Rebirth of Hong Kong Island, I, the rice class leader

Chapter 384 384: Seize power in time! Dedicated to Dr. Gao!

In 1945, half a year after the restoration of Hong Kong Island, Yang Muqi was reinstated as the Governor of Hong Kong on May 1946, 5.

Before the end of World War II, the London authorities promised to allow their colonies to have a high degree of autonomy and even independence after the war. When the Labor government headed by Attlee came to power, the London authorities began to implement these commitments and implemented them in most of the colonies. political reform.

Under such circumstances, Yang Muqi, who carried the stigma of being arrested during the Japanese occupation, began to implement political reforms on the grounds that he was ordered by Great Britain. Finally, on August 1946, 8, he issued a political system reform plan, which is known in history. "Muchi Yang Plan".

The main idea of ​​the plan is to re-establish a city council with 30 members, two-thirds of whom are elected and the remaining one-third are appointed.

This is definitely a leap forward, because currently all members of Hong Kong Island are appointed by the Hong Kong government, and in order to control power, members are divided into official and non-official members.

For example, Gao Yao is an unofficial member of the Urban Council. To put it simply, he is an honorary member.

According to Yang's plan, the additional city council will initially be responsible for managing fire protection, recreational venues, vehicle licenses and the municipal bureau. If conditions permit in the future, it can also manage education, social welfare, public construction, and even public utilities.

To put it simply, the city council has real power, and most of it comes from the police force...

After the launch of the plan, there was a situation of ice and fire. Elites among the younger generation of Chinese, such as Ma Wenhui, were extremely excited. They believed that Hong Kong Island would usher in democratic reform like other places in the Commonwealth, and Hong Kong people would completely say goodbye to their ignorant past.

It's different in the market. They don't care at all. That's what Gao Yao said to Jian Qiang. The neighbors just want to have enough to eat. They don't care who engages in politics.

Gao Yao looked at Jian Qiang meaningfully: "Whose democracy is this?"

Jian Jianqiang was speechless and speechless. He was stopped by the question.

Struggle is everywhere. Any Chinese representative who can become a tycoon on Hong Kong Island did so through struggle.

This struggle is politics.

Long before Gao Yao was born, the Chinese in Hong Kong had two forces that were known as the strongest in the political circles. One was the Wuyi Gang represented by Li Yutang, and the other was the Bao'an force represented by Liu Zhubo (also known as the local faction). .

In the earliest days, the Wuyi Gang supported the revolution, and many representatives emerged from it, such as Li Yutang and Situ Meitang of Hongmen Zhigongtang.

Among them, Li Yutang, based in Hong Kong Island and Guangfu, led the backbone of the Wuyi Gang to send money and food to the founding father, and obtained considerable profits from it.

The Wuyi Gang believes that revolution is a business, and the money and food they provide to the National Government is not free and must be repaid. They often strive for economic benefits such as land and public utility businesses.

The founding father also knew something very well. Every time he regained power, he would give benefits to representatives of the Wuyi Gang such as Li Yutang.

For example, Li Yutang was appointed as a member of the Central Finance Commission, and Yang Xiyan was appointed as the Minister of Finance. Important positions such as salt transportation and transportation were successively handed over to people from Siyi. It is said that a lot of urban land and real estate in Guangfu were also transferred to the It was in the hands of Chinese businessmen from Hong Kong in Siyi.

The Wuyi Gang is in control of the core interests of Guangdong, which naturally makes other forces dissatisfied. The young people led by Liao Zhongkai believe that the benefits demanded by Hong Kong businessmen from Siyi are too huge, and they speculate on land in Guangdong, disrupting local business and finance. order, so he often persuaded the founding fathers to take back various official positions and economic benefits given to Hong Kong businessmen from Siyi.

At that time, the Wuyi Gang was the money bag of the founding father. In making revolution, we could not only talk about ideals but also money. Naturally, the founding father could not agree to the requests of his subordinates.

Later, the founding father adopted the policy of "alliance with Russia and accommodation of the Communist Party" and received huge financial assistance from Tsarist Russia.

With money, the backbone naturally became stronger, and the Wuyi Gang began to be stripped out of the core position of the National Government.

Afterwards, the Wuyi Gang, which lost political support, was also suppressed by the Hong Kong government on Hong Kong Island. From then on, they calmly waited for the development of Hong Kong Island and never returned to the mainland to invest in real estate.

Those who helped the Hong Kong government suppress the Wuyi Gang were Baoan forces represented by Liu Zhubo.

Hong Kong Island was originally under the jurisdiction of Bao'an. According to common sense, the forces of Bao'an origin in Hong Kong Island should cover up the genius with one hand.

Unfortunately, Baoan's time as a political protagonist was very short!

The Bao'an forces were able to enter the political stage because the founding father first supported the Wuyi Gang, and then pursued the policy of cooperating with Russia and accommodating the Communist Party, which completely offended the British Hong Kong government and the prominent families in the greater Bao'an area.

In order to suppress the Wuyi Gang, the Hong Kong government terminated Ho Kai's status as a member of the Legislative Council in 1913. At the same time, it excluded Wuyi people who were closely related to the revolutionaries at different levels, and began to support Bao'an people (or Bao'an people) who had completely different political orientations. Called the local faction, such as Liu Zhubo, Zhou Shoushen, He Dong, etc.).

This support is all-round, including political status and wealth. Otherwise, how could He Dong become a guest in a foreigner's home so smoothly and be the first to buy a house in the middle of the mountain?
  Do you really think mixed-race people are awesome?

In Hong Kong society in the early days, mixed-race people were considered Japanese devils, and were disliked by both Chinese and foreigners.

Among them, Liu Zhubo, a representative of the local faction, was appointed as a member of the Legislative Council in 1913. He received support from the Hong Kong government the following year, and together with a group of Eurasian mixed-race business elites - He Fu, He Gantang, Luo Changshiu and Chen Qiming, etc., raised funds for [-] years. Ten thousand yuan founded Dayou Bank.

Interestingly, Dayou Bank has not registered in accordance with the statutory bank registration system, so that it can accept deposits from ordinary citizens and expand its business.

What’s even more interesting is that during World War I, after Britain declared war on Prussia, the bank donated a huge sum of money as military expenses for Britain’s troops against Prussia before its business was fully launched. Then in 1915, it donated a plane worth A plane for four thousand five hundred pounds as a sign of loyalty.

From this, the Bao'an forces entered the historical stage of Hong Kong Island and began to pursue the Wuyi Gang. In a series of battles, a major case that shocked the whole of Hong Kong and Kowloon finally occurred.

The backbone of the Wuyi Gang, the Grand Duke cigarette merchant Li Xishen was actually killed in full view of the public!
  How could a man with wealth all over the world and the patriarch of one of the four major families in Hong Kong be shot dead?

As soon as the shooting case broke out, the whole Hong Kong was in panic and everyone was in panic.

Interestingly, after the incident, the police force, which claimed to have devoted all its efforts to investigating the case, stated that the murderer was not yet known, and it was impossible to know whether it was a vendetta, a love killing, or an interception.

Anyway, so far, the murder of Li Hysan is still a mystery.

Hysan's death was not without merit.

The fighting between the Wuyi Gang and the Baoan Gang began to subside, and then the Dongguan Gang began to rise to prominence. Its leader, Liu Fu, used Dong Fuhe and the Zai Chao Fang to compete in the arena, making the Dongguan Gang a rising star at the time.

Then Gao Yao emerged, and the Chaozhou Gang began to lead the group.

In this, Gao Yao did not see the importance of so-called democracy. He only saw that the neighbors just wanted to have enough to eat and have a place to live.

Everything else is not important.

Gao Yao patted Jian Qiang on the shoulder: "Aqiang, I know your heart is good, but you need to see clearly."

"Yang Muqi's plan contains evil intentions."

Yang Muqi's plan has a great influence on the Chinese elite. Without it, there is only two words, democracy!
  No one dislikes democracy.

Gao Yao also likes it, but there is a problem here. Yang Muqi's plan is to propose that the Hong Kong government decentralize power and establish a city council that is largely elected by the people.

Literally, there is no problem with this and it is absolutely in line with the trend of the times.

but!

This system is designed to serve the autonomous territories under the British Commonwealth. If things go on like this, the democracy it cultivates will help Hong Kong Island move toward independence!

This is simply a joke!

Jian Qiang's face was pale and pale. Naturally, he couldn't see so far and so deep.

"Hong Kong Island has been the land of the East since ancient times." Gao Yao said slowly: "Ah Qiang, you are the great leader."

"Now, tell me, is Hong Kong suitable for Yang Mucci's plan?"

Jian Qiang was dripping with sweat, his hands and feet were cold, and he was trembling with fear.

"Not...not suitable..."

Jian Jianqiang was speechless. If his boss hadn't reminded him, he would have almost made a big mistake.

After a moment, he stammered again: "Brother Yao, I will reject this invitation immediately."

"That's not necessary."

Gao Yao laughed and patted Jian Qiang's shoulder gently: "Ah Qiang, politics allows for different opinions."

"Now that there is a proposal, it will be implemented whether there is any support or not."

The mainstream of today's world is decolonization and democratization, and Gao Yao is not opposed to the idea of ​​bringing a little democracy to Hong Kong Island.

It's like he always believes that where there is light, there must be shadows. If a place cannot tolerate shadows, it is doomed to be hopeless.

"Aqiang, since you are interested in politics."

Gao Yao said: "Why not start with the Reform Association, guide it, assist it, and use this power to make the Hong Kong government make some changes."

He smiled and said: "Anyway, our Governor, Your Excellency, is also preparing to carry out limited reforms on Hong Kong Island."

Gao Yao is very optimistic about the future where simplicity will prevail in politics. This young man is smart, capable, passionate, and has the courage to speak for the citizens. He is worthy of his position as a barrister.

"No leader is willing to pay for any of the previous policies."

Historically, Grantham was firmly opposed to Yang Mucci's plan, and even with the White House's approval, he lobbied many times, eventually getting the White House to cancel the plan.

There are many reasons for this. For example, Grantham deeply realized that the issue of Hong Kong Island is not about autonomy or independence, but about the relationship with the Republic. The methods applied to other colonies do not mean that they are also applicable to Hong Kong Island.

Grantham also believes that the future of Hong Kong Island belongs to the diplomatic level, not the colonial level.

However, Gao Yao believes that this also involves what Gao said.

If Yang Muqi's plan is successfully implemented, all the credit will go to Yang Muqi. If it fails, it will be him who takes the blame.

He would only do it if his brain was out of control.

The deeper reason is that most of the current Hong Kong people are refugees. These people have no feelings for the Hong Kong government and are deeply influenced by the mainland.

If everyone in Hong Kong is allowed to vote, Grantham is afraid that Hong Kong people will directly vote for the return of Hong Kong Island, so give up.

There is precedent for this. In 45, there was a wave of return on Hong Kong Island, but Chang Kaishen retreated.

From a high-ranking perspective, he must keep Hong Kong Island as a window to the outside world for the Republic to deal with future crises.

So no matter what Grantham's original intention was, Gao Yao was definitely on Grantham's side this time.

In order to make Jian Qiang realize this, Gao Yao once again emphasized: "I am not opposed to democracy, but I am absolutely opposed to the implementation of democracy in the form of a dominion."

Jian Jianqiang nodded heavily: "Brother Yao, I understand."

He already basically understood what Gao Yao meant, and he almost knew it by heart.

Brother Yao is prepared to let himself control the development of the Reform Association.

Brother Yao is really dedicated to serving the public!
  That is for sure!
  The Reform Association's ideas are contrary to those of the Hong Kong government. It can be regarded as an opposition and is of certain use to Gao Yao.

And given someone's identity and status, he wants to engage in politics, but he cannot engage in politics himself.

Jian Jianqiang is one of Gao Yao's favorite agents.

He hopes that Jian Jianqiang can not only express his opinions for the people in the struggle, but also hopes that Jian Jianqiang will not really hate Grantham like Li Yutang.

Grantham had many problems, but one good thing about him was that he was a centrist. He did not care about the left or the right, and did not care about Chinese or foreigners. He was absolutely neutral.

Otherwise, if the original behavior of the Hong Kong government were to be followed, Gao Yao would not be able to win the CLP at all.

"I want brother."

After Jian Qiang finished talking about his own affairs, he began to talk about what he saw and learned when he went to the Department of Justice recently.

The Department of Justice is one of the three departments responsible for the Hong Kong government's legal affairs, including initiating most criminal prosecutions, drafting all laws proposed by the Hong Kong government, and providing legal advice to the Hong Kong government.

Jian Jianqiang, who has dominated the legal profession in the past two years, has long been under the radar of the Department of Justice. Recently, he has been frequently invited to the Department of Justice to discuss law-related drafts.

"The Department of Justice is preparing to introduce the British Parliamentary Legislation "Public Meetings Act 1908" (prohibiting disorderly conduct in lawful public gatherings) and the "Public Order Act 1936" (prohibiting the establishment of paramilitary organizations); introducing Singapore's "Straits Settlements Criminal Procedure" Code of conduct procedures to deal with large-scale unrest; and authorize the government to establish restricted areas.”

"It has been initially designated as the "Public Security Regulations". The specific content is still being discussed, but it is suspected of terror."

Jian Jianqiang asked worriedly: "This is something unprecedented."

"Brother Yao, why do you think this is happening? Is the situation already so dangerous?"

Gao Yao thought, "Public Security Regulations"?
  He thought deeply and realized that the Hong Kong government was indeed a Hong Kong government with a very keen sense of smell. It seemed that the regulations were introduced because of the situation on the mainland.

But this is normal. The laws and corresponding measures introduced on Hong Kong Island are most likely due to the north.

Gao Yao pointed his finger towards the north: "Ah Qiang, when it comes to politics, it's all about that side."

"Legislation is no exception."

Jian Jianqiang frowned and thought, north?
  East Asia has a branch in Shanghai, which makes routine reports to the head office every day, and also mentions the situation.

It is indeed quite dangerous, but Hong Kong Island is thousands of miles away, so logically...

While he was thinking, Gao Yao interrupted Jian Qiang's thoughts with a smile: "This is not important yet."

(End of this chapter)