While these bosses were enjoying their gossip, a young officer dressed neatly strode in. When everyone looked up, they were all stunned...
The officer who came in was Zhou Wen. He looked at the squire bosses in the field who were staring at him dumbfounded, smiled slightly, clasped his hands in his fists and said, "Dear fellow villagers and uncles, Zhou Wen has come to greet you all."
"Coax!" With a cry, the whole place exploded.
"It's the young master of the Zhou family who has been missing for two years and is back." "Zhou Wen, it's Zhou Wen! He's so good, he's now a colonel."
"No wonder! It turns out that Boss Zhou's son is back. Now the Li family is really in trouble."...
Zhou Wen paused for a moment, and after everyone's voices gradually subsided, he spoke again: "Zhou Wen has been away for nearly two years, which makes all uncles miss him. But I didn't expect that as soon as he came back, his family members would be falsely accused and imprisoned. My father was almost killed in such a tragic situation. My nephew is very sad!"
Zhou Wen's eyes became red when he thought of the scene when he first met his father. After a pause, he then said: "My nephew is currently the director of the Security Division of the Shanxi Branch of the Central Party Headquarters. When I returned to Lishi this time, I was authorized by the special commissioner of the Party Headquarters to inspect and appoint officials in Lishi County, and shoulder the important task of wiping out the red bandits in the area belonging to Lishi County."
"Coax!" There was another commotion, and the scene exploded again.
"High official, this young master of the Zhou family is very important. He is a provincial official."
"Colonel and Director, if you go one step higher, you will be a general. Tsk tsk! For such a young colonel, it seems that the Zhou family is going to make a fortune."
"Young master Zhou is not yet twenty, is he?"
"Isn't it? Let me tell you, I am only eighteen years old this year."...
Zhou Wen stretched out his hand to signal to everyone. After the venue became quiet again, Zhou Wen trembled and said seriously: "After reports from informants and verified by the Provincial Party Headquarters Security Department, Li Yifu, the owner of Dashunlai Trading Company in Lishi County, has been involved with Shaanxi Province in recent years. There are many connections with the Red Bandits, and their iron ore is also recorded to be transported to the Red Zone in Shaanxi.
Zhang Deyi, the county magistrate of Lishi County, had long been aware of it, but was threatened and coaxed by Li Yifu. In addition, the county security team was controlled by the Li family, so he had to compromise with him. However, County Magistrate Zhang Gao Yi had already sent someone to report secretly to the provincial party headquarters. Li Yifu has become even more crazy recently and actually wants to launch a red riot in the county. He conspired to frame the Zhou family in order to obtain riot funds, secretly arrested representatives sent by the provincial government, and used his family to intimidate County Magistrate Zhang into complying. "
At this point, Zhou Wen's tone changed and he said sadly: "County Magistrate Zhang couldn't bear to be a thief. He committed suicide yesterday after leaving a bloody letter exposing Bandit Li. Alas! The party and the country have lost a talented person, and Lishi County has lost a dedicated person." A good and responsible county magistrate."
At this time, the whole body was silent, and everyone was stunned and did not dare to speak. "Colluded with the red bandits? The county magistrate committed suicide?"
"Bang!" With a sound, Zhou Wen slammed the table, and everyone in the room, young and old, trembled in fright.
Zhou Wen then shouted: "Li Yifu and his son have lost their conscience, blatantly colluded with the red bandits, framed fellow villagers, and killed loyal people. Now the evidence is complete. If you don't kill this person, it won't be enough for the people to be angry. If you don't kill him, it won't be enough to soothe the spirit of County Magistrate Zhang in heaven. No. Killing is not enough to repay me Li Shi Lang Lang Qing Kong."
Every time Zhou Wen uttered the word "kill", the hearts of the young and old men present jumped.
"Of course, we are all people who follow the rules. The death penalty of the Li family and his son still needs to be verified by the county magistrate and signed by the county magistrate before it can be executed. But County Magistrate Zhang was killed, and the position of the county magistrate cannot remain vacant. Today I will tell you all The uncle recommended one person, Mr. Wang Chenghao, a top student who graduated from Shanxi National Normal University. Mr. Wang Chenghao came from a humble background and was well aware of the sufferings of the people. He was well versed in literature and had both political integrity and talent. As a college student, he was willing to deign to come to Lishi to serve as county magistrate. Chang is truly a blessing to the hundreds of thousands of fellow villagers in Lishi County."
After finishing speaking, he ignored the buzzing discussion in the audience. Picking up a piece of letter paper on the table, he said loudly: "This is the recommendation letter from my Fuyuan Company to recommend Mr. Wang as the county magistrate. My father has signed it. I hope that the uncles here will also actively participate in the recommendation. Of course, if it is Li The accomplices of the father and son do not need to sign, and there is no need for such people to sign. Later, when Li Yifu is interrogated and his confession is confirmed, he will be treated according to the national law."
Next to Zhou Wen, a tall and strong man like an iron tower came down with a piece of paper and a pen. Without saying a word, he handed it directly to the people in the front row.
Sign and pledge, who dares not to sign? Who dares to disagree? The people present, old and young, heard clearly, and those who did not sign might be Li Yifu's accomplices. Who dares to wear the label of colluding with the Red Bandits? People have to bow their heads under the eaves. Everyone hurriedly signed and stamped their signatures, fearing that if they were slow and inactive, they would become Li Bandit's comrades.
As for whether the signer was satisfied and knew that Wang Chenghao was his cousin, Zhou Wen paid no attention to it. My father was harmed like that, and none of you have ever stood up. Now that the military and political power of Lishi County is in your own hands, who dares to object? Who dares to have a different opinion?
Zhou Wen doesn't have time to quarrel with these people now. Anyway, now I am just a fish for Daozu, so I will cut off the mess with a quick knife and clean it up in a few times.
Next, Zhou Wen stated the pros and cons and took this opportunity to establish the Lishi Chamber of Commerce. Every business operating in Lishi must join the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce has the obligation to support and assist the county government in various tasks, supervise and coordinate the operations of various firms, prevent malicious competition, handle and adjudicate commercial disputes, etc.
The presidents of the Lishi Chamber of Commerce unanimously elected Zhou Jinghai, the owner of Fuyuan Store, to take over.
The county security team was also disbanded and reorganized, and it was stipulated that every business and every squire could recommend a local boy from his family or an acquaintance to join. This is to beat a stick and give a sweet date.
…
The next day, Lishi County's lockdown ended, but there were more than a dozen corpses hanging on display at the gate of Beicheng. There were Li Yifu and his son, a few accomplices and shopkeepers from Dashun, and of course Zhang Youfeng's family of three who were seeking glory from their master. People entering and exiting the city gate looked at the horrific appearance of more than a dozen corpses that had been hanged alive. They did not dare to look at them and hurriedly passed by with their heads lowered.
Various news spread throughout the teahouses and taverns in the city. They all said that Li Yifu colluded with the Red Bandits in an attempt to riot, and was wiped out by the security officers and soldiers sent by the Provincial Party Headquarters.
At noon, in a military camp in Zhongyang County more than 20 kilometers away, a Jin army commander was crying loudly. When the city blockade ended this morning, someone from the Li family came to report the news. Captain Li collapsed instantly when he heard that his father and younger brother had been hanged on the tower.
After Captain Li cried bitterly, he gritted his teeth and thought about revenge. It's good that he is the leader of the regiment, but it is impossible to take the entire regiment out of the military camp to avenge himself. Moreover, the enemy's background was too high and he was a high-ranking official in the provincial party department. Leading troops out by himself would be tantamount to rebellion. After thinking about it, he called his military lieutenants and buddies to discuss.
