The Republic of China: I, Xiangzi, a Hero in a Chaotic Era

In the late autumn night of 1915, the autumn wind was bleak and the chill was penetrating. Inside the Liu family mansion in Pingshan Township, Qingyuan County, there was none of the usual vitality. A deathly silence, like cold water, permeated every corner.

The courtyard, paved with blue bricks, was covered with fallen leaves. The wind blew through the hall, but it couldn't carry a sound. Only inside the tightly closed doors lay the corpses of the twenty-eight members of the Liu family.

Blood congealed into dark brown stains on the blue brick floor, spreading from the main hall to the side rooms. Men and women lay dead in their respective places, none of them spared. The doors and windows were intact, with no signs of struggle or cries for help, indicating that they had been killed in one blow, a swift and ruthless act.

The perpetrator of this massacre was Liu Jiaxiang, a villager from Liujia Village.

He was not a native of this era, but a time traveler from Earth.

Before transmigrating, Liu Jiaxiang was a master of martial arts who had been immersed in the art for decades. He was a grandmaster of Bajiquan, and his unparalleled and fierce kung fu had reached a state of perfection. He was renowned in the martial arts circle.

During a motorcycle trip, Liu Jiaxiang was riding on a mountain road when he collided head-on with a heavy truck that had illegally changed lanes. The steel behemoth crushed his flesh and blood, and the great master of Bajiquan perished in the disaster.

When Liu Jiaxiang regained consciousness, he found himself in Liujia Village, Qingyuan County, during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China period, inhabiting the body of a seventeen-year-old boy.

This boy was also named Liu Jiaxiang. His parents were honest farmers who relied on only a few acres of poor land for survival.

When the landlord Liu forced his parents to sell their land, the elderly couple refused to comply and were eventually framed and killed by Liu. Their only remaining land was also forcibly seized by Liu.

The original young man witnessed the tragic deaths of his parents. Overwhelmed with grief and anger, he choked on his own blood and died. This allowed Liu Jiaxiang's soul from Earth to possess him and be reborn.

The deep-seated hatred for his parents' blood was etched into his soul. Liu Jiaxiang suppressed his surging anger and lay low for a whole month.

During this month, relying on his keen observation skills honed as a Bajiquan master, he secretly figured out the layout of Liu Family Fort, knowing exactly where the blind spots in the courtyard walls were, where the guards patrolled, and where the warehouses were located.

At the same time, he meticulously planned his escape route after the murder and his plan to clear his name, taking care of every detail to ensure that nothing went wrong.

As the autumn night deepened and the moonlight was obscured by dark clouds, Liu Jiaxiang silently sneaked into Liujiabao.

His movements were like a ghost, and the fierce moves of Bajiquan were transformed into silent killing blows. Wherever his fist landed, it struck vital points. All twenty-eight members of the Liu family, from the head of the family to the servants, were killed in the room without making a sound.

After avenging his great grudge, Liu Jiaxiang remained calm and composed. He leisurely and meticulously searched Liu Family Fort, packing up all the gold, silver, and valuables that the Liu family had amassed through cunning and plunder over two generations. Then, he calmly left Liu Family Fort and, under the cover of night, departed Liu Family Village, disappearing into the vast autumn night.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and after a long and arduous journey, Liu Jiaxiang had arrived in the capital.

After receiving the three thousand silver dollars from the Liu family, he did not go directly to the capital, but instead rushed to Dingfeng County, which is adjacent to Qingyuan County, overnight.

Liu Jiaxiang had already found out that a retired official from the Qing Dynasty was living in seclusion in Dingfeng County. This person had many connections and was in the business of doing things for money. He didn't ask where the money came from or who the client was, but he demanded extremely high fees.

Liu Jiaxiang approached this former Qing dynasty official and handed over most of the gold, silver, and valuables he had acquired from the Liu family, asking only for a clean identity and a stable job in the capital. With such a large sum of money, things proceeded extremely smoothly. The former Qing official quickly arranged everything for him, even issuing an appointment letter as the head of the Xisi North Police Station of the Second Inner Right District Police Department under the Beijing Police Bureau.

They also fabricated a place of origin and background for Liu Jiaxiang, changing his identity to that of a resident of Dingfeng County, completely erasing all traces of Liu Jiaxiang's connection to Liujia Village in Qingyuan County.

After receiving his identity documents and appointment letter, Liu Jiaxiang set off for the capital.

In the autumn of 1915, as autumn deepened in Beijing, the Second Inner District Police Station was located in the streets and alleys of the western city. The courtyard, with its blue bricks and gray tiles, covered a large area. On either side of the gate stood two wooden pillars, with a black wooden sign hanging that read "Second Inner District Police Station of the Beijing Police Department" in solemn characters.

Two police officers in black uniforms stood on either side of the gate, with belts around their waists and short batons, their expressions solemn.

Upon entering the police station, one is greeted by a spacious courtyard paved with bluestone slabs. Several withered green plants are placed on both sides. Facing the gate are three main rooms, which are the station's offices. There are side rooms on the east and west sides, which are the document room and the officers' rest room, respectively.

People in police uniforms could be seen coming and going in the courtyard from time to time, their steps hurried. The air was filled with a faint smell of tobacco and paper ink, exuding the solemnity and rigidity unique to official institutions.

Liu Jiaxiang, dressed in a plain long gown, walked steadily into the main office of the police station, holding his appointment letter and recommendation letter in his hands.

Inside the room were several wooden desks piled high with documents. A middle-aged official in a police uniform with insignia on his shoulder was sitting in the main seat reviewing the documents. This man was Zhou Chengan, a police officer in the Second Inner Right District Police Station, who was in charge of the appointment and dispatch of personnel in the police stations within his jurisdiction. He was the person in charge of coordinating with Liu Jiaxiang's appointment.

Zhou Cheng'an looked up at Liu Jiaxiang as he walked in, his expression calm. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table and said:

"Are you Liu Jiaxiang, the newly appointed director of the Xisi North Police Station?"

Liu Jiaxiang nodded slightly, his expression respectful yet not humble, his voice steady:

"Indeed, this humble servant, Liu Jiaxiang, has come to report for duty with my appointment document. Please verify it, Officer Zhou."

Zhou Cheng'an took the document, carefully read it through, his gaze lingering for a moment on the recommendation letter from the former Qing official. His expression softened slightly, and he put the document down, saying:

"With both the appointment letter and recommendation letter correct and complete, you are now officially in charge of the position of director."

Upon hearing this, Liu Jiaxiang smiled humbly, took out ten silver dollars from his pocket, and quietly pushed them towards Zhou Chengan, his tone sincere:

"I am new here and know nothing about the jurisdiction of Xisi North Police Station. I will have to trouble Officer Zhou to take good care of me in the future."

"This small gift is offered as a token of my humble service to Director Zhou for a cup of tea. I would also appreciate your guidance on matters concerning the jurisdiction."

Zhou Cheng'an lowered his gaze slightly, glancing at the silver coins on the table. His fingertips paused briefly, but he didn't refuse. He casually tucked the silver coins under the table, his expression remaining calm, but his tone becoming more sincere:

"Director Liu is quite insightful. Since you asked, I will explain it to you in detail."

"The jurisdiction of Xisi North Police Station is not small, including Maojiawan and Xi'anmen Street. It is a mixed bag, and there are two groups of people and forces that you need to be extra careful about."