Chapter 561: Chaos in Utah

Get a piece of land and build a solid log house on it to meet basic survival needs.

Then gradually expand the area around the log house into a spacious and comfortable villa.

This is the way for ordinary immigrants to make a fortune in the inland frontier.

As long as you are diligent enough, you can solve the problem of food and clothing within three years, live a well-off life as described in the newspaper within five years, enter the middle class within seven years, and even become a wealthy frontier tycoon. It is not out of reach.

In Utah Territory, Salt Lake City tycoon Schneider made his fortune in this way.

He was the first eastern immigrant to cross the vast wilderness and the snow-covered mountains and valleys to the lakeside.

He arrived here in 1847 and became the first foreign settler here.

It took Schneider ten years to become one of the richest white people in the area. He owned a large silver mine, three slaughterhouses, two lumberyards, a tannery, and several farms.

Before the Pacific Railway was completed and Han immigrants poured into Salt Lake City, Schneider was even the richest man in the Salt Lake City area.

The huge wealth did not make Schneider happy. This was not because Schneider was in Versailles, but because the property and even personal safety of white people in the entire Utah Territory could not be effectively guaranteed.

Almost all white people in Utah Territory lived under the shadow of Mormonism.

With just one word from the Mormon elder, the wealth of this Salt Lake City tycoon could vanish overnight and become a penniless pauper.

Schneider was a devout believer in Orthodoxy and a decent person, at least he and the people who had been helped by him thought so.

But now he is a Mormon.

Joining Mormonism was not his original intention, but due to an accidental incident.

11 years ago, on the way to the west, the immigration team that Schneider followed ran out of supplies in the wilderness of Colorado. The people in the team either died of thirst or starvation. In the end, only Schneider's family of three was left alive because of the sufficient supplies.

But before long, their family's food and drinking water were gradually consumed. They were hungry and thirsty and fell into a desperate situation.

Maybe he was not destined to die, or maybe Satan appeared, a team of Mormon immigrants happened to pass by here.

A Mormon leader named Brigham Young, oh, he should be called a prophet, an omniscient and omnipotent prophet.

The prophet told him that he found this place and his family because he heard the voice of God. God told him that as long as the Schneider family joined the Mormon family, he and his family could get supplies from their team and travel with their team.

In order to keep his family alive, Schneider agreed.

This was the stupidest decision Schneider had made in his life.

The more Schneider thought about it, the more upset he became. He could only keep pouring gin into his mouth to relieve his depression.

"Mr. Schneider, the prophet is here."

Schneider was drinking to relieve his sorrow, and his servant came in and reported to him.

Hearing the word prophet, Schneider shuddered all over and became sober instantly.

If the prophet comes to visit in person, it will be bad luck, and it may be a disaster.

Every year in Salt Lake City, Provo, Ogden and other places, there are rich people who die inexplicably, or more accurately, rich people who are not devout enough in the Mormon faith.

Then the property is confiscated and becomes church property.

The church property of Mormonism nominally belongs to all Mormons, but in fact it is private property for the prophet Brigham Young and his seven elders to squander. Even the new believers who have just joined the church understand this.

Knowing that Brigham Young came in person, Schneider ran to the door of the manor to greet him in person, not daring to neglect him at all.

Brigham Young, however, had a cold face and broke into his home with a team of armed believers. He was as familiar with his home as his own and came to the hall of the manor with ease.

"My good brother, you also changed the crystal chandelier? It seems that you have made a fortune again this year." Brigham Young stared greedily at the expensive crystal chandelier hanging on the ceiling of the living room.

"If the cathedral in Salt Lake City could have such a beautiful crystal chandelier, and the believers prayed devoutly under it, God and the late Prophet Smith would be very happy."

"I will send it to the church tomorrow and hand it over to the elders." Schneider rushed to say.

"You know, I have always been very pious."

"Piety is not as simple as words, but actual actions." Brigham Young said seriously.

"Brother Schneider, when you were desperate in the wilderness of Colorado and your family almost lost their lives, it was us, the most faithful believers of God, who pulled you and your family back from the gates of hell. We selflessly shared our precious water and bread with you.

Following the guidance of God and the prophet, we brought you to the fertile land of Salt Lake City and gave your family a large piece of fertile land. Under our protection, you slowly became rich. Is that right?"

"That's right, prophet." Schneider answered hypocritically.

"We have never asked anything from you. We only ask you to become a devout Mormon and abide by the teachings of our religion. But as far as I know, you have always turned a deaf ear to them and disregarded the teachings. In the past year, you have had frequent contact with Han pagans." Brigham Young said with a straight face.

"Prophet, I pay public funds to the church every month according to regulations, go to church every week, and pray devoutly every day. If this is not considered pious, how can it be considered pious?

I admit that I have contact with Han pagans, but I also contact Han pagans for the sake of the church, to make more money from these pagans and pay more public funds to the church!" Schneider defended himself, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans had already oozed out of his smooth forehead.

"I believe what you said, eh? Where are your wives? You are an old Mormon and a very wealthy man in Salt Lake City. Don't tell me you still have only one wife now." Brigham Young said slowly.

"Prophet, you know that there are not many women in the West. After the Han Chinese poured into Utah, many women chose to marry richer Han Chinese immigrants.

There are many brothers in the church who are still single in their forties and fifties. If I marry one more wife, there will be one more brother in the church who will be single. I am considering my brothers." Schneider continued to defend his behavior.

He already has a wife who loves him very much. There is no reason to marry someone else, and he doesn't want to marry another woman.

Of course, he can only keep these words in his heart and dare not say them directly.

"You are still somewhat aware, but how did I hear that you have been planning to marry your daughter to a Han Chinese pagan recently? Have you forgotten the Mormon Bible?" Brigham Young's expression changed, and his eyes like a vulture stared at Schneider for a long time.

"The Mormon Bible" Schneider nervously recited the Mormon doctrine.

"If your daughter marries a pagan and lets the pagan defile our holy Mormon women, you and your daughter will commit a heinous crime. God and the prophet will not forgive you." Brigham Young knocked on this not very honest believer.

"I have no such intention. There must be someone gossiping behind my back. My piety to Mormonism is clear to all." A chill quickly ran up Schneider's back.

He had never mentioned the idea of ​​marrying his daughter to a Han Chinese, seeking the Han Chinese's blessing, and escaping the clutches of Mormonism in public. Even his close friends did not know about it. Schneider only discussed the feasibility of this matter with his wife in private.

His wife could not betray him.

After thinking about it, there was only one possibility left, that is, his servant secretly heard his conversation with his wife and reported him to the elders and the prophet.

Mormonism is really pervasive! These servants of his were all old servants who had worked on his estate since 1850.

"I have discussed and decided with the eight elders. Your daughter is the most beautiful girl in Salt Lake City. She is only 18 years old this year. The elders and I are all old, and we have no shortage of young cows around us." Brigham Young said slowly.

Hearing this, Schneider's eyes glowed again. Did the prophet find his conscience? It shouldn't be. Which of the prophet and the elders is not a pervert? Will they let his daughter go easily?

Wait a minute, isn't there only seven elders in Mormonism? Why did the prophet say eight elders?

"Eight elders? Isn't it seven elders?" Schneider asked in confusion.

"Mr. Stanford has officially joined the church and become an elder of our Mormonism. This is something worth celebrating, isn't it?" Brigham Young said proudly.

Hearing this news, Schneider felt like he was hit hard on the head.

The people of Utah have suffered from the Mormons for a long time, and they all hope that the newly appointed territorial governor Stanford of the federal government can eradicate the Mormons, the stinking tick that sucks blood from the people of Utah.

Unexpectedly, even the new governor ended up getting together with this group of charlatans.

No wonder Brigham Young hid in his old nest for a year and didn't dare to go out, but today he appeared in Salt Lake City in a lively and swaggering manner.

"Yes, it is indeed a great event worth celebrating." Schneider replied insincerely.

"Although we elders have enough heifers, many of our descendants have less than ten wives." Brigham Young's words made Schneider's mood fall to the bottom again.

"My son Little Bree, my nephew Joseph, and Elder Beth's son Peregrine all like your daughter very much. They are all young, handsome and considerate. More importantly, they are all the most devout Mormons. Your daughter is really blessed.

I am not an old-fashioned person. I support your daughter's freedom to choose a spouse and give her the right to choose. Let your daughter choose one of the three best young men as her husband."

"First"

Schneider wanted to delay time on the grounds that his daughter was not yet of marriageable age, but he was interrupted by Brigham Young before he could utter a complete word.

Brigham Young said in an unacceptable tone: "I'm in charge of this matter, Brother Schneider. I will come to your daughter's wedding in a week. Don't let me down. Hey, Brother Schneider, you don't seem to be very happy. Do you want to disobey the decree?"

"I am honored and excited. I don't know how to express my gratitude to you." Schneider's face barely squeezed out a smile that was uglier than crying.

Brigham Young stood up and nodded with satisfaction: "That's more like it, and that's more like me as a Mormon. Knowing how to repay kindness is an excellent quality unique to us Mormons."

Seeing Brigham Young leaving, Schneider closed the door and was about to go back to the room to consider what to do about this matter. As soon as she turned around, she saw her daughter Serafina standing blankly at the top of the stairs.

Serafina's pale little face was full of horror.

"Did you hear everything?" Schneider walked up to Sarafina and said reproachfully and distressedly.

"The prophet spoke so loudly that it was hard for me not to hear him," Serafina lamented.

"Don't be afraid, I won't let those bastards become your husband. Dad will find a way. You can go to sleep peacefully first," Schneider comforted.

"Daddy." Sarafina sobbed, holding Schneider's hand.

"Don't put yourself in danger. In Utah, no one can disobey their wishes. Even the new governor has now become our elders."

Sarafina felt that there was an invisible but huge and heavy mountain pressing on them in Utah, making it difficult for them to breathe.

Everything here, including food, clothing, housing, transportation, weddings and funerals, seems to be under the control of Mormons.

"You have to believe in Dad, Dad will find a way, and God will bless his true believers." Schneider helped Sarafina back to her room to rest.

"If worshiping God is useless, we can learn from the Han people and worship Buddha and Mazu." Mrs. Schneider opened the curtain of a shrine, lit incense, closed her eyes and prayed devoutly.

"Those Han people worship all kinds of gods." Schneider frowned upon hearing this.

"God knows where they found so many gods to worship."

"I think they are pragmatic. We should not place our hopes on a god." After praying, Mrs. Schneider put the incense in her hand on the incense burner in front of the Buddha statue with a respectful look.

"If you worship many gods, one of them will eventually appear."

Early the next morning, while the Schneider family was having breakfast sadly, three uninvited young men rudely broke into the Schneider manor.

They tied their horses at the door and walked into the living room.

Seeing the uninvited guests coming to her house, Sarafina didn't care that breakfast was not yet finished. She avoided them like a plague, fled back to her boudoir, and quickly locked the door from the inside.

The three of them whistled briskly in the direction of Sarafina's room, and then introduced their noble status to the Schneiders.

Schneider only responded indifferently. If it weren't for their father's uncle's sake, he would have fired his rifle at their heads.

Xiao Bri, who looks like a human and a dog, said politely: "We followed the instructions of our fathers and came here to visit you and propose to your daughter.

We would like to know which of the three of us your daughter likes the most. As for me, I am"

Joseph interrupted Xiao Brie who was talking eloquently: "Father-in-law, don't listen to my brother's rhetoric. Who in Utah doesn't know that my brother already has 9 wives, and Peregrine is no less generous, he also has 8 "I only have five wives. I am the most in need among the three of us, and I can devote one day a week to sleeping with Sarafina."

Bri immediately retorted: "The most critical issue is not how many wives we have, but who can afford to support Sarafina. I just took over a large horse farm and three small farms from my father last month." The ranch, now that we are the richest of the three of us, Sarafina should be mine.”

Peregrine also argued fiercely: "No, no, my hope is the greatest. My father has had a severe heartache recently, and God will soon invite my father to heaven. By then I can inherit my father's gold mine, saltpeter mine, lead mine and farm.

Moreover, I can also inherit my father's position as Bishop of Salt Lake City. When you see me, you will all call me elder. I think Sarafina will also be happy to be the elder's wife. "

Early in the morning, before he had time to finish his meal, Schneider was so angry that his blood pressure soared and his veins bulged as he listened to these three little bastards buzzing like flies in front of him.

"Get out!" Schneider could no longer control the anger in his chest. He broke out on the spot and issued an eviction order to the three of them.

The three young men looked at Schneider's flushed face and the veins bulging on his thick arms. They did not dare to be too arrogant based on their status. They gave up a few toasts and refused to eat the fine wine. They defied the prophet and waited and saw what happened. He left Schneider's manor in despair with such harsh words.

Around 5:30 p.m., Schneider took advantage of the servant's inattention and secretly slipped some ingredients into the servant's cooking pot.

Late at night, after hearing the thunderous snoring of the servants and confirming that they were all asleep, Schneider shouldered a rifle, took Sarafina through the small door, and quietly left the manor under the cover of night.

At the same time, in Salt Lake City, inside the residence of Liang Shaoyu, chairman of the Salt Lake City Immigration Committee, chairman of the Salt Lake City Economic Development Committee, and chairman of the Salt Lake City Public Security Committee.

California Chief Superintendent Cai Mingsheng, who came from the San Francisco metropolitan area, was furious at Liang Shaoyu.

"The Mormon cult members in Utah have all gone to Reno to kill people and establish their authority! They are killing people and establishing their authority in my jurisdiction!" Cai Mingsheng became more and more excited as he spoke.

"Damn it, I, the Chief Superintendent of California, got off the train at the Salt Lake City train station, and these bastards wanted to search me! Search the Chief Superintendent of California!"

In 1857, in order to adapt to the security needs of the California region, the California Legislature carried out reforms with reference to the new British police system in 1856.

The state legislature passed the California Police Reform Act, establishing the California Police Department in San Francisco as the highest-level security agency in California to coordinate the security of the entire state.

Police departments were established in the three major cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Sacramento, and police stations were established in the remaining small and medium-sized cities.

The plan also approved the establishment of a police school in San Francisco to train and deliver high-quality and professional police talents for various places.

In order to change the stereotype of Californians about the California police's makeshift team, the reform bill also clarified the police rank system.

The highest police rank is the chief superintendent, and there are currently two chief superintendents in California.

One is Cai Mingsheng, and the other is Flagg, the former police chief of San Francisco.

Cai Mingsheng took a big gulp of tea and continued to point at Liang Shaoyu's nose and cursed: "It's been a year! You, Stanford, and Pinkerton have been in Utah for a whole year! Not just one or two months, and you haven't made any progress.

In the past, the Mormons committed minor crimes in my jurisdiction. In order to cooperate with your work, I turned a blind eye and tolerated it.

Now they are so rampant that they dare to commit murder in the Nevada Administrative District! Will they run to San Francisco and commit crimes in front of my police department next time?!"