After returning to the county seat, Zheng Weiguo suddenly found that everything was easy to do. The number of young and middle-aged people who applied for the recruitment point gradually increased, and the Chinese may be a little cowardly and afraid of death, but they are forced to a desperate situation, and they do not mind working hard. Several major gentry in the county also sent a batch of materials to the security group, expressing their support for the security group and the anti-Japanese government. Some subordinate districts and townships began to send personnel to contact the security regiment, hoping to obtain the leadership and protection of the security regiment.

Among the people who came to take refuge, Zheng Weiguo was most interested in Li Zhenan, the former chief of the police department. Li Zhenan served as a prisoner of the security group after the police station was controlled by the security team, which made Zheng Weiguo a little unhappy.

As soon as Zheng Weiguo saw Li Zhenan, he said: "Brother Li, I offended a lot some time ago, and I ask you to forgive me." I didn't know who you were before, but then I heard about you, but I missed you. ”

Li Zhen'an is a native of Ping'an County, and if it weren't for Xiangzi here, he would not have gone to such a small place to become a police chief based on his education and talent. However, because he came late, he didn't deal with the county magistrate, and he had no contact with Zheng Weiguo, who was on the county magistrate's side, and they lacked understanding between them.

Li Zhenan was a little ashamed and said: "Captain Zheng, you are serious, it is Li who didn't understand you and the security team before. I think you are only seizing power in the name of resisting Japan, not only do you not support the work of your ministry, but you also have a lot of hindrances. Now that I think about it, I am really ashamed of those warriors who sacrificed their lives for the country! ”

Not all of the forces that opposed the security regiment at the beginning were bullying landlords, and there were many groups who misunderstood the security regiment. This is also the reason why Zheng Weiguo insisted on not using force, because a lot of strength could have been fought for, but if you choose to solve it by force, you will push these forces to the enemy's side.

Zheng Weiguo saw that Li Zhenan was very frank, and he was quite happy in his heart. He smiled and said, "Ha Luha, Brother Li, it's good if you don't blame me." I won't mention the previous things, let's join hands to contribute to the anti-Japanese effort! Now that Ping'an County is lacking a county magistrate, is Brother Li willing to give in? ”

Li Zhenan hurriedly said: "No, no, it's better for you to be the county magistrate or head Zheng." ”

Zheng Weiguo knew that Li Zhenan still had concerns, so he said with a straight face: "Don't hide it from Brother Li, brother, I am a rough person, and the county magistrate really can't do this job." Since the departure of the county magistrate, the county government has been paralyzed, and now there is an urgent need for a person who is well-versed in politics and familiar with the local situation to take over this work. Look at it, is there a more suitable candidate than you in the whole Ping'an County? ”

Seeing that Zheng Weiguo was honest, Li Zhenan had no choice but to say: "Chief Zheng, thanks to your attention, I will be the deputy county magistrate first." I can do the work, and you have to take care of the big things. ”

Zheng Weiguo couldn't persuade again, so he had to say: "Okay then!" As long as it is beneficial to the anti-Japanese effort, you can do it, and I will fully support you! Brother Li, do you have any requirements? If there is, just bring it up! ”

Li Zhenan smiled: "Hehe, I won't tell you, Li really has something to ask you for this time!" ”

Zheng Weiguo hurriedly said: "Brother Li, you just said it, don't be so polite." ”

Li Zhenan hesitated for a moment and said, "Yesterday, the bandits attacked the city, and several big families in the county colluded with the bandits and were copied by your department. Uh, Li shouldn't have interceded for this kind of thing, but my father had a deep friendship with the old man of the Zhang family, so ......"

Zheng Weiguo pondered for a moment and said, "Brother Li, I won't tell you, if you just plead, I won't stop there." These people have committed great crimes, and they have died innocently. However, these families are intertwined in Ping'an County, and there are many relatives and friends, and if they are severely punished, it will inevitably affect the anti-Japanese plan. So I decided not to kill any of these family criminals, including the first offender. Zheng Weiguo didn't say those vain words, because he hoped that Li Zhenan could feel his sincerity.

Li Zhenan is a smart man, and he quickly understood Zheng Weiguo's intentions, but trust is a long-term process and will not be effective overnight. He said with some gratitude: "Head Zheng, thank you so much. Now, when I go back, I'll be able to explain it to my father. ”

These big families have been entrenched in Ping'an County for several generations, and some of them have been hundreds of years long. These natives, killing one person offends one family, and killing one family offends one, which is not conducive to unity and resistance against Japan, so Zheng Weiguo is also a rat trap. Of course, capital sins can be forgiven, but living sins cannot be forgiven. Not only should their property be confiscated, but they should also be subjected to compulsory labor reform.

The next day, Yu Laogen found Zheng Weiguo and said: "Tuanzuo, according to your orders, the bandits captured this time and several criminals who colluded with the bandits have all been taken to the city wall to pick up bricks. ”

Ping'an County was built in the Ming Dynasty, with a boxy city wall, suitable for human habitation, but it does not conform to the modern defense system. For example, there are too many dead ends, crossfire cannot be formed, there are no anti-artillery holes, and so on. Although the city wall is high, the devils have planes and cannons, and the city wall is too high to be conducive to defense, and if it collapses by the devil's shelling, it will increase the casualties of the defenders. In addition, the city wall was in disrepair and difficult to maintain, so Zheng Weiguo simply let people strip away and redesign the city defense system.

Zheng Weiguo nodded and said, "Very good!" These people have to be reformed. If they don't suffer a little, they don't know how to behave! ”

Yu Laogen laughed twice with Hehe, and said: "I also saw an acquaintance in this group of people, Tuanzao, you have time to go and have a look." ”

Zheng Weiguo said: "Who? ”

Yu Laogen laughed a few more times and said, "Tuanzao, you better go and see it yourself!" When you go, you will know the way. ”

Zheng Weiguo thought to himself, why are you so boring! However, Yu Laogen is an old subordinate and is old, Zheng Weiguo still wants to give him some face. If the pillar dared to play him like this, the big casserole would have been fanned over a long time ago.

He also happened to go to the construction site to study the new city defense system, so he just went to see it. Building a city defense system is a technical task, and Zheng Weiguo decided to come by himself. Although he was not an engineer, he had a broad vision and extraordinary insight (it seems that no one in this world has seen more than him), and it is not a problem to arrange a permanent fortification.

The area around the east gate, where the demolition of the walls began, has become a large construction site, and the men and women who are working here are busy working under the walls. Zheng Weiguo took the pillars and they came over to take a look, and they were very satisfied with the progress of the project. It is said that the people of this era are indeed very good at work, and they are far more able to endure hardships than the new humans of the 21st century. These people are either bandits or a pampered landlord class, and their ability to work is quite poor. If you replace a group of farmers who work in the fields all year round, the work efficiency can be greatly improved.

Looking at the nearby terrain, Zheng Weiguo was thinking about how to build the new fortifications, and he was a little preoccupied with it. The pillar suddenly tugged at his arm and said, "Big brother, big brother, look at it! What, isn't that Teacher Zhang? ”

Zheng Weiguo looked along the fingers of the pillar, and saw a female student crying and holding a few city bricks, and walked down from the city with great difficulty. This girl is none other than Miss Zhilan, who has been an instructor in the security corps for a few days. Her face was covered with a lot of dust, and she was washed with tears, and she looked like a big cat, and it was difficult for the pillar to recognize it.

Zhu scratched his head and said strangely: "What, why is Instructor Zhang here?" Am you mistaken? ”

Zheng Weiguo shook his head and said with a wry smile: "It's wrong, it's her." It's just that I didn't expect her to be the daughter of Zhang Dahu's family. He thought to himself, no wonder Lao Gen'er smiled so weirdly, it turned out that the acquaintance he said was her. The ancients said that dragons give birth to dragons, phoenixes give birth to phoenixes, and the sons of mice burrow in the ground. That doesn't seem entirely true.

The pillar was a loud voice, and Zhilan followed the sound and looked over, just in time to see Zheng Weiguo looking at her. For a while, she was surprised and delighted, ashamed and ashamed, and couldn't help crying.

Zheng Weiguo couldn't bear it, walked over, and said, "Miss Zhilan, I didn't expect to see you here." It seems that you are not suitable for this kind of work, so you should come to the security corps as an instructor in the afternoon! He did not order the release of Zhang Zhilan, Zhang Dahu colluded with bandits, although Zhilan is unlikely to be involved in these things, Zheng Weiguo does not want to use his power to break the rules. Unless there is evidence that Zhilan has not conspired, at most she will be given an easier errand.

Zhilan looked at Zheng Weiguo pitifully and said, "Head Zheng, can you let our family go?" My father and my brother both know that they are wrong! ”

Zheng Weiguo had the heart to say that you are too naïve, is this something that can be let go if you admit your mistake? But men, few people can reprimand a naïve woman with all their hearts.

As he was talking, Zhang Dahu and his two sons also squeezed over. They were already breaking bricks on the nearby city wall, and when they saw Zheng Weiguo coming, they naturally refused to let go of such a good opportunity.

As soon as Zhang Dahu arrived in front of Zheng Weiguo, he knelt down with a thud and begged: "Head Zheng, all the mistakes are my fault. I beg you to spare my son and daughter. ”

Zhilan also knelt down, hugged her father and cried bitterly. Zhang Dahu's two sons also knelt down behind and begged bitterly, saying, "Head Zheng, please spare our family a lot!" ”

Zheng Weiguo shook his head and said, "If you are wrong, you will be punished, and you should think clearly about such consequences before colluding with bandits." "Even if Zhilan is a good girl, it can't offset her family's sins. No matter what, Zheng Weiguo will not let go of these wicked people easily.

Many people on the city wall saw Zhang Dahu's family begging here, and they also wanted to squeeze over, counting on Zheng Weiguo to raise his noble hand. The guards didn't give them affection, and with a whip sound, they all drove back.

Zhilan's mouth was deflated, as if she was about to cry again. Zheng Weiguo had no choice but to comfort: "If you perform well in the process of labor reform, you can consider changing to a more relaxed job." In fact, participating in forced labor is not a bad thing, it not only exercises the body, but also supports the anti-Japanese resistance, which is beneficial to both private and public affairs. Of course, it depends on what you think. ”

This sounds a bit like an official, but it is indeed Zheng Weiguo's heart. The days to come will be even more difficult, and many innocent people will suffer in this catastrophe. What is it to dig a city wall, or to contribute to the national defense of the motherland?

The boss of the Zhang family rolled his eyes, looked at Zheng Weiguo slanderously, and said: "Commander Zheng, we didn't know Taishan before, but I didn't expect you to be such a hero. Look at my sister, it's not me who praises myself, this character, there is no girl in Ping'an County who can compare ......"

Without waiting for him to finish, Zheng Weiguo glanced at Zhilan and said, "Don't kneel, it's useless to kneel." I'm going to take a look at the shooting range, and you'll remember to give lessons to the fighters in the afternoon. So saying, they took the pillar and walked away without looking back.

After walking far, I heard the boss of the Zhang family shouting in the back: "It doesn't matter if you don't want the media to marry, it's okay to take a concubine!" As long as you let our house go, the warm quilt will also be ......"

Zhuzi couldn't help but scolded: "Damn, even my own sister wants to give it away, what kind of person!" ”

Zhang Dahu's family is unkind to the rich, and they dare to collude with bandits, which is really incompatible with the kindness shown by Zhilan. is the same family, why is the gap between this person and people so big?