(16) Stir up waves again

  After his recovery, Yang Shuo Ming only found out when he was strolling around the town that he had become a hero in the hearts of the people of Double Dragon Town.

  The annihilation of the Liangshan Mountain bandits had a great impact on other nearby bandits, and when they heard that government troops were stationed in Shuanglong Town (which was actually not true), the bandits who had planned to join forces to attack Shuanglong Town also dispersed and retreated back to their lairs. After the security team eliminated the Liangshan Mountain bandits, the mountain roads around Shuanglong Town and surrounding areas became unobstructed, and merchants and civilians all praised and thanked the security team. Yang Shaoming personally killed the bandit leader Hei Liu, and naturally became an object of admiration for the townspeople, who would always give him a warm welcome and respectful glances wherever he went.

  In contrast to the genuine gratitude from the residents of Shuanglong Town, Yang Shaoming couldn't help but think of his own experiences in later life where he had risked his life to save others only to have them avoid him like a plague. He couldn't help but sigh silently.

  When did we start losing those good things that originally belonged to us?

  Yang Shuo Ming strolled around the street for a while, and then came to Liu Laoliu's blacksmith shop again, wanting to forge another "Xiao Long" fighting knife. However, when he arrived at the blacksmith shop, he was startled by the bustling scene of people working hard at the hot furnaces.

  Watching the ironworkers sweating profusely as they hammered away at the metal, and the piles of spearheads and knife blades in the corner, Yang Shaoming seemed to have understood something. He immediately turned around and walked out of the blacksmith's shop, heading towards the security office.

  They arrived at the security office, and as soon as they entered the door, Yang Shuo Ming heard bursts of gunfire. He saw some young people who had been temporarily recruited from the town, under the guidance of security personnel, lined up in two rows, with the front row squatting and the back row standing, practicing shooting rifles. However, what they were using was not real military rifles, but homemade hunting guns.

  Looking at the straw man in front of him who was beaten with holes all over his body, Yang Shuo Ming nodded secretly and then shook his head.

  The life of Xu Yuanjin, the captain of the security team, was also something that made Yang Shuo Ming curious.

  A guard brought Yang Shuo Ming to Xu Yuan Jin's house, where Xu Yuan Jin was writing a report. Seeing Yang Shuo Ming enter, he put down his pen and straightened up in his chair.

  "Is your wound healed?" he asked with a smile.

  "It's all right now." Yang Shuo Ming smiled and looked out the window at the people practicing shooting, asking, "Is something else happening? Are other bandits coming?"

  "You yourself said it, 'Bandits pass like a comb, soldiers pass like a sieve.' What, have you forgotten?" Xu Yuanjin looked at him with a seemingly smiling expression and asked back.

  Yang Shuo Ming understood what he meant, let out a bitter laugh and didn't say anything else.

  He who is familiar with history of course knows that after the Xinhai Revolution, some things are actually just the opposite of what is depicted in history textbooks as earth-shaking and soul-stirring.

  Just like many peasants' understanding of the revolution, they thought that without an emperor, there would be no king's law. At that time, many local militias (also known as revolutionary armies, distinguished from Yuan Shikai's Beiyang Army) did not actually fight for the throne, but they thought they had made contributions. Many people who had been in the militia would bring back a merit certificate, mostly made of silver, and when they returned home, they would be like Fan Jinzhong, showing off their wealth. However, more people did not want to return home because they were originally "green forest heroes" who had finally entered the city and wanted to stay and enjoy the comforts.

  The good men who participated in the militia thought that after entering the city, they could do whatever they wanted. Local militias would often occupy a place, open up brothels and casinos, and openly sell opium and gamble. At the same time, they would demand money and provisions from the new government every day, and if they didn't get it, they would cause trouble. They even robbed people on the streets, and due to disputes over territory and financial resources, different militias often clashed with each other, killing each other.

  Some militia leaders were even killed by another group of militiamen on the street, and their guns, gold watches, gold chains, and money pouches were all taken away. This made the city's residents live in fear every day. Behind this chaotic social order was unbridled extravagance and indulgence. Many militia officers quickly became corrupt after the revolution "succeeded", eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling, buying concubines and prostitutes, doing whatever they wanted.

  Not only did the original members of the gangs and green forests do this, but some revolutionary party members and new military officers also opened up their restrictions and indulged themselves to the extreme, almost always staying in the land of warmth and wine. When there were matters on the front lines, it was hard to find an officer to command, and when they finally found one, they were all drunk and unable to move.

  The soldiers followed suit, often not returning home at night. In terms of indulging in women, revolutionary party members seemed particularly interested, and as soon as they had the conditions, they would indulge themselves to the extreme. It was as if this could prove that the revolution was against the corrupt Qing dynasty. Just like how the Qing dynasty's clear orders forbade officials from visiting prostitutes, the revolution of course allowed it.

  The revolutionary party people seemed to think that revolution was a kind of liberation, and liberation of course meant liberating one's desires first. The money that the revolutionary military government had painstakingly raised often ended up in brothels and casinos. And once the money ran out, many militiamen would come out and rob people, no different from bandits.

  For such a revolution, the merchants and civilians are naturally greatly disappointed. In their view, the current chaotic situation may not be better than the Qing dynasty's rule.

  This is also the reason why, despite the fact that many provinces in China declared independence shortly after the Wuchang Uprising, and it seemed that the revolutionary army was powerful with a large number of people and guns, but why the revolutionaries who occupied so many provinces were willing to compromise with Yuan Shikai, a military strongman, almost unanimously, even though Sun Yat-sen, the provisional president, was not very willing. The idea of these bandit-like militia wanting to confront Yuan Shikai's regular Beiyang Army is simply laughable. Therefore, after the change of presidents, Huang Xing, who stayed in Nanjing, proactively disbanded most of them. When sending away the Guangdong militia back to their hometowns, it was discovered that many lower-ranking officers had married wives in Nanjing (many of whom already had a wife at home!). History textbooks have always been critical of Huang Xing's disbandment of the Nanjing garrison, and some patriotic youth even think that Huang Xing betrayed the revolution and surrendered to Yuan Shikai! However, those who know the truth understand that Huang Xing's actions were completely correct.

  It's strange if anything can be accomplished with such an army.

  The incompetence of the revolutionary party and its army was fully exposed during the Second Revolution. Yang Shouming knew that in Jiangxi, where he currently resided, Li Liejun had fought a few battles, but in other places, the militia either surrendered or fled without firing a shot as soon as the Beiyang Army arrived. In an instant, Hu Hanmin and Chen Jiongming became commanders without troops and could only flee. Guangdong, the hometown of Sun Yat-sen, the pioneer of the revolution, and supposedly the place with the most revolutionary party members, was lost in an instant, without even a shred of dignity left.

  As for what the final outcome of the "Second Revolution" was, Yang Shouming actually already knew very clearly.

  After accurately knowing the historical time and space he was in, during these days of recuperation, apart from chatting with Huang Jiaomei, Yang Shaoming also thought about whether he could help Li Liejun change the outcome of the "Second Revolution", but after thinking about it multiple times, he still gave up on this unrealistic idea.

  After all, he is not the angel of Oxford University. Others who have crossed over at least brought a ps photo with Mr. Sun Yat-sen to deceive the trust of revolutionary soldiers and become the commander of the revolutionary army. He came across naked, although he had some skills, but facing the current situation, he was powerless.

  Even if he could help Li Liejun defend the strategic pass of Lake Mouth, how long could the isolated and outnumbered Jiangxi anti-Yuan army hold out against the superior Northern Army led by Yuan Shikai, he didn't even want to think about it.

  Just thinking about Hei Liu's narrow escape from the bullet of the left-handed revolver, it can be seen that such an act would have cost this time-traveler his life.

  In this chaotic and turbulent era, wanting to change the course of history is not that easy.

  In fact, the failure of the "Second Revolution" was inevitable from the start.

  The Xinhai Revolution was more of a peaceful transfer of power than a violent revolution. After the establishment of the Republic, people's minds were settled and opposing the use of force to solve problems was the mainstream at that time. At that time, the "Song Jiaoren Assassination Case" had not been fully revealed, and this war against Yuan Shikai, which was launched on the grounds of this case and Yuan's large loan, could not gain recognition and support from all walks of society. Some people even accused the initiators of using "anti-Yuan" as an excuse, essentially for a power struggle, using the name of revolution to "hijack" the whole nation!

  Yang Shuo-ming did not doubt the political ideals and pure beliefs of Sun Yat-sen and other revolutionary pioneers, but at a time when the "Song case" had not yet been settled and legal solutions were still being sought, he hastily launched a military campaign. Wasn't this a hasty harm to the republican democratic politics that was still in its exploratory stage?

  What is even more ironic is that the result of the "Second Revolution" gave Yuan Shikai, this military strongman, the best opportunity to unify the country and establish his authority. Contrary to what history textbooks proclaim, the so-called "宁做太平犬，不做乱世人" (it's better to be a peaceful dog than a chaotic person), the long-term social unrest made the masses yearn for a powerful leader and central government. Because ordinary people would not actively accept any "revolutionary righteousness", what they most hoped for at that time was to quickly restore order, to live in peace, and Yuan Shikai's Beiyang warlord clique happened to be the stabilizing force and symbol of peace that the nation's people were longing for!