Chapter 31 of Part One

  The Cantonese dialect and Fujian's Minnan language have now become Zhang Liansheng's biggest headache. As a general who escaped from the north, communication with these people has also become a big problem. Fortunately, there are several Cantonese in his own army. The garrison in Guangdong has been arranged very well, thanks to the smooth progress of the land distribution movement. (Those dissatisfied and heinous landlords were suppressed on the spot, and the remaining landlords were kind-hearted people who treated the common people well.) Although he couldn't understand what the local people said, their words came back. The gratitude in the eyes of the common people was still understandable to him. The local government in Guangdong has basically completed its election, with people from various professions participating, especially those from coastal areas, where several fishermen were elected as government officials. Li Quan's ship design department had already moved to Guangdong and set up on a large island opposite Macau, which he named Hong Kong. The deep-water port of Hong Kong was visible to all, providing great help for the construction of the dockyard. There are still many rough-faced rocks in Guangdong that can be used as cement, providing great help for the construction of the dockyard. However, transportation of other manufacturing materials is not very convenient. But this is also unavoidable, as the shipbuilding industry was already well-developed during the Ming dynasty, and Zheng He had built the world's largest ships and fleets at that time.

  Zhang Lian-sheng looked at the thorny mountain road ahead and furrowed his brow. This was already the edge of the Wuyi Mountains, and because this area was originally sparsely populated, the mountain roads were especially difficult to traverse. Just then, a young soldier from Guangdong ran over and said: "Commander, after crossing one more mountain peak we'll arrive at Meizhou. From Meizhou it's just Fujian's Longyan region. The troops in Longyan have all been deployed to the front lines to resist the Qing army; only a few people are left there on guard." Zhang Lian-sheng nodded and said: "Alright, tell our soldiers to add some energy, let's try to arrive at Meizhou today and rest."

  Zhang Lian Sheng walked on the streets of Mei Zhou with a few soldiers, seeing only some shabbily dressed common people moving about, and couldn't help but furrow his brow again. Ahead, he saw that a crowd had already gathered. Zhang Lian Sheng said to the soldier beside him, "Go take a look at what's going on."

  Inside and outside, the onlookers were packed in, but not a single one dared to speak out. Only a young man dressed in bright clothes was seen kicking an old man and saying: "You old thing, I'm telling you today, here I am the law. Ha! You still dare to talk about the law with me? This world is under the People's Liberation Army, what's it to you? Even if this place belongs to the PLA, I'll tell you that I, Li Dashi, am still the emperor of Meizhou. What can be done has my father backing me up, you blind thing! It's your good fortune that I took a liking to your daughter, and yet you ungratefully...". As he spoke, he ordered several men who looked like house servants: "Li Dogzi, beat this old man to death!"

  Several family members went up and beat the old man with a kick. After finishing, they left. Zhang Lian Sheng walked over and said: "Old master, who was the one who just beat you?" The old man looked at Zhang Lian Sheng with suspicious eyes and said: "Outsider, go away. You can't handle this matter." After sighing, he muttered to himself: "It's just a pity for my child." Zhang Lian Sheng signaled to the soldiers beside him: "Take this old master back and have the military doctor treat him."

  The old man sat in the military camp, and before the doctor could treat his wounds, he knelt down on the ground with a thud and kept kowtowing to Zhang Lian Sheng, saying: "General, you must speak for us ordinary people. I don't think you are the Qing army or the Ming dynasty's troops, are you the Liberation Army?" Zhang Lian Sheng nodded and helped the old man up, saying: "Old man, you're right, we are the Liberation Army. What's going on here? Didn't the Liberation Army come here before?" He asked again, "Old man, what's your surname? Can you tell us what happened? Don't worry, we'll take care of it." The old man took a sip of tea. As the doctor bandaged his wounds, he said: "My surname is Bao. I'm not good at speaking official language, I'm used to speaking dialect. General, please listen to my poor official language." He continued, "Actually, the Liberation Army came before, and our lives were a bit better for a while. They even distributed grain, and Li Jia's father and son both hid in the mountains. The Liberation Army searched for them for a few days but couldn't find them. The Liberation Army didn't stay here for long and left. Li Jia's father and son came back and took away all the things that were distributed to us. Alas, life was still the same as before."

  Zhang Lian Sheng said doubtfully, "The Liberation Army didn't find anyone and just left?" Old Bao also nodded and said, "Yes, I heard it was an order from above that they had to rush back."

  Zhang Lian Sheng looked at Bao Da Ye's face and said to the guard beside him, "Who is the one who came to Mei Zhou to receive the troops? Go call that person over for me." After finishing speaking, he said to Bao Da Ye, "Don't worry, this time we will definitely get rid of this evil tyrant for the people of Mei Zhou."

  The head of the third battalion, Bu Chiyan, walked in and saluted Zhang Lian Sheng with a military salute: "Commander, you asked for me."

  Zhang Lian Sheng looked at him and said: "Third Battalion Commander, look what you've done. You left Mei Zhou, such a big bully, without taking care of him and came back."

  "Master, that time was your rush, we searched for several days on the mountain and couldn't find that villain, and we're not very familiar with this place, so we left."

  "Alright, alright. I'll let you off this once. Tonight, take some men and get rid of that bully, so we can give the people of Mei Zhou an explanation." He then turned to Bao Dage and said: "Sir, please go with him and help him find that bully." Bao Dage nodded and said: "Okay, okay. I'll go right now."

  At this time, Bu Chiyan was furious in his heart. He thought to himself: "You bastards, you were lucky last time that we didn't find you. You dare to be arrogant here again? Let me be scolded by the commander. I, Bu Chiyan, will not rest until I have crushed all of you today." Thinking this, he shouted at the soldiers beside him: "Bring me the most elite and capable brothers from the whole battalion. Bring rifles, a few submachine guns, and machine guns, and follow me!"

  More than 200 warriors with guns rushed over soon. Bu Chiyan waved his hand at them and said, "It's the guy who made us go to the mountain last time, today you all give me a long eye, and get rid of them all for me. Those who resist, kill them without leaving one, don't care if they are male or female, old or young."

  These warriors all ran into the mountains and suffered greatly, but they all shouted: "Yes."

  Bao Dazhi pointed to a mansion in front and said, "The one with the surname Li lives here." After finishing speaking, he looked at Bu Chiyan with difficulty. Bu Chiyan understood and said, "Master Bao, you can withdraw first and gather all the common people who have been oppressed by them to watch us capture them." After finishing speaking, he gave a signal to the soldiers with his eyes. A soldier had already gone up to knock on the door. At this time, the door opened and a servant-like person came out saying, "Who is it? How dare you come to the Li mansion and be so reckless?"

  He rushed up and slapped the servant a few times, then turned to the soldiers behind him and said: "Go in and search for me. Drag out Li's father and son." After finishing speaking, he kicked the servant in the abdomen and sent him tumbling under the threshold.

  Li Jia's father and son have been pushed out by the soldiers. At this time, Li Dashi smiled all over his face and said: "General, what are you doing? We're all our own people, it's a misunderstanding." Bu Chiyan looked at him coldly and said: "Misunderstanding? I'm looking for you, you little rabbit." He walked up and slapped Li Dashi twice, causing his neck to tilt to one side. At this time, the family guards rushed over with knives and guns. Li Dashi saw that the family guards were armed and said: "Damn it, dare to hit me? Wait till I show you my power later."

  Bu Chiyan sneered and said, "Just based on this little thing. Brothers, take care of it for me." The soldiers' guns all rang out, and the family guards fell down without any resistance. Bu Chiyan looked at Li Dashi again, who had already turned pale with fear, and continued to say, "Take everything from the Li family. Only spare those who are seriously ill." He made a killing gesture as he spoke. After finishing speaking, he ordered the two soldiers beside him, "Take Li Dashi and his father to the center of Meizhou City. Let the people see the majesty of the Li family for themselves." At this time, both Li Dashi and his father had already turned pale with fear.

  A sea of people had already gathered in the square, and as they watched Li's father and son being brought over, they all cheered from the bottom of their hearts and voluntarily made way for a road. A simple high platform had been set up in the center of the square. Two soldiers pushed Li's father and son onto it. At this time, Bu Chi looked at the people below and said: "Fellow villagers, we are sorry that we did not eliminate these evil tyrants cleanly and let you suffer. I will bow my head to apologize first!" As he spoke, he bowed deeply to the people below. The platform was already filled with thunderous applause. Bu Chi continued: "Fellow villagers, Li's father and son have already knelt on the platform. If you have any grievances or have been persecuted by them, go over there to explain and record it." He pointed to a scribe who had been prepared below the platform.

  Zhang Lian Sheng walked over and took a look, saying to Chi Yuan: "Chi Yuan, you're still doing okay, making up for your mistakes. I won't pursue your responsibility." At this time, the clerk had already brought over a thick stack of case files. Zhang Lian Sheng took them and carefully looked through them. These were all reports from ordinary people about how Li's father and son had bullied them. Zhang Lian Sheng looked at them with anger and threw the case files to one side, saying to the ordinary people below: "Fellow villagers, what do you think should be done with these two beasts?" The fellow villagers below had already become angry and all shouted in unison: "Kill them!"

  Zhang Lian Sheng said to Bo Chi Yuan beside him: "Use a knife, don't use a gun, let's kill them."

  The villagers watched Li's father and son struggling in pain, all shouting "good" and "good". Zhang Lian Sheng said to the villagers below the stage: "Fellow villagers, whoever has been robbed of land by the Li family, whoever has been occupied by the Li family's shop, go to the Li family to receive your house deeds and land deeds. The silver in the Li family's warehouse will be distributed to everyone." The villagers all shouted "good" again. What happened next was almost done with the help of soldiers and logistics troops.

  Zhang Lian Sheng was sitting in his own tent, reading a book called "Modern Military War Art" compiled by the Military Academy. The guard at the door walked in and reported: "Chief, an old man with the surname Bao, accompanied by a woman, has come to see you." Zhang Lian Sheng put down the book in his hand and said: "Quickly invite him in."

  Bao Dazhi walked in and immediately brought the girl to kneel down, Zhang Liansheng hurriedly went up to help Bao Dazhi up and said: "Sir, what are you doing? This is what we should do." Bao Dazhi looked at Zhang Liansheng and said: "General, I'm an old man. You haven't gotten married yet, take a look at my daughter Xiuer. I'll give her to you as your wife." Zhang Liansheng looked at Bao Xiuer and said: "Sir, what are you talking about? We're not doing this for your gratitude."

  Bao Xiuer also said in a low voice: "Xiuer just likes good men like the general." Zhang Lian Sheng's face turned red to the roots of his ears, and he didn't know what to say.

  At this time, the guard came in to report: "Chief, Lu Youde, the chief of the 4th Division, has sent a telegram. Zheng Chenggong of Fujian has withdrawn from Fujian. The 4th Division is now fighting against Shang Kexi and hopes that our three divisions will immediately enter Fujian to take over the defense and basic construction of the whole province of Fujian and consolidate the mass foundation."