"Big Boss, those cannon hands have flanked us!"

Hearing the terrified voice of his minion, Li Shuangqiang felt his head buzzing. In the past, it was always Li Shuangqiang leading minions to find ways to break through the defense of village cannon hands; the people in the village would not rush out. What kind of incredible wealth was in the village before him to be able to hire such fearless cannon hands?

But since the other party had surrounded them, Li Shuangqiang dared not delay. *A wise man does not fight when the odds are against him*; he decided to withdraw with his brothers first. Unexpectedly, just as they retreated, the cannon hands defending the front of the village also charged out and began to pursue Li Shuangqiang.

Gunshots rang out in the pursuing team. Bullets flew over the heads of Li Shuangqiang and others, knocking down a lot of snow from an old tree in front. Not only did Li Shuangqiang know the danger, but the bandits also understood. These cannon hands chasing them were definitely not putting on a show; they held real weapons in their hands.

It didn't take long for the bandits to go from fleeing in a line to scattering in all directions. The pursuing team continued relentlessly. One foot deep, one foot shallow, Li Shuangqiang didn't know how far he had run. At this time, his hat had fallen off, and only one small leader was left beside him. He knew that being caught by the relentless pursuers meant death, so Li Shuangqiang could only run forward with all his might.

There was a forest ahead. If he could get in at night, he could circle around with the pursuers.

Just as he was about to reach the forest, several people suddenly jumped out from behind the dark trees, raising their firelocks at Li Shuangqiang. *Bang!* The leader fired a shot in front of Li Shuangqiang with a pistol and shouted in a southern accent, "Hands up!"

The muzzle flash briefly illuminated the man wearing a peculiar style of cotton overcoat. Li Shuangqiang saw he could run no further. The cannon hands behind the man opposite him shouted in the local dialect, "Hands up! Surrender!"

Li Shuangqiang's small leader had already raised his hands, shouting, "Don't shoot, I surrender!"

Breathing heavily, Li Shuangqiang glanced at the small leader with the disdain of the pot calling the kettle black, then raised his own hands high. At this moment, a sense of relief suddenly arose in Li Shuangqiang's heart. If he were to die of exhaustion in the snow like this, surrendering wasn't a bad option.

***

News reached Siping at extreme speed. Not only did the village where Zhuang Jiaxiong went to work encounter bandits, but several villages and towns on the edge of Siping's territory were also attacked by bandits.

After the bandits were escorted to Siping, interrogation began immediately. After compiling the confessions, they were reported immediately. Wu Youping held a meeting overnight to inform everyone of the latest situation.

The faces of the comrades in the army looked a little better after hearing the report. These bandits all came from outside Siping territory. They heard news leaking from villages bordering Siping that life in Siping's local villages had become better, so they came to Siping to rob. This was enough to prove that the work of sweeping black and eliminating evil and destroying bandits from September to October last year was done very thoroughly.

The faces of the government officials and cadres led by Mayor Wu Youping were very ugly. Comparing the anger at this time, He Rui felt that Wu Youping and the others had a strong desire to eliminate the bandits. He smiled. "Calm down, everyone. Think about something happy. Siping now has a reputation for being wealthy; isn't this all due to everyone's hard work?"

"Do good people deserve to be robbed?" Wu Youping asked angrily.

He Rui didn't answer such an impassioned question but ordered Xu Chengfeng and others, "Start preparing for bandit suppression outside Siping."

Although Wu Youping and other government officials were angry, they understood that things weren't simple upon hearing this. To suppress bandits in Jilin outside Siping, one needed the permission of the Jilin Governor. To suppress bandits in the Liaoning region, one needed the permission of the Liaoning Governor.

Siping was located in the center of the area outside the pass. If He Rui only did things in Siping, naturally there was no problem. As soon as he took a step out, according to the rules, he had to get the consent of the General Zhen'an's Office in Fengtian. Although General Zhen'an, Zhang Xiluan, seemed to appreciate He Rui very much, Wu Youping didn't think Zhang Xiluan would really let He Rui act at will.

Xu Chengfeng didn't hesitate at all and accepted the order immediately.

He Rui ordered, "Everyone send the investigation results to the towns and villages to reassure the grassroots comrades. The troops prepare for battle. I will write an official document to the General Zhen'an's Office."

***

Inside the General Zhen'an's Office, Zhang Xiluan looked at the official document sent by He Rui and remained silent. Adjutant Liu wanted to speak but stopped, standing with his hands down in attendance. Before He Rui's letter arrived, the General Zhen'an's Office had already received news. The National Protection Army, led by Cai E, launched an attack on the forces of Wu Xiangzhen, the Defense Commissioner of Southern Sichuan. They not only occupied Hengjiang northwest of Gao County in Sichuan but also seized Xufu (now Yibin). The Beiyang Army counterattacked Xufu (Yibin) from four routes but were all repelled.

Xufu (Yibin) was located at the junction of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces, where the Jinsha River, Min River, and Yangtze River converged. It was a transportation hub. After occupying this place, the National Protection Army could attack or defend, enough to confront the Beiyang Army.

Besides attacking toward Sichuan, the National Protection Army also had a force attacking Western Hunan, but there was no new news for the time being.

If war hadn't broken out, He Rui's bandit suppression would be a trivial matter. But in the current situation, moving a single soldier had a different meaning. In Adjutant Liu's view, if other governors made such a request, they would definitely be seeking official titles and territory expansion. Adjutant Liu also felt that what He Rui wanted must be these things. But Adjutant Liu just felt that if He Rui wanted to do this, it wasn't unacceptable.

After a long time, Zhang Xiluan finally ordered, "Prepare the car, go to Siping."

Adjutant Liu hurriedly responded, "Marshal, what is this subordinate going to Siping to do?"

Zhang Xiluan ordered, "No need to prepare anything. I will go to Siping personally."

Adjutant Liu was stunned. He wanted to say something, but couldn't say anything.

***

The news that Zhang Xiluan was coming to Siping was announced to everyone in Siping at the meeting. Everyone didn't know what to say for a moment. It was evident that most people were somewhat at a loss.

Xu Jia broke the silence. "Governor, what should we prepare?"

He Rui didn't understand Zhang Xiluan's purpose in running to Siping at this time either, so he ordered, "We must ensure Lord Zhang stays well and rests well. Listen to Lord Zhang's instructions for everything else."

"What about the bandit suppression? Should we prepare the bandits and confessions?" Cheng Ruofan asked.

He Rui replied, "Of course. The bandits outside the pass must be wiped out completely; it's a matter of sooner or later."

Xu Chengfeng, Zhong Yifu, and others hesitated to speak. It was obvious that what they were thinking couldn't be brought up directly.

He Rui laughed. "If everyone wants to know whether we want to obtain the entire area outside the pass, obtain the entire Manchuria and Mongolia, I can tell you now: of course we do. But this process is by no means the way of rising in chaos like in history, but by the way we liberated Siping so far, obtaining it by constantly expanding grassroots political power. We don't need to consider those sordid things."

No one raised other opinions; everyone expressed "understood."

On the 28th of the twelfth lunar month, the train Zhang Xiluan took arrived at Siping Station in the wind and snow. He Rui and others lined up to welcome him. As soon as Zhang Xiluan got off the train, He Rui was somewhat surprised. Zhang Xiluan, who had stood tall like a big tree, now had a somewhat stooped back. The wrinkles on his face seemed to have suddenly increased, outlining heavy pressure on this old man's face.

Facing He Rui's warm welcome, Zhang Xiluan only said a few necessary words, then got into the car with He Rui and went straight to the accommodation.

The snow stopped the next day. He Rui went to greet Zhang Xiluan early in the morning. The accommodation was warm as spring, with the scent of incense in the air. Zhang Xiluan had already gotten up, wearing a small vest, tasting tea in the small living room.

Just after He Rui sat down and chatted with Zhang Xiluan for a few sentences, Adjutant Liu walked in quickly with a nervous face. He gave He Rui a complicated look and whispered a few words in Zhang Xiluan's ear.

Zhang Xiluan chuckled after listening and just dismissed Adjutant Liu. Then he asked, "Brother He Rui, Cai E raised troops to rebel, creating quite a momentum. I wonder if Brother He Rui thinks Cai E can get what he wants?"

"Lord Zhang, if we only talk about Cai E's troops, they will definitely lose if they keep fighting. If we talk about whether Cai E can get what he wants, this subordinate doesn't know what Cai E is really seeking, so it's hard to say. But Yuan Gong will lose to the situation."

"What kind of situation?" Zhang Xiluan's gaze became sharp, and even the wrinkles on his face seemed shallower.

He Rui answered frankly, "Lord Zhang, Yuan Gong really has no money. Based on the newspapers this subordinate has read, the issuance of paper currency has increased greatly recently. The exchange rate of paper currency to silver dollars should be one to one, but now the exchange is already lower than ninety cents. To campaign against Cai E, public bonds have to be issued again. I'm afraid no one domestic or foreign is willing to buy the public bonds issued this time. Going on like this, Yuan Gong can't hold on."

Zhang Xiluan's gaze softened. A moment later, General Zhen'an Zhang Xiluan lowered his eyes and sipped his tea carefully.

What He Rui said was exactly the reason that prompted Zhang Xiluan to come to Siping. Yuan Shikai sent an official document to Zhang Xiluan, demanding Zhang Xiluan immediately raise 1 million silver dollars to send to the capital. At the end of the official document, Yuan Shikai also attached a very "sincere" private letter, saying that Yuan Shikai knew this matter was difficult and made things hard for his old brother Zhang Xiluan. So if Zhang Xiluan was willing, Yuan Shikai would send Duan Zhigui outside the pass to help.

Before arriving in Siping, Zhang Xiluan wasn't quite sure of He Rui's view on this matter. At this moment, Zhang Xiluan had already made some decisions in his heart, but felt sentimental. Seeing the young talents, while happy in his heart, he inevitably realized his own age.

After a while, Zhang Xiluan sighed. "I heard Brother He Rui has governed Siping very prosperously. I wonder if Brother He could be a host and let me see what Siping looks like now."

"Lord Zhang commands; I dare not disobey. Only, please wait a while, Lord Zhang. Siping is currently sweeping snow. The roads will be cleared around 10 AM; only then will this subordinate dare to invite Lord Zhang to inspect Siping."

Zhang Xiluan was somewhat satisfied in his heart. For so many years, this was the first time he had been treated with the etiquette of sweeping snow and shoveling roads. He Rui doing this—even if the flattery was so obvious—Zhang Xiluan felt very happy. If it were the common good-for-nothings, they couldn't do it even if they wanted to.

For a time, Zhang Xiluan became interested in the inspection that should have been official business.