty of clearing the township and suppressing bandits." Chen Wenqiang suppressed his laughter and patiently explained: "The reason why bandits are bandits is that although they are numerous, they have not attacked cities and plundered land, because it is difficult to compete with the army head-on. And the difficulty of suppressing bandits is not in its concentration, but in its dispersion; It is not in its mutual voice, but in the fact that it is not connected with each other, and each of them is a stock. If the bandits are assembled together, it seems to be powerful, but it is a rabble, and the army can be defeated in one drum, wouldn't it be more convenient? Breaking up the whole into pieces and dispersing activities is more of a headache, and it is more troublesome to exterminate! ”

"The subordinates are stupid, thank you for your teachings." Chen Jiongming's face was a little red, and he was ashamed of his shallow knowledge.

"Don't be presumptuous." Chen Wenqiang waved his hand and said, "This work of clearing the township and suppressing bandits will gradually become familiar to you and those members of the township clearing committee. The official temporarily selected four localities to send commissioners to Qingxiang, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, Huizhou, and Qingyuan, all of which are places around Guangzhou where banditry is relatively serious. In the future, we will continue to be stationed according to the situation, and the general policy is to take Guangzhou as the center and gradually expand outward. ”

Chen Jiongming listened carefully and knew that Chen Wenqiang's arrangement must be more than that.

"First clear out the suspected robbers such as the gentry and the ruffians, and extort their guns; then purge the militia and township groups, and use our people to control them; Rely on some righteous gentry to carry out various policies and systems. In this way, the foundation is almost solidified, and then there are repeated clean-up operations. Chen Wenqiang continued to give face-to-face lectures, "At the beginning of the Qing Township, the bandits were eliminated first, and then the scattered bandits were eliminated. The men and horses of the bandits can be concentrated or dispersed according to the situation of the bandits, first with the squadron as a unit, and then with the squad as a unit, dividing the area and taking care of the work, and dividing the troops to garrison the ......."

"This officer will also set up a strong army in plainclothes to focus on the elimination of large bandits in the province with rush tactics to help you." Chen Wenqiang finally finished explaining, leaned back on the chair, and let out a long breath.

"The lord is well-planned, it can be said that he is comprehensive in all aspects, and his subordinates are very admired." Chen Jiongming was convinced this time, according to such a meticulous arrangement, there is really great hope for suppressing the bandits.

"No matter how good the plan is, no matter how good the policy, it depends on the person who implements it." Chen Wenqiang smiled slightly and said: "The biggest test for you is actually not to clear your hometown, but to know people well. Because you are the leader, it is the key. ”

"My subordinates understand."

……………

With the preparation of the Southwest Revolutionary Army basically completed, the last supply of materials has become the top priority of the work. Therefore, Chen Wenqiang had to temporarily put aside the suppression of bandits in the township and make plans and arrangements.

According to the forces secretly mobilized by the revolutionary army, it is a very sure military action to recapture the fortified city and open up the mouth to the sea. Chen Wenqiang was worried about the ships of the Guangdong Naval Division, and if they encountered the transport ship at sea, it would be a very troublesome matter.

Therefore, he wanted to transfer the two or three broken warships of the Guangdong Naval Division that could sail in the open sea, the Fubo, Chenhang, and Zhenwei.

To say that these three largest warships of the Guangdong Navy Division are not only almost 30 years old, but also very poor in materials and equipment. Fubo, a wooden-hulled gunboat with a displacement of 1,258 tons, a speed of 10 knots, and 7 guns; Zhenwei is an armed troop carrier with a wooden hull with a displacement of 572.5 tons, a speed of 9 knots and 6 guns, while the Chenhang is a wooden-hulled transport ship with a displacement of 1,358 tons, a speed of 10 knots and 8 guns.

In terms of displacement and sturdiness, the United Shipping Company has several iron-hulled steamers with a displacement of more than 3,000 tons. And the age of the ship is only more than ten years, the engine is relatively new, and the speed is also more than that of the three ships Fubo, Zhenwei and Chenhang. However, in the end, one is a commercial transport ship and the other is a military ship, and the temporary installation of artillery and machine guns may not be able to gain the upper hand.

Moreover, Chen Wenqiang does not want to risk exposure now and fight an uncertain naval battle. The judgment of Li Zhun made Chen Wenqiang never stop fighting and persuading him to surrender.

Perhaps Chen Wenqiang was a little worried, because the Qing court and the Guangdong government still had the intention of blockading the sea at all, and the war in the southwest still relied on some of the land forces of the new army and patrol battalions. The Qing army in Guangdong built a new defense line with Qinzhou and Nanning (which the revolutionary army voluntarily abandoned) to prevent the revolutionary army from entering Guangdong Province (at that time, the administrative division of Guangdong included the Qinzhou area of present-day Guangxi). Among them, Nanning has a heavy army, which is personally commanded by Li Zhun as the intermediate stronghold and command center of the entire defense line.

In other words, the Qing army did not realize the importance of the sea outlet to the revolutionary army, and was confused by the revolutionary army's feints in the northwest direction of Nanning, and the focus of prevention was still inland.

............. (To be continued.) )