The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

I have a proposal: to require officials at all levels of our government to select a group of outstanding talents and insights to serve as part-time teachers. Including me, every minister should teach a course, no less than eight hours per week. In addition, people who are interested in education can also participate. As for the remaining gaps, I think we can fill them with overseas Chinese. Many overseas Chinese in Europe and the United States have begun to return to China. We can then recruit some from Southeast Asia, and eventually we will be able to fill the gap!"

Zhang Yinghao's idea was a fantasy, but Bai Tianlong thought about it carefully and found that it was indeed a good idea. There were indeed quite a number of new talents in the government. These people were closer to society and had a deeper understanding of many issues. Of course, they might still be unfamiliar with education, but in any case it was a good alternative.

"Chairman, will it affect the prestige of these officials if they are allowed to become teachers?"

"Prestige? What is prestige? We are the people's servants. Now the people are short of teachers and need us to teach, so we must make time to teach. It's that simple. What do public servants need prestige for? To scare the people? What is a revolutionary? It's actually very simple. We learn and do whatever the revolution needs us to do. Revolutionaries are actually learners and need to constantly improve. Revolutionaries who are not good at learning, who are complacent, will soon fall behind and become defenders of their own interests. Such people will eventually be eliminated."

"Will some people feel ashamed?"

"Haha, shame on you! That's even better! Humiliation leads to growth, and growth leads to shame. Are you afraid of being embarrassed if you don't teach well? How can you grow without being embarrassed? Besides, wasn't Confucius a teacher? Teaching and educating people is not a shameful thing, but a glorious and noble thing. The philosophy of our Progressive Party is that there are only differences in work, not high and low. Anyone who thinks that there are high and low jobs is not a qualified Progressive Party member, and we don't need such people in our team. As the chairman, I am also the honorary president of Sichuan University. From now on, I will teach at least eight lectures a week on the book "Das Kapital". You can't be idle either, everyone must have courses!"

When Bai Tianlong saw that Zhang Yinghao was serious, he agreed with this emergency measure. After all, there was such a shortage of teachers. This was the only solution he had.

After that, Zhang Yinghao really did as he said and changed into a revolutionary suit designed by himself based on the Zhongshan suit and came to Sichuan University of Technology, where he began to teach courses such as "Das Kapital". There were eight classes a week. It was undoubtedly explosive news that the Chairman of the China Development Party and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Liberation Army went to give lectures in person. Some people lamented that such a high-ranking official actually went to give lectures. Of course, some people questioned Zhang Yinghao's level. A guy who came from a martial arts background would just go to stir up trouble.

Zhang Yinghao basically ignored these strange words. He had never stopped training his comrades from the uprising to the present. What was the big deal about giving a lecture? He taught at Sichuan University for nearly a semester in total, and only ended the course when the central government moved out of Chengdu.

However, Zhang Yinghao also set a good example. Officials at all levels in Sichuan and people from the society were eager to give lectures at the university. Although these people might have some theoretical deficiencies, they were able to pass on practical knowledge to the students. Therefore, Sichuan University of Technology gradually got on the right track. After the students enriched their knowledge, their understanding of society became more mature and it was easier for them to achieve results. This has also become a good tradition, and celebrities are proud to be able to lecture at Sichuan University of Technology.

At the time, Yunnan and Guizhou were under military control, and to increase people's enthusiasm for farming, land reform was urgently needed there. Comrade Zhang Jianping and others, now considered experienced, along with the help of local comrades and the massive influx of manpower and resources from Sichuan, quickly stabilized many areas. This was particularly true in inland Guizhou, where order was quickly restored.

With the massive conscription of soldiers in Yunnan and Guizhou, and the PLA's aggressive crackdown on bandits, bullies, and militias, the situation in many parts of Yunnan quickly calmed down. However, the situation in Yunnan's border areas was more complicated than elsewhere. When Zhang Yinghao entered Yunnan and Guizhou, his initial plan was to maintain the status quo on the Yunnan-Burma and Yunnan-Vietnam borders, allowing many issues to be resolved later. However, Zhang Yinghao himself had not anticipated that upon arriving at the border, the PLA would liberate Ganya and other areas, tear up the Sino-British Yunnan-Burma Renewal Treaty, and directly confront the British.

In fact, Zhang Yinghao was already thinking about other things. Now that the southwest had been unified, it was necessary to carry out large-scale adjustments in officials, break down the barriers between the three provinces, and establish a unified political system. Just as he was thinking about how to build a new administrative system, the secretary suddenly brought in a piece of information and handed it to Zhang Yinghao. Zhang Yinghao took a look at it, his face changed, and then returned to normal.

"Trouble is coming again!"

By this time, a small PLA unit had already entered the Jiangxinpo area, a result of Zhang Yinghao's orders. Zhang Yinghao, now on the Yunnan-Myanmar border, had to determine the exact boundary and establish complete ties with Britain. Zhang Yinghao knew that the loss of Jiangxinpo, a fertile land that would be the most lamented by countless future generations of Chinese, was the loss of this fertile land to Burma. In reality, even into the 21st century, it remained largely semi-independent, and it couldn't be said to have fallen completely into Burmese hands; it was simply voluntarily relinquished by the Chinese government. The British were now frequently showing signs of coveting this territory, but Zhang Yinghao had no intention of giving them any chance.

After the People's Liberation Army secured Baoshan, they immediately infiltrated Jiangxinpo and the Hugang Valley, intending to seize these areas before the British. However, after their failed invasion of Tibet, the British shifted their focus to northern Burma. They also sent troops across the Gaoligong Mountains and even invaded the Pianma area. The Qing government, preoccupied with the Sichuan Revolution and the turmoil in Northeast China, was completely distracted by these events and issued an imperial decree to Yunnan officials to "assess the situation" and refrain from "rashly initiating military action."

Zhang Yinghao knew that after the British withdrew from Tibet, unwilling to accept defeat, they would inevitably seek to regain ground in Burma, so they vigorously expanded northward from Burma. This time, the British expansion finally met the PLA's bayonet again on the Yunnan-Myanmar border. Of course, the British still wanted to clash with the PLA because the Liberated Areas had not released British troops captured in Tibet, and had also captured British and French troops in Yunnan. However, the PLA unconditionally released the French troops, and the British troops were once again forced into forced labor. This was a huge loss of face for the British. Since the Liberated Areas refused to compromise, the only thing waiting for them was war.

Zhang Yinghao's brow furrowed. The trouble with the current situation was that several issues were all happening at once. The speed of revolution in Yunnan and Guizhou far exceeded Zhang Yinghao's expectations. Because the large number of comrades originally dispatched had established a local mass base, the grassroots people, through their propaganda, were filled with yearning for a new life. Therefore, while they were suppressing bandits and bullies, eradicating opium, building bridges and roads, and disarming the landlord militia, they were also carrying out abolitionist actions and, concurrently, initiating land reform.

The situation in Guizhou is relatively good, but there are problems in Yunnan.

In fact, Yunnan was the first province to have problems. There are many ethnic minorities in the border areas of Yunnan, and because of the treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty, half of these ethnic minorities are in China and half are outside China. The same is true for the chieftains' territories. They are sandwiched between China and the British and French colonial forces. If they want to survive, they have to be hesitant. As a result, the issue of the ownership of their territories is also unclear.

It was precisely because of this difficulty that Zhang Jianping and his colleagues first implemented land reform in the Han Chinese-populated areas of Yunnan. However, due to concerns about irritating the chieftains, headmen, and landlords, land reform in ethnic minority areas was temporarily shelved.

They also began planning to plant cash crops like tobacco and sugarcane, providing guidance and training. Yunnan has long been considered a land of opium and miasma and a frontier region in the Central Plains. However, Yunnan is not barren, boasting excellent natural conditions and a significant temperature swing between day and night. Yunnan's geography and climate are also well-suited to growing cash crops like tobacco, sugarcane, and rubber, resulting in highly profitable crops.

Yunnan's tobacco industry later became famous throughout the country, and its profits were immense. Therefore, once land reforms were completed and opium was eradicated, Yunnan planned to begin growing a large number of cash crops, allowing the people of Yunnan to finally escape poverty. Furthermore, Yunnan possesses a variety of resources buried underground. If these resources were developed, it would provide countless jobs.

Many ethnic minority communities that had not yet implemented land reform were becoming less resistant to it. Zhang Jianping and his colleagues took advantage of the situation and offered conditions: the children of chieftains could receive free education, and they themselves could become representatives to the National People's Congress and serve in local administrative offices. However, a crucial prerequisite was that the chieftains surrender their hereditary privileges and abolish their control over the serfs under their control.

Zhang Jianping and his men cleverly combined abolition and land reform. On one hand, they offered official positions and the promise of caring for future generations, while on the other, they wanted hereditary power. The choice was indeed difficult. However, with the People's Liberation Army already advancing throughout Yunnan, many chieftains remained vigilant. They knew that if the Central Plains dynasty took real action, they would have little room for resistance. If they agreed now, they would not only gain some grassroots power but also receive government support and assistance, and at the very least, become wealthy. If they refused, these armies would be beyond their reach.

Chapter 369: Keep Writing!!

The troops sent by the government this time were different from the previous ones. They were brave and strong, and their equipment was even better. There were countless guns and weapons thicker than a man's waist.

All of this proves one thing: resistance means death. What makes these chieftains even more uncomfortable is that the People's Liberation Army recruited a large number of soldiers. These locals are very familiar with the local area, and using locals to deal with locals is simply too easy.

The more astute chieftains all knew that this time the abolition of slavery and land reform were serious, and their determination was unprecedented, beyond their ability to resist. Therefore, many chieftains obediently handed over their power in exchange for their lives. With a leader, many chieftains and leaders felt that since they could not resist, they would just endure it silently. So they accepted the PLA's proposal and accepted their new fate.

However, not all chieftains were so obedient. Those who accepted the policies of the Progressive Party were generally found in relatively remote areas. Chieftains in areas deep in the mountains and forests, near the China-Myanmar and China-Vietnam borders, such as Menggen, Menghai, Mengla, Menglian, Mubang, Lancang, Dashan, Gengma, Longchuan, Mengyang, Fugong, Gongshan, Lima, and Zhengqian, led over 100,000 of their people to flee to Myanmar and Vietnam, with increasing numbers of civilians following them.

In particular, the Menghen region, later part of Myanmar and known as the ancient Tai state, lies between China and Siam, and between the Nu River and the Mekong (Lancang) River. This region has been mentioned in Chinese history since ancient times. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, the Menghen region annexed the country and was later placed under the jurisdiction of Pu'er Prefecture, Yunnan Province, under the Manchu Qing Dynasty. Later, the Konbaung Kingdom of Myanmar conquered most of the Tai states, and the Menghen region once again fell under Burmese rule. In 1766, Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty ordered an invasion of Burma. However, after the Manchu-Burmese War, the Qing Dynasty recognized Burmese sovereignty over the Tai states of Mengyang, Mengpeng, and Menghen.

In 1886, the Menghen region annexed the British Empire, becoming a British dependency and stationing Nepalese mercenaries there. The Menghen region included 21 Tai states, including Menghen, Mengpeng, and Mengmi, as well as seven Denu tribes, two Pa-Ou tribes, one Blang tribe, one Badong tribe, and one Kokang tribe.

Why is Zhang Yinghao obsessed with this place? Hearing about Kokang, many Chinese people know the reason. Besides historical reasons and Zhang Yinghao's desire to expand his territory, another reason is that Zhang Yinghao wants to border Siam. Siam is Thailand in his previous life, and is one of only three countries in Asia, the other two being China and Japan. Siam has three harvests a year and is a huge granary. If it were possible to border Siam, the liberated areas would be able to exchange cheap industrial products for large quantities of food. As long as the liberated areas obtain a large amount of food from Siam, the granary, the liberated areas' war potential would be greatly increased. Furthermore, if the Menghen area were liberated, China would also have an additional super grain depot, which would be of great strategic significance.

Zhang Jianping is the highest official in Yunnan at this time. Now that a large number of people are fleeing Yunnan, the pressure on his shoulders has increased. In addition, with such a large outflow of population, the British will naturally not miss the opportunity to discredit the liberated areas.

Although the British and the People's Liberation Army are now in a state of hostility, the liberated areas do not care how the British view this matter. Even if the British take the opportunity to discredit the Progressive Party and the ongoing land reform, it does not matter to Zhang Yinghao now.

It didn't matter now, it wasn't a problem, but it would cause significant trouble internationally in the future, especially since the British were the leader of the powers. Zhang Yinghao knew that Westerners would hold the international discourse power for a long time to come. Therefore, after receiving the report, Zhang Yinghao had to be cautious.

They discussed together how to deal with the large-scale escape of chieftains. The participants of the meeting were all high-level leaders of the Progressive Party, and bigwigs from the party, government and military gathered together. Although everyone had actually anticipated this situation, they did not expect the number to be so large.

"Chairman, I suggest that we immediately control the border and turn back all these people. Allowing the population to flow away will easily leave Yunnan's border empty and provide Britain and France with an excuse to interfere with us. The gains will not outweigh the losses!"

"Everyone, I disagree with Minister Qian's point of view. These chieftains have no loyalty to us to begin with. If they run away, it's actually a good thing for us. Without these obstructions, we can better control Yunnan. China is a vast country, and we lack everything except people. Aren't we going to settle the border with immigrants now? Now is the opportunity. The British are not good people either. I think sooner or later those chieftains will regret it!"

"….

These are two completely opposite suggestions, and both sides have their reasons. Rather than keeping these hidden dangers in the country, it is better to let them escape!

At this time, Liu Qi also spoke: "Chairman, it would be good to kick these people out, but our current border line has not been established at all. The defection of these chieftains will inevitably give the British and French invaders an excuse to advance northward. In addition, I am worried that after these people defect to places like Myanmar, they will become tools in the hands of the British, and then the British will arm these people to interfere with our border security!"

Liu Qi is still very familiar with border affairs, and the suggestions he put forward are very reasonable, especially that these people may really become British mercenaries and turn around to deal with China. Everyone present lowered their heads in thought, and obviously they also had this worry.

"Chairman, I think the key to the problem isn't those chieftains. They can just run away. Our next problem is how to deal with the British on the border. We've already been stationed in places like Jiangxinpo and are already engaging the British face to face."

Other comrades from the Military Commission also expressed their views.

So everyone expressed their opinions, and Zhang Yinghao thought carefully about everyone's remarks. Their concerns were very reasonable. Although the southwest is still very weak, it is not easy for the British to reach Yunnan. But generally speaking, the British built a railway in Myanmar to Myitkyina, which is relatively better than the People's Liberation Army. But Westerners and Eastern peoples are naturally of different skin colors. Zhang Yinghao knows what the combat effectiveness of the colonial army is like. So the People's Liberation Army actually has enough capital to fight against the British in these areas. Although now is not the best time, there is no need to worry too much. If you fail, retreat and fight back later. Group number: 775111838

Zhang Yinghao cleared his throat and said, "Comrades, after the implementation of land reform in Yunnan, the progress has far exceeded our expectations. Now many problems have been exposed. It is conceivable that these problems are now very serious, but can the problems be more serious? No, right? At most, it will just be a war! It's no big deal. So we must face the difficulties head-on. If we delay any further, we will really be passive on the border issue.

Although there have been large-scale desertions by chieftains, I don't think this is a big deal. The reason is simple: the British may be powerful, but their warships and artillery can't reach Sichuan or Yunnan. How many infantrymen can they send? Ten thousand? Twenty thousand? Aren't they afraid of another defeat like the one they suffered in [the Battle of] Z?"

In reality, whether in Yunnan or Tibet, the chieftains and slave owners could only flee to the colonies of the great powers. While Britain was now a powerful empire, its steel production was only a little over 500 tons, ranking only third in the world. While the US and Germany were desperately pursuing a second industrial revolution, Britain, still basking in the glory of the first, had abandoned its own strength and sought to exploit financial resources for massive profits. In this cruel era, slow progress meant regression and backwardness. Britain, now facing challenges from other global powers, had been forced to withdraw its military forces and was now gradually on the defensive.

So, as far as the Far East was concerned, Britain was truly nothing special. They did possess more advanced warships and artillery than the Liberated Areas, and the Great Powers' industry was indeed much more advanced than the Liberated Areas'. However, these weapons were no match for the People's Liberation Army led by Zhang Yinghao, who employed rifles and artillery. While the Great Powers' weapons were of superior quality, they were not overwhelmingly superior. Zhang Yinghao was not particularly concerned about a country that had begun to shrink its influence and was in a relatively declining state. On land, Zhang Yinghao felt he had no reason to fear any nation. In the Far East, Britain's immense influence was merely influence, and the troops it could deploy were not substantial.

However, Zhang Yinghao had to admit that although he had advantages in the military and could completely ignore the British, how much could he do alone? And how many of his comrades recognized the advantages of Britain's industrialized society? How many recognized the advantages of the modern social system? Zhang Yinghao actually did not hold out much hope now.

Zhang Yinghao drew the approximate locations of Jiangxinpo, Hugang Valley, southern Tibet, and Menghen on a map, then said, "A single blow is enough to prevent a hundred blows. Peace survives when it is sought through struggle, but it dies when it is sought through compromise. Since our main enemy is the British, we should confront them head-on—even if it means a confrontation. I think we should order Comrade Zhang Jianping to organize a border defense force and build a solid line of defense along the Yunnan border. All the territories of those local chieftains who were previously sitting on the fence should be transferred to our side, especially Jiangxinpo, Hugang Valley, southern Tibet, and Menghen. These areas are strategically important and must be seized. We cannot give the British any chance."

Of course, there's no need to rush things; we can advance slowly. If the British try to play tricks, we'll have to fight them back! We also need to build a road from Baoshan, passing through Jiangxinpo and the Hugang Valley, then through southern Tibet directly to Chayu County in Tibet. This will make it easier to transport supplies for the army."

"Chairman, how do we define the boundary between Jiangxinpo and Hugang Valley?"

Zhang Yinghao glanced at the map, drew something on it, and said, "Comrades, do you know what Myitkyina means?"

When Zhang Yinghao asked this, everyone said they didn't know. So Zhang Yinghao said: "Myitkyina means the bank of a big river in Burmese. So although Myanmar was a vassal state of the Qing Dynasty, the Central Plains dynasty has never directly ruled here. Now that Myitkyina has a railway, there is no need for us to touch this place right now. Where is our border line? It is a straight line from Jiangao Mountain to Yeren Mountain. The large area from Gaoligong Mountain to Yeren Mountain is Jiangxinpo, which has been our territory since ancient times. To the north of Jiangxinpo is the Zayu and southern Tibet regions of XZ. As long as we liberate Jiangxinpo, we will have another logistical channel for southern Tibet, and we don't have to worry about war in southern Tibet and logistical difficulties."

Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, his face solemn, and he said, "What I am going to say next is absolutely confidential. No one is allowed to leak it. Anyone who violates this will be charged with treason."

Seeing Zhang Yinghao's serious tone, the comrades pledged their support. After they finished expressing their opinions, Zhang Yinghao continued, pointing to the map, and said, "Across the Savage Mountain is the Hugang Valley, but today I'm not talking about the Hugang Valley, but about another issue."

After saying this, Zhang Yinghao drew two more strokes on the map and said, "This is the Arakan Mountains, extending down to the Indian Ocean; this is the Ganges River in India. There are millions of square kilometers of land in between. Our country needs an outlet to the Indian Ocean, so in the future we will expand our territory here, gain an outlet to the Indian Ocean, and establish a new province - Central and South Province..."

After Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, he slapped his palm hard on the Bengal area.

The comrades present were stunned by the map, but then excited. In this era, expanding territory is politically correct, just like the line from the song "Loyalty to the Country": "I am willing to defend my homeland and expand it, so that the great China will be celebrated by all quarters." If this could truly be accomplished, all those involved would be immortalized in history. The place Zhang Yinghao was referring to was Bangladesh and Assam, India, from his previous life. If a passage to the Indian Ocean could be opened from there, China's entire strategic situation would be completely transformed.

In the past, China's coastal areas faced a serious blockade, and China tried every possible means to break the island chain blockade and obtain a railway connection to the Indian Ocean. However, this was obviously impossible through India, so it could only be through Pakistan. Later, policies such as the Belt and Road Initiative were also implemented to break the blockade imposed by European and American countries on China. If China had access to the Indian Ocean, who would be able to blockade it again? However, there is no need to rush now. These places are still British colonies. When China becomes stronger in the future, it will be easy to take them over.

Originally, Zhang Yinghao hadn't intended to say this, but then he realized that if the People's Liberation Army liberated the Hukawng Valley, the British would naturally feel immense pressure. Furthermore, Bengal was a great place, with vast plains. In later generations, Bangladesh alone could support a population of over 100 million, approaching 200 million, making it a veritable granary.

After the discussion, Zhang Yinghao issued a very peaceful order to Zhang Jianping regarding the chieftains. Upon receiving the order, everyone at the Yunnan headquarters instantly understood Zhang Yinghao's intentions. Those chieftains had no regard for Zhang Yinghao's ideology. Since they had fled to Burma and Vietnam, they were undoubtedly planning to use the British to maintain their power. In reality, no matter what they did, it didn't matter. Those forced to flee could be deceived temporarily, but not forever. Once those who followed him saw the true face of the British invaders and the chieftains, they would eventually recognize the virtues of the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army and would naturally return to the embrace of their motherland. Furthermore, in Zhang Yinghao's view, it was only 1905! There was truly a long way to go.

Chapter 370:

Zhang Yinghao simply pointed his bayonet at the British. As long as the main contradiction was resolved, there would be no need to worry about the chieftains. This was the secret of "adding fuel to the fire is not as good as removing the fire from under the cauldron". At this time, the total strength of Zhang Yinghao's regular army had exceeded 800,000. If the militia and engineering troops were added, the troops would be even more numerous.

Most importantly, Sichuan had already solved nearly all of its light weapons production problems. Sichuan's numerous military industries were barely enough to meet the basic needs of all military equipment. With this strength, Zhang Yinghao was confident he could sweep across Indochina, drive the French back to the sea, and even reach India. India was now the British's testicles; if he could control them, they would be forced to submit.

Although Zhang Yinghao had no navy, who could blame Britain for now being on China's border? Zhang Yinghao then turned to Chief of Staff Liu Qi and said, "Chief of Staff, the Yunnan issue has been temporarily handed over to Comrade Zhang Jianping, and the Xinjiang issue has been temporarily handed over to Comrade Ouyang Jun. Now I have a difficult task for you. In order to cope with future battles in the tropical rainforest, you must now study the laws of tropical rainforest warfare. I will also summarize some rainforest combat methods. We must quickly train an army specifically for tropical rainforest warfare."

"Chairman, we truly need to train a force familiar with tropical rainforest warfare. If an army can adapt to tropical rainforest warfare, it can fight anywhere in the world. However, after we liberated western Sichuan, we began to summarize our experiences and lessons. Our PLA soldiers and the local chieftains' armed forces have already engaged in numerous jungle battles. In the jungle, infantry advances slowly, covering only a few kilometers an hour. Radios are also subject to severe interference, and heavy equipment struggles in the rainforest. In the rainforest, the distance between the two sides can be as close as a few meters. The complex terrain allows both sides to exploit advantageous terrain, which is extremely disadvantageous to the attacking side. Furthermore, the rainforest is an ideal setting for guerrilla warfare, allowing for surprise attacks from all sides... Rainforest warfare is exceptionally brutal. How to gain the upper hand in close-range firefights and how to conduct rainforest warfare are combat skills we urgently need to master."

Zhang Yinghao, knowing the General Staff had indeed made preparations, nodded happily and said, "The high temperature, high humidity, and heavy rainfall in the tropical rainforest are a severe test for both personnel and weapons. Relying on foot is the safest means of combat in the rainforest. The dense vegetation severely reduces the lethality of weapons and the effectiveness of instant communication. Dismounting will be the primary mode of movement in the rainforest, severely diminishing human endurance and weapon carrying capacity. In the rainforest, drinking raw water is prohibited, as it will inevitably lead to diarrhea! In some areas, the daily march speed will be less than five kilometers..."

After Zhang Yinghao finished his talk about the tropical rainforest campaign, he turned to Finance Minister Fan Side and Agriculture Minister Wu Guozhu and said, "You two, abolition and land reform are just means. Ultimately, the goal is to improve the lives of the people. I believe that no matter who you are, you all desire a better life. Therefore, solving the problem of food and clothing is the key to success. You must formulate support measures. After abolishing slavery, you must let the slaves see a rapid improvement in their living standards. Only in this way can you win the hearts and minds of the people!"

""clear."

Zhang Yinghao turned around and said, "Comrade Zhang Jianping has proposed that chieftains serve as grassroots administrative personnel and people's representatives. What do you think should be done? Do you agree or not?"

"Chairman, I still remember what we said during the previous training: in newly liberated areas, the existing order must be destroyed and replaced with the order we need, that is, our own rules must prevail in the area. After the land is distributed, as long as these chieftains abide by the rules and laws, everything else is actually irrelevant."

"Yes, if these chieftains abide by the rules, they can maintain local order. Before our comrades take root in the local area, appropriate compromise is necessary."

In reality, Zhang Yinghao himself didn't particularly care about the transfer of some grassroots power to these chieftains and landlords. He knew that neither the Progressive Party nor the new government could control everything, and in this era, there was no way to control everything. Not only now, but even in the future, with the highly developed internet, the government still couldn't control everything. Just like during the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of a single case served as a revelation to local government officials. These civil servants were generally highly educated, yet they still constantly acted recklessly, lacking scientific principles and acting recklessly.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao knew that the grassroots organization he built could not fully control all human and material resources. These comrades were even less knowledgeable about science than the highly educated talents of later generations. The consequences of wanting to control everything would inevitably lead to the same fate as in the Soviet era, when the Ukrainian "Great Famine" killed millions of people, and the three difficult years after the Great Leap Forward, when tens of millions of people died abnormally.

Surrendering these powers is merely a means to an end, ensuring local stability. Of course, handing over these small autonomous powers is conditional, including acceptance of the Forward Party's ideology and the implementation of land reform and other initiatives. Relinquishing these grassroots powers is no big deal. Once the nation undergoes industrialization, the previous way of life will be completely shattered. In the future, the countryside will serve the cities, and agriculture will be subordinated to industry. Furthermore, granting these chieftains a modicum of autonomy is better than the provincial autonomous regions established in previous generations, and the autonomous counties and so on throughout the country. Just like electing a village chief, the villagers themselves must accept the village chief they choose, regardless of his merits or demerits.

Contradictions are ubiquitous, and they also exist within the Socialist and Progressive Party. Dividing contradictions into two categories: contradictions between ourselves and the enemy, and contradictions among the people, is a major contribution of our predecessor, Taizu. Contradictions between ourselves and the enemy are antagonistic contradictions involving fundamental conflicts of interest and can only be resolved through dictatorship.

There are also certain contradictions among the masses. Contradictions among the people are non-antagonistic contradictions without fundamental conflicts of interest. These include the contradictions between the worker and peasant classes, the contradictions between workers and peasants and the intellectuals, the contradictions between the working class and other working people and the national bourgeoisie, and the contradictions within the national bourgeoisie itself. These can only be resolved through the methods of the master. This requires a perspective of temporal materialism, making friends with time, and gradually resolving these contradictions and problems in the course of development, using persuasion, education, and gentle, gradual approaches.

Many people misunderstand that the proletariat is defined as workers. This is completely different. The proletariat refers to those who survive by selling their labor, which includes both mental and physical labor. As soon as industrialization begins, division of labor and cooperation inevitably emerge, leading to the emergence of management positions. These managers don't directly engage in production, but they are also indispensable. Rather than management positions, they are more like service positions. Think of a line leader on an assembly line. When workers encounter a problem, the first person they turn to is the line leader, who then helps them resolve the issue. While the line leader does manage the workers, he or she only manages them to maintain production order. Ultimately, they are still service personnel. Managers who fail to understand this are bound to make mistakes.

After listening to his comrades, Zhang Yinghao stated his position directly: "In principle, I personally agree that these chieftains should be allowed to work, but they must and must only be self-reliant laborers. Even if they are elected as town mayors or members of the local government committee, we are asking them to work. Their power comes from their position. They must be part of the working people, and they should be paid for their labor, that's all."

After hearing what Zhang Yinghao said, everyone understood and nodded.

Zhang Yinghao increasingly understood a principle. For the Forward Party, as long as it adhered to its principles in the liberated areas and as long as those within them did not disrupt the order of production, not only would the bourgeoisie tolerate it, but even the remnants of the slave-owning and feudal landlord classes would tolerate it. Just as the PLA's failure to implement land reform after entering Tibet, so too would the Forward Party be patient as long as the reactionaries refrained from armed resistance. Why? Because one of the Forward Party's principles was to liberate and develop the productive forces. As the productive forces continuously developed, production relations also required constant adjustment. Consequently, the slave-owning and feudal landlords would naturally lose their ground for survival. They didn't need the Forward Party to physically eliminate them; time would automatically eliminate them, and the times would naturally eliminate them.

After the general direction is determined, what remains is to formulate a more detailed action plan. The comrades attending the meeting have a lot of experience and are now capable. After the principles are determined, everything will be easy to handle and various measures will be implemented immediately.

While they were talking, the secretary came in and said to Zhang Yinghao, "Chairman, Comrade Shen Ru is here and has something to report."

"Tell him to come in."

After a while, Shen Cong hurried in and said, "Chairman, the British have sent us a strong protest through the French consul, demanding that the People's Liberation Army withdraw from Jiangxinpo, Hugang Valley, Nankan area, and Menghen area. Here is the relevant report."

"Comrade Shen Ruo, after the External Affairs Office was reorganized into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, what are its main responsibilities now?"

Zhang Yinghao asked as he took the report and started reading it.

"The Yangtze River waterway is still blocked. We have already contacted Germany and the United States, and they are willing to do business with us and have expressed their willingness to do business in Sichuan. Furthermore, Germany and the United States are interested in lending us money. We and our colleagues from the Ministry of Commerce are already negotiating with them."

Zhang Yinghao nodded, saying nothing, and then began to read the report carefully. The content was actually quite simple: first, the PLA troops had to withdraw; second, border residents had to be prevented from entering Myanmar. However, the text was implicitly protesting against the Progressive Party's policies, such as land reform.

Zhang Yinghao laughed after reading it and said, "Tell the French that the PLA will not withdraw, and then ask Britain and France for help in sending those who have fled back to us. As for the rest, they are our internal affairs, and Britain and France have no right to interfere in our internal affairs..."

"clear."

At this point, Li Lao Hu, having received orders from the Military Commission, had been leading a large army to suppress bandits along the Yunnan border. Jasda, now serving as Chairman of the Baoshan Municipal Committee of Yunnan, was feeling somewhat uneasy. With so many people fleeing, hastily blocking them would inevitably lead to serious conflict. Failure to block the border would render the line ineffective and give the British an opportunity to exploit the situation. Just as he was facing this dilemma, Li Lao Hu arrived with his army, instantly giving Jasda a sense of security.

"Chairman Jia, the Chairman's message is very clear. Whether it's a local chieftain or a British thug, anyone who dares to threaten China's borders will be severely punished. This time, we're bringing 30,000 troops. We won't show any mercy to anyone who dares to rush into our line of fire!"

After liberating Yunnan, the People's Liberation Army immediately began building roads throughout the province. Troops were dispatched to patrol the border areas. Numerous notices were distributed, and local comrades were dispatched to spread the word, urging the local population not to believe rumors and flee abroad. Many residents immediately gave up their plans to flee and returned to their original homes.

However, these places were feudal and backward after all. The chieftains knew the policies of the Progressive Party and naturally did not want to give up their power. Therefore, many chieftains immediately took the people and ran to the other side of the border. This naturally caused great trouble to the British and French colonists.

Britain and France were naturally well aware of the PLA's actions. France was relatively well-off, after all, the Progressive Party had released all its prisoners of war. However, Britain was different. Burma was still a province of India, under the jurisdiction of the Indian Governor-General. In the past, British and Indian troops had acted arbitrarily along the Chinese border, wantonly bullying Chinese border residents.

This time the situation was completely reversed. A large number of Chinese troops entered the Yunnan border and began to strengthen defense forces, which was a huge shock to the British colonial authorities.

The British refused to acknowledge the defeat of the Qing army, believing it was an accident caused by insufficient supplies. They continued to use their previous contempt for the Qing army against the PLA.

The British actually didn't care much about the People's Liberation Army, but after the People's Liberation Army really entered the border, the British colonial government suddenly felt stretched. The forces they could mobilize were too few. If the liberated areas really launched a large-scale attack, they would have no way to resist. Therefore, the British colonial government protested to China while seeking help from the country, and at the same time frantically recruiting troops.

The British garrison in Burma originally consisted of only one division, along with other colonial forces, totaling less than 30,000 men. Despite being at a significant disadvantage in terms of manpower, the British colonial authorities remained confident. Following their defeat in the Battle of XX, they immediately began preparing for war in Burma, and their total troop strength now exceeds 80,000.

Chapter 371:

After the British Liberal Party came to power and Sir Henry Campbell-Bannen became Prime Minister, they attempted to peacefully redeem the British soldiers. However, during the Jordan negotiations, the Progress Party led the People's Liberation Army to liberate Yunnan and Guizhou, prompting Britain and France to directly intervene in the conflict. The PLA once again clashed directly with the British, forcing the surrender and capturing a British regiment. Britain's hopes of peacefully redeeming its troops were temporarily dashed, and Zhang Yinghao even expelled Jordan.

After the departure of George Curzon, the Viceroy of India, Oliver Russell became the new interim Governor-General of British India. He was reluctant to provoke trouble, preferring to finish his term as Governor-General in peace and quiet. However, he did report the situation to London, which in turn gave the People's Liberation Army considerable time.

The time came when the new Governor-General, Gilbert Elliott-Murray-Kinningmond, the 4th Earl of Minto, arrived in India. He transferred a division of British soldiers from India to Burma to use as a trump card force. At the same time, he recruited a large number of colonial soldiers and captured a group of nationalists. Just when he could not help but cheer for his success.

There were huge changes in China again. A large number of chieftains began to flee to Myanmar. In just a few months, the number exceeded 100,000. At first, Jiningmengde did not know the reason. When he learned that it was China's land revolution that caused these chieftains to defect, he was ecstatic. This was a time to make achievements.

The British Empire's colonial footsteps were about to step into China from the southwest. He immediately sent troops to Myitkyina, an important city in northern Myanmar, to strengthen his armaments while preparing for an opportunity to attack China. Troops were also gathering in China not far away.

The northern part of Myitkyina is the Jiangxinpo area, which is located in the Hengduan Mountains.

The mountains are oriented northwest. The Savage Mountain separates the Jiangxinpo and the Hukawng Valley. The famous Savage Mountain in the previous life was not suitable for large-scale combat.

The squads continued to fight.

After the People's Liberation Army took control of Tengchong and other places, it directly sent troops to drive out the invaders.

The British reclaimed the vast tracts of land under the jurisdiction of the three chieftains of Ganya, Longchuan, and Mengmao, which had been lost to the Qing Dynasty through treaties, and re-liberated the first and fourth passes of the Qinggongdi area. The People's Liberation Army then advanced into the Jiangxinpo and Hugang Valley areas.

The two sides confronted each other in the Yunnan-Myanmar border area, especially in Jiangxinpo and Tengchong area, which were the focus of the conflict.

In this era, many regions do not clearly belong to any country or region. After all, more than a decade ago, Myanmar was still a vassal of the Qing Dynasty.

It was naturally impossible for Myanmar and the Qing Dynasty to clarify the border. After the People's Liberation Army tore up the treaty signed between Britain and the Qing Dynasty on the Yunnan-Myanmar border, the situation here became even more complicated.