Chapter 187, What is the way you say loyalty?
The Crocker Plantation can almost be regarded as the largest plantation in the northern area of Qinggu.The surname Crocker has been passed down here for four generations.
They have always been the owners of the plantation, and they have gradually grown stronger. Up to now, they have a very important position in the northern part of the Qinggu area.
A few months ago, the old master died of illness, and now it is Little Crocker who is in power.
Young people are more ambitious than their predecessors.
Regardless of whether this ambition is reasonable or not, at least Crocker Jr. feels that he is a person with great ambitions.
He is not satisfied with just being a wealthy landowner in the Qinggu area, like his ancestors for generations, relying on one-third of an acre of land for food—even though it is all other people's labor, he just eats.
But he felt that the Crocker family could go one step further.
The catastrophe in the Qinggu area and the mutual aid association established with the support of the alliance are golden opportunities that he values.
He actively responded to the establishment of the Mutual Aid Association, and with his appeal, persuaded and influenced many plantations to join.
It's not difficult.
First of all, mutual aid associations are inherently beneficial, and everyone gets what they need; secondly, Crocker Manor, as the largest plantation, has indeed played a leading role in its positive response to mutual aid associations.
And his goal is actually not complicated: he wants to be the controller of the Mutual Aid Association, and transform the Mutual Aid Association from a mutual aid organization formed with the aid of the alliance into a political entity across the Qinggu area.
All the people sent by the alliance were excluded from the Mutual Aid Committee, and they were only given the status of observers, and the authority was under the control of the plantation owners and militia heads.And as long as he sat firmly in the chairman's position and became the leader, that would be fine.The latter is the gradual improvement of various government mechanisms, so that power can truly be implemented downwards.
Of course, he didn't think that after transforming the mutual aid association into a political entity, he would be able to challenge the alliance and the governor.It's just... the so-called alliance is not a centralized government. We have been a member of the alliance since the establishment of the alliance by a generation of governors, and we have never left the alliance.
It is still under the alliance system, but it is a regional regime with strong autonomy. Isn't it good to maintain a good cooperative and win-win relationship with the alliance center?
Of course he knew that, as far as the Qinggu area was concerned, it would definitely not work to fight against the alliance headquarters.What he wants to fight for is only political interests.In his view, the Qinggu area has a population and important food output, which is the basis for negotiating with the alliance headquarters.
Even in the future, it is inevitable that he will be completely swallowed by the alliance, but at that time, he must give him a passable explanation for little Crocker.It is not impossible to transform into a high-ranking official in the alliance.
But he didn't expect that the alliance would not give him time.
Little Crocker was a little apprehensive.
Could it be that my little thoughts have been seen through?The alliance is against me?
He convened a committee meeting of the mutual aid society.
The meeting place is at Crocker Manor, which itself is the headquarters of the Mutual Aid Society.
A circular hall with a low middle and gradually raised surroundings.Wooden tables and chairs are placed on the surrounding steps as seats for committee members.The round platform in the center is the speech platform.
In the venue, Little Crocker provoked the minds of other plantation owners.
Standing in the center of the conference hall, Little Crocker was speaking impassionedly.
"I believe many people have received the news that the Central Group Army led by Commander Yan Fangxu is heading south. According to the latest order of the alliance, we need to provide supplies for this army."
"Not only food supplies, but also the militia regiment that we have worked so hard to build up in the past few months must all be brought under the command of Commander Yan Fangxu."
"Look at what happened in the so-called central province two months ago. A large number of settlements were abolished; a large number of survivors were captured by the alliance; those who had tried their best to maintain the existence of settlements and protect Men of their people, guillotined, found guilty."
"The coalition is going to take everything from us, just like they did to the people in the central province two months ago."
What he said really touched the hearts of many people.
The Central Army's sudden southward movement did indeed cause panic.
The plantation owners were worried that their property would be confiscated. Under the policy of the Union, it seemed that completely independent and private property did not exist.
However, even if those thoughts were aroused, people were basically keeping silent at the moment.
Worrying is all about worrying, but... do you want to fight against the alliance because of this?
Let's not talk about anything else, just look at the attitude of those militia leaders.
At present, the military strength of the Mutual Aid Association is entirely composed of militia groups.
Among the militia chiefs, those elected by the manor owners are lucky to say that their position can still be consistent with the manor owners who elected them for the time being.
But those whitewashed looters who were recruited are completely different.
Being placed under the command of the Central Army Group... It seems that there is nothing wrong with them.
The looters who could be exonerated by Zhao An had to do this in the first place, just to survive.Those manor owners didn't have any kindness to them, and they didn't have a fixed property in Beiqinggu area.
Anyway, they are all eating together, and they are included in the ranks of the alliance army. Will people still starve them?
Maybe there is still a chance to become a regular in the future. Being a regular army of the alliance is awe-inspiring.
If you want to engage in a military confrontation with the alliance, expect a militia group with a similar mentality to go up and fight desperately?
Don't be ridiculous.
Moreover, let alone a direct military confrontation, even if there is no war, the alliance will not come to force, and the mutual aid association will not be able to bear just a hostile relationship.
With a militia group of more than 10 people, who can rely on for arms?
With food alone, the current population of 400 million in Beiqinggu can survive?A large number of industrial products and necessities of life also depend on the import from Shuangcheng, the most important of which is medical assistance.
If there is no assistance from the alliance, the mutual aid association itself will collapse.
To put it bluntly, there is no possibility of any frontal confrontation between the two sides.
Little Crocker himself mentioned the central province just now, right?
Then the central province can at least pull out an army of 10 people without any assistance from the governor.Can mutual aid?Once hostile, the order that the Mutual Aid Association has formed in the Beiqinggu area over the past two months may collapse by itself.
What's more, even if an army is pulled out, so what?
Can you still beat the army of the alliance?How many days did the [-] troops of the Central Bank last?
It is true that everyone has resentment towards the alliance military's sudden southward move, but if Crocker thinks that this will encourage everyone to follow him to head-to-head with the alliance, then it is a dream.
No one will follow him to this madness.
Of course, Little Crocker didn't feel insane that he could encourage the people in the mutual aid society to do this.Even if he could, he wouldn't do it.
However, after looking at the expressions of the crowd and guessing their mentality, Little Crocker was still a little disappointed.
But he quickly readjusted his mentality.
He continued: "I know you're all scared, thinking 'ah, is this little Crocker crazy to say something like that', but let me tell you, it's literally a matter of life and death. No one is willing to give up the assets accumulated by our ancestors for no reason."
"Of course, we are not going to fight against the alliance and the governor. I absolutely don't mean that. The mutual aid association was established with the assistance of the alliance. The governor has helped us a lot. We Qinggu people will never repay our vengeance. We are Members of the Alliance, have been, are, and will be; our allegiance to the Emperor, and to the Governor, will never change."
When he got to this point, people finally got interested.
It was said earlier that the alliance would take away everything from us, as if it wanted to encourage everyone to fight, but in the following paragraph, it changed the tone completely, saying that we must be loyal to the governor and the alliance.
What kind of speech is this?
What on earth is your kid doing?
But even though what he said was very inexplicable, when he mentioned that he didn't really intend to turn his mother back, the vigilance and vigilance in everyone's hearts dropped a lot.
People began to look forward to whether this little Crocker really had a good way to keep everyone's property without directly confronting the alliance.
"We are loyal to the governor and to the alliance, but loyalty does not mean stupidity. We must consider the way we are loyal."
"We will demonstrate our will to the Viceroy by means of non-violent non-cooperation. We will refuse to supply the Union Army, and we will refuse to hand over the command and organization of the Militia to the Central Army. If there is any direct Threats of violence, I allow you to temporarily agree and agree to cooperate; but after the threat of violence is over, we propose that we will continue to carry out protest actions..."
Speaking of this, Crocker's speech speed suddenly accelerated and became heavier:
"Commissioners, this is the way we fight. We will never engage in any positive confrontation with the Union military. Strikes, protests, food stoppages, these actions will not continue indefinitely. We just need to be civilized. Express our demands in a bloodless way, and finally achieve the goal of negotiating to solve the problem!"
His words shocked people.
Good guy, after a long time, it's just a 'non-violent non-cooperation', right?
But in retrospect, it's not impossible.
Strikes, demonstrations, no supplies... If the guns are pointed at, there is nothing to do; but as long as the guns are not pointed, nothing will be done.
How many men are there in the Union Army?
All come to be supervisors everywhere?
The two sides are fighting each other, and the consumption continues, the Qinggu area has always been in such a bad state anyway, how can it continue to be bad?
But the league is different.
Can the great cause of the Governor-General withstand such a delay?
Get yourself out of the value of the united front, and then at the negotiating table, try to get as many benefits as possible...
This way of thinking seems to be okay.
But someone raised a question: "This is a good way, but if the alliance conducts bloody suppression, captures or even shoots the leaders of the protests, that is, us, how should you respond?"
Little Crocker took a deep breath: "This is the risk we have to face: first, will the alliance do this? Are they not afraid to provoke greater resistance? Second, we must also protect ourselves. Qing Gu The region is very large, or the whole world is very large. We must hide, hide in the wilderness, and hide among the crowd. We must also find a way to ensure that we can still provide assistance to mutual aid associations, food rations, and labor under such circumstances. Has enough clout to..."
Just as little Crocker was talking about his thoughts and getting more and more serious, with a 'squeak', the door of the circular council hall was opened.
Little Crocker stopped talking and turned away angrily.
The door of the conference hall, behind the podium where he made a speech.
Today isn't exactly a secret meeting, but it's important enough.He had already ordered people not to allow any interruption during the meeting.The door of the meeting hall should be guarded by someone. How could anyone dare to disturb the meeting at this time?
But after seeing the person coming, the cursing on his lips was suppressed.
The person who came was Jason Morgan. He was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man. He was slightly fat and not tall. He always had a kind smile on his face. There was nothing unusual about it.
However, he still made little Crocker, who was planning how to do things, wanted to gain a fortune, and felt full of knowledge, feel a chill down his back.
It certainly wasn't that Jason Morgan himself had any magic powers.
That's because behind Jason Morgan, it symbolizes an invincible force that can only be dealt with secretly.
But now, the dark plan was placed under the sun.
Little Crocker tried his best to think of a way, no matter what, but now his mind is completely blank, as if some kind of physiological mechanism has been triggered, causing his brain to freeze.
Jason Morgan still had that kind smile on his face, he took a few steps forward, stood in front of little Crocker, and said: "Mutual Aid Committee meeting, it is against the rules of the committee to have no observers present. "
Little Crocker forced a smile.
He wanted to speak harsh words, and even thought of calling someone over to arrest Jason Morgan who broke in, or even kill him on the spot.
However, after a moment of stuttering, he just said: "I haven't had time to inform...Mr. Morgan, aren't you inspecting the disease prevention and control work in the park next door? If I knew you were there, I would have invited you here..."
Morgan waved his hand: "So that's the case, but it doesn't matter, now is the right time. On the way I came, I saw a lot of militiamen armed with live ammunition. I thought I would encounter a lot of trouble on the way in, but it turned out No one stopped me, and many comrades from the militia came along with me."
Having said that, he waved behind him.
A group of militiamen walked in with guns.
Morgan turned his head again, faced Little Crocker, and said, "Just now I seem to have heard something about 'non-violent non-cooperation' and 'we must consider the way of loyalty'..."
Speaking of this, Morgan's kind smile looked quite sinister to little Crocker.
"It's just a coincidence. Although I don't know what 'non-violent non-cooperation' means, but I graduated from the advanced training class of Xifeng Faithful Descendants Academy and received direct instruction from the governor. I think I am the most qualified to talk about it here. What is loyalty?"
"The way of loyalty, in my opinion, this issue does not need to be discussed. Even the militia comrades behind me who don't even know a few characters understand this truth deeply:"
"The best way to be loyal is to remain absolutely loyal. And if loyalty is not absolute, it is absolutely not loyal."
Jason Morgan lifted the red hat on top, completely suppressed all smiles, and looked at everyone present with a stern face: "I want to know how many people there are, and how many people want to be loyal? What was discussed?"
(End of this chapter)