20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 141: Coercing everyone to stop
Xiaoxiguan, Heshengfang.

After the storm that hit Jiang Zhai at night, the gambling shop did not slack off for a moment and opened for business immediately.

When gamblers from near and far walked in, they felt that there were a lot fewer croupiers and waiters in the shop, and there were a few unfamiliar faces among them. In addition, there were constant rumors in the streets and alleys, so they felt a little doubtful, until they lost all their chips and took the silver coins. When I picked up the curtain and went to the back room to exchange money, but there was no sign of Chen Wantang, I was finally convinced that my second brother was really dead.

Although the remnants of the thousands of generals survived by chance, they worked at sunrise and rested at sunset every day, ate and lived together, and were locked in the house at night and monitored and detained. They had been reduced to mere He is a money-making tool, and he is in constant panic all day long. How can he still have the slightest taste of life!
Han Ce sat in Chen Wantang's original seat. After counting the accounts every day, he returned to Zhou Yunfu's secret house to resume his duties.

During this night attack, the old man was determined to keep these blue horses for the time being. It was really a last resort.

Han Ce went to Shengjing Shi Hospital and came back, and truthfully reported the reactions of the "Owl" brothers to his uncle.

After hearing this, Zhou Yunfu let out a long sigh and said in deep thought: "It's no wonder that the brothers Jiang Chenghai were dissatisfied. Whoever it was, couldn't hold back their anger. What's more, it's Sun Chengmo who knows the overall situation!"

"Yes, yes!" Han Ce found a mattress and covered the old man lying on the wicker chair. "If he hadn't spoken at that time, I don't think Jiang Chenghai would have been able to restrain the second and fifth sons. However, Sun Chengmo I also said that I can just tolerate my own affairs, but I can’t delay dealing with the Bai family any longer.”

"What do you mean by that?" Zhou Yunfu couldn't help but roll his eyes, "The problem is, it's already very difficult to maintain dignity in this situation."

"He seems to have an idea and wants me to tell it to you."

"Huh? Tell me and I'll listen."

"Hey! I didn't quite understand it either. He just said two words without starting to finish - "break."

"Hiss!" Zhou Yunfu couldn't help but was startled. It seemed that his mind was suddenly opened. He sat upright on the wicker chair and murmured to himself, "Call for a break?"

Han Ce stayed aside and was about to reply, but the old man raised his hand to stop him.

"Taking advantage of the crowd...calling for a break..."

Judging from the old man's expression, he seemed to have already understood what Sun Chengmo meant. Now he was chewing these two words repeatedly, as if he was weighing whether this strategy was feasible.

For more than a year, Zhou Yunfu has read tens of millions of newspapers in order to understand the changing situation of current affairs, and now he seems to be reviewing them quickly.

Gradually, the wrinkles on the old man's face became deeper and deeper, and he smiled.

The so-called "calling for a break" is of course nothing new.

Workers in various handicraft workshops, in order to strive for higher wages and improve the labor environment, work together and stop work collectively, which is called "calling rest", also known as "calling gang" and "qixing".

As early as the three dynasties of Kang, Yong and Qian, the handicraft industry in Jiangnan, Guangdong and other places was already extremely prosperous.

But this prosperity has nothing to do with the hardworking craftsmen. The benefits of good life only enrich the pockets of those big shopkeepers. Therefore, such as weavers, paper workers, excavators, kiln workers, incense workers, carpenters, iron workers... In all walks of life, calls and breaks occur from time to time.

Most of those hard-working craftsmen had little education. At first, they only knew how to vent their anger in small groups, swearing, and smashing things.

After a long time, everyone couldn't find it!

how?
It turns out that no matter how much they suffer or how much they suffer, there are always some scabs who are cowardly and secretly sing the opposite, showing off their loyalty in front of the big boss.

If you gather a crowd here, he will break up the gang there; if you raise an open weapon here, he will lay a hidden arrow there.Is this okay?

Over time, these workers secretly established the "Xijiaxing", elected a "sir", united everyone, picked up the evildoers, and performed righteous deeds together!

That person asked, why is it called "Xijiaxing"?
As the saying goes, the boss is the "master", and the workers are naturally the "west"!

Once the "Calling Break" takes hold, it will cause at least a loss of work and time, or at worst an uprising. Officials and businessmen will hate it deeply and vow to get rid of it as soon as possible.

Not only did the imperial court explicitly prohibit it, but workshops and merchants from all over the country also conspired to assassinate it. The shopkeeper in Suzhou even erected a stone monument in an attempt to ban the practice forever.

The gentlemen of Xijiahang were also charged by the court with "coercing the public to call for a break, cooperating with the party in groups, and engaging in wanton plagiarism and beatings."

Most of the businesses run by the Bai family are factories, and "calling rest" is naturally their destiny!
Although "coercing people to stop" is a serious crime, their factories are all joint ventures with Dongyang, and the successive governors of the imperial court are eager to see these devils collapse and go bankrupt. As long as they can smoothen the relationship a little, they are probably happy to let it go.

Japanese factories gave preferential treatment to foreigners, with wages of three to four yuan a day. Locals went there, but their wages were only five or six cents a day, and they were beaten, scolded, and forced to work day and night.

But he didn't expect that Bai Baochen was even more sinister than the Japanese. When he entered his factory, he worked even more, but in the end he didn't even get fifty or six cents. This gave him a reason to call for a break.

At this moment, Xiao Dongyang's family was not the only one outside the customs. There were also British and American people who were checking and balancing. The Japanese did not dare to blatantly cross the border to the Nantie Affiliated Territory, so they went to support Bai Baochen.

In other words, as long as the Bai family cannot control their factories, they will be of no use to the Japanese.

Once Bai Baochen loses his backer, even facing the half-disabled Zhou Yunfu, he has no chance of winning.

As long as one of these conditions is missing, the strategy of "coercing the crowd to stop" will not work. However, Sun Chengmo has already thought it through and is just waiting for the old man to start implementing it.

"Not bad...doable!"

For the first time in more than a year, Zhou Yunfu's face showed a smile: "This Sun Chengmo is worthy of being a man who has been studying for more than two days. It doesn't cost anything to call him a break, and he doesn't need to touch anyone. Indeed, You can try it, if it works, Bai Baochen won’t be able to play anymore.”

Han Ce was a little disapproving after hearing what the old man said.

"Uncle, why do I think that 'crying out' is not a big deal for the Bai family? At most, it will only hurt the flesh and bones, and they will not be able to move their muscles! At the worst, Bai Baochen will use some money to increase their wages. Can’t you just get up?”

Zhou Yunfu glanced at him sideways, then snorted coldly and said, "When will you be like that boy from the Su family? Nephew, do something! I ask you to buy a newspaper every day, but you haven't read it at all?" "

Han Ce shook his head in embarrassment and said, "I always ask my subordinates to buy it, and then bring it back to you after buying it. Uncle, what happened to this newspaper again?"

"Shh!"

Zhou Yunfu picked up a copy of "Shengjing Times" from his hand and said impatiently: "Read it yourself!"

Han Ce took the newspaper inexplicably, looked down, and saw a piece of news written on the front page:
"The plague is rampant in Fujiadian, Black Province, and the number of victims of the disease has exceeded hundreds!"

(End of this chapter)