Chapter 1371 - Armaments
Zhao Yingong felt reasonably confident about his personal safety on the surface. He had managed to form an "interest community" with certain local gentry by now. Yet he had also gained considerable notoriety in Hangzhou—and as the saying went, tall trees catch the wind. There was every chance of attracting the attention of unsavory elements, so vigilance was essential.
Phoenix Mountain Villa's activities—printing, the silk industry, "Australian goods" distribution—had encroached upon the interests of numerous groups, particularly among the lower classes. If a mass incident erupted, relying on the government to maintain order would be futile. Even if authorities were willing to execute a few troublemakers afterward to appease him, lost money and time could never be recovered.
His security measures needed strengthening. Not just for his own protection but for Phoenix Mountain Villa and all its subordinate enterprises. Currently, they all existed in an essentially undefended state.
He did have security forces at his disposal—the "Black Dragon Society" system under the External Intelligence Bureau. In Hangzhou, they had established a "Fighter's Guild" operating openly as the "Black Dragon Guild." With External Intelligence Bureau personnel at its core, they had constructed an underground security apparatus.
The Black Dragon Guild consisted of External Intelligence Bureau operatives who had gathered a band of local loafers—indistinguishable from various other Fighter's Guilds inside and outside the city. Their activities were similarly unremarkable. During the earlier conflict at the Catholic church in Hangzhou—when a debate between Catholics and Buddhist monks escalated into violence—the Guild had been deployed to the back door, ready to escort church personnel to safety.
Though the leader was a special agent of the External Intelligence Bureau, Zhao Yingong maintained no direct dealings with them. He used Zhao Tong as his intermediary and paid for each operation separately. Fighter's Guilds had unsavory reputations. Though some gentry served as their backers and made use of their power, no one openly associated with them.
The Black Dragon Guild was small—about forty members could be assembled at any given time, with another hundred or so peripheral associates who required advance notice. By Hangzhou standards, this was not a significant force. Zhao Yingong had never intended to expand it substantially. The organization's current composition was impure, containing all manner of questionable characters. Unchecked growth would be detrimental to future public security work. His primary use for the Black Dragon Guild was intelligence gathering and rumor dissemination. The members knew the streets and had associates in every corner of society. Their information networks were exceptionally well connected.
Now it seemed the Black Dragon Guild's numbers were too few, and most members were urban foxes and rats. Such men were adequate for bullying and brawling, but in a genuine crisis requiring them to stake their lives, they couldn't be relied upon.
He needed a dependable force: not only for maintaining his own safety and that of the Hangzhou Station but also for striking at opponents at any time.
The Special Reconnaissance Team was certainly effective, but they were few in number and limited in deployment range. The closest team to him was stationed in Kaohsiung. As a strike force, response time was a critical constraint.
The safer approach was to build his own force. Yet Hangzhou was the premier prefecture of Jiangnan, where social order under the Ming Dynasty was top-tier. Openly raising a Phoenix Mountain Villa militia was unacceptable. It would have to be done covertly.
Currently, Phoenix Mountain Villa, Cihui Hall, and Wanbi Bookshop all employed household servants responsible for guarding the premises. But these guards had received no training. Their duties amounted to opening and closing gates on schedule, screening visitors, patrolling at night, and striking the watch. Their utility was limited.
Zhao Yingong summoned Zhao Tong. As both his personal bodyguard and head of the Hangzhou Station's Security Department, Zhao Tong was the obvious choice for this discussion.
After deliberation, Zhao Yingong decided to completely reorganize the current security system. The first step was to formally establish a quasi-military servant force under the Security Department, codenamed the "Star-Stepping Squad." Most members would be selected from Zhejiang, northern Jiangsu, and Shandong refugees already taken in. Though they knew nothing of the Council of Elders, they would receive comprehensive security training and submit to military-style management. They would perform guard, patrol, and escort duties at Hangzhou Station's various enterprises and serve as the station's main security force.
Besides the Star-Stepping Squad, a small-scale personal protection unit would be established, codenamed the "Inner Direct Squad." Directly trained and managed by Zhao Tong, it would also incorporate some hired escorts to fill out its ranks. Its primary responsibility would be protecting Zhao Yingong himself, along with any Elders visiting Hangzhou Station on business, naturalized citizen cadres dispatched from abroad, and the personal and family safety of key local personnel.
Finally, the Black Dragon Guild would be divided into an Outer Squad and an Inner Squad. The Outer Squad would consist of the original members. The Inner Squad would be newly recruited—mostly desperados identified among the refugees. These were men with blood on their hands, ruthless characters who wouldn't flinch at killing or arson. Originally, such individuals would have been shipped to Sanya to labor in the mines until death. The Political Security General Bureau had selected some of them for use as "death squads." Controlled directly by Security Department cadres, they wouldn't be deployed under ordinary circumstances but reserved specifically for "wet work."
Regarding how to control these murderers and arsonists—hardened criminals who wouldn't blink at violence—the Council of Elders' Standing Committee had once raised questions. After all, these men were to be released for use, and once in a free environment, they might well prove uncontrollable. Naturalized citizen personnel and Elders employing them risked becoming victims instead.
The response given by Wu Mu of the Political Security General Bureau at a secret hearing explained: according to a report from the invited psychologist Jiang Qiuyan, after conducting comprehensive psychological evaluations using test questionnaires, hypnosis, and interviews, it had been determined that some of these individuals were fundamentally good-natured and had strayed into evil under certain unavoidable circumstances. These could be reformed and utilized at relatively low cost.
As for the others—deemed unreformable or too costly to reform—they were nonetheless highly "usable." Accordingly, the Political Security General Bureau, External Intelligence Bureau, Health People's Committee, and New Daoism had cooperated to develop "pharmaceutical control" techniques. This ensured their loyalty during external missions. A special report, eyes-only, had been distributed to Standing Committee members.
"Outer Squad and Inner Squad might invite undesired associations," Zhao Yingong said, setting down his teacup and addressing Zhao Tong. "Let's just call it the 'Sticky Pole Office.'"
"Master is wise," Zhao Tong said with a nod and bow. Though the bizarre name meant nothing to him, he would never question such matters.
"Housing for these men will be your direct responsibility. Apart from you and a few subordinates, no one can know of their existence." Zhao Yingong rose as he spoke, entered the inner room, selected a key from his personal collection, and unlocked the safe embedded in the wall. From it he withdrew a porcelain bottle.
He locked the safe, emerged from the room, and handed the bottle to Zhao Tong.
"These medicines require particular care," Zhao Yingong instructed. "Apart from those designated individuals, no one else may take them. You will safeguard them personally. The disposition of every single pill must be registered."
"Yes! This humble one understands." Zhao Tong knew this was a secret of the Elders. As an Elder's bodyguard, he had far more contact with them than ordinary naturalized citizens. Unlike the worship and reverence of common folk, he understood deeply that countless secrets lurked behind the Council of Elders. Receiving such solemn instructions from the Chief meant terrifying mysteries were involved. Sweat prickled his back.
"Though we try to avoid direct dealings with the Outer Squad, we still need to select a useful person to take command. The previous leader, Huang Laosi, died recently—which is just as well. I never thought him particularly suitable. Who do you believe should lead the Black Dragon Guild?"
"Zhuang Haoren."
Zhao Yingong nodded. He knew the man: a flat, round face topped by a jujube-pit head; tall build; a pair of bright, small eyes; a figure-eight mustache; thin neck; large head. He often came to Wanbi Bookshop to read and discuss Wang Yangming's "School of Mind" with anyone who would listen.
Zhuang Haoren was a typical local "Broken Boots Party" member—reputedly descended from a scholar family. When the family declined and his studies came to nothing, he became a loafer and hanger-on.
He had joined the Guild only half a year ago. Though the organization consisted mostly of street loafers, literate men were scarce in those times. Zhuang Haoren still commanded some respect. Men with bookish knowledge had more schemes in their heads, and he quickly established himself as a "mastermind" type.
Zhao Yingong hadn't spoken with him personally but had received reports. The man had limited fighting ability but possessed broad, miscellaneous knowledge—deserving the title of "generalist." His social connections were extensive, with particularly good contacts in the pleasure quarters. He was an excellent intelligence source: cunning but retaining certain bottom lines. He could be used.
"Can he command respect?" Zhao Yingong asked.
"In my humble opinion, if he can command respect naturally, so much the better. If he cannot, it only proves he lacks the ability. We simply replace him."
"Good. Let him be the leader. Compensation as before." Zhao Yingong nodded. "Have him pay particular attention to street news in the coming days."
Zhao Tong saw there was nothing more to discuss and quickly withdrew.
Work on establishing the Star-Stepping Squad commenced rapidly. Zhao Yingong decided on an initial strength of three hundred men—roughly the scale of one Public Security Army battalion. All would be selected from indentured servants among the refugees. The selection criteria required that each man have parents; those with wives and children were excluded. Men with parents had attachments and were easy to control. Once a man acquired a wife and children, his courage diminished. Unless forced by wartime necessity, armies in all countries generally avoided conscripting married men with families.
Like ordinary household servants, they would wear azure straight robes and six-panel unity caps, but with black sashes at the waist for identification. They would be organized according to the National Army model, with centralized housing and military-style management. Stationed in platoons, squads, and teams as needed at various posts, they could also serve as organized labor when not on duty.
Because openly equipping them with swords and spears would be too conspicuous in the relatively peaceful Jiangnan region, the Star-Stepping Squad would train with swords and long spears but carry only long and short wooden staves during daily exercises and duty. Additionally, large quantities of rattan helmets were procured as protective equipment for any organized brawls they might need to engage in.
(End of this chapter)