The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Finally, he simply broke the jar, without thinking twice, and said what he thought, completely according to his true thoughts.

Lai: "Chairman Zhang, I have no objection to dealing with these comrades, but now the punishment is so severe, everyone is always worried that they will be fired if they make a mistake. How can we work like this?"

It turns out that holding on is not a solution. No one can stop a man when he wants to ejaculate.

"Again, this isn't a question of whether to punish them or not. If they make a mistake, they need to learn and correct it. If they don't recognize their mistakes and are allowed to continue working, they will continue to make mistakes. Their worldview and methodology, their understanding, are flawed. The only way to solve the problem is to address the root cause."

"But the punishment is still too severe. Even if it means their studies, their future cannot be delayed. We should at least give them some guarantees, right?"

"We will not abandon any comrade. We will continue to organize them for study and hope that they will correct their mistakes so that they can return to work. My personal opinion is that you always put these comrades' official positions first, rather than their work ability or their ideological awareness. If you still think this way, then you are not a qualified member of the Forward Party, and you are not the revolutionary comrade that our Forward Party needs."

Hearing Zhang Yinghao's harsh words of criticism, all the comrades were stunned. Some of those who reacted gasped, some immediately sat up straight and focused, and some subconsciously reached for their teacups, hoping to calm down with a drink of water. The numerous comrades' reactions varied, but all looked at Zhang Yinghao, seated in the center of the podium, with a touch of panic.

Long Xu Hu stood there alone, unprepared for Zhang Yinghao's immediate critique of his actions. His face flushed crimson. He knew if he sacrificed his dignity and sat down, or simply admitted his fault, there might be room for easing the situation. However, Long Xu Hu knew his mistake was irreversible, and he would likely be the one to fail in his studies.

With the tragic feeling of fighting for his comrades' chance even at death, Longxu Hu still planned to muster up his remaining courage and made a final push, so he spoke directly: "Chairman Zhang, I dare not ask for your forgiveness for my mistakes, but if those comrades who have been rectified pass the test, please make a statement and let them be reinstated. This will allow the comrades to study and work with peace of mind. I just want to ask you for this one thing..."

Before Long Xuhu could finish his words, many people realized the seriousness of the situation. Damn, this was the legendary "idiot teammate." Li Zhiqiang, who was sitting next to Long Xuhu, immediately stood up, grabbed Long Xuhu's shoulders, pushed him down into the chair, and shouted, "Sit down! If you're wrong, admit it. Don't talk nonsense, especially not nonsense."

The comrades present who had reached this position were no fools. Everyone knew exactly what Longxu Hu was trying to say. If Longxu Hu had honestly admitted his mistake after Zhang Yinghao's harsh words, he might have had a chance, and some comrades would have spoken to him. However, Longxu Hu remained unrepentant, throwing his last chance to the ground. Even though he had been stopped mid-sentence, there was no way anyone could save him now.

Zhang Yinghao couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Longxu Hu, a representative of the privileged bureaucratic class, was truly stubborn. The truth becomes clearer the more it's debated. Contradictions have intensified to such an extent that some comrades are no longer able to resolve the issue through internal education, criticism, and self-criticism. Revolution is entirely voluntary, and people come and go freely. While this was true, Zhang Yinghao felt that saying such things now was hurtful, but it had reached a point where it had to be said.

Zhang Yinghao himself couldn't make decisions on behalf of the Party Committee. Although he had constitutional authority, he didn't intend to use it at this time. So, he picked up the materials Liu Dongxu had compiled and said, "We believe in seeing things through to the end. Now, comrades are all here training and learning the new system, which is one of the results. But this rectification campaign still needs a conclusion. This is the reason and process for our rectification campaign, and now we just need a result. As for how to deal with the comrades involved, we have discipline, so we'll leave it to the Party Committee to handle it according to that discipline."

After saying this, he handed the information to Wang Daniu, who was standing by, and asked him to organize a Party Committee meeting to discuss the handling of Comrade Hu and others from Longxu. While Zhang Yinghao could bring this up for public discussion at the study session, each matter was handled separately. Zhang Yinghao's purpose in organizing the comrades this time was to study, not to criticize and denounce specific comrades.

If we put the cart before the horse and now subject all comrades to criticism and struggle, even Zhang Yinghao himself would be unable to predict the final outcome of the discussion. The previous Emperor Taizu only encountered such serious problems when he publicly discussed Peng's letter to him at the Lushan Conference. Even Zhang Yinghao could not guarantee that a similar "White Sparrow Garden" purge would not occur in the future.

"Yes, Chairman."

Wang Daniu took the information, saluted immediately, and answered seriously.

This matter had come to a conclusion. Most comrades believed that Longxu Hu would be severely criticized, but there was also a wide range of opinions on the specific punishment. Time passed quickly. Two days later, several notices were issued to deal with the comrades who had colluded, and the contents of these notices surprised the comrades.

In view of Comrade Hu Longxu's behavior, on March 3, 1903, after discussion at the Party Committee of the Baishuao Temporary Engineering Department of the Engineering Corps Headquarters, Comrade Hu Longxu was removed from his party position and given the disciplinary punishment of expulsion from the party.

—On March 4, 1903, after discussion at the Party Committee of the Temporary Engineering Department of the Engineering Corps Headquarters at Baishuao, it was decided to remove Mr. Hu of Longxu from all military posts but retain his military status.

The Party Committee then posted notices one after another to inform other comrades of the results of their handling.

The Forward Party had already dealt with numerous Party members and cadres, including several executed. However, the news that Hu Cong of Longxu had been demoted from a division commander, member of the division's Party committee, and deputy Party secretary to a mere ordinary soldier shocked all comrades. Furthermore, the focus of discussion and study among grassroots comrades had shifted from regimental commanders like Geng Biao to division commanders. This was a profound disgrace for these comrades, and these actions instilled fear in the leadership, who began to work diligently and with trepidation.

As for whether or not to hold discussions and study sessions with the comrades, Zhang Yinghao naturally advocated for it. If the leadership's authority isn't undermined and they don't feel intimidated, they will continue to act recklessly. Only by understanding where these comrades went wrong can they avoid making the same mistakes in the future. Even if they do make the same mistakes, the Party Committee can simply handle them according to established procedures.

By the time Zhang Yinghao returned to Chengdu after the rectification campaign was completely over, it was already the end of March, almost the fourth quarter. It wouldn't be long before wheat harvest would begin in various places, and after the wheat was harvested, preparations would begin for rice planting.

With no fighting taking place in Sichuan, Zhang Yinghao had already begun restorative training for his 30,000 veteran soldiers. Sichuan was now nearly free of bandits to suppress, and the new recruits, after training, hadn't seen the light of day. Zhang Yinghao didn't dare send them straight to the front lines.

Zhang Yinghao's extensive tour of the construction site yielded a fruitful result. Seeing the widespread use of manual labor, Zhang Yinghao made up his mind and issued an order for researchers to develop a hot-bulb engine. Manufacturing such a thing wasn't difficult; it simply required a thorough understanding of the concept.

In reality, things like generators and engines have simple principles and require little technical expertise. A simple engine or generator can be built by one person, even at home, with simple tools. However, reliable performance and industrial production require the appropriate materials and processes.

The foreigners, eyeing China's future high demand for electricity and the need to import generators, were eager to cash in. Consequently, the generators Zhang Yinghao bought from them were incredibly expensive. A small 200-kilowatt generator cost Zhang Yinghao tens of thousands of taels of silver. Larger generators were even more expensive, and the Chinese would have to pay at least several times that.

The base was actually able to manufacture generators and internal combustion engines based on the foreign models. However, being able to manufacture something and being able to produce it, especially industrially, are two completely different things. Although Sichuan had produced these machines, they were all handmade by workers, with no capacity or technology for large-scale production.

It was such a huge market, but he simply didn't have the ability to take it all in. Zhang Yinghao's eyes turned red with anxiety. He knew the future was the era of electricity and internal combustion engines. In his view, if the steam engine and the Jenny were considered the first industrial revolution, then the internal combustion engine was the second. The use of electricity was also an industrial revolution, but it just emerged around the same time.

It is precisely these two things that are enough to cause an industrial revolution that were superimposed on each other and promoted each other's development, resulting in the development of productivity after the Second Industrial Revolution beyond everyone's imagination.

With machines providing power, enormous savings in manpower and resources can be achieved. They can be used in salt wells, mines, coal mines, tunneling, and industrial production. Zhang Yinghao believes that by opening up researchers' minds and freeing their thinking, they will be able to design more and better machines.

With the addition of some machines, the speed of railway construction increased again, but it still didn't reach the speed Zhang Yinghao had expected. Of course, even if it was completed in a day, Zhang Yinghao would be very happy. Moreover, many of the workers here are actually very smart. After using the machines, they immediately understand the benefits. In future work, they will unconsciously want to use the machines.

Chapter 250:

In the past, everyone worked with their hands, and no one thought it was a big deal. But once someone learned to use a machine, their efficiency increased significantly without the need for labor. This led to countless people actively learning how to use machines, and their use quickly spread. More importantly, some clever workers were able to flexibly modify machines, even adapting them to their own needs or designing their own machines to facilitate their work.

Engels once said: Once there is a technological demand in society, this demand will push science and technology forward better than ten universities.

This demonstrates that practice is the driving force of knowledge and development. Why didn't the Qing Dynasty's purchase of so many machines actually work? Why aren't industrialized nations simply piling up machines? It's all about demand.

For industry to develop, it must start with the most basic things. What are these basics? Food, clothing, housing, and transportation. Why is the spinning jenny so famous? Because it marked the beginning of machine production and played a significant role in liberating thought. History books say that Huang Dao Po in China could also produce three strands of silk using a machine, but she didn't contribute to the Industrial Revolution. Why? Because of demand. Britain's colonies were dumping goods, which inflated demand, while China was still dominated by small-scale peasants. Even if Huang Dao Po could produce five strands of silk at once, she still couldn't have catalyzed the Industrial Revolution.

Therefore, for industry to develop, everyone must participate in production and consumption. Thus, railways, roads, automobiles, and other things came into being, drawing everyone into industrial society. With people comes demand, and with demand comes a stronger driving force for development.

The base now has generators and internal combustion engines, but the machines to manufacture them have to be purchased from abroad.

Machine tools, known as the mother machines of industry, are the foundation of the continuous development and upgrading of industry. Industrialization is essentially the process of machines manufacturing ever-better machines, with all machines capable of self-upgrading. With the development of the steam industry, precision machine tools began to emerge. From simple machine tools, milling machines, planers, grinders, drilling machines, and more evolved. This required a large number of skilled workers, but at the time, China had no concept of these concepts.

Some say that people in the late Qing Dynasty who had the skills of a later junior high school student were considered highly qualified. This is both true and false. If it were simply learning to operate a lathe, junior high school students could certainly be competent, and compared to illiterate and semi-literate people, they would be considered highly qualified. However, if junior high school students were asked to invent machines, it would be impossible for them, except for a few geniuses. Therefore, even in that era, a large number of junior high school students would be completely unable to support the heavy task of national industrialization. Some people think that foreign countries at that time didn't have many highly qualified people. This is true. However, foreign industries have developed from scratch over decades or even centuries, and their workers have become skilled operators. They also have a large number of skilled technicians and have accumulated a wealth of technological expertise. As long as some "graduate students" have an idea, they have the foundation to turn it into reality. Moreover, in this era, one "graduate student" is more capable than hundreds of thousands or even millions of "junior high school students." China lacks its own "graduate students," so even if Zhang Yinghao trained a million junior high school students, it would be in vain. The fundamental reason is the lack of creativity: China cannot design and manufacture its own machines. Therefore, if China wants to win through its numerical advantage and population advantage, it must have its own "graduate students" and let the graduate students lead a large group of junior high school students to win.

Therefore, China's education system should not only ensure equity in junior high school education, but also promote elite education. Elite education allows those willing to pursue specialized studies to pursue further education and learn more advanced theories and techniques. This is similar to how some schools divide students into regular and elite classes. Students in elite classes can solve a problem with just one explanation, unlike regular classes, where students can't solve a problem even after repeated explanations. This approach is a waste of time for top students. This is due to the inherent differences in children's intelligence, an objective fact. Of course, elite education is not aristocratic education, nor is it a completely distorted form of quality-oriented education that categorizes children based on their background. This goes against the original intention of educational equity.

Whether it is a large number of junior high school students or "graduate students" engaged in invention and creation, they actually complement each other. However, these are problems that cannot be solved in a short period of time for Zhang Yinghao. What solutions does Zhang Yinghao have?

Fortunately, this is not the future, where technology is tightly blocked and you can't learn real high-end technology even if you have money. Now, as long as you have money, they will sell you any other high-end machine tools except defense equipment.

After Zhang Yinghao and Chen Yiwei arrived at the base, they began to import foreign books on a large scale to provide reference materials for the workers and technicians in the base.

Meanwhile, the import of machinery and equipment has never ceased. Now, with just a few years of diligent digestion, Sichuan will see explosive growth. After all, these things require time to accumulate. Without accumulation, there's no way to achieve a breakthrough, just like losing a family to make a fortune.

However, industrial development must start from the basics, which in fact means starting from infrastructure to a large extent. No industrialized country has directly entered the ranks of high-tech from the beginning; they all start from the basics.

Zhang Yinghao has been relentlessly building roads since the beginning of the revolution. While there aren't many paved roads left, their traversability has more than doubled. In light of this situation, Zhang Yinghao also established a rapid-response force: a bicycle team. While bicycles can't compete with cars, they're far superior to walking for quicker response.

In Sichuan today, bicycles are still a high-consumption product. The main reason is insufficient iron production, which prevents large-scale production. Seeing the money right in front of him, but unable to reach it, Zhang Yinghao felt helpless. He also understood why the "three major wedding items" became popular in later generations. It now seems that this is simply to guide people to consume. Only when people consume can goods be sold, which in turn stimulates production and industrial upgrading.

Zhang Yinghao's road construction wasn't aimless. The process of industrialization is inherently a process of accumulation, a process of building up technology and talent, and a process of liberating thought. It's like learning to drive a screw—a simple task. But someone who has never used a hand drill, even if they've learned the principles, will need to drive a few screws before gradually becoming proficient. Then their mind will be liberated, and they'll realize: "Oh, so this is how the machine works." Then, if they're asked to use a jackhammer, a grinder, or a cutter, they'll know how to use them just by looking at them.

Once a person becomes proficient in using these machines, they will begin to design, manufacture, and modify simple components for their own tasks, making their work more convenient and efficient. For example, they can extend a sleeve or grind a piece of steel into various shapes for specific tasks. A task that might have taken a day can be completed in an hour using these modified tools. While these seemingly insignificant contributions represent individual technical progress, every improvement in productivity increases, which translates into significant progress for the entire country.

Only when the entire country has a large number of people who can use machines and equipment, technology has been accumulated, and the equipment in the entire country can replicate and upgrade itself, only then can the country be said to have truly mastered these machines and equipment. Only then will productivity achieve qualitative development and leap, thus breaking through the bottleneck.

Of course, there were some exceptions in the past: the Soviet Union provided hands-on instruction on industrialization. During the First Five-Year Plan alone, over 10,000 state-owned industrial and mining construction units commenced construction, including 156 key projects and 694 projects above the designated quota. However, China's path to industrialization remained largely unchanged, starting from the ground up and accumulating technology and talent.

Therefore, the first thirty years of the People's Republic of China were a process of accumulation. Many people claim that the Cultural Revolution cost China a fortune, with wages remaining largely flat for a decade and living standards remaining unchanged. These are all true. However, when wages failed to rise, the people increased their workforce to boost their incomes. Furthermore, there was also extensive Third Front construction, which cultivated a significant number of talented individuals. Therefore, industrialization and accumulation did not cease at all during the Cultural Revolution.

Therefore, China's first three decades of reform and opening up saw extensive infrastructure development, laying the foundation for rapid economic growth after the reform and opening up policy. The substantial increase in workers' wages inevitably led to retaliatory consumption, which boosted economic growth in the short term. Therefore, many people use the achievements of the post-reform period to negate the achievements of the first three decades. This is absolutely wrong. Just think about the reform of state-owned enterprises in the 1980s and 1990s. Where did those state-owned enterprises come from? They certainly didn't just fall from the sky. After the reform, so many workers flowed into the workforce, which in itself helped boost productivity.

Consider China, a nation with the world's most comprehensive industrial sector. Did these sectors develop after the reform and opening up? In fact, many existed before then, only to be further developed afterward. However, consider the single-chip microcomputer, which debuted between 1976 and 1978. Due to the lack of technological development in the first three decades, China still couldn't produce world-class chips, relying on imports for decades. This is truly tragic.

So it is a bit of an exaggeration to say that Taizong is the chief architect of reform and opening up. However, Zhang Yinghao also quite agrees with the statement that he would thank Mao Zedong when he left the house and thank Deng Xiaoping when he came in. Should reform and opening up be carried out? This is something that does not need to be discussed. Just ask those who fled to Hong Kong and you will know that at that time, whether to reform and open up or not was a matter of life and death for the country. Of course, it was not Taizong who designed the reform and opening up. At that time, state-owned enterprises had already suffered serious losses and were at the point where they could not operate. If they did not reform, they would die. Moreover, at that time, it was no longer possible to prohibit the tide of opening up. As long as

Just look at the scale of smuggling before the opening up. The Internet is also on the rise, so it is no longer realistic to close the country to the outside world. It is time for reform and opening up. China can be said to have taken the initiative to reform and open up, or it can be said to have forced the country to do so.

We were forced to reform and open up as a last resort.

As for the idea of ​​realizing the Four Modernizations, it was already proposed during the Cultural Revolution. So it is absolutely correct to say that Taizong is the successor of Taizu and his followers, because he continued to adhere to a series of policies and guidelines of Taizu and his followers, but he stopped the Cultural Revolution. As for some people saying that Taizong is a thief who stole the credit for himself, Zhang Yinghao believes that this statement is not objective. Just like the founder of a company, he naturally worked very hard and made great contributions. He also formulated many policies and guidelines that were very correct.

Yes, but he left the company before he could implement it properly. The successor made the company bigger and stronger, and cited many of the policies and guidelines that had been formulated before.

Does this count as stealing the work of the people who founded the company? That's a matter of opinion.

Zhang Yinghao didn't know how many years he would need to accumulate talent and technology. But he knew he wouldn't have to wait for decades. After liberation, he only needed to wait until the first batch of high school students entered society. Of course, he would also need to take advantage of the momentum from World War I and World War II to make a fortune.

Sometimes Zhang Yinghao would suddenly feel as lonely as the snow. Few people in the base understood these basic common-sense questions; only he could comprehend them. Fortunately, it wasn't a big deal to be a bit clueless. After all, Britain and France knew nothing at first, but they still thrived. Social practice would teach them everything they needed to know.

At this time, Zhang Yinghao received good news: the Chengkang Highway, or Chengkang Road, had finally opened to traffic. Although only horse-drawn carriages could now pass through, Zhang Yinghao was already very satisfied. This also meant that preparations for entering Xizang should begin slowly. Zhang Yinghao immediately ordered the construction of secret warehouses in Batang and Kangding to store food, weapons, and ammunition.

Chapter 251:

Zhang Yinghao knew that the high altitude of Xizang, the difficult roads, the logistical difficulties, and especially the altitude sickness were the biggest obstacles to the march into Xizang. To this end, Zhang Yinghao specially manufactured a batch of high-pressure gas cylinders for the army to use during the future march into Xizang.

However, the revolutionary army had been on the Sichuan-Tibet border for many years. Although they did not have a complete understanding of the Xizang region, they had learned a lot of information after such a long investigation. They also secretly established trading channels to trade with the Xizang people.

To address logistical support and future trade issues, Zhang Yinghao adapted to local conditions and established a yak team there. Xizang alpine yaks are docile, strong, and hardy, making them suitable for long-distance cargo transportation. They typically carry a load of 1/4 their body weight, or 100 to 120 kilograms. Group number for this book: 775111838

Xizang alpine yaks are numerous, widely distributed, and highly adaptable, making them an essential livestock species for the production and livelihood of the local people (mainly Tibetans). They are able to adapt to the high altitudes where oxygen is low, daily temperature fluctuations are large, and the grass growing season is short, making it difficult for other livestock to survive and fully utilize pasture resources.

At the same time, Zhang Yinghao also purchased large quantities of livestock in the Batang and Kangding areas and established a canning factory, a fur processing factory, and a highland barley wine factory in Kangding. This canning factory specialized in processing various types of beef, mutton, and other meats into canned meat products, which were supplied to the local revolutionary army. Any surplus was sold on the market. As a result, the army's food was now the best in Sichuan. Many comrades had only eaten meat once a year before joining the army, but after joining, they had at least some meat every day.

Many young men who join the army are reluctant to leave, and the food is a major factor. Even those with yellow muscles will develop oily complexions after a while in the army. Of course, the army doesn't favor fat people, so good food naturally leads to increased training.

Most importantly, these factories were Zhang Yinghao's crowbar for prying into Xizang. The Communist Manifesto states: "...the bourgeoisie has undermined the national foundations of industry. The old national industries have been destroyed, and are daily being destroyed. They have been supplanted by new industries, the establishment of which has become a matter of life and death for all civilized nations... The old local and national self-sufficiency and isolation have been replaced by mutual intercourse and mutual dependence in all respects among all nations... The rapid improvement of all means of production and the immense convenience of communication have drawn all nations, even the most barbarous, into civilization. The low prices of its goods are the heavy artillery with which it destroys all the great walls and conquers the most stubborn xenophobia among the barbarians... The inevitable consequence is political centralization. Independent regions, once linked only by alliances, with different interests, laws, governments, and tariffs, have now been united into a single state with a unified government, unified laws, unified national and class interests, and unified tariffs."

It's important to note that the Tibetan herders raise cattle and sheep, and their meat supply is relatively plentiful. Many of these cattle and sheep are sold for money or exchanged for daily necessities like tea. Over a year after the revolutionary army arrived in Batang and other areas, the herders near Sichuan had long since refuted the lamas' slanderous propaganda against the Forward Party and the revolutionary army. After the Tibetan soldiers were severely punished several times by the revolutionary army, breakouts along the Sichuan-Tibet border ceased, and trade gradually increased.

The Sichuan-Tibet border region was teeming with cattle and horses. After the cannery opened, it began purchasing large quantities of fresh meat. Meanwhile, Zhang Yinghao shipped large quantities of salt, tea, cloth, ready-made clothes, farm tools, kerosene, flour, and other goods to Kangding and Batang, trading them with the local herders. This influx of goods into Batang and Kangding quickly boosted their popularity, leading to a sharp rise in meat prices.

As long as the herders of Sichuan and Xizang form a close community of interests, and once Xizang is also involved in the torrent of industrialized production, their slave system will naturally and slowly disintegrate. Then, no matter how much Xizang fanns the flames, under the trend of interests, they cannot prohibit exchanges between the two sides.

Now, more and more herders are driving their livestock to Batang or Kangding to sell. Zhang Yinghao buys as much as he can, regardless of quantity. Furthermore, according to the principle that bad money drives out good, 99% of transactions here are now conducted in paper currency. These herders now trust these colorful banknotes. After all, the base area controls grain and salt prices, and these herders have taken advantage. Furthermore, trading with paper money is more convenient and faster than barter or cash transactions. After completing transactions, the herders, holding the colorful banknotes in their hands, are filled with indescribable joy, their rosy faces beaming with smiles.

Some herders who came from Tibet were afraid to bring banknotes back home. After selling their livestock, they would go to the nearby market to buy tea, cloth, kerosene, and salt. After spending all their money, they would happily carry the money back home. Initially, herders didn't know about banks. It wasn't until some savvy or well-connected herders deposited their money in local banks that they didn't have to spend it all. Trade really flourished here, and since deposits earned interest, the herders were naturally delighted. Local bank officials, aware of this situation, took the initiative to attract depositors, truly alleviating the herders' worries.

Of course, this also gave rise to a group of middlemen who traveled around, bringing goods to trade with herders, and then taking livestock to Batang or Kangding areas for sale.

Zhang Yinghao knew that the bond of profit was relatively reliable. Faced with a choice between faith and profit, many people would naturally choose faith. However, people had to make a living, and ultimately faith had to give way to profit. Furthermore, as long as he could get as much information as possible about the situation in Sichuan as possible to the vast number of serfs in Tibet, it would be a huge victory. In fact, just as Zhang Yinghao had predicted, a large number of slaves secretly fled Xizang and took refuge in Sichuan. These liberated serfs would become the vanguard, or even the main force, of the future invasion of Tibet.

Ordinary people now have very low expectations; simply having enough to eat is enough for marriage. Most people simply want to be well fed and clothed. While the herders are currently powerless to change the situation in Tibet, their improved livelihoods are subtly changing the mindsets of more Tibetans.

Most importantly, once the factory is established, its scale and influence will continue to expand, forcing more and more nomadic people into the currents of industrial society, and the economic ties between Xizang and Sichuan will become even closer. Industrialized production methods will undoubtedly shake up Xizang's existing social structure and intensify existing conflicts. Given enough time, it's possible to dismantle slavery from within.

"Chairman, the Chongqing telegram." "Oh, what does it say?"

"It says a British gunboat is about to enter Kuizhou. Request instructions."

Zhang Yinghao took the telegram and read it. It simply stated that comrades had spotted British gunboats sailing upstream, estimated to be nearing Kuimen. Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment, believing the British were testing his limits. He said, "Send a telegram to Comrade Lin Zhenghong and his team, asking them to ask the British consul what the British gunboats are doing in Chongqing. They should withdraw immediately. Hmm, let them engage in verbal battle with the British."

"Yes."

The secretary left, smiled, and continued working. Chongqing Mayor Lin Zhenghong, who was far away in Chongqing, received the telegram and looked at it with a puzzled look. He handed it to Liu Xinsheng. Liu Xinsheng, who was standing next to him, took the telegram and read it. After reading it, he said, "Let's go and meet the British."

"What does the Chairman mean? Are we really going to fight?"

"What do you mean by 'what do you mean'? Isn't it obvious that the Chairman doesn't take the British gunboats seriously? If the British dare to fire, we will naturally and resolutely shoot them out. One blow is enough to prevent a hundred blows. But we have no intention of making enemies with the British now. Fighting them is enough. Do you think the British dare to fire now? In the Chairman's words, this is called not saying I didn't warn you."

"I mean, what on earth do the British want?"

"It's a demonstration. They bully us because we don't have water power and tell us to respect the British Empire."

"Well, if that's the case, there's no need for us to go. We can just let the people from the External Affairs Office go. If we go and ask, it would be too much of an honor for the British."

"That's right. Then call the Foreign Affairs Office, inform them of the situation, and tell them to go negotiate with the British. I'll contact the army and have their artillery units ready for battle. If the British dare to fire, they will resolutely fight back."

In the British Consulate in Chongqing, the topic of the Hundred Nations Viewing Power Jin Li section. To know how to solve the problems in Sichuan, at least we must solve the problems in Chongqing.

Chongqing Customs is now in the hands of the British, but all import and export goods in Chongqing are now under the supervision of the Chongqing government.

Furthermore, data shows that the Chongqing government's influence within the customs system is becoming increasingly profound. Many of its powers have been effectively stripped away by Chongqing. While no cases of tax evasion have been discovered, Chongqing's customs system has reached a point where the government could quickly take over.

The British worked hard to monopolize China's Haitian and Liztan, and they did not want the Chinese to learn the tricks. But now,

During this time, the British have in disguise trained a lot of customs talents for Sichuan. Of course, the British did not want such a thing to happen, but now that it has happened, the British are not going to just accept it.

Although the British have not yet considered dividing Sichuan, they do want to deal with this group of people who have no respect for the great powers.

Sichuan Revolutionary Party. As the world's dominant power, the British might not bombard the urban area of ​​Chongqing at this time, but they could definitely bombard the areas along the Yangtze River in Chongqing.

The Japanese were the most proactive in resolving the Sichuan issue. Of course, they weren't fools and wouldn't actually send troops deep into Sichuan. Instead, they were actively doing this to impress the British. Japan's core interests weren't in the Yangtze River Basin, but in the Korean Peninsula, Manchuria, and Shandong. So, whatever the British wanted, the Japanese would follow suit, knowing they had the British backing them.

The British believed that sending a gunboat into the Chongqing area would force Chongqing to compromise. However, when the inquiries came from the Foreign Affairs Office of the Progressive Party, they realized their plan had failed. They dismissed the Foreign Affairs Office's ultimatum, believing that words are no match for real guns. Their attempt at gunboat diplomacy failed, but the gunboat eventually reached Chongqing, circled the city, and then returned.

As early as March 1900, British naval gunboats successfully passed through the Three Gorges and reached the west of Chongqing. Shortly thereafter, two new American warships appeared. By November 1901, Chongqing was already under the jurisdiction of the revolutionary army, but the French ship "Orly" still arrived in Chongqing.

Therefore, the British gunboats returned to Chongqing this time, partly for demonstration, and partly to collect relevant data. After all, the entire Yangtze River basin was now teeming with foreign patrol vessels and gunboats. If anything went wrong, the cannons on these ships would fire towards both banks.

The main reason why Zhang Yinghao allowed the British gunboats to enter Chongqing this time was due to three considerations.

First, Zhang Yinghao believed that the British were testing the attitudes of the Sichuan and Chongqing governments. Zhang Yinghao's attitude towards this test was that as long as you British don't fire, I can tolerate it.

The second is that the British are investigating hydrology and collecting data. Zhang Yinghao currently has no navy or naval forces, so he is too lazy to worry about these things. Shouting out rhetoric will only make the British think that he is just a bluff.

Third, as long as the Qing Dynasty and the foreign powers did not proactively cut off the Sichuan waterway, Zhang Yinghao would have to endure. However, if someone blocked the waterway and confirmed that it would not be opened in the short term, then Zhang Yinghao would no longer have to endure it. In that case, even if you don't fight, I will find an excuse to destroy you.

Chapter 252: Thank you for the tip and urging for more updates!!

Zhang Yinghao was unaware that the two Chongqing leaders had failed to personally protest to the British, thus thwarting their plans. However, their response and actions towards the British were no longer relevant to Zhang Yinghao. At this time, Zhang Yinghao had received notice that the base had assembled its first tractor using a single-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine, a replica of the original.

Tractors have only been around for 50 years, and although people have long been trying to replace human and animal power with mechanical means for farming, it wasn't until the advent of improved steam engines in the 19th century that powered agricultural machinery became possible.

In 1851, Frenchman Arrabalte invented the world's first tractor, which was invented earlier than the passenger car, showing people's urgent need for agricultural machinery.

In 1889, the United States built the world's first agricultural tractor using a gasoline internal combustion engine. Since the internal combustion engine is relatively light, easy to operate, and highly efficient, its appearance laid the foundation for the popularization and application of tractors.

Zhang Yinghao finally understood the meaning of concentrating resources to accomplish great things. He gathered the best craftsmen in Sichuan and sent them to the tractor factory he had purchased to train them. Craftsmen were known for their agility and manual dexterity. Zhang Yinghao drew a diagram of a single-cylinder, four-stroke engine, a required subject in physics class.

After the drawings were completed, Zhang Yinghao handed the project over to the group to begin research. He also assigned an international student who could explain the drawings to them and work with them on the experiments. With the necessary tools, theoretical support, and images, the first tractor was finally built.