Volume 1 Wuchang Vortex Chapter 53: The Day of Rise (VIII)
Inside the Hu Mansion on Xiaoyang Street, the pages of the hand-copied Diamond Sutra in front of Hu Ruilin were already messed up. All he could see were servants packing up their things. The occasional explosions frightened him so much that his face turned pale. When he saw the servant he had sent to investigate come back, he quickly stood up, twirled his Buddhist beads with his fingers, and asked, "What's the situation outside?"
"Master, it's bad! The county government office has been occupied! Now the rebels are attacking the police station and the customs building. There are also dense gunfire at the provincial treasury. The docks, telegraph offices, and telephone offices are all..." The servant talked nonsense and kept talking about where the guns were fired and where the fires were set. He went around for a long time but didn't get to the point. He was so angry that he interrupted him and said, "Why are you panicking?! Tell me which soldiers are causing trouble?"
This shout finally calmed the servant down, and he said, "My lord, they are soldiers from the 42nd Mixed Brigade. I heard that they were ordered by their Baturu commander to take over Hankou and cooperate with Wuchang in its attempt to establish a republic and overthrow the Qing and restore the Han!"
When he heard that it was Yang Qiu's soldier, Hu Ruilin frowned immediately. He was also an old member of the Hubei Advisory Council. Of course, he knew this "loyal and brave Baturu", but he didn't expect that he would actually take the lead in the rebellion ! This made things a little bad. Could it be that he was deliberately inserted by the party members as a torture? Before he could finish thinking, the old housekeeper had already come over with his family carrying a bag. Seeing that everyone looked nervous, he had to put the matter aside for the time being and take his family to the concession to avoid the limelight. But as soon as he went out, a team of soldiers with live ammunition blocked him and his family at the door. Although he was a constitutionalist, he was still a Qing official after all. What if... ? He was so scared that he hurriedly said: "I am Hu Ruilin, what are you guys..."
"Reporting to Lord Hu, the streets are not safe now. I have been ordered to come and protect you as you go to the camp to rest." After the officer saluted, he immediately called on the soldiers to protect the group. Seeing that there was no way to leave, Hu Ruilin was scared to death and begged for mercy: "My lord, I am only a member of the Advisory Council, not a Manchu!"
"Don't be afraid, sir. It is our responsibility to protect you and the other members of the parliament. The commander-in-chief has ordered that you must be escorted to the camp to rest. He has something important to discuss with you later." These words made Hu Ruilin's eyebrows jump, but the soldiers kept saying the same thing when he asked several questions. Knowing that he could not leave, he could only follow the soldiers and take it one step at a time.
Behind the window of the small building next to her, Miao Luo listened to the dense gunfire outside. Her beautiful eyes were already filled with astonishment and confusion. She had never thought that the big event Yang Qiu was talking about was actually launching a revolutionary uprising! Teams of soldiers passed through the streets and alleys, adding a hint of tension and uneasiness to the air, but she was excited. Was the dream and era that Mr. Song and the party members had been pursuing so hard about coming to an end? What kind of person was he?
Rui Yao also secretly glanced at this inexperienced junior sister, secretly surprised: "Sister, are you sure that Yang Qiu, who is rebelling now, is the running dog of the Manchu Tartar who saved you?"
"Senior Sister, I've said it several times, he's not a running dog!"
Chang Si, who had heard Miao Luo's story, frowned and said, "It seems that everyone has misunderstood him. He was protecting himself when he entered Sichuan. If that happened to you or me, we would probably fight back. As for being named Baturu later, he had no choice but to be a Biaotong. If he really wanted to be a slave to the Manchus, he could have killed Mr. Song and Miss Miao in Chengdu that day. His achievements would not be as simple as Baturu, and he would have a position in the court. Moreover, he is now a Biaotong with a large number of troops and power. Hanyang is only a river away from Hankou. If he really wants to seek revenge on those Kuomintang members, do you think you can't catch a few people? Even if he kills them in the street, who in the three towns dares to say no?"
Seeing Miao Luo also defending Yang Qiu, Rui Yao's heart suddenly skipped a beat. Could it be that her junior sister has fallen in love with him? She knew her junior sister. Although she had good kung fu, she had been abroad for many years. She was still a little girl and might be deceived by a few sweet words. She hurriedly asked, "Sister, during the time you were recuperating, did Yang Qiu...do anything to you?"
"ah!"
Miao Luo didn't expect her to ask this. For some reason, the scene of Yang Qiu tearing the wrong trouser leg that night suddenly appeared in his mind. His cheeks immediately flushed, and even his eyes became misty. He hurriedly changed the subject and asked, "By the way, you have been talking about me all the time. Senior sister, do you have any news about my brother? Why didn't I get any response after I sent the telegram?"
Rui Yao chuckled when she heard that. Her breasts trembled violently with the laughter. After a moment, she stopped laughing. She smiled and said, "My sister must be confused because of the injury. She sent a unclear telegram with only one sentence: "The peacock flew southeast. How can we find it?"
"Only one sentence?" Miao Luo was dumbfounded when he heard it. He had clearly asked Yang Qiu to send two coded sentences, saying that he was in Wuchang, near the southeast of the river. How come it became just one sentence when he was outside? Could it be... Damn it, I was fooled by that guy again! Miao Luo, who understood it, immediately cursed in a delicate voice: "It's all that damn Yang Qiu, he must have changed my telegram!"
Seeing Miao Luo still smiling while cursing, Rui Yao's heart sank even more, and she said, "Junior sister, you just came back from the United States not long ago, you should be careful. In troubled times, you must not trust others casually. Maybe this Yang Qiu is just like those people under me, just trying to fish in troubled waters in the name of revolution to make a fortune."
"We killed the Tartars and overthrew the Qing Dynasty in order to restore the Han Dynasty. How can we rob and kill people everywhere? What's the difference between this and banditry!" Miao Luo automatically ignored the first half of the sentence. When he heard that some gang members were going to take advantage of the revolution to rob, he stood up. Chang Si sighed inwardly, another silly girl who didn't know the depth of things and didn't know the world and people's hearts.
"Where did they go?"
"Just now, a brother who followed came back and reported that he went to Dongjia Lane."
"Dongjia Lane? Shanxi Merchants Association!" Miao Luo suddenly covered her mouth and exclaimed, remembering what Yang Qiu told her to protect Dong and the others, and rushed out. Rui Yao and Chang Si didn't know what was going on, but seeing that her legs were still a little unsteady, they also called a few confidants to rush out with her.
At this moment, the Hankou Jinshang General Association was already in chaos. Loud rumbling noises continued to come from the China Merchants Steam Navigation Company. The sound of gunfire like frying beans was terrifying. Shen Shukai turned his head and looked at the riverside. Hankou was not Wuchang. Yang Qiu's two battalions were already invincible here! Moreover, there were already rumbling gunfire in Wuchang, and there were also flashes of fire on Hankou Guishan. Did this mean that he had really taken the wrong path? !
At this moment, he was extremely regretful. He really didn't want to swallow the money. He just wanted to suppress it because of the sudden news of the killing of Tartars on August 15th in Wuchang. Now that he thought about it, if the bullets and machine guns could be delivered in time, it would not be like this. Seeing the famous manager of Heshengyuan staring blankly, a large group of banknotes and other store owners who had been waiting anxiously came to surround him and said anxiously, "Manager Shen, you are our backbone! Give us some advice quickly."
He also knew that tonight's matter was of great importance. If it was not handled properly, the Hankou Jin merchants would be finished. He had to suppress the regret and worry in his heart and asked: "Don't worry, tell me first, what's going on outside."
A bank owner with three emeralds on his hand said quickly: "Manager Shen, you don't know, Wuchang is in chaos now. I heard that the rebels have besieged the Governor's Mansion and set up cannons! We don't know about Hanyang yet, but here in Hankou..." Another bank owner took over the conversation: "In addition to the soldiers and bandits, the ruffians and gangsters on the waterway have also gathered together. I heard that they are extorting money from every household. If anyone doesn't pay, they will shoot directly. I heard that hundreds of people have died."
"Have you sent anyone to contact the police station, the patrol camp, and the garrison?"
"We did! But the people who went there came back and said that the patrol camp was surrounded by the army, and the police station had been raided long ago. About a hundred people were taken back to the camp for guarding. The customs, government offices, and provincial treasury were all occupied! As for the garrison you mentioned." The shopkeeper laughed bitterly: "They responded politely, but they said they were at war and had no time to manage public security, so we had to hold out until tomorrow morning."
"Look, we only have a dozen guns here, and they are all short guns. How can we hold out until tomorrow morning? Dongjia Lane is where all the Shanxi merchants gather. We have at least a million in cash, and with the silver bills that can be exchanged, it's at least doubled. If something goes wrong, how are we going to survive in the future?"
"Then why don't you gather everyone together and transport all the silver to the concession?"
"You are kidding me! Soldiers have blocked all the roads to the concession before the guns even started. Now the roads out of the city are also blocked. Even the docks are blocked. The telephone office is full of soldiers! That captain Yue even sent someone to inform us that now people are only allowed to enter Hankou but not leave. Anyone who disobeys the order will be killed without mercy!"
"Yes, Hankou is a taciturn place now. If things continue like this, I'm afraid we will all... die without a burial place!"
Hearing this, Shen Shukai frowned secretly and glanced at the shopkeeper Dong next to him. The latter came over and whispered in his ear: "Manager, I think we'd better not get involved in this matter. The soldiers in Hankou are all Lord Yang's. They patrol the city and surround it without fighting. How can they not spare a few soldiers? I'm afraid there are..."
Shen Shukai had actually guessed something, and after Manager Dong's reminder, he understood it even more clearly. There were still some unresolved issues between him and Yang Qiu, and now that someone had reminded him in advance, there were only a few tens of thousands of taels in circulation on Heshengyuan's account. Even if there was a loss, it would not be a big problem. This was already a great favor. If he ruined someone else's good fortune again, wouldn't he really be making enemies?
At this moment, a bodyguard suddenly rushed in from outside the door, and without waiting for any questions, he shouted in panic: "Hello, shopkeepers, someone just said that the bandits have arrested the people from Hanyeping, and I heard that the manager of Hankou was also taken away, and the hundreds of thousands of working capital he had left at home were robbed! The people who were sent back said that the army has started to attack the Merchants Steam Navigation Company again, and even blew up the gate!"
What!
Shen Shukai's scalp exploded. What on earth was Yang Qiu trying to do? It was no problem for him to attack the China Merchants, as they had at least hundreds of thousands of assets. But what was Hanyeping? It was a hen that laid golden eggs for Sheng Xuanhuai, the top red-topped merchant in the Qing Dynasty. More importantly, the Japanese were involved! Bandits? Why would bandits mess with the Japanese?
Before he could figure out what Yang Qiu was trying to do, four or five black things flashing sparks suddenly flew in from outside. Shen Shukai was experienced enough to immediately recognize that they were bombs.
Amid screams of fear, the yard was like a boiling pot with continuous rumbling explosions. A dozen escorts were blown to the ground before they could react. All those present were businessmen who had never seen the methods of war. They were so frightened that they collapsed to the ground.
"Brother, they are all inside!"
Outside Dongjia Lane, Jin Lai Li, who had brought nearly 400 hooligans with him, sat in the carriage. He knew this was the last chance! The troops were seizing the key positions and had no time to deal with him, so he had to fight quickly. As long as he got the things and loaded them on the boat, who in the world could find him? So he pointed at Dongjia Lane and shouted, "Brothers, this is the last chance. The Shanxi Merchants Association, Hankou's bank and silver vault are all here. Charge!"
The gangsters, whose eyes were red with excitement due to the money, all rushed in like crazy. The escorts who were guarding the courtyard could only rely on the high walls and the courtyard to resist. However, there were too few escorts and not enough guns. In the blink of an eye, the three banknote shops outside were broken into. The boxes of silver dollars and various banknotes further stimulated the bandits.
After several violent explosions, the turnover vault jointly established by the various banks of the Hankou Shanxi Merchants Association was finally blown open. Jin Lai Li had to lead the way in such a situation. He sent people to block the escorts who were hiding deep in the alley and were ready to resist to take back the vault, while he took the lead in rushing into the vault. He was so excited that he swallowed several mouthfuls of silver dollars and silver ingots in his mouth.
The shopkeepers hiding inside saw the vault being blown open and Jin Lai Li was leading people to move the reserve silver of each bank. They were all so anxious that they didn't care about much else. They ordered a reward of 3,000 yuan for killing the bandit, and there was a promise of a heavy reward for taking the silver back.
The escorts were all working for money, and when they heard about such a generous reward, they gritted their teeth and rushed forward. Although Heshengyuan's cash in the headquarters' turnover treasury had been taken away in advance under various names, they were still of the same blood, so Shen Shukai didn't have time to think too much and asked the two escorts who had been protecting him and holding the self-propelled pistols sent by Yang Qiu to help.
Seeing that these guys dared to fight back, Jin Lai Li grabbed a bomb and rushed forward. This kind of homemade bomb was learned from Sun Wu. When the party members' ship carrying explosives arrived that day, they needed the help of the Yangtze River Gang to transport them, so he secretly intercepted some and made a dozen for use. But just after throwing the explosives, before they landed, he saw a black shadow suddenly jump down from the wall next to him. The black shadow was not only agile, but also very brave, and kicked the explosives.
Boom... The explosives were kicked not far behind him. Jin Lai Li was startled. After he stood up, he found that the black shadow was non-stop. He pulled out two pistols and rushed into the bandits. He didn't expect that several bandits who were attacked from behind were directly killed.
"Alpaca!"
Jin Lai Li was a fierce bandit. Seeing this, he pulled out two pistols and rushed forward. Before he could raise his gun, he heard two screams.
"Jin Mingsheng, how dare you!"
"It's you!" Miao Luo immediately recognized Jin Lai Li as the one who shot him that night. The latter didn't expect that she actually knew Rui Yao and interfered with him. He immediately cried out in his heart, and simply went all out, raising his gun and shooting at the two of them.
Miao Luo came back to rescue Shen Shukai and others. Unlike last time when he was unprepared, when he saw Jin Laili raising his gun, he immediately spun his left foot, and his body flew lightly while his right leg swept out suddenly. Jin Laili was knocked back several steps before he could fire his gun. When he raised his gun again, Miao Luo had already fired.
There were two loud slaps, and Jin Lai Li only felt a pain in his waist. Knowing that he had been shot, his ferocity was aroused. He dodged and shouted, "Brothers, catch these two bitches who have surrendered to the traitor Yang Qiu. You can do whatever you want with them after you catch them!"
Dozens of bandits guarding the carriage rushed up after hearing this. Rui Yao cursed inwardly, "Despicable!" and just as she hid behind a stone pillar, several bullets whizzed past her ears. Miao Luo over there was blocked by the thugs with red eyes and couldn't raise his head. Seeing this, Chang Si hurriedly took his men to leave the escort behind, but he was shot back by a burst of bullets after taking a few steps.
"Miss Miao, are you okay? Let's go and find Lord Yang's soldiers!" Shopkeeper Dong was sharp-eyed. After seeing Miao Luo, he didn't care about hiding anything. He shouted to remind her to find Yang Qiu for help.
Although Miao Luo was proud and arrogant, especially since he had an unclear relationship with Yang Qiu that night and had been deliberately keeping his distance from him, but now human lives were at stake and he could only grit his teeth and prepare to find Yang Qiu's soldiers for help. However, as soon as he took a step, dense gunshots rang out all around him. Turning his head, he saw hundreds of soldiers coming out from nowhere, and covering the entire Dongjia Lane in the blink of an eye.
No matter how good Jin Lai Li was at fighting, he was just one man. The bandits under his command were all a mob, many of whom even used cold weapons. If they encountered a patrolman, they could deal with him by relying on their numbers, and even win. But the ones who were fighting now were regular soldiers who had trained hard for many years and trained for two months according to the outline of the future! So after a while, the streets were full of corpses. The remaining bandits turned around and ran away in fear, but the soldiers had already blocked the area around Dongjia Lane, so they could only raise their hands and surrender one by one.
"Yang Qiu, I can't stand with you!!"
Seeing that the soldiers were protecting the huge amount of property he had robbed all night, and it was obvious that they were targeting this huge amount of money, Jin Lai Li immediately realized that he was probably being used as a gun by Yang Qiu! Although he didn't know how he knew that he was going to do it, the deal was obviously ruined. In addition to the relationship between Rui Yao and Miao Luo, he could no longer survive in Hankou and Hanyang. He could only stomp his feet and flash into the darkness, and took advantage of the chaos to pick up a log and swim to Wuchang on the other side.
After the soldiers quickly took control of the entire Dongjia Lane, Shen Shukai and others finally breathed a sigh of relief. Miao Luo and Rui Yao also came out with their men at this time, but when they walked to Manager Dong, they saw a young officer coming over.
"Shen Shukai? Who is Shen Shukai, the manager of Heshengyuan?"
"I am Shen Shukai..." Shen Shukai had just bowed and was about to say a few words of thanks, but the young officer had already hit him hard on the arm with the butt of his rifle! He shouted: "The commander-in-chief has ordered! Arrest all the people from Heshengyuan!"
As soon as the order was issued, the soldiers quickly arrested more than a dozen Heshengyuan's men and bodyguards, and those who resisted were beaten with rifle butts. Miao Luo knew the relationship between Yang Qiu and Heshengyuan best, so he quickly blocked them and scolded, "How can you arrest people at random? They are not bandits."
"I'm sorry, young lady. I'm just following orders!" Not only Miao Luo, but even the shopkeepers who had managed to escape alive behind him were all confused by this. Only Shopkeeper Dong was so scared that his face turned pale and he fell to the ground.
"Manager Dong, I'm here to get some things on the orders of Lord Biaotong."
Shopkeeper Dong stood up and looked at Shen Shukai and the other shop assistants. He knew that this time it would be difficult to pass the test. The only thing he could do now was to finish the remaining tasks and see if he could fight for a glimmer of hope. The other shopkeepers wanted to ask what was going on, but when they thought of their own money, they had to keep their mouths shut. However, when they walked out from the deep alley to retrieve the silver from the treasury and count the losses, they found that the carriages that the bandits had just used to load the silver were gone, and the shop doors were also covered with seals.
The seal is fine for now, but... where's the money?! The shopkeepers were all furious. You know, this is millions of silver in the treasury! Just when everyone was rushing out, the soldiers who blocked the road pointed their guns and said, "The commander-in-chief has ordered that Hankou will be under military control from now on. No one is allowed to leave their homes before dawn. Anyone who violates the order... will be killed without mercy!"
Everyone felt a chill in their hearts when they saw the black muzzle of the gun, and they finally understood one thing.
The situation in Hankou has changed!
