The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Zhang Yinghao snorted inwardly when he saw this. These accounts will definitely be settled slowly...

Seeing that all the comrades in Wuhan had volunteered to fight and were now waiting for instructions from the Central Committee, and seeing that only Comrade Bai Jianyong's name was signed, Zhang Yinghao immediately guessed what was happening in Wuhan.

After reading the telegram, Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment and then wrote: "A lord should not raise an army out of anger, and a general should not go to war out of resentment."

After finishing it, he handed it to the comrade in the confidential office and said, "Send it to Comrade Bai Jianyong immediately."

Zhang Yinghao knew this statement wasn't enough to calm the agitated soldiers, but it could still temporarily suppress the officers' desire for battle. As long as the officers were stabilized, the military, being the most disciplined organization, would naturally stabilize the entire force, and then they could make long-term plans.

At this time, Comrade Li Tianqiao had finished his introduction to the concession. Zhang Yinghao stood up and read the telegram sent by Comrade Bai Jianyong, then said: "Comrades, please tell us how to deal with this matter!"

People who have worked in the central government for a period of time, without being in the situation like the Wuhan masses, can be considered to be able to look at this matter more objectively. Moreover, under the influence of what they see and hear, comrades in the central government are naturally more political. War is the continuation of politics, and should be regarded as the ultimate means to be taken when it is absolutely necessary. That is why it is said in Chapter 31 of the Tao Te Ching:... Weapons are ominous tools, not tools for gentlemen. They must be used when necessary. Tranquility is the best. Victory is not beautiful, and those who think it is beautiful are those who enjoy killing people. Those who enjoy killing people will never be able to achieve their goals in the world... Treat it with funeral rites. Killing many people should be treated with sorrow, and victory should be treated with funeral rites. Therefore, war is only a last resort!

Zhang Yinghao's questioning style is also very particular. Asking how to handle this situation is meant to encourage the comrades to think and come up with solutions. If Zhang Yinghao had directly asked whether to fight or not, it would have been a complete rant, completely silencing the comrades' ability to think. In this case, the ultimate answer is obvious: fight if you can win, fight if you can't, and talk about it later. Losing doesn't matter, but you can't lose in momentum!

As Zhang Yinghao had predicted, the comrades had already known the Concession was a cancer when Li Tianqiao first introduced it. Now that the British had committed such a brutal act, the comrades immediately saw through the Concession's true nature. Such a colony in the heart of China was a thorn in their side, a thorn in their side. Naturally, they could not tolerate it.

At this time, Cai E stood up and said directly: "The brutal nature of the foreign powers in suppressing the protesters has been exposed. It is completely unnecessary to continue to keep these foreign concessions. We should completely liberate these concessions and drive all foreigners out of China..."

In February 1902, Cai E published an article titled "Military Nationalism" in the New People's Journal, founded by Liang Qichao, outlining his proposal to save the nation and the people. He believed that China's "weak national strength and declining vitality" were primarily due to backward education, outdated thinking, a weak constitution, and inferior weaponry. To correct these ills, he believed, "military nationalism" was necessary.

After arriving in the liberated areas, he further established his revolutionary idea of ​​overthrowing the Qing Dynasty by force. After learning that the liberated areas could overthrow the Qing Dynasty and were not afraid of any foreign powers, he naturally hoped to use force to directly clarify the world and build an independent China...

Cai E's views were very popular in the liberated areas. Under the influence of the Forward Party's propaganda, the people, having realized the evils perpetrated by the imperialist powers in China, naturally wanted to immediately drive all foreigners out. As long as they could ultimately achieve victory, many radical comrades even felt that even temporary sacrifices were worth it as long as the foreigners were driven out. Furthermore, after Zhang Yinghao proposed cleaning up the house before hosting the dinner, this trend of xenophobic thinking intensified.

Therefore, before Cai E finished speaking, many comrades began to echo him. In this era, driving out the foreigners was politically correct. However, some comrades said: "Didn't the Chairman say before? Keeping the concessions temporarily so that the foreigners inside can be turned into hostages. Now attacking the concessions again, doesn't it contradict the previous order? Will this affect the authority of the central government?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yinghao waved his hand and said without waiting for other comrades to speak: "The first thing we must do when doing things is to seek truth from facts, analyze specific issues specifically, and keep pace with the times. I did say before that these concessions could be retained. That was based on the premise that the great powers could remain peaceful during our War of Liberation, maintain the status quo without exacerbating contradictions, and then recover these concessions in the future. However, now that the situation has changed, our policies and countermeasures naturally need to change as well. We cannot buy shoes and then carve a boat to find a sword. The principle of our recovery of the concessions remains unchanged, only the method and timing have changed. Okay, Comrade Cai E, continue."

The comrades nodded in agreement, expressing their understanding of Zhang Yinghao's explanation. The previous policy was certainly not wrong; it was simply that the situation had changed, and the Party's policies naturally had to change. However, Zhang Yinghao wasn't discussing the pros and cons of previous policies, but rather addressing the current problems facing Wuhan.

Since Cai E dared to speak first, he was naturally well prepared for this. He continued: "Chairman, I personally oppose the direct recovery of the Hankou Concession. We now occupy the Hanyang Iron and Steel Plant and the Hanyang Arsenal. As long as we can continue production, our armed forces will become more powerful and our war potential will increase rapidly.

There is indeed no problem in taking back all the concessions in Hankou, but if we start a war now for a few concessions and fight to the death with the great powers, the result may be

"It would turn Wuhan into a ruin. If we were to sacrifice these two factories in exchange for a few concessions, I think it would be a loss that outweighs the gains. We should find a way to break up the current relationships between the great powers and then defeat them one by one."

Cai E, a top student who had studied in Japan, naturally understood the significance of Wuhan's steel mills and arsenals to the liberated areas. Human life was truly worthless in this era, and, as the saying goes, "A merciful army is not a good one." As long as these factories could be saved, even a few sacrifices were worth it.

Zhang Yinghao was immediately interested in the idea of ​​dividing the powers and said approvingly, "Very good. Go on and tell us how to deal with Britain alone."

Cai E simply said two words: "Jiujiang."

Zhang Yinghao and many of his comrades understood immediately. Li Tianqiao had previously mentioned the existence of a British Concession in Jiujiang. If they simply reclaimed the British Concession, severing the Yangtze River navigable route, and then explained that the Forward Party was merely retaliating against the British, once the powers knew the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army were truly daring to attack the concession and kill foreigners, perhaps their alliance would be immediately broken apart. Furthermore, if they controlled the Jiujiang area, they would also block the escape routes of all foreigners in Wuhan, effectively trapping them. Unless the foreigners were determined to die, whoever dared to incite massacres would be killed, and any warship that dared to bombard them would be prevented from leaving China.

In fact, this is the idea Zhang Yinghao had suggested before, but it is indeed very appropriate to use it here at this time. Moreover, the British just happened to have a concession in Jiujiang. Isn't this God's arrangement?

Cai E continued, ".......We must not only mobilize artillery units to rush to Jiujiang immediately and build permanent fortifications, but also order the two gunboats stationed in Wuhan to immediately sail downstream. Then, in conjunction with the coastal defense forces, we must completely block the Yangtze River waterway. We should even send our airship units there as a precaution. Foreign warships will be allowed to leave but not enter. All other ships must also be inspected and prohibited from transporting munitions and supplies. First, make ourselves invincible, and then wait for the enemy to be defeated. As long as we do this, we will be invincible in this matter."

After Cai E finished speaking, the comrades naturally agreed with this method. After several comrades checked for omissions and filled in the gaps, Zhang Yinghao directly said: "In view of the atrocities committed by British imperialism in Wuhan, we must now let the army change into police uniforms to block the entrances and exits of the concessions, and the large forces will provide armed protection. The situation in Wuhan will maintain the status quo first. As for the matter of reclaiming the Jiujiang Concession and then the Hankou British Concession, since it was Comrade Cai E who proposed this method, Comrade Cai E will be responsible for it for the time being. All departments must cooperate and deal with this matter specifically to deal with various situations reported from the front line."

"Yes!"

After deciding on the person in charge of reclaiming the British concessions in Jiujiang and Hankou, Zhang Yinghao said again: "In order to free the people of Wuhan from suffering in the concessions, we must now quickly reclaim the six concessions held by the foreign powers in Hankou. Moreover, not only must we reclaim the British concession, but the foreigners who killed and injured our people must face justice in the hands of the people of Wuhan. As for the other five concessions, we must take our meals one bite at a time. After we reclaim the British concession, we may not reclaim it directly, and we may not even need to send troops in. However, our police must enter these five concessions to maintain order, and pornography, gambling, and drugs must be eradicated. No place outside the law can exist in Wuhan; only the laws and regulations of our liberated areas shall apply..."

Zhang Yinghao actually didn't know whether his attitude was tough or not. He just felt that this way he could fight without breaking up, that this was a pragmatic way to solve the problem, and that he just felt that he should do so. With the British atrocities in front of him, it was natural for him to negotiate with the great powers. The reason was very simple: the great powers would massacre China, and the Liberated Area Government did not trust the great powers' integrity, so it was natural for them to send police into the concessions to protect the Chinese people. Unless the great powers sent troops to stop it, defeated the People's Liberation Army, and occupied the concessions, this was something the Liberated Area Government had to do, regardless of whether the great powers agreed or not.

After Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, he always felt that he had missed something, something was missing, but he just couldn't remember it for a moment. In the end, he could only deal with the concession affairs and announce the adjournment of the meeting.

Upon returning to the office, Zhang Yinghao received a telegram of apology from Ju Junsheng and other comrades. Zhang Yinghao read it and sighed deeply. Were these comrades guilty? They could only be said to have made mistakes, but how serious were their mistakes? They simply underestimated the brutality of the foreign powers or hadn't yet grasped their true brutality. They could only be said to have been ill-prepared, not even inaction.

What other mistakes did the comrades make? In Zhang Yinghao's view, the comrades should not have organized such a march and should not have put the masses in such a dangerous situation. That's all. However, everything has two sides. It was their mistakes that made many comrades in the Progressive Party fully realize the brutal nature of the imperialist powers. The price they paid was high, but it was also negligible. Overall, it was worth it.

But is there anything wrong with comrades organizing a march on their own soil? The true culprits aren't these comrades themselves; the truly guilty are the corrupt and incompetent Qing court, the brutal imperialists, and the executioners. If Zhang Yinghao were to severely punish these comrades, he would truly be doing something that would be both painful for his loved ones and pleasing for his enemies. By targeting his own comrades instead of the foreigners, he's a classic example of forbearance on the outside while cruelty on the inside.

The comrades of the Federation of Trade Unions now truly and deeply recognized their mistakes. They had no intention of shirking responsibility, proactively admitting their mistake of not understanding the powers involved and were ready to take responsibility. At the same time, they immediately summarized the lessons learned from the heavy losses suffered during the victory parade.

Zhang Yinghao discussed the treatment of these comrades with his colleagues and ultimately only gave a few responsible persons a serious warning and ordered them to reflect deeply on their actions.

Chapter 438:

After Zhang Yinghao dealt with the telegrams of apology from Comrade Ju Junsheng and others, he still felt that there was something he had not thought of or done, and he felt very uneasy. But what was it that he had overlooked? Zhang Yinghao really couldn't remember it for a moment. This feeling of having something blocked in his heart was really uncomfortable. This feeling was indescribable, and it made him feel irritable. Moreover, Zhang Yinghao knew that this matter should be quite important, otherwise he would never have found himself in this situation.

Zhang Yinghao didn't think he was being overly sensitive, because his current state was truly abnormal. After struggling for a long time and still struggling to figure out the problem, he ended up missing out on a lot of work. He couldn't help himself, so he said, "Since I'm sitting in the office and can't figure out what's going on, I might as well go out for a walk to relax. Maybe I'll find something useful."

Zhang Yinghao immediately stood up and walked out. Not long after, he saw the sign for the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC). He then recalled the Hanyeping Company, which Sheng Xuanhuai had later established by combining the Hanyang Iron and Steel Works, Daye Iron Mine, and Pingxiang Coal Mine. He suddenly recalled the ambiguous relationship between Zhang Zhidong, Sheng Xuanhuai, and the Japs, Japan's ambitions for China, and the possibility that the coal and iron ore used in the Yawata Iron Works, a Japanese-built ironworks, might have been produced by these factories and mines.

Isn't this aiding the enemy? Furthermore, the Japanese have long coveted Hanyang Iron and Steel. Hanyang Iron and Steel accounts for 80 to 90 percent of the Qing Dynasty's steel production. Its importance to China today is self-evident. Even with the Liberated Areas now in place, Hanyang Iron and Steel is no longer dispensable. This is absolutely intolerable!

Zhang Yinghao's recollection was certainly correct. The Hanyang Iron and Steel Works, Daye Iron Mine, and Pingxiang Coal Mine had long-standing trade ties with Japanese merchants, with substantial loans incurred. Japanese imperialists had long harbored ambitions to annex these industries. Initially, both the Daye Iron Mine and the Hanyang Iron Works were government-run. After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the Qing government, facing financial constraints, permitted government-supervised private ownership of factories and mines. Sheng Xuanhuai took over the Hanyang Iron Works, aiming to raise 15 million yuan in private equity, but only secured 1 million. Consequently, the company resorted to borrowing from foreign countries to maintain and expand operations. Sheng Xuanhuai borrowed the most from Japanese merchants, first in 1896 and again in 1898 to open the Pingxiang Coal Mine. From 1902 to the present, he had borrowed approximately two to three million taels of silver from Japanese merchants. If this situation had continued, these resources would inevitably have been seized and plundered by the Japanese.

Zhang Yinghao didn't need to be involved in these matters, but since he had come to the SASAC, it wouldn't take much time to discuss it. Zhang Yinghao knew everyone was busy, so when he met Erni, he didn't waste any time and directly stated his plan. "Comrade Erni, the SASAC should have organized a team of capable personnel to go to Wuhan to take over the Hanyang Steel Plant, right?"

Why did Zhang Yinghao want the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission to take over? In fact, the Hanyang Iron and Steel Plant still needed a lot of investment. Now the liberated areas have the most resources, and the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission is one of the organizations that can afford this investment.

Zhao Erni knew that since Chairman Zhang Yinghao had personally come forward, he must have his own plans. This was Zhang Yinghao's usual style. So she didn't waste any time and asked directly, "We're planning to transfer some personnel from the Chongqing steel mill to Wuhan. Does the Chairman have any specific plans?"

Zhang Yinghao didn't hold back and said directly, "The comrades going to Wuhan this time must be courageous enough and able to withstand the pressure. Many people in Hanyang Iron and Steel Works got in through nepotism and are just "empty talk." These people must be eliminated. And those supervisors who don't understand management are basically unnecessary. Many comrades in our steel plant came from Hanyang Iron and Steel Works. If there are replacements, these comrades can be arranged to return to Wuhan to work. Also, you know how the Chongqing Iron and Steel Works was built, and you know the tremendous productivity that can be unleashed by the coal-iron complex! Therefore, this time we should treat Hanyang Iron and Steel Works, Daye Iron Mine, and Pingxiang Coal Mine as a whole and form a large coal-iron complex group company. Hmm~ let's call it Hanyeping!"

"Does the Chairman have any specific requests?"

"My demands are simple. First, the steel mills must not stop production and must rectify the situation while it's still running. Second, we must not honor the cheap supply contracts previously signed between Zhang Zhidong and Sheng Xuanhuai and the foreign powers. In particular, coal, coke, iron sand, and iron ore must not be exported to Japan."

In reality, Zhang Yinghao's emphasis on not exporting to Japan was largely unnecessary. Besides the lack of resources, which colonized Japan desperately needed, the European and American powers' steel production wasn't particularly high at the time, and the powers themselves weren't truly short of coal and iron. While steel was the backbone of the nation, these ores weren't particularly strategic resources. The European and American powers wouldn't have shipped these cheap resources all the way to Europe and America for reuse; it would have been a costly undertaking.

"Is there anything else the Chairman would like to ask?"

Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment before saying, "While there's no problem with us nationalizing these factories and mines, we can't simply ignore the formal commercial contracts, such as loans, that Sheng Xuanhuai and Zhang Zhidong signed with the foreign powers. For example, we still have to repay the money they borrowed to open mines and factories. However, the debtor is the boss, so we can delay repayment as much as possible and pay it back slowly. There's no need to rush..."

In fact, if possible, Zhang Yinghao would rather rely on borrowing from the powers to survive. Why? Because the powers are now on the gold standard system, that is, the issuance of currency is directly linked to gold. This is the current rule of the game for the capitalists of the powers. However, at this time, productivity is developing rapidly, and wealth creation is

The speed is much higher than the production speed of gold. This situation will inevitably lead to a serious shortage of currency issuance. People have no money in their hands, so naturally their consumption power is insufficient. The world market is

The market has not yet been formed, sales are sluggish, and production capacity is bound to be in excess. This is one of the reasons why economic crises occur frequently at this time.

Some people may ask, can't we over-issue currency? In fact, there is no problem with over-issuing currency appropriately, but the rules of the game for the great powers now are that currency can be freely exchanged for gold. If the currency is over-issued, once a bank run occurs and the country does not have sufficient gold reserves, then the country's credit will be reduced or even bankrupt. The people will no longer trust the credit of their own country with the money in their hands, and the country will go bankrupt directly.

However, in reality, every country over-issues currency, and much of this excess money becomes hot money, flowing into the stock market and other financial sectors. Individuals do profit from buying and selling stocks, but for the country, it doesn't actually generate wealth. However, the stock market can circulate wealth. If a stock's market value drops from 100 billion to 10 billion, does the 90 billion yuan loss evaporate? It doesn't, but rather goes into the pockets of certain individuals. In the past, China's stock market was a relentless practice of harvesting "leeks," while foreign stock markets harvested "leeks" in waves. There's no fundamental difference; it's simply the big fish eating the small. Therefore, stock market fluctuations, stock market crashes, and economic crises are essentially just a reshuffle, a wave of profiteering by certain individuals. The frequent economic crises facing major powers today are actually a result of individuals manipulating a country's economy, repeatedly reaping the wealth of the entire nation. Furthermore, while a country's economic health may not necessarily improve after it weathers an economic crisis, it will inevitably improve productivity by eliminating outdated production capacity.

Why would Zhang Yinghao choose to be a deadbeat debtor rather than repay his debts, issuing bonds and even borrowing to get by? It's simply because borrowing money is profitable in this era. It's a simple logic: if the interest rate is 5%, and the economy is growing at 10%, the money you borrow is equivalent to earning 5%. Furthermore, the longer you delay, the more money you earn. In other words, as productivity grows, money becomes less and less valuable. When Zhang Yinghao borrowed, one dollar might have bought a cow, but by the time he repays, it can only buy an egg. Just imagine borrowing 10,000 yuan in the 1990s and repaying it after the first decade of the 21st century, when your monthly salary is over 10,000 yuan. Just imagine how satisfying that would have been.

Moreover, conflicts with countries like Japan and Britain are inevitable. If a large-scale war really breaks out, all their assets in China can be confiscated directly, and the loans will naturally be written off without repayment.

After Zhang Yinghao came out of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, he didn't want to hang around anymore. Although the fog in his mind was still there, relying on luck was not a solution. Unless he encountered something that gave him inspiration or was extremely relaxed, he would be able to remember what he had missed. Otherwise, no matter how much he thought about it, it would be useless.

Back in the office, Zhang Yinghao immediately sought information about the Hanyang Arsenal. The Arsenal had been taken over by the PLA Logistics Department's Armaments Department. Maintaining production was no problem, but the Arsenal also needed to undergo modern enterprise management reforms and upgrades, which were no simple undertakings. However, Zhang Yinghao knew that leaving professional matters to professionals was the right path. He had never encountered an enterprise like the Arsenal in his past life, so it was best to implement expert management. Laymen guiding experts was a surefire way to make mistakes.

Zhang Yinghao immediately issued a transfer order to Director Yu Qingao. He had originally worked as a supervisor at the Hanyang Arsenal and later served as the general manager of the arsenal. It could be said that he was the most suitable person to return to Wuhan to take over the Hanyang Arsenal.

You have to know that Comrade Li Tianqiao and others used a lot of dishonorable means and put in a lot of effort to get him to the liberated area.

In his previous life, Yu Qingao lived up to his title of "King of Craftsmen." He could draw blueprints and handcraft many firearms simply by observing them closely during live-fire drills. Comrades in Northeast China also captured numerous new types of equipment, and once they were handed over to him, he was able to quickly prototype them, accumulating a wealth of valuable raw material for the Arsenal. Although many key technologies remained limited, preventing large-scale industrial production of many weapons, Zhang Yinghao believed that with the continuous improvement of worker quality and technological innovation, these technical challenges would eventually be overcome by our brilliant comrades.

The liberated areas were operating in an orderly manner. At this time, Li Tong and his colleagues also received the specific action plan drawn up by Cai E and his colleagues. Without much explanation, everyone understood the purpose of doing so at a glance.

This was an overt conspiracy: liberating Jiujiang and blocking the Yangtze River. It was clear what the PLA was planning. Comrades, having witnessed the brutality of the imperialist powers in suppressing demonstrations, now knew what to do. They had learned to always consider the worst-case scenario and no longer cling to any chance of success.

Therefore, the PLA Federation of Trade Unions immediately began to covertly carry out propaganda work and evacuate the masses while making preparations for the armed recovery of the concession.

Li Tong and his men simply didn't have time to reorganize the new army, so they simply brought Zhang Zhidong, Li Yuanhong, Zhang Biao, and others into the temporary command headquarters to work together. With Zhang Zhidong's help, work immediately became much smoother. Zhang Zhidong's years in Wuhan weren't just about building factories and training new troops. He established artillery batteries on mountaintops like Fenghuang Mountain and Guishan Mountain, and dug caves in the mountains, built with cement, to store artillery shells. His goal was to defend Wuhan, especially against attacks from the Yangtze River.

With these existing fortifications, the PLA could achieve twice the result with half the effort against the foreign powers' warships anchored in Wuhan. Comrades Luo Dazhong and others who had previously sunk the gunboat had already summarized their experiences and lessons, and the Military Commission had also distributed them to the commanders on the front lines. They were told that while high-explosive shells were effective, it was armor-piercing shells that had sunk the Shanying warship...

With this report, comrades naturally know what to do. —A series of actions were carried out quietly...

At that time, the Hanyang Arsenal could produce 30 rifles and 600 pounds of smokeless powder per day, and 8 cannons, 800,000 rounds of ammunition, and 70,000 rounds of artillery shells per month. Therefore, the People's Liberation Army not only received a large amount of logistical supplies, but also gained a stable supply base.

Li Tong instructed Zhang Zhidong to order the gunboats Chu Tai and Chu Tong to restock and immediately proceed to Jiujiang to block the Yangtze River. Meanwhile, the gunboats Chu You, Chu Qian, Chu Yu, and Chu Guan, as well as the torpedo boats Hu Peng, Hu E, Hu Falcon, and Hu Yan, were to gather on the Yangtze River and Han River in the Hanyang section. Their current purpose was not to protect civilians elsewhere or engage in a bombardment with the foreign warships, but to defend the Hanyang Arsenal and Steel Plant. In the event of a battle with the foreign powers, they would drift downstream to avoid bombardment, ideally forcing the foreign warships downstream and sparing Wuhan a devastating blow.

Wuhan is only a little over 200 kilometers away from Jiujiang. The various armies that will liberate Jiujiang are already on their way. I believe that in just a few days, when the People's Liberation Army liberates the British Concession in Jiujiang, it will surely be a major event that will shock China and even the world. Comrades are all sitting here preparing, silently awaiting that day's arrival...

The liberation of Wuhan did not mean that the entire Hubei province was liberated. On the contrary, a lot of fighting had just begun. Before the liberation of Wuhan, except for the towns that blocked the way, other towns could even be ignored. The entire army's target was naturally Wuhan. However, after the liberation of Wuhan, the comrades' tasks immediately changed. It can be said that they became more difficult, because the comrades immediately had to start liberating towns and cities near the army, and also began to help cadres establish local governments on the spot. They even needed many soldiers to retire and put on police uniforms to maintain local order.

Therefore, the real test for the army has just officially begun.

Chapter 439:

The army was one of his strengths, and Zhang Yinghao knew he had to keep a firm grip on the gun, never letting up for a moment. Zhang Yinghao also knew the army's responsibilities and missions were heavy. Just the fact that the army needed to cultivate land and feed itself was enough to show how much labor the troops had to endure, and the hardship involved was unimaginable.

Zhang Yinghao really cannot afford to support so many troops if he does not support himself and relies solely on financial expenditure.

Zhang Yinghao knew that for a long time to come, the military would be a place to cultivate talent and encourage selfless contribution. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao attached great importance to the development and education of the military. He believed that those who entered the military were illiterate, children from peasant families, and by the time they left, they had to be modern builders who could read and write and work.

Zhang Yinghao was well aware that a political party without an army is a toothless tiger, especially in China. No matter how advanced its ideas or how many people it has, they are essentially useless. In the past, the Bolsheviks were a minority, but because they controlled the army, they ultimately won after a brutal war. In contrast, during the Great Revolution in China, the Communist Party held an advantage at the grassroots level. Even within the Kuomintang, the Communists and the Kuomintang's left wing held more than half of the seats, but they did not control many troops. As a result, when Chiang Kai-shek and Wang Jingwei launched their purges, not only were the Communists but the Kuomintang's left wing also slaughtered en masse, forcing the Communist Party to almost start from scratch. They no longer even had the qualifications to launch a civil war and were forced to endure the consequences.

This is how party politics works: once a fundamental conflict occurs, the victor who controls the military takes all, regardless of size. This has been true throughout history, both in China and abroad. So, Zhang Yinghao doesn't really care much about China having multiple political parties. As long as proletarian ideals are upheld and the military is controlled by the proletarian party, other parties won't be able to cause any trouble at all, and may even become a useful supplement.

So Zhang Yinghao told his comrades in the Party class the next day: "...Can a country only have one class or stratum? This is absolutely impossible. The state is a tool of class rule, a tool for one class to oppress another. A country can only have one true proletarian party. Hmm~ Comrades, you can discuss in depth why this is the case!"

"Chairman, the working class is in power. As the most advanced class, the working class is the most united political force. There are no internal interest balance issues. So, there's no need for a multi-party system to balance internal contradictions, right?"

Zhang Yinghao listened, laughed and said: "Comrades, let's discuss after class and see why the proletariat within a country can only be divided into factions, but not into multiple political parties. Well, let's get back to the point. We all know that there can be multiple bourgeois parties in a country, and these parties represent the interests of people from different classes. For example, there are parties representing the interests of the big bourgeoisie, and parties representing the petty bourgeoisie.

This is what the Western powers call "incumbents": after a party comes to power, its policies become flawed, and it falls, only to be replaced by another party, which then fights for votes in the next election and remains in power. In reality, even with this change of leadership, the fundamentals of those in power remain unchanged; they remain the same capitalists, merely switching hands.

Therefore, capitalism's multi-party system is not for the benefit of the people, but to consolidate its own rule. Comrades who have read "The Communist Manifesto" know that capitalism has inherent flaws. The conflicts of interest are irreconcilable, and when these flaws develop to a certain point, they inevitably erupt. Comrades, consider this: if these governments make mistakes and persist, the people, disappointed in them, might rise up and overthrow them. Once the people are mobilized, their political demands will naturally be met.

However, when the government voluntarily falls, the people will naturally still choose to wait and see whether the new government can do the job. Therefore, in order to delay the outbreak of contradictions or prevent them from happening too violently, capitalist countries can only temporarily resolve them through changes in government.

However, these ruling bourgeois parties are well aware of the rules of the game. They allow the "masters" to defend their party's interests, just like the struggle between workers' representatives and the bourgeoisie in parliament. This is like trying to reason with the sheep and the wolves. What can the sheep say? They can only fight for increased welfare benefits...

They will absolutely not allow political parties with violent tendencies to enter the political arena, nor will they allow parties with overt class or ethnic independence to come to power. Even more so, they will not allow such parties to control the military, because the military is a country's most violent apparatus for maintaining its rule. When these parties with overt class and ethnic independence control the military, it's like giving sheep titanium fangs and armor. If the sheep feel they have the strength to fight the wolves, it might mean war...

Just as Zhang Yinghao was giving lectures to his comrades, the People's Liberation Army troops had already begun to march into various parts of Hubei.

Zhang Yinghao still believed that the militia was the first and last enemy in the liberated areas, but without the support and cooperation of the Qing regular army, it was like a bucket of water without roots, unable to make any significant waves. After so many battles, the PLA no longer took the Qing Eight Banners, Green Camp, and militia seriously. Even Zhang Yinghao, the Chairman of the Military Commission who always advocated despising others strategically and respecting the enemy tactically, actually looked down on the combat effectiveness of the Eight Banners, Green Camp, and militia.

Since ancient times, it has been said that arrogant soldiers will be defeated, and the People's Liberation Army is no exception. At this time, Long Tongxu led a regiment of PLA soldiers to Jingzhou. Because they did not understand the actual situation and launched an attack, coupled with underestimating the enemy, they ultimately paid a heavy price...

Jingzhou is surrounded by the dangerous Bashu in the west, the solid Tongbai in the north, controls Hunan and Guizhou in the south, and controls Wu and Yue in the east. It is located at the throat of the Yangtze and Han Rivers. Its geographical location is very important and has been a battleground for military strategists throughout the ages.

During the reign of Emperor Kangxi, the Three Feudatories Rebellion lasted for eight years. The Qing army and the Three Feudatories faced off across the river, with Jingzhou serving as the boundary. The brutal fighting finally convinced the Qing court of the crucial strategic importance of Jingzhou. Considering Jingzhou's location upstream and a necessary transit point for travel between Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Sichuan, the Qing court established a system of garrisons.

In the 22nd year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, 4,000 Eight Banner troops officially entered Jingzhou. The presence of these troops in Jingzhou essentially fulfilled the Qing court's original intention. They played a significant role in maintaining and consolidating Qing rule in the Jingsha region, Wuhan, and neighboring provinces. For example, in the 27th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, they participated in suppressing the Wuchang Disarmament Incident. In the 39th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, they dispatched troops to suppress the unrest among the barbarians in Dajianlu, Sichuan. During the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods, they joined forces with the Green Camp and militia to suppress the White Lotus Rebellion led by Wang Cong'er. In 1854, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom's Western Expeditionary Force, led by Zeng Tianyang, successively conquered Anlu, Jingmen, and Yichang, creating a critical situation. Jingzhou's garrison commander, Xiling'a (?-1860), led his troops in fierce battles against the Taiping Army in Mianyang, Jianli, Qianjiang, Yingcheng, Hanyang, and Yichang, ultimately safeguarding Qing rule in Jingzhou Prefecture and surrounding prefectures and counties.

By then, Jingzhou had approximately 7,000 bannermen, and together with their families, about 40,000 men, of whom Mongolians comprised about a quarter. To prevent Manchu and Han assimilation, the Qing court implemented a basic strategy of "separate rule" for ethnic rule: "Bannermen and Han." After arriving in Jingzhou, the Manchu and Mongolian bannermen constructed a wall running from south to north, dividing the city into two parts: the East City, home to the Manchus and Eight Bannermen, and the West City, home to the Han people.

Since the Manchu-Mongol Eight Banners Army arrived in Jingzhou, Manchus and Han Chinese had long coexisted peacefully. Because the bannermen's salaries were provided by the imperial court, drawn from the Wuchang treasury and Yichang customs taxes, the garrisoned bannermen received generous pay. Generals received a maximum of 180 taels of silver per year, plus an additional 1500 taels of silver for maintaining integrity. Ordinary soldiers, depending on their rank, received 12 to 24 taels of silver per year, along with other in-kind income such as monthly rations, leading to a relatively comfortable life.

Because they were hereditary professional soldiers, the state relied heavily on them. Besides their military and economic advantages, the Bannermen also enjoyed a privileged political and legal position. Regarding the scope of legal jurisdiction, all cases involving Bannermen were handled separately from general civil cases. They also had public land and pastures, and private schools to cultivate talent in the national language and horsemanship...

Jingzhou was the only Eight Banners garrison in Hubei, and the Qing court attached great importance to it as it was of vital importance.

After Zhang Yinghao's Sichuan Revolution, Jingzhou, like Wuhan, began constructing defensive fortifications and fortresses. The Eight Banners troops of Jingzhou were replenished with advanced weaponry and equipment. Many of the commanders, including Deputy Governor-General Hengling, a subordinate of Jingzhou General Shouqi, were either trained in academies or in the Hubei New Army. The Eight Banners of Jingzhou were also a division of the New Army, and many of their soldiers were among the most elite, possessing considerable combat effectiveness.

To prepare for possible battle, Hengling and his men meticulously deployed their bannermen. Over 2,000 elite soldiers were stationed from Baling Mountain (40 li from the city) to Mishi Bridge (15 li from the city), with artillery positions at the southern end of Baling Mountain. Their first line of sentries was located around Mashan and Chengdi (30 li from the city). Meanwhile, several cavalrymen were stationed at Xiaojiwa (5 li from the city).

These fortifications took advantage of Jingzhou's advantageous geographical conditions. Artillery on Baling Mountain could bombard Mashan and Jiangkou, and also flank Mashan and the area in front of Mishi Bridge. Wancheng Dike commanded a commanding position, with the river providing a natural barrier. In addition to its well-equipped bannermen, Jingzhou also boasted patrol battalions, naval battalions, and other local armed forces, resulting in a vast military presence and a formidable force.

As the People's Liberation Army left Sichuan, the Eight Banners garrisoned in Jingzhou, originally planning to retake Yichang, abandoned their plans after the PLA launched a full-scale offensive and sank a British warship. They immediately stationed themselves at key city gates, restricting access. For the Jingzhou Bannermen, their families were in Jingzhou, making it impossible to rush to Wuhan. Holding on to Jingzhou and awaiting reinforcements offered a glimmer of hope. To bolster their defenses, Hengling recruited new soldiers, allocated large sums of money, and even distributed weapons to women and children, demonstrating the Manchus' determination to fight.

Before launching their offensive, the PLA issued an ultimatum to the Manchus and bannermen of Jingzhou. This ultimatum essentially stated that the Manchus and Qing troops in Chengdu, Xi'an, and other cities had chosen to surrender. The PLA, instead of massacring them, relocated them well. If they refused to surrender, they would be met with relentless force, resulting in countless Manchu casualties.

However, although Shouqi was timid, the Manchu and Mongolian officers were righteous and refused sternly, and the Qing soldiers in Jingzhou were still prepared to fight to the end.

A regiment of soldiers might be enough to attack other cities, but for Jingzhou, the force was too small. Furthermore, Long Tongxu's troops had just arrived and were generally exhausted. They also lacked specialized siege artillery, making this battle full of uncertainties.

However, at this time, the comrades still did not pay enough attention and were not aware of the determination of the Manchus in the city to fight. Seeing that the Manchus in the city had no intention of surrendering, Long Tongxu gave the order and the PLA soldiers immediately launched an attack and quickly cleared the perimeter.

The battle was just as quick and easy as before. The comrades quickly threw aside their initial caution and began a bold attack...

However, the following battle was not easy at all, and the Eight Banners soldiers had already built fortifications and were waiting for the People's Liberation Army to attack.

After the attack began, a decisive battle also began. The People's Liberation Army encountered Hengling's stubborn resistance in Baling Mountain. Because Hengling sent a large number of supervision teams, the People's Liberation Army was unable to capture the city for a long time and the battle was very fierce.

Shouzhe looked at the attacking People's Liberation Army and asked Hengling: "The Red Bandits don't have artillery, but these fortifications are enough to deal with the attacking Red Bandits in front of us, right?"

"General, there's absolutely no problem. Furthermore, even if the Red Bandits have enough artillery, now that they've offended England, they might not be willing to use a large number of artillery shells against us. As long as we can hold out for a while and hold the Red Bandits back, even if we all die in battle, it will be worth it."

After saying this, Hengling smiled. For him, it was all about living off the emperor's salary, being loyal to him, and sharing his worries. If the Eight Banners soldiers of Jingzhou could defend Jingzhou for a while, they would break the Red Bandits' myth of invincibility and give the Qing Dynasty confidence in its victory. He believed that if they succeeded once, there would be a second time, and perhaps the Qing Dynasty would even be able to prosper.

Hengling's confidence in holding back the People's Liberation Army wasn't entirely without support. By this point, every citizen in Jingzhou had become a soldier, with the Eight Banners now numbering over 10,000 soldiers. While the elderly, the weak, women, and children might not be able to fight on the battlefield, they could still handle logistics. Furthermore, Jingzhou had been preparing for war for so long, with fortifications complete and numerous artillery pieces brought in from Wuhan. With excellent equipment and training, coupled with his outstanding command, he felt confident he could hold off the Red Bandits for several months...

After attacking for a while, the Qing army chose to retreat. At this time, Long Tongxu saw that the Qing army's firepower was weakening and immediately launched a full-scale attack. The PLA's attack adopted the old tactic of artillery bombardment in the front and troops charging in the back.

After a burst of smoke, Long Tongxu, like Li Yunlong in "Bright Sword", personally led his troops to charge forward. At this time, Long Tongxu really did not take the Eight Banners soldiers seriously. In his opinion, after the artillery shells, a charge would be enough to defeat the Eight Banners soldiers.

Hengling watched the rapidly advancing People's Liberation Army, not only without any panic, but with a smile on his face. He already knew that the Red Bandits were looking down on them, the Eight Banners Army. However, this time he would teach them the price of underestimating the enemy...

“Why aren’t there many Qing army corpses here? Why is the Qing army’s firepower so weak?”

Long Tongxu knew the Qing army hadn't collapsed, but suddenly, a palpitation gripped his heart. It was the instinct of a seasoned soldier, a feeling that something was terribly wrong. He was about to order his troops to retreat when he heard a sharp whistling sound, the sound of artillery shells piercing the air. He couldn't help but wonder what was happening. Damn, this was a Qing trap. There was no time to seek cover. He immediately shouted, "Fire! Get down!" as he fell forward, chest off the ground, mouth slightly open, to reduce the damage to his internal organs from the blast...

The next thing he heard was the sound of a burst of artillery shells exploding. He felt his body shake, and then he fainted...