Republic of China: Guandong Ginseng King

Chapter 342 Whip Ceremony
After interrogation, Qu Shaoyang had a deeper understanding of the bandit gangs in Shuangdianzi, Mengjiang, and even Niangniangku and Liangjiangkou.

According to the confessions of Fanduo and several leaders, these bandit gangs around Changbai Mountain, in addition to robbing houses, smashing kilns and kidnapping.

They also made money by robbing ginseng gangs, demanding tributes from ginseng gardens of wood gangs, and forcing people to grow opium.

Each gang has its own territory divided and only acts within its own territory, not competing for resources.

Moreover, those more famous gangs formed alliances to exchange information and assist each other.

For example, if one gang heard that the imperial court was going to suppress bandits, they would immediately notify other gangs.

For example, if any gang is in danger, they will send a message to Haiyezi for help. After receiving the message from Haiyezi, other gangs will send people to provide assistance.

Even if a red kiln was difficult to destroy, several gangs would unite to destroy it.

These gangs would also hold whipping meetings from time to time.

At the Whip-Giving Conference, in addition to electing the leader of the alliance for the next year, some traitors in the alliance will also be cleared out.

The Zhan Dongshan gang is considered to be a relatively large group among these bandit gangs, and Zhan Dongshan has served as the leader of the alliance for three or four years in a row.

"Has this year's Whip-beating Conference been held?" Qu Shaoyang asked Fan Duo after learning the news.

“No, it hasn’t been done yet. It was supposed to be done in June or July, but it just happened to coincide with the Sandaimiaoling incident.

The massacre in the village caused quite a stir. I was afraid that the imperial court would be planning to suppress the bandits, so I suggested to the boss that we should keep quiet for a while, stay out of the spotlight, and make another decision after a while.

Haven't you been busy collecting tributes at various mountain fields and ginseng gardens recently? You haven't had time to hold the whip-beating ceremony yet."

It's already come to this, what else is there to hide?
Fanduo wanted to dig up all the secrets of the gangster. He would do anything as long as he could save his life.

After hearing Fan Duo's words, Qu Shaoyang had an idea.

“Chuanzhi, immediately send someone to Hulukou to help Xingye clean it up.

The dead beards were buried somewhere, and the bloodstains on the ground were also cleared away.

Block the news and don't let any prisoner escape.

Divide the prisoners into two groups.

They were taken to the mountains, starved for three days, and then shackled and forced to work in the mountains.

Another group, come this way."

"Second brother, I have to trouble you for a while. Wait for the prisoners to be brought back. Take the two hundred men under your command, the prisoners, and these gold, silver, and jewelry and transport them back to Maoer Mountain.

In addition, someone was sent to tell the eldest brother to bring the remaining militia and come here immediately.

And the Maoershan patrol team, please pass on my order and mobilize personnel quickly.

All the patrols, along with the squads from the villages, came with their guns and ammunition."

When Chen Yunhan heard this, he knew that Qu Shaoyang was going to make a big move. "What? Do you want to use the whip-beating meeting to do something?"

Those who can participate in the Whipping Ceremony are all the big bosses of each gang, the backbones and other members of the gang. If something happens here, the commotion will definitely be huge.

Qu Shaoyang laughed when he heard this, "Wouldn't it be stupid not to take advantage of such a good opportunity?
Don't worry, I won't force you. If these gangsters are sensible and give up the wood tax, I can let them go.

Otherwise, don't blame me for using courtesy before force."

Chen Yunhan thought about it and decided that this was not impossible.

The militia under his command has now grown to nearly a thousand people, and they are all well-equipped.

Even if we don't call in the patrol team, we can easily deal with a few gangs of bandits. If we add the patrol team, we can handle it easily anywhere without any problems.

"Okay, I know what to do."

In this way, those who were supposed to deliver the message did so, the others were divided into several groups to take turns on guard and patrol, and the rest found places to rest.

We have all been busy all night. Who wouldn’t be sleepy at this time? Let’s take a nap first.

The night passed peacefully, and after daybreak, the people downstairs started to make a fire and cook.

There are four or five hundred people in Zhandongshan Gang, and they need a lot of food and drink every day, so there are several granaries alone, and there are also more than a dozen pigs and hundreds of chickens, ducks and geese raised on the mountain.

Therefore, Qu Shaoyang and others don’t have to worry about food and supplies while they are in the mountain.

After breakfast, Qu Shaoyang wandered around the mountain again.

I have to say that Zhan Dongshan is really capable. Relying on the terrain, he manages the stronghold quite well.

Fortunately, this time the attack was unexpected and an ambush was set up along the way. If he had led his men to attack head-on, even if he had broken through the stronghold, Qu Shaoyang would have suffered considerable losses.

When Qu Shaoyang finished his round, Zhou Chuanzhi, Meng Lanxin and others came back with forty prisoners.

"Manager Lin led the others to escort the remaining prisoners to the mountain field.

After everything is settled there in a couple of days, we will come back to meet up." Meng Lanxin said to Qu Shaoyang.

After a night of calming down and adjusting, Meng Lanxin has returned to normal.

Now that all the members of Zhan Dongshan's gang have been wiped out and Zhan Dongshan and his son have been executed, the great revenge has been achieved. Meng Lanxin can finally put her worries to rest and feels much more energetic than before.

"Okay, you've all worked hard. Let's go eat something and then take a rest. We have important things to do next." Qu Shaoyang nodded.

After the exchange of fire last night, less than half of the bandits in the mountain stronghold were killed, leaving sixty or seventy. Together with those escorted back by Zhou Chuanzhi and his men, there are about a hundred prisoners.

Qu Shaoyang picked out about thirty of these people who looked smarter and kept them in the mountain village. The rest were taken away by Chen Yunhan.

Chen Yunhan had already prepared a carriage, and all the gold, silver, jewelry, silks, and other things were loaded onto the carriage.

"Second brother, this trip will be very hard for you. You must keep an eye on these prisoners. If anyone dares to run away, just shoot him to death."

Qu Shaoyang spoke loudly in front of the prisoners.

"Don't worry, these bastards still want to escape after they are in my hands?

Don't even think about running away. If they dare to think about it, I will kill them." Chen Yunhan glanced at the bearded men and snorted.

In this way, Chen Yunhan led two hundred militiamen to escort the prisoners, along with more than a dozen horse-drawn carriages.

Leave the mountain village, walk along Dianzi Street, cross Tanghekou, and head straight to Maoer Mountain.

Here, Qu Shaoyang asked Fan Duo to write sea leaves according to the practice of previous years, and then arranged people to deliver them to the large gangs in the surrounding areas.

Inform the other party that a whipping ceremony will be held on October 20th.

Invite the leaders and pillars of each gang to come to Jiguanalazi to elect the leader of the alliance for the new year.

Three days later, Xingye brought the guys from the Qu family to the mountain village.

"Sir, the prisoners have been left in the mountain field. I got some shackles from the other end of Dianzi Street and handcuffed them.

There are 40 patrolmen left over there, plus Ermaozi, Yang Guozheng and the others watching, so they can't run away."

(End of this chapter)