Republic of China: Guandong Ginseng King

Chapter 476: Yanbian Guardian

Upon receiving the news, Qu Shaoyang immediately sent someone to send a message to invite Han Dengju and his wife to Jilin City for a small gathering.

A few years ago, Qu Shaoyang helped Han Dengju import advanced gold mining equipment from abroad and hired some technicians.

The problems of water seepage and mining difficulties in the Jiapigou gold mine have been solved, and the output has been greatly increased.

Afterwards, Qu Shaoyang took Han Dengju to open the Sanxing gold mine and set up a factory, and both families made a lot of money.

Not only did they become sworn brothers, their wives also became sworn sisters, and the children from the two families studied and played together.

It can be said that the relationship between the Qu and Han families is quite close.

In fact, Qu Shaoyang was not worried that Han Dengju would get involved with those revolutionaries. Given Han Dengju's current family business and status, he would not risk his life to revolt unless he was crazy.

The purpose of asking Han Dengju to come over was purely to keep in touch and reminisce about the past.

When Han Dengju received the news, he immediately brought his wife to Jilin City to meet Qu Shaoyang.

That evening, Qu Shaoyang hosted a banquet at the general's mansion to entertain Han Dengju and his family.

"Brother, I intend to recommend you to the court to serve as the garrison commander of Yanbian to assist in the defense of the Tumen River area. What do you think?"

After three rounds of drinks, Qu Shaoyang brought up business.

In the past two years, the Japanese have been instigating Goryeo behind the scenes, ready to make moves and have always coveted the Yanbian area.

When Tianzhi and his team were surveying the boundary last year, Goryeo and Japan tried to stop them. Although the survey went smoothly, those people were still determined and would definitely cause trouble.

The area under Qu Shaoyang's jurisdiction was too large. It included Jilin Province and the eastern border, along the Yalu River, Changbai Mountain, and Tumen River, which was right adjacent to Goryeo. The border was too long, and heavy troops needed to be stationed everywhere.

Of course, Qu Shaoyang has no shortage of capable people under his command, and the Dingbian Army is particularly brave and good at fighting, but he cannot promote his confidants and build up his power too blatantly.

Therefore, Qu Shaoyang thought of finding someone who was not the commander of the Dingbian Army but had a good relationship with him to guard the Tumen River.

After much deliberation, Han Dengju was the most suitable.

Han Dengju was the leader of the Nanshan militia. The militia headquarters had nine branches under it, namely Jiapigou, Jinyinbie, Gudonghe, Maoershan, Lizigou, Bangchuigou, Narhong, Toudaoliuhe and Dashaha. It had a large number of members and great influence.

It is most appropriate for Han Dengju to be appointed as the garrison commander of Yanbian.

When Han Dengju heard this, his hand holding the wine glass trembled and the wine in the glass almost spilled. "Are you serious?"

Humans are not saints. They eat grains and have seven emotions and six desires. Who can resist the temptation of promotion and wealth? Han Dengju is no exception.

"Of course. As long as big brother nods, I will report it to the court tomorrow." Qu Shaoyang laughed when he heard it. Could he really lie?

"I am grateful to the general for his kindness. From now on, Han Dengju will follow the general's orders and will go through fire and water without hesitation."

Han Dengju stood up, saluted solemnly and said.

"Hey, big brother, what are you doing? We are brothers, we don't need these empty words.

Come on, sit down, sit down, I'll give you a drink." Qu Shaoyang pulled Han Dengju to sit down, and the two of them toasted each other, becoming happier and happier as they drank.

Tonight's banquet is for the Qu and Han families. There are no outsiders, so there is no need to separate tables for men and women. Everyone can sit together.

The same went for the children, who were divided into two tables according to their size.

The children from the two families studied and played together and were very familiar with each other. During meals, Han Xiutang sat next to Qu Jialing.

This boy was very nice to Jialing. He kept picking food for her and helped pick out fish bones and other things. He took care of her in every possible way.

The two of them ate and chatted. No one knew what interesting things Han Xiutang said, but Jialing was so amused that she smiled with her lips pursed.

The adults from both families saw the children's interaction, and Chen Xiuyun and Liu Fengzhi smiled at each other.

"Sister, Xiutang is fifteen this year, right?" Chen Xiuyun asked.

"Yes, he's fifteen, the same age as your son Zhenwu, and one year older than Jialing and Zhenjie." Liu Fengzhi nodded in response.

"Have you discussed the marriage?" Chen Xiuyun asked casually.

"No, marriage is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. I have discussed with your brother-in-law and we have decided to find a girl that Xiutang likes."

When Liu Fengzhi said this, her eyes involuntarily looked in the direction of her eldest son and Jialing.

"Yeah, that's right. A perfect couple like Sister Fengzhi and her brother-in-law is indeed enviable." Chen Xiuyun nodded.

It is said that when the old head of the Han family was alive, he strictly ordered his descendants not to take concubines.

So even though the Han family is so rich, from the old head to Han Dengju, they all live with only one wife.

Of course, this is just a rumor. There must be some Han family descendants who took concubines.
"Well, there's nothing to envy about this. It's just an ordinary life." Upon hearing this, Liu Fengzhi waved her hands and smiled.

Chen Xiuyun and Liu Fengzhi were chatting lively, with Meng Lanxin saying a few words occasionally. The women were talking and laughing, and the atmosphere at the table was naturally harmonious.

It was rare for the two families to get together, so they didn't eat much or drink much, they just chatted.

After the banquet, Han Dengju and his family returned to their house in Xiguan to rest, and the Qu family members also returned to their respective courtyards.

"Shaoyang, what do you think of Xiutang's child?
I noticed that our daughter and Xiutang were very close. When they were having dinner tonight, they sat next to each other and Xiutang kept picking up food for Jialing. "

Chen Xiuyun has been pregnant for more than five months and her figure is already obvious. Qu Shaoyang is worried about his wife and has been living in Chen Xiuyun's yard recently.

"What's the matter? Do you like Xiutang's kid?" When Qu Shaoyang heard this, he knew what his wife meant.

"Xiu Tang is a good kid, he is thoughtful and steady, but he lacks some courage.

Given his personality, he has no problem maintaining the status quo, but it seems difficult for him to make a name for himself.”

Qu Shaoyang thought about it for a moment and gave a very pertinent evaluation.

"Well, you are quite good at judging people. Xiutang is indeed a little lacking in the spirit of adventure.

However, I think the Han family is doing pretty well up to the generation of Brother Han. It is not easy for descendants to keep the family business intact. Don’t you think so? "

Chen Xiuyun liked Han Xiutang very much. She thought that this boy was steady and decent, and that this was the kind of son-in-law she should look for.

“Besides, it’s impossible for both father and son to be so outstanding and capable of fighting.

If that were the case, there would be no peace at home, and the father and son would be competing with each other all day long.

Brother Han is capable of hard work and adventure, and his son is the one who takes care of the family business, which is not bad either."

After looking around, Chen Xiuyun felt that her daughter and Han Xiutang were a good match.

After all, the Han family's eldest branch has a small population, just two brothers, so there won't be so much trouble in the future.

"I can see that you really care about Xiutang's child.

Okay, I'll discuss this with Brother Han later, and you can also ask your daughter what she thinks.

If she doesn't bother Xiu Tang, the two families can find a time to arrange the marriage.

If Xiutang becomes our son-in-law, we can arrange for him to study abroad with Zhenye and Zhenwu." Qu Shaoyang already has plans for the children's future.

Zhenye has loved money since he was young and is sensitive to numbers. After going to school, he also became very interested in arithmetic and achieved good results.

So Qu Shaoyang planned to send his second child to the United States to study mathematics, economics, finance, etc.

Zhenwu was born with great strength and had been interested in wielding swords and sticks since childhood.

After he graduated from high school, he went to a military academy for two years and then was arranged to study in a German military academy for a few years.

When he comes back, he will be assigned to the Dingbian Army to gain experience so that he can manage the army for Qu Shaoyang in the future.

Zhenjie and Jialing have been interested in medicine since childhood, and at present, it seems more likely that they will study medicine.

They are only fourteen years old. After they graduate from high school, if they want to study medicine, they can go to Germany. The medical field in Germany is quite good.

As for Zhenwen, Zhenmin, Zhenquan, Zhensheng and others, as long as they are willing to learn and have goals, Qu Shaoyang will do his best to train them.

Whether studying or studying abroad, the treatment is the same as Zhenye and others.

If you really can't learn it, the Qu family has so many industries, you can just go there and become a manager.

The remaining Zhentang, Zhenzong and others are still young, and it’s hard to tell how they are doing at the moment.

Anyway, if the children have a promising future, we will do our best to support and care for them. If they don’t have such great abilities, they will always have a place to stay, whether it’s the Dingbian Army or the family property.

Otherwise, it's not a bad idea to be a rich and idle person, as long as there are no traitors or prodigals, everything else is acceptable.

"Okay, I'll ask my daughter first, and you can also find out what Xiutang and Brother Han mean.

Our daughter is fourteen now, it’s time to settle down as soon as possible to avoid troubles in the future.”

My daughter is growing up and will have to get married sooner or later. She should choose someone with a similar family background and whom she likes, and settle down with him as soon as possible so that she can feel at ease.

The couple chatted for a while, and Chen Xiuyun felt so sleepy that she fell asleep first.

Qu Shaoyang drank some wine in the evening and was now drowsy, so he hugged his wife and fell asleep.

The next day, Qu Shaoyang wrote a memorial to the court.

Because of the frequent actions of Goryeo and Japan in recent days and the unrest in the Yanbian area, it is planned to set up a Yanbian garrison along the Tumen River.

Lieutenant General Han Dengju was brave and good at fighting and well versed in military affairs, so he was specially recommended to be the garrison commander of Yanbian.

Submitting memorials to the imperial court involves a lot of procedures, and it would take a while for a reply to arrive.

Regarding various matters in the General's Office, Qu Shaoyang only told Han Dengju to wait patiently while he was busy handling other matters.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce of the Qing Dynasty issued an order requiring the Jilin Provincial Chamber of Commerce to select 32 kinds of famous and special products from the province and send them to the Beijing Industrial Promotion Exhibition Hall for exhibition.

The General Chamber of Commerce was now busy. After several rounds of selection, they finally selected Changbai Mountain red ginseng, deer antler, Fritillaria thunbergii, asarum, snow clam, as well as Chinese patent medicines such as tiger bone paste, deer antler glue, tiger bone wind-chasing wine, Lixin pills, and various precious skins.

Among them, Changbai Mountain red ginseng, tiger bone chasing wind wine, Lixin pills, etc., all come from the Qu family's industry.

The Changbai Mountain red ginseng is not simply steamed and dried ginseng.

Instead, during the processing, more than twenty kinds of Chinese medicinal materials are added, and through processes such as soaking and steaming, the medicinal properties are fully absorbed into the ginseng.

The prepared Changbai Mountain red ginseng can refresh the mind, enhance memory, improve the quality of sex life, enhance the body's immunity, and has the effect of prolonging life.

After these products were sent to Beijing for exhibition, they attracted attention from all walks of life, especially the Changbai Mountain red ginseng and those Chinese patent medicines, which became famous overnight.

Merchants from home and abroad rushed to Jilin City to sign purchase contracts with the pharmaceutical factory.

With this alone, the Qu family's pharmaceutical factory can increase its revenue significantly.

In mid-March, the court's reply arrived.

In view of the situation in Yanbian area, the request of General Jilin was approved and Han Dengju was appointed as the Yanbian garrison commander, responsible for the defense and public security of the Yanbian area.

Han Dengju and his wife had been staying in Jilin City and had not returned. After hearing the news, the couple brought generous gifts to the general's mansion to express their gratitude.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Qu Shaoyang brought up the marriage of the two children.

Qu Shaoyang has already pointed out this matter to Han Dengju several times, both explicitly and implicitly, and Han Dengju and his wife have also privately asked their son for his opinion.

Han Xiutang is fifteen, what doesn't he know at this age? Han Xiutang really likes Jialing, otherwise why would he always stay close to Jialing?
On the other hand, Chen Xiuyun also asked her daughter in a roundabout way.

Jialing also had a good impression of Han Xiutang. She thought it was particularly interesting to be with Han Xiutang and did not object to the marriage.

Since the children had no objections, the adults were naturally happy to see it happen, and the marriage was decided on the spot.

Of course, the children of both families are still young, and their studies and future are more important, so there is no need to rush into marriage.

Pick a good day and get engaged first. When they are grown up and have learned everything they need to learn, it will not be too late to get married then.

The sworn brothers became relatives, and their relationship became even closer. That night, Han Dengju and Qu Shaoyang drank a lot of wine.

As they drank, Han Dengju started talking about how a very strange man came to him a few days ago and persuaded him to join the revolution and lead the people in an uprising.

"What nonsense! The Han family is no longer the gold bandits they once were.

Since my grandfather's time, he has been recruited by the imperial court and granted a sixth-rank official title.

Now, I have been promoted by the general to the garrison commander of Yanbian. The Han family is deeply favored by the emperor. How could I possibly get involved with those rebels?"

Han Dengju said this and slammed the table heavily.

These words are naturally meant to express loyalty, but they are also the truth.

Right now the Han family is on the rise, Han Dengju has a bright future, and the Jiapigou gold mine is making a fortune. Who would give up their good life and join that group of people in rebellion?
"Brother, I have mentioned this matter to you, but we brothers will never let it out.

But never mention it again in front of outsiders.

The imperial court is now very wary of these revolutionary rebels and is arresting them everywhere. If people find out that they have been looking for you, I am afraid that you will be implicated."

Qu Shaoyang naturally knew that Song had approached Han Dengju, and he also knew that Han Dengju had sternly rejected the other party's lobbying and agitation.

He said this to remind Han Dengju that it is best to keep these things to yourself.

Han Dengju repeatedly said yes, and the two changed the subject and talked about issues such as defense and public security in the Yanbian area.

After the imperial court issued an order, Han Dengju could no longer stay in Jilin City for long.

The next day, Han Dengju led his men away and returned to Jiapiqiao to lead the militia and rushed to Yanji Hall. Liu Fengzhi stayed in Jilin City to prepare for the engagement of the two children.

Song's attempt to instigate Han Deng's rebellion failed, and the news of the revolutionaries' activities in the Northeast leaked. The Qing court ordered Fengtian and Jilin provinces to search for Taoyuan Zongjie and his group with all their strength.

After receiving the order, Qu Shaoyang pretended to do it, posted a notice, and sent people to arrest him.

With the help of Wu Kun, Bai Wenwei and others, Song left the Northeast and returned to Japan.

(End of this chapter)