The day after Zhao Xin arrived at Qitai, he had non-stop conversations with officers from the battalion and above of the Western Front Command. Except for the Hami area, which was far away, all the chief officers of the Northern Navy stationed north of the Tianshan Mountains were present.
The arrival of "His Royal Highness King Zhao" naturally made the Western Front troops feel excited from top to bottom. All the officers who came to see him were all excited, with tears in their eyes. Just as Fan Tong said, "Look up and see "Big Dipper". If it weren't for the strict discipline of the Beihai Navy, some people would have shouted "Long live King Zhao" to express their loyalty.
How many of them are sincere and how many of them are performances? Even if Zhao Xin doesn't analyze the movements and expressions through applied psychology, he still knows how to make dumplings in a teapot. Over the years, he has not dared to relax his internal control over the North Navy. There are "gold medal spies" not only among civilians, but also in the military.
With the wars in the north and south over the years, the intentional and unintentional actions of Zhao Xin himself and some people within the Beihai Navy have shaped him into the soul of the Beihai Navy and even Beihai Town, and many of the deified characteristics of political figures have also followed. its production. To put it nicely, it is called "the holy king descended from heaven to inherit the destiny". In other words, he is "not a human being".
Under the current rule of Beihai Town, in addition to ancestors, Kitchen God and other gods, almost every family has a memorial tablet of "Prince Zhao". Although Chen Qingsong, Yu Deli and others have issued orders on this matter many times, requiring the prohibition of enshrining living memorial tablets, the top-to-bottom bureaucracy of Beihai Town comes from the grateful refugees; especially many people in the early days have seen it. How did Zhao Xin use his "magical power"? So although everyone agreed verbally, they refused to implement it secretly.
The experience of ancient Chinese history tells future generations that naked violent rule is always short-lived, and the legitimacy of power is a problem that every emerging ruling class must face.
But power has always been unequal, so it is difficult to explain legitimacy using rational and logical arguments. In other words, how can 29 people headed by Zhao Xin control Beihai Town, a town with a population of one million?
Advanced industrial and agricultural technology and force? hehe!
Without the foundation of a solid national psychology and generally improved cultural quality, that is, before "grassroots" become "citizens", the political form of hoping to establish a democratic system will be castles in the air. At this point, Yu Deli sees it most clearly.
Although Zhao Xin and others did a lot of work to enlighten the people in nine years, and Beihai Town also produced a large number of "citizen classes" needed by the modern country, after all, the time was too short, and compared with the people under the Manchu Qing Dynasty, The 90 percent of the agricultural population is only a minority. Therefore, from the psychological perspective of the people, power must be combined with the will of the gods in order to make them consciously obey.
No problem, this land has a profound psychological foundation of national culture and awareness of religious worship. When the old idols begin to decline, the worship of new idols will inevitably arise. This cannot be changed by an iron-fisted decree at all. It can only be changed through the education of one, two or even several generations.
In the traditional politics of ancient China, there has always been a tendency to deify rulers. Once a deified ruler steps onto the altar of power, he will often run wildly on the road to dictatorship. If there are further careerists pushing him, he will kill others and kill Buddhas. When this kind of power restricted only by morality breaks out, it will lead to painful political and social disasters.
It was impossible for Zhao Xin to be dissatisfied that an ordinary person could achieve such a foundation. After all, the original intention of these people in the 18th century was just to dig for gold. But when he was proud, he would also lie in bed anxious at night, fearing that he would lose control of Beihai Town and that he would transform from a dragon slayer into an evil dragon.
In fact, Zhao Xin knew very well that his biggest enemy was never the Manchus, nor the vast number of gentry and landlords in the pass, but his own ever-expanding desires.
The unusual movements in the Dongquan Temple and the Northern Navy barracks outside Jingyuan City soon attracted the attention of some interested people. After all, the day Zhao Xin arrived coincided with a big gathering, and the scene Fan Tong created to pick him up was a bit big.
On the third day after Zhao Xin arrived in Jingyuan City, the sky was covered with dark clouds, and large tracts of dark clouds gathered on the top of the snow peak. By noon, the strong wind mixed with the overwhelming snowflakes roared across the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, like a swarm of wasps whose nests were destroyed, scurrying everywhere. Pieces of gray clouds, like the breath of stray wolves, have lost their way and are erratic.
At dusk, on an inaccessible mountain road from Qitai to Urumqi, a man riding a brown horse was heading west in the wind and snow. He was wearing a half-new but not old homespun turban, a sheepskin jacket, a half-new but not old fox fur hat, and a pair of open leather boots.
When he came to a fork in the road, he pulled the horse's bit hard to make the horse stop, and then looked around cautiously. The horse that had traveled a long distance suddenly raised its short ears, flashed its bright black eyes, shook its bit, raised its front hooves, and neighed softly. The horseshoes stepped on the gravel, making a crisp sound and splashing sparks.
This behavior of the horse made the rider a little unhappy and even a little panicked. He pulled the bit hard with both hands, stepped his leather boots tightly on the stirrups, stood up from the saddle suddenly, lifted his leather hat back, and looked around uneasily. But I saw dark shadows in the dusk, and wolf howls could be heard from time to time in the distance. Through the dense and dark trees, light like fireflies appeared and disappeared in the northwest, flickering on and off.
The horse was frightened because it sensed the presence of wolves, but the horseman was not interested in wolves. He believed that he had arrived near Jihuai City accurately. As long as you pass here, you will reach Urumqi by walking another forty miles.
The rider took a deep breath and dismounted. It was still dark at this time, so he found a mountain col with leeward wind, tied the horse's reins to the rocks, and then picked up some half-dried grass and many dead branches around, and finally raised the fire. The wet branches emitted a thick smoke due to insufficient combustion, but because of the remoteness of the place and the heavy snow, it was difficult for outsiders to notice.
He took out his cigarette bag from his lapel, filled it with cigarettes, lit it and took a few puffs. When he was satisfied with his smoking, he knocked the pipe pot on a piece of gravel on the ground a few times. A few sparks danced in the wind and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
The horseman put away his pipe, listened carefully to the surroundings, thought for a moment, walked to the horse, took out a thick felt blanket and a large rug woven with a carpet pattern from behind the saddle, and placed them next to the fire. He found a leeward place and put it away; after he took out a few handfuls of beans from the sack and fed them to the horse, he rolled up his blanket and leaned against the sack and fell asleep.
He didn't sleep soundly at all, and would wake up from his dreams from time to time. His dreams were all about the scene when the Northern Navy attacked Huining City. I don’t know how long it took, and I woke up several times. When the bonfire was about to go out, the horseman decided not to sleep anymore.
At this time, the snow in the sky had become much lighter. He grabbed a handful of snow and rubbed his face, smoked another bag of cigarettes, fed the horse with beans, and then began to change clothes.
He first took off his sheepskin jacket and bag, then rolled his leather hat in the bag and put it aside. Then he took out a black helmet with ear protection and a pair of white round collar with red trim from the bag. Cotton armor, a cloak and iron mesh boots were all put on. After that, he took out a wild goose feather knife and a matchlock blunderbuss wrapped in cloth from the bag. He first hung the knife on his waist, then carefully checked the blunderbuss and put it into the bag in front of the saddle.
After finishing all this, he put away the clothes he had changed, put the robes and felt blanket on the horse's back, and then got on the horse again.
The horse passed through a patch of weeds and bushes from the path and turned into the post road. After two hours of galloping, the sky had brightened, and not far away I saw an earth-yellow city wall stretching for several miles and more than two feet high lying across the west bank of the Urumuqi River. Gongning City had arrived.
Urumqi in this era was actually composed of two cities. Dihua City was where Han and Hui people lived together. The Gongning City in front of us was where all the soldiers and their families were stationed. The two places were across the river, sixteen miles apart. . In the history of another time and space, it was not until the Guangxu period that the two cities merged into one city.
The city was built in the 37th year of Qianlong's reign. After the city was completed, Qianlong named it "Gongning City", which means "consolidating tranquility". Because Urumqi Dutong Office, Dihua Prefecture Office, and Prefecture Xuezheng Office were all located in the city, this became the military and political center of the Manchu Qing Dynasty on Tianshan North Road.
To enter the city, you must first pass through the Gongning Bridge, which is more than ten feet long. There were already a lot of pedestrians on the bridge at this time. When they saw the horseback riders wearing cotton armor with white flags, they all took care to avoid them. The green battalion soldiers who were responsible for guarding the bridge did not dare to ask more questions when they saw what he was wearing, and even helped drive away pedestrians. Afterwards, the equestrians had an unobstructed journey. After leading their horses into the city from Chengxi Gate in the east, they passed through streets lined with shops and went straight to the eight-character wall of the Dutong Government Office.
Although Gongning City was only built twenty years ago, because it is located at the strategic point of the East Xinjiang Road and the hub of trade between the Kazakh Khanate and the Manchu Qing Dynasty, it is extremely prosperous, no less than within the pass. When Ji Xiaolan was exiled to this time, he was also surprised by the prosperity and wealth here, and sighed with emotion, "The buildings are divided into two sides, and the official willows in front of the door are as green as clouds."
"Who is coming?!"
When several Eight Banners soldiers guarding the steps of the government office saw the horseman wearing armor with white flags approaching, they raised their hands to signal the other party to stop.
The horseman cupped his hands and said, "Here are the ministers leading the army of Barkol and your lord's personal soldier captain Alinbao. By your orders, I have an urgent military situation that I want to present to your lord the capital."
Several Eight Banners soldiers were stunned when they heard this. Barkol? Wasn't it captured by the Northern Pirates a few months ago?
Suddenly, a knight guarding the Qing army suddenly shouted sternly: "Take this person down!"
Several Eight Banners soldiers immediately drew their weapons and swarmed forward. Alingbao was well prepared, and he calmly handed over his hands and said: "Brothers, don't get me wrong, I am really following the orders of Lord He, and there is a letter here!"
The knight cavalry school sneered: "Who the hell are you brothers! Huining City has long been occupied by the North Sea pirates, and He Sheng'e and Lord died for their country when the city was destroyed! How dare you pretend to be his name? I'm afraid He's not a spy from the Northern Pirates! Take it!"
Two Qing soldiers had their knives on Alinbao's neck, and one of them kicked him hard on the knee. Alinbao did not resist and knelt on the ground.
"Master He is still alive, not dead!" Alinbao defended loudly: "When the city was destroyed, although my master was shot by the pirates from the North Sea, he was snatched out of the dead by me and a few brothers. After treatment, the injuries are no longer serious, and he is living well now! His old man is Fulqin Baturu, who was personally gifted by the emperor."
Several Qing soldiers ignored them and were about to instruct a companion to find a rope in the gatehouse when they heard someone behind them yelling: "What's the fuss about in the important place in front of the Yamen?!"
Everyone turned around and saw a Han civil official wearing a fourth-grade Yunyan patch riding a tall horse and leading a few followers coming from the east. A closer look revealed that he was from the Zhendi Grain Service Guards Preparation Road. Fang Jing.
The military attache guarding the gate quickly called Qian and said: "Master Fang is frightened. The humble officials and others caught a spy of the North Sea Pirates."
When Alinbao saw Fang Jing, he suddenly became energetic and shouted: "Sir Fang, I am Captain Geshiha of He Sheng'ehe! Last June you went to Huining City to inspect the grain and grass reserves. I have been Follow Mr. He, we have met before! The villain is here to report the military situation to Mr. Du Tong! "
Fang Jing, who was sitting on the horse, looked at Alinbao carefully, not to mention he was quite impressed. Last year when He Sheng'e gave him money, this guy was there, a confidant among his confidants.
In recent years, with the rise of Beihai Town, the Qing government has become less strict in the governance of Xinjiang. As a result, officials at all levels have taken advantage of it, and things such as shortfalls, embezzlement of national funds, and false reporting of food prices have emerged again.
We must know that since Qianlong unified Xinjiang, under the careful management of the Qing government's vigorous development of reclamation in Xinjiang East Road, farmland water conservancy projects have developed rapidly, and local food prices have continued to decline. Even Ji Xiaolan said that the price of food in the world is as low as that in Urumqi, and the price of selling a cart carrying wheat surplus is less than three guans.
However, in the government's public accounts, food purchase prices have been rising. For example, the market price of wheat, for example, ranged from eighty-nine qian to one or two nine cents of silver per Beijing stone, but states and counties paid for it at one, two, eighty-nine cents per stone.
Fang Jing is in charge of the most lucrative food channel. He has embezzled more than 10,000 taels of silver in the past two years, which is really great. Thinking of this, he ordered: "Bring him into the government office for questioning."
Long story short. After some interrogation, Alinbao's identity was confirmed, and then a blood letter with the seal of the leader of the Barkol team was presented to Shang'an, the capital of Urumqi. When he read the contents of the letter, he couldn't help but be a little stunned.
He Sheng'e said that when Huining City was destroyed, he was shot and fell unconscious. He was picked out from the dead by A Linbao and several of his followers and escaped from the city. After that, they hid in the Dongquan Temple near Qitai. Fortunately, A Taoist priest in the temple had excellent medical skills and took out the gun from his body, and he survived. After that, he took up residence in the Dongquan Temple near Qitai, disguised as a Taoist priest of fire engineering.
He said that he also knew that as a general guarding the city, he should commit suicide and die for his country if the city was defeated, but he was unwilling to do so and kept thinking about revenge. Otherwise, he would be sorry for the emperor's kindness. Recently, it seems that a big figure from the Northern Pirates came to Jingyuan City, so I wanted to find an opportunity to assassinate him. The reason why A Linbao came this time was to ask Lord Shang to secretly send him some masters of bows, arrows and muskets to assist him in his actions.
I really can’t finish writing, so I’ll do this first and add more later.
(End of chapter)
