Big River Tyrant: The Story of Xu Laohu

Author: Xu Fengyi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-04-01
Features: Xu Baoshan honed his martial arts skills from a young age. After killing the evil Qing soldiers, he was forced to wander the martial world and quickly rose to become a major salt smuggler with a hundred thousand men and seven hundred ships, dominating the smuggling of salt along the eight hundred miles of the Yangtze River. He was concerned about the changing political tides and raised the banner of the Grand Marshal of the Two Jiangs and Two Lakes, aiming to enter the capital to eliminate the corrupt and protect Emperor Guangxu. The Qing court plotted to recruit him, turning the salt smuggler into an official of the court. Xu Baoshan was promoted to the position of commander in charge of judicial affairs in his region for his contributions in suppressing his own followers and capturing revolutionary parties. During the Xinhai Revolution, he shifted his allegiance to the revolution, successfully liberating cities such as Yangzhou and Taizhou, and participated in the Jiang-Zhe's attack on Nanjing, achieving great military success. Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing personally awarded him the rank of general, appointing him as the commander of the second army in Yangzhou. After Yuan Shikai seized the revolutionary government, Xu Baoshan immediately pledged his loyalty to Yuan and sent his son as a hostage to Yuan. Yuan Shikai summoned him to the capital, instructed him personally, and granted him higher ranks, making Xu Baoshan even more devoted to Yuan. He accepted Yuan's bribe money and was the first to issue a nationwide declaration to abolish the military government, causing widespread public outrage. When Sun Yat-sen launched a second northern expedition, Xu Baoshan conspired with Zhang Xun in the north and south, seizing control of Jianghuai, attempting to prevent the revolutionary army from advancing northward. Sun Yat-sen then ordered that Xu Baoshan must be eliminated. After Xu Baoshan's death, Yuan Shikai and Li Yuanhong were deeply shocked and saddened. They issued nationwide decrees to severely punish the. Yuan Shikai personally wrote a eulogy, sent a special envoy to Yangzhou for a public memorial, and erected a monument inscribed with the eulogy, excessively praising Xu Baoshan's achievements. Xu Baoshan's life was filled with legends, making him a prominent figure in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. The story is intricate and vivid, with detailed and touching character portrayals, elegant and fluent language, and captivating descriptions of local customs, making it a masterpiece.
Xu Baoshan honed his martial arts skills from a young age. After killing the evil Qing soldiers, he was forced to wander the martial world and quickly rose to become a major salt smuggler with a hundred thousand men and seven hundred ships, dominating the smuggling of salt along the eight hundred miles of the Yangtze River. He was concerned about the changing political tides and raised the banner of the Grand Marshal of the Two Jiangs and Two Lakes, aiming to enter the capital to eliminate the corrupt and protect Emperor Guangxu. The Qing court plotted to recruit him, turning the salt smuggler into an official of the court. Xu Baoshan was promoted to the position of commander in charge of judicial affairs in his region for his contributions in suppressing his own followers and capturing revolutionary parties. During the Xinhai Revolution, he shifted his allegiance to the revolution, successfully liberating cities such as Yangzhou and Taizhou, and participated in the Jiang-Zhe's attack on Nanjing, achieving great military success. Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing personally awarded him the rank of general, appointing him as the commander of the second army in Yangzhou. After Yuan Shikai seized the revolutionary government, Xu Baoshan immediately pledged his loyalty to Yuan and sent his son as a hostage to Yuan. Yuan Shikai summoned him to the capital, instructed him personally, and granted him higher ranks, making Xu Baoshan even more devoted to Yuan. He accepted Yuan's bribe money and was the first to issue a nationwide declaration to abolish the military government, causing widespread public outrage. When Sun Yat-sen launched a second northern expedition, Xu Baoshan conspired with Zhang Xun in the north and south, seizing control of Jianghuai, attempting to prevent the revolutionary army from advancing northward. Sun Yat-sen then ordered that Xu Baoshan must be eliminated. After Xu Baoshan's death, Yuan Shikai and Li Yuanhong were deeply shocked and saddened. They issued nationwide decrees to severely punish the. Yuan Shikai personally wrote a eulogy, sent a special envoy to Yangzhou for a public memorial, and erected a monument inscribed with the eulogy, excessively praising Xu Baoshan's achievements. Xu Baoshan's life was filled with legends, making him a prominent figure in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. The story is intricate and vivid, with detailed and touching character portrayals, elegant and fluent language, and captivating descriptions of local customs, making it a masterpiece.