The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 476 The Fate of Traitors and Running Dogs

Chengdu Prefecture, Sichuan Province.

The entire city is like a large construction site. Over the past few decades, Chengdu has been under continuous construction.

After all, eighty years ago, this place was still an empty city with no one around. It was only fifty years ago that it barely gained some popularity.

It began to flourish in the last thirty years.

Historically, there have been two statistical calibers for the population of Greater Sichuan, which included Chongqing at that time.

For example, according to official statistics, Sichuan's population at that time was just over 10 million, but in reality it should be closer to 17 million.

Of the seven million people, two to three million are not counted because of the chaotic household registration system of the Qing Dynasty, but there are three to four million who are simply concealed populations.

The way they concealed the truth was that a large number of powerful people from Huguang who colluded with the government occupied the land first, and reported the immigrants as dead before they arrived.

So when they arrived at the local area, they naturally became illegal residents, and in order to survive, they could only work as tenants for the landlords.

As for the head tax which has already been distributed among the land, concealing the population may seem to have no benefit, but it is actually feasible.

Because the people who were concealed were immigrants, according to the rules, when they arrived at the local area, they would be given land according to the number of people or encouraged to reclaim wasteland.

For example, if a hundred immigrants come this time, the local government will roughly allocate the land.

These lands are equivalent to having been taken into account. Once the local government and powerful people collude to report the death of the immigrants, the lands must be returned according to the rules.

The powerful people who colluded with the government made tricks at this step and directly deleted the land from the account books.

With just a few changes in this way, the land disappeared. The immigrants who had already arrived planted the land that was originally allocated to them, but they had become illegal tenants.

In order to cover up these truths, local governments would deliberately mess up the household registration books and use small problems to cover up big problems. This is also the reason why there have been problems with Sichuan’s household registration statistics during the Qing Dynasty.

In the Governor's Office, Hai Lancha looked at Chen Jie in front of him. After the former Zhejiang governor defected to Dayu, he tried to instigate a rebellion against him.

Due to his familiarity with the Qing officialdom, Chen Jie not only dared to instigate Hailancha to rebel, but his current identity was even the nominal general of the Qing Dynasty's Sichuan Green Camp.

Moreover, Chen Jie has his own real power that he can rely on, and is not just a figurehead general.

The only force he can rely on is the Gelaohui.

Of course, at that time they were not called Gelaohui, but anti-Qing branches such as Hongmen and Tiandihui.

As for why there are so many Tiandihui members in Sichuan, but not many in neighboring Hunan and Hubei?

It's very simple, because there are many descendants of the Dashi Army and the Dashun Army hiding in the rolling mountains of the Sichuan Basin. After the Qing Dynasty gave up its encirclement and suppression of them, they came out of the mountains to settle and cultivate.

A considerable number of these low-level soldiers were abducted by Zhang Xianzhong, Li Guo and others in Huguang, especially in Xiaogan, Hubei.

Those who were lucky enough to survive, after the situation stabilized, some returned to their hometowns down the river and recruited a large number of fellow villagers to come to Sichuan to open up wasteland.

There are quite a few of them, and they have long occupied the main traffic routes. Immigrants from the downstream go up the river, and as long as they say they are from Xiaogan, they can get help or even acceptance from these "locals" who are lucky enough to survive.

Therefore, during the great tide of people from Huguang moving to Sichuan, a large number of real or self-proclaimed or fraudulent people from Xiaogan were scattered everywhere, forming a strange rural group with strong characteristics of immigration and land reclamation.

They were the prototype of the Pao Brothers Society in history. During the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods, when the population exploded and water and land ports sprang up, this prototype was used by various traveling merchants across prefectures and counties to connect with local underworld groups, forming an underground network throughout Sichuan.

It was finally formed after the Second Opium War.

At that time, the living standards of the Chinese people had dropped significantly compared to the middle and late Qianlong period. The people, who were suffering from double and triple oppression, accepted the anti-Qing and restoration of Ming ideas from the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong, and eventually formed the anti-Qing Hongmen organization with Sichuan characteristics - Gelaohui.

This time and space was naturally directly formed by the Hongmen Kunlun Mountain. Chen Jie was only a person on the surface. The person in charge inside was Yuan Kaidao, a general under the Prime Minister Li Xianwen, the Grand Secretary of the Zhongji Palace, and the former commander of the Xingtang Three Guards.

This is really a match made in heaven. Li Xianwen is the fifth-generation grandson of Li Laiheng, and Yuan Kaidao is a descendant of Yuan Zongde. They were originally the remnants of the Dashun Army who hid in the mountains and called themselves Xiaogan people.

With such a relationship, everything will go smoothly.

Chen Jie looked at the bewildered Hailancha with a bit of amusement. This man was indeed brave in battle and had good commanding ability, but he could only be a general, not a commander, and certainly not a leader on his own, because he was not ruthless and decisive enough.
Therefore, the matter of instigating rebellion has been delayed for three months until now without any progress, but Chen Jie has received the emperor's order and can no longer delay it.

"General Hai was so brave and resolute on the battlefield, why is he hesitant now over such a trivial matter?"

When Hailancha heard Chen Jie ask this, his cheeks twitched uncontrollably.

Small matter? I have a son, a grandson and two granddaughters in Xi'an, and two daughters and three grandsons in Shuntianfu. If I surrender, they will probably lose their lives, and you actually call it a small matter!
"General Chen, you and I were once comrades in the army, both of us came from outside the Great Wall. Why are you forcing each other so hard? Let me find a way to have the best of both worlds."

Chen Jie is a descendant of Chen Yonghua. After Zheng Kezang surrendered, Chen Jie's family was settled around Shenyang, so they can also be considered people outside the Great Wall.

"The best of both worlds?" Chen Jie snorted. "How can you have the best of both worlds? General Hai, it's precisely because we both come from outside the Great Wall and I respect your loyalty and bravery that I've waited for three months. Waiting any longer would be a bit unreasonable, wouldn't it?"

Hailancha sighed, "But my family is still in the north, so it's really hard to make a decision."

Chen Jie glanced at Hailancha. He couldn't believe that it had been three months and the people Hailancha sent to the north to settle his family hadn't finished their work. At most, they just hadn't reported to Hailancha yet.

Hailancha must have had the idea of retaliation after getting accurate information about his family. Chen Jie didn't point it out, but of course he wouldn't let him drag it on any longer.

"General Hai, every warrior in this world is willing to risk their lives, even if it means risking their lives. The court has given you enough time. We can't wait any longer. This is His Majesty's order."

"Please wait another ten days so that I can inform the soldiers below." Hailancha still wanted to wait.

You don't want to be given face, right? Chen Jie snorted coldly and took on the attitude of a victor, "Today, but it's a matter of yes or no.

If you agree, immediately summon the Eight Banners soldiers from Chengdu to discuss the matter. The general and I will work together to capture them all in one fell swoop.

If not, Chen will leave Chengdu immediately, and Your Excellency will allow the Chengdu bannermen to be buried with the Qing Dynasty."

Hailancha took a deep breath and understood the meaning behind Chen Jie's words, "Is there still a way for the Chengdu bannermen to survive?"

"This is not something you should ask. Life or death is decided by His Majesty." Chen Jie glared at Hailancha and shouted:

"Hailancha, don't be so cautious. Surrender or not!" Hailancha was silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I will immediately summon all the bannermen and generals in the city to the Governor's Office to discuss this matter."

Historically, the Eight Banners stationed in Chengdu were established during the Battle of Jinchuan. Since they were responsible for guarding Chengdu and controlling northwest Sichuan and northern Yunnan, they still had sufficient military strength.

There were more than 3,700 officers and soldiers of the Eight Banners stationed in Chengdu, and they also managed the Green Camps in various towns, with a total of 15,000 soldiers under their command. Therefore, when Hailancha convened the military meeting, there were quite a lot of generals and officers who came, a total of 67 people.

As soon as they entered the hall of the Governor-General's Office, some Banner officers felt something was wrong.

Because the seats were not arranged according to official positions this time, the officers of the Solon, Barhu, Xibai and other tribes brought by Hailancha sat on the east side, and were accompanied by some officers of the Sichuan Governor's Central Army.

The rest of the bannermen and generals sat at the west end, forming a perfect pattern of confrontation, as if they were intentionally separated.

However, they did not pay much attention to it. Mo Zibu's rise was only a recent thing. Many bannermen still had a sense of superiority in their minds, and there were even fools who believed that the Eight Banners Heavenly Soldiers were invincible.

Under the influence of this feeling, they did not realize that the Qing Dynasty's policies in the Northeast were completely disastrous for various ethnic groups such as the Solon, Barhu, and Xibai.

They thought that these people from outside the Great Wall could obtain the status of bannermen simply by reincarnation, and that if they entered the Great Wall, they would be supported by tens of millions of Han people inside the Great Wall, who would definitely be grateful to them.

But in fact, these people outside the Great Wall lived even worse than the Han people.

The men fought for the Qing Dynasty, doing the hardest work and going to dangerous battlefields. The casualties were often several times that of the bannermen in the interior. Many of them never returned to their hometowns after leaving.

Their parents, wives and children who stayed outside the Great Wall lost the pillars of their family and slowly died painfully in the bitter cold of the Greater and Lesser Xing'an Mountains. These were things that the bannermen inside the Great Wall had never seen.

Therefore, in history, when the Qing Dynasty was in turmoil, the bannermen and Han people outside the Great Wall united to cut off their retreat.

When Puyi established the puppet Manchukuo, a large number of bannermen and Han people from outside the Great Wall went up the mountain to fight guerrilla warfare.

After a while of clamor, Hailancha appeared in a strange robe. He looked around and said in a deep voice:

"Ever since the incident in Jiangning, we have been defending the southwest alone for two years. Since last year, we have received almost no support from soldiers, money or grain. We have defended until now, and we have done our best.

Fortunately, His Majesty the Great Emperor Yu Guangzhong is magnanimous and will forgive the past. This general has decided to abandon the dark and join the light from today on!"

After saying that, Hailancha suddenly tore off the strange robe on his body, revealing the official uniform of a first-rank military officer of the Ming Dynasty. Then he took off the hat on his head, revealing a big bald head.

The officers of the Bannermen present were stunned by this sudden change, and many of them did not react at all.

Just as they were shocked, the Solon, Barhu, Xibai and some Du Biao army officers sitting on the east side all took off their hats, revealing rows of bald heads.

"Hai Lan Cha, do you dare to rebel?"

"Rebellion! Hailancha has rebelled!"

The Bannermen officers finally reacted and started shouting.

Hailancha ignored their shouting and clapped his hands, and the officers from outside the Great Wall and the Han people in the east immediately took out swords from under their seats.

There was a sound of footsteps, and dozens of Hongmen killers rushed in, armed with long knives and pistols.

At the same time, bursts of fighting and crying suddenly rang out. It seemed that the guards left outside by these officers were being killed.

Hailancha held a short knife and pointed at the pale-faced Bannermen officers who were almost afraid to shout and curse, and said loudly:
"Now that things have come to this, I think you should refrain from any more futile resistance. Repent sincerely in prison. His Majesty Guangzhong may still forgive you. Even if you are sent to Southeast Asia to colonize, it is better than losing your life."

"Hai Lan Cha, you beast, have you forgotten who allowed you, a barbarian from outside the Great Wall, to hold such a high position? How can you be worthy of His Majesty?"

Deputy Governor Baoning stood up and started cursing. His face turned red and he looked particularly indignant.

"Baoning, fuck your mother!" However, Baoning's self-righteous curse successfully angered Hailancha.

"After I left Huanghetun 25 years ago, you wouldn't even let me go back to Heilongjiang to bury my parents. Almost all the men in my tribe are dead. I'd rather stay outside the Great Wall for the rest of my life!"

With a loud roar, Hailancha rushed forward and stabbed Baoning who was standing up with a knife.

In an instant, the other officers from outside the Great Wall also drew their swords and rushed forward. They were even more ruthless than the Han people, and soon they had hacked all the Banner officers in the hall to death.

Almost at the same time, in Kunming City, the Governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, Mingde, stood in his study with a knife in his hand, looking somewhat melancholy.

In front of him, Yunnan Governor Zhu Gui's chest and abdomen were covered in blood, and he was looking at Mingde in disbelief.

The old traitor was filled with regret and hatred. He raised his hand and pointed tremblingly, "Mingde, you are a bannerman. You are from the Fucha clan of the upper three banners, and you are also the nephew of Empress Xiaoxian!"

What Zhu Gui meant was that Han people like me are working hard for you bannermen, but you, the top Manchu official, are the first to defect.

"No matter whose nephew he is, he will die if he is hit by a knife." Mingde was very direct. He was just afraid of death.

"His Majesty Guangzhong is also an old acquaintance of mine. If he has promised to spare my life, I will cut off my braids, take these two hundred thousand taels of silver, and blend in with the Han people. Isn't that better than being shot to death by the Xing Tang army?"

After saying that, Mingde walked forward, holding a long sword and a gloomy look in his eyes.

Zhu Gui wanted to dodge, but he had no strength left in his body and could only look up to the sky and cry.

"Oh my God, oh my God, you Manchus don't want the Qing Dynasty anymore, why am I, Zhu Gui, bothering to come here? Why am I bothering to come here?"

Mingde looked at Zhu Gui and was silent for a moment. "Mr. Zhu Shi, don't blame me. You know how much evil your brother Zhu Yun committed when he first initiated the compilation of the Siku Quanshu.

You brothers, your Shuntian Zhu family, are on the Emperor Guangzhong's must-kill list, or very high up on it, otherwise I would take you with me to surrender to Dayu."

After saying this, the bannerman who had been flirting with Mo Zibu since the Burmese expedition raised his sword, stabbed Zhu Gui's heart with one blow, then cut off his head, lifted him up by the braid and walked out of the governor's study.

Outside, the few officers who refused to surrender had already been hacked to death. Mingde walked over and knelt down in front of Huang Zhongtong, the new governor of Yunnan and Guizhou in Dayu.

"Sir Huang, I am a criminal and I am willing to accept the punishment. Please deal with me as you wish."

(End of this chapter)