Chapter 2139 - Difficulties Abound

Because of this incident, Xie Erren lost all intention of continuing to "patrol" inside and outside the city. However, two pontoon bridges still awaited "inspection": the Canglong Pontoon Bridge and the Gui River Pontoon Bridge, which connected the east, west, and south of the river, linking Wuzhou's three rivers and six banks into one whole.

Now both pontoon bridges had been destroyed in the flames of war. Daily life and livelihoods of Wuzhou's people suffered greatly. For the Wuzhou Municipal Government, whether traffic flowed smoothly also related to whether security forces could rapidly reach various important points outside the city. So Xie Erren had to inspect them.

To reach the Gui River Pontoon Bridge from the Dragon Mother Temple, one only needed to follow the Gui River bank southward. This riverside area stood close to the urban zone and previously featured dense docks, warehouses, and shops—very lively. At this moment, however, broken walls and ruins appeared everywhere—fortunately, most markets and docks survived, but every house was shuttered, presenting a cold and desolate scene. Xie Erren sighed as he walked: the Fubo Army fought somewhat excessively, beating it into such miserable condition!

He suddenly recalled something and turned to ask, "Why are all shops here closed? Didn't we request them to open for business as soon as possible?"

The accompanying Paijia apologized with a smile. "Master doesn't know, this area outside the city currently wallows in chaos and turmoil. Bandits and bad people run rampant, and street gates are all damaged. Even in broad daylight, people suffer robbery—how would shopkeepers dare open their doors for business!"

Xie Erren hadn't expected security outside the city to be so poor, but in retrospect, it was inevitable: the old "Three Classes of Bailiffs" were either dead or fled. Many people, knowing about the bailiff cleanup in Guangzhou, asked themselves whether they had blood debts and public anger; even if alive, they naturally didn't dare return. In the end, only twenty people came to report for duty. Just maintaining security inside the city already exceeded their ability. As for the hurriedly established militia, that was merely a mob with nothing to show for it yet.

"Rest assured, I will arrange for the militia to come on duty immediately. It's just that merchants here also need to contribute and repair all street gates. Wherever damaged gaps exist, regardless of whether using bricks or wood, they should be blocked up."

The Paijia naturally agreed repeatedly. Zhao Fengtian hurriedly made another note in his small notebook. This was an instruction for all Senator secretaries: speeches made by Senators during inspections and talks outside must have key points recorded to form a memorandum—in the past, Senators often issued various "instructions" frequently during inspections, but forgot them completely after returning, leaving a poor impression of "liking empty talk" on naturalized citizens and indigenous people.

Xie Erren declined the sedan chair, walking and looking along the street, stopping from time to time to inquire and "ask after needs," before arriving at the Niu Shi (Cow Dung) Dock where the Gui River Pontoon Bridge was located.

The Gui River Pontoon Bridge's location was roughly at the later Yuanjiang Bridge's position. East of the bridge was Niu Shi Dock, connecting to Xiaonan Road in the east; west of the bridge was the Sanhezui Grand Drill Ground. At bridgeheads on both banks, dozens of steps were built with bricks and stones. A pair of iron pillars stood on each side, hung with two wrought iron chains. Boats were moored to the chains, and wooden planks were framed on the boats and between them to form a bridge, with railings on both sides. However, at this moment, not only were the boats missing without trace, but even the two iron chains were broken and sunk in river water.

Below the dock, many wrecks of ships that had been sunk or burned remained. Combined with the war-destroyed houses near Niu Shi Dock, it presented a desolate and lonely post-war scene.

He Dongli explained that this pontoon bridge was first built under Han Yong's and the local Garrison Eunuch Chen Ping's auspices. It utilized a total of 56 boats, with ten additional boats as reserves to be added or removed according to water level to facilitate bridge deck adjustment. It had been repaired and replaced over the years; only the iron pillars and chains were still original items.

The iron chains themselves could be opened and closed. When ships passed, they could be loosened to give way to the channel. When no ships were passing, they could be connected again. Though slightly inconvenient for Gui River traffic, it was a great benevolent policy for inhabitants on both banks.

Whether from perspectives of winning popular support, deploying troops conveniently, or restoring market prosperity, this pontoon bridge had to be repaired as soon as possible.

Xie Erren asked the local Paijia to summon the bridge keeper. Upon inquiry, he found that boats hadn't been completely destroyed; seven or eight reserve boats survived—even so, the gap wasn't small. The bridge keeper also complained incessantly. It turned out that although the government built this bridge, daily use and maintenance were the responsibility of nearby merchants and people. Though the government sent personnel to set up bridgehead checkpoints to collect taxes, maintenance costs for this bridge were all "self-raised" by merchants and people, which became a major burden for shops on both banks.

Listening to the "representative" complaining there, he felt slightly impatient at heart—he'd heard too many such words since entering the city. Endless complaints: retained clerks and bailiffs in the yamen, the "gentry and elders," the common people... as long as he asked about specific situations, difficulties abounded. They looked at him eagerly, hoping he would devise a solution. Even naturalized cadres and soldiers held this tone: in their view, Senators should be omnipotent.

How do you know that I am also a clay bodhisattva crossing the river, not knowing where the solution is myself! Thinking of the poverty-stricken appearance of the Rehabilitation Bureau gentry, Xie Erren's mood worsened—he didn't know how the fundraising for money and grain was progressing.

With such weary mood, Xie Erren hurriedly departed the ferry crossing and returned to the prefecture yamen. The Planning Agency's search team had already inventoried part of the spoils of war and the contents of various public treasuries at Wuzhou Prefecture and County levels and compiled them into a booklet.

Xie Erren examined it. Overall, there wasn't much profit: almost no grain or money. He hated Xiong Wencan even more at heart: how much money and grain had been wasted in Wuzhou with tens of thousands of people!

There were quite a few miscellaneous materials in the spoils, but most were swords, spears, and military weapons, which offered no help to his current predicament—he couldn't use so many swords and spears, and the Senate didn't value the Ming Dynasty's firearms. Looking around, only the ships abandoned by the Ming army had some value; at least they could be used to repair the pontoon bridge.

He calculated which things could be used and which matters needed handling as soon as possible, writing while thinking. After a long time, he felt a headache. Getting up and walking around a circle, he suddenly remembered the female assassin and called Zhao Fengtian:

"How is that female assassin?"

"Detained in the prefecture prison," Zhao Fengtian said. "According to the bailiff, her temperament is particularly unyielding. She tried to bite her tongue after being caught, and later tried to hit her head against the wall on the way. Right now she is cangued to the wall, and even her mouth is stuffed with things. The punishments room clerk asks for the Chief's instructions: how to dispose of her?"

This kind of matter just needed a naturalized cadre responsible for security to handle. The importance was nothing more than digging out whether a "anti-Senate group" existed behind the scenes. If troublesome, direct disposal was also fine: whether execution on the spot or showing leniency and escorting her to Lingao for "labor reform," it was just a matter of one sentence.

However, Xie Erren's journalist instinct revived: there must be big news behind this! His nose seemed to smell the stench of major social news, completely disregarding that he was one of the parties involved.

"No, I want to interrogate her personally!" Xie Erren said decisively.

In addition to his nature being hard to change, this also contained his intention to use familiar things to dilute the boring emotions before him.

"Yes, I'll go summon someone to bring her over!" Zhao Fengtian had worked with the Chiefs for a long time and was used to their sudden ideas. The phrase "The Chief is always right" had almost become a superstition for old naturalized citizens. So he turned to do it without any doubt.

Xie Erren stopped him: "I'll go to the prison cell to interrogate; don't bring her over."

This place had been converted into an office, filled with documents and maps. It was inappropriate to let prisoners and retained bailiffs enter. Xie Erren still possessed this bit of confidentiality awareness.

Zhao Fengtian immediately led the way, taking him to the prefecture prison's gate.

The Wuzhou Prefecture Prison was actually in the prefecture yamen's southwest corner—although the scale and construction quality of prefecture and county prisons in the Great Ming varied, they were all carved from the same mold in form. Specifically, they were all built according to the yamen form set by Zhu Yuanzhang. Wuzhou Prefecture Yamen was no exception.

Don't be fooled by ordinary civilian houses which were mostly wooden structures or bamboo fences pasted with mud; this large prison and the county yamen received the same treatment, both built with hand-made blue bricks, very fastidious. The walls were tall and solid. With many years' passage, it appeared very gloomy.

The prefecture prison's main gate was hard-mountain style tiled house, three bays wide and one bay deep, facing north. The middle bay was the main gate, and the two side bays were vertical lattice windows. This was the prison entrance and also where guards sat on duty, so it was also called the "Passing Hall."

In the Passing Hall, the prison head and jailers had already received news. One by one, they changed into neat clothes to welcome him. Seeing Xie Erren coming, they bowed in unison.

Xie Erren waved his hand: "No need for formalities. Where is the assassin?"

"Detained in death row at the back." The head stepped forward and reported respectfully, "This woman is very unyielding and attempted suicide several times. We can only cangue her. Please give instructions, Master, where to interrogate?"

Xie Erren looked at this Passing Hall. The place wasn't big, and the east and west rooms were inconvenient because they were office and duty places for the prison head. He remembered seeing the Prison God Temple in the Beijing Opera Su San Under Police Escort. Since it was a temple, there must be at least one room, which could be used for interrogation.

"I heard there's a Prison God Temple in the prison. Let it be there."

The prison head was stunned and smiled apologetically, "There is naturally a Prison God Temple, only... only... the place is too small and not very convenient..."

This, on the contrary, aroused Xie Erren's suspicion. He hadn't visited a prison before, and at this moment intended to take a look, so he said, "What's to fear if it's small? If it's not suitable, we'll change then—lead the way!"

Seeing he had made up his mind, the prison head couldn't disobey, so he immediately led the way in front.

Passing through the Passing Hall, there was a long and narrow courtyard. A row of prison cells stood on each of the east and west sides, with a corridor in the middle, only 2 meters wide. Above the whole courtyard, there was truly only a "strip of sky." Walking in the corridor felt indescribably gloomy and depressing. From time to time, one could smell the stench of dampness.

The head said this was the cell for ordinary prisoners. Eight cells stood on each side. At this moment, because the government had released all prisoners before the city fell, the cells were empty. Xie Erren looked in curiously at the door for a moment: the cell's area was extremely small, with a depth of no more than 1.5 meters and a width of no more than 2 meters.