The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

How to do?

Zhang Biao and Li Yuanhong were extremely anxious at this moment, but they could only look at each other in silence, speechless and choked with emotion...

The PLA comrades were completely unaware of Zhang Biao and Li Yuanhong's distress. After breaking through the Hubei New Army's first line of defense, the rest of the comrades immediately poured into the breach, launching continuous attacks on both sides and deep into the enemy's territory. Their only command was to overcome fatigue, fear no sacrifice, and attack, attack, and attack again! Attack at all costs!

... …….

As the Hubei New Army was being attacked from all sides and Wuhan was in chaos, Comrade Deng Lugang's conversation with Zhang Zhidong was nearing its end: "...If Marshal Xiang intends to fight our People's Liberation Army to the bitter end in Wuhan, then Wuhan will probably end in a river of blood and ruins. Even if our Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army are defeated, the Qing Dynasty will have no chance of a comeback. After all, you founded a steel mill and naturally understand its significance to a country. You should know that the great powers will not allow the Qing Dynasty to build even one more steel mill..."

Once you invite foreign powers to interfere in the revolution, as the Chinese saying goes, it's easier to invite a god than to send him away. Can the Qing court send the foreign powers away by ceding territory and paying indemnities? I think Marshal Xiang knows this. So no matter how long or to what extent Marshal Xiang intends to resist the People's Liberation Army in Wuhan, the Qing will inevitably be the loser and will inevitably become a tool for the foreign powers to exploit and oppress the Chinese people... Therefore, the Qing will inevitably perish..."

By this time, Zhang Zhidong's face had completely darkened. Deng Lugang acted as if he hadn't noticed and continued, "...If the foreign powers interfere with China's revolution, causing us to lose Tibet, Manchuria, Mongolia, and Xinjiang, then you, Zhang Zhidong, will be no different from Qin Hui, but you will be like Shi Jingtang, who gave away the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun. Even if your contributions to the development of national industry are now great, we will definitely make this a public case, and there will be no possibility of overturning the verdict."

When Zhang Zhidong heard about the loss of territory and the names of Qin Hui and Shi Jingtang, his expression suddenly recovered. He sneered and said, "Haha, you red bandits who have brought disaster to the country and the people have acted recklessly and lost our territory, and now you want to put the blame on me!"

Deng Lugang burst into laughter upon hearing this: "Haha! Marshal Xiang, history does not condemn the victors, and history cannot condemn the victors. Marshal Xiang, do you really think that our Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army are afraid of the Western powers? Then how many troops do you think the Western powers can send to attack our liberated areas even if they put all their efforts into it?"

Without waiting for Zhang Zhidong's reply, Deng Lugang spoke directly, "Our Chairman once told us in class that if we face the worst-case scenario, the British Empire might send tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of troops, from Yunnan and Tibet. They might also bombard coastal cities, reducing them to ruins. Tsarist Russia might send a million troops from the north, but only a few hundred thousand in a short period of time. Japan might be armed by the Western powers, and at most only a million troops. France might send tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of troops from Vietnam to attack Guangxi and Yunnan, and might also form an Anglo-French coalition with Britain to invade China. The United States might also send thousands or tens of thousands of troops. Germany, driven by its own interests, might send only tens of thousands of troops, which would be a big deal. As for other powers like Italy and Belgium, they would only send a few men to make up the numbers. In other words, if all the powers in the world come to invade our country and want to divide it up, they would only have three million men at most!"

Hearing Deng Lugang's words, even Zhang Zhidong, who had experienced many ups and downs, was stunned. His face was filled with disbelief, and he subconsciously asked back: "Three million~only~? What a toad yawning! What a big mouth! Do you think you can win?"

Deng Lugang stared into Zhang Zhidong's eyes and said, "Our Chairman has said so! I absolutely agree!"

Then Deng Lugang said word by word: "The final victory will definitely be China!"

Zhang Zhidong: "....."

Chapter 430:

In fact, when Zhang Yinghao himself predicted the enemy's numbers during these lectures, he was only roughly estimating based on his past life's experience and the information he had gained in this life. His comrades were quite convinced by this number. As for whether it was correct, Zhang Yinghao himself wasn't entirely sure. But one thing was certain: in this era, even if the great powers truly united in their resolve and committed all their efforts to annihilate China, just as they had annihilated the Indians, even if they directly sent tens of millions of troops to attack China, Zhang Yinghao believed that China would ultimately triumph.

Why was Zhang Yinghao so sure of this? It was because China was a large country with ample space to buy time. If the great powers resorted to direct massacres to divide China, they simply wouldn't have enough people to occupy the occupied territories. They would soon be surrounded by enemies on all sides, facing the endless threat of cold guns and cold artillery.

If the great powers adopt the model of forming puppet armies like Japan in the past, the situation will soon become a state of intertwined enemies and armed coexistence, which will also give the Chinese people enough time to grow, and the final victory will definitely be China.

Moreover, in this era, before the rise of warlords and the utter chaos of the world, Zhang Yinghao truly doubted that the capitalist powers would be willing to spend vast sums of money to raise a large-scale puppet army from scratch. This would be a loss that would outweigh the gains. If the powers were foolish enough to do so, they would only be helping the Progressive Party.

China boasts a unique cultural heritage spanning thousands of years. Furthermore, in a nation bound by clan ties, once the aggressive nature of the imperialist powers is recognized by the vast majority of the people, and they realize there is no room for maneuver, the power these clans unleash upon a rallying cry is undoubtedly no less powerful than any regular army. While the older generation may not truly understand the fundamental principles of nationhood, they will fight to the bitter end against the imperialist powers for the sake of preserving and perpetuating their own bloodlines, and countless heroes will be willing to sacrifice their lives. Therefore, the inherent racial differences between Western countries and the Chinese people predestined that the West could not completely conquer the 450 million Chinese people.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao fully believed that, perhaps at first, the people would resent and resent the war brought upon them by the Progressive Party's hardline stance. However, once the people realized the true nature of the exploitation and oppression by the great powers, they would ultimately choose to resist and stand with the Progressive Party. Regardless of whether the enemy numbered in the millions, or even tens of millions, as long as the Progressive Party stood firmly with the people, organized the broad masses, refused to surrender or compromise, and launched a people's war, China would ultimately triumph, and this would ultimately lead to the complete liberation of the entire nation. As for how long victory would take, it would depend on the closeness of the bond between the Progressive Party and the people.

As a veteran bureaucrat, Zhang Zhidong likely still held the view that the people could be led, not controlled. Having personally suppressed uprisings, he naturally witnessed the immense power inherent in the masses. However, Zhang Zhidong did not represent the interests of the people, so in their eyes, the unleashing of these forces would disrupt order and bring destruction...

Zhang Zhidong had never witnessed the epic struggles of the Liberation War. He had no idea that when the vast masses demanded liberation, nothing could stop them. He felt like he was going mad. Three million troops seemed unstoppable to him. Even tens of thousands of foreign armies couldn't defeat the vast Qing Empire. If three million foreign armies marched into China, he couldn't imagine the catastrophe they would face. He saw no future for his country. If such a vast nation were handed over to a group of lunatics who treated war like a joke, he felt the threat of national annihilation was imminent.

What else could Zhang Zhidong say? He was overwhelmed with emotions, and in the end, he could only utter two words: "Ignorance!"

Deng Lugang smiled slightly after hearing these two words and said, "During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the Qing army's weapons were no worse than those of the Japanese, and were even much better. During the Eight-Nation Alliance's invasion of China, the foreigners occupied many of the Qing Dynasty's arsenals, and the guns inside actually gathered dust in the warehouses instead of being used to equip the army. Why couldn't the Qing army defeat the armies of the great powers? Besides the fact that they lacked adequate modern training, the most important reason was that the Qing army had no obligation to fight for the Qing Dynasty and was unwilling to fight for it. Before the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, Yuan Shikai chose to return home from Korea due to illness. During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, Ye Zhichao even chose to escape, and his life was saved by Li Hongzhang. If the officers were like this, how could they expect the soldiers below them? So, even if the Qing Dynasty now trained a large number of new troops, what would it matter? If the soldiers were unwilling to fight for the Qing Dynasty, how much combat effectiveness would the army have?"

Even though the Qing Dynasty was so corrupt, the foreigners still could not divide up China because of the Boxer Rebellion. Is it true that when the people have awakened, can the great powers still divide up our China? Haha! Can the great powers destroy our liberated areas and kill all our People's Liberation Army? No! If they could do it, they would have done it long ago. So if the great powers interfere in our revolution, even if they win temporarily, the cost of their troops will still have to be paid by the Qing Dynasty, and it will be the vast majority of Chinese people who will suffer in the end. So, Marshal Xiang, are you going to save the Qing Dynasty? Or are you going to save China? The 450 million Chinese people represent our China. Are you going to save a few people in the Forbidden City, or are you going to save the people of the world?

Xunzi said, "Heaven's ways are constant; they do not exist for the sake of Yao or perish for the sake of Jie." Yan Fu, in his translation of "On Evolution and Ethics," said, "Things survive in the struggle for survival." Now, it can be said that the times have given Marshal Xiang an opportunity to determine the course of history. Whether it will be peace or war, prosperity or decline, all depends on his single whim..."

Deng Lugang spoke these words of life and death, rise and fall, in a calm tone, as if he were not really here to negotiate, but to chat with a good friend. But at this moment, Zhang Zhidong's lips trembled, and he said nothing. The guards beside him glared at Deng Lugang, wishing they could eat him whole. After waiting for a long time, Zhang Zhidong said with difficulty: "After all, don't you still want me to surrender?"

Deng Lugang smiled and said, "Xiang Marshal, I just said that for a man like you who has been so influential throughout his life, who can influence your thinking? Whether you choose revolution or not, or whether you want to revolt or not, is your own decision, and we have no power to change it. Our Chairman once talked about the issue of contingency and necessity. I think Xiang Marshal will understand once I explain it to you."

During the Taiping Rebellion, if it weren't for the efforts of Zeng Guofan and Zuo Zongtang, the Qing might have perished, or at least divided the country into two. After suppressing the Taiping Rebellion, the Qing achieved the so-called Tongzhi Restoration. But what about foreign wars? From the first Opium War against the British to the Second Opium War against the Anglo-French forces. Then came the First Sino-Japanese War and the Eight-Nation Alliance's invasion of China a few years ago. And now, in the Russo-Japanese War currently raging in Northeast China, the Qing chose a ridiculously neutral stance. And you also recommend General Feng Zicai's anti-French war and Yuan Shikai's suppression of the Donghak Rebellion in Korea.

In other words, the Qing Dynasty only managed to win two foreign wars by chance. General Feng Zicai's war against the French was a defeat despite not having been defeated, resulting in the same fateful cession of territory, payment of indemnities, and signing of a treaty. So, Marshal Xiang, you've personally witnessed many things over the past few decades. Can you say the Qing Dynasty didn't try its best? Or that it truly didn't want to win? Neither is true. Otherwise, the First Sino-Japanese War wouldn't have lasted nine months.

Therefore, the current situation is that the Qing Dynasty's foreign wars are almost inevitable, and victory is only a fluke. Even with capable men like Li Hongzhang and you, Marshal Xiang, the outcome is still failure. This is not to say that you are incapable; your abilities are among the best in China. Nor does it mean that victory against foreigners is impossible. After all, Yuan Shikai, General Feng Zicai, and the People's Liberation Army led by our Forward Party all defeated Western powers.

Therefore, the Qing Dynasty was now on a path destined for failure, a path destined for destruction. The general trend of the world is unstoppable; those who follow it prosper, those who go against it perish. Anyone who continues to follow the Qing Dynasty will inevitably face failure and destruction; the few successes they may have experienced are merely accidental.

Just as Zhang Zhidong was thinking, a messenger ran in and immediately knelt down to report: "Governor, the workers in all the factories in Wuhan are now setting up barricades and closing off the factory areas. People from all over have begun to gather and march in demonstrations..."

Before the messenger finished speaking, another messenger ran in in panic and shouted to Zhang Zhidong: "Governor, battle report from the front line!"

Zhang Zhidong glanced at Deng Lugang and said immediately, "Read it."

The guard didn't dare delay and immediately read out: "...The Red Bandits have launched a swift attack. The New Army has defected. The Red Bandits have already crossed the Three Bridges. Liujia Temple and Dazhimen Railway Station are about to fall. Requesting immediate reinforcements..."

Zhang Zhidong felt like his brain was going to explode after hearing this. He knew that if Liujia Temple and Dazhimen Railway Station were lost, Hankou would be basically lost. He immediately glared at Deng Lugang and said, "Little bastard, are you here to hold me back on purpose?"

Deng Lugang looked at Zhang Zhidong and said, "With Generals Li Yuanhong and Zhang Biao commanding the troops, what's the point of Marshal Xiang personally taking action? We in the Forward Party are truly here for peace. We are all Chinese and truly do not want to kill each other. We also do not want Wuhan to become a ruin, nor do we want Marshal Xiang's many years of construction achievements to go to waste..."

"snort! "

Zhang Zhidong was in no mood to listen to Deng Lugang's words. He snorted coldly and said, "Immediately order the gunboats to participate in the defense of Hankou and cooperate with the new army to stop the Red Bandits' attack."

"Yes!"

After assuming the post of Governor-General of Huguang, Zhang Zhidong vigorously developed the navy, transporting supplies and patrolling the rivers and lakes. He petitioned to transfer the Guangchang warship from Guangdong to Hubei, renaming it Chucai. In 1891, the ships Cehai and Jinou were transferred from the Nanyang Navy to Hubei. Later, the Jiangyuan, Jiangheng, Jiangli, and Jiangzhen, each with a load capacity of 525 tons, were transferred. In 1896, Zhang Zhidong ordered the gunboats Chutai, Chutong, Chuyou, Chuqian, Chuyu, and Chuguan, each weighing 750 tons, and the torpedo boats Hupeng, Hu'e, Hushun, and Huyan, each weighing 98 tons, from the Kawasaki Shipyard in Kobe, Japan. These warships were based along the Wuchang River and operated in the three towns of Wuhan and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

It is really speechless. In the second year after the end of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, Zhang Zhidong immediately ordered these gunboats and torpedo boats from Japan. The speed was really swift...

After hearing what Zhang Zhidong said, Deng Lugang immediately shouted: "Slow down!"

After calling out to the signalman who was about to leave to deliver the order, Deng Lugang turned around, clasped his fists, and said to Zhang Zhidong, "Please reconsider, Governor-General. The PLA did not use heavy artillery in this attack on the city. If the gunboats had opened fire, the PLA would have retaliated. Hankou is home to five foreign concessions. We don't know if the foreign powers would have sent their warships in for their own safety. But the area where the fighting took place would undoubtedly be in ruins, and the civilians there would undoubtedly have suffered heavy casualties. Is this the outcome you wish to see?"

Zhang Zhidong looked at Deng Lugang and said, "Aren't you afraid of death?"

Deng Lugang answered very honestly: "Everyone is afraid of death! Our Chairman taught us that China is now full of bloody clouds and wolves and dogs in the streets. People are content with what they have. A few people are also saying that natural disasters can kill people, thieves can kill people, the day of partition can kill people, and corrupt officials who abuse the people can kill people. In today's China, there is no place in the country where we cannot die at any time. However, Sima Qian said that everyone has to die, some are lighter than a feather, some are heavier than Mount Tai. Even if I die, I am afraid of death because it is worthless. If I can die to liberate Wuhan, reduce Wuhan's losses, and die for the people, then I can also die for a good cause!"

Marshal Xiang, you are not the only patriot in China. We may have different positions, but Confucius said: Brothers can see each other behind the walls, but we should defend ourselves from external insults. Even brothers can quarrel and fight! Our common enemy is the foreign powers! They are China's enemies. Moreover, China not only nurtured Marshal Xiang, but also nurtured us, the members of the Progressive Party!

After saying that, Deng Lugang quickly took out a piece of paper and handed it to Zhang Zhidong. There was no other way, he could only play the emotional card. Deng Lugang did not expect Zhang Zhidong to be so "strong-willed".

However, people like Zhang Zhidong naturally knew that the Qingming Temple was already rotten at that time. He ordered the warships to bombard it just to see Deng Lugang's reaction. He naturally did not want his years of construction to be destroyed in an instant.

Zhang Zhidong took it, opened it, and began to read. It was a poem copied by Zhang Yinghao, the plagiarist, from Ai Qing's "I Love This Land":

If I were a bird, I would sing with a hoarse throat:

This land battered by storms, this river that ever surges with our grief and indignation,

The raging wind that blows endlessly, and the incredibly gentle dawn that comes from the forest...

1--And then I died!

Even the feathers rotted in the soil.

Why do I always have tears in my eyes? Because I love this land so deeply...

After reading it, Zhang Zhidong read the following poem "Dead Water" and fell silent immediately.

Just as Deng Lugang said, while confirming one's own patriotism, one cannot deny the patriotism of others. Regardless of whether one approves of their way of patriotism, at least their starting point is good, and they have been working hard for it.

At this moment, the sound of shouting slogans was faintly heard from a distance.

"Stop the war and restore peace."

"Chinese people don't fight Chinese people!"

“What’s going on?”

"Governor, there are people protesting." "Great! Wuhan is a complete mess!"

Deng Lugang probably knew Zhang Zhidong's attitude and immediately replied: "To cause trouble in front of Marshal Xiang, we naturally need to go all out..."

The main force of the Forward Party's demonstrations was naturally focused on Wuchang, rather than Hankou and Hanyang, where the PLA was primarily attacking. If large numbers of people were demonstrating in Hanyang and Hankou, how could the PLA continue to fight? Accidental casualties would be inevitable! Furthermore, since Zhang Zhidong was stationed in Wuchang, he naturally paid close attention to the city's urban development. Wuchang became the cultural and administrative district, and its commerce flourished. The hundreds of schools Zhang Zhidong founded were also mostly located within and around Wuchang. For example, the Lianghu Academy, situated on the shores of Dusi Lake, was magnificent, with numerous dormitories and state-of-the-art facilities. Wuchang was also home to numerous prestigious schools, including the Ziqiang Academy, the Army Primary School, the Wengao School, and the Wengong Middle School, all of which had spacious campuses and buildings.

Schools have always been a key area of ​​development for the Progressive Party. Students are highly adaptable, like a blank slate, learning whatever their comrades teach them. They grasp concepts like anti-clan, anti-feudal, and anti-authoritarianism instantly.

The Progressive Party treasures these students very much. How could they bear to let them fight or expose themselves to danger now?

Chapter 431:

Zhang Zhidong felt deeply uncomfortable listening to the protesters chanting "Stop the war, restore peace." Why didn't they go and protest against the bandits attacking Wuhan, instead of protesting inside? The New Army wasn't actively attacking the bandits, only passively defending. And they weren't even allowed to defend? Isn't this intentional disruption and taking sides? Needless to say, this was double standards! Zhang Zhidong wanted to ask, "Shouldn't you protest against the bandits?"

"...You should be very familiar with the great powers. I think you should know that using gunboats will not provide much help to the new army. You should also be aware of the consequences of using gunboats..."

Seeing that Zhang Zhidong had not yet expressed his opinion, Deng Lugang continued: "Marshal Xiang, our chairman said that you are a famous official and a representative figure of the Qing Dynasty's Westernization School. You, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, and Zuo Zongtang are all legendary figures who revived the Qing Dynasty, or even prolonged its life. Our chairman said that people like you who are open-minded and see the world should continue to work for China and strive for an independent, prosperous and strong China throughout their lives. Our chairman also said that the Forward Party is a very young political party and needs supervision from people like you who are mature, steady, and have extraordinary insight. An old man in the family is like a treasure! Marshal Xiang, our Forward Party has the confidence to build this country well. The construction of Wuhan also needs your supervision. Please supervise us..."

Deng Lugang's words were quite damaging. Someone like Zhang Zhidong, who had held high positions for a long time, should have reached the point of self-actualization, according to Chairman Zhang Yinghao's theory of needs. However, Zhang Zhidong was now old, and naturally had other needs, especially the need to be needed and recognized by others.

In fact, Zhang Zhidong naturally knew at this time that it was too late to call on gunboats to stop the PLA's attack, and it would be futile! He mainly wanted to see Deng Lugang's reaction.

After so many years of Westernization, wouldn't Zhang Zhidong know what the Qing Dynasty and the foreign powers were? As for overthrowing the Qing Dynasty, it was not something Zhang Zhidong could not accept, not to mention the "Southeast Mutual Protection Agreement" made by these bigwigs in the south and the subsequent preparations to nominate Li Hongzhang as the president. Let's talk about Zhang Zhidong's suppression of the "Self-Reliance Army". It was precisely because of Zhang Zhidong's tolerance and even a certain degree of connivance that Tang Caichang's Self-Reliance Army was able to develop rapidly in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River with the two lakes as the center in a short period of time. Moreover, Hankou was the headquarters of the Self-Reliance Army and the command center of the Self-Reliance Army uprising.

All of the Self-Reliance Army's activities took place under the watchful eye of Zhang Zhidong, the Governor-General of Huguang, stationed in Wuchang. Some soldiers and junior officers within the Hubei New Army under his command also secretly joined the Self-Reliance Army. How could Zhang Zhidong be completely unaware of this? Yet, he took no action to suppress it. Instead, he recruited an additional 2,000 soldiers and deployed gunboats to patrol the rivers, strengthening defenses against the Self-Reliance Army.

The Self-Reliance Army's slogan was "Assisting foreign powers in attacking the Boxers to save the emperor." This meant assisting the foreign powers in defeating the Boxers and rescuing Emperor Guangxu from Empress Dowager Cixi. By not targeting foreigners, they would not undermine Zhang Zhidong's crucial "Southeast Mutual Protection." Furthermore, if the Eight-Nation Alliance pressed on with their victory, Guangxu would likely return to power, and the Self-Reliance Army's "rescue" would likely succeed. Therefore, he could only wait and see how the situation unfolded, and could not act rashly.

Therefore, Zhang Zhidong publicly and openly proclaimed his support for Cixi; however, secretly, he tolerated the Self-Reliance Army's blatant anti-Cixi activities. In reality, Zhang Zhidong was shrewdly planning a two-pronged approach. At the time, he couldn't foresee the future. With both Cixi and Guangxu fleeing the capital, it was uncertain who would ultimately take power. He adopted a wait-and-see approach, acting accordingly.

However, the situation soon became clear. Empress Dowager Cixi fled with Emperor Guangxu in a hurry, but the Eight-Nation Alliance did not send troops to pursue them too far. During the journey, Cixi continued to issue orders. Zhang Zhidong naturally understood that the power of the Qing Dynasty would remain in Cixi's hands and the country could still be maintained.

So just before the Self-Reliance Army was about to launch an uprising in Wuhan and then march to Xi'an to rescue Emperor Guangxu, Zhang Zhidong finally made the final decision. He took sudden action before the Self-Reliance Army uprising, arresting more than 20 leaders of the Self-Reliance Army, including Tang Caichang, Lin Gui, and Fu Cixiang, and beheaded them that night!

From this, we can see that at Zhang Zhidong's political level, everything was done for their political purposes. If Zhang Zhidong was truly loyal to the Qing Dynasty, he would not have supported the Southeast Mutual Protection Agreement, but would have sent troops to defend the emperor. Therefore, even if we don't know what Zhang Zhidong was thinking, under the current circumstances, for Zhang Zhidong personally, there is really no benefit in stubbornly resisting.

“Can I meet your party chairman?”

Deng Lugang smiled and said, "I can confirm right here that there is no problem at all. Moreover, our chairman will definitely come ten miles to personally greet you..."

At this time, Deng Lugang and Zhang Zhidong, who were still talking while listening to the slogans shouted by the parade, did not know that after several battles, the Dabie Mountain Column, under the leadership of the Hubei New Army controlled by the Forward Party, had already fallen into the hands of the People's Liberation Army at Dazhimen Railway Station and Liujiamiao Railway Station in Hankou.

It turned out that Li Tong had commanded the Dabie Mountain Column to launch a surprise attack, capturing Liujiamiao Station in one fell swoop. Furthermore, thanks to the cooperation of the New Army under the control of the Forward Party, they quickly captured two arsenals and gained countless benefits. There were thousands of Hanyang rifles alone, as well as countless bullets. This solved the PLA's urgent needs and once again proved the saying that fortresses are always conquered from within. It is really too easy to conquer a fortress from within!

"Bang! Bang~"

The smell of gunpowder and blood in the air inside the station seemed to have not yet dissipated, and outside the station, the sound of repeated exchanges of gunfire continued...

""Clang, clang, clang..."

At this moment, a train slowly pulled into the station. Billowing black smoke and white steam spread out, and the sirens kept blaring, as if urging people in the station to pay attention.

This is the irony of history. Zhang Zhidong clearly intended to fight the PLA to the death in Wuhan, but he didn't blow up the railway bed, only ripping up several sections of track. Now, the vast majority of railway workers sided with the PLA. Under the leadership of the Forward Party, with the help of the engineering corps, and with spare rails and sleepers at the station, the torn track was repaired in no time.

Before the workers knew where the two trains would come from, a large group of People's Liberation Army soldiers rode the trains directly into Hankou, causing a major earthquake in Hankou. All the Hubei New Army troops controlled by the Forward Party immediately took action. They contacted the Dabie Mountain Column one after another, and the flames of revolution quickly spread throughout Hankou.

In a short time, Hankou was plunged into chaos. This chaotic situation seemed to benefit both sides, but overall it was not very advantageous for the defending side. Moreover, taking advantage of the chaos, these rebellious new army troops immediately began to eliminate the Manchu Qing diehards and the Manchu military supervisors sent by the Qing Dynasty...

In many streets and alleys, many members of the Forward Party marching in the processions had already encountered the attacking People's Liberation Army. Under the leadership of the Forward Party, the marchers were changing direction one after another. The People's Liberation Army was no longer in a hurry at this point, simply following the marchers or under the leadership of the Forward Party, capturing barricades and key points one by one...

The demonstrations in Wuchang had reached a climax. In this era, as long as propaganda was effective, overthrowing the corrupt Qing Dynasty was the politically correct thing to do. Aside from a few vested interests within the Qing Dynasty, how could ordinary people oppose the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and choose to confront the new government, targeting the liberated areas? Wuhan was a key area of ​​the Forward Party's operations, and many people had been influenced by revolutionary propaganda and supported the revolution, the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty, and the strike and demonstrations launched by the Wuhan Federation of Trade Unions.

Therefore, wherever the parade passed, people from all over joined the demonstration. The team grew rapidly, and it quickly exceeded the originally expected number of people, and the number of people continued to increase rapidly. After propaganda, many people already knew that if the war to liberate Wuhan ended in a short time, then the order of the entire Wuhan would be restored in a short time. If the war lasted for a long time, then no one would have an easy time. Since they decided to support the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army, the people were naturally happy to kick the Qing court and bury it as soon as possible!

Overall, the Wuhan Federation of Trade Unions was woefully underprepared for this demonstration. Excluding factory workers, the union estimated the number of participants to be around 20,000. As for the exact number of participants, no one knew for sure. After all, they had organized demonstrations so rarely and lacked experience. They were also inconsiderate and slow to respond to emergencies.

As the People's Liberation Army advanced across Wuhan, a man named Feng Jichuan, bearing a letter of introduction from Li Fugui, set sail from Taiyuan, bound for Chengdu. Feng Jichuan, courtesy name Qiuhang, was a native of Shixiang Village in Xiaoyi, calling himself "Shixiang Shanren." During the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, he was a prominent educator in Shanxi and a renowned bibliophile in the region. He was traveling south, passing through Pingyao, Huozhou, and finally Jiangzhou, intending to cross the Yellow River at Hejin and reach Hancheng in Shaanxi, where he would then seek a route to Sichuan.

Along the way, he saw teams of PLA soldiers clearing out the remaining Qing troops and fighting bandits; he saw the new government officials using silver to purchase large quantities of supplies; he saw many PLA soldiers attacking landlords; he saw public trials of landlords...

As soon as he set foot on the land of Hejin, Feng Jichuan felt a strong sense of enthusiasm. However, this enthusiasm was not the scorching heat of the May sun, but the excited smiles on the faces of the simple and kind-hearted Hejin farmers. Feng Jichuan knew that these smiles were not for him, but the farmers' uncontrollable excitement.

Here, he finally encountered the legendary land reform team, who were leading the farmers to measure the land and were busy distributing fields to the people...

The Hejin region was a direct crossing of the Yellow River for the Forward Party. The remnants of the Qing dynasty and the armed landlord militia had been completely wiped out by the People's Liberation Army, making it the ideal location for immediate land redistribution. Once land reform was complete in the Hejin region along the Yellow River, work could continue deeper into Shanxi.

Feng Jichuan, dressed in casual clothes, stopped a young farmer and asked him, "Where are you going? What are you going to do?"

The farmer said happily, "The new government said they would give us the land owned by the landlords."

Feng Jichuan asked him again: "Do you know that dividing up other people's land like this is a form of robbery? The landlords also earned their land through hard work."

The farmer glanced at Feng Jichuan with disdain in his eyes, but he said cheerfully: "I thought you looked like an educated man, but I didn't expect you to be so clueless. The People's Liberation Army distributed the land of the landlords to the poor so that they could survive. Go to the landlords' granaries and see that the grain inside is all moldy, but in Hejin, poor people are starving to death every day..."

This farmer didn't seem to be an ordinary person either. At least he had definitely attended a training course for the Forward Party, and he must have learned it well. He continued, "You say that dividing the land of the rich is robbery. I think you are talking nonsense. Don't you think that the landlords who force the poor to live, and then lend money at high interest rates or force them to buy land, isn't that robbery? As for you saying that the landlords' land was hard-earned, hehe! How did these landlords get their land? I really don't know. They earned it through hard work. I only know that the decrees of the new government are the decrees of the poor. I only obey the decrees of the new government now. The villagers will say I'm a good person, and I can get a share of the land. As for those landlords you mentioned, haha, they were beaten into submission by the comrades of the People's Liberation Army long ago."

“It’s wrong for you to do this!”

"I don't care whether it's right or wrong. I just know that many people starved to death in Hejin a few years ago. They ate all the tree bark, and no landlord came to rescue us. Now the new government has distributed land and grain to us. What do I care about it? If someone wants to hold me accountable? I'm not afraid! If anyone dares to come, haha, once I've had my fill, I'll join the People's Liberation Army. If anyone dares to take the land allocated to me again, hehe! What's the harm in fighting him? I may kill someone with my hoe..."

Feng Jichuan: ".....'

Feng Jichuan must have been lucky. If the comrade he was questioning had been sufficiently vigilant, he wouldn't have been able to leave for the time being. After asking a few questions, he could only leave in disgrace. The whole way, he kept thinking about the farmer's words, and the more he thought about it, the more frightened he felt. If all the farmers in the world thought like this, and all adhered to the art of struggle, it would be an unimaginable world.

Feng Jichuan had a thought at this moment: "The Red Bandits have broken the hearts of the peasants and destroyed their simple customs. Where will there be any obedient "submissive people" in the future? They have all become unruly people. If this continues, the mountains and plains will be filled with armed farmers wielding hoes and sickles. It is really an unimaginable world. Moreover, people's hearts are the same. Who would be willing to let the land they just acquired be taken back and handed back to the landlords? The Qing Dynasty still does not recognize the Red Bandits' land division contract, but if the land is really divided, the Qing Dynasty will not have to fight, because they are not fighting against the Red Bandits, but against the peasants of the whole world. It is not a matter of whether they will win or not. Even if they win, what will happen? They can't kill all the people in the world..."

Feng Jichuan knew that the Qing court had completely lost the support of these peasants who had become wild.

Staying in Hejin at night, Feng Jichuan started chatting with the "knowledgeable" shopkeeper again.

"Land reform is about distributing the landlords' land to the landless. Would the landlords agree to that? If they resist, wouldn't the People's Liberation Army kill them? They must have killed a lot of people, right?"

The shopkeeper looked at Feng Jichuan in surprise and said, "Sir, you're from out of town, right? Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand the situation. The new government's work teams are going door to door to mobilize the landlords, asking them to keep enough land for their families to live on and to cultivate, and then asking them to voluntarily donate land and grain. There were some bullies who had killed people, and the People's Liberation Army arrested them, saying they would hand them over to the government for public trial. So far, there haven't been many public trials of bullies in Hejin. For these people, even if they were shot, it would be justified. The people all cheered the People's Liberation Army, feeling that they had finally avenged them. As for ordinary landlords, it seems that they didn't kill any of them..."

Feng Jichuan was very surprised and said with a surprised look on his face: "So once the People's Liberation Army is mobilized, the landlords will obediently hand over their land? There are no such stupid people in the world, right?"

The shopkeeper chuckled and said, "How could it be possible? Who would willingly give up their land? The key is that the situation is stronger than the people! I can't disagree. The poor have united, and now the land is divided up, which is equivalent to giving away the grain directly from the land and taking some home. Who wouldn't be happy? Besides, everyone says they would rather reclaim wasteland than rent land from landlords. The People's Liberation Army's policy is to take over all mountains and forests as government property. Arbitrary logging is prohibited, and tree planting and afforestation are encouraged. Wasteland is treated as unowned land. Whoever reclaims it owns it. The government even provides seeds free of charge."