During the Republic of China period, when it comes to the three major figures of the Green Gang, they must be Du Yuesheng, Jin Jinrong and Zhang Xiaolin. However, when it comes to the people in the Qing Gang who have more influence, more disciples, and a bigger pattern, then we have to say Zhang Renkui.
Zhang Renkui was born in a family that was not rich when he was a child, his father was a long-term worker in the landlord's family, his mother was in poor health and was bedridden for many years, and Zhang Renkui, who was sensible since childhood, helped the landlord's family to herd cattle for a living. However, at that time, the world could only herd cattle and could only be bullied, and there would be no good life, so Zhang Renkui learned martial arts with his cousin who knew martial arts, and practiced a good skill in the melee with other hooligans.
Soon after, Zhang Renkui went to participate in the martial arts examination of the scientific expedition, and defeated everyone to win the first place, becoming Zhang Xiucai. After becoming a Xiucai, Zhang Renkui opened a martial arts hall to teach students, and there were his students in ten miles and eight townships, thus accumulating a number of good reputations.
At that time, the world was chaotic, the foreigners constantly humiliated the imperial court and the people, and the xenophobic mood was unprecedentedly high. Zhang Renkui, eager to serve the country, contacted Ma Fengshan in Teng County, Shandong Province, and joined the Boxer Rebellion under his command. Zhang Renkui, relying on his high martial arts, courage and strategy, obtained the blue eyes of Ma Fengshan, and soon worshiped Ma Fengshan of the "Li" generation as an old man and became a disciple of the "big" generation.
Cixi called on the Boxers to declare war on the foreigners, but after the defeat, the emperor fled with the Guangxu Emperor. Ma Fengshan followed and protected Cixi and the others all the way west. However, in order to calm the efforts of the foreigners, Cixi gave them an explanation and ordered the killing of the Boxers. Zhang Renkui, because of his cleverness, successfully escaped when the other members of the Boxer Rebellion became scapegoats. It was also about this experience that allowed Zhang Renkui to see clearly what kind of face the rulers under the feudal imperial system were, and then he began to break away from the imperial court and lean towards the revolutionary road.
Zhang Renkui followed Xu Baoshan, who was also a "big" character, to sell illegal salt, and when Xu Baoshan had conflicts of interest with other leaders who sold smuggled salt and his life was in danger, he took his own sickle and saved Xu Baoshan from the sword with one enemy and ten. Since then, Xu Baoshan has regarded Zhang Renkui as a brother who has made friends for life, and let Zhang Renkui serve as the second in command.
After Xu Baoshan was recruited by Liu Kun, the governor of Liangjiang, Zhang Renkui followed him to submit to the imperial court and led troops to garrison Zhenjiang. However, due to his previous experience and distrust of the Qing government, although Zhang Renkui was ostensibly subordinate to the imperial court and waited for the dispatch of the imperial court, he was secretly in contact with and joined the Alliance.
The cannons of the Xinhai Revolution sounded, igniting the blood of patriots everywhere. Xu Baoshan, Zhang Renkui, and others also joined the ranks anyway, and successfully captured Nanjing, where Zhang Xun was stationed. Zhang Renkui became famous in this battle, and fought hard face to face with Zhang Xun's "plague god" Han Hu, without showing weakness at all, and finally cut off Han Hu's head with a sickle, and the morale of the soldiers was greatly increased.
After the successful recovery of Nanjing, Zhang Renkui automatically invited Sun Yat-sen to welcome Sun Yat-sen into the Nanjing area, and at that time he became acquainted with a group of high-ranking figures in the League. Because of Zhang Renkui's bravery and bravery, he was promoted to brigade commander of the Seventy-seventh Brigade.
After Sun Yat-sen and Yuan Shikai parted ways, although Zhang Renkui's team still belonged to the Beiyang Army, he was also secretly contacting revolutionary personnel to help the revolutionary party carry out its activities.
After Yuan Shikai's death, the Beiyang warlords split into several major factions. Feng Guozhang, the leader of the warlords, felt that Zhang Renkui was a talentable man, so he promoted him to brigade commander of the Seventy-sixth Brigade and commander of the provincial military district.
Since then, Zhang Renkui has been sitting firmly in the military circles and gangs. He has a wide range of good friends, accepts disciples by virtue of his ability and insight, does not look at his origins, and is equally friendly to people from all walks of life, and his good name is quite wide. In the military, political, business, and gang circles, his disciples were numerous and his connections were so wide that later Chiang Kai-shek handed him a prayer post, and on his sixtieth birthday, he specially sent someone to send a shou lian: "The star of the military circle, the leader of the gang."
Zhang Renkui, who is in a position of great power, also made good use of his power, and with his patriotic heart, made his own contribution to saving the country from danger.
At the peak of fame and power, Zhang Renkui's great wisdom was reflected again, he understood the principle of profit and loss, and did not further stand on the high position, but chose to beg for bones. Although he eventually died because of the Japanese, Zhang Renkui's funeral was full of celebrities, and everyone praised and admired him. And Du Yuesheng, as his apprentice grandson, spent a lifetime learning the personality and pattern of Zhang Renkui and paying tribute to Old Mrs. Zhang.