The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

At this time, the city of Lanzhou had become a chaotic mess. The moral standards of the military in this era were really too low. Just like Dong Fuxiang's heroic defense against the Eight-Nation Alliance in the capital, the Gansu Army continued to plunder and loot during their retreat. This was the case in the capital, let alone in a place like Lanzhou where the people were so tough.

Large gangs of secret societies, rioters, and religious fanatics from all over the country were engaged in a final frenzy. These people were basically a collection of various miscellaneous people, useless to society. They had little combat effectiveness for the People's Liberation Army, but they were very good at plundering the people.

From the moment Song Fan summoned his troops, a large number of miscellaneous characters suddenly poured into Lanzhou. These people all had guns on their shoulders, knives on their waists, and swords in their hands. They were a group of rioters who were afraid that the world would not be in chaos. The city's public security suddenly deteriorated several times. There was an endless stream of robberies of merchants and predations of women in broad daylight.

After the defeat of the Qing army, these people became even more unrestrained. The entire city of Lanzhou was filled with smoke and chaos, as if it were a hell where demons were rampant.

"Brothers, this is a bank. I've been eyeing it for a long time. Let's rush in and rob it!"

Lanzhou was in complete chaos. The People's Liberation Army had already entered the city. These people who had come from afar naturally could not return empty-handed. They were planning to make one last grab before leaving. They wanted to grab some money and leave immediately. They certainly couldn't make a wasted trip. Who would care about them now?

These people, already driven mad by poverty in the northwest, were now blinded by the lure of wealth and began to break into homes and loot. The retreating Qing army and militia, officers unable to find soldiers and soldiers unable to find officers, joined the looting in a final frenzy. These people were completely devastated, stealing everything of value and setting fire to anything they couldn't take. Young women were either abducted or raped on the spot. The brutal religious fanatics even began slaughtering Han Chinese, tying men to their warhorses and spurring them on, dragging them to death.

The streets were strewn with blood and corpses, and the cries of grief shook the heavens and the earth. Faced with such atrocities, the PLA fired flares into the sky non-stop, and the comrades quickened their charge. They shot down all the bandits they encountered on the streets, leaving no one alive.

Machine guns rang out, mortars and grenade launchers also started firing. After street fighting, the People's Liberation Army shot and killed all the thugs. All the militias were also

Knowing the strength of the PLA, they all began to flee. The PLA cavalry began to show their power. If they caught up, they would show no mercy and face the situation of the mob.

With a shining saber, a battle turned into a massacre, specifically to eliminate these scum of the world.

The People's Liberation Army also gradually formed an encirclement of Lanzhou from the outside and began to clear out bandits everywhere. Any temple that harbored thugs or encountered resistance was directly blown up by the People's Liberation Army with artillery shells. All the imams who harbored thugs died in the melee.

Ma Anliang and his troops attempted to cross the Yellow River, but were blocked by the heroic People's Liberation Army. The PLA immediately launched an attack on the Qing troops on both sides of the Yellow River, drowning over 4,000 men. Song Fan hanged himself in the Governor's Mansion, and Ma Anliang disappeared. It is unknown whether he drowned or was killed by the PLA. He was never seen again. However, several small-scale rebellions broke out in the northwest, with Ma Anliang as the nominal leader, though he was never seen in person.

The People's Liberation Army took control of the situation in Lanzhou. Next, in addition to arresting the Ma family and eliminating the influence of the Qing court, they also had to restore order in Lanzhou and arrest those scoundrels. Zhang Feng executed all the criminals who participated in the riots severely and quickly. A large number of criminals were shot almost every day outside the city of Lanzhou.

Far from protesting, the people of Lanzhou, suffering at the hands of these thugs, applauded. These thugs had caused them so much harm, leaving almost every family in mourning, the scene horrific. Adhering to the principle of "better to kill the wrong person than to let him go," Zhang Feng launched a massive manhunt. Almost everyone who had come to Lanzhou to support the Qing Dynasty was rounded up. Those found guilty were executed, and the rest were forced to undergo labor reform to build the soon-to-be-built Xi'an-Lanzhou highway.

"Chairman, this is a telegram from Comrade Zhang Feng. It says that after a fierce battle lasting all night, the People's Liberation Army completely liberated Xi'an, annihilating over 80,000 enemy troops..."

Zhang Yinghao said directly: "Send a telegram to Comrade Zhang Feng, announcing that the People's Liberation Army has annihilated 10,000 enemies and liberated Lanzhou...Vigorously promote gender equality. The Green God Church must quickly carry out religious reforms, just like abolishing female foot binding. Green God women must gradually be liberated and their headscarves must be abolished..."

Zhang Yinghao knows that ancient society was characterized by male superiority and female inferiority, most notably in the Green God cult, a theme repeatedly reflected in "Green Nerve." For example, women can only inherit half of a man's property, and wives are obligated to satisfy their husbands. These are principles repeatedly emphasized in "Green Nerve." Because Muhammad believed that women were less intelligent than men, men were generally prioritized and women were expected to obey men.

Zhang Yinghao also knew that if the head covering of Muslim women were abolished directly, there would undoubtedly be Muslim men who would incite women to extreme religious fanaticism, such as self-immolation and self-mutilation. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao added: "Any religious element who incites Muslim women to extreme measures will be dealt with severely, strictly, and swiftly in accordance with relevant laws once confirmed..."

The government couldn't back down before theocracy; religion had to be separated from politics. Zhang Yinghao knew that abolishing these things had to begin with a swift and decisive action during this revolutionary era. Even using weapons to criticize them was perfectly acceptable at this point. Once compromised with these religious elements, it would be much more difficult to enforce them later.

The Battle of Lanzhou is a rather peculiar one. When the People's Liberation Army announced the results of the battle, they only claimed that over 10,000 Qing army loyalists had been annihilated, but in reality, far more enemy troops were eliminated. While historically, there are many instances of exaggerating military achievements, there are probably fewer instances of deliberately downplaying them. The Battle of Lanzhou thus became a peculiar exception.

The blood practically dyed the entire city of Lanzhou red. Although the soldiers who participated in this battle had experienced many battles and had seen all sorts of situations, this kind of one-sided massacre was the first time they had ever witnessed it, and many of them were deeply moved.

Zhang Feng didn't stay in Lanzhou for long. This battle had nearly wiped out all the Qing forces they could muster in Gansu and Qinghai. The PLA's advance into Qinghai and western Gansu would be a breeze. With so many people wiped out at once, Lanzhou, while not exactly a place where doors could be unlocked at night, was peaceful and tranquil.

Gansu was under military control, with Party members and cadres drawn from the military directly assigned to administrative positions across the province. Everyone knew their first task upon arrival was land reform. As these comrades took up their posts, according to established procedures, a large number of former military-to-police personnel began to establish local police forces. Large numbers of cadres were also rapidly transferred from Shaanxi and Sichuan to Gansu to carry out these tasks.

Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou are different. These places have a large population and limited land, and are overpopulated by gentry, who have seized all the good land. However, due to years of war, conflict, and drought in the Northwest, many areas have become unowned. Take Qingyang Prefecture, for example. Before the Huiluan Rebellion, it had a population of one million, but now only has a few hundred thousand or two hundred thousand. Pingliang was also once a very populous place, but now only has a few hundred thousand people. As a result, much of Gansu's farmland and houses are uninhabited. Just like Shaanxi back then, the original contradiction of too many people and too little land suddenly shifted to one of too much land and too few people. And this land is arable, not barren, rocky land like uncultivable land.

There was still a lot of good land, though it had been occupied. But tracing back to its origin, this land was not theirs. Such land was considered unowned land. All land that originally did not have a title deed was nationalized, and then the land began to be distributed. Although the quality of Gansu's arable land was not as good as that in the south, Gansu had a lot of arable land. On the contrary, it had more than most provinces, but most of it was dry land.

Party members and cadres divided the land and then started construction. It would take a long time to build the roads connecting Longnan to Guangyuan, and from Longnan to Hanzhong and Qinzhou. Therefore, all the comrades were not afraid of having nothing to do when they first arrived at a place.

All Party members and cadres who arrived in a region were required to focus on water conservancy and road infrastructure, which were included in their performance evaluations. Those who didn't want to work, like Zhang Yinghao, were not needed. Meanwhile, officials from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) quickly moved into the northwest and established a coal mining group. The government partnered with Sichuan merchants to establish coal companies in Pingliang and Qingyang, leveraging confiscated coal mines. Pingliang and Qingyang were rich in coal resources, accounting for over 90% of Gansu's total resources. The coal produced there was supplied to Sichuan. At the same time, based on ancient records, officials were dispatched to the Yumen region to begin the search for oil.

At the same time, rural cooperatives and supply and marketing cooperatives began to appear widely across the vast land, providing a large number of cheap goods to the people of Northwest China. Without landlords and bullies, and without bandits and robbers, the new government was quickly accepted by the local people.

Thanks to the efforts of all parties, in just a few months, order was restored in the liberated areas, agriculture was stable, and the economy was developing steadily. Although the economy could not achieve a leap forward, there was no problem with stability.

Regarding the Northwest, Zhang Yinghao, after careful consideration, finally announced that the government would only collect 20% land rent, with no other land taxes. This was met with cheers from the people of Gansu. To address Gansu's underpopulation, Zhang Yinghao also began organizing and mobilizing people from Sichuan to enter Gansu to cultivate wasteland. Because 20% land rent was already quite low for the era, even lower than the 30% Zhang Yinghao had announced in the southwest, a large number of people migrated north to Gansu to seek a living.

After Zhang Feng liberated Lanzhou, he briefly rested before splitting his forces into three groups and marching north, aiming directly for Ningxia Prefecture. The Gansu Army led by Dong Fuxiang was no incompetent patrol battalion; they were a force that had fought against the Eight-Nation Alliance. At least five thousand soldiers were equipped with rapid-fire rifles, and the army also had small artillery. If Dong Fuxiang were to fight the PLA to the bitter end, many would join him. Many areas in Ningxia were easily defended but difficult to capture. Jinjibao, where the Qing Dynasty suppressed the Hui rebel leader Ma Hualong, wasn't captured by Qing military force. Instead, Ma Hualong surrendered after being besieged for nearly two years and running out of ammunition and food. If the PLA engaged Dong Fuxiang head-on, they would suffer significant losses.

"Ada, let's revolt! You've fought for the Qing Dynasty your whole life, but what did they do to you? They almost chopped off your head, and even though you're safe now, isn't it the same as house arrest? So many people come to see you every year, but aren't they worried about you? After the Qing Dynasty used you up, you were like a useless chess piece that was casually discarded..."

"General, the people don't like war. If we don't fight, not only will we not lose lives, but we can also preserve the vitality of our Ningxia. This is a great achievement. This is in line with the will of the people. No one can blame the general..."

-………-

The arrival of the People's Liberation Army unleashed a full-scale effort to win over Dong Fuxiang. Of course, the Forward Party believed that history is created by the people, so in addition to persuading Dong Fuxiang, those who had previously expressed interest joined the comrades in persuading him. Every increase in the uprising's strength weakened the enemy, and even if a battle was ultimately necessary, the PLA would suffer fewer losses.

Since Shaanxi was liberated by the People's Liberation Army, the Qing Dynasty's most important route to the Northwest was cut off.

The Qing Dynasty also seemed to know that the Ni-de-Nig in the northern part of the country was only a problem, and the PLA's liberation of Gansu did not seem to cause any disturbance in the Qing Dynasty.

If the Qing court had not frequently come into contact with Western powers, Zhang Yinghao would even think that the Qing court had accepted its fate.

As for the PLA's massacre in Lanzhou, who would care about it in this remote and poor northwest region? Just like the PLA and the British were in constant conflict on the Yunnan-Burma border, but there were never many reports in the newspapers, the PLA's liberation of the two northwestern provinces did not attract much attention in the country.

The main reason was that communications were still too backward at that time, and Zhang Yinghao deliberately blocked the news and did not do any publicity. Aside from a few caring people, in this difficult era, who would care about the lives of the people in the northwest? Even if they heard about this matter, they would just treat it as a joke and forget it.

Of course, many interested parties already knew that the Qing Dynasty and the Forward Party had already begun to shift their positions. If the PLA's liberation of Yunnan and Guizhou wasn't already significant, the PLA now controlled one-third of the country's territory, covering over three million square kilometers, approaching four million square kilometers.

Zhang Yinghao suddenly felt that Chengdu was no longer sufficient to command the national revolution. Not only was transportation inconvenient, but even commanding the vast Northwest would be difficult. After realizing this, Zhang Yinghao knew he needed to plan his next move.

"Chairman, good news! General Dong of Ningxia Prefecture has revolted, and the People's Liberation Army is now preparing to enter Ningxia Prefecture!"

"Well done, our comrades! Those who participated have made a great contribution. With the peaceful liberation of Ningxia Prefecture, all military leaders should learn from this method of warfare. It's a bloodless war. We should immediately summarize our experience and lessons and figure out how to persuade these Qing officials to revolt. This may be helpful in liberating the entire country."

"Yes, Chairman. General Dong is coming to Sichuan. What do you think we should do?" "Let him come! We welcome him. I also want to meet this devil! But send a telegram to ask if General Dong is willing to continue to stay in Gansu and let him serve as Vice Chairman of the Gansu Provincial Committee for one term. We have just liberated most of Gansu and there are so many things to do. General Dong will have certain benefits in Gansu."

"Yes, I'll send the telegram right away."

"Chairman, comrades in the Northeast have sent a telegram, hoping that we will send comrades to the Northeast to take charge of the overall situation."

"What's the situation in Northeast China now?"

As for the comrades sent to the Northeast for development, Zhang Yinghao did not intend to do it without any hesitation. Instead, he had great expectations for them, otherwise he would not have sent more than 500 people to the Northeast.

Zhang Yinghao was somewhat baffled by the sudden telegram he received. He had no idea when the Russo-Japanese War would end, and he was completely clueless about the specific situation in Northeast China. All Zhang Yinghao could do was send telegraph machines to Northeast China and continuously dispatch political commissars to the region, training Party members and cadres while also ensuring they maintained control of this battle-hardened army. He also dispatched a valuable arsenal team to establish a small arsenal in Northeast China, providing ammunition and repairing firearms for his comrades there.

After listening carefully to his comrades' reports on the development of the Northeast, Zhang Yinghao knew that he had to start studying the integration of the Northeast's military forces and prepare for the next large-scale military operation.

Chapter 362;

At 10:00 AM on November 30, 1904, Premier Zhang Weiqiang arrived at the Chengdu train station to welcome the arriving guests: the 13th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Thubten Gyatso, the 9th Panchen Lama, Choekyi Nyima, and a group of Tibetan officials. Zhang Weiqiang was joined by Liu Qi, Chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army; Chen Qizhi, Secretary-General of the State Council; Dorje Sengge, member of the Nationalities and Religious Affairs Commission; Zhang Zhixuan, Secretary of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee; Huang Jinhao, Governor of Sichuan Province; the Chengdu Municipal Party Committee Secretary, Mayor, and a group of members of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress, totaling over 90 people. Also present were officials from the Nationalities and Religious Affairs Commission; students from the Medical University and its affiliated nursing school; students from the Normal University and its affiliated schools; monks and lamas from Chengdu monasteries; and representatives of the Tibetan community in Chengdu, totaling over 900 people.

The welcoming team held high huge banners written in both Tibetan and Chinese: "Warmly welcome the 13th Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso!", "Warmly welcome the 9th Panchen Lama, Choekyi Nyima!", and "People of all ethnic groups of the Chinese nation, unite!"

Zhang Weiqiang held a solemn and grand welcome ceremony at the station. This station, naturally, was not a bus station, but a carriage station with a post station along the way, allowing passengers to travel directly to places like Kangding by changing horses without changing carriages. The special carriage carrying Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima, and others, decorated with red and yellow silk, slowly entered the station to the sound of military music. After disembarking, Thubten Gyatso and Quji Nyima presented khatas to Zhang Weiqiang, Liu Qi, Dorje Sengge, and others. They also accepted flowers from children and khatas from representatives of Chengdu temples and Tibetans in Chengdu. Then, they walked out of the station side by side with Zhang Weiqiang and were taken to the guesthouse by a specially prepared yellow car.

Along the way, Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima and others were shocked too much. A road led directly to Chengdu. This road was a very remarkable thing in the eyes of Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima and others, especially the bridges and culverts. The mountains bowed their heads and the rivers gave way, turning the original natural barrier into a thoroughfare.

They all knew that a highway was currently under construction into Tibet, and if it reached Lhasa, the changes it would bring to the city would be palpable. They had also seen the tall chimneys erected along the way and the completely different spirit of the Sichuan people. However, as they learned about the situation along the way, a subtle sense of worry began to well up in their hearts.

Starting on December 1st, Dorje Sengge and his companions accompanied Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima, and others on a tour of various factories, schools, and railways in Chengdu. They visited steel mills, cement plants, and glass factories, and watching the factories churn out vast quantities of goods like flowing water was a profound shock to Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima, and their companions. Understanding industry requires a solid understanding of industry, and Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima, and their companions naturally lacked the ability to grasp industrial construction. Instead, they were deeply impressed by the rumbling of gigantic industrial machinery, the ingenious designs, and the pressure cookers they desperately needed.

Pressure cookers are now a hot commodity in the Jiefang District. They don't have any key technologies; they primarily consist of a steam release valve to regulate steam pressure, preventing an explosion caused by excessively high pressure, and a rubber ring for sealing. By conducting more experiments, both qualitative and quantitative, they could mass-produce pressure cookers to standardized specifications.

However, although the steel production in the liberated areas has far exceeded the steel production of the Hanyang Iron and Steel Plant at its peak, the steel plant in Chongqing Dadukou alone now has two major coal and iron ore bases in Qijiang and Nantong, as well as a special railway and water transportation system. After renovation and expansion, it has reached an annual output of 80,000 tons of steel, more than 60,000 tons of rails, and 200,000 tons of pig iron. Whether a steel plant can be used or not does not depend on luck. The Yawata Iron and Steel Plant in Japan was built in November 1901, but the

The molten iron in the furnace could not flow out, and it was declared a failure. It was not until July 1904 that the first blast furnace was successfully re-ignited after the renovation.

The first small steel plant purchased by Sri Lanka was successfully ignited on the first try after experimentation.

Before the 20th century, ironmaking technology was relatively backward. Producing one ton of iron required approximately 110 tons of coal and 30 tons of iron ore, with a yield rate of just over 3%. However, by the 20th century, ironmaking technology had advanced by leaps and bounds, requiring only about 10 tons of coal and 5 tons of iron ore to produce one ton of iron, with a yield rate of 20%.

Of course, the devil is in the details. The reason why the steel plant was able to ignite and produce iron in one go was that Zhang Yinghao and his technical staff had experienced many failures during the experiment and summed up a lot of experience and lessons. Through processes such as crushing, ore dressing, and ore washing, and using the best of everything including coke, they were able to succeed in one go.

Much of China's iron ore is poor quality. A hundred kilograms of iron ore could only produce a little over ten to twenty kilograms of steel, a feat considered impossible. After the liberation of Sichuan, steel mill construction never ceased. Guang'an, Weiyuan, Yibin, Deyang, Mianyang, and other cities were constantly constructing steel mills. Since large-scale steel mills were unavailable, numerous blast furnaces were built. These mills produced dozens of tons of steel daily, or just over ten thousand tons annually. The combined output of these small mills alone now surpassed Japan's 90,000 tons, reaching 110,000 tons. However, the supply of steel and iron remained far from sufficient. The railways currently under construction were a major consumer of steel, so consumer goods like pressure cookers naturally couldn't be fully produced. Furthermore, rubber was a strategic resource at this time. With the Yangtze River now blocked, rubber was virtually impossible to transport in, leaving less available for the production of seals. Fortunately, with Yunnan now liberated, the Forward Party was able to smuggle small amounts of rubber across the Yunnan border to meet its urgent needs.

The large steel mills of this era produced less steel than a micro-mill of later generations. The United States produced only about 14 million tons of steel. By the 21st century, after the elimination of outdated production capacity, only plants with an annual output of 5 million tons of ordinary steel were considered large. Mills like these, with annual outputs of tens of thousands of tons, were being phased out every minute.

In this pre-computer age, capital- and labor-intensive industries like steel provided a wealth of employment opportunities. The Chongqing Dadukou Steel Plant alone employed at least 10,000 people. These included workers within the steel plant, those in surrounding ironworks processing workshops, and, of course, the majority of miners in coal and iron mines, who comprised one of the four main sectors, a staggering 2,500. Then there were the artillery barrels produced by the Forward Party. Small barrels were first forged using steam hammers, then bored using boring machines, all of which took place in these peripheral factories. Furthermore, barrels larger than 155 mm required further processing using thousand-ton hydraulic or oil presses.

"...Dear guests, this is the weapons research and manufacturing institute, converted from the Sichuan Machinery Bureau, originally built by the Qing court. This is a thousand-ton hydraulic press..."

Thubten Gyatso, Qukyi Nyima, and their companions saw a massive, red-hot iron pillar beneath the hydraulic press. Under the pressure, the iron pillar flexed like plasticine, finally becoming a rough blank. The once seemingly indestructible steel now felt not like steel at all, but a sponge. The visual impact was intense, and it instilled a deep awe in even those unfamiliar with industry. All the visitors from XZ were speechless upon witnessing this scene; the power of industry was beyond their wildest dreams.

While arranging a tour for Xz's group, Zhang Yinghao arrived at a newly built cement plant in Meishan. A staff member explained, "Chairman, previous cement plants we built either used traditional methods to calcine cement or used vertical kilns. This method resulted in high costs, poor quality, unstable performance, and severe pollution. Cracks in cement slabs are now appearing on many sections of the Chengkang Highway. For this cement plant, we purchased rotary kilns and ball mills from Denmark's Smith Company, replacing outdated vertical kilns and other advanced equipment. We use a semi-wet process, which has greatly improved production efficiency and reached an annual output of 1.5 million barrels."

Zhang Yinghao directly asked the factory director: "Do we have any research on rotary kilns and ball mills? Can we manufacture these equipment ourselves?"

"To control firing in a rotary kiln, one must first be familiar with the production process, as well as wind pressure, temperature, oxygen and carbon monoxide content, so we can only say that we are currently researching it. We are also currently analyzing materials for the raw material mill and cement mill. As long as we find wear-resistant materials, we should be able to manufacture them ourselves. However, these are huge machines weighing over ten tons, and the manpower and material resources required to handle them are enormous."

Zhang Yinghao was quite satisfied with the factory director's introduction to the rotary kiln. However, when he asked about the high investment in manpower and resources, he snorted coldly and said, "Huh, success depends on human effort. Back when we were smelting iron, didn't we also manufacture ore crushing, beneficiation, and washing equipment weighing several tons in order to adapt our imported iron ore furnaces to our lean iron ore? We must have the ability to design, manufacture, and process large-scale equipment. No matter how daunting the investment in manpower and resources is, someone has to do these things. The conditions now are much better than when we were in Guang'an. We will definitely be able to manufacture the machinery and equipment we need."

The most important elements of industrial development are technology, capital, and talent. However, the industry of this era was still relatively rudimentary and simple. With the technology tree at hand, researchers were not short of ideas and had already mastered many advanced technologies. Many of these technologies even surpassed those of Westerners by a significant margin, reaching world-leading levels.

Industrial development is essentially a thin layer of paper; once that paper is broken, there are no real secrets. Industrial development also relies on momentum: as long as there's sufficient demand and factories have sufficient outlets for their products, they'll be driven to expand. Once momentum is established, it's difficult to curb.

"clear."

Zhang Yinghao then asked, "What's the quality of the cement we're producing now?" "We've undergone numerous scientific studies and carefully formulated our cement. Its fineness, strength, cohesion, expansion rate, and chemical composition all exceed UK and US standards. There's absolutely no quality issue."

Zhang Yinghao listened, nodded, and asked Comrade Zhao Erni, the director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission who was accompanying him: "How many cement plants do we have that can produce one million barrels of cement annually?"

Zhao Erni didn't even bother looking at the information before answering, "Two have already been built, and now that this one has been inspected and accepted, there are three. We've also invested in three cement plants in Chongqing, Mianyang, and Luzhou. We've also invested in two cement plants in Shaanxi, which are currently under construction. These plants are expected to produce over a million barrels per year."

"We can't stop investing. Cement will continue to be in short supply for decades or even centuries to come. Furthermore, we must develop our own cement production lines. Current production is far too low. We need to pour three to four thousand cubic meters of concrete every day to build a single reservoir, which consumes nearly ten thousand barrels of cement daily. We also need to build bridges and roads, repair river dams, and construct houses. You've all seen the roads planned for Yunnan and Guizhou, and this amount of cement isn't even enough to fill the gaps."

"Yes, we're planning to invest in cement plants in Yunnan and Guizhou. We're constantly researching and designing the entire cement production line, from the quarrying and crushing of raw materials, to the rail transportation and delivery of cement. We're committed to producing everything we can in-house. We're also researching and developing new cement processes, technologies, and equipment. However, with such a large investment, we're a bit short on funds."

Zhang Yinghao didn't answer. Actually, he himself didn't know how to build steel mills, cement plants, or fertilizer plants. If he were to do it himself, he'd definitely mess it up. He basically stopped doing these specific tasks because he simply didn't know how. So, the key to Zhang Yinghao's work now was to make the best use of his talents. If those who came to the liberated areas could be assigned to work in the fields they'd learned, that would be the best thing Zhang Yinghao could do.

Zhang Yinghao now had no choice but to have his subordinates work tirelessly to build factories and produce industrial products like steel, cement, and fertilizer. Zhang Yinghao himself only needed a total production figure and then distribute the products to the places where they were needed according to the plan.

Back in the office, Zhang Yinghao said directly to Comrade Zhao Erni: "Comrade Erni, the funds needed by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission to build a factory are actually very simple."

"Chairman, I'm really worried sick right now. If you have a solution, please tell me." "Haha, we say that communism and socialism should understand capital management better than capitalism. Once you build a factory, you can use it to get a mortgage loan from a bank. Basically, if you mortgage two factories, you can build a brand new one. Wouldn't that make you rich again?"

"Chairman, newly built factories don't always pay back their investment within a day. Many even lose money. What if they can't pay back the money?"

"That's easy, isn't it? We can negotiate with the bank to postpone repayments, or we can simply mortgage the factory to the bank. It doesn't really matter; we're in the thick of it anyway. If the factory doesn't get built, no one will benefit. But as long as it's built and can produce products, it can participate in national development and provide jobs for the people. That's all that matters. As for whether it's profitable or not, that's basically not a consideration for us right now. What we need to do now is develop industry at all costs. When productivity increases in the future, we'll naturally need to eliminate outdated production capacity and get rid of some of the baggage. That's when the fittest will survive."

Er Nier listened, nodded, and said, "Okay, Chairman, I understand. We will seriously consider this."

Chapter 363:

On December 8, Zhang Weiqiang and others brought Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima and others to the newly built 12-story Chengdu New Era Building. Zhang Yinghao was waiting for them in front of the New Era Square.

Thubten Gyatso and Quji Nyima held the double-stacked Hada in both hands, raised it to shoulder level, bent slightly, and presented the Hada to Zhang Yinghao.

"Zaxi Delek."

"Zaxi Delek."

At this time, the Hada is level with the head, expressing respect for the other party and the greatest blessing - good luck and good fortune.

"Zaxi Delek."

Zhang Yinghao also carefully took the Hada with both hands and hung it around his neck. Then Zhang Yinghao also presented the Hada to them.

Thubten Gyatso and Qukyi Nyima each presented Zhang Yinghao with five ounces of gold and a bucket of safflower. Zhang Yinghao expressed his gratitude and welcomed Thubten Gyatso, Qukyi Nyima, and their group to Chengdu. Then, wearing a khata, Zhang Yinghao, Thubten Gyatso, and Qukyi Nyima watched a simple military parade in the square. Watching the PLA's orderly marches, the heavy machine guns, and the thick, long cannons passing by, some of the newcomers looked pale, some livid, some rosy, and some seemed lost in thought.

Zhang Yinghao didn't care what the Xz people were thinking. Emperor Taizong of Tang said: "The barbarians are beasts, they fear power but not virtue." For people in a place still in a slave society, they believe more in force. For the stability of Xz, Zhang Yinghao must show enough strength to suppress everything, otherwise his farts will not make a sound.

After watching the military parade, Zhang Yinghao, Thubten Gyatso and Qukyi Nyima had an important conversation with Thubten Gyatso, Qukyi Nyima and others in the reception room of the Nationalities and Religious Policy Committee in the New Era Building.

Zhang Yinghao looked at Thubten Gyatso, Quji Nyima and others and said: "For a long time in Chinese history, Tibet has been an inseparable part of China. The Qing government implemented a policy of control and oppression on the ethnic minorities in the country. This was reactionary and bad. However, the Qing government maintained the unity of our country and prevented Tibet from being occupied by imperialism. Its contribution is also indelible. British imperialism has been invading Tibet for a long time, and the tenacious resistance of the Tibetan people to the invasion is obvious to all. However, facts have proved that relying solely on the Tibetan local government and local armed forces is not enough.

The Qing court was no longer able to guarantee the security of places like Xinjiang and could no longer maintain the integrity of the country's territory. Therefore, the People's Liberation Army and the people of all ethnic groups in the country

We must unite to resist the invasion of the great powers..."

Zhang Yinghao first talked about the actual situation, then talked about the relationship between the country and Xz, the relationship between the Qing court and the Xz local area, and affirmed the position that the Qing government, as the former central government, should have in maintaining the unity of the motherland, and affirmed the great contribution of the Xz people in the anti-aggression struggle.

Zhang Yinghao then continued: "The people of Xz love their motherland, oppose foreign aggression, and are willing to become part of a unified, prosperous, and equal Chinese family of all ethnic groups. The China Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army will certainly be able to meet this wish of the Xz people. We hope that the Xz people will support the China Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army's deployment to Xz, and join the Xz people in resisting imperialist aggression and contributing to the reunification and territorial integrity of the motherland."

In his conversations with Thubten Gyatso and Qukyi Nyima, Zhang Yinghao focused on unity, progress, development, and the establishment of a united front. He also expressed his message precisely, avoiding any misunderstandings. For Zhang Yinghao, Thubten Gyatso and Qukyi Nyima listened if they wanted to, and didn't listen if they didn't. They acted if they wanted to, and didn't act if they didn't. The great trend of the world is unstoppable. Those who follow it prosper, while those who go against it perish.

The Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama can follow suit if they choose; if they don't, they'll naturally be left behind by the times. Furthermore, Zhang Yinghao wasn't just speaking to Thubten Gyatso and Qukyi Nyima. Once these things are published in newspapers, they'll also appear in XZ. Ouyang Jun and his colleagues will naturally use various means to share them with the general public. Files shared via Baidu Netdisk: "Historical Military Aid Category..."

Link: https://pan.baidu.com/s/1sdaOqBMcjjCU7IkLEbtKfg?pwd=26we

Extraction code:26we

Copy this content and open the "Baidu Netdisk APP to get it"

It had been several months since the People's Liberation Army entered Tibet. The Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army were single-mindedly working to build bridges and roads and cultivate wasteland. Seeing their single-minded dedication, and seeing so many captured British invaders also working, the people of Tibet joined in the construction. It can be said that the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army's work in Tibet was proceeding very smoothly.

Of course, comrades aren't just working for nothing. They must investigate the Communist Party, and we've already gained a lot. The Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army uphold the fundamental principle of opposing British imperialism, so naturally some nobles will choose to join them. However, in the eyes of other slave owners, those who defect to the Progressive Party are traitors to the Communist Party and its running dogs.

In Tibet, many serfs and herders had no homes of their own. They woke up every day to work for their masters, living in sheds with cattle and sheep, and no one cared for them when they were sick. Of the millions, as many as 90 percent were homeless. But the Deler family, for example, assisted the Qing court in expelling the Dzungars from Tibet, making remarkable military achievements and earning them the title of general. Almost two hundred years have passed. The Deler family owned nine estates and four pastures throughout Tibet, with over 20,000 zangke of land, over 16,000 head of livestock, and over 2,700 serfs and herders. The wealth gap was horrifying, and the conflict was impossible to resolve.

After Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, he took out the document previously signed by the Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, and Yan Bing and discussed it again, adding to it the fact that the Panchen Lama's status remained unchanged. Zhang Yinghao also reiterated the policies and principles of the Progressive Party, which advocated protecting temples and upholding freedom of religious belief.

At this moment, one of the Xz's escorts said, "If the current Xz system remains unchanged, will you promise to never change it?"

Regarding the issue of slavery in Tibet, Zhang Yinghao and the Progressive Party have the patience to wait for the awakening of the Tibetan people, but it is absolutely impossible for Zhang Yinghao to promise not to overthrow the slavery system.

Zhang Yinghao looked at Thubten Gyatso and Qukyi Nyima and said directly, "We, the Forward Party, disdain to conceal our views and intentions. We, the Forward Party, oppose all existing social and political systems. Even the feudal system of the Qing court could not exist forever, let alone the feudal serfdom system of Tibet. Reform is inevitable, it's just a matter of time. Tibet only has a future through reform."

After hearing Zhang Yinghao's words, Thubten Gyatso and Qukyi Nyima remained silent and didn't express their opinions. But now, the people accompanying them began to ask questions. Zhang Yinghao knew the reason. If you want to ask, ask. As someone who has experienced an information explosion, is Zhang Yinghao afraid of your questions?