Chapter 1736: Big Threshold
Back at City Hall, Liu Xiang and Lin Baiguang began arranging the demolition of structures on Chengxuan Street.
"Starting demolition immediately would be punishment without prior warning. We have to issue a notice giving a deadline for self-demolition," Lin Baiguang said.
"Then give them twenty-four hours. Deadline is tomorrow for demolition—after that, we go in and tear them down." Liu Xiang examined the latest troop movement schedule. The South China Army's logistics troops were still assembling on Hong Kong Island. "Xi Yazhou told me the troops need to act quickly and can't spend excessive time on a parade. So it's been decided that only the battalions and army direct units landing later will participate in the entry ceremony. Troops already landed won't enter the city but will deploy rapidly to their respective positions."
"This eases our pressure somewhat," Lin Baiguang observed. "If all troops remained in Guangzhou's outskirts, arranging logistics would be quite complicated."
"Let's handle the urgent matters first." Liu Xiang counted on his fingers. "First: allocate houses—assign offices and housing to various agencies. This is urgent. President Wen's Provincial Committee organs... the Regional organs haven't entered the city yet, and the South China Army Headquarters also needs quarters. All of this falls under our Guangzhou Military Control Commission, and it must be done as soon as possible."
Guangzhou's new urban area was planned for Henan Island. But this wasn't the time for large-scale construction. First, the relocated ministries and agencies needed somewhere to stay.
"I've already inspected the various yamen inside and outside Guangzhou City," Lin Baiguang said. "There are enough buildings, but many are badly damaged and all need repair. The workload for clearing garbage and cleaning is substantial as well." He opened his map. "My rough arrangement is as follows..."
Besides the Guangzhou Municipal Government clearly occupying the Guangzhou Prefectural Yamen, and the two District Governments occupying the Panyu and Nanhai County Yamens, Lin Baiguang's arrangement was: Guangdong Regional Organs at the Guangdong Provincial Administration Commissioner's Yamen; National Army Guangdong Command at the Guangzhou Guard Yamen; Court and Procuratorate at the Surveillance Commissioner's Yamen; Municipal Police Bureau at the Lingnan Circuit Yamen; Monopoly Bureau and Tax Bureau at the Salt Tax Office; Propaganda Department at the Education Intendant Yamen; Political Security Bureau at the Censorate Guangdong Inspecting Censor Yamen.
The advantage of this layout was that all agencies would be adjacent to Chengxuan Street, making coordination convenient.
Liu Xiang nodded. "I'll have people arrange this. There are actually many empty official buildings—just somewhat dilapidated."
"Cleaning is each agency's own business. House repairs can be contracted to carpentry shops in the city first. Zijie has been in Guangzhou for years; there should be plenty of carpentry shops they deal with."
"Second thing: the census. Properly speaking, this is the key task." Liu Xiang smiled wryly. "But we don't have police stations yet. The Household Department has Yellow Registers, but the data inside is certainly problematic. Most critically—there are no house numbers in this city."
"We can do these two things together," Lin Baiguang suggested. "First locate the tithing heads of various areas. They're intimately familiar with their sections. Have them lead the way to check and register households one by one, incidentally verifying house numbers and street signs. As for police stations—we don't even have a police bureau yet, so that can be postponed. First establish the three police bureaus and manage the broad aspects, then proceed gradually."
Though Lin Baiguang had expressed reluctance to serve as police chief, he had his own ideas about urban security. Setting up police stations wasn't urgent. First, they lacked sufficient naturalized citizen police officers. Second, police station locations and jurisdiction sizes required a scientific basis. Establishing them without detailed population data might prove inappropriate.
"Police work mainly involves only two points: maintaining order and checking households," Lin Baiguang said. "Other matters can be deferred temporarily. The incorporated Detective Brigade, led by naturalized citizen police officers, will patrol daily. Patrol locations must cover all residential areas, ensuring security at minimum within the city walls and various gate suburbs. Create enough sense of safety for residents."
After Lin Baiguang left, Liu Xiang called for Zhang Yunmi and handed her a note. "Student Little Zhang, draft a notice for self-demolition within a time limit immediately. The content should center on these three main points."
Zhang Yunmi's current title was Secretary-General of the Guangzhou Municipal Government—in practice, Liu Xiang's secretary. When notifying Liu Xiang of this appointment, Xiao Zishan had specifically reminded him: "Pay attention to appearances—don't get any ideas."
Zhang Yunmi examined the note in her hand. "Shouldn't a notice like this be written by LĂĽ Yizhong? I can only write colloquial prose."
"This is for the masses to read—there's no need for archaic classical Chinese. Besides, we need to let the masses grow accustomed to our writing style."
Zhang Yunmi nodded and departed to draft the document.
Lin Baiguang returned to his office, where the main staff of the original Guangzhou City Operation Department awaited. These were the backbone he had personally selected and trained. Through these twenty-some people, he controlled approximately two hundred City Operation Department staff, as well as hundreds of peripheral "eyes and ears."
"Everyone sit down." Lin Baiguang surveyed the group—men and women still maintaining their Great Ming attire. They had made indelible contributions to the occupation of Guangzhou, but whether they could adapt to work under the new system remained uncertain. Most had been recruited locally in Guangzhou; only a few naturalized citizens had been sent from Lingao. Though all had trained in Lingao, years of work in Guangzhou had made their language, behavior, and mentality quite different from Qiongya Detachment cadres. He worried about this—he didn't want a repeat of the "Anti-Localism" turmoil caused by conflicts between southbound cadres and local cadres.
"Now that the Great Army has entered the city, by orders from above, the Guangzhou Station will be revoked after completing the transfer of affairs, and our City Operation Department will be disbanded forthwith." Seeing the slightly fearful faces, Lin Baiguang continued: "Everyone's work achievements are plain to see. Everyone contributed greatly to the bloodless opening of Guangzhou—the Senate recognizes this."
"As for future work arrangements, most people will transfer with me to work at the Comprehensive Governance Office. Those originally responsible for intelligence will report to General Affairs Section 9 of the National Police System. The new Director will arrive in a few days; you'll report to him then. Old Bi!"
The man called Old Bi hastily stood. "Chief."
Old Bi's full name was Bi Defan. Originally a "white member" of the Soap Class, he had been a small shopkeeper who, unable to bear the extortion of ruffians and runners, had used connections and money to acquire runner status.
He was honest—belonging to the category of clerks with a conscience—so the City Operation Department had spotted and recruited him early. He was their main intelligence agent within the Soap Class.
"Don't expose your people's identities. Chief Liu has now reorganized you into the Detective Brigade. You'll continue working in that capacity, reporting internal developments at any time. Contact location remains unchanged."
Lin Baiguang didn't intend for these intelligence personnel, originally distributed across various industries, to surface. He arranged for them to remain undercover. According to the Security Joint Conference resolution, the original Guangzhou City Operation Department's intelligence personnel and their "eyes and ears" would be received by General Affairs Section 9 of the National Police—the National Police department corresponding to the Political Security Bureau. Their reception would facilitate intelligence sharing between both sides.
Lin Baiguang then began arranging demolition matters. Hearing that the sheds on Chengxuan Street were to be demolished, Bi Defan couldn't help but start: "Chief, this won't be easy!"
"What's so difficult? Just some big thresholds?" Lin Baiguang smiled. "It's a change of dynasty now. These big thresholds are busy looking after themselves—where do they have time to look after others?"
"No, no—there's another reason here." Bi Defan hesitated. "The Chief must know Wenlan Academy."
"I know it. A major academy with many properties. Accomplished in educating people." Lin Baiguang nodded. "Though they have high reputation among the gentry, they're scholars after all. Can't they understand simple reasoning?"
"Those are the headmaster and scholars in the academy. They only care about sitting around discussing the Dao. The academy's properties are managed by someone else—this person is not to be trifled with."
"Oh? Tell me more." Lin Baiguang's interest sharpened. The Guangzhou Station had had little contact with Wenlan Academy, so they hadn't investigated its background.
Bi Defan explained: "The current manager of the academy is called Mo Rongxin. His father was originally a minor official in the capital who took a eunuch as his godfather. After retiring and returning home, he used the eunuch's power to drive away the academy directors and seized control himself. Because of the eunuch's backing, father and son have controlled academy affairs for decades, embezzling countless properties. The rented fields, sand fields, oyster ponds, and fish ponds under the academy's name alone amount to several thousand mu—yet the silver handed over annually to the academy is a mere hundred taels."
Lin Baiguang thought: so there's such a major player here. In his years in Guangzhou, he had only known Wenlan Academy was famous and wealthy. He hadn't expected such a story behind it.
He asked: "His father was a godson to a eunuch—but that eunuch must have died long ago. Can no one touch them?"
Bi Defan said: "Both generations of father and son hold academic degrees. His father was a Juren; he himself purchased a Jian-student degree. He still counts as a member of the robed class. The Mo family excels at flattery and smooth dealing—not only cultivating friendships with gentry but also drawing in the city's scholars, constantly distributing small favors. Most importantly, the Mo family has powerful backing to rely on."
"What backing?"
"The Guan Di Temple people."
Lin Baiguang nodded. No wonder Bi Defan said it would be difficult. Yet it was truly unexpected that Wenlan Academy would collude with the Beggar Gang.
"Mo Rongxin married his youngest son to the daughter of the Guan Di Temple head, making them relatives by marriage. So no one dares touch his power in the academy."
Hearing this, Lin Baiguang could scarcely believe his ears. The manager of a dignified academy had actually become relatives by marriage with a beggar chief! Too bizarre. But on second thought, it also made sense. In this era, the power and wealth of a beggar chief in a major city far exceeded those of ordinary great households.
(End of this chapter)