Chapter 6: The Establishment of the Civilian Militia

  Zhang Xiuzai was tall and slender, looking very clever. When he saw Xia Jun, he hurriedly revealed a humble smile. Xia Jun also showed a smile, but the smile had a hint of ill intention. Then, he pulled Zhang Xiuzai out of the small hut and untied him.

  Xia Jun invited him to sit down and poured him a bowl of tea. Smiling, he asked: "Where is the scholar from?"

  "Longcun people." Zhang Xiu took over the bowl and replied after taking a sip.

  "Are you a scholar, a man of letters?" Xia Jun asked.

  "After studying in a private school for several years, I didn't pass the imperial examination to become a scholar, but was just given a nickname by others."

  "What's your real name?"

  "My nickname is Si Gou (Four Dogs), and the private school teacher wanted money for giving a name. My father was reluctant to pay."

  When he heard the name "Four Dogs", Xia Jun almost spat out the tea in his mouth, and after a brief pause, he continued to ask: "Then why did you become a bandit on the mountain?"

  "The government has ruined me and destroyed my home, I can no longer survive and have no choice but to become a bandit." Zhang Si Dog replied calmly.

  "The heinous Qing court, don't worry brother, the one thing our captain hates the most is the Qing government and officials. I see that you didn't harm the common people when you were a bandit, so I won't turn you in to the authorities." Xia Jun's face was filled with indignation, Zhang Si Dog listened with a stunned expression, then excitedly grabbed Xia Jun's hand and said: "Brother, it turns out that the dragon king temple was washed away by the flood, alas!"

  "Yes! Yes! The dragon king's temple was flooded. "Xia Jun echoed, then said with a hint of embarrassment: "However..."

  "What?" Zhang Si Dog saw him hesitating and asked strangely.

  "But... our group is currently short of activity funds. Since it's one of us, we should sponsor a little more, not much, just 100,000 silver dollars will do. In the future, Shiniu Mountain will also be under our control." Xia Jun Tu finally revealed his true intention.

  Zhang Si Dog was stunned for half a moment, and then he realized that he had been fooled. He suddenly looked like an eggplant that had been struck by frost, wilted! He weakly asked: "What about my brothers?"

  "They're all our own people, would the captain send them to the officials? Do you think the captain is such an unscrupulous and unprincipled person? As long as you work for me for a year, I can let your brothers go." Xia Jun set out the conditions, these bandits were indeed not trustworthy, incorporating them was out of the question, but using them as free labor was not bad.

  "That... Team Leader, Grandpa! I only have a little over 200,000 silver coins on me, 1 million is really impossible to take out, don't believe me? Ask those brothers of mine, we've only been fugitives for half a year." Zhang Si Dog had no choice but to give in now, saying otherwise might lead to who knows what! Better to be obedient. He even called him Grandpa.

  Xia Jun thought about it and didn't pursue it further. The 20,000 silver dollars were already quite objective, and he was still very satisfied in his heart.

  Because Zhang Si Dog and his men were still relatively principled bandits, Xia Jun could still talk to them. If they were the kind of bandits who committed all sorts of evil deeds, Xia Jun would not have been so amiable in talking to them.

  Zhang Si Gou quickly confessed the location where he hid his money, which was in a forest on Stone Ox Mountain. The mountain stronghold's wealth was all buried there. This bandit gang had only been active for nearly half a year, but according to Zhang Si Gou's confession, they had accumulated over 20,000 silver dollars during that time.

  The silver dollar of Fujian Province has a composition of 87% silver and 13% copper, with an exchange rate different from that of other provinces.

  At the end of the Qing dynasty, China's currency market was in a state of extreme disorder. Various provinces saw the profit in minting silver dollars and rushed to purchase machinery for this purpose, resulting in a period where they could not circulate. However, the silver dollars from various provinces were roughly similar, mostly following the size specifications of the eagle dollar, weighing about 7 mace, with only slight differences in composition.

  As soon as he asked where it was hiding, Xia Jun immediately brought more than 20 villagers to rush to Shiniu Mountain.

  Under Zhang Sigou's identification, many boxes of silver coins were soon dug out from underground. According to Zhang Sigou's confession, the grain and some antique calligraphy and paintings that were generally robbed were sold for money, and only silver coins were hidden.

  He pushed the silver dollars back with a board car, and then counted them in the village. There were more than 23,000 pieces. Xia Jun returned the 3,000 silver dollars that Zhang Si Gou had taken from Lin De Bao to Lin De Bao, making Lin De Bao so happy that his face was cramped with laughter.

  At the same time, Xia Jun also stored these silver dollars in Lin Debao's home and gave five silver dollars to each villager who came to help.

  Xia Jun's only place with a foundation is this Tangkeng Village.

  The villagers in the village are very respectful of him and think that Xia Jun is a martial arts star who has come down to earth, otherwise how can one person capture 23 bandits?

  The landlord of Tangkeng Village, Lin Debao, also had a good relationship with him. The most fundamental thing was that Xia Jun shocked everyone, and even the bandits had to admit that Xia Jun was capable.

  Xia Jun immediately set out to organize a security militia after bringing back the silver dollars.

  Because of the high treatment, one can get six silver dollars in a month. From children under 10 years old to people over 50 years old in the village all came to apply.

  Xia Jun's requirements were relatively high, first of all, no one was allowed to smoke, but there were only a few people in the village who smoked. Lin De Bao and the respected elderly villagers implemented compulsory smoking cessation measures in the village, whoever smoked would be tied up in a remote place, and every day, someone would be sent to deliver food and water.

  Secondly, Xia Jun has certain requirements for age, only those above 16 years old and below 25 years old are wanted. Additionally, in terms of physical appearance, Xia Jun wants someone who is a bit sturdy and looks honest.

  There were fifty or so households in the village, and Xia Jun selected only eighteen qualified ones. Xia Jun took out paper and pen on the spot, registered their names, ages and other information, and also gave them ten silver dollars as a settlement fee on the spot.

  Six silver dollars, which was a considerable amount at that time. Although prices soared at the end of the Qing dynasty, three silver dollars could still buy one stone of rice in cities, and its purchasing power would be even higher in rural areas.

  In modern China, only the economically powerful Feng Army had given such high military pay. At this time, Xia Jun wanted to establish a security militia, and in the initial stage, he had to give high pay, otherwise, at this time, there was no family property, who would follow you to fight bandits, in people's eyes, this is a high-risk occupation.

  This is a typical buyer's market.

  If in the future the security civil corps develops well and people see joining the security civil corps as a way to achieve their career, then it is a seller's market.

  When Xia Jun was writing as a member of the Peacekeeping Team, Li Shijin looked at it from behind and was confused. The words written by Xia Jun were too strange.

  Because Xia Jun wrote in simplified characters, but this era didn't have simplified characters at all. As for traditional characters, Xia Jun really couldn't write them. Turning back to look at Li Shi Jing's puzzled face, Xia Jun was calm and composed, not covering anything up, and continued to hold the black pen to continue registering.

  It wasn't until evening that Xia Jun finally stopped.

  The eighteen members of the income security team also went home, and Xia Jun asked them to gather in the empty space in the village tomorrow morning. Lin De Bao was also preparing food at that time.

  Lin Debao was overjoyed to get back the three thousand silver dollars, and he prepared good wine and food to entertain Xia Jun. His father-in-law was also very happy, and after dinner, he went to play chess with Zhang Jiyu, trembling with excitement.

  Zhang Si Gou and the others have been locked in the wooden house, the cowshed is indeed not a good place. The old man pulled Zhang Si Gou out and took out a chess set at the door to start playing. Zhang Si Gou didn't run either, quietly and peacefully playing chess with the old man.

  Xia Jun finished dinner and went for a walk with Li Shi Jing.

  At this moment, it was a world of two people between him and Li Shijian. Xia Jun naturally wanted to grasp it well, but as for how to pursue the girls of this era, Xia Jun really had no idea. The excitement and eagerness he felt when he first met Li Shijian slowly dissipated, and for a while, Xia Jun didn't know what to say either.

  He walked with Li Shiying at the village entrance, looking at the vast expanse of rice fields and listening to the croaking of frogs and crickets in the fields. Xia Jun's restless heart calmed down a lot.

  "You look very special." Li Shijin turned her head and glanced at Xia Jun, suddenly smiling and saying. Xia Jun asked: "Why?"

  "Hmm! You're really something! Your clothes, your handwriting, your language... everything about you seems out of place in this world." Li Shijin thought for a moment before saying, "I've never met a Chinese person as strange as you."

  "Because there's only one Xia Jun on this earth, I'm different from others." Xia Jun said with a chuckle, "Just like there's only one beautiful Li classmate on this earth, no one can compare to your beauty."

  "What nonsense are you talking about?" Li Shijin was praised to the point of being slightly embarrassed, lowering her head and blushing slightly.

  "Haha!"

  "Xia Tong, then why did you want to establish a civilian team?" Li Shijin found another topic and asked Xia Jun with confusion, "With your skills, going to the military would definitely allow you to show off your abilities."

  "Now China only has Manchu troops, there is no longer a Han army, I will never serve the Qing court." Xia Jun shook his head and said.

  "Are you a revolutionary then?" Li Shi Jing guessed, the revolutionaries were no longer a secret, they were active everywhere.

  "No." Xia Jun shook his head and said, "I didn't join the Revolutionary Party and run to this countryside to form a militia because the Revolutionary Party is not suitable for me."

  "Not suitable? Why?"

  "If those revolutionary parties like the Alliance Society and the Restoration Society come to ask me to be their leader, I might consider it." Xia Jun said with a serious face: "If they offer more benefits, maybe I'll agree on the spot."

  "Director..." Li Shijin laughed with her head thrown back, "But they didn't come invite you!"

  "So I'll just come here then! Bring a group of civilians and develop slowly!" Xia Jun said with a shrug.

  With Xia Jun's current ability, he can no longer be inferior to others, it's not a matter of personality, but a problem with the exchange platform on his body.

  What if you are being dissected by others when serving as a younger brother? What if you are being softly restricted by others?

  So Xia Jun, who crossed into this era, was destined to lead his own troops, only then could he carry out his will and grasp his own freedom.

  "Are you sure you can succeed in organizing the militia?" Li Shijin asked worriedly.

  "Still got a little bit of it, Li classmate, what do you think of China under the current Manchu rule?" Xia Jun asked.

  "All they can do is to rot, they rule only for the sake of ruling, on one hand preventing Hans from getting military power, and on the other hand allowing foreigners to plunder China's wealth at will." Li Shijin said, "The officials below are also desperately making money, without caring about the lives and deaths of the people."

  Xia Jun was very surprised, he did not expect Li Shi Jing to be able to understand it so clearly. This is different from some girls in later generations, many of whom do not care about these things at all and only know how to watch "Still Piggy". Xia Jun felt nauseous every time he heard the name, and the author of "Still Piggy" belongs to the kind of people who have no national stance and are brain-dead.

  "What do you think, can the Qing dynasty's rule be maintained?" Xia Jun asked again.

  "Maybe... it's not going to work, is it?" Li Shijian said hesitantly. The idea of revolution seemed distant and unrealistic to many people, even if they could see the darkness of the ruler's regime, but the ruler still had an army at his disposal!

  "In at most three years, the Qing dynasty will perish." Xia Jun asserted, "The Qing's control over local areas has already been very low. As long as there is a disturbance, it will trigger a chain reaction. Those officials will not die for the Qing court, but only beat the dog that has fallen into the water to gain benefits for themselves. After the fall of the Qing dynasty, those bureaucrats will not perish, so in the future, it will inevitably be a warlord-dominated pattern. China's war will start, and the establishment of the militia is just making early preparations."

  "That day was really chaotic, what did you want to do?" Li Shijin asked in surprise after hearing Xia Jun's response.

  "If possible, punish the traitors within, fight for national rights outside, develop industries, revive education and restore the grandeur of the Han Dynasty!" Xia Jun said with a shake of his head, sighing: "But whether we can finally achieve that step, is still unknown."

  "But if you don't try, you'll never succeed, at least you're trying." Li Shijin praised.

  "Hmm! But there's still some confidence." Xia Jun saw Li Shi Jing showing an approving expression, thinking to himself, being deceived by his brother again!