The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

In this ancient wasteland and frozen permafrost, natural disasters like swamps, landslides, and mudslides are a constant threat. Snow-capped mountains, high temperatures, hunger, heavy loads, and fatigue are key words that define the collective memories of the revolutionary army and engineering troops who entered Tibet, and each one effortlessly recounts thrilling stories.

In the wilderness with heavy snow and biting cold wind, the road construction army and workers cut through mountains and built bridges across rivers. The engineering troops wore out tens of millions of steel drills and shovels, and their hands were often cracked with blood. The cracks bled from the drilling and blasting of rocks, and then healed and cracked again, causing unbearable pain.

Engineers, tied to ropes, carved paths through sheer cliffs and built bridges across glacial rivers. One platoon, suspended on a cliff with ropes, drilled blastholes. With a clang, the rope snapped, and the entire platoon fell into the river, swept away. Not a single survivor. Drilling blastholes from mid-air. Excavating the precipitous Queer Mountains relied entirely on manual labor, using steel needles to drill holes and blast. After attending to their comrades' funerals, the soldiers, bearing their grief, uttered the stirring slogan, "Make the mountains bow, and the rivers give way."

The revolutionary army marched through mountains like Erlang, Que'er, Zheduo, Sejila, and Lengla, and crossed major rivers like the Min, Dadu, Jinsha, Nu, and Lancang. These majestic mountains and rivers were also harsh and unforgiving, leaving behind the soldiers' footprints, sweat, and even their lives. It was later calculated that for every kilometer advanced, one soldier fell for every kilometer the troops entered Tibet.

The Revolutionary Army's rear headquarters engineering department built a road station every ten to twenty kilometers, much like an ancient post station. After each station was completed, two or three comrades stayed behind to serve as liaisons. These soldiers might stay in the area for their entire lives, marrying, raising children, and aging out. Besides weapons, each soldier received a wheelbarrow, a wooden cart. All subsequent transport of clothing, food, construction tools, guns, and ammunition depended on these carts. These soldiers also shouldered the responsibility of guarding the roads and protecting telegraph lines.

Chapter 300:

Generally speaking, the troops entering Tibet had virtually no combat experience. These Tibetan officers, mostly local aristocrats, possessed a limited understanding of military theory but little practical experience and command ability, making their actual combat strength relatively weak. Furthermore, the younger and stronger soldiers had been withdrawn to defend against the British invasion, and the lower-level soldiers were elderly. The scattered lamas and slave owners' armed forces across Tibet were effectively powerless against modern weaponry.

The advance troops, almost all of whom spoke Tibetan, set out first. At each checkpoint, they would announce that they were going to fight the British and urge them to quickly give way. This was a necessary political strategy. If they refused to give way, further attacks would no longer be an internal conflict, but a just attempt to stop the troops from entering Tibet and eliminate the invaders. In this case, they would be killed.

Fortunately, the fierce battle between Tibet and Britain was underway, and many of their troops had been drawn down, leaving only the elderly, the weak, and the sick. Persuaded by the revolutionary advance troops, most of the regions were able to pass through directly. However, a few regions quickly collapsed under the revolutionary army's attack.

After the advance troops entered the Tibetan area, they used propaganda and other means to spread the fact that the revolutionary army entered Tibet to resist the invasion of the British Empire to the Tibetan upper class. At this time, the revolutionary army respected the customs and habits of the Tibetan people, did not enter temples, and did not move prayer flags. They tried their best to eliminate the historical barriers between the Tibetans and the Han people and fully promoted national unity.

Since being reprimanded by Zhang Yinghao, the revolutionary troops stationed in western Sichuan have carefully studied the customs and habits of Tibetan areas and demanded that officers and soldiers understand and respect the customs and religious beliefs of their fellow Tibetans. Upon entering Tibetan areas, officers and soldiers resolutely refrain from hunting animals or catching fish from the river, and they do not harm the Tibetan people in the slightest. When encountering pagodas or mani piles, officers and soldiers respect the religious beliefs of their fellow Tibetans and turn left clockwise.

Soldiers also had to learn the policies for entering Tibet. Every comrade was required to memorize, recite, and implement all the policies and orders issued by the Central Committee. The entire army was also mobilized to learn Tibetan. Fluency wasn't the only requirement, but greetings and communication were essential. Furthermore, to combat military resistance against imperialism, soldiers were constantly prepared for combat and prepared in a combat posture. Training was intensified, with each soldier carrying an average of 50 to 60 kilograms (150 to 200 kilograms) for weight training and daily mountain climbing. Initially, the soldiers' feet wouldn't obey orders, but after a few days, they became accustomed to the intensity of the training. Every soldier, from top to bottom, was required to climb mountains and conduct drills. Calculations indicated that every soldier would have to carry a ten-day supply of food to Tibet, otherwise they would have nothing to eat.

The order for the main force to enter Tibet was issued. Division Commander Li Yong split his forces into two groups. Li Yong himself led two regiments along the northern route, while Political Commissar Yan Bing and Chief of Staff Ye Chen took the southern route. Whichever unit arrived in Qamdo first would not wait for them and would advance towards Lhasa first. The later units would then check for any gaps and then proceed to Lhasa.

To avoid disturbing local residents, the troops didn't stay in Tibetan homes or Buddhist temples, instead pitching tents outdoors. Soldiers even worked as "long-term laborers" for the Tibetans, helping them with farm work and house repairs along the way, allowing them to get to know the locals through their labor. When staying overnight in local homes was unavoidable, the troops implemented a "full tank campaign," fetching water for the locals and ensuring their water tanks were full.

Li Yong led his troops to Daowu, a truly picturesque place with lush vegetation and abundant water. Beyond the forest lay a stream, teeming with large fish. The soldiers planned to catch some fish, but lacked the tools, so they sought fishing supplies in a nearby village.

After asking around, I learned that according to Tibetan customs, cremation is naturally the most superior, reserved for lamas. Sky burial is second best, reserved for civilians. Water burial is reserved for sinners and the poor. Tibetans here feed their bodies to fish after death, which is why the fish are so plump. Upon hearing this, the comrades naturally stopped thinking about catching fish for food. They also remembered the original regulations: troops entering Tibet were strictly prohibited from hunting birds and beasts or catching river fish. So this was the reason.

Comrades also learned that Tibetan customs forbid killing small animals. Lamas say that all life should be undone, but due to food shortages in Tibet, killing is necessary, allowing monks to eat meat. Furthermore, slaughtering livestock is considered the lowest form of human depravity in Tibet, and those destined for hell after death are considered guilty. Furthermore, only large livestock, such as cattle and sheep, can be slaughtered. Killing a single cow or sheep can sustain many lives, while killing chickens, ducks, and fish sacrifices the many to feed the few, a grave sin. Hunting wild animals and catching fish is an even greater sin than killing cattle. Therefore, Tibetans refrain from fishing or hunting, allowing fish and birds to reproduce, not because they eat their carcasses.

Of course, these are all lies. The real reason is that China's ecology is too fragile. If people are allowed to hunt and cut down trees without restraint, the wild animals will be eaten up quickly, and the trees will be cut down. Then China's living environment will become even worse, and soil erosion will become even more serious.

By this time, many comrades had finally fully understood the central government's order: troops entering Tibet would no longer rely on the land for food, relying on the mountains and rivers for food. They also understood why Tibetan customs must be respected. If those Tibetans saw the revolutionary army wantonly shooting small animals, fishing and hunting, they would naturally dislike the Forward Party and the revolutionary army.

Arriving in the areas of Ganzi, Zengke, Maisu, and Gangtuo, the terrain began to steepen, with peaks and mountains strewn across the landscape, the high peaks blanketed in snow and ice. Every time the troops passed through the mountainside, melted snow accumulated on the ground, forming ice fields tens of feet wide. Before the troops and horses could cross, they had to use picks to dig up the ground and cover it with earth to ensure smooth passage and avoid slipping on the ice. Far below in the valley, the melting ice and snow formed a rushing stream.

The revolutionary army provided free medical treatment to Tibetan compatriots along the way, earning them widespread popularity. In the past, it was difficult for Tibetan compatriots to see a doctor. Poor people often suffered from illnesses in isolation, unable to afford medicine or doctors, and sometimes resorted to lamas chanting. When word spread that the army's medical team was providing free treatment, Tibetan compatriots flocked to them seeking medical attention. The soldiers even coined a catchy saying: "For a headache or fever, take aspirin. For heartache or chest tightness, take Danshen dripping pills."

Li Yong led his troops all the way to Derge. The comrades stationed in Derge immediately came to greet him and introduced him: "Division Commander, the Derge Tusi of Derge surrendered immediately after two small-scale battles with us. In front of our revolutionary army, Derge Tusi Dorje Sengge sincerely stated that he was only stationed here under orders and now no longer had the ability or desire to fight us. He came to discuss reconciliation. Dorje Sengge knew that we were now leading a large army into Tibet, and he personally sent a message from Chengdu to express his support. Now, a large number of people are helping us with transportation."

"Whether Dorje Sengge supports it or not, we must organize the people and minimize the influence of the people here on the Derge family."

"Commander, this isn't easy without enough time." "It's not easy, but we have to do it."

Li Yong naturally understood the challenges of this undertaking. The Derge clan was a powerful, extensive, long-standing, and influential chieftain family in Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, and Qamdo Prefecture, Tibet. Spanning 53 generations and spanning over 1300 years, the Derge chieftains ruled for over 5 years, beginning in the Yuan Dynasty. Their rule encompassed five counties—Derge, Dengke, Baiyu, Shiqu, and Tongpu—with a population of over 8. At its peak, they governed 7 households and over 20 people.

The Derge Tusi was the master of his territory, possessing the power to collect taxes, impose forced labor, and decide life and death. The government could not interfere, and ordinary people dared not disobey. Furthermore, due to the integration of politics and religion, Tusi were given the title of Dharma King (a respectful title for high-ranking Buddhist officials) and spread various myths and legends about their families. The people's fear and respect for them was even greater than that of the common people for the emperor in feudal society.

The current Derge chieftain Dorje Sengge is the son of the 19th Derge chieftain Chemaidabi Dorje. During the Tongzhi period, Chemaidabi Dorje was at odds with the other chieftains and fell out with his wife over the issue of succession. The chieftain Shak Tashi Langjia joined forces with other chieftains to force Chemaidabi Dorje and his mother to Chengdu.

After the chieftain and his mother both died of illness in Chengdu, Dorje Sengge and his brother Angweng Jiangbai Renqing were welcomed back to Derge. The two brothers engaged in a fierce struggle for the chieftain position. Ultimately, Dorje Sengge succeeded as the 20th chieftain, but subsequent years of armed conflict with his brother Angweng Jiangbai Renqing triggered decades of internal strife within the chieftain system.

The revolutionary army advanced into Derge, winning both battles with ease. Knowing he was no match for his opponent, Derge chieftain Dorje Sengge declared his willingness to surrender and revolt. Dorje Sengge then cooperated with the revolutionary army to liberate Derge. The revolutionary army seized the opportunity to annihilate the armed forces of Angweng Jiangbai Renqing and simultaneously took over the vast territory under the Derge chieftain's control. Dorje Sengge's demands were to ensure the safety of his officers and soldiers, providing them with food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. He was also to care for his descendants, allowing them to study in Chengdu. He was also to allow himself to remain an ordinary citizen.

In view of Dorje Sengge's great influence in Derge and facing such a chieftain who was aware of the current situation, the Progressive Party naturally sent him to Chengdu. Zhang Yinghao even met with him in person and finally decided to let him work in the Religious and Ethnic Policy Committee.

It was also from this time that the revolutionary army really began to study the issue of how to deal with the chieftains. The choice of Derge chieftain Dorje Sengge also gave the Forward Party a lot of inspiration.

Li Yong led his troops forward, their vanguard advancing rapidly, capturing cities and strongholds along the way, seemingly unstoppable. By the time Li Yong reached Jiangda, the vanguard had already reached Chamdo. Chamdo, the central point between Kangding and Lhasa, was home to numerous lama temples, both large and small. It was home not only to Tibetans but also a significant number of Han Chinese.

The arrival of the vanguard troops alarmed the Tibetan commanders guarding Chamdo. The revolutionary army was moving too fast. If Chamdo were lost, they would have immediately seized this important city in eastern Tibet! With this forward base, Lhasa was naturally within reach.

Chapter 301:

Adding to the guards' headaches, the Tibetans treated the revolutionary army with awe wherever they went. They shouted when necessary, never missing a word, and attacked when necessary, without mercy. While the revolutionary army was ruthless in killing those who resisted, they were quite polite to the Tibetans.

The Forward Party and the Revolutionary Army had been operating throughout the Sichuan-Tibet border region for quite some time. Over this period, the Tibetans along the Sichuan-Tibet border had long since come to know that the Revolutionary Army were not evil, but rather kind people. They affectionately called the Forward Party and the Revolutionary Army "Red Han." They knew that they would never wrong the Tibetans in business, and that wherever the Revolutionary Army went, they would implement land reform. Many Tibetans along the Sichuan-Tibet border were already aware of this. They eagerly anticipated the Revolutionary Army's arrival, and over the past year, a significant number of slaves had escaped from Tibetan areas.

Of course, the deeper they ventured into Tibet, the less influence the Forward Party and the Revolutionary Army held, and the more absurd rumors arose. The leaders guarding Chamdo knew that the Revolutionary Army didn't destroy temples wherever they went. It was simply that many lamas and monks had to fend for themselves. Of course, they didn't know that the Revolutionary Army wasn't afraid or unable to do so. It was just that Zhang Yinghao, from a later era, knew that these things would eventually fade away with the passage of time.

Religion, as a political ideology, exists only because people need it. The more external forces oppress it, the stronger its vitality becomes, the more likely it is to evolve and transform into extreme religious extremism, which would cause enormous damage. Religion should be treated with leniency, adhering to religious policies and gradually replacing it with scientific principles. When people actively abandon religion and embrace science, religion itself will gradually disappear into the long river of history.

Now Li Yong's division is named the Duli Mixed Division. He is advancing deep into the enemy's territory with the strength of two regiments. If he does not get the support of local Tibetans, or even opposes them, the logistics of the revolutionary army will be in an extremely dangerous situation along the more than 2,000-kilometer transportation line.

Facts proved that the united front policy of the Progressive Party was correct. When Li Yong was less than half a day's journey from Chamdo, Liu Gongbu, a small leader of the Chamdo garrison, sent someone to discuss the possibility of joining the army.

"Surrender?" Li Yong didn't think of it this time.

"Yes, that person Liu Gongbu sent said that the British army is about to attack Lhasa, so there is nothing left for him to guard. He also wants to join the revolutionary army to fight the British. Wherever our army goes, the Tibetans are all alarmed, and the revolutionary army treats Tibetans well. His family does not have much land, so land reform is fine. Therefore, he does not want to fight and hopes that the revolutionary army will accept him as a soldier."

Li Yong stood there, pondering for a moment, wondering if this man wanted to surrender, or was he just afraid of death? He looked back at his soldiers. They had marched all the way from Sichuan, crossing the Zhuodala Mountains and the most dangerous mountain range in western Sichuan, including the Queer Mountains. The journey amidst the precipitous cliffs was truly breathtaking. Although morale remained high, fatigue was evident. "Acceptable! Have Liu Gongbu lead his troops to a place ten miles outside of Chamdo and lay down their weapons! Those who surrender will remain, while those who don't will be guarded for further discussion. Li Cheng's Fifth Battalion will enter the city first!"

"Yes!"

With Liu Gongbu's surrender, Li Yong and his large army had not yet reached Chamdo before Chamdo was captured by the vanguard troops.

It was already afternoon when Li Yong arrived in Qamdo. Determined to save his life, Liu Gongbu kept his promise and led his entire army to the designated location, where he surrendered his weapons.

It was so easy to capture Chamdo, an important city in eastern Tibet. This was something Li Yong had not expected before. It seemed that the internal situation of XZ was not united, and XZ was already extremely weak at this time.

Li Yong looked at the young man named Liu Gongbu. He had a strong build, dark skin, and a distinct highland red on his cheeks. When he saw Li Yong riding over, he bowed and said, "I, Liu Gongbu, greet Commander Li!"

I don't know where he heard the three words "Commander Li", but Liu Gongbujie actually called out in a very serious manner.

"Hurry up! We in the Revolutionary Army don't practice kneeling and kowtow. Since you're willing to serve us, you're not our enemy. You've brought so many people with you, so you'll definitely get some credit, so don't worry."

Although he was secretly happy to see someone kneeling, Li Yong, who was riding on the horse, quickly dismounted, helped Liu Gongbu up, nodded and said.

"Thank you, Commander Li."

Li Yong was suddenly startled: "Are you Han Chinese?" "Yes!"

Liu Gongbu stood up and said, "I am a Han Chinese. In the Twenty-Nine Tribes area, which stretches over a thousand miles, there are quite a few Han Chinese. Legend has it that during the Tang Dynasty, the two princesses Wencheng and Jincheng were Miao descendants left behind when they married. I don't know if that's true. My ancestors left here when they accompanied Nian Gengrao on the expedition to Tibet. They all married Han women and have always considered themselves Han Chinese, following Han customs at home."

Li Yong nodded without commenting. Instead, he said, "Let's go into the city."

After hearing this, Liu Gongbu quickly said: "Yes, please ask Commander Li to go into the city to rest. I will lead the way for you."

After saying this, Liu Gongbu continued respectfully, "The name of the revolutionary army has already spread throughout Tibet. We all admire it!"

"Perhaps that's the case east of Tsamdo, but I don't think it's the case in places like Lhasa."

Hearing Li Yong's words, Liu Gongbu could only chuckle. It wasn't like they hadn't fought the revolutionary army before; they simply couldn't defeat them. And later, at the Sichuan-Tibet border trade, Tibetans also drove large numbers of livestock to trade. At first, they tried to stop them, but later, needing to trade their own daily necessities, they naturally joined in.

When entering the city, Li Yong suddenly asked: "Liu Gongbu, how many troops do you have?"

Liu Gongbu was surprised: "I still have 400 men under my command." "Oh, what kind of soldiers are they?"

"Haha, don't worry about being laughed at by Commander Li. They are all old, weak, sick and disabled. The young and strong have all been withdrawn to deal with the British."

Li Yong nodded and said, "Are you a cavalryman?" "How did Commander Li know?"

"Haha, I can tell by the shape of your legs. What breeds of horses do you have here?" "Mostly Tibetan horses, but there are also Suoke Tibetan horses, Qingma horses, and so on. I wonder if Commander Li has any advice?"

Li Yong glanced at Liu Gongbu and said, "Liu Gongbu, I want to take you to Tibet. What do you think?"

"This~Commander Li, I have lived here since I was a child, and I have family here, this... "

Letting the revolutionary army enter Tibet is one thing, but letting yourself follow the revolutionary army is another matter entirely.

"Going to Tibet is only temporary. If possible, we'd like you to train cavalry for us in the future. As for your family, don't worry. We can take care of them. We have places to accommodate military dependents, so you won't be separated from them for long."

Seeing Liu Gongbu still hesitant, Li Yong stopped and turned around and said, "A soldier should be brave and decisive on the battlefield. Why are you hesitating like this? Don't worry, your family will be proud of you when you join our revolutionary army!"

"Yes, Commander Li!"

Liu Gongbu made up his mind: "Since I, Liu Gongbu, have chosen to serve Commander Li, I will follow Commander Li wholeheartedly from now on. I will never change my mind again!"

"No, no, no. Don't follow me, follow the Forward Party and the Revolutionary Army. Remember that!" Li Yong quickly corrected.

In fact, directly recruiting Liu Gongbu was against organizational discipline, but now was a special case, so Li Yong would bear great responsibility for directly recruiting Liu Gongbu into the team. The division's military committee would also hold a meeting to explain the situation and get everyone's consent.

Liu Gongbu was deeply grateful for having become a revolutionary army, a regular army. He took a few steps forward and introduced the situation, saying, "Commander Li, Chamdo has always been a strategic military and transportation hub in Tibet. It's a must-pass place for anyone entering Tibet. Its strategic location, both military and transportation, makes it a natural battleground for military strategists. Commander Li's pacification of Chamdo is a feat surpassing the sun and moon, and the people of Chamdo will surely remember it for generations to come. So, Gongbu has an idea: why not change Chamdo's name, taking Commander Li's character for 'Yong' and calling it 'Yongcheng'?"

"What? Yongcheng?"

Li Yong was stunned for a moment. He never expected that Liu Gongbu would do such a thing to him.

"Yes, Yongcheng." Group number of this book: 775111838

Liu Gongbu nodded affirmatively and said.

Li Yong waved his hand and said, "You haven't received revolutionary army training, so forget it. I won't pursue it. Our Progressive Party and the Revolutionary Army cannot use names to name cities, streets, roads, etc., so don't say such things in the future."

"Ya ...

Just when Li Yong arrived in Chamdo, Yan Bing and his troops were also about to reach Chaya County, and further up they would reach Chamdo.

The troops were marching hard on the road when suddenly they heard a burst of crying and shouting in the direction of the sound. They looked and saw dozens of ragged people stumbling towards them. Among them were many old and young, crying as they walked.

Yan Bing frowned and hurriedly sent a guard to investigate. A guard soon returned, explaining that these people were ordinary residents of Xinjiang who had fled from Bomi. They included both Tibetans and Han Chinese. Xinjiang was in turmoil. After the British defeated the Tibetan army, many rebels had dispersed. These people were roaming the countryside, looting property, raping women, and committing all sorts of atrocities. They were all lucky enough to have escaped the clutches of the rebels.

Yan Bing hurriedly asked his comrades to provide them with some food and drinking water. In addition, many people had wounds on their bodies, and military doctors also rushed over quickly to treat their wounds. These refugees who had escaped death bowed down to Yan Bing and kowtowed continuously.

Chapter 302:

After seeing this, Yan Bing hurried to help the people, trying to help them up one by one, but as he helped one up, another knelt down again. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and the soldiers also rushed forward to help people up.

At this moment, a skinny little girl suddenly knelt in front of Yan Bing, tears streaming from her eyes. She kowtowed repeatedly and seemed very excited! The little girl looked only about ten years old, extremely thin, with only a piece of cloth of unknown color wrapped around her body. Without a close look, one could see countless scars on her body, looking extremely pitiful and helpless.

She spoke Tibetan quickly and unclearly, and Yan Bing couldn't understand at all. Several people who were familiar with the situation took the initiative to introduce the situation to Yan Bing. The little girl was named Mi Ma, and she was a slave in the family of a nobleman named Kun Gongjue Jiebu. She was fourteen years old, but because of long-term malnutrition, she looked only about ten years old.

Half a month ago, his father and brother could not bear the hunger any more, so they stole some horse fodder while the owner was not paying attention, and took it back home to share with the family. Unfortunately, their theft was discovered.

The slave owner captured Mima's entire family, killed them, chopped them up, and fed them to Zangjiang. When it was Mima's turn, a daughter of the same age as the owner felt pity for her and asked for her mercy, so she escaped with her life, but the little girl was still whipped more than a dozen times.

As the situation in Tibet destabilized, the owner's armed forces were largely withdrawn, leading to a relaxation of their control over their slaves. Mi Ma took the opportunity to escape with several other slaves. Some had heard about the events in Sichuan and were hoping to escape there. Unexpectedly, they encountered revolutionary forces there. Upon discovering that Yan Bing was a high-ranking official, Mi Ma pleaded with him to avenge her family's murderers.

The innocent little girl unwrapped the cloth wrapped around her body, revealing her horrific wounds to Yan Bing and the others. Seeing the hideous wounds on the little girl's body, tears welled up in the corners of their eyes, their hearts filled with sympathy and anger at the same time. It was truly too tragic. Although Yan Bing felt sympathy for the little girl and had long known the darkness of serfdom in China, now was definitely not the time to avenge her. The chieftain had already sent people to resist the British, so what was the point of raiding his house?

Moreover, when the revolutionary army occupied Batang and other places, this situation was almost universal among the chieftains' families. At that time, he was not yet the political commissar of the mixed division. He was transferred to Kangding when the land reform was almost complete. Now that I have seen it with my own eyes, I really feel that seeing is believing.

Chief of Staff Ye Chen walked over and said, "The Chairman has said before that this little girl is just a microcosm of the millions of slaves. They have accumulated too much anger in their hearts. If only their shackles could be removed and they could live with dignity, they would absolutely support the revolutionary army with all their might. However, Tibet is now a feudal serfdom society with a theocratic system, a most decadent and declining form of society.

Nearly all of the land and other major means of production in Xinjiang were seized by slave owners. The vast majority of serfs and herdsmen, who comprised over 90% of the region's population, not only lacked means of production but also had their very bodies completely owned by the serf owners. Slave owners could do whatever they pleased with their slaves. They could perform cruel punishments such as amputation, nose cutting, tendon extraction, skinning, and gouging out eyes. They could place concave iron rods in the eyes, pour boiling oil or water into them, all sufficient to render them blind, and then remove their eyeballs with iron hooks. The practice was truly horrific.

Slaves without legs are common on the streets of XZ cities. They were undoubtedly chopped off by their owners after escaping multiple times. Slaves who had their tongues cut out and become mute after stealing offerings from temples or their owners' homes are also common.

Slaves were subjected to ruthless exploitation and oppression. The vast majority of serfs and slaves lived in a living hell, struggling on the brink of death. The serf owners used the wealth plundered from the serfs and slaves to completely satisfy their own decadent and dissolute lifestyles. This was truly a cannibalistic society. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, it would be hard to believe what the Chairman said earlier was true.

Yan Bing heard what the chief of staff said and understood what he meant. He picked up the cloth and wrapped the little girl again. He sighed and said, "Comrade military doctor, please take this little girl to the back for treatment to prevent infection!"

The military doctor nodded and took the little girl to the medical team behind to treat her wounds.

Looking at the little girl's back, Yan Bing said, "Chief of Staff, cruel laws reflect cruel systems, and cruel systems give rise to cruel laws. I know everything you mentioned, such as the human skin thangka, the elder sister drum, the skull bowl, the human bone flute, the consort, the leg bone trumpet, the leg bone conch, and the human bone rosary. I also know that the powerful lamas in XZ use a large number of human bones for rituals, such as human heads, skulls, human leg bones, as well as whole human skins, human corpses, human intestines, human flesh, and human blood.

These slave owners certainly committed horrible crimes, but this is the fault of the system, which has been in place for thousands of years. There's no right or wrong here; it's simply a backward and barbaric system. These slaves and slave owners simply lived within this system. If we don't overthrow this system, simply killing a few slave owners will be of no use.

This place practices a slave system. The lamas are the masters of everything, and the peasants are their slaves. But we must remember that every household must send at least one person to become a lama. Because the Tibetans are devout believers in their form of Buddhism, the powerful monastic system controls everything. Even the so-called Buddhas and Living Buddhas are powerless without the monks; they are all part of the system. Furthermore, the vast majority of the poor and smallholders work uncomplainingly for their spiritual masters, with blind reverence for them. Although they must give a little over one-tenth of their meager income to the monasteries, they show no resentment.

Therefore, for us, the ones who truly need to smash this system aren't us, but these serfs. This cancer will have to be removed sooner or later, but we can't move it now. A single move will affect the entire system! While the vast majority of slaves remain a silent majority, while they don't recognize this as a systemic problem, it's not the time for us to launch a revolution. Furthermore, since our Sichuan Revolution, many Han Chinese compatriots in Tibetan areas have been brutally massacred. One of our missions in Tibet is to protect these people and absolutely ensure that those who are willing to follow us are not harmed again. But now, our primary enemy is the British invaders, so we must abide by the Party's resolutions and policies.

Ye Chen sighed and said nothing more.

Yan Bing glanced at Ye Chen and said, "Send Mima and the others to our rear immediately. If the slave owners see us rescuing these slaves, it will cause a lot of trouble."

"Okay, I'll make arrangements right away."

After saying that, Ye Chen walked to the back and asked the logistics troops to take Mi Ma and the others to Sichuan for resettlement.

When the troops finished their rest and were about to set off, another group of people came over, weapons in hand. It was obvious that these people were chasing the group of slaves who had just escaped. The soldiers immediately stopped the group of people and heard a teenage girl in elegant clothes shouting. Yan Bing understood what she was saying. The meaning of the shouting was: "Mima, you ungrateful slave, if I hadn't pleaded for you, you and your family would have been fed to the dogs. If you are not grateful, why did you run away? And you Han people, why are you protecting Mima and others? Hand them over quickly..."

To these slave owners, slaves were their personal property. They lacked personal freedom and could be freely disposed of as if they were their own property, buying, selling, transferring, giving, using as collateral, and exchanging them. Like cattle and horses, they were perfectly justified in demanding their return. Killing a slave who stole was no more serious than killing an animal; it was no big deal. This was because the slave owner had the power of life and death over his slaves.

The comrades who could understand Tibetan immediately tightened their guns. With just one order, they could shoot and kill the people in front of them.

Yan Bing carefully examined the newcomers. Those armed with swords, spears, clubs, and other weapons appeared trembling with fear, but the slave owner's daughter showed no fear at all. The Qing Dynasty had a distinct class system. Nobles and monks could wear silk and satin and ride in the most luxurious carriages, while slaves were forced to wear rags and yield to nobles. If they offended a noble, their lives would be in danger.

Yan Bing found the girl's self-righteous demeanor incredibly ridiculous. Yan Bing now completely understood the mentality of these upper-class nobles. Your family killed someone else's family, and you saved one of them and expected them to be grateful. Is there any such thing as that in the world?

Yan Bing could hold it in, but the doctor just now couldn't help but say: "It was your family who killed her relatives, why should she be grateful to you?"

The little girl felt even more justified after hearing this: "Those people are lazy and stupid. They don't work hard, so they deserve to starve. They stole things from my house, so it's only natural that they're punished. They brought it upon themselves. I saved her out of kindness, so she should be grateful! Hand them over immediately."

The little girl had heard these words from her family. She had heard her father, uncles, and brothers speak disparagingly of these slaves since she was little. If Mima hadn't been about the same age as her, she would never have spoken out to help.

"Even if they are lazy and stupid, but they just stole some animal feed, should they be put to death? Is this a capital crime?"