Zhang Xudong took out 20,000 US dollars and handed it over, saying:
"Boss, since you don't want to leave, this money is your compensation. Please accept it."
Come on then. Looking at the thick stack of two dozen dollars, he swallowed his saliva, shook his head with difficulty, and said with a wry smile:
"Thank you, General, but I can't accept this money.
There is too much money and this place is too chaotic. If we take it, we will die quietly one day without knowing it.
Just give us HK$500, we can’t afford anything more.”
Zhang Xudong frowned, looked at the depressing environment around him and said:
"Then why don't you leave here.
As long as we move to another place, I can guarantee your safety even if you have a lot of money."
When the boss saw that Zhang Xudong's words were not so fierce, he was not as scared as before.
He said: "A hundred years have passed since my grandfather and his men moved to Kowloon Walled City during the Daoguang reign.
Their Dapeng Camp was originally led by a captain.
After the signing of the Lend-Lease Treaty, the Dapeng Camp was disbanded.
Those high-ranking officials and most people returned to their hometowns.
My grandfather and about a hundred others who had nowhere to go stayed together.
They vowed to fight together and protect the village to survive.
Together they experienced the expulsion of the Y Army and the Japanese occupation and stubbornly endured it.
Our parents and we have also experienced the expulsion by the Hong Kong police and the invasion of these gangs, and we have survived to this day by watching out for each other.
We have been related to each other for hundreds of years, and our relationships are complicated and interconnected.
Our elderly, children, and brothers and sisters are all here. How can we just leave like that?
Besides, our identity is quite embarrassing.
He also inherited the official position of his ancestors and shouldered the responsibility of defending the land.
So, thank you for your kindness, sir. We shall stay in this Qing territory."
Zhang Xudong was stunned after hearing this last sentence.
Yes, Kowloon Walled City, which is only 220 meters long and 119 meters wide, is still the land of the Qing Dynasty.
He sighed softly, thinking that perhaps it was because of the persistence of these grassroots soldiers and their descendants that this small village was not destroyed.
"Well, is there anything else you need my help with?"
The boss smiled bitterly, shook his head and said, "Since the war, more and more people have drifted here.
There are refugees, deserters, fugitives, and people who have escaped.
Because there is no government jurisdiction here, no identification is required.
Over the past decade, the population has rapidly increased from a few hundred to the current 30,000 to 40,000 people.
It's such a small place, you can imagine how crowded it would be.
The houses are being built more and more, and they are getting higher and higher.
This street is the best preserved and widest one.
Other places are only a narrow strip of sky, and the sun cannot be seen during the day.
There is a shortage of water and electricity, and garbage is everywhere in most places.
It can be said that as long as one place catches fire, the entire village will be destroyed.
There is so much help needed here that it's hard to know where to begin.
So forget it, it’s good enough that you can clean up these thugs.”
As they were talking, Lin Nandu led some men and some thugs and walked over from the street corner.
Behind them, there was a group of ordinary residents.
"Dongzi, I heard from Pengyu that you fainted from worrying about it. Are you feeling better now?"
"Uncle, I'm fine now. How's the situation outside? Is there any trouble?"
“There were about a dozen bastards trying to get out, but they were all taken down.
Our people are still searching for the escaped bandits in the village.
This village is too complicated, and the search will probably take some time."
"Dongzi, the people behind me are some residents' representatives.
At first they thought it was the police station coming to evict them again and almost got into a fight with our people.
Fortunately, both sides exercised restraint and no major conflict occurred.
When they learned that we were only there to catch drug dealers, they did not stop us this time.
But they were worried, so they sent some people to follow and take a look."
Zhang Xudong nodded and said to the boss:
"Uncle, please go and explain to him to avoid any misunderstandings and casualties.
Tell them that I deeply apologize for the disruption our actions have caused.
When we finally evacuate, we will give you some appropriate compensation."
After hearing what Zhang Xudong said, the boss quickly agreed and ran over.
He witnessed the whole process.
These people really mean it when they are being reasonable.
But when they don't reason with you, they become ferocious monsters.
The weapons in their hands are not the rubber sticks in the hands of the Hong Kong police.
Once the fight starts, either death or injury will result.
The boss ran over and talked to those people for a while, then ran back and said:
"Sir, our Lord Baichang wants to see you. I wonder if you allow it."
"Master Baichang? What kind of title is that?"
The boss scratched his head awkwardly and explained, "His ancestor was a centurion, the highest-ranking officer left at that time.
All of us follow the rules and titles passed down from our ancestors.
Their family has always been at the forefront.”
The corners of Zhang Xudong's mouth twitched. It was already this late, could he still see officers from the Qing Dynasty?
Although it was inherited secretly from ancestors, it should be tacitly accepted, right?
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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