The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Ma Fuxiang was one of the few Hui people who could help the Han and Tibetan people. He was naturally aware that the people were starving. However, he had fought for the Qing Dynasty and risked his life. He was unwilling to admit that these bandits were just. Because admitting the justice of the bandits would mean that the Qing Dynasty was unjust, and he was working for the unjust court. He could not accept this.

Seeing that Ma Fuxiang was silent, Zhang Feng continued, "I know that Mr. Ma once led troops to suppress an uprising. Then let's go back to the question of contingency and necessity. The people are all going to die, either today or tomorrow. Either from floods, droughts, or man-made disasters. So, this is not a problem for the people, but a problem for the world. Since death is possible anywhere, Lao Tzu said: 'People do not fear death, so why scare them with it?'"

Even if you kill all the poor people in the world, the Qing Dynasty's exploitation and oppression will naturally continue to create more people in poverty. This isn't a problem with people, but a problem with the world. There will always be people who rise up in rebellion. Therefore, we must change this world. Otherwise, there is no way out for us except death. Moreover, since the Opium War with the British, how many wars did the Qing Dynasty fight with foreigners? Zuo Zongtang only managed a semi-victory in Xinjiang, Feng Zicai at Zhennan Pass, and Yuan Shikai in Korea. All other victories ended in failure. In other words, the Qing Dynasty was on a path to failure.

So, Mr. Ma, in this situation, do you think that our Progressive Party can lead the people to survive, or that the Qing Dynasty can lead the people to survive?"

"Haha, I've never seen what your rule is like. How can we know who can lead the people to survive?"

Hearing Ma Fuxiang's words, Zhang Feng nodded happily and said, "That's true. Hearing is believing, seeing is believing. So you can go to our liberated area and take a look. Otherwise, why would your nephew, who has no relatives or friends with us, follow us? And even persuade you to lead the troops to revolt? It's definitely not us who deceived him!"

"Well? Then we want to ask you a question. If you, the Progressive Party, came to govern Gansu, how would you deal with the ethnic conflicts here? How would you treat us, the Hui people?"

Ma Fuxiang's question was intended to reaffirm the Forward Party's religious and ethnic policies. If the Forward Party lacked clear ethnic and religious policies, the killings would continue. So, what difference would there be between being ruled by the Qing Dynasty and the Forward Party?

Zhang Feng did not immediately answer the question Ma Fuxiang asked. He looked at Ma Fuxiang for a while, thought for a while, and then said: "General Ma, the philosophy of our Forward Party is that all people of all ethnic groups are members of the Chinese nation, all are Chinese, all are equal, and have freedom of religious belief, etc. As for how to govern Gansu specifically, it is naturally to govern strictly in accordance with the law. The Qing Dynasty implemented a policy of control over various ethnic groups, and its practice of supporting one faction and attacking another was bound to fail. The local governments of the previous Qing Dynasty either suppressed the Hui people too much or spoiled them too much. In this way, between tightening and loosening, the local governments treated ethnic conflicts completely according to their own interests. This led to the relaxation of laws and made the local areas more and more chaotic. The reason why the Northwest is in chaos is because of the weak legal awareness, so the first thing is to strictly abide by the law.

The second is naturally to develop education. Ignorant people are easily misled and deceived. Only when the people's educational level is improved, many problems will be naturally solved.

The final point is fairness. We believe in seeking truth from facts and ensuring equality for all. We only consider the causes of events, not the identities of the individuals involved. Whether they are Hui, Han, Tibetan, or any other ethnic group, I only consider the right and wrong of the matter, regardless of identity. I treat everyone and everything fairly. Each ethnic group has its own distinct customs, and all should understand and respect the Hui's, and conversely, the Hui need to respect the customs of all ethnic groups. Only by treating both ethnic groups fairly and impartially, based on mutual respect, can we gradually eliminate mutual hatred. We should not artificially create inequality, which would perpetuate ethnic conflict.

Ma Fuxiang had expected Zhang Feng to offer a host of conditions to win over the various ethnic groups, particularly the Hui. Unexpectedly, Zhang Feng proposed a completely different approach. He insisted on upholding ethnic equality and respecting the customs and religious beliefs of all ethnic groups. This approach was infinitely more effective than the Qing Dynasty's governance of the northwest, but it also significantly increased the difficulty.

Zhang Feng glanced at the people present, paused, and then spoke slowly, "One more important point: From now on, people of all ethnic groups will no longer have the power to judge and kill people. This power will be entirely vested in the public security, procuratorate, and courts. Anyone who intentionally kills someone will pay with their life. Furthermore, no one should split the motherland or attempt to establish an independent country."

"Haha, it seems you're even more tyrannical than the Qing Dynasty! As if there won't be rebellions in areas liberated by the Progressive Party!"

Zhang Feng naturally knew what this sentence meant. Even the people's power to rebel was forcibly stripped away.

Zhang Feng also chuckled and said, "After our revolution, there are no more oppressors in the liberated areas. The people are the masters of their own destiny. Our Progressive Party is not the ruler of the people, but the leader. Our Progressive Party stands with the people. Who are the people rebelling against? Are they rebelling against themselves? Even if someone wants to rebel, without the support of the people, those who want to rebel are like water without a source and trees without roots, and are doomed to fail. Moreover, these rebels are all for their own special interests, which will inevitably harm the interests of the people. Naturally, the people will not support them."

"kindness?"

Upon returning to the prisoner camp, Ma Fuxiang and Ma Fushou immediately called a meeting with their Ma family members. Among these Ma family members was an inconspicuous 75-year-old man, Ma Jinxiang, who had been transferred by Empress Dowager Cixi to Gansu to fight against the PLA. After the PLA captured the Ma family, they had not yet conducted an investigation and had no idea that Ma Jinxiang had also come to Qinzhou to visit his family and was captured and hidden among the prisoners.

Of course, if he knew, Zhang Feng would only say: "I know, I will keep a close watch on him." Although Ma Jinxiang was a famous leader of the Hui tribe, he was already over seventy years old, so Zhang Feng would only give him due respect.

However, Ma Jinxiang held a high reputation among the Hui people and was currently one of the most powerful figures there. After Ma Fuxiang and Ma Fushou recounted their conversation with Zhang Feng, Ma Jinxiang closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before sighing, "It seems the Sichuan Qianjin Party will undoubtedly be the one to conquer the world in the future."

"Yes! Especially that sentence: The victors should not be condemned, and history cannot condemn the victors. Just this one sentence makes the truth very clear. Zhang Feng is a very remarkable person, and the chairman of the Forward Party in Sichuan is definitely an even more remarkable person."

Ma Jinxiang nodded, then said: "It is certainly not just luck that the PLA can achieve such a situation."

"So what should we do? Now that we've been captured, should we just cooperate with them?"

"The Progressive Party isn't like those previous rebellions; they call it 'revolution.' They clearly want us to join them, but they haven't set a price, simply saying ethnic equality and religious freedom. Yet, they've put forward completely feasible proposals, clearly demonstrating their willingness to get things done."

"The Progressive Party aims to conquer the world!"

"Yes, he definitely wants to compete for the Central Plains and unify the country. After meeting him today, I'm even more convinced of my thoughts. Their chairman has even higher ambitions. I get the feeling that unifying the country wouldn't be enough to satisfy him."

"You're right. If they were simply aiming to unify the world, they wouldn't be fighting the British right now. As the Han Chinese say, when Qin lost its deer, the rest of the world chased it. The deer are fat in the Central Plains right now! We might not want to defend this barren northwest land any more. Yunting, then you should work for the Forward Party. Don't worry. They understand what they mean and will definitely make use of you."

"A thousand-dollar horse bone?" "I guess so."

"This~the Qing Dynasty? Is it suitable?"

"The Hezhou people have done their utmost to the Qing court. Let's also think about future generations."

"Yes."

……

Chapter 357:

Ever since Zhang Yinghao led his troops to annihilate the Shaanxi-Gansu Green Camp in Hanyang Town, Guangyuan, the spirit of the Gansu Green Camp has been shattered. The Green Camp can no longer be relied upon, so it is natural to recruit and form a new army. Back then, Zuo Zongtang insisted on suppressing the rebellion in Xinjiang, and the Qing Dynasty also realized the importance of the Shaanxi-Gansu region, which is why Gansu has so many troops. In the past, the Qing army troops in Shaanxi and Gansu were all funded by the Qing court, and with the smooth trade routes, they were barely able to cope. Now that the Qianjin Party has liberated Shaanxi, Gansu's finances are exhausted and it does not receive financial subsidies from the Qing Dynasty. It simply does not have the money to support more troops.

The Qing court's lack of funds wasn't a problem. The suppression of the Taiping Rebellion, the Nian Rebellion, the Hui Rebellion, and even Zuo Zongtang's recovery of Xinjiang all came from local fundraising. Even the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 was essentially a one-country war between the Beiyang government led by Li Hongzhang and Japan. So, facing the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army, the Qing simply issued a decree requiring landlords and gentry to raise funds for militia training. For the Qing, this was a cost-effective undertaking.

However, the Qing Dynasty selectively ignored two issues. Regarding training militias, it's true that if you give them money, they will join. But without money, there's no way to train these recruits into an army. Most importantly, Gansu is located inland, so where would they get weapons? The Qing Dynasty itself had expanded its military significantly, and perhaps the only forces with relatively sufficient weapons at the moment were the Beiyang Army and the Hubei New Army.

The Hezhou Ma can be divided into three branches: the Gansu Ma, the Qinghai Ma, and the Ningxia Ma. The ancestors of these three Ma families all came from Hezhou, Gansu, and they had close ties with each other.

The armies commanded by the Ma clans of Hezhou truly rose to prominence during the Tongzhi Hui Rebellion. A major rebel force emerged from Hezhou during the Northwestern Hui Rebellion, led by Ma Zhan'ao, a renowned imam. Unlike other Hui Muslim forces during the Tongzhi Hui Rebellion, Ma Zhan'ao, along with Ma Qianling and Ma Haiyan, initially rose up against the Qing, engaging in a bloodbath with Zuo Zongtang. Then, riding the wave of victory, he actively sought an amnesty and submitted to Zuo Zongtang. After his surrender, he helped Zuo Zongtang quell the rebellion.

After Zuo Zongtang quelled the Hui Rebellion, he targeted the Hui people for relocation to prevent further rebellion from the Hui people, who shared a unified faith. He also cultivated agents among them, and the capable Ma Zhan'ao was naturally the first choice. From then on, Ma Zhan'ao became a figure who combined military and religious power in the northwest, becoming a dominant force in the region. It can be said that the foundation for the Ma Clan Army's subsequent success in the northwest was established during Ma Zhan'ao's time.

After Ma Zhan'ao's death, his eldest son Ma Anliang took over his power and was called Gan Ma. Ma Zhanzheng also had two main generals, one named Ma Haiyan and the other named Ma Qianling, who were the source of Qing Ma and Ning Ma. Ma Fulu and Ma Fuxiang were both sons of Ma Qianling, while Ma Qi and Ma Lin were sons of Ma Haiyan. Now that Ma Zhan'ao and other first-generation Ma families have basically died, the Hezhou Ma families have entered the era of the second generation.

The strongest Ma forces in Hezhou at this time were those of Ma Anliang, Ma Qi, Ma Fuxiang, and Ma Fushou. Ma Qi was affiliated with Ma Anliang, while Ma Fuxiang was at odds with him. Originally, the Hezhou Ma forces were led by Imam Ma Zhan'ao, with Ma Haiyan, Ma Qianling, and others joining them. After their surrender to the Qing, they were incorporated into the Gansu Army, with Ma Zhan'ao leading one unit, General Ma Haiyan leading another, and the assistant Ma Qianling also assigned to form an army. While they still nominally respected Ma Zhan'ao as their leader, they remained united and acted together on important matters, thus forming a traditional custom of honoring Ma Zhan'ao's lineage.

During the Boxer Rebellion, Ma Haiyan died of illness while fleeing westward. His son Ma Qi succeeded him. Ma Qianling's son, Ma Fulu, was killed in action, leaving his unit under the command of his other two sons, Ma Fuxiang and Ma Fushou. The Ma brothers, who had escorted Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu westward, were all rewarded. However, Ma Qianling's unit was formed after he defected to the Qing dynasty. His sons had a reputation for success in the imperial examinations and were loyal to the emperor, unlike the "rebellious" factions of Ma Zhan'ao and Ma Haiyan. Therefore, contemporaries favored Ma Qianling's faction. This incurred the wrath of Ma Zhan'ao's son, Ma Anliang, who repeatedly humiliated and slandered Ma Fuxiang, driving the two factions apart.

With the surrender of Ma Fuxiang and his family, the Forward Party gained a deeper understanding of the situation in Gansu. Song Fan, the Governor-General of Shaanxi and Gansu, was a capable official, having served in the southwestern and northwestern frontiers for thirteen years. His tenure in the western frontier coincided with a period of deepening crisis for the Qing Dynasty, plagued by corrupt officials, invasions by foreign powers, and conflict between the people and the religious order. Yunnan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, and Gansu were traditionally poor and infertile, with low annual revenues and a primary reliance on subsidies from other provinces. This severely restricted regional development and fostered other problems.

After assuming office, Song Fan effectively stabilized social order, promoted local development, actively handled government affairs, and alleviated the burden on the people, making significant contributions to the stability and development of the border region. During his tenure, Song Fan prioritized the selection of capable officials, actively rectifying the administration, selecting talented individuals, and punishing corrupt officials. He also showed compassion to his subordinates, applying for allowances for them and providing compensation for injured or deceased officials, allowing them to focus on government affairs.

However, after the Qianjin Party's revolution in Shaanxi, and especially after its annihilation of the Shaanxi-Gansu Green Camp, the Songfan forces were left with a difficult situation. The previous year, the Qing government had streamlined the old army into a standing army, planning to train 36 new regiments nationwide. Two regiments were planned for Gansu, each commanding two infantry brigades, each consisting of two infantry battalions, a cavalry battalion, an artillery battalion, an engineering battalion, a supply battalion, and a military band. However, due to financial constraints in Gansu province, only one mixed regiment was established, commanding three infantry battalions, cavalry battalions, and artillery battalions. In addition, there were local armed forces. Overall, the Gansu army was substantial but dispersed. It wasn't until Sichuan sent troops to Yunnan and Guizhou that the Qing government issued an order for the Qing army to attack Shaanxi, creating the conditions for another major regrouping of the Gansu army. The Qing government then ordered the assembly of troops within Gansu.

Each unit had to raise its own food and wages, and since they couldn't afford to spend money, the burden had to be forced upon the civilians. Ma Anliang's unit, in particular, had poor discipline and was comprised mostly of civilians, whose fathers had participated in the Tongzhi Rebellion. They only recognized Ma Anliang and refused to obey the orders of the Qing government in Gansu, yet they still needed Gansu's financial support. Meanwhile, the People's Liberation Army entered Gansu, and upon learning that the Red Bandits had occupied Qinzhou, all the armed forces in Gansu and Qinghai began to gather in Lanzhou.

It wasn't just Gansu that faced the Qing court's heavy taxes and levies; other provinces did as well. Logically, these provinces should have erupted long ago. Zhang Yinghao initially believed that if a revolution had broken out in Sichuan, even if it wouldn't be as rapid as the Xinhai Revolution, where more than a dozen provinces declared independence, there would likely have been one or two provincial-level uprisings. However, the reality was far beyond Zhang Yinghao's expectations. Uprisings did indeed break out across the country, with large-scale rebellions occurring in Guangxi, Fujian, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, but these uprisings quickly faded.

Zhang Yinghao's investigation revealed that the foundation of the Qing Dynasty's rule had never been the people within the court, but rather the landlord class spread throughout China. China's long-standing system of centralized power, with decentralized governance, had sustained the Qing Dynasty's rule. The true cause of the Qing Dynasty's demise was its relentless maneuvers, which ultimately led to the complete disillusionment of the landlords and gentry, who abandoned the Qing Dynasty and ultimately enabled the Xinhai Revolution to succeed.

Although Zhang Yinghao succeeded in his revolution in Sichuan during this lifetime, his land reforms and public executions of landlords and gentry in Sichuan intensified the fear among the landlord class across the province. They tightened their grip on local areas and began training militias. The common people were exploited even more harshly, and the conflict between the landlord class and the working people intensified. However, organization was better than no organization, and any uprisings by the common people were brutally suppressed by the landlord class, who feared revolution. Furthermore, Sichuan launched a campaign of massacres against members of secret societies. Without Sichuan as the Pao-Brothers' stronghold, secret society members throughout the country distanced themselves from Sichuan and became wary of the revolutionaries, fearing they would be abandoned after their efforts had been exhausted. This resulted in a lack of coordination and a weakening of their power, allowing the local landlords and gentry to ally with the Qing court and maintain its rule.

Just as Zhang Feng was sorting out the information and reorganizing the layout according to Ma Fuxiang and his team's instructions, the comrades in Ningxia Prefecture also received a telegram from Zhang Yinghao to Dong Fuxiang. The comrades who had lurked in were all quite impressed by Dong Fuxiang.

Dong Fuxiang was a classic mischievous villain. Born into a poor farming family, he received little education. During the Hui Rebellion in Shaanxi and Gansu, he organized a self-defense force and later joined Zuo Zongtang, achieving remarkable feats in suppressing the rebellion. During the recovery of Xinjiang, Dong Fuxiang successively recaptured Dabancheng, Toksuncheng, Karashar, and Hami. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu, he led troops to quell the Hehuang Uprising. In the Gengzi Year, he led his troops against the Eight-Nation Alliance, killing the Russian corps commander Aninkov. After the war, the Eight-Nation Alliance resented him and accused him of being the "ringleader."

When Dong Fuxiang was exiled from the capital and returned to Jinji, Gansu, he brought with him a 3,000-man guard. They surrounded Dong's mansion, creating a street called "Dongying Street" to house the officers and soldiers who accompanied him. This street consisted of smaller mansions surrounding the larger one, and the smaller ones surrounded the houses of the officers and soldiers. Dong Fuxiang established a large business in Jinji County, leveraging his power to establish monopolies like Tiantaiyu, Tiantaidang, and Xiangtaihe, wielding substantial capital that controlled the market. Although most of his guards had settled down and naturally followed him closely in his business ventures, they continued to receive their rations and salaries from Gansu, organized as three battalions.

After Dong Fuxiang was reinstated by the Qing Dynasty, Jin Ji's army resumed training. Utilizing the abundant capital at his disposal, the army now has over 10,000 men.

After reviewing Dong Fuxiang's documents, the comrades asked, "Ma Fukang, you work as a clerk in Dong's camp. Why didn't Dong Fuxiang lead his troops to suppress our revolution?"

"It's best not to address General Dong by his first name. After all, he's a soldier who fought against the Eight-Nation Alliance. We're still trying to get him to revolt. Calling him by his first name is disrespectful to an old man."

Bu Haitao nodded and said, "That's right. Let's call him General Dong from now on."

"I once chatted with the officers and soldiers under General Dong, and I often got them talking about their fight against the Eight-Nation Alliance in the capital. Unlike the Qing generals who were determined to suppress the Boxers, General Dong refused to suppress them. These officers and soldiers said that Empress Dowager Cixi was using the Boxers to deal with foreigners, so they instead tried to appease the Boxers. General Dong, on the other hand, sympathized with and supported the Boxers, and many members of his Wuwei Rear Guard joined the Boxers. General Dong also gifted the Boxers new firearms and led the Boxers to cooperate with each other to fight the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance.

I think General Dong's actions were certainly intended to use the Boxers to fight against the Eight-Nation Alliance, but it was definitely related to his experience. His father was the leader of the "Ge Lao Hui" and as a member of the Green Forest, he naturally sympathized with the Boxers. His rise to power was due to his establishment of militia and then his uprising against the Qing Dynasty.

General Dong also opened up Majiatan and relocated some farmers there to cultivate the land. Furthermore, this year's Yellow River floods devastated Zhongwei and Zhongning, leaving many people homeless. General Dong, following our example of land distribution, allocated considerable land to the victims, allowing them to settle down. He also donated 28 taels of silver to Lanzhou for disaster relief. I believe he already has a clear understanding of our progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army.

At this time, another comrade replied: "Yes, yes, I also talked about this with those officers and soldiers. The Western powers hated General Dong who had hurt them so much. They designated him as the "main culprit" and demanded that General Dong be executed to vent their anger. General Dong said firmly: If he is punished, he will rebel. The Qing court knew that General Dong was a man of his word, and Cixi was grateful for his meritorious service in protecting the emperor, so she simply dismissed him. Perhaps it was also considered that General Dong had great prestige in the Gansu Army and had always been feared and respected by the Hui and Han people in Gansu and Shaanxi. The Manchu Qing Dynasty refused to execute General Dong out of consideration for the peace and stability of Shaanxi and Gansu. However, General Dong still retired with only 3,000 guards, which was tantamount to imprisonment. I think it is impossible for General Dong to have no resentment in his heart now. After all, the troops of Zhang Xingzhi, the general of Xining Town, and the horses of Hezhou were originally his subordinates, but now they are acting on their own..."

After listening to this, Bu Haitao nodded and said, "We have already recruited Comrade Dong Tianchun, General Dong's adopted son, and we have also recruited many young talents into our ranks. Now that we have the telegram personally written by Chairman Zhang Yinghao, I personally think that now is the best time to mobilize them to persuade General Dong to revolt."

"I also think General Dong can fight for it. When he was resisting the invasion in the capital, he must have known what the Qing Dynasty was like. Otherwise, he wouldn't have sighed: "I thought you were a noble in the capital, but now you just want a few cents from us..."

“Would direct contact be dangerous?”

Bu Haitao thought for a moment and said, "That depends on whether General Dong still has aspirations and whether he still considers the evaluation he will receive after his death."

"How do you say this?"

"General Dong spent his entire military career and was able to win so many battles, which shows that he must be a pragmatic man who gets things done. We are not trying to persuade General Dong to surrender, nor are we trying to get him to revolt. We are trying to reason with him. We need to analyze the situation realistically, so that he can understand the situation and realize that pledging allegiance to the Qing Dynasty is wrong. As for whether he will oppose the Qing Dynasty or not, and whether he is willing to join us in the war against aggression, that is General Dong's own choice."

"What if General Dong refuses to repent?"

"Haha, if that happens, our comrades will be in danger. If General Dong is willing to go down this path to the end, to seek his own death and cut himself off from China, then let him die."

Ma Fukang said directly: "Then I will contact General Dong! There are many Qing spies here, and I can usually contact General Dong alone. Let me contact General Dong. But we also have to consider the risk of being caught by General Dong, so you must be prepared to evacuate..."

Chapter 358:

The Forward Party's efforts to incite rebellion were practically pervasive, targeting the family, relatives, friends, and neighbors of those targeted. A prime example of this instigation in previous lives was Fu Zuoyi's uprising and the peaceful liberation of the capital. Even Fu Zuoyi's daughter became a comrade; imagine how astounding the results of this kind of work were.

For the Forward Party, infiltrating the enemy ranks was now fundamental. Peripheral members had already reached the Qing imperial court, and work in the capital was a top priority for the Forward Party. In this oppressive era, simply recruiting members was a simple matter. Simply painting a beautiful picture of a new China to interested parties would entice countless people to join and fight for it. Even simply promoting the idea of ​​equality for all and the people's right to rule the country could persuade them to help the Forward Party comrades.

Ma Fukang returned to his workplace after the party meeting. Coincidentally, Dong Fuxiang had just returned. Seeing Dong Fuxiang's worried look, Ma Fukang walked up to him and asked, "General Dong, what are you worried about now?"

Dong Fuxiang blurted out: "It's still Shaanxi's business! Hmm? What's the matter?"

"I'm here for the Shaanxi matter. General Dong, can I speak to you alone?"

Dong Fuxiang looked at Ma Fukang seriously. He was very optimistic about this young man. He was a steady person, worked carefully and steadily, and was not impatient or impatient. Being a clerk was really a waste of talent for Ma Fukang. He did not expect that this young man would want to talk to him alone. He immediately became interested and walked straight to his seat. He glanced at his personal guards and advisors and said, "We are all family. Just tell me what you want to talk about."

Since Dong Fuxiang said so, Ma Fukang also said frankly: "I am an intelligence officer of the Forward Party. Comrade Zhang Yinghao, chairman of our Forward Party, asked me to give a letter he wrote to the general."

Dong Fuxiang didn't react when he heard what Ma Fukang said, but his personal soldiers were shocked. Without saying a word, they immediately took out their pistols and pointed them at Ma Fukang. As long as Dong Fuxiang gave an order or Ma Fukang made the slightest movement, he would immediately shoot and kill the red bandit in front of him.

Dong Fuxiang looked at Ma Fukang's calm expression and said, "Aren't you afraid that I will kill you?"

"Of course I'm afraid, but death is inevitable, and I can't avoid it just by being afraid. Besides, there are things that always need to be done, either today or tomorrow."

After saying that, Ma Fukang slowly took out the telegram written by Zhang Yinghao from his arms and handed it to his master.

The lawyer didn't take it, but looked at Dong Fuxiang out of the corner of his eye. Dong Fuxiang waved his hand, signaling the guards to put down their guns, and then signaled the lawyer to take the paper.

The guards put away their guns, looked at Ma Fukang, and snorted coldly, expressing their strong dissatisfaction. The lawyer reluctantly walked over, took the telegram and handed it to Dong Fuxiang. Then he stood aside, guarding against Ma Fukang.

"read!"

Dong Fuxiang glanced at the telegram and uttered a word. When the lawyer opened it, he saw that it was in simplified Chinese characters. He immediately showed a mocking expression on his face, but he still read it: "The chief culprit" General Dong Fuxiang:

Dong Fuxiang frowned when he heard the first sentence, but he still continued to listen patiently.

"As a young man, the general trained in a militia to protect the country and its people; as a young man, he rose up in arms and gloriously rebelled against the Qing Dynasty; as a thirteen-year-old, he led troops to suppress rebellions and defend the country; for twenty years, he led troops to defend the borders and resist the enemy; in his sixties, he led troops to kill the bandits and became the "chief culprit"; in his later years..."

When Dong Fuxiang heard this, he stopped pretending and took the telegram paper and started reading it. When he saw that it was in simplified Chinese, he couldn't help but frown, but he still read on carefully.

"The general's heroism is rare in the world; his achievements are legendary; he has spent his entire life defending his country and his people. I dare to ask the general: Do you still remember your original aspirations to rebel against the Qing Dynasty in your youth? Do you have the courage to fight against the powerful armies of other nations again? Lian Po is old, can he still eat?"

I hope that the old general will stay in the stable and join hands with us to fight against the foreign powers, protect the inheritance of ancestral temple sacrifices, and keep the country safe."

Ma Fukang looked at Dong Fuxiang quietly, waiting patiently for Dong Fuxiang to speak. As long as Dong Fuxiang didn't drag him out and kill him because he knew he was a member of the Forward Party, there was hope for a conversation.

Zhang Yinghao didn't suggest that Dong Fuxiang rebel against the Qing, but rather invited him to join the fight against the foreign powers. Zhang Yinghao also didn't write about Dong Fuxiang's later years, which concerns Dong Fuxiang's posthumous reputation. If the Progressive Party ultimately seized power, and Dong Fuxiang fought against the People's Liberation Army, his posthumous reputation would naturally be poor. However, if he joined the People's Liberation Army to fight against the foreign powers, it wouldn't be considered a betrayal of the Qing, but his posthumous reputation would be completely different, and the title of national hero would be absolutely indispensable.

Dong Fuxiang read Zhang Yinghao's account several times. Although Zhang Yinghao's account was merely a brief summary of his life, he felt a surge of comfort, a sense of having found a true friend. To receive such high praise from a rebel leader was a true confidant. He especially felt a surge of pride and respect when he saw Zhang Yinghao begin his account with the words "chief criminal." Zhang Yinghao's decision not to encourage him to rebel against the Qing dynasty was a gesture of deep respect.

“What if I don’t agree?”

"If General Dong doesn't agree, I'll naturally die. My reason for being exposed this time, besides delivering a letter from our Party Chairman to the General, is also to ask General Dong, a lifelong soldier, what he thinks of the world."

"What's your opinion of the world? Haha! It's just the survival of the fittest."

Ma Fukang smiled slightly when he heard this and said, "General, this statement is very similar to the opening sentence of Yan Fu's Theory of Evolution: Survival of the fittest. So, General, how do we distinguish between the strong and the weak in our human society? You have been a soldier all your life. How do we compare the strength of our army with that of the great powers? How do you think the strength of the army is distinguished?"

Hearing Ma Fukang's question, Dong Fuxiang gradually became interested. Although he disliked the fact that he had been defeated by the great powers, he had never debated with others in this way. He might not be able to clearly explain how to distinguish the strong and weak in human society, but when it comes to the strength and weakness of the army, perhaps no one is more clear than him. So he straightened up and said, "Then I will listen carefully to your insights."

"General, what's the point of discussing this with you? I can only discuss what our Chairman taught you. Our Chairman said that a person's strength is reflected in three aspects: body, attitude, and tools. Individually, those with good health have an advantage over those with poor health, those with a positive attitude have an advantage over those with a negative attitude, and those with superior tools have an advantage over those without tools or those with inferior tools."

For example, if two people duel, generally speaking, the one with better health has a greater chance of winning, the one with a positive attitude has a greater chance of winning, and the one with a gun has a greater chance of winning than the one with a stick. "Do you think this is correct, old general?"

"Yes, go ahead."

"The old general also fought against the great powers. Our People's Liberation Army has also fought against the great powers. We forced the landing of over 3,000 British troops in Tibet and over 4,000 British and French troops in Yunnan. The PLA is still fighting the British on the Yunnan-Burma border. Our Chairman said that the strength of the army is also reflected in three aspects: organization, ideology, and tools."

"Oh? Tell me in detail."

"A large, disciplined organization naturally displays great power. However, any organization will inevitably struggle internally. In order to avoid serious internal friction or even loss of combat effectiveness, ideological unity is necessary. Every soldier in the army must know who they are fighting for and why they are fighting. If the entire organization is highly consistent in its thinking, the organization's combat effectiveness will inevitably be very strong. Even if we have the first two, without good tools, we will not be able to defeat the enemy. Without good weapons, how can our army possibly defeat the great powers? Therefore, we must master the machinery for manufacturing weapons. Our lifeblood cannot be in the hands of the great powers. What do you think, General?"

"Does everyone in your army know who they are fighting for?"

Ma Fukang did not directly answer Dong Fuxiang's question, but instead asked directly: "General Dong has also tried to distribute land to the people affected by the disaster. If someone now wants to deprive them of their land, do you think if someone leads these people to defend their land, will they fight to the death?"

After hearing Ma Fukang's words, Dong Fuxiang fell silent. The answer was obvious. As long as someone encouraged them a little, there would be no problem in organizing these people to fight to the death to defend their land.

"Is this why you're fighting against the local tyrants and dividing up the land?" "Of course not."

Hearing Ma Fukang's affirmative denial, Dong Fuxiang was a little stunned. If this wasn't the case, then what was the purpose of the Red Bandits' land reform? Weren't the Red Bandits' land distribution just to bribe the people to work for them?

"General Dong, the people are not fools. It doesn't make sense that they will fight for our Progressive Party just because we give them a little land. Are the people's lives worth that little land? If they are fighting for their lives, they can just fight once. Do we have to let the people sacrifice their lives? Why are the people still willing to follow us? The land we distribute to the people is not a business transaction. It is the philosophy and policy of our Progressive Party that dictate that we must distribute land to the people all over the world."

"What concept?"

"Our Chairman Zhang Yinghao said that all of China's land should feed all Chinese people, and no working people should be allowed to starve to death due to lack of food. General Dong also came from a farming family and grew up in poverty. He also built water conservancy projects and reclaimed farmland. I wonder if he can accept the principles of the Progressive Party?"

Hearing that the land of all China feeds the people of all China, Dong Fuxiang felt that it was a bit taken for granted, but he had to say: "This idea is of course very good, but you can't kill the landlords like that, right?"

Hearing Dong Fuxiang's answer, Ma Fukang continued: "Now the land can only produce so much grain, and the national average is just enough to avoid starvation. The landlord class occupies the land and hoards it. Which landlord doesn't have three years of grain at home? They occupies the grain, so a large number of people will inevitably starve to death every year. General Dong also knows that the severe drought in the northwest a few years ago starved to death, at least hundreds of thousands of people. This is absolutely unacceptable to our Forward Party. The Qing Dynasty and the landlords don't care about the lives of these people, we will take care of it.

To prevent starvation throughout the country, we must redistribute land. This has nothing to do with the character of the landlords. As for your claim that we killed landlords, you should have inquired about it. It wasn't us, the Forward Party, who wanted to kill the landlords, but the local people who wanted to kill those landlords who committed numerous crimes. We're not saying we didn't kill anyone indiscriminately—after all, every temple has ghosts of the unjustly killed. But basically, the landlords and gentry we killed were all guilty of numerous crimes. We publicly tried them and then executed them, not massacred them with the army."

Hearing Ma Fukang say this, Dong Fuxiang was suddenly moved. This truth is very simple, but the truth is simple and difficult to practice. But can such simple justice really be upheld? He was skeptical.

"Is this the justice of your land distribution? Does this mean there will be no more landlords under your rule?"

"Of course, this is only one of the reasons for dividing the land. As for whether landlords will appear again in the future, it depends on the development of productivity. We have built factories, so naturally we need people to work. When the people go to work, the land cannot be left idle. The land will naturally be concentrated again in the future. However, by that time, we will have become strong and will not be afraid of any invasion by the powers. Therefore, dividing the land is just a means, not our goal. Our purpose in doing this is to develop productivity, to build industry, to carry out industrialization, and finally to realize communism.