The so-called Luo Jiao is the predecessor of the Qinggang in Shanghai in later generations. To be precise, the Qinggang evolved from the Luo Jiao branch in Hangzhou.
The so-called "first twenty-four generations" in later generations of the Qing Gang were originally the twenty-four generations of Luo Jiao, which are "pure morals, written Buddha's teachings, capable of benevolence and wisdom, originally born from nature, established rituals in the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, and enlightened the world."
However, although the Luo Jiao and the Qinggang have a relationship of inheritance, the early Luo Jiao was only a loose religious organization. After the Luo Jiao was severely suppressed by the Qing government in the 33rd year of Qianlong's reign, a secret society-like gang system began to form internally.
Lao Guan (also known as Lao Guan) is the person recognized as the oldest, most senior, and most authoritative person in the gang. Lao Guan becomes the symbol of gang power, and the group of big bosses in the gang organized by Lao Guan becomes the gang leader.
The internal authority-Xiangtang.
Xiangtang formulated the rules of the gang, established a ceremony for joining the gang, and established a communication signal within the gang. In case of trouble, he would use the numbers "Red Chopstick" and "Liu Zi" to quickly gather the team. If any sailor caused trouble for no reason, he would send it to the old officer.
Punishment may range from punishment to severe punishment, including immediate sinking into the river, which is the so-called "pig cage dipping".
Why did Wang Changsheng want to get involved with Luo Jiao? He made it very clear in his previous report to Zhao Xin and Lu Shoushan. The so-called Luo Jiao Cao Gang was actually the largest private salt dealer group in the Qing Dynasty.
It is said that Caoding's work is extremely heavy and dangerous. Each water transport lasts for more than half a year, but the pay is extremely low; their income can only sustain their own lives. In order to make up for the lack of salary, the Caoding workers take advantage of their jobs.
, engaged in some activities of trafficking in private goods. They took advantage of the exemption of inspection of water vessels, or carried their own goods in the water vessels, or transported goods for merchants.
The Manchu Qing Dynasty followed the Ming system and adopted a tacit attitude towards Caoding's smuggling activities; however, they also imposed certain restrictions on the amount of smuggled goods. This not only encouraged Caoding to work hard, but also provided long-term benefits through this method.
The implementation of a low-wage system reduced court expenditures. As a result, smuggling activities in Caoding intensified.
The private goods sold by canal transport are generally the types of goods specified by the government, and they are mostly daily necessities and local specialties from various places along the canal. However, Caoding also carries some contraband goods, such as salt, in order to obtain huge profits. Salt transportation and sales are very profitable, and you can get
The profits could be several times or even dozens of times higher. Therefore, Caoding people would carry illegal salt in their boats even if they risked beheading. In the Qing Dynasty, it was very common for Caoding people to engage in illegal salt sales, and even related to salt lord groups from all over the country.
They had quite a lot of contacts and formed a huge private salt trafficking network on the Grand Canal.
Wang Changsheng burned three sticks of incense and worshiped the statue of Luo Ancestor respectfully. Then he followed Old Officer Liu to the upper cabin and took a seat. The two chatted for a while, and Old Officer Liu also asked Wang Changsheng about running a boat at sea.
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While the two were talking, they heard someone outside the cabin say: "Brother Wei is back."
I heard another man say: "Is Master here?" This man's voice was hoarse, as if he had a cold.
Liu Laoguan said: "Wei San, come in."
As soon as he finished speaking, the cabin door was pushed open, and a lean man in shorts walked in. Wang Changsheng raised his eyes and saw that this man was about forty years old, wearing a black cotton short robe, leggings, and leggings.
Wear a pair of low-waist cloth boots.
As soon as the man entered the room, he saw Wang Changsheng. He quickly bowed his hands to Old Officer Liu and said, "Master has a guest."
Liu Laoguan smiled and pointed at Wang Changsheng and said to the man: "This is not an outsider. His name is Wang Changsheng, and he is the apprentice of your late Master Li." After speaking, he said to Wang Changsheng: "This is my eldest apprentice Wei San."
Wang Changsheng quickly stood up and greeted Wei San, calling him "senior brother".
Wei San smiled and said: "This is a family. Changsheng, you can just call me third brother. I always hear my master mention my uncle on weekdays, but unfortunately I never have the chance to meet him. Now that I can see my uncle's descendant, we two brothers must have a good time."
Let’s talk.”
Wang Changsheng said: "This is the first time for me to pay my respects to Master Liu. Now that Master is no longer here, my uncle is like my master, and my third brother is like my elder brother. I am acting as a host today to express my feelings for the younger generation."
Liu Laoguan said: "I am getting old, not to mention that I have been practicing vegetarianism and chanting Buddha's name for many years. You two brothers and sisters, go ahead."
Wang Changsheng was about to persuade him again, but he noticed that Wei San seemed to have something to say to Old Officer Liu, so he agreed, saying that he would wait on the shore first. After almost a meal, Wei San came out of the cabin.
.Wang Changsheng saw that his face was a little ugly, so he didn't feel comfortable asking him for a while.
Wang Changsheng originally wanted to invite Wei San to the city for dinner, but Wei San said that he could just find a restaurant nearby. So the two of them found a restaurant near Lujiabang Bridge. Wang Changsheng asked for a single room and ordered some water and land with the waiter.
He Xian ordered two pots of fine rice wine. Because Wei San was his senior brother, he took the chief seat.
After some persuasion and three drinks, Wei San put down his wine glass and couldn't help but sigh.
When Wang Changsheng saw it, he quickly asked: "Third brother, what's bothering you? Why don't you tell me, maybe I can help?"
Wei Sandao: "Everything is fine, everything is fine."
Wang Changsheng said again: "Third brother, since you and I are a family, we have nothing to talk about. If you have any difficulties, why not tell the truth and discuss them together. Your difficulties are my difficulties. If you are not a good person, you only care about yourself and do not care about others."
brother."
"Chang Sheng, if you say this, if I don't tell the truth, I will no longer be one of our own." Wei San pondered for a while and whispered, "Master does not agree with this matter, and I don't know how to explain it to the brothers below. Chang Sheng, you have been
When you are sailing abroad, do you know the difference between Xin'an and Lao'an in our teaching?"
Wang Changsheng said: "When Master was still alive, I once heard him say something."
It is said that the original three factions of Luo Jiao, Weng, Qian, and Pan, were suppressed by the imperial court in the 33rd year of Qianlong's reign. Their respective forces have formed three major gangs, and each faction recruits its own disciples. As the saying goes, "Everyone who casts a fortune must worship one person."
As teachers, we rank in seniority, take care of each other, and divide ourselves into party members to strengthen ourselves."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Under the three sects, they are divided into many small sects. These small sects exclude each other and compete for jobs, forming a confrontation in the entire canal water system. Ru Weng and Qian
When the people of the Pan family were on missionary work, they had a harmonious relationship, and were later collectively called Lao'an; the people of the Pan family were called Xin'an. Lao'an and Xin'an had always had major conflicts, often rejecting each other, and even regarded each other as professional competitors. And Wang Changsheng's
Master and his uncle Liu Zhao belong to the Lao An faction of the Songjiang Gang.
Wei San nodded and said: "I came back to see the master today. It happened that Xin'an from the Suzhou Gang had a dispute with our Songjiang Lao'an. I wanted to ask the master to send a 'Liu Zi' to summon the gang members and argue with the Suzhou Gang. But the master did not
I don’t agree with this.”
"Oh? What was the reason for the dispute?" Wang Changsheng helped Wei San pour the wine and asked in a low voice.
"It's not worth mentioning. It was originally a big deal, but in the end it ended up costing lives!" Wei San picked up the wine glass, touched it with Wang Changsheng and drank it down in one gulp, and then told the whole story.
It turns out that in the forty-eighth year of Qianlong's reign, when the Suzhou Gang passed the Hengji Lock in Suqian, the bow of the ship was too heavy and could not pass through the lock. The flag men on the canal boat moved the peanuts, jujubes and other goods privately collected by the sailors onto the Songjiang Gang's ship.
After passing the lock, the sailors from the Suzhou Gang went to the Songjiang Gang's ship to ask for the goods. Who would have thought that during the process of asking for the goods, the two sides got into a verbal conflict for some reason, and then got into a melee with knives. Both sides suffered casualties. Fortunately, the Songjiang Gang died.
A man only died on the fourth day after the incident, which is why the government did not pay attention to him.
This year, Su Songliangdao allocated eight newly built grain transport ships. Originally, these ships were supposed to be managed by the Songjiang Gang sailors, but the Suzhou Gang sent people to seize four of them by force. Su Songliangdao just sent a letter
The Office came forward to persuade peace, but no effective adjustment was made. Now all the old and new hatreds came together. So both sides gathered their troops and prepared to fight each other.
When the power system of various gangs in Luo Jiao was formed, the exclusivity between the factions became very strong. However, the corruption of officials in the Qing government could not maintain social order and ensure social justice. Instead, it became social disorder, judicial injustice and violent fighting.
The important reason for its popularity is the so-called "all murder cases, anonymous postings, gathering people to fight, beating police officers and resisting arrest, and offering bribes to seek benefits."
After Wei San told what happened, Wang Chang slapped the table angrily: "This Suzhou gang has gone too far!"
"Who says it's not the case?" Wei San sighed. "The brothers in the gang couldn't swallow this breath, so they asked me to come back and ask the master to send a messenger to summon him. But the old man said, Lao An and Xin'an are the same family, why bother to fight and kill each other?
, attracting the attention of the government.”
Wang Changsheng's original purpose of inviting Wei San to dinner was to get on the other side's line and open up the door to the ship lock guards from Shandong to Jiangsu in the name of developing private salt trade.
Now that he saw that Wei San was in trouble, he thought for a moment that this might be an opportunity. So he stopped mentioning the secret affair and said directly to Wei San: "Third brother, how many people do you still lack regarding the Suzhou Gang?
"
"What?" Wei San asked hesitantly.
"Although I have been sailing abroad for many years, I still know a few good people in Chongming. If third brother needs me, I will go back to Chongming to recruit people."
"Chang Sheng, how can you be so embarrassed?" Wei San said with some emotion. "It's fine if it's Brother Lao An. You haven't participated in the gang's affairs in these years, so why bother wading into this muddy water."
"Third brother, what you said is obvious. Uncle Liu and my master are brothers who exchanged posts. Third brother is my senior brother. How can I not be considered a native of Lao An? Besides, my brother in Chongming has this kind of skill." Wang Changsheng
He gestured with his thumbs and continued: "We will run away after the fight and get on a sea ship for at least half a year. Even if the government wants to find him by then, hey, let him find it slowly."
After Wei San heard this, he thought for a long time before saying: "Changsheng, third brother, let me tell you the truth, if this kind of thing doesn't go well, someone will die."
In history, during the fifth year of Yongzheng's reign, it was precisely because of the large-scale bloody fighting between sailors from Jiangsu and Zhejiang that Luo Jiao emerged from the public and began to attract the attention of the government.
Wang Changsheng smiled and said to Wei San: "Third brother, you underestimate me too much. To be honest, my brothers in Chongming also fought for their lives at sea."
Wei San was stunned. He had also heard that ships that sailed overseas often became pirates as soon as they reached the outer sea. Thinking of this, he asked in a low voice: "Chang Sheng, tell me, how many people are there there?"
Wang Changsheng had already calculated in his mind that the people on Lu Shoushan's side could not be moved. The total number of people on his side and Xu Dayong's side was eight. So he said: "There are always seven or eight people."
Wei San made some calculations, and found that there were about fifty people in the Suzhou Gang, and he had more than thirty brothers. Counting Wang Changsheng's, if he summoned a dozen more people, he would be evenly matched (they could bully others.
) immediately slapped his thigh and said: "Fuck!"
Wang Changsheng and Wei San made an appointment to go back to find helpers. After setting a date to meet, they had a hasty meal and went back to their homes. He did not go directly to Xingrenli to find Xu Dayong, but planned to talk about Wei San when they met in the evening.
As for Xu Dayong, he took two of his men to the Nanhuiguan Cross Street area in the morning and rented a warehouse, preparing to transfer the private salt stored in Huang Shengtai's warehouse to the warehouse at night as planned. After doing this,
He found a tea shop on Xiaodongmen Street and drank tea while listening to the chatter of the customers around him, trying to get some information from the conversation in the market.
In the evening, Xu Dayong went to a restaurant on Xinmatou Street alone. This was the meeting place he and Wang Changsheng had agreed upon in advance. When he entered the door, he found that Wang Changsheng was already sitting at a table in the corner.
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Xu Dayong pretended to be surprised, walked to Wang Changsheng's desk, cupped his hands and said, "Hey, aren't these brothers Changsheng? Why are you here?"
"Brother Xu, long time no see. What a coincidence."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The two of them were like old friends who met by chance. They chatted with each other for a few words and then sat down together. They waited until other people no longer noticed them.
They started drinking and talking in low voices.
After almost half an hour, Xu Dayong stood up and said goodbye. Then he went to Dadongmen Street without any hurry, and after pretending to wander around a few shops, he headed towards the Xingrenli Inn.
After he saw Lu Shoushan and reported the situation at Wang Changsheng's side, Lu Shoushan thought for a while and said: "You will check out with your people in two days and go to Nanchang Street to find an inn to stay. If you really follow the instructions
As Wang Changsheng said, if we help Wei San fight this time, the situation for the Songjiang Gang might open up."
Xu Dayong said: "Brother Lu, what are your arrangements here?"
Lu Shoushan said: "You finish the shipment at night, and don't worry about anything else. Just keep in touch with Wang Changsheng. I had already gone to the book office introduced by Boss Huang during the day, and he promised to help with the registration. I will wait until the matter is settled.
After that, I'll leave for the north. As for the eight of you, after the Songjiang Gang's work is done, we can temporarily avoid the limelight and get all the household registration documents done."
Xu Dayong said: "Household registration is easy. I know a policeman in Chongming County. I can help him with ten taels of silver."
The county government secretary office that Lao Huang introduced to Lu Shoushan relied on the Zhu family's connections with the Shachuan Gang. Now the Zhu family is also a big customer of cigarettes. They have approved cigarettes from Lao Huang and sold them to northern Jiangsu, Shandong, and Jinzhou.
Lu Shoushan said: "This line in the Songjiang Gang is very important. Whether the victims can go to sea depends on you."
Xu Dayong hesitated for a moment and asked hesitantly: "Brother Lu, my boss said there will be a nationwide drought next year. I think it's too weird, right?"
Lu Shoushan's eyes widened and he reprimanded: "You can question my boss's words?! How long have you been following me! If you dare to say this to your subordinates, be careful with your head!"
Xu Dayong was startled and said quickly: "Never again, never again."
In fact, Lu Shoushan himself doubted Zhao Xin's judgment, how could there be a big disaster if he was so good? However, his knowledge and experience in the past year told him that his master was definitely not a mortal; so Lu Shoushan could only suppress his doubts.
heart.
Three days later, Wei San met Xu Dayong and others in the inn on Nanchang Street. At first sight, it was as Wang Changsheng said that they were all strong and strong, and they were not comparable to ordinary water transport sailors. Especially Xu Dayong.
, because this guy has been training in the military camp longer than Wang Changsheng and the others, so his behavior already has some of the toughness of a soldier, which surprised Wei San secretly.
Because he was the helper Wang Changsheng had hired, Wei San made an agreement with Xu Dayong that each person would pay half of the 2 taels of silver in this battle and the other half after the fight. If there were casualties, another 2 taels would be given as compensation.
Xu Dayong didn't bargain with him. He only said that it didn't matter whether it was money or not. Wang Changsheng and he were life-long friends. Since he came to me, my brothers and I would definitely help. If something happened, we would all
An Tianming.
Wei San was very happy to see that he was a happy man. So he told Wang Changsheng that everyone would set off from Xiaodongmen Pier at xu that night, take a boat to Suzhou, and leave after the fight. As for weapons such as knives and sticks, they would arrive in Suzhou
Then distribute it to everyone.
That night, Wang Changsheng, Xu Dayong and a group of eight people boarded a large boat and headed north.