Dominate the Country

Things are moving forward, whether it gets better or worse. It is not static after all.

Heilongjiang is too big and too desolate. The terrain here is also complicated.

In many places, there is no village for dozens of miles. At the same time, there are many remnants of the Eight Banners who stayed here and did not want to retreat to the Russian territory. Although those large groups have been swept away by the Han army, after eliminating those eye-catching large groups and those teams with brainless leaders, the remaining ones can be said to be the "elites" among the remnants of the Eight Banners.

These people huddled in the deep mountains and old forests, occupied dangerous terrain, had guns, and even may have cannons, just like the Northeast bandits during the founding of the Rabbit Nation in Chen Ming's previous life, they seriously threatened the stability of Chen Han's ruling order.

At the same time, some of these remnants of the Eight Banners who stayed in the mountains became nodes in the smuggling network, or even smuggling task executors. Through the combination with the smuggling network, they also obtained all kinds of materials they needed, such as gunpowder, food, salt, medicinal materials, etc. Whoever brought him to develop a connection with Yongsheng, he could be considered to have found an organization.

Recently, Chen Han has focused on cracking down on smuggling networks, and has dispatched troops to sweep and patrol in areas where the remnants of the Eight Banners are present, and has also captured some smugglers, which can be said to have dealt a heavy blow to them. But can this completely curb the development of smuggling? Impossible.

Smuggling is just like corruption and bribery. It cannot be curbed by harsh laws. As long as there are interests, there will always be soil for their activeness. Marx said: If there is a 10% profit, capital will be guaranteed to be used everywhere; if there is a 20% profit, capital will be active; if there is a 50% profit, capital will take risks; for 100% profit, capital will dare to trample on all human laws; if there is a profit of more than 300%, capital will dare to commit any crime, even at the risk of being hanged.

So we must never underestimate the motivation of some people to take risks!

This is a truth verified by countless facts.

The arrest of fellow smugglers made some people feel sad, but the extremely high profits still made some smugglers unable to stop.

The court was in a tight spot, so they stopped making gunpowder, which was a sensitive thing. Now in the north, everything was fine as long as there was food, and would there be a shortage of food in the Northeast?

Whether it was wheat, corn, soybeans, or potatoes and sweet potatoes, the food market in the Northeast was very prosperous. It was too easy to secretly save some food from the vibrant food market.

This was also true for Heilongjiang, where the food production was relatively low, because the coal and gold mines in Heilongjiang were quite attractive, and there were many miners or miners in various places, who were all big food consumers.

…

Somewhere in the mountains of Heilongjiang.

The Qing Dynasty's triangular dragon flag was flying high, and He Lin had been discussing with his trusted entourage for two days behind closed doors.

All the smuggler representatives who came to visit in the past few days were thrown into a camp at the foot of the mountain by him, and the conditions here were not good. In the mountainous areas of central and northern Heilongjiang, the temperature was still very low in March.

The representatives of smugglers usually acted as bosses and bosses. They were important figures in the group if they could represent their masters in such a big event. Such people's income would certainly not be low. They would not suffer any hardship on weekdays. Even when the team was moving goods, they would be taken care of meticulously. Now they left their warm homes and stayed in this poor mountainous area. They could not even drink a sip of good wine. They were all waiting impatiently.

But they could only grit their teeth and wait here, because the smuggling network suffered too much loss during this period. In the past, smugglers might still regard powerful mountain strongholds like Helin as a simple transit point + trading partner, and both sides were mutually beneficial. But now they are asking Helin. Helin has five or six hundred guns and hundreds of horses. The area within a radius of dozens of miles is within his protection range. He also has connections with several other hills around him. He can be said to be the leader of this area.

Smugglers are counting on He Lin to take care of them when they pass this generation, and they also hope that He Lin can send people to accompany them. This is not only to rescue them when they are chased by the border guards, but also to go a step further. In the current environment, the issue of safety is very important.

Before, He Lin's mountain stronghold was only a transit station. He was very careful, which is also the most important reason why he can still exist. In his heart, he hated Chen Han, and tried his best to hide himself and not attract the attention of Chen Han's officers and soldiers.

As mentioned earlier, Heilongjiang is too big. Chen Han's local garrison strength is limited, so the small group of border guards is scattered and fragmented, with few troops. A complete team is a considerable force. Even if the combat effectiveness of He Lin's soldiers is a little poor, with five or six hundred guns, no one will doubt that he can't beat a team of border guards.

Smugglers rarely use water routes. Chen Han has set up many checkpoints on the waterway network. They can only go through the mountainous areas and then go to other places.

Now is a great opportunity for smugglers to make profits. As long as they can transport grain beyond the border, they can exchange it for a lot of silver. And the silver is in the shape of Chinese ingots, which they can directly take to the bank to exchange.

The opportunity to make money is right in front of us. If we don’t seize the opportunity, everyone will feel bad.

“He is just a mountain king, and he makes things like the government every day, holding meetings all day long.”

Some people couldn't help complaining in their residence. They were bored. There was no feasting and drinking here. They played dice outside. They waited all day and watched the golden period pass by. Their complaints became louder and louder.

"I still have business in my hometown. I can't afford to stay here. If there is no news in two days, I will go back."

"There are business opportunities everywhere in the Northeast. There is more than one way..."

Those who can come here are greedy for money, or they can be said to have ideas. If they enjoy wealth and peace, such characters will not send people to Jinshan at this time. Even when the smuggling network has not been cracked down, such people are only the most basic in the network, and they are usually reserves.

Dare to take a trip with a knife on your head. Isn't that bold? There is no way with Lin, there are still other channels to go. If the relationship is well managed, it will not delay making a fortune.

It is precisely because of this that the representatives of smugglers who come here complain, but they still wait with their hearts.

The smugglers waited for five days in total. During this period, some people really couldn't stand it anymore and left, but they were only a minority. Although the overall size of this smuggler group was also small.

In the end, only six companies were left.

He Lin looked at the six representatives in front of him and spoke directly. "To transport goods to the north, we must first have someone to escort them. If we transport goods with our own carriages and horses, each trip will result in losses. What's even more inconvenient is that Chen Ni's government has strict inspections. The border guards and police from all over the country will open fire if they encounter each other, and there will inevitably be casualties.

Now everyone wants me to take care of you. Once, twice, three or four times, if the number of times increases, it will inevitably attract Chen Ni's ideas. If I really protect you here, I don't know how long I can stay here.

I can't take care of you in vain.

Let's set a rule today. You provide the materials, and I don't want your money. Then Lin and I will provide the people and guns. Although it may not be able to keep you safe, if the border guards really come with a hundred or eighty people, I really don't care." The horses in the mountain village are not for display. They are all serious military horses, and many of them have been on the battlefield.

There was a discussion below, and someone hesitated and asked: "May I ask how much does Lord He want?"

This request of He Lin was within their expectations. Now it depends on how big He Lin's appetite is. Everyone knows that there is no free lunch in the world. He Lin took up the burden, so he naturally had to share the profits. The key is how much.

"10%. He only wants 10%." He Lin replied solemnly.

Upon hearing this number, the room was quiet again. This is not a small number. Of course, 10% of food supplies is not high in the domestic market, but it costs a lot of money to get it to Russia.

The difference in the price of goods between the two sides determines the profit of this "10%.

"Too high." Someone shouted on the spot.

The price of 10% of goods is too high.

Even if a horse can carry 200 kilograms of food, it is common for a smuggling caravan to have 40 or 50 horses. This can also be their running power when necessary. The important thing is to add a cart. If it is purely for food, it is only 20,000 to 30,000 kilograms of food. These things are only 2,000 to 3,000 yuan in China, but it is at least five times the profit when it is taken to the north. No, it is more than ten times now. And the Russians give silver, which can be exchanged for gold. This makes the smugglers more profitable.

In addition to these real gold and silver, most smugglers have legitimate shops as cover, and they have great discounts in their transactions with the Russians. These are all benefits. Benefits that make people unable to stop.

He Lin looked at the six muttering smuggler representatives below, and his eyes seemed to see a more distant future through them. These smugglers are not only the blood transfusion artery in the north, but also necessary for a big mountain stronghold like his. Otherwise, the food alone would give He Lin a headache.

He Lin didn't want to attack the immigrants' manor. Not to mention that the latter had militias, attacking the manor would definitely attract the attention and revenge of the border guards. If he was not careful, He Lin's Eight Banners remnants would be annihilated.

He didn't want to die early. He Lin was still thinking about the revival of the Qing Dynasty. His expectation was for the Sino-Russian war. Sooner or later, the Russians and Chen Han would have a war. That was a great opportunity for the Eight Banners to fish in troubled waters and make a comeback.

Although it is difficult for the Eight Banners to restore their glory, as long as Russia wins, they can occupy a piece of land in Heilongjiang and Jilin with the support of Russia and restore their country.

Then, it is time for the Eight Banners to be patient. They need to accumulate their own strength and watch the Han people decline little by little, just like the Khan of Tianming and Khan of Tiancong in the past, who nourished their bannermen with the flesh and blood of the Han people little by little. In this way, one day the bannermen will be able to stand in the Central Plains again!

The scene here in Helin also appeared in some other places.

Gao Shida's report must have been submitted to Nanjing twice, and Chen Ming was very angry after reading it. Many people in the Northeast now are immigrants, and the remaining indigenous people are Han people who ran to the Northeast earlier, and most of the smugglers who were caught are from these people.

"This group of bastards!"

Chen Ming was furious. He was generous and did not pursue these people too much at the beginning, but now they have failed Chen Ming's trust and betrayed Chen Ming's interests. What made him even more angry was that there were so many ways to make money in the Northeast, where business opportunities were everywhere, so why did some people still take the initiative to go down that dark road of no return?

In recent years, Chen Ming has been promoting patriotism in the army and the people. Now that the smuggling industry, which carries a treasonous color, is "prospering" in the Northeast, Chen Ming really feels that his efforts have not worked at all.

"People of this generation must be severely punished." Since they have committed "treason and collusion", Chen Ming no longer needs to treat them as good citizens. The punishment given is to treat all criminals as "enemies". Whether the latter are the owners or members of the smuggling caravan, Chen Ming means to treat them all as "flag slaves".

"The families of those smuggling caravan members..."

"How to deal with them."

Chen Ming's words involve countless families. The families of those smuggling caravan members will also face severe punishment. Hundreds and thousands of people will suffer misfortune because of this, but now Chen Ming has no pity for this in his heart.

Since you have done this, you have to bear the price you pay afterwards. He wants everyone to understand the consequences of "treason".

The simple act of smuggling is not comparable to the evil behind it.

"What is important now is to strengthen patriotic propaganda and guidance. Newspapers in the Northeast and Mongolia should take action."

"In addition, increase the reward for reporting, and at the same time appropriately increase the reward for those who are against the law..."

"Let every member of the smuggling caravan understand that their behavior is not only related to themselves, but also to their families. Let every parent know that if their son takes a wrong step, the whole family will pay the price. In addition, let them [members of the smuggling caravan] know that their choice determines the fate of the whole family.

Is it to turn back from the wrong path, or to be stubborn.

Don't regret it when you are arrested..."

What made Chen Ming most angry about this matter was the "people's hearts are not ancient" in the Northeast. Wouldn't these people know that smuggling materials to Russia at this time would help Russia and the Eight Banners? But they still did it.

Gao Shida's report showed that they had been threatened before. There must be a dark force hidden behind this smuggling network, which must be the remnants of the Qing Dynasty's sticking pole. But can a simple threat weave this smuggling network? The power of money is huge, and we should not underestimate the greed in people's hearts. But this also highlights the humbleness of the results of patriotic education that Chen Ming has always placed his hopes on.

Has Chen Han's persistent patriotic propaganda and nationalism over the years really had no effect at all?

This is obviously not the case.

This matter is more deeply said to be the legacy of the Qing Dynasty, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it is the aftermath of the war.

After this incident, Chen Ming ordered: "Order the entire Northeast, and all local governments will conduct a strict investigation of the old big families in their jurisdiction."

Hulunbuir.

In the office, Gao Shida's eyes were red. He was lying on a large table, which was piled with miscellaneous materials, and confessions were piled in a corner of the table. There was also a large teacup next to him, which was filled with thick black tea.

Gao Shida, who had not closed his eyes for two days, was like a hound that smelled the enemy's scent, and he was closely tracking the enemy's location in the mountains of books and seas of literature.

So many smugglers got involved not because they were all greedy, but because these Han people who originally lived in the Northeast had been forced to fall into the hands of the Qing Dynasty before the Eight Banners retreated.

It's like someone was given a handwritten "Anti-Qing and Restore Ming" by someone else 20 years ago. Not to mention being dragged into the lucrative smuggling, even offering his wife and daughter with both hands is possible.

But this is not the point. The point is the people who threatened them, those who hid in the dark.

Gao Shida is chasing the trail. He has already seen signs, such as Qiqihar, not far from Hulunbuir...