Chapter 116: The Iron Fist Of Imperialism
In the morning at the East Market, soldiers stood on various docks. Dock coolies looked up at these neatly uniformed soldiers walking past them, who had taken control of their leaders who assigned them tasks. For a moment, they put down the work in their hands.
But soon, these leaders who managed the coolies became the ones being managed. The arriving military masters unceremoniously scolded these managers dressed in cotton cloth and holding teapots: “Do your work and hold your counting tallies properly!”
While dock workers carried sacks, they were also given a bamboo tally. After carrying to the place, they would carve a mark on the bamboo tally to calculate wages. For these dock workers, as long as the work they did still counted, they wouldn’t cause trouble.
And as for the few tables behind which the tallies were now being issued and received on the docks, the managers were threatened by the soldiers with sabers and spears to work honestly and not allowed to leave the tables. —Even less permitted to conspire with the gang helmsmen.
Wu Fei had investigated the docks before doing reconnaissance. These helmsmen, if they wanted to incite the dock coolies to cause trouble, would inevitably have to mobilize through those “issuing bamboo tallies at the tables” on the dock work sites. —If the entire dock coolies causing trouble was like firing in the gun barrel, then these tables issuing “counting tallies” were igniting the primer.
The new army soldiers had now cut off the possibility of these “table managers” leaving their posts, which was equivalent to cutting off the gangs’ chance to make big trouble during the upcoming negotiations to exchange for chips.
Wu Fei, carrying a saber and standing on the rooftop, overlooked the still-operating docks below, sneering inwardly: “(When talks don’t go well) you just want to stage a strike, right? Then force me to yield? I came (before talks) and directly took away this chip of yours, see what cards you have left.”
When Wu Fei wanted the “East Market” as a defense zone, he had already determined what cards the opponents held in the card game. He wouldn’t wait for these opponents to play their cards, but directly draw them away.
Wu Fei instructed the new army noble officers following the action about the origin of “this stratagem” in the military treatise: After identifying the opponent, “strike first” to lock down the opponent’s vital point, otherwise do not act rashly.
…The emergency signals from various alley paths in the Martial World were all intercepted…
The minor disturbance only lasted the time of one teapot, then handling activities began on the docks. The managers at the receiving and shipping tables were sweating profusely while issuing counting tallies, carefully recording in the account books, occasionally lifting their heads to look around for any gang bosses’ dispatched informants nearby giving them secret signals. But this kind of “looking left and right” immediately earned them a gun stock to the back, forcing them to continue working honestly.
A group of youngsters in military uniforms, namely the wild kids Wu Juwang had gathered from within the East Market over the past ten days, were now properly watching these managers.
Don’t underestimate these kids; as the most cunning group in this marketplace, they were equivalent to Yun Ge from Water Margin in Yanggu County. The things Ximen Qing and Pan Jinlian did avoiding people, Yun Ge found out because he couldn’t sell his pears, then demanded compensation from Granny Wang; when he didn’t get it, he spilled everything. Then he went to Wu Da Lang and Wu Song to prove his “united front value.”
Wu Fei might not know the situations of those mid-level managers in the East Market, but these “Yun Ge” types could definitely investigate households.
After dock coolies passed the tally tables and took the counting tallies, they were initially very uneasy, but after a few trips, they began treating everything with a spectator’s mindset.
Because these coolies previously had to carefully watch the managers’ faces, fearing deductions; but now, it’s fair and square. The managers were supervised by soldiers with gun stocks and didn’t dare make any sneaky moves.
Any deduction of even one less mark would earn them a beating from the soldiers who were also from rope-puller backgrounds, then stripped of their upper clothes and beaten.
So much so that the first batch of porters, when they quickly came to collect copper coins with their tallies, found that today’s wages had no deductions.
Of course no deductions; Wu Fei directly mobilized the accountant’s office in the military camp to pre-pay these coolies with military copper coins, and afterwards settle accounts with these guild gangs based on the account books. —As for what if these gangs don’t pay?
Wu Fei didn’t directly come to rob the docks because his strength wasn’t enough, but out of concern for appearances! These gangs were filial piety offerings to certain bureaucrats in the Da Yao Capital City behind the scenes. Logically, they should also offer filial piety to Wu Fei, the “military leader” in the area, to ensure peace!
If these gangs dared not acknowledge the debt, then the new army would have just cause! They could monopolize the operation rights of this dock mouth, and at that time, for any gang to take it back, it wouldn’t be as simple as “one day’s wages for the coolies.”
Back to the present, once those dock coolies confirmed that today’s work was “fully” going into their pockets, without the usual managers’ random fabrications like “family sow giving birth,” “old mother’s birthday,” “four-year-old child reciting poetry,” and all sorts of miscellaneous reasons for “filial piety” deductions. The shouts on the docks gained vigor.
And bold dock coolies, in places out of the managers’ sight, secretly asked the soldiers standing sentry: “Military master, will you come tomorrow too?”
Wu Fei happened to see this scene, paused his steps slightly, then left. —The coolies here needed a “union,” but that wasn’t something this era could produce.
…Modern warlords needed a controllable commercial port…
In the local Martial World, Iron Chain Gang, Snake Teng Society, Lingtong Escort Agency and other gangs’ helmsmen and spokesmen in the East Market, upon hearing the docks were controlled by soldiers, were still in shock when, after one teapot’s time, they received invitation letters from Wu Fei.
They hurriedly arrived at the largest restaurant in the East Market to wait for the main person.
At the wine table, after they sat down, the central main seat was elevated. Although Wu Fei hadn’t arrived, no one dared speak, because the restaurant was fully booked, guarded inside and out by soldiers holding firearms.
The soldiers standing straight at the door weren’t watching these Martial World people, but the feeling of being “protected” still flattered them.
“Creak,” the sound of wooden door hinges being pushed.
Followed by a voice: “General arrives!” The soldiers at the door saluted.
Then six military captains in bright uniforms entered, Wu Fei with a toothpick in his mouth, standing in the middle in an infuriatingly cocky pose.
And walking at the very front, the military leader with gold bars on his shoulders but only one star, pulled open the chair in front of Wu Fei for him, staring at these sect leaders, speaking in a Divine Capital accent with hands on hips: “Keep your eyes open and recognize us. From now on, when we show up, it’s to rectify the East Market!”
This military leader was a distant relative of one of Emperor Shu’s imperial consorts, originally indulging in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling in the Capital City, but got disciplined; now, following orders from his superior Wu Fei, he was arrogant in front of these Martial World sects, fully unleashing the dandy vigor he had suppressed for months.
He pointed to the epaulet on his shoulder: “Recognize this gold bar!” After saying this, he drew a five-kilogram revolver from his waist and said: “These years, in the entire East Market, besides us, no one else’s words count!”
The expressions of this group of Martial World leaders were unsightly. They had originally planned how to “courteously” offer filial piety after seating, how to “soldier-wise” recount their backers; who knew Wu Fei’s group came to make them “scholars meeting soldiers.”
Just as they hesitated, another dark-faced military leader suddenly roared loudly: “Are your ears deaf? Give me a sound!”
So arrogant; in the past, this Iron Chain Gang leader would have thrown a money dart smashing into the wall to intimidate the ignorant young ones. But now, behind these arrogant Capital City captains were soldiers with killing intent.
In the end, under the thick killing intent, the local Iron Chain Gang helmsman was the first to yield: “General, whatever you need here, we will certainly serve.”
Then the other five local sect leaders also nodded.
Wu Fei looked at them, nodded and said: “Mm, recently, we have a little matter to test you with!”
Just as these Martial World people thought it was something major, Wu Fei said: “My brothers under me are full of youthful vigor, and lately I’ve been beating and scolding them a lot; they have some fire to vent. Tonight I’m booking a floor; get me a hundred brothel girls, no diseases, to serve my brothers.”
Just as these Martial World people were dumbfounded at this imperial court military master so shamelessly demanding women, Wu Fei glanced at the soldier beside him. Quickly, a big rough fellow who had been a rope-puller shouting cadence stood up and yelled at these Martial World heroes in his unique loud voice: “What do you mean? Worried we won’t pay?”
The helmsman flushed and waved his hands hurriedly — due to face, he had previously disdained pimping himself, but couldn’t figure out why this imperial court military officer now ordered them to the banquet just for women?
And Wu Fei required all their backing gang headquarters to bring elites to the scene to maintain order.
One helmsman: “Please enjoy yourself, lord, but tonight this lowly one has to deliver koi to Lord Wang and cannot come.”
“Bang!” A gunshot; this helmsman, locked by killing intent, his skills utterly useless, had his forehead exploded. Wu Fei coldly nodded: “Mm, he’s busy tonight; are you available?”
“General you!” A shocked incredulous voice came from an old gang leader, blood energy circulating on his body forming protective energy!
Bang, firearms rang again; this guy had a leg shot off, then immediately Wu Fei rushed up, gun barrel pressed to this gang leader’s forehead.
This gang leader just wanted to threaten but couldn’t speak, even the intense pain in his leg suppressed by fear; he was like a little bug facing an incoming bird about to peck.
The gang leader pissed himself, Wu Fei frowned, and his leather boot kicked fiercely into the gang leader’s crotch: “Hold it back for me!” This kick immediately made the pained gang leader’s eyes bulge out.
Wu Fei asked the people around him: “Tell me, am I wise and valiant?”
The gang leader nodded hurriedly: “Sir, you are wise and valiant.”
Wu Fei glanced around, his subordinate soldiers all chambered their rounds in unison, and all the gang leaders collectively flattered: “Sir, you are wise and valiant, invincible under heaven.”
Wu Fei smiled: “Not bad, not bad, get paper and pen, write down all the words praising me.”
…Obedience test…
Actually, the red-light district had also been selected by Wu Fei, and the largest pleasure house in East Market was completely surrounded.
The army that Wu Fei was currently training had a full strength of two thousand men, but the current total was only nine hundred.
In front of the brothel, three hundred men arrived, they lined up in formation, formed a square and counted off, then upon receiving the order, one-third went in first, while the rest stood guard in the surrounding watchtowers, and after one hour, another one-third went in.
The soldiers who hadn’t gone in yet felt itchy in their hearts but didn’t dare leave their posts, because any slight movement would get them whipped, and those who had already gone in came out and quietly waited.
As for Wu Fei himself, he had been meditating with closed eyes outside this House of Rising Splendor the whole time. As if it had nothing to do with him. He was just holding the account book and settling accounts.
Then, seeing Wu Juwang’s gaze burning intensely, he slapped him and cursed: “What do you want to do?”
Wu Fei had investigated all his subordinate “Yun Ge”s, whether they had sisters or other relatives trapped in smoke-and-willow places, and had done the work in advance to rescue them all.
Wu Juwang blushed and shook his head, Wu Fei stared at him: “Remember, this is not for you to enjoy, in the future you will marry a woman who matches you.”
…These absurd things are helpless reasons…
Why do this? Imperialism troops, do they still need to be constrained by some sage morality? An imperialism general must precisely control all destruction within controllable limits.
Blood Reward only stimulates Blood Labor! — Without class leap encouragement, don’t think of inspiring “dying loyally” again.
These rope-puller origin soldiers, Wu Fei couldn’t give them land production materials. Even if given land production materials, the mere “self-cultivating farmer” social stratum identity still couldn’t stimulate their Blood Labor. Because they had all this before, but it was easily stripped away; so whether they have this land or not, it won’t make them feel “worth dying for.”
To make them willing to die, must give sufficient “class leap” feeling, right now Wu Fei is giving these originally rope-puller people a leaping sensation.
Da Yao Capital City laughs at poverty but not prostitution. On Da Yao Canal flower boats, rope-pullers pull below, prostitutes laugh above. Rope-pullers shout: Little sister, you sit at the boat head, prostitutes dressed in brocade spit at those below.
Thus, no matter how well rope-pullers are trained, if the “lowly” feeling in their hearts isn’t broken, they have no battle intent on the battlefield.
Humans this creature’s “fight to the death” always needs some reason, those who belittle and despise themselves won’t have the courage to face the white blade.
After today, these soldiers will no longer be obsequious rope-pullers, they can feel that relying on their new identity, things they didn’t dare do before, now they can boldly do! The so-called Martial World heroes who bullied them (rope-pullers) before must serve as their male prostitutes to enjoy.
Wu Fei: Only like this, to not lose this newly gained “climb to high social stratum” feeling, will they be willing to die loyally.
Not just rope-pullers, some Capital City nobles and imperial relatives family background disciples selected by Wu Fei also, through today’s arrogance, discovered they had a “capable of becoming great” identity.
You know, though their families produce dandy disciples, these collateral branches are extremely cautious at home, observing words and colors, not daring to breathe loudly. Now Wu Fei lets them wear masks and backs them up after they stir up trouble.
The Third Empire also completed strong power assembly by creating a kind of “new identity” that allows doing things one didn’t dare do before openly and righteously.
Xuan Chong sighed: If all the feudal nobles here were sent to the trial stand, the effect would be better. Because when all kingly power and wealth are struck down, it also means laborers don’t need to bow, gaining class leap Blood Reward. But — currently can’t do it, this new army appearing is still a privilege given by Da Yao imperialism leader Emperor Shu.
…Cowardice to cruelty…
After everything ended, Wu Fei asked the finished soldiers: “Gentlemen, did you enjoy today?” And made a hand-raising gesture requiring a “response slogan.”
These soldiers, under months of training, reflexively responded: “Die loyally for Your Majesty, die loyally, die loyally.”
Before, this slogan was a conditioned reflex whipped out, but today it carried a different meaning.
On this Capital City street, bricks and tiles were shaken to rumble.
The sound was so loud, the palace in the clouds could hear it.
