Relatively loose tax policies, strong market demand and high-quality and convenient pig iron supply have made Foshan an important iron manufacturer and supplier in Guangdong and even seven southern provinces, and the products are even exported overseas. If it were not for the birth of "Australian Railway"
, severely hit Foshan's ironware industry, and the market here would have been more prosperous.
"...the past few years have been a recession, and some businesses can no longer sustain themselves." Wu Xianlong complained carefully, "Every household in the fort is barely surviving - otherwise many craftsmen will have no food to eat and will be scattered.
If you go out to become bandits and robbers, you will be a great disaster to the local area!"
What he himself, as well as the merchants in Foshan, were most worried about was the "reasonable burden" of the Australians. This money was collected by the Australians once when they invaded Guangzhou, which made the merchants feel heartbroken for a while.
They are still "robbery bandits", and they just want to get a vote and run away. Now they are a "vassal town" under a separate regime. Is this money-making method going to be upgraded?
Xi Yazhou didn't know the twists and turns in his stomach, and said: "You don't have to worry about this. Foshan's iron smelting and casting industry is very developed, and the Senate will naturally help you resume production. As long as you serve the Senate well,
The days of getting rich are coming later.”
Wu Xianlong thanked him repeatedly, but he didn't know how "this day of getting rich" came. The day of losing money was just around the corner. However, seeing that Xi Yazhou seemed to be easy to talk to, he immediately talked about "the craftsmen are not under control" and "outside."
"The bandits secretly instigated" and "intended to riot"... It seems that having a squadron stationed in Foshan is not safe enough. Because just a few days after the Foshan Fort changed its flag, a "riot" by craftsmen broke out in the city. The craftsmen were because they had no work.
Ke Gan and others started making noise together, besieged various chambers of commerce in the town, and robbed several rice shops.
"...Finally, Captain Cao did his duty faithfully and sent people to suppress him effectively. That's why there was no big trouble. It's just that Foshan Fort has a large population. If a few unscrupulous people appear to seduce the bandits, the villain may not be able to bear it."
Xi Yazhou listened carefully and gave him a few perfunctory words. He then went to the ancestral temple to meet with the local "gentry elders" and once again heard about the riots. They all demanded that the more than ten leaders currently imprisoned in the Furnace Industry Guild be imprisoned.
The "rioters" immediately "rectified the law on the spot" and "set an example to others".
Xi Yazhou frowned secretly when he heard this, but he shouldn't get too involved in these civil affairs affairs, so he said that he would have to wait until the mayor took office. Then he said a few words to appease everyone, declined the banquet, but accepted it.
After returning to the ship, I felt that things were a bit complicated, so I summoned Lin Ming and Cao Qing alone. First, I introduced the newly arrived mayor of the naturalized town to them. Then I mentioned that the military wanted to set up an ordnance factory here.
"Foshan's conditions are unique. The Federation President wants to set up an ordnance factory here. Elder Hong will be here soon to arrange the matter. Mayor Liu of Guangzhou will make arrangements for the specific coordination - just follow his orders."
"Yes, Chief!"
"I'm not a civil affairs cadre, so I won't say much about specific administrative work." Xi Yazhou paced the cabin with his hands behind his back, "But after looking around and chatting with local big business owners, it seems that the surrounding public security is very bad.
―The traffic is also not smooth. The military is naturally responsible for opening up traffic lines, but you should also take active actions in the surrounding security and bandit suppression work to give the people in the town a sense of security."
These cadres said "yes" several times, and Xi Yazhou added, "The magic weapon of our work has always been to mobilize the masses - Mayor Liu, don't you think so?"
Liu Si quickly said: "The chief is right! When Director Du presided over the suppression of bandits in the Eighteen Villages..."
Xi Yazhou interrupted him: "The purpose of mobilizing the masses is to make them mobilize and work for me - I know that Xiao Lin and you, Xiao Cao, still have some old ideas and concepts, and only regard the big gentry as '
"Good people', treat the common people as thieves. This view is unacceptable. The common people are our cornerstone. Xiao Cao, you must remember that you are the captain of the national army squadron of the Senate, not the furnace industry guild to raise the regiment!"
Cao Qing's face turned red and he muttered: "I followed the order - the craftsmen rioted in the street and robbed several shops..."
"You should be praised for your handling of the riot properly. But later on, you rounded up the unemployed craftsmen and put them under guard without any hesitation. The people from the Chamber of Commerce settled the accounts after the fall, and sent a group to arrest them and imprison them in a prison.
Torture in the Furnace Industry Guild—don’t you know anything about this?”
Of course Cao Qing knew about this, but firstly he didn't think it was inappropriate, and secondly he secretly accepted the guild's benefits and pretended not to know. When Chief Xi asked about it, he hesitated and said: "I... I heard...
…But I feel that this is also their furnace industry’s own business. I, a National Army squadron leader, am not in a position to interfere.”
"You are so confused! You are the spokesperson of the Senate here. Before the mayor came, you were responsible for the civil and political security of Foshan Fort. This is a typical case of the Furnace Industry Association's 'private court and abuse of lynching'. You actually
And you said, 'I can't ask questions'?!" Seeing his strange expression, Xi Yazhou knew that there was something hidden inside, so he immediately hit him and said, "You are also a 'cadre' of the Senate now. You must remember what it takes to govern the army and govern the people.'
Fair enough, don't be an officer for only a few days and then end up sitting next to the rich!"
"Yes, yes, I was confused, I deserve to die!" Cao Qing lowered his head in annoyance. It was really hard to get this old man's "hard-earned money"! When he was holding it, he was ironing it, but now it was ironing badly!
Xi Yazhou knew that Ming Dynasty battalion soldiers like Cao Qing had not served in the regular army for a long time. They were often released as captains before being reformed in place. It is difficult to eliminate the habits and thinking of old soldiers. Now is the time to employ people.
I can't care too much about him, I can only guide him on the right path to prevent him from going too far.
"The craftsmen in the furnace room must be released as soon as possible - punishments and rewards are important weapons of the state and cannot be manipulated by private individuals. Everything you say and do represents the Senate and the country! You are now a dignified second lieutenant of the National Army of the Senate, aren't you?
Qiu Ba in the Ming Dynasty wearing a gown!"
"Yes, Chief." Cao Qing's head almost dropped to the ground, "It's all my confusion."
"All the problems and conflicts in Foshan now are actually caused by traffic interruptions. So your first job is to mobilize the masses and restore the traffic lines to Guangzhou as soon as possible." Xi Yazhou said to everyone, "Foshan itself is quite rich in resources.
.The ironware is sold, food is available, the furnace room can be started, and the craftsmen can get wages. Things will be straightened out. Do you think this is true?"
"The chief is right." Liu Si nodded, and Lin Ming and Cao Qing quickly agreed.
Xi Yazhou continued: "The current strength of the National Army is not enough to rectify public security and eliminate banditry in the surrounding area. Therefore, we still need to mobilize the masses. I heard from President Wu that now the shopkeepers in the town distribute money and rice.
Relief workers. I think instead of enclosing them and giving them gruel, and worrying about them rising up in riots, it is better to use "relief for work". Repair the docks, pave roads, and repair various infrastructures - this is not necessary.
Shall I teach you again, Mayor Liu?"
Liu Si nodded quickly: "Foshan is a big wharf, and repairing anything will not be in vain."
"That's right. Even though repairing bridges and paving roads only costs money and brings no income, it is a major matter related to people's livelihood. If the roads are good and the bridges are open, business opportunities will come. Why not worry about getting rich? The old wealthy people in the town will not fail to do so.
If you understand this, I think they would be happy to ask them to dig out more."
Liu Si had worked as a village cadre for several years, and had been trained at the Ma Niao Agricultural Lecture Center and the administrative cadre training class in Fangcaodi. Naturally, he understood the mystery behind the words of the attending chief - this was to force the local big business to spend money on infrastructure construction.
.
In normal times, the Senate always takes good care of the big investors, and usually raises funds by issuing bonds or stocks. Not only does it borrow and repay, but it also gives some dividends and interest. Now it is obviously taking advantage of the unstable current situation.
The east wind of unrest has strangled the necks of wealthy households.
He understood and responded: "The chief is right. I think the big businessmen also understand the truth."
"The second step is to organize the militia." Xi Yazhou said, "How to organize civil affairs agencies such as the police is not within my jurisdiction. But for now, we can organize the militia first."
"There are quite a few regiments in Foshan Fort. I think we can recruit them here." Cao Qing quickly offered his advice.
Xi Yazhou nodded: "You are really using your brain. The regiment cannot be in the hands of the local wealthy gentry - don't look at them now as submissive as lambs, they will eat you at the slightest sign of trouble! Foshan Fort's armed forces can only
It’s up to us.”
Liu Si quickly offered advice: "These regiment members cannot be retained locally. They have been raised by large local families for many years and have deep habits. We cannot conquer them in a short time. It is better to send them all to Hong Kong for training, and we will recruit additional militia here..."
Xi Yazhou smiled and said: "You have indeed studied a lot, and these ideas are right! There is no need to send the regiment members to Hong Kong - most of them are local people, and sending them far away will only cause resentment among the people. In my opinion, they will be conscripted into labor
Name: Originally we also needed to recruit migrant workers - all the regiment members were sent to the Sanshui Joint Logistics Headquarters for their use."
Cao Qing was secretly frightened when he heard this. It was clear that he did not trust the local wealthy gentry. He originally thought that when the Australians first arrived in Foshan, they would try to win over the local wealthy gentry, but he did not expect that not only would the first step be to strip them off,
The second step is to put shackles on the minions of the big households: the re-recruited militiamen must be those unemployed craftsmen! The craftsmen were not at odds with the big households, and they had another quarrel not long ago.
For a while, they developed a grudge against each other and never got together. In this way, they, the outside cadres, could control the situation.