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In 1949, after the liberation of Shanghai, Shanghai ushered in a new look, in order to make Shanghai have a new scene of stability and prosperity, Mayor Chen Yi decided to carry out an anti-gang and evil action, and vigorously crack down on the evil forces left behind in the old Shanghai.
On this day, the secretary read a list to Mayor Chen Yi, which listed the gang figures who were once famous in the old Shanghai Beach, the first to bear the brunt of Huang Jinrong and Du Yuesheng, when he heard a person's name, Mayor Chen Yi waved his hand and interrupted: "This person can't move!"
Who was this man? What did he do before the liberation of Shanghai? Why was he not liquidated even though he was a gang figure in old Shanghai?
1. Venture into Shanghai
This person's name is Gu Zhuxuan, who was the original hall master of the old Shanghai Chongde Hall, and the people in the rivers and lakes called Jiangbei tycoon.
In 1885, Gu Zhuxuan was born in a poor family in Yancheng, Jiangsu, with three elder brothers, and he was the fourth Gu Lao in the family. The family thought that the landlord's family farmed for a living, and he was extremely powerful since he was a child, and one person could do the work of several people, and he thought that he could do more so that his family could do less and create better conditions for his family, although he did not know whether this could be achieved.
Even if Gu Zhuxuan worked hard, his family still couldn't change the situation of poverty, and his life didn't change at all, and what was even more odious was that when Gu Zhuxuan was 16 years old, there was a natural disaster in northern Jiangsu, and the grain particles were not harvested, and the bark and grass roots were all robbed and eaten, and the helpless Gu Zhuxuan and his three elder brothers and their parents could only leave northern Jiangsu to find food in the legendary rich Shanghai.
Gu Zhuxuan, who had just arrived, had brute strength, so he went to pull a rickshaw, in this world of flowers, having something to eat was his greatest luxury.
Although Gu Zhuxuan is an ordinary rickshaw driver, he is not willing to accept the status quo with an active brain and righteousness, what he never forgets is how to find better opportunities and make his life have unlimited possibilities, even if he is an ordinary and ordinary driver, he has to pull out a different life.
If you want to take root in Shanghai, you must have a gang background, Gu Zhuxuan, who already has some connections in his hands, was recommended by his fellow villagers in northern Jiangsu, and was recognized by Liu Dengjie, the leader of the Green Gang.
What is the Green Gang? It was the largest gang in Greater Shanghai, and even if Chiang Kai-shek's forces were in Shanghai, they would have to buy their face when they encountered the Green Gang, and they would not dare to offend.
Gu Zhuxuan, who was like a fish in water, became a patrol in the public concession with the blessing of the gang, and he also began to join the ranks of bullies to collect people's fat and ointment. Slowly, Gu Zhuxuan accumulated a sum of real money in his hands that should not be underestimated, and the conditions at home have been changed dramatically.
Second, Jiangbei tycoon
Gu Zhuxuan, who had accumulated the first pot of gold, was not satisfied with this, he wanted a larger class to leap over, and to leapfrog, he needed a better background and status.
At that time, although the Qinggang was the largest gang in Shanghai, there were two people who were well-known in Shanghai, they were Huang Jinrong and Du Yuesheng. In order to better take root in Shanghai, Gu Zhuxuan worshiped Huang Jinrong, the chief inspector of the patrol house of the French Concession, as his teacher, and also took advantage of various opportunities to establish a good relationship with Du Yuesheng.
After improving the relationship with various bigwigs, Gu Zhuxuan began to expand his business territory.
First of all, Gu Zhuxuan resigned from his position as a patrolman, bought the rickshaw shop where he used to work, and added many rickshaws, becoming the "king" of rickshaws in Shanghai. As long as the villagers in northern Jiangsu find Gu Zhuxuan, he accepts them all without saying a word, so he has become a god-like existence in the hearts of northern Jiangsu, as long as there is something difficult to find him, he will also help solve it as his own business, and the people of northern Jiangsu give a thumbs up when they talk about Gu Zhuxuan.
And Gu Zhuxuan also began to expand his business territory, and he quickly owned two theaters: Tongqing Stage, Tianchan Stage, Desheng Teahouse, Tianchan Glass Factory and other industries, and he also became the famous "Jiangbei Tycoon" Gu Siye in Shanghai.
Wealth and fame did not sink Gu Zhuxuan, he still maintained his original intention.
In 1930, after hearing that his hometown in northern Jiangsu had suffered a natural disaster, the flood was wanton, engulfing the fertile land houses, and the villagers were homeless, Gu Zhuxuan did not say a word, and immediately sold his Tianchan Glass Factory, and added the proceeds from the sale to a total of more than 60,000 yuan for his hometown to solve the urgent need.
One day in 1932, Gu Zhuxuan's Qinggang master Liu Dengjie passed away, Gu Zhuxuan adhered to the concept of "one day as a teacher, lifelong father", held a grand funeral for Liu Dengjie on the Tianchan stage, and personally wore linen and filial piety, and his benevolence and righteousness also made his prestige more prosperous.
At this time, Gu Zhuxuan reached his highlight moment and the peak of his career, but what happened later made Gu Zhuxuan depressed for a while, and completely subverted his outlook on life, what kind of thing was that?
3. Those who know the times are Junjie
There is a person named Tang Jiapeng, whose ancestral home is also from northern Jiangsu, he was introduced to Gu Zhuxuan by his uncle Tang Haozi, and hoped that Gu Zhuxuan would take more care and support for Tang Jiapeng for the sake of his fellow villagers, and Gu Zhuxuan agreed to come down.
Tang Jiapeng has some ability, so he quickly got Gu Zhuxuan's favor, in order to retain talents, Gu Zhuxuan also gave his beautiful cousin to Tang Jiapeng, at this time he immediately regarded Gu Zhuxuan as a reborn parent.
However, "knowing people and knowing faces but not knowing hearts!" Tang Jiapeng because of Gu Zhuxuan's negligence, Tang Jiapeng was upset, resentful, and directly betrayed Gu Zhuxuan under the prodding of Huang Jinrong, and threw himself under Huang Jinrong's door, not only that, but he also did whatever he wanted and shot Huang Jinrong's proud protégé without authorization, causing Huang Jinrong to bribe Gu Zhuxuan's bodyguard Wang Xinggao to kill the rampant Tang Jiapeng.
Who knew that because of a "little red guy", Gu Zhuxuan was framed by Huang Jinrong, and he was sentenced to 15 years in prison for instigating homicide. Although Gu Zhuxuan's friends on the rivers and lakes rescued him from prison, he was only imprisoned for about 1 year, but after Gu Zhuxuan's case, Gu Zhuxuan saw the corruption of the Kuomintang, and he began to be confused.
Gu Zhuxuan has a nephew named Gu Shuping, who has always worked under Gu Zhuxuan, and he is actually a member of the Communist Party.
When Gu Zhuxuan learned that Gu Shuping and some Communist Party members were being hunted down by the Kuomintang and the Japanese army, he not only used his power to protect them, but also spared no effort to help them, and did not hesitate to buy passes for them to help his nephew and other Communist Party members escape from the pursuit and leave Shanghai safely.
After the August 13 incident, Gu Zhuxuan hated the inhumane Japan very much, and the Japanese took a fancy to Gu Zhuxuan's influence in Shanghai, and asked him to be used by the Japanese with both soft and hard treatment, and when Gu Zhuxuan always refused with righteous and awe-inspiring words: "I am an upright Chinese, and I will never be a lackey!"
Gu Zhuxuan used his power to help the Communists, sponsored food and medicinal materials for the anti-Japanese troops under the White Terror, and he also brought his 15-year-old son Gu Shuping to Yan'an, and his national righteousness could not help but be admired.
In May 1949, after the liberation of Shanghai, when Mayor Chen Yi of Shanghai was vigorously cracking down on the gang forces left over from old Shanghai, when he heard Gu Zhuxuan's name, he waved his hand to interrupt the list of secretaries: "You can't touch Gu Zhuxuan! He is a good friend of our party, and next month, the party will invite him to participate in the people's congress!"
In August 1949, Gu Zhuxuan participated in the first people's congress held in Shanghai as a specially invited representative, and he actively spoke and put forward many valuable suggestions for Shanghai's new construction.
epilogue
On July 6, 1956, Gu Zhuxuan died of illness in Shanghai at the age of 71, and his legendary life came to an end.
Gu Zhuxuan from a grassroots counterattack to become a man of the year in Shanghai, although he also did unrighteous things when he first got his will, but he knew how to reflect, in the highlight period of his life, he did not continue to sink but maintained his original intention, not dislike the poor and love the rich and helpful, especially his national righteousness is admirable, his contribution to the establishment of New China and the liberation of Shanghai is worth remembering!