Chapter Six: The Gambling Den
"A month? Isn't that a bit too long?" Tan Zhonglin asked.
"This is already a very conservative estimate, the detoxification amount of the addict depends on the depth of their addiction, but in the first ten days they all need to take medicine every day. Like the ones with heavier addictions earlier, they must take two detox pills at once to calm down. After passing the first ten days it will be easier to handle, this one month period is mainly to prevent the addict from coming into contact with opium again. After a month of treatment, I believe that at least 80% of them can be cured for life." Tan Yanjin said confidently.
Tan Zhonglin nodded and smiled, saying: "If it's really possible to quit opium after detoxification and not take it again, this month is a bit long, but it's also a good choice. However, what about the cost of these detox pills?"
"The medicinal herbs used in this detox pill are not some expensive ones, and even if made in small quantities, it would only cost around two silver coins for twenty pills. Unless the addiction is extremely severe, a dozen or so pills should be enough to complete the detox course. Of course, this is just the cost of purchasing the raw materials; adding labor costs and other expenses, as well as factors like reducing costs through mass production... these kids haven't calculated all that yet, but I think it won't be too expensive." Tan Yanqing replied.
Tan Zhonglin stroked his beard thoughtfully and said, "Then let's first set up the pharmaceutical workshop. Once these people can get rid of their addiction, we'll mass-produce these detoxification pills. I will issue a decree in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces, starting with officials at all levels, to take turns detoxifying. If it really works, I will also petition the imperial court to vigorously promote it. This is indeed a good thing that benefits both the country and the people! Zu An, you must do this well!"
Tan Zhonglin and Tan Yanqian were discussing the matter of quitting opium when a yamen runner hastily walked up to the main hall, knelt down and said: "Your Excellency, there are some common people gathered outside the gate of the Governor's Office, saying that the Governor's Office has arrested their family members and they want to know what crimes they have committed?"
Tan Zhonglin and Tan Yanqian exchanged a glance, then Tan Yanqian said: "Father, I think it's just the yamen runners misunderstanding. There's no need for you to punish them. I'll go out and explain things to these people in a moment, try to get them to disperse. These opium smokers are ruining their families with their addiction, morally bankrupt, not only do outsiders look down on them, but even their own family members suffer greatly because of it. If they knew the governor's yamen was helping them quit their addiction, I'm sure they wouldn't be too opposed!"
Tan Zhonglin nodded and smiled, saying: "Alright, you go do it then. But when you leave later, bring a few more attendants with you, lest some troublemakers cause you harm!"
Tan Zhonglin's words were unintentional, but they sparked another idea in Tan Yanqing's mind - in this era, people who sell opium are not simple, apart from foreign smugglers, there are also large and small gangs in the country. If it were only foreigners selling opium, it wouldn't be possible for almost all major Chinese cities to have many opium dens, and now many places in China are widely planting opium, even becoming a pillar industry. The current opium trade has formed its own system, and the most frightening thing is that Chinese people themselves sell opium. Among them, apart from those involved in planting opium, the most difficult to deal with are those who sell opium - they are mostly Jianghu gangs, such as Hongmen, Qingbang, Baoge, etc., these people are all fugitives. If the detoxification pills he is currently researching have a very good effect, they will definitely be widely promoted. If these fugitives are forced to desperation, not even the identity of the son of the Fujian-Zhejiang Governor-General can guarantee his safety, let alone the pharmaceutical factory, it's hard to ensure that they won't gather a group of thugs to attack the factory, all of which are very likely to happen.
Tan Yanqing shook his head and put these thoughts aside for the time being. After all, the harm caused by opium to China was too deep and too great. It wasn't until the founding of New China that it was possible to eradicate drugs in a short period of time. If he hadn't interfered with the course of history, China would have continued to suffer from the harm of opium for nearly sixty years, enriching the powerful countries of England, France and Japan, while the warlords who followed also benefited from it, providing them with capital to purchase weapons and ammunition as a faction. In the end, both sides were hurt by the Chinese people themselves. This was unbearable for Tan Yanqing. He didn't expect to completely eradicate opium on this land, but as long as he could alleviate the harm caused by opium, it would be worth paying some price. Besides, he wasn't a soft persimmon that could be slaughtered at will.
The attendants of the Governor's Office maintained order at the gate, selecting the relatives of the opium smokers who had been caught and brought into a flat house in the corner of the backyard. They then took them to the front hall one by one, where Tan Yankai and others were waiting. When everyone was present, Tan spoke loudly: "These people were found at the gate of the opium den. They were all thrown out because they had no money after smoking opium. Governor Tan has taken pity on the suffering of the Fujian and Zhejiang people due to opium and specially hired doctors to prepare detoxification medicine. It so happens that these people are your relatives, and I believe you have also been troubled by their opium addiction. If you trust the Governor's Office, please leave them here. If there is no accident, they will be completely cured of their addiction in a month. What do you think, fellow citizens? If you are not willing to leave them here, you can take them away now, and Governor Tan will not blame you. However, when the Governor's Office issues an order banning opium in the future, it will no longer provide free detoxification like this. You must think carefully!"
When Tan Yanqing said this, the people below all discussed it, but they all eventually agreed to leave their relatives here for detoxification. This was entirely within Tan Yanqing's expectations, and these people's families were estimated to have been drained by opium demons, if not for the ties of kinship, I'm afraid even the thought of killing these people would be there, putting them in the governor's mansion to quit smoking is much better than keeping them at home, as for whether they can really get rid of their addiction, this also depends on heaven.
But through the mouths of these common people, within less than two days, the entire Fuzhou city's streets and alleys were discussing the news of the Governor's Mansion quitting opium. Even the big smokers in the opium dens were discussing it. Although there were various opinions, some said that Governor Tan had invited a high-ranking official who could definitely make those opium smokers quit opium, while others did not believe it. As for the owners of the opium dens and those with vested interests, they simply did not believe that anyone could turn these opium smokers back into humans, as they were deeply convinced of the magical power of opium. The most interesting thing was that Fuzhou people loved to gamble, and someone had even opened a betting pool in the city, betting on the failure of the Governor's Mansion's opium quitting experiment.
Tan Yanqian, although he didn't leave the Governor's Mansion at all, was also very aware of the outside views on this matter. On the fifth day, after observing the opium addict taking medicine again, he had a secret conversation with his father Tan Zhonglin for an hour. Two hours later, a young man in simple clothes appeared at the entrance of the largest casino in Fuzhou City, and generously took out 50,000 taels of silver bills to bet on the success of quitting opium in the Governor's Mansion. The odds offered by the casino owner at this time were 10:1, if this young man won, the casino would lose 500,000 taels of white silver! After handing over the bill to his servant behind him, he left quickly, and the eye-catching 50,000 taels of silver bills had stunned everyone in the casino.
"Is there really a medicine in the world that can cure opium addiction?!" After this 50,000 taels of silver bet, people began to expect some news from the Governor's mansion, but unfortunately, Tan Yanqing had already strictly controlled these opium addicts, with heavy troops guarding all around, no one could get in or out. By now, the small courtyard inside the Governor's mansion has focused the attention of all the people in Fuzhou City.
"In both Fujian and Guangdong provinces, regardless of whether they are scholars, farmers, workers or merchants, men or women, old or young, everyone is addicted to gambling as if it's their life!" Kou Qing said with a smile.
Tan Yanqing did not believe that in this era, there would still be people who came to the Fujian and Guangdong Governor's Office to open a gambling den. When he heard that someone outside was opening a gambling den under the guise of an anti-opium experiment, he complained to other staff members in the translation department, saying "Who would have thought that Kou Qing would immediately give him a surprise?" Although Kou Qing was from Shanghai, he often went out on business trips, especially to Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, as well as Fujian and Guangdong provinces, where he was familiar with local customs.
"You're going too far with this!" Tan Yanqian said with a smile.
"However, I must say that it's not impossible! From what I know, both places are notorious for their love of gambling and the scale is quite large. They have all sorts of games and nothing they won't bet on. And those who can set the odds must be very influential locals. Most importantly, they absolutely won't renege on a debt, even if it means selling their houses or land to make up for it - in this regard, they are absolutely trustworthy! I wonder how things are progressing with you, sir? If you could let me in on some inside information, I'll immediately place my bets and never have to worry about money again in this lifetime!"
Chen Fei said faintly, "Don't mention the Governor's Mansion having someone dare to open a gambling den. When Ying Han was the Guangdong governor, he also opened a gambling den. At that time, the imperial court's grand ceremony came to gamble, and later four impeachment memorials were submitted. Ying Han fell ill and eventually lost his job due to this. He passed away the following year. Ying Han was the first, and Zhang Zhidong who followed him also opened a gambling den, but he was lucky and nothing happened..."
Chen Fei was a scholar, although the imperial examination had hurt his heart, but he knew some anecdotes that were widely spread in official circles. Tan Yanqin shook his head after hearing this, Chen Fei's story was also familiar to him, and there were profound backgrounds behind Zhang Zhidong and Yinghan's two incidents. Yinghan's death and the impeachment had nothing to do with each other, while Zhang Zhidong had obtained a large amount of funds for industrial development by opening a gambling den, and even allocated 300,000 taels to Beiyang. These were not things that Chen Fei, as a scholar, could know about, his father had told him the inside story of these two incidents long ago.
"What a great opportunity, if I don't take advantage of it, I'd be doing myself an injustice!" Tan Yanqin said to himself. He thought for a moment and then left the Mengyou Hall to see his father, Tan Zhonglin, in the backyard. After a secret conversation that lasted for an hour, Tan Zhonglin drew out 50,000 taels of silver from his account and gave it to him, and the young man who was making a heavy bet at the gaming table was none other than himself.
Inside the Fujian-Zhejiang Governor's Office, there was still no sound, but in Fuzhou City, it was a big stir because of this 50,000 taels bet - this was simply pushing the Fujian-Zhejiang Governor's Office and the underground gambling organization in Fuzhou to the edge of the cliff. No one could retreat half a step. The Fujian-Zhejiang Governor's Office could afford to lose, after all "three years as a clean county magistrate, 100,000 silver snowflakes". Tan Zhonglin had been governor for more than a year or two, and if he lost this 50,000 taels of silver, it wouldn't be a big deal. But if the underground gambling organization lost, they would really have to jump into the sea.
What is most unfavorable to the gambling organization is that this detoxification experiment was completely done by the Fujian-Zhejiang Governor's Office, without any inside information. If they didn't have confidence in it, the 50,000 taels of silver would not have been invested. The people in charge of the Pan Kou had inquired extensively and found out that the research on detoxification pills started from Lin Zexu's anti-opium era, but no miraculous cure-all pill has ever appeared. Of course, forced detoxification can also get rid of addiction, but it won't take effect within one or two months.
As the saying goes, "the more you walk at night, the more likely you are to run into ghosts." On the sixth day of the 50,000 taels of silver bet, the big head of the Fuzhou underground gambling organization couldn't sit still anymore. In the late afternoon of May, Surveillance Commissioner He Yin asked to see Tan Zhonglin, and Tan Zhonglin found Tan Yanqin to accompany him - "This surveillance commissioner is commonly known as the 'Awu Si', which has the responsibility of protecting local peace and security. Therefore, many Awu Si have secret connections with the black society bosses in the province. The black society bosses guarantee not to give trouble to the Awu Si, while the Awu Si guarantees to provide official protection for the black society bosses. This is the origin of what ordinary people call 'officials and bandits as one family'!" Tan Zhonglin said with a smile.
"What does Father mean..."
Tan Zhonglin's half-closed eyes shot out a sharp glint, and he coldly sneered: "It seems that this He Jiong is indeed a master of this way!"
"What brings you here tonight, is it about the gambling debt?!"
"Haven't you heard that he has a luxurious attendant by his side? That person is probably the real mastermind behind the opening bid. You're also too reckless, throwing in 50,000 taels of silver just like that, even if it's fake, it'll become real! I reckon they've already gone bankrupt and are here to beg for mercy!" Tan Zhonglin said with a smile.
"The child only needed ten thousand taels, but his father gave him fifty thousand taels. His father is the real ruthless one!" Tan Yanqin said with a faint smile.
"You stinky brat, this is what I taught you. Your 10,000 taels of silver can't even make a splash in the water, how can you expect him to submit without making a big deal?! This province's foundation is based on these three things: Fu, Fan, and Bi. We are outsiders, they know the local customs and naturally don't put this governor in their eyes... Hmph! Do they think I'm someone who can be bullied?! If we don't teach them a lesson, will they listen to us?!" Tan Zhonglin said coldly with a smile.
"Remember your father's teachings!" Tan Yanqin was now completely impressed with Tan Zhonglin, and indeed, someone who could survive and thrive at this level was not a soft persimmon. Tan Zhonglin's sophistication and smoothness did not mean he was weak or easily deceived. He could offer 50,000 taels of silver not because he was confident in the detoxification results, but because he could directly buy off those snakes with money. A rich family might be able to afford 100,000 taels of silver, but 500,000 would be enough to make them collectively jump into the sea! Even if the detoxification pills were ineffective, Tan Zhonglin could still use a clever trick to torture to death all those who underestimated him! This invisible battle was more ruthless than anything else. With this matter, Tan Zhonglin could immediately give everyone a warning shot!
Sorry about that, I was thinking of updating this morning, but ended up forgetting before we went out for my wife's physical examination... Sorry about that...
