The Rise of the Writers of the Republic of China

Menke is a word that appears very frequently in traditional Chinese history and culture.

The most famous among them is naturally Lord Mengchang. According to legend, he had three thousand followers, and the idiom "cocks crow and dogs robber" has been passed down to this day. Although Wang Er, Yuan Wujiu and Zheng Rentong cannot simply be called roosters and dog robbers, they are actually not that far off.

The diners who are just making a living belong to the lowest level, and the higher-level ones can be called "shi". Japan was deeply affected in this regard. Their so-called "samurai" were actually a kind of retainer.

Zhou Hexuan didn't have much idea about these three guys. He just spent some rice to raise them. Maybe they could be used someday. The relationship between the two parties is not that of master-servant or employer, but more like friends in the world. If they get along, they will get together, and if they don't get along, they will break up.

When we usually get along with each other, Zhou Hexuan always has a sense of inquiry, making insinuations and wanting to know the other person's true pursuits and thoughts.

But Wang Er and others didn't even understand themselves, and kept saying "do justice for heaven". They don't care about money, let alone the law, they only care about a certain kind of simple morality, and regard this morality as their own code of conduct.

To put it bluntly, they are three people who live in a daze but think they are sober.

Such people are definitely a destabilizing factor in society in peaceful times, but they have a foothold in chaotic times.

In fact, what Zhou Hexuan said before is not completely correct. Although the assassination method cannot eradicate corrupt officials and traitors, it is still useful, at least it can provide deterrence and containment. Especially after the outbreak of the all-out Anti-Japanese War, the trend of assassinations was in full swing, providing a lot of inspiration and material for later anti-war dramas.

The most typical one is the "Jinling Poison and Wine Case", in which two Chinese military reunification agents poisoned dozens of high-ranking Japanese and puppet officials. Among them were the Executive President Liang Hongzhi and the Legislative President Wen Zongyao of the "Reformation Government" (the Nanjing puppet regime before Wang Puppet), as well as the Secretary of the Japanese Consulate General Miyashita, the Accountant Funayama and others.

The two spies were called Zhan Changbing and Zhan Changlin. As early as 1934, Dai Li arranged to work as handymen at the Japanese Embassy in China. Their original purpose was just to collect intelligence. After the outbreak of the all-out Anti-Japanese War, the entire family of the Zhan brothers died in the Nanjing Massacre, but they still endured pain and hatred and continued to work as handymen for the Japanese.

Until one day, a contact brought them "potassium cyanide" with the goal of killing all senior Japanese and traitorous officials in Nanjing. Unfortunately, the amount of potassium cyanide was too small and was diluted into a large amount of alcoholic beverages. Only two of them were poisoned to death, and the remaining dozens of high-ranking Japanese and puppet officials were saved by gastric lavage.

If someone had provided them with enough potassium cyanide, the entire administrative system of the Japanese-occupied East China would have collapsed, because all the high-level Japanese and puppet figures attending the reception would have collapsed.

Fortunately, the two poisoning heroes were safe and sound. They had "served" the Japanese for many years, and the Japanese Special High School had no idea that they were the murderers. Among them, Zhan Changlin lived until his death in 2008. After his death, he was awarded a gold-plated silver medal by the Nanjing Municipal Government.

We should also remember Mr. Shang Zhensheng, a sixth-grade graduate of Whampoa and the actual mastermind of the Jinling poisoning and alcohol case. He pretended to be the chief of staff of a certain department of Wang Puppet Government and was secretly the head of the Nanjing District under military command. Later, for conspiring to assassinate Wang Zhaoming, Shang Zhensheng was targeted by Japanese and puppet spies, betrayed by a traitor and arrested. Before execution, he shouted "The war of resistance will be won, the traitors will perish", and was shot to death at the age of 39.

Perhaps these three retainers living at home could recommend them to Dai Li after the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War and let them use their professional talents.

Well, Zhou Hexuan thinks so.

There is another person who gives Zhou Hexuan a headache, and that is Chu Shiliang from Pao Gehui. This guy comes to visit Zhou Mansion every day, saying that he wants to help Zhou Shenxian with things, but he only knows how to fight and kill, and is not even skilled in assassination. He is used to confronting people head-on with a flat drill.

Should he be asked to serve as the security captain of which factory?

"Zhou Shenxian, just let me follow you." Chu Shiliang came again today.

Zhou Hexuan said speechlessly: "You are a good brother, why do you always want to fool around with me?"

Chu Shiliang said angrily: "Brother Pao Club is getting more and more embarrassing. Disciples like Fan Ha'er from the Eighth Outer Sect are now treated as honored guests. Brother Pao Club is no longer the Brother Pao Club before. What we did before What? Stabilize the place, take care of the poor, stay together to keep warm, now everyone knows how to make money!"

"In the past, Brother Pao Hui was really as positive and glorious as you said?" Zhou Hexuan said happily.

"Well," Chu Shuiliang smiled awkwardly, "It's better than now anyway."

The Ge Lao Hui was originally formed as a water bandit association, and its business was murder and robbery. It was even more filthy than the Qing Gang, which originated from water transport. However, after it was officially formed in the late Qing Dynasty, the Ge Lao Hui advocated benevolence and righteousness, encouraged people to do good, and stabilized the place. It had eight inner gates that were absolutely clean, and eight outer gates that harbored dirt and evil.

All good things and serious things are done by the eight inner sects, and the honor belongs to the Ge Laohui. This type is commonly known as the Qingshui Pao Ge, and the boss is called the "helm handler" or "the helmsman".

All dirty and bad things are done by the outer eight sects. They are just temporary workers and are derogatoryly called Brother Muddy Water Pao. They have little to do with the Brother Laohui. The boss is called "Lao Yao" (the one who steers the rudder).

Does it sound like the "clear flow" and "turbid flow" in the Qinggang?

This has resulted in Ge Lao Hui having a good reputation in Sichuan. Even in the 21st century, there is "Ge Lao Guan" in Sichuan dialect, which is equivalent to "big brother" in Northeastern dialect.

In fact, the Inner Eight Gates and the Outer Eight Gates are two integrated departments, and they are both components of the Ge Laohui. Especially in the past twenty years, the outer eight sects have brought more and more profits, and they have gradually turned away from customers, suppressing the orthodox inner eight sects of Ge Lao Hui.

In fact, Fan Haer relied on his strong financial resources and strength to be promoted from "Brother Muddy Water Pao" to "Brother Qingshui Pao" and officially joined the "Rentang" of Pao Brother Association, while Chu Shiliang could only stay in the "Auditory Hall".

Benevolence, justice, etiquette, wisdom and trust are all about virtue, Rentang is about status, Yitang is about money, and Litang is about force.

This was also the main reason why Chu Shuiliang no longer wanted to stay in Ge Laohui. He couldn't find his place, and he didn't want to kneel in front of an outsider like Fan Haer.

Zhou Hexuan was really troubled and asked: "Who is the chief helmsman of the Chongqing Paoge Club now?"

Chu Shuiliang said: "It used to be Zhang Peijue, but now the position of chief helmsman is vacant."

Zhou Hexuan was a little surprised. Zhang Peijue was one of the leaders of the Sichuan Road Protection Movement in the late Qing Dynasty. He was killed by Yuan Shikai 20 years ago. He was a hero of the Revolution of 1911 and a patriotic warlord who did not care about personal gains and losses. He was also pursued as a martyr by the Nanjing government two years ago. . This person is actually the chief rudder of the Chongqing Ge Lao Association?

Zhou Hexuan smiled and said: "Don't you think you're not used to the current brother? Then you can be the chief helmsman yourself."

"I can't do it. How can I be so good as the chief helmsman?" Chu Shuoliang shook his head repeatedly.

The Ge Lao Hui is really terrifying. Its forces are intricately connected and are far more powerful than the Green Gang. Most of the prominent people in the place belong to the Pao Ge family. It spreads all over Sichuan, with halls in every village and town, covering people from all walks of life.

Officials, gentry, landlords, and cultural figures joined the Rentang; businessmen joined the Yitang; bandits, gangsters, hooligans, and soldiers joined the auditorium; farmers, handicraftsmen, cart drivers, and boatmen joined the Zhitang; monks, Taoist priests, singers, and other low-ranking people joined the Xintang. Hall.

You want money, you want power, you want people, you want soldiers, and in some rural towns and counties, more than 70% of the men are from Pao Ge family, so I ask you, are you afraid?

It is too difficult to be the chief helmsman of a certain place under such circumstances. This is also the reason why the position of chief helmsman in Chongqing has been vacant for 20 years. No one is convinced by anyone.

It was not until Chiang Kai-shek established Chongqing as the wartime capital that he elected a new chief helmsman - Shi Xiaoxian, a first-year graduate of Huangpu.

Chu Shiliang specially introduced the details to Zhou Hexuan, and Zhou Hexuan said: "If you can't be the chief rudder, then you can set up a Brother Pao organization by yourself. Well, the name is called 'Brother Pao saves the Congress', and its purpose is: to serve the people, Unite the countryside, serve the country with passion, and save the nation. The previous helmsman of Chongqing Paoge, Mr. Zhang Peijue, was a patriotic man who gave up glory and wealth for the sake of national reunification and was eventually killed by Yuan Shikai. Now there is a severe drought in Sichuan and Japanese invasion. , Brother Pao is so young, why don’t he pursue the way of saving the country and the people? Do you think this is the truth? "

Chu Shuiliang's eyes lit up when he heard this, but he quickly shook his head and said, "I only know how to fight and kill, and I have some prestige among the local brothers. But I have no money and no ability to organize a group. I'm afraid this Brother Pao will not do anything to save the country." Can’t get up.”

"I have money. As long as you serve the country wholeheartedly, I will pay for the money and food. In addition, there are three righteous men living in my house now. You can ask them to help make suggestions," Zhou Hexuan said with a smile. "We can start with disaster relief. Now there are some in Chongqing." There is still famine in villages and towns, so you can make a name for yourself by leading people to provide disaster relief."

Chu Shuoliang was full of ambition, rubbed his hands and said: "Well, since Mr. Zhou you are willing to pay, I will do this, and I will ensure that Brother Pao saves the country and becomes famous!"

Zhou Hexuan laughed loudly, who said that a rooster and a dog robber can't do serious things?