Chapter 572 Far East End
That evening, dozens of gang members sneaked into the Zhenhua Textile Factory, preparing to set fire to the factory. Fortunately, they were discovered by refugees staying inside and outside the factory, and failed.
The next day, Zhao Deyuan and his son Zhao Fuqing escorted three gang members to meet Huang Ping as Han citizens and explained what had happened.
On the third day, August 1899, 8, Huang Ping hosted a banquet at Defeng Building to entertain the leaders of various gangs.
"Is everyone here?"
Zhu Zhankui asked.
"The leaders of Deshengtang and Ruiantang were not in Shanghai and sent their cronies to attend the meeting instead. The leader of Chong'antang did not attend the meeting on the pretext of meeting a guest, nor did he send anyone to attend the meeting. There were also six other gangs that did not accept the invitation."
"Write down all the names, and after the banquet, visit them one by one."
Zhu Zhankui said calmly.
"Brother Zhu, the time is up, do you want to wait a little longer?"
"No wait, let's get started."
After Zhu Zhankui gave his instructions, the waiters in Defeng Building began to serve the dishes. When the dishes were placed on the table, Zhu Zhankui stood up, picked up a glass of wine, looked around, and said with a smile: "You are all reputable gang leaders. Yongxingtang has just entered your precious land. Zhankui has set up a banquet in Defeng Building to entertain you, and also to give me a chance to get to know you.
As you all know, the Shanghai Stock Exchange is in chaos at the moment. The imperial court is unable to maintain it and the oppression of foreigners is getting worse. In order to restore social order, give the people a stable and peaceful life, and promote the normal development of industry and commerce.
I propose that each gang form a management committee to divide the spheres of influence and business categories. As for illegal activities such as opium, human trafficking, and Changyuan that are harmful to the country and the people, they should be stopped as soon as possible. What do you think? "
Opium, human trafficking, and Changyuan are the main sources of income for gangs. Zhu Zhankui asked them to stop engaging in such illegal activities, which was equivalent to cutting off their livelihood. Therefore, as soon as Zhu Zhankui finished speaking, he was met with opposition that became louder and louder.
"If the gang doesn't engage in opium, human trafficking, or Changyuan activities, how can it make money? How can it support hundreds of brothers in the gang without money?"
"Who the hell do you think you are? A country bumpkin from Jiaozhou, running to Shanghai to make decisions, who do you think you are? The government officials don't dare to interfere."
"Little redhead, your brain is broken. Uncle doesn't have time to play with you. Goodbye."
Facing the crowd's voices of opposition mixed with insults, Zhu Zhankui remained unmoved and ordered his men to guard the door. He said slowly, "I made this suggestion with good intentions. If you disagree, you can do whatever you want. However, before I leave, I want you to bear witness.
Zhou Baorui, the head of Basheng Hall, was cruel and brutal. He killed 7 girls and 12 innocent people, and repeatedly ordered his subordinates to engage in opium, human trafficking, and Changyuan activities. He colluded with Wang Hanxiang, the detective of the French Concession, to hinder the commercial trade between Songkhla and Lanfang.
Now, our Yongxingtang has received a complaint from the victim, and we are determined to eliminate the harm to the people, take down Zhou Baorui, and eradicate Bashengtang, this scourge and cancer.
Come, catch Zhou Baorui, don't let him run away!"
As soon as Zhu Zhankui finished speaking, dozens of strong men armed with weapons rushed out of the room and surrounded Zhou Baorui from all directions.
"Brother Zhu, what do you mean? My Bashengtang and your Yongxingtang have no grudges in the past or in the present. Even if you want to gain a foothold in Shanghai and make a name for yourself, you shouldn't provoke Bashengtang. My Bashengtang has thousands of gang members, and there are tens of thousands of Jiangbei Qingbang brothers behind us. Have you thought about the consequences?"
Zhou Baorui changed his previous cruel image and spoke seemingly calmly.
"Zhou Baorui, there is no hatred between you and me, but the nearly twenty civilians who died at your hands all have a deep hatred for you. I heard that you like to torture and abuse others. Don't worry, compared to you, I have a few brothers. They are more professional and have better methods, and they will not let you down. Capture him and don't waste time talking to him!"
Zhu Zhankui's expression changed and he said sternly.
Dozens of well-trained men in fine clothes came forward. Zhou Baorui took out the pistol hidden at his waist and was about to shoot, but was shot in the wrist.
"Inspector Wang is a member of Bashengtang, and several directors of the French Concession also have shares. If you dare to provoke us, Inspector Wang and the French will not let you go."
Zhou Baorui felt scared for the first time. Although he knew he would not have a good ending since he joined the gang, Zhu Zhankui and the hundreds of strong men who suddenly appeared and surrounded Defenglou were not like ordinary gang members at all. They were all equipped with pistols and daggers, and had new types of grenades hanging around their waists. In addition, they were fierce and ruthless.
This made Zhou Baorui completely lose the confidence to continue the fight.
Death itself is not so scary, but when he thought that the same methods used on the victims would be used on himself in the same or even more severe way, even Zhou Baorui, who was cruel and callous, felt a chill in his heart.
"Wang Hanxiang? Are you still counting on him to save you? To tell you the truth, Wang Hanxiang was dismissed from his position as inspector general in the French Concession just an hour ago. Now, he is upstairs. Do you want him to come out and meet you?"
Zhu Zhankui clapped his hands. A fat middle-aged man with a towel stuffed in his mouth and bruises on his face was escorted to the corridor on the second floor by two people. He kept whimpering.
Seeing Wang Hanxiang appear in front of him, Zhou Baorui's expression darkened. After a moment, as if he had made up his mind, his face was ferocious and he shouted frantically: "I still have more than a thousand men. Before I left, we had already discussed that if they don't return before 12 o'clock tonight, they will massacre Yongxing Hall! You only have a few hundred people, all ambushed on Defeng Road, let me go quickly, otherwise you will have nothing left in your old nest in Zhabei after tonight!"
"Bloodbath in Yongxing Hall? Haha, if they can get out of Basheng Hall, they'd be lucky. But they still want to bloodbath in Yongxing Hall, what a joke."
Zhu Zhankui laughed and ignored Zhou Baorui. He scanned the hall and said gently, "Don't be afraid, wait a little longer. When this is over, you can leave with peace of mind. This is a settlement between Yongxingtang and Bashengtang, and has nothing to do with other gangs. However, let me say one more thing. Although Yongxingtang is a gang organization, we also understand the word righteousness. We must never forget the righteousness of the country, the nation, and the people's livelihood. If there are people like Bashengtang who harm the people and collude with foreigners to commit crimes in the future, don't blame Yongxingtang for not giving them a chance."
Hundreds of strong men around warned with guns, and Zhou Baorui and Wang Hanxiang taught them a lesson. The gang leaders who were dissatisfied and shouting just now suddenly fell silent and sat obediently in their seats.
They bully the weak and fear the strong. In the face of absolute strength, these gang members are more honest and cherish their lives more than ordinary people.
About half an hour later, dozens of people came in from outside the door, went up to the second floor, whispered a few words to Zhu Zhankui, and then stood apart.
"Well, it's over, Zhou Baorui. You've completely given up. The Basheng Hall and the 200 gang members you ambushed have all been dealt with. No one can save you now. You should go down and make amends for the crimes you committed in the past. Come on, take him down and treat him well."
After hearing these words, Zhou Baorui still refused to accept his fate and started to struggle frantically again. However, he was beaten by two sturdy men. After an elbow strike, Zhou Baorui collapsed powerlessly. Then, to prevent him from escaping, the two sturdy men took out handcuffs and chains, tied up all his limbs, and stuffed a towel in his mouth.
Zhou Baorui was taken away, and the remaining gang leaders were allowed to flee Defeng Building in a hurry.
On August 8, the news that Bashengtang was eradicated overnight and the leader of Bashengtang was arrested and interrogated like a dead pig by the newly emerged Yongxingtang spread quickly.
On August 8, more than a dozen notorious gangs including Chong'an Tang, Anliang Tang, Huifeng Tang, etc., which colluded with foreign countries and engaged in illegal activities, were eliminated one after another. For this reason, Britain, the United States, and France successively put pressure on the Qing court, demanding the restoration of order in the Shanghai market, but the Qing court was unable to do so and the plan ended in vain.
On August 8, after 25 days of professional interrogation by the military intelligence department, Zhou Baorui breathed his last, ending his sinful life. After his death, his body was thrown into a mass grave, attracting a large number of people to watch and vent their anger.
On August 8, the underground order in Shanghai gradually returned to normal. With Shanghai as the center, various banks and trade joint ventures with Han backgrounds were established. By the end of the year, six banks with Han government guarantees and headquarters in Lan Fang and Songkhla had attracted a total of 28 million taels of funds, and as their influence spread, the amount of deposits continued to grow.
On August 8, at the request of the Han Kingdom, Princess Hyeyong Lee Min-eun boarded an ocean-going fleet and headed for South America accompanied by her entourage of maids and servants.
On September 9, the number of British troops in South Africa increased to 3. The British government continued to dispatch reinforcements from various colonies, and war was imminent.
Affected by Britain's preparations for war, the situation in the Caribbean, South America and other regions is also becoming increasingly tense. The United States, China, Germany, France and other countries are all gearing up and eager to take advantage of Britain's withdrawal and the power vacuum in the Americas to expand their sphere of influence and seek benefits.
That evening, dozens of gang members sneaked into the Zhenhua Textile Factory, preparing to set fire to the factory. Fortunately, they were discovered by refugees staying inside and outside the factory, and failed.
The next day, Zhao Deyuan and his son Zhao Fuqing escorted three gang members to meet Huang Ping as Han citizens and explained what had happened.
On the third day, August 1899, 8, Huang Ping hosted a banquet at Defeng Building to entertain the leaders of various gangs.
"Is everyone here?"
Zhu Zhankui asked.
"The leaders of Deshengtang and Ruiantang were not in Shanghai and sent their cronies to attend the meeting instead. The leader of Chong'antang did not attend the meeting on the pretext of meeting a guest, nor did he send anyone to attend the meeting. There were also six other gangs that did not accept the invitation."
"Write down all the names, and after the banquet, visit them one by one."
Zhu Zhankui said calmly.
"Brother Zhu, the time is up, do you want to wait a little longer?"
"No wait, let's get started."
After Zhu Zhankui gave his instructions, the waiters in Defeng Building began to serve the dishes. When the dishes were placed on the table, Zhu Zhankui stood up, picked up a glass of wine, looked around, and said with a smile: "You are all reputable gang leaders. Yongxingtang has just entered your precious land. Zhankui has set up a banquet in Defeng Building to entertain you, and also to give me a chance to get to know you.
As you all know, the Shanghai Stock Exchange is in chaos at the moment. The imperial court is unable to maintain it and the oppression of foreigners is getting worse. In order to restore social order, give the people a stable and peaceful life, and promote the normal development of industry and commerce.
I propose that each gang form a management committee to divide the spheres of influence and business categories. As for illegal activities such as opium, human trafficking, and Changyuan that are harmful to the country and the people, they should be stopped as soon as possible. What do you think? "
Opium, human trafficking, and Changyuan are the main sources of income for gangs. Zhu Zhankui asked them to stop engaging in such illegal activities, which was equivalent to cutting off their livelihood. Therefore, as soon as Zhu Zhankui finished speaking, he was met with opposition that became louder and louder.
"If the gang doesn't engage in opium, human trafficking, or Changyuan activities, how can it make money? How can it support hundreds of brothers in the gang without money?"
"Who the hell do you think you are? A country bumpkin from Jiaozhou, running to Shanghai to make decisions, who do you think you are? The government officials don't dare to interfere."
"Little redhead, your brain is broken. Uncle doesn't have time to play with you. Goodbye."
Facing the crowd's voices of opposition mixed with insults, Zhu Zhankui remained unmoved and ordered his men to guard the door. He said slowly, "I made this suggestion with good intentions. If you disagree, you can do whatever you want. However, before I leave, I want you to bear witness.
Zhou Baorui, the head of Basheng Hall, was cruel and brutal. He killed 7 girls and 12 innocent people, and repeatedly ordered his subordinates to engage in opium, human trafficking, and Changyuan activities. He colluded with Wang Hanxiang, the detective of the French Concession, to hinder the commercial trade between Songkhla and Lanfang.
Now, our Yongxingtang has received a complaint from the victim, and we are determined to eliminate the harm to the people, take down Zhou Baorui, and eradicate Bashengtang, this scourge and cancer.
Come, catch Zhou Baorui, don't let him run away!"
As soon as Zhu Zhankui finished speaking, dozens of strong men armed with weapons rushed out of the room and surrounded Zhou Baorui from all directions.
"Brother Zhu, what do you mean? My Bashengtang and your Yongxingtang have no grudges in the past or in the present. Even if you want to gain a foothold in Shanghai and make a name for yourself, you shouldn't provoke Bashengtang. My Bashengtang has thousands of gang members, and there are tens of thousands of Jiangbei Qingbang brothers behind us. Have you thought about the consequences?"
Zhou Baorui changed his previous cruel image and spoke seemingly calmly.
"Zhou Baorui, there is no hatred between you and me, but the nearly twenty civilians who died at your hands all have a deep hatred for you. I heard that you like to torture and abuse others. Don't worry, compared to you, I have a few brothers. They are more professional and have better methods, and they will not let you down. Capture him and don't waste time talking to him!"
Zhu Zhankui's expression changed and he said sternly.
Dozens of well-trained men in fine clothes came forward. Zhou Baorui took out the pistol hidden at his waist and was about to shoot, but was shot in the wrist.
"Inspector Wang is a member of Bashengtang, and several directors of the French Concession also have shares. If you dare to provoke us, Inspector Wang and the French will not let you go."
Zhou Baorui felt scared for the first time. Although he knew he would not have a good ending since he joined the gang, Zhu Zhankui and the hundreds of strong men who suddenly appeared and surrounded Defenglou were not like ordinary gang members at all. They were all equipped with pistols and daggers, and had new types of grenades hanging around their waists. In addition, they were fierce and ruthless.
This made Zhou Baorui completely lose the confidence to continue the fight.
Death itself is not so scary, but when he thought that the same methods used on the victims would be used on himself in the same or even more severe way, even Zhou Baorui, who was cruel and callous, felt a chill in his heart.
"Wang Hanxiang? Are you still counting on him to save you? To tell you the truth, Wang Hanxiang was dismissed from his position as inspector general in the French Concession just an hour ago. Now, he is upstairs. Do you want him to come out and meet you?"
Zhu Zhankui clapped his hands. A fat middle-aged man with a towel stuffed in his mouth and bruises on his face was escorted to the corridor on the second floor by two people. He kept whimpering.
Seeing Wang Hanxiang appear in front of him, Zhou Baorui's expression darkened. After a moment, as if he had made up his mind, his face was ferocious and he shouted frantically: "I still have more than a thousand men. Before I left, we had already discussed that if they don't return before 12 o'clock tonight, they will massacre Yongxing Hall! You only have a few hundred people, all ambushed on Defeng Road, let me go quickly, otherwise you will have nothing left in your old nest in Zhabei after tonight!"
"Bloodbath in Yongxing Hall? Haha, if they can get out of Basheng Hall, they'd be lucky. But they still want to bloodbath in Yongxing Hall, what a joke."
Zhu Zhankui laughed and ignored Zhou Baorui. He scanned the hall and said gently, "Don't be afraid, wait a little longer. When this is over, you can leave with peace of mind. This is a settlement between Yongxingtang and Bashengtang, and has nothing to do with other gangs. However, let me say one more thing. Although Yongxingtang is a gang organization, we also understand the word righteousness. We must never forget the righteousness of the country, the nation, and the people's livelihood. If there are people like Bashengtang who harm the people and collude with foreigners to commit crimes in the future, don't blame Yongxingtang for not giving them a chance."
Hundreds of strong men around warned with guns, and Zhou Baorui and Wang Hanxiang taught them a lesson. The gang leaders who were dissatisfied and shouting just now suddenly fell silent and sat obediently in their seats.
They bully the weak and fear the strong. In the face of absolute strength, these gang members are more honest and cherish their lives more than ordinary people.
About half an hour later, dozens of people came in from outside the door, went up to the second floor, whispered a few words to Zhu Zhankui, and then stood apart.
"Well, it's over, Zhou Baorui. You've completely given up. The Basheng Hall and the 200 gang members you ambushed have all been dealt with. No one can save you now. You should go down and make amends for the crimes you committed in the past. Come on, take him down and treat him well."
After hearing these words, Zhou Baorui still refused to accept his fate and started to struggle frantically again. However, he was beaten by two sturdy men. After an elbow strike, Zhou Baorui collapsed powerlessly. Then, to prevent him from escaping, the two sturdy men took out handcuffs and chains, tied up all his limbs, and stuffed a towel in his mouth.
Zhou Baorui was taken away, and the remaining gang leaders were allowed to flee Defeng Building in a hurry.
On August 8, the news that Bashengtang was eradicated overnight and the leader of Bashengtang was arrested and interrogated like a dead pig by the newly emerged Yongxingtang spread quickly.
On August 8, more than a dozen notorious gangs including Chong'an Tang, Anliang Tang, Huifeng Tang, etc., which colluded with foreign countries and engaged in illegal activities, were eliminated one after another. For this reason, Britain, the United States, and France successively put pressure on the Qing court, demanding the restoration of order in the Shanghai market, but the Qing court was unable to do so and the plan ended in vain.
On August 8, after 25 days of professional interrogation by the military intelligence department, Zhou Baorui breathed his last, ending his sinful life. After his death, his body was thrown into a mass grave, attracting a large number of people to watch and vent their anger.
On August 8, the underground order in Shanghai gradually returned to normal. With Shanghai as the center, various banks and trade joint ventures with Han backgrounds were established. By the end of the year, six banks with Han government guarantees and headquarters in Lan Fang and Songkhla had attracted a total of 28 million taels of funds, and as their influence spread, the amount of deposits continued to grow.
On August 8, at the request of the Han Kingdom, Princess Hyeyong Lee Min-eun boarded an ocean-going fleet and headed for South America accompanied by her entourage of maids and servants.
On September 9, the number of British troops in South Africa increased to 3. The British government continued to dispatch reinforcements from various colonies, and war was imminent.
Affected by Britain's preparations for war, the situation in the Caribbean, South America and other regions is also becoming increasingly tense. The United States, China, Germany, France and other countries are all gearing up and eager to take advantage of Britain's withdrawal and the power vacuum in the Americas to expand their sphere of influence and seek benefits.
