The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

In reality, Huang Sande and his group simply want overseas Chinese to have a better life. The prosperity of the United States is far from comparable to that of China today, so naturally, many people are reluctant to return. Furthermore, Huang Sande and his group have established their own gangs, and these gangs need members. If all overseas Chinese leave the United States and return to China, this would be a disguised weakening of their power. Whether they truly want overseas Chinese to return to China is still unknown.

After hearing this, Zhang Yinghao didn't want to say anything more. Instead, he said directly: "If you don't want to come back, you should unite and fight for more rights for yourself. We will also establish a Chinese Overseas Chinese Federation to specifically handle the affairs of overseas Chinese and will do our best to provide them with help within our capacity."

These Chinese and overseas Chinese who had joined the movement felt frustrated, having received no political promises. However, they also knew Zhang Yinghao's words were valid, and he offered a solution: simply establishing a trading company could support many people. As for the proposal to form a political party, they also needed to think carefully about it.

At this time, Situ Meitang suddenly said: "Chairman Zhang, can I visit Sichuan for a while? If this place can really accommodate overseas Chinese, I will try my best to persuade them to come back and participate in the construction of the motherland!"

Zhang Yinghao said: "Of course, you can stay in Sichuan as long as you want. Even if you don't want to leave, we can arrange a job for you."

Zhang Yinghao saw the waiter greeting him, so he stood up and said, "Okay, I think you're hungry too, let's go over and eat."

After dinner, Situ Meitang and his companions left the reception room, accompanied by the wait staff. Chen Yiwei, watching them from behind, said, "Chairman, overseas Chinese are a significant force. You spoke so bluntly today. I'm afraid this will chill them!"

"Haha, without Butcher Zhang, we wouldn't eat hairy pigs. We, the Progressive Party, don't bother to hide our intentions. If they're willing to help, we'll help. If they're not willing, forget it. If I fool them now, it will only make them more disheartened in the future. Besides, I really don't want to see good Chinese people contributing their talents to foreigners. They're bullied and continue to endure humiliation. Isn't that despicable? Come back if you can!"

"Haha, life is really not easy for overseas Chinese, that's a fact. However, they're wishful thinking that the motherland will rule for them once it becomes stronger. Do we need to send troops to support them? What's more important is that they can strive for success on their own. The Chairman has long said that there are no saviors, and God only helps those who strive for success on their own."

"That's the truth. If they don't fight for it, the mud they put on the wall will remain mud. If we force the mud on the wall, then the wall owner's conflict won't be directed at the mud itself, but at us, the ones applying it. It's better to avoid such thankless tasks. Peace survives when it's sought through struggle, but it dies when it's sought through compromise. They're seeking peace through compromise, and there's nothing we can do about it."

"That's right. The internal struggles among these overseas Chinese are actually quite intense. I didn't understand it before, but now that you've explained it to me, President, I understand. The United States is so big, how could it not accommodate hundreds of thousands of Chinese? Alas!"

"Haha, you're not doing your best. There are so many overseas Chinese around the world. If they gathered together, they would become a force anywhere. Even establishing a country is not impossible. The current situation of Huang Sande and his men is the best example. In our current situation, we can only hire these people to dismantle and move machinery and equipment to earn a living. This money is also the blood and sweat of the people of Sichuan."

"Chairman, I think the psychological vulnerability you mentioned is crucial. These overseas Chinese don't consider themselves locals. They go abroad almost out of necessity, as if they're occupying the land. Foreigners don't consider them their own, so bullying them is a matter of course. Many overseas Chinese don't dare to resist, or they'll face even greater retaliation. Even if a few strong men occasionally appear, it can't change this vulnerable situation."

Zhang Yinghao laughed after hearing this. It was just like when Obama became president in later generations. He still couldn't change the overall situation of black people in the United States. Instead, he was touted as a role model by white people. After all, a black man also became president!

After Huang Sande left, he took his group on a tour of Chengdu. Chengdu had undergone a dramatic transformation from when Zhang Yinghao first took over. The former shantytowns and slums had been completely renovated, with red brick and tile buildings stretching as far as the eye could see. The streets were bustling with hurried pedestrians, and the aroma of fried meat occasionally wafted through the air.

In Zhang Yinghao's eyes, these houses would all be demolished again in a few years, and these areas would be replaced by high-rise buildings. However, the current situation was still quite shocking. Huang Sande and his friends visited a primary school and saw children in class. Two classes of students were taking classes outdoors.

Chapter 290: More updates!

One class was practicing counting in a line, then shuffling the order and counting again. The children were having a blast. Another class was playing "Eagle Catches Chicken." Seeing the children, their rosy little faces, Huang Sande and Situ Meitang couldn't help but recall their own childhoods, and envy welled up in their eyes.

When they turned a corner, they suddenly heard loud singing. Huang Sande and his companions took two quick steps and listened carefully.

The students sang a song Huang Sande and his group had never heard before. After they finished singing it, they heard the teacher say, "This is a song our beloved Chairman Zhang Yinghao wrote for us. He hopes that when we grow up, we will love our home and our country and work hard for the prosperity of our country. Okay, let's sing "Country" again. I'll start, and everyone will sing it again and again. Let's sing along with the sound of jade China."

A jade mouth makes China, a tiled roof makes a home. They say a country is vast, but it's actually just a home. A heart filled with country, a hand supporting a home. A home is the smallest country, a country is made up of millions of homes. A country in the world, a home in heaven and earth. Only with a strong country can there be a prosperous home. The country is my country, and my home is my home. I love my country, I love my home. La la la~~~~ I love my country!

Huang Sande and his group were deeply moved after listening to the songs sung by the children. Country, what a distant yet familiar name! They had never experienced this kind of education before. People who have received this kind of education only need to wait for ten or twenty years, and they will know without thinking that the whole country will undergo earth-shaking changes.

Huang Sande didn't dare to think any further, so he asked the staff accompanying him: "How many schools like this do you have now? Is this the kind of education in all of them?"

The comrades who were able to accompany Huang Sande and his companions were also selected outstanding comrades, so they naturally knew what to say. "Mr. Huang, our current regulation is that every town in rural areas has at least one primary school, but some remote areas have not yet reached this level. In Chengdu, with a large population, we have a few more primary schools. The educational content is unified. The class schedules may be different, but the content is similar."

Huang Sande was silent for a moment and then said, "How many children can this school accommodate?"

"It varies. Our revolution hasn't been going on for long, only a little over two years. Many places only started school this year. Some have only a few dozen students, while some have hundreds."

At this time, the person next to him hurriedly asked: "To build so many schools and hire so many teachers, it must cost a lot of money, right?"

The staff member was stunned. He had never really thought about this question, so he answered honestly: "I'm sorry, I really don't know. I just know that the Chairman said that the quality of government office buildings cannot exceed that of local schools. However, many of these schools were originally built by the military, and the troops left after they were completed. How much money was spent? This is probably only known by the Chairman and others."

"How much is the tuition?"

"Tuition is cheap, otherwise not so many children would be able to go to school. They also have to pay for books and miscellaneous fees. Things are tough in the liberated areas right now, and many teachers are disabled soldiers. But the Chairman said: A child's best years for education are only a few years; missing out on them is a lifelong struggle. So, no matter how poor we are, we must not neglect education, and no matter how hard we are, we must not let our children suffer. Look at those children. To be honest, I envy them."

Hearing these powerful words from the accompanying staff, everyone was shocked beyond words. Who wouldn't envy such an educational environment? Huang Sande and Situ Meitang had only studied for three or four years, and they didn't know how much they had suffered from the lack of education. When they heard the staff's words, they could only remain silent.

That evening, Zhang Yinghao organized a welcome party for these overseas Chinese. The cheerful atmosphere permeated the audience. Zhang Yinghao said, "Confucius said, 'Isn't it a great pleasure to have friends coming from afar?' These overseas Chinese have come from afar to our Liberated Area, and we extend a warm welcome. Conditions in our Liberated Area are difficult right now, so we can only organize this welcome party as a token of our appreciation. I hope you enjoy it and that your visit to the Liberated Area is worthwhile..."

The lights shone brightly, and everyone watched intently as the performers on stage performed. Zhang Yinghao had put considerable thought into the evening's performance. Besides traditional plays like "The White-Haired Girl" and "Put Down Your Whip," Zhang Yinghao had also personally written a play, "Leaving Home."

The drama's content closely reflects the lives of these overseas Chinese who left their homes. Their families were impoverished, with only a small amount of porridge to eat each day, and they could barely survive. Exploitation and oppression by landlords, rampant corrupt officials, and ultimately forced them to leave their homes and travel far away.

In the first scene, a poor, ordinary family features an honest and hardworking father, a virtuous and diligent mother, and a lively, adorable, and gifted child. However, due to their poverty, they have to work in the fields at a young age. Determined to improve their family's fortune, the parents use their hard-earned savings to send their child to a private school.

In the second act, the landlord tries every possible means to buy his father's remaining land by tempting him to borrow money at high interest rates, smoke opium, and gamble. Corrupt officials also run rampant in the village, forcing him to squeeze every last penny of his family's hard-earned money.

In the third act, the family runs out of money, forcing the child to drop out of school and work with his father on the family's limited land. Life, like Wang Erxiao's New Year, gets worse with each passing year. Finally, to improve his family's financial situation, the child discusses with his peers and decides to go abroad.

The play ends with a dim figure in tattered clothes, carrying a bag slung over his shoulder. Zhang Yinghao also used his voice-over to leave behind Stephen Chow's famous line: "Look, that man looks like a stray dog."

Then he added: "It's not a dog, it's obviously a donkey." When the drama was over, almost everyone present was in tears. After all, most people here were forced to leave their hometown because of this situation. After leaving, wouldn't they be like stray dogs? Many people couldn't help crying.

Zhang Yinghao's intention in writing this play is clear: to tell these overseas Chinese that he understands their past difficulties and ultimately hopes they will return to China. To this end, Zhang Yinghao also prepared three songs specifically for these overseas Chinese, hoping to encourage more of them to return to China and participate in the country's development.

Then the host said: "The next song we will present is "My Chinese Heart".

The mountains and rivers haunt me only in my dreams; I haven't been close to my motherland for years. But nothing can change my Chinese heart. Though I wear Western clothes, my heart remains Chinese. My ancestors have long since stamped everything about me with the imprint of China. The Yangtze River, the Great Wall, Huangshan, and the Yellow River weigh a thousand pounds in my heart. No matter when or where, they are always dear to me. The blood flowing in my heart surges with the voice of China. Even in a foreign land, this cannot change my Chinese heart.

My Chinese heart.

For Chinese people today, the simple words "My Chinese Heart" can move them for a long time. Not to mention, this song perfectly captures their hearts. Warm applause isn't enough to express their innermost feelings.

After the song was finished, the host came on stage and said: "Overseas wanderers, no matter how long you have been away from home or how far away you are, you cannot change your Chinese heart, nor can you change the fact that you are descendants of Yan and Huang, descendants of the dragon. Please enjoy the song "Descendants of the Dragon" below.

In the far East, there's a river, its name is the Yangtze River. In the far East, there's a river, its name is the Yellow River. In the ancient East, there's a dragon, its name is China. In the ancient East, there's a people, all of them descendants of the dragon. I grew up beneath the dragon's feet, and when I grow up, I'll be a descendant of the dragon. Black eyes, black hair, yellow skin, forever and ever, a descendant of the dragon.

Although I have never seen the beauty of the Yangtze River, I often wander its waters in my dreams. Although I have never heard the might of the Yellow River, its surging waves can be heard in my dreams.

On a quiet night many years ago, deep in the night before a cataclysmic upheaval, the sound of gunfire shattered the stillness. Enemies on all sides wielded the sword of tolerance. For years, the cannons roared, and years and years passed. Great dragon, great dragon, keep your eyes open, forever and ever.

"We have endured many years of hardship in the past, and we are still enduring it now. But we believe that as long as we unite behind the Progressive Party led by Chairman Zhang Yinghao, and fight tenaciously and to the death, we believe that the suffering will eventually pass, and happy days will finally come to us Chinese. Let us sing the song 'Chinese' and stride forward with our heads held high."

Five thousand years of wind and rain! How many dreams have been hidden. Yellow face, black eyes! The smile remains unchanged. Ten thousand miles of mountains and rivers are like a song.

No matter where you come from or where you are going

We share the same tears, the same pain. We hold the hardships of the past in our hearts. We share the same blood, the same race. We have dreams for the future, and we forge them together. Hand in hand, without distinction, we march forward with our heads held high, letting the world know that we are all Chinese.

With these powerful doses of medicine, these songs will spread throughout the world through the mouths of overseas Chinese. Of course, Zhang Yinghao himself will also secretly fuel the spread of these songs throughout the overseas Chinese community. In this era of rising nationalism, countless people have sacrificed their lives for national liberation. Zhang Yinghao believes that many talented people will be inspired by these songs and return to China. After all, the values ​​of today are not what they will be in the future, where everything is focused on money, huge profits, and a material life.

After watching the show, Huang Sanda held Zhang Yinghao's hand and said, "Chairman Zhang, your show speaks to the hearts and minds of countless Chinese and overseas Chinese. When I return, I will definitely promote it so that more people will know about it and return to serve our country..."

Zhang Yinghao smiled and nodded to express his gratitude.

Huang Sande and his group arrived suddenly and left just as quickly, spending two days in Chengdu before rushing back. Zhang Yinghao was once again caught up in his busy schedule.

After completing this massive task, the annual National People's Congress was about to convene. Zhang Weiqiang, Premier of the State Council, delivered a report to the congress, while Zhang Yinghao, as the chairman of the National People's Congress, sat in the audience. Zhang Weiqiang temporarily oversaw the propaganda department, but he stepped down after a successor was found. Zhang Yinghao established the State Council, and eventually Zhang Weiqiang became Premier of the State Council.

The name of the Administrative Council was given by Zhang Yinghao. This Administrative Council currently oversees the administrative affairs of Sichuan, Chongqing, and Shaanxi. There was no such position before, and Zhang Yinghao found it inconvenient, so he created a temporary Administrative Council based on the later generations.

As for the responsibilities of the Executive Yuan...

Zhang Yinghao still clearly remembers that he convened the Central Committee meeting of the Forward Party.

The suggestion is to establish a State Council. While there is no objection to this, the relationship between this State Council and the current system is a problem.

Zhang Yinghao pulled out his junior high school knowledge. A key component of his political science class was the institutional structure of the liberated areas, a required exam topic. When asked this question, Zhang Yinghao began to write about it on the blackboard without even starting with a draft.

Originally, the chairman of a liberated area was the leader of that area, but since the country hadn't been established, there was no president. The Premier of the State Council was the head of the executive branch, and of course, the Forward Party, which led the military, was the leader of the entire system. Naturally, the public security, procuratorate, and courts were relatively independent. The entire system, each with its own responsibilities, was easy to understand. This was actually how the entire liberated area structure was established, though the various departments were not yet fully complete.

As soon as Zhang Yinghao finished explaining the structure of the liberated areas, everyone had a clearer idea of ​​their position and knew roughly where they were. However, what everyone was thinking at this time was: "So the Premier of the State Council is the Prime Minister!"

This is the simplest analogy. It is not wrong to say that the Prime Minister is in the position of the Prime Minister.

However, after reading the organizational structure written by Zhang Yinghao, the more people understood the content, and saw that the positions of Zhang Yinghao's three chairmen were all very high, many comrades have fully realized that Zhang Yinghao holds all the power of the party, government, military, and people, and is like a spider - entrenched in the center of power, looking down on everyone.

Of course, all the comrades present at the meeting knew what was going on. Zhang Yinghao’s contribution was unquestionable. They understood Zhang Yinghao’s strength even more. Zhang Yinghao had brought them liberation, and they followed Zhang Yinghao. If it weren’t for Zhang Yinghao, they wouldn’t know what kind of life they would be living now! However, Zhang Yinghao would not think so, because Zhang Yinghao served the entire system and was the biggest service provider.

Chapter 291:

Now that Zhang Yinghao says he wants to set up a State Council, all you have to do is support it. Zhang Yinghao is willing to discuss it with you, which is to give you face, so naturally we will have a good discussion about the selection of candidates.

The Central Committee of the Progressive Party was elected. Given Zhang Yinghao's current authority, there was no need for him to directly nominate someone for the Executive Yuan. Otherwise, his authority would be too strong, and those nominated by him would be subservient to him, effectively creating a one-man show. For Zhang Yinghao, this was actually not a good idea. He believed he didn't need such a prime minister. He actually wanted a foreign student as prime minister, ideally someone who knew about industry and had broader perspectives than those he had trained. However, this still depended on the nomination of the comrades present at the meeting.

Zhang Yinghao then said, "How is the Premier of the State Council selected? I think it should still be nominated by the Central Committee. And what is the Premier's job? This is also determined by the "three determinations" method: position, personnel, and responsibilities. So today we are going to discuss what the Premier should do and what authority he should have. Let's discuss it."

"The Prime Minister is the highest official in charge of government affairs and is responsible for the specific government affairs. He must first be in charge of the provincial governors."

Organization Minister Luo Zelin spoke directly and said that he now has his own thoughts on this aspect. The governor is in charge of the government affairs of a province. Since the State Council is in charge of government affairs, it is natural for it to be led by the Prime Minister.

This tone was certain, and the committee members immediately knew the prime minister's greatest authority.

Now that the Executive Yuan has been established, if Zhang Yinghao doesn't take this position, then who will take it needs careful consideration. Even if he can't get the position himself, if he can get a close comrade to take it, it will be of infinite benefit to him. Everyone follows Zhang Yinghao willingly. The Premier of the Executive Yuan is arguably one of the most powerful figures in the Liberated Areas, the official second-in-command, holding a high position and great power. Who will be the Premier is a major issue.

"How about we choose Comrade Bao Shilin?"

Before the specifics of the position were finalized, Comrade Qian Daoming immediately proposed it. He had long studied under Bao Shilin, and it was well known that Zhang Yinghao held him in high regard. Bao Shilin was the most acceptable choice for prime minister. He had risen to this position thanks to his experience as head of the logistics department. His achievements, coupled with the presence of a large number of long-time associates, gave him immense prestige and influence.

Now I've learned it. Let's shoot the geese down first. We can talk about whether to steam or boil them later.

Zhang Yinghao was also unable to react for a moment and simply rejected the proposal immediately: "The Minister of Finance has a heavy responsibility. Comrade Bao Shilin cannot leave this position for the time being."

Talent was limited in the liberated areas, and the Minister of Finance could not be easily replaced. Zhang Yinghao was reassured that his old friend Bao Shilin was in charge of the Ministry of Finance, and he could adjust the financial arrangements at any time. This was one of the cornerstones of Zhang Yinghao's power.

Zhang Yinghao's denial was unanswerable. Without Bao Shilin, the candidate for prime minister became highly competitive. After all, Zhang Feng and his colleagues were no longer in Chengdu; a large number of outstanding comrades had gone to the grassroots to do the actual work. Furthermore, many of the positions were important, such as Luo Zelin in charge of the Organization Department and Zhang Kai in charge of the Ministry of Public Security. Zhang Yinghao wouldn't easily replace them with prime ministers.

"How about Comrade Wang Daniu be the Premier of the State Council?" "I think Comrade Liu Qi is a good choice."

"Comrade Ma Haifeng has been in charge of the Discipline Inspection Commission. I think Comrade Ma Haifeng is very fair in his work."

"Comrade Luo Zelin is not bad either." "Comrade Zhang Zhixuan is also good."

"Huang Jinhao is now the governor of Sichuan Province, so there's no problem in promoting him."

Zhang Yinghao was speechless as he watched this ridiculous scene. He couldn't call them out for fooling around, or else no one would dare raise any objections. The comrades weren't recommending candidates based on the work itself, but rather on personal connections and personal interests. What kind of a thing was that? Yet, this was also inevitable. The position of Prime Minister didn't arise naturally through struggle, but was created by Zhang Yinghao's will. The comrades had no basis for reference; naturally, they prioritized their own interests.

While Zhang Yinghao couldn't control the final outcome of the meeting, he could certainly control its content. After the comrades finished nominating, Zhang Yinghao said again, "Let's first discuss the three things: positions, personnel, and responsibilities. We need to clarify the Prime Minister's responsibilities, obligations, and rights before we discuss the nominations."

When Zhang Yinghao said it was decided for the second time, many comrades who were just excitedly discussing who should be elected suddenly felt a chill in their hearts, and quickly collected their thoughts, not daring to have any more wild thoughts.

Seeing the meeting finally quiet down, Zhang Yinghao said, "Just now he said the Prime Minister should manage the governors. What else? Let's continue."

When the comrades heard Zhang Yinghao say this again, they knew that he was dissatisfied with the comrades' nomination method. Many comrades immediately realized that they had been too anxious and exposed their selfish motives. In order to cover up their selfish motives, they immediately participated in the speech enthusiastically.

"We practice separation of government and military administration, so the prime minister is not allowed to interfere in military affairs." "Banks are under the management and leadership of the State Council, as well as the Ministry of Education."

... …….

After much discussion, the comrades felt that a prime minister was indeed necessary, yet they were also a bit bewildered. This was because they discovered that the State Council's power was truly immense, and the prime minister, the second-in-command, truly held a position of supreme power, second only to the emperor. It seemed as though all the departments established by the Qianjin Party were under the prime minister's command: the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Education, and so on. Wow, the number of ministries and commissions under his leadership alone reached over a dozen or so, and if you add in some other agencies, wow, it was truly impressive, reaching dozens. Although he was an administrative official, he was truly the second-in-command in name only.

This excited the comrades even more. Many of them were discussing such a major issue for the first time. These comrades, who were ordinary people two years ago, had never considered these issues. This debate lasted for two days, and everyone felt that the more they discussed, the more confused they became.

"This Prime Minister seems to have a lot of power!"

This is the phrase that comrades like to say most during discussions. It always feels wrong to let comrades elect such a powerful person.

After the excitement wore off, the comrades immediately began to feel exhausted and even fearful. Many comrades feared making mistakes by electing such a powerful figure, feeling they couldn't shoulder the responsibility. So, after two full days of discussion, there was still no conclusion. They didn't know which departments the Prime Minister should lead, and where his boundaries would be.

So in the end, everyone's eyes turned to Zhang Yinghao. Zhang Yinghao still needed to take this responsibility. Anyway, the entire system of the liberated area was designed by Zhang Yinghao, so Zhang Yinghao naturally knew what the prime minister did. Let Zhang Yinghao explain and convince everyone. Everyone should just listen.

This was one of the reasons Zhang Yinghao didn't arbitrarily establish the Executive Yuan. No one wanted to have another mother-in-law controlling them. Comrades saw the current situation as fine: each comrade fulfilled their duties and was collectively accountable to Zhang Yinghao. If Zhang Yinghao had forcibly established an Executive Yuan to manage these independent departments, they would have inevitably revolted.

In reality, this is a process of struggle. It would be best if the comrades could determine the Prime Minister's responsibilities and powers. If they can't, they can come to me for confirmation. Then the initiative will be in my hands. Zhang Yinghao wasn't actually clear about the specific departments the Prime Minister oversaw. But after two days of listening to the comrades' discussions, combined with memories from his past life, he's pretty much figured it out.

From what Zhang Yinghao knew in his previous life, the Procuratorate was the only special one, operating independently rather than under the State Council's management. The relationship between superiors and subordinates in the courts wasn't one of leader and subordinate, but rather one of guidance and guidance. It seemed that almost all the other departments Zhang Yinghao knew of were under the State Council's management.

After Zhang Yinghao explained the structure of the State Council, everyone nominated Zhang Weiqiang to temporarily serve as acting Premier. If he performed poorly, someone else would be appointed; if he performed well, he would be promoted to the position of permanent Premier. Zhang Yinghao ultimately agreed, but he only nominated Chen Qizhi as Secretary-General to assist Zhang Weiqiang in presiding over the work.

Just when Zhang Yinghao was distracted by Comrade Zhang Weiqiang's report, his secretary suddenly came to his side quietly and handed him a telegram.

Zhang Yinghao immediately came to his senses and did not answer the telegram. Instead, he whispered, "Who sent this telegram?"

"Chairman, Division Commander Li Qiang of Kangding and Political Commissar Yan sent a joint telegram."

Zhang Yinghao knew about Political Commissar Yan. Commissar Zhang Lei had been transferred back to Chengdu to teach at a school, and another political commissar had been assigned to Kangding. Hearing it was from Kangding, Zhang Yinghao took the telegram and read it. It stated that according to reports from herders, British troops were advancing into Xizang from India. The details were unclear, but it had happened two weeks earlier.

Zhang Yinghao immediately recalled the British gunboat's previous entry into Chongqing, and a sudden realization dawned on him. Perhaps the British were trying to gather detailed hydrological data about the Three Gorges waterway in advance, ready for use in the event of a conflict with Sichuan. Perhaps the British were also unaware of Sichuan's stance and wanted to use this gunboat to demonstrate their position. It would be interesting to see how Sichuan would react.

Because Xizang is the frontier of the motherland and a remote corner of the country, apart from the loss of southern Tibet to India and the self-defense counterattack against India, how many people know that Britain invaded Xizang twice in the late Qing Dynasty? It's just that no territory was lost at that time, so not many people paid attention to it. After all, there were too many unequal treaties signed in the late Qing Dynasty, and such a treaty was indeed not missing.

Zhang Yinghao himself didn't know that the British invaded Tibet twice in the late Qing Dynasty and even occupied Lhasa for a time, and signed the Treaty of Lhasa on September 7, 1904. Even though these were mentioned in junior high and high school history textbooks, they were completely forgotten after learning them because they were definitely not the focus of the exam.

The previous Minister to Tibet, Shengtai, had been complicit in the Qing's wishes, working tirelessly for British interests and ultimately dying of exhaustion in office. His successor, Yugang, spent his days and nights worrying about how to escape and return to Beijing. Aside from the Sichuan rebellion, he remained oblivious to the unfolding events at home and abroad. Following the Sichuan Revolution, he became increasingly anxious, unable to restore the Qing court's authority in the southwestern frontier.

Zhang Yinghao wasn't familiar with the history of the British invasion of Xizang, but that didn't prevent him from making sound judgments. After reading the telegram, he noticed many delegates looking at him expectantly, their faces full of curiosity. Zhang Yinghao knew his every move in the meeting was being watched by the delegates, but he remained calm, putting away the telegram and continuing to listen to Zhang Weiqiang's government report.

Zhang Yinghao didn't take the stage until Zhang Weiqiang finished his report. He had to announce this telegram, and he couldn't leave the meeting room before doing so. If everyone knew Zhang Yinghao had such important information but didn't share it, many people would be upset. There might even be a reversal of the verdict, and some would say Zhang Yinghao didn't value the National People's Congress. Furthermore, since the National People's Congress had already been established, the war issue also needed its approval. Sharing the news now would help everyone prepare.

Chapter 292:

Zhang Yinghao walked to the microphone and said, "Comrades, the People's Congress is the highest authority in our liberated areas. All of you people's representatives have the power to decide on war and peace in our liberated areas. We have just received a joint telegram from Division Commander Li Qiang of Kangding and Political Commissar Yan Bing. The content is that herders on the Sichuan-Tibet border have reported that the British have led their troops to attack Xizang. However, we don't know the specific situation at the moment, and we await further news. However, if it is confirmed that the British have sent troops to Tibet and are bullying us Chinese again, then we must also send troops. Otherwise, we in western Sichuan will not be able to produce in peace, and the people here cannot bear the historical responsibility for the loss of our homeland. That's all the information. Comrades, continue the meeting."

Zhang Yinghao's explanation was simple, as the People's Congress didn't understand war either. He felt there was no need to explain it to them now. Perhaps, in their view, war meant sending troops to fight, just like visiting relatives or engaging in a group fight in the village—just call someone and do it. Zhang Yinghao left the meeting room, while other comrades continued to preside over the meeting, explaining the policies of the liberated areas to the people.

Zhang Yinghao came to the office and immediately called a meeting of the Central Committee members and comrades from the Military Commission.

After giving the order, Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment and immediately drafted a telegram to Liu Xinsheng, who was far away in Chongqing. He explained the situation of the British invasion of Xizang and asked him to go to the British consulate immediately to protest and find out the British people's tone and attitude.