Chapter 93

Floods can be divided into two types: short-term and long-term. The results of these two situations are entirely different. After a short-term flood, the ground is left with sand and soil, while after a long-term flood, the ground is left with clay. These are mixtures found in the floodwaters, and the different sedimentation patterns result from the varying durations of water stagnation.

The 1906 Anhui flood was the latter type. After two months of heavy rain finally ceased, the once solid ground had become completely soft. The already soft ground had absorbed a large amount of water and was covered with a thick layer of mud, turning it into a swamp. The grass and crops on the ground had long been drowned, and even the remaining debris was buried under the thick mud. What remained on the ground were aquatic plants. After the floodwaters receded, only a small portion of these plants that had been in the water did not wash away and were left in the swamp, struggling to survive under the scorching sun, or had already died. Meanwhile, some fungi and algae were thriving. These tiny organisms were flourishing, covering the swamp with patches of thin green. The air was saturated with moisture, mixed with the strong, fishy smell emitted by these microorganisms. Under this green, one could occasionally see the bodies of fish, which had also been left in the swamp and had slowly suffocated to death as the water evaporated. Because the flood had swept away even the scavengers, the fish carcasses remained relatively intact.

However, no one was interested in these things. The fish carcasses had been soaked to the point of resembling mud, and only lacked an external force to change their shape. A small team of people was navigating the swamp left by the flood in a light boat. The oars or poles occasionally hit these dead fish, and large chunks of flesh would immediately be torn off, revealing the white, bony skeletons.

He Zudao and six comrades were traveling through the swamp in a boat equipped with wooden skis. After the flood, the original roads were completely untraceable. In some places, they could still navigate by boat, but in more places, they had to drag the small boats, which had been modified into mud skis. Every step was uncertain, and they never knew what they would encounter next. Sometimes they would suddenly sink into the swamp. Each comrade had a sturdy hemp rope tied around their waist, with the other end tied to the boat. If they encountered danger, the rope would at least help them survive.

There were two ways to reach Yue Zhangji. One was to follow the Huai River westward and then head north through the lakes to reach the destination. The other was to travel west from the county town through the disaster area, which had turned into a swamp. The insurance team dispatched two groups: one led by Yuwen Bada and Hua Xiongmao by boat, and the other led by He Zudao by land. The reason for choosing this arduous route was not because Chen Ke was bored. After several meetings, the Party Committee finally decided to make Yue Zhangji the first target. The attack on the earth fort of Yue Zhangji would be the first official military action of the People's Party, and the first step was to determine the route of the march.

The small boat carried many bamboo poles, with red cloth tied to the ends. He Zudao and his team planted these markers in relatively solid areas to guide future land travel. Not only the small plants submerged in the water had been drowned, but even the trees, after two months of soaking, could not escape. After the water receded, the trees that had lost the buoyancy of the water and had shallow roots had fallen in the swamp. Those that managed to stay upright were leaning. He Zudao pushed a large tree in front of him with some effort. The elm tree, which was relatively straight, was pushed over by the relatively weak He Zudao, and its roots were exposed from the mud. He Zudao quickly jumped back. He and his comrades watched as the tree crashed into the muddy water. The common saying for a tree is "deep roots and lush leaves," but the exposed roots were not large and were as white as radishes. A finger could easily snap them. If the roots were soaked to this extent, how could the land be cultivated?

After arriving in Anhui, He Zudao had either been in the county town or on a boat and had never been to the countryside. So when he heard that the landlord of Yue Zhangji, Zhang Youliang, had threatened to seize the insurance team's grain, he was very angry and thought that Zhang Youliang was overly arrogant. But after seeing the land with his own eyes, he at least understood why Chen Ke was worried about the landlord inciting the people.

Looking around, there was no sign of human habitation within sight. All that could be seen was the swamp. The group consisted of military backbone members from the second company, and Yue Zhangji was only a few dozen miles from the county town. With their marching ability, they should have arrived by now. However, after walking for the whole morning, the county town was no longer in sight, and Yue Zhangji, which was even farther away, was completely out of sight. The world seemed to be nothing but this seemingly endless swamp, as if it had existed since the beginning of time.

The sun was scorching overhead, and the water vapor rose from the ground, making He Zudao feel parched. He took a bamboo tube from the boat, pulled out the wooden stopper, and drank a large mouthful. Although there was water all around, it was undrinkable, and the smell alone was unbearable. The "tap water" in the bamboo tube was refreshingly clear. Seeing He Zudao, who was covered in mud, drinking water, the other comrades, who were also covered in mud, gathered around to drink as well.

Chen Ke had mentioned the "water pollution problem." If production were to be restored here, not only would the swamp need to be dealt with, but the drinking water for the people would also be a major issue. Digging wells was out of the question, and water could only be brought in from outside. Without the water plant Chen Ke had set up in the county town, He Zudao could not imagine how to survive in this vast swamp. With nearly a thousand members of the insurance team and their families, this force was considerable. But how many people could a county support? When tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of people came looking for food, what could these few thousand people do?

After just a morning of trekking, He Zudao was convinced that during this critical period, the forces like Yue Zhangji, which were trying to take the lead, must be eliminated.

"Commissar, what if we don't reach the destination by night? Can we all sleep on this boat?" a soldier asked, putting down the bamboo tube.

"If we don't reach it during the day, we'll continue at night. We must arrive in Yue Zhangji by dawn tomorrow," He Zudao said without any intention of resting.

Marching through the swamp was extremely exhausting. The comrades felt that He Zudao's demand was too harsh. "Commissar, it's not that we're not trying. This place is just too difficult to navigate."

He Zudao understood their thoughts. He put the bamboo tube back in the boat and said, "If it were easy, why would we be sent here? It's because we believe we can achieve our goal. We're not just walking for ourselves; thousands of people are waiting for us to bring good news. If we can't endure this hardship, how can we face the villagers who are counting on us?"

Hearing He Zudao's words, everyone fell silent. The small team included people from Yue Zhangji, ordinary villagers who had been left outside the fort by Zhang Youliang during the flood. If the People's Party had not rescued them and their families and brought them back to the county town, they might not even have found their bodies by now. However, none of the comrades had ever walked such a difficult path. To be honest, if not for the rescue by the People's Party, many of them had never even been to the county town, let alone travel hundreds of miles to transport grain with the insurance team. For these soldiers, who were ordinary farmers just a few months ago, this was beyond their imagination, something they had never even heard of.

The soldiers were very simple. Since the People's Party had saved them, they had food to eat and could provide enough food for their families. They were willing to serve the People's Party to survive. With the highly respected He Zudao leading the team, they accepted it.

Seeing that everyone was convinced, He Zudao continued, "Let's have a meeting to discuss the route. Based on what we've seen this morning, which areas are easier to navigate, so we can move faster and save energy in the afternoon."

Compared to He Zudao's team, Hua Xiongmao and Yuwen Bada, who were traveling by water, had it much easier. Their boat had already reached the destination, a "dock" near Yue Zhangji. From a distance, a tall earth fort could be seen standing on a hill. The fort was made of brick and stone. Northern Anhui was the old base of Li Hongzhang's Huai Army, and most of these earth forts were built by retired Huai Army officers. These officers were either local landlords or had earned significant military merit while suppressing the Taiping Rebellion and the Nian Army, and had returned home in glory to become landlords. There were many bandits in Northern Anhui, and building earth forts served to protect against them. Additionally, through the construction of these forts, the retired officers gained control over the countryside. These officers, who had fought alongside Li Hongzhang, had much stronger organizational skills than the local landlords. After gaining control, they cultivated connections and sent their children to the Beiyang Army, providing a path for the local youth. Historically, Duan Qirui was called the "Anhui clique" not just because he was from Anhui, but because many of his troops were from Northern Anhui.

The "dock" was heavily guarded. The "commanders" inside the fort were mostly retired military officers, and they had some basic organizational skills. According to the People's Party's investigation, the landlord Zhang Youliang did not farm his land himself but rented it out. Many reports suggested that Zhang Youliang was the backer of a bandit group.

The People's Party flag on the boat was very conspicuous. From a distance, people on the dock saw it, and Hua Xiongmao, with his excellent vision, saw someone running back to the fort to report. The others on the dock were already on high alert, as if facing a major threat.

"Who are you?" The insurance team's boat could not dock, and two small boats had already come out to block them. A man on the bow shouted, "Who are you?"

"We are from the insurance team in the county, and we have come to visit Mr. Zhang Youliang," Hua Xiongmao's voice was clear and carried far.

The other side did not expect Hua Xiongmao to be so direct and was taken aback before asking, "What do you want to visit Mr. Zhang for?"

"Many people from Yue Zhangji fled to the county during the flood. Now that the water has receded, we need to eat and can't starve. But there's not enough food, so we want to discuss with Mr. Zhang to let everyone return. We can all farm the land in Yue Zhangji together and not pay rent. At least we can grow some food to survive this year's disaster," Hua Xiongmao shouted, using all his strength. His voice was loud and clear, and not only the people on the two small boats but also those on the shore could hear him clearly.

Everyone was stunned by this, and then a burst of laughter erupted, mixed with various jeers.

"No rent? Farm the land together in Yue Zhangji? Haha, hahaha!"

"Farm the land without paying rent? The insurance team must be crazy!"

"Hehe, what do you think Mr. Zhang is?"

These jeers came from people holding weapons, including muskets and matchlocks. They were likely the guards of the fort or the bandits closely associated with Zhang Youliang. Those without weapons, standing nearby, did not laugh but stared at Hua Xiongmao in shock.

Hua Xiongmao paid no attention to the laughter and continued, "We've traveled dozens of miles to get here. Brother, could you please go and inform Mr. Zhang?"

---

(End of the chapter)