Chapter 1734: Chengxuan Street
The institutional framework had been arranged before entering the city, the key cadres already selected. After Liu Xiang distributed the indigenous personnel to their positions, the organizational structure was essentially complete.
Outside, the clamor of registration and head-shaving continued. Liu Xiang couldn't manage all of that, so he hurried to his office—where Lin Baiguang was already waiting.
"The Great Army is about to enter the city. This is a bit rushed; it all depends on you." Liu Xiang dispensed with ceremony and got straight to the point.
The 4th Battalion and National Army units responsible for occupying Guangzhou had entered when the city first opened. Now the main force of the South China Army participating in the Guangdong Strategy was about to march through. From a purely military standpoint, these troops had no need to enter the city, but the Senators all agreed on the opportunity to publicize "Our Martial Prowess," letting the natives fully appreciate the Fubo Army's military might and thoroughly deter potential resistance. So it was decided that the Great Army would pass through the city under full arms.
"This really isn't easy to handle." Lin Baiguang spread out his map of Guangzhou—the product of years of painstaking work by the City Operation Department. However, as a secret agency, they had no authority to send surveyors openly into every building, so the details lacked precision. Still, it roughly depicted the main street network and building groups to scale.
"Though it's not a formal military parade, it amounts to the same thing." Lin Baiguang traced a finger along the map. "From what I know, the most suitable route is to enter from the Great South Gate, proceed north along Chengxuan Street, pass through Shuangmendi, and exit from the Great North Gate or Small North Gate—crossing the entire city."
Chengxuan Street was Beijing Road in modern times. Throughout all dynasties, Beijing Road had served as Guangzhou City's north-south central axis, holding crucial traffic significance. Government offices, academies, and temples lined both sides, and it was also a major commercial district. An armed parade here would achieve maximum impact.
"...The key is that this street is wide enough and stone-paved." Lin Baiguang pointed at the map. "You've seen Guangzhou's streets."
Liu Xiang nodded. "Narrow, uneven surfaces. Mostly mud-stone mixed roads."
"Mud-stone mixed is considered good—most are plain dirt with no stones at all." Lin Baiguang shook his head. "But the difficulty doesn't lie there."
"Where, then?" Liu Xiang was puzzled.
"I can't explain it clearly here. Better if we go see for ourselves." Lin Baiguang smiled slightly. "I think you should do more on-site work to understand the challenges of governing a big city."
"I accept that suggestion." Liu Xiang nodded. "There's another matter. Could you temporarily serve as Director of the Guangzhou Municipal Police Bureau?"
"That isn't appropriate, is it? The National Police and our civil affairs department are separate systems. Besides, Ran Yao still has his own people. He hasn't proposed a candidate yet because he's balancing internal politics—let's wait for the formal appointment."
"You can hold it concurrently for now. I'll issue an appointment letter later; you can hand over when the permanent director arrives. There's a great deal of police work to handle, and the sooner the better. Besides, how can you, the Director of the Comprehensive Governance Office, function without a gun barrel?" Liu Xiang shook his head. "Though I'm Director of the Military Control Commission—managing the army on horseback and the people off horseback, commanding both military and police—you have too many urgent matters to come for reports and applications every time..."
"Don't you have the Detective Brigade you just incorporated?" Lin Baiguang smiled. "Those people are quite useful."
Liu Xiang and Lin Baiguang departed City Hall. They neither called for a carriage nor took a sedan chair, bringing more than ten guards instead. Lin Baiguang also summoned a Works Department scribe and several copying clerks and detective team members. Together they headed for Chengxuan Street.
Chengxuan Street wasn't far from the Prefectural Yamen—historically, this had always been Guangzhou's political and cultural center. Numerous government offices, academies, and temples stood here, so the surrounding houses and streets were relatively neat and impressive. Yet the streets and alleys were mostly twisting and winding, the paths narrow and crooked. The road surfaces were worse—sewerage facilities were virtually nonexistent. Domestic sewage flowed everywhere, and standing water after rainfall took ages to dry. Liu Xiang thought gratefully of Lin Baiguang's reminder to wear high-top oilcloth boots. Otherwise, walking here would have been misery.
"This is considered good by local standards," Lin Baiguang observed. "Being close to government offices and the main commercial area, residents are relatively wealthier, and the roads are at least mud-stone mixed. If you venture into the poorer alleys, the mud never dries."
"I originally thought Guangzhou would be better than Lingao and Qiongshan. It seems about the same." Liu Xiang laughed bitterly. "With sanitary conditions like these, summer epidemics are inevitable."
"Ancient societies had no concept of urban planning and management."
As they walked, they encountered gates at every alley entrance. The street gates varied wildly in style—some were proper gate towers, others merely door openings cut through walls with fence doors installed. The simplest were just bamboo barricades, blocking alley entrances at night and pushed aside during the day.
"Street gates are a crucial element of Guangzhou's public security," Lin Baiguang explained. "After dark, the gates are locked, which significantly limits nighttime criminal activity. In an era without streetlights, this is the most effective urban security measure."
"Equivalent to the curfew we've implemented."
"Exactly. Night travel was also prohibited here before. Runners patrolled the streets every evening—anyone caught walking at night would be interrogated. If you seemed suspicious, you'd face twenty strokes from the Jail Warden Lord and a night in jail, released only on bail the next day. Of course, if you were gentry or had money for a timely bribe, you'd be spared the physical pain."
"Truly corrupt," Liu Xiang muttered.
"Corrupt as it is, it serves a function." Lin Baiguang sighed. "They're very familiar with the city's criminal gangs and beggar gangs. If you want to handle public security properly, you have to rely on them—at least for now."
Liu Xiang noticed small gray brick houses of similar appearance beside every street gate. Though mostly dilapidated with incomplete doors and windows, they used gray cylindrical tiles reserved for official buildings. He was curious and started toward one when a copying clerk beside him spoke up: "Your Excellency, that's the official house where the street watchman lives. It's very filthy inside..."
Filthy indeed. Not to mention urine stains covering the walls—several urine buckets stood against the wall, emitting an overpowering stench. Above the buckets, a large notice was pasted on the wall: the very "Message to Guangzhou Citizens" he had instructed the Comprehensive Governance Office to post throughout the city yesterday.
Unexpectedly posted here. Liu Xiang smiled bitterly—though admittedly, people coming to pee would definitely see it.
"Street watchman?"
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Seeing his confusion, Lin Baiguang explained that the so-called street watchman was responsible for opening and closing the street gates and striking the watch at night—generally performed by beggars. They also handled unclaimed corpses found on the road.
"Public security relying on beggars. Truly ridiculous." Liu Xiang shook his head. He now understood these houses were the era's equivalent of modern-day police boxes. Though 21st-century police boxes might not always have officers present, at least they had security guards. Here they used beggars.
"How much is he paid monthly?"
"How much is given is a matter for the street to decide. The yamen doesn't concern itself," the scribe said cautiously.
Liu Xiang was nearly moved to tears by this absurd approach to urban management. A detective team member, thinking Liu Xiang wanted to see the watchman, walked to the door, kicked open the reed curtain serving as a makeshift door, and shouted: "Come out! The Prefect Lord wants to see you!"
A man in a patched uniform emerged and dropped to his knees before Liu Xiang. "This lowly one kowtows to Your Excellency."
Liu Xiang observed that his appearance was fairly clean, just his clothes were patches upon patches. "Get up and speak."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
"You strike the watch here. How much money and rice does the street give you monthly?"
The watchman dared not look up, keeping his head lowered. "Replying to Your Excellency—no money or rice."
"Without money or rice, how do you survive?"
"Rely on the kindness of neighbors, giving leftover rice and porridge. Can still get by."
Liu Xiang suddenly turned to the scribe. "The street doesn't give the watchman money and rice?"
The scribe's name was Jia Jue. Because he was considered to have a "conscience"—treating common people without extortion, never making difficulties when paid to handle matters—he had a good reputation and thus escaped the purge. Hearing Liu Xiang's question, he dared not delay: "Actually, there is..."
"Embezzled by whom?"
"The money and grain are all handed over to the Big Bones everywhere." The "Big Bones" he mentioned were beggar chiefs.
Liu Xiang nodded, understanding. Beggars had their own gangs. But watchmen were an important security force in ancient cities. Their nighttime watch-striking served not only to mark time but also to deter and disturb criminals. They could be organized and utilized now.
The group walked onto Chengxuan Street. The street was indeed "grand"—by visual estimate, over nine meters wide. Quite broad for Guangzhou. Most importantly, the road surface was completely paved with green stone slabs—though the slabs were cracked or missing in various places, with water pooled in many spots.
"The average road width is about 9.2 meters. Our people measured it," Lin Baiguang noted.
"That's two-lane road width. A proper military parade won't work, but marching in columns of six is no problem. Gun carriages and baggage carts can run too."
"That's why I invited you to come see for yourself. It's not what you think." Lin Baiguang smiled. "Materials are often unreliable."
Chengxuan Street was one of Guangzhou's most lively and prosperous main roads and commercial streets, lined with numerous shops. Though many remained shuttered out of safety concerns—the city having just changed hands—and most stall vendors hadn't set up, quite a few merchants were still open for business. The group's appearance immediately caused a commotion. People recognized from their attire that these must be high Australian officials. Those better informed already knew this was the "Australian Prefect." With a whoosh, everyone scattered to both sides of the street. Assistants who had been shouting vigorously fell silent. The somewhat lively street became suddenly deserted.
(End of this chapter)