Chapter 5: The County Magistrate's Invitation

He immediately sat down without any courtesy

However, Huang Peizhi is now questioning what ideas he has for organizing a militia. What other ideas could he have? If Xianfeng were to go mad and grant him the title of a special commissioner for militia organization, well, that kind of assignment to "supervise the militia affairs of a certain province" would certainly make Lin Zhe eager to take it on, even to the extent of investing tens of thousands or even over a hundred thousand taels of his own money. But the key question is, is this even possible?

This meal can be considered truly simple and unadorned, and the chef's skills are rather lacking, making Lin Zhe, who is accustomed to the dishes prepared by the Lin family's chef, feel quite uncomfortable. After taking a few bites, he slowed down his pace of picking up food, while Huang Peizhi ate with great enjoyment, suggesting that he is no stranger to such meals.

Upon seeing Lin Zhe arrive, Huang Peizhi's chubby face broke into a smile: "Lin Xian-di, you are here. Come, the kitchen has just prepared something simple, let’s eat together!"

After the two sat down, the servants began to serve the dishes. However, it was only after the dishes were served that Lin Zhe realized that what Huang Peizhi had said about simply having a bite was indeed very simple

It has been several months since arriving in this era. To be honest, when Lin Zhe first came to this time, he considered whether to seek refuge with Zeng Guofan, but reality told him that such thoughts were unrealistic

This tea is as poor as the meal just now. Just by smelling the aroma of the tea, Lin Zhe knew that this tea would definitely not be much better than the tea served to the servants in his own household

Later, he also considered organizing a group practice himself, but he had always struggled due to a lack of opportunity. Although Lin Zhe is now the only son of a wealthy family with assets amounting to several million, organizing a group practice remains exceedingly difficult.

Lin Zhe furrowed his brow as he looked at the invitation in his hand. Despite harboring doubts in his heart, he still had to attend this banquet

During the entire Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period, most of the ministers in charge of the militia appointed by the government were either serving high-ranking officials or current high-ranking officials

The entire month of March passed relatively peacefully, as Lin Zhe was busy transferring family assets, expanding the protective courtyard, and dealing with various other chaotic matters, leaving him little inclination to worry about the current situation

For an ordinary person, it is essentially impossible to raise the banner of the militia minister to organize a militia; they can only engage in minor skirmishes to form a local militia. If one wishes to scale up the operation, it generally requires the approval and support of the local government. Regardless of the era, the authorities would never allow individuals to form private armies without oversight.

After listening, Lin Zhe began to ponder. He could not understand why Huang Peizhi was so determined to establish a brave camp, and the reason for approaching him could not possibly be due to any military talent he possessed. The only explanation could be one: that he was wealthy

Suppressing his discomfort, Lin Zhe took two sips and then set down the teacup. At that moment, Huang Peizhi also took a large sip of hot tea and began to speak: "Last month’s bandit suppression was largely thanks to the assistance of Brother Lin; otherwise, I would not have received commendation from my superiors!"

This left Lin Zhe very puzzled; if he ate this kind of food every day, how did he end up with such a body full of fat?

Seeing Lin Zhe remain silent, Huang Peizhi did not show any obvious impatience, but continued: "Since the last battle in the eastern city, the guards in your residence have left a deep impression on me. Now, thanks to the attention from above, and considering that our Yuyiao region is also quite unsettled, I am thinking of establishing a brave battalion. Among the outstanding individuals in Yuyiao, I believe only you, Lin Xian-di, are worthy of this important responsibility"

"I wonder what Lin Xiandi thinks about organizing group training?" Huang Peizhi said after taking another sip of tea

As Lin Zhe began to relocate his family business to the Shanghai concession, significantly reducing his operations in the southern Jiangsu region while simultaneously expanding the scale of his protective courtyard, the domestic situation continued to be tumultuous

The group of bandits that besieged Lin Family Village is a quintessential example

The dishes were served, and the two began to eat in silence. Scholars emphasize the principle of not speaking while eating or sleeping. While it is often said that people in this country enjoy discussing matters during meals, this was not the case for the scholars of the feudal era. Engaging in grand discussions with mouths full of food was considered quite impolite.

Lin Zhe naturally would not reveal his inner thoughts, and immediately smiled broadly, saying: "When the elder invites, the student cannot refuse"

Huang Peizhi chuckled, "Lin Xiandi, you are being too modest. The last time, Ding Zhuang under your command left a profound impression on me. Not to mention others, just your subordinate, Coach Wang, is a formidable general, showcasing a remarkable prowess in that battle!"

It is obvious that one cannot know something just by thinking with one's toes, so the "group training" mentioned by Huang Peizhi should refer to the ordinary local militia.

The second type of militia training is undoubtedly promising; if executed well, it can lead to regional autonomy and even make rebellion a relatively easy endeavor. However, the threshold for such militia training is quite high. The Daoguang Emperor did not arbitrarily bestow the title of 'militia minister'; generally, only high-ranking officials or former high-ranking officials are qualified to organize militia training. Taking the most notable examples of Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, both were legitimate high-ranking officials in active service. They were granted the title of militia ministers by the Daoguang Emperor due to reasons such as mourning, demotion, or retirement, which led them to return to their hometowns. At times, the Daoguang Emperor would directly appoint current high-ranking officials to oversee militia training, such as Xu Naizhao, a scholar from the cabinet. Li Hongzhang also returned to his hometown to manage militia training in his capacity as a current editor of the Hanlin Academy.

Thus, after the formalities were properly observed, Lin Zhe did not actually show much respect to Huang Peizhi. He simply sat down without hesitation, displaying none of the nervousness typical of ordinary citizens when encountering officials, not even daring to sit firmly in the chair

In the northern Zhejiang region, there is also unrest, with small groups of Taiping troops appearing one after another. Although these are not large-scale Taiping forces, they still cause immense anxiety among local officials in northern Zhejiang. In addition to these legitimate small groups of Taiping troops, there are also numerous bandits attempting to create disturbances under the guise of the Taiping army.

His relationship with Huang Peizhi is a typical one between local gentry and officials. Although the Lin family has not produced any high-ranking officials, they are quite wealthy. With substantial funds at their disposal, they can certainly find many people to speak on their behalf in the political arena. While they may not dare to reach the highest echelons, they have nonetheless established a solid network of connections in the Zhejiang region.

Although Lin Zhe occasionally gives money to Huang Peizhi and treats him with courtesy, giving money is merely a common practice in official circles. The term 'courtesy' truly represents the relationship between Lin Zhe and Huang Peizhi, which is characterized by mutual politeness. You pursue your official gains while I conduct my business for profit, and we do not interfere with each other

For ambitious individuals, engaging in the first type of group training is meaningless, as there is no official personnel or financial support, making it impossible to scale up. Even a wealthy family like the Lin family cannot sustain a troop of several thousand for long. Moreover, a larger scale would raise suspicions from the authorities, leading to eventual incorporation.

The next evening, Lin Zhe boarded a small carriage for two, accompanied by several servants and guards, and set out. The county town of Yuyao was not large, and he soon arrived at the county office. After handing a red envelope to the doorman, the doorman, with a beaming smile, led Lin Zhe into the back of the county office.

Huang Peizhi subsequently submitted a memorial to his superiors, stating that nearly a thousand Taiping bandits attacked Yuyao. Under the wise command of County Magistrate Huang Peizhi, he led the county militia and local gentry to achieve a decisive victory against the enemy, successfully alleviating the crisis in Yuyao. They decapitated dozens of bandits, inflicted hundreds of casualties on the enemy, and seized several flags and weapons.

However, at the beginning of April, an invitation from Huang Peizhi was delivered to Lin Zhe.

Is this stinginess or a pretense of superiority

Lin Zhe felt somewhat puzzled upon hearing this. Why was Huang Peizhi saying such things at this moment? However, Huang Peizhi soon provided him with an answer

Does Huang Peizhi want to see me? Lin Zhe was somewhat puzzled; what could this corrupt official want with him? Could it be that the money he gave him last time was insufficient?

One ate little, while the other ate quickly; the time spent on this meal was not long. Soon, the servants came to clear away the leftover dishes, and tea was served again.

Three dishes and one soup, yet there wasn't a hint of oily fishiness to be found. The wine, upon inspection, was clearly of inferior quality, with a smell reminiscent of water seeping through. This left Lin Zhe at a loss for words

Although the Qing court has successively prepared to establish the Jiangnan and Jiangbei camps, the Qing army continues to suffer more defeats than victories in the battles against the Taiping army

Lin Zhe felt puzzled after hearing this. Why did Huang Peizhi suddenly bring up the topic of group training today?

Upon hearing Huang Peizhi initiate the conversation, he knew that this discussion had truly begun

Upon hearing the title "Lin Xiandi," Lin Zhe couldn't help but think to himself that Huang Peizhi's address was so affectionate, could it be that there were ulterior motives behind it

However, Lin Zhe believes that even with these efforts, there is still great potential to be realized

Only www.hetushu.com is engaged in these local militia matters, which is not comparable to training personal bodyguards. Training personal bodyguards is a personal affair, meant for self-preservation and escorting merchant caravans, requiring a small scale and minimal expense. However, organizing formal militia training, even if it is just at the local government level, would cost at least several tens of thousands of taels of silver to start. Moreover, judging by Huang Peizhi's expression, it is evident that the authorities do not intend to contribute much financially; otherwise, he would not have sought me out.

Militia training is no longer a foreign term. Since the rebellion of the bandits, Emperor Xianfeng has issued edicts multiple times, urging the gentry to organize militia training.

The greatest obstacle is that Lin Zhe is not an official, and he does not even hold the title of a scholar; he belongs to the genuine commoner class. You say he should seek the patronage of Zeng Guofan, but whether he can actually meet Zeng Guofan is another matter altogether

During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom period, there were generally two types of militia organizations. One type was privately funded and organized by local gentry, lacking any formal documents issued by the court, which aligns with the traditional concept of local militia. The other type was organized under the formal authority of the court, with officials such as the 'militia ministers' overseeing, coordinating, or assisting in the establishment of these militias. The Xiang Army and Huai Army fall into the latter category; although they were also referred to as militias, their funding primarily came from local government sources, including newly established tax checkpoints, customs duties, and the diversion of local tax revenues, which constituted their financial support.

You, Huang Peizhi, are a well-known corrupt official. In just half a year in office, you have embezzled at least over ten thousand taels of silver, yet you have the audacity to serve such meals to your guests

At that moment, he said: "There, there, it is the students who should thank the esteemed county lord for his assistance; otherwise, the village in the east of the city would not have been preserved!"

Although Lin Zhe felt speechless, he had no inclination to speculate on why Huang Peizhi acted this way

He cautiously said, "I do not know what the regulations of this brave camp are, and how much it costs"