The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

After hearing Zhang Yinghao's words, everyone fell silent. It could be said that his words directly touched upon the core issue of the negotiations. Besides trade and interests, what else would the foreigners care about?

Zhang Yinghao continued, "Of course, our Progressive Party acknowledges that historically, China has sold far more than it has purchased. This is a typical trade deficit, a trade imbalance. Therefore, we also believe that this is not good. Our liberated areas should also purchase large quantities of goods from various countries, but this must be fair trade. The problem now is that you all want to make money in China, even completely disregarding the health of the Chinese people and unscrupulously selling opium, which has seriously damaged their health. You also control customs to dump goods at low tariffs, and even start a war to force China to do business. Isn't this the purpose of this negotiation? You want to force us to recognize the treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty, isn't it just to make it easier for you to do business? You want to profit from China's huge market, obtain a large amount of cheap industrial raw materials, and obtain large amounts of indemnity through military victory. We, the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army, are firmly opposed to such things that harm China and the Chinese people."

"Mr. Zhang, you said this morning that you wouldn't sell ore to the Empire of Japan. Your words are simply not trustworthy."

Zhang Yinghao ignored the Japanese devils' nonsense and continued, "We in the Liberated Areas always hope to expand trade with all countries, purchase more goods from them, and resolve trade issues through negotiation. We also advocate fair trade and mutual benefit, rather than relying on force or engaging in obviously unfair trade. Therefore, for the benefit of the people of the Liberated Areas, our Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army will unswervingly strengthen our military and ensure that China's interests are not infringed. We, the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army, will never tolerate any attempt to illegally gain advantage from China through force or other means. If any of you countries do not believe in our determination to defend our national interests to the death, you may send troops to give it a try. Of course, we can continue business after the war. Brothers sometimes quarrel and fight, and we will not bear grudges against you. But war will kill people, so I hope you will test our sincerity in doing business. I hope you will return home with a bountiful harvest and a huge profit."

After hearing Zhang Yinghao's words, everyone fell silent. Although Zhang Yinghao's words were not in line with diplomatic rhetoric, he had already said his piece. What else could everyone say? Zhang Yinghao's meaning was very clear. Whether to fight, make peace, or do business, the powers would make their own choice. It was a dream to expect the liberated areas to recognize the treaty signed by the Qing Dynasty.

Zhang Yinghao finally said everything he needed to say, and laughed, "Haha, come on, our Moutai liquor is incredibly fragrant and leaves a lasting taste in your mouth. It's also reasonably priced, so it's worth a drink together. And these barbecued skewers were raised in XZ, they're plump and juicy, and after grilling, the aroma spreads from miles away. It's definitely a delicacy not to be missed..."

With the wine and food, and of course the beauties serving the meals, the atmosphere immediately relaxed. The comrades of the Progressive Party stopped talking about business to spoil the atmosphere, but focused on tasting the food and discussing the customs of different countries, and for a while they became very happy.

That evening, comrades from various departments immediately met privately with these diplomats. Their primary purpose was to discuss business. They offered to sell whatever the Liberated Areas had that the powers needed, while also purchasing machinery and equipment from various countries. The key point was to achieve a balanced trade, preferably through barter trade. Therefore, they engaged in in-depth discussions on transaction models, currency settlement, and the finalization of national currency values ​​in foreign trade.

Of course, the Progressive Party also made numerous promises. For example, they promised the French that the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway could be built, and that they could borrow money from the French and hire their engineers to build the Yunnan section. With Belgium, they discussed the crucial issue of reclaiming the Beijing-Hankou Railway, promising to hand over more railway construction to Belgium. Of course, the contract would have to be renegotiated fairly.

Comrades of the Kadima Party also discussed recruiting teachers with various countries, particularly the Ottoman Empire, known as the "Sick Man of West Asia." This vast, multiethnic, multicultural empire was plagued by serious ethnic tensions, racial and religious conflicts, which plagued its political and social stability. Every year, many people became political prisoners. It should be noted that even if ordinary people wanted to become political prisoners, they were not eligible. Political prisoners were primarily scholars, monks, engineers, highly skilled technicians, scientists, teachers, lawyers, and other elites. These political prisoners were a real burden to the Ottoman Empire. However, for the liberated areas, the vast majority of them were urgently needed talent. Recruiting such talent would greatly benefit the development of the liberated areas.

The Ottoman Turkish diplomats were stunned when they first heard this suggestion. They had never imagined that someone would actually want their political prisoners. And they were offering a high fee in the form of labor service. This was truly a great deal. Although it was similar to human trafficking, it was extremely beneficial to the Ottoman Empire. Why would they refuse? You have to know that these political prisoners had been a real headache for the Ottoman Empire. They couldn't kill them, and they couldn't release them either. It could be said that the Kadima Party's proposal was a perfect solution for the Ottoman Empire, solving a major problem.

In fact, the comrades who first heard this proposal were stunned. No one knew what was going on in Chairman Zhang Yinghao's mind, how could he be so unrealistic? Importing teachers was fine, but he actually thought of revolutionaries and political prisoners hated by other countries. In fact, Zhang Yinghao was really at his wit's end. Relying on the education system he had established to cultivate talent was too slow and took too long. He couldn't wait, and neither could China.

Zhang Yinghao immediately did the math for his comrades, saying, "If the entire world were starting from the same level, we could naturally take our time and cultivate our own talent. But the reality is that industrial development requires a vast number of skilled workers, including technicians, scientists, and engineers. Many problems have reached a point where we can no longer simply concentrate our resources on large-scale projects. It takes us at least nine to eleven years to train a high school student, and thirteen to fifteen years to train a university student. The Liberated Areas have only been established for a few years. Even in Sichuan, the earliest Liberated Area, where we poured vast sums of money and manpower, five-year compulsory primary education isn't universal yet, and these students haven't even graduated yet. Furthermore, elementary, middle, and even high school students are of little use in completing the overall industrialization process. Industrialization requires a vast number of scientists, highly skilled technicians, engineers, mathematicians, and so on. Currently, we rely solely on simple training in technical schools, talent pooled from across the country, overseas Chinese, and our proposed "subcontracting" model to barely sustain our efforts. We've almost reached our limit. The lack of talent has severely hampered the development of our Liberated Areas."

Moreover, foreigners are unwilling to come to work in our poor and backward China. We are indeed in a difficult situation. We do not have enough money, and it is impossible to spend a lot of money to hire foreign teachers to teach and work in China. So where can we find cheap teachers, senior technicians, scientists and other talents? We need to become "human traffickers"! The revolutionaries and political prisoners of the great powers are despised by all countries, but aren't these exactly the talents we need? Our Forward Party is a proletarian party. Would we be afraid of revolutionaries and political prisoners? It is just right to let these people join us and let them fight for the liberation of all mankind for their whole lives. Moreover, China now has a population of 450 million. Even if we recruit hundreds of thousands of talents, we can still accommodate them. Of course, we cannot accept monks, Jewish financiers, priests and those who have no special skills..."

"Chairman, there are also many political prisoners in Austria-Hungary!"

"Then act! Remember, there's a saying: What's worthless to others is my treasure; what's poison to others is honey to me; what's a bandit to others is my hero! Do you understand?"

The comrades understood immediately and naturally began to discuss the issue of bringing in political prisoners and revolutionaries with diplomats from the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Chapter 575: First update!

Just as Zhang Yinghao instructed his comrades to negotiate individually with the foreign powers, the foreign ambassadors in Beijing had already received a report from the Chengdu diplomatic corps. The report detailed the Forward Party's diplomatic stance, explicitly stating that it would not recognize treaties signed by the Qing central government. However, the diplomats from different countries focused on different areas, and the content of their reports naturally varied.

Russia, for example, naturally focused on the Liberated Areas' refusal to recognize the treaty signed by the Qing Dynasty, and thus naturally focused on the millions of square kilometers of territory they had annexed. Upon receiving the report, Pu Kedi immediately understood that war between the Liberated Areas and Tsarist Russia was inevitable. The United States and Germany naturally focused on the Liberated Areas' willingness to increase trade cooperation, a fact they were naturally delighted about. As for countries like Britain, Japan, and France, which had significant interests in China, they were more concerned about what they would lose if the Forward Party refused to recognize the treaty.

So, just as the comrades were discussing business with the diplomats from the great powers in the evening, at No. 19 Xila Hutong, Wangfujing Street, Beijing, which was the residence of Yuan Shikai, the Governor-General of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang, the atmosphere in the official residence was very different today, because the envoys of the four countries of Britain, Japan, France and Russia came together secretly. Yuan Shikai had received the news long ago and was eager to have a secret meeting with the four people. There was not even a single extra person in the reception room, and the entire meeting was conducted in a state of extremely high confidentiality.

British Minister to China, Sir John Sawyer, accepted the suggestion of Japanese Minister to China, Yasuya Uchida, and was the initiator of this meeting. Based on the comprehensive consideration of the interests of each country in China, the four countries quickly reached a consensus and finally put forward the relevant plans for supporting China's powerful groups that had been discussed in the previous meeting and prepared to implement them.

Although Japan and Tsarist Russia had not yet reconciled at this time, and their hatred could even be said to be deep, this did not affect the consistency of their interests in China. Occasional cooperation was even more common. This just proved the saying that there are no eternal friends or eternal enemies between countries, only eternal interests. Interests are the eternal object of political pursuit.

It can only be said that the Forward Party's actions in launching the Liberation War, advancing northward into Mongolia, and establishing strategic positions in the Northeast, as well as stealing British warships and forcibly reclaiming concessions, deeply stung the great powers. Western imperialism has always advocated for incorporating the entire world into its civilization, but the specifics of what to do and how to do it are determined by Western countries. As the British themselves said: The plains of North America and Russia are our granaries, Chicago and Odessa are our mining areas, Canada and the Nordic Peninsula grow our trees, Australia herds our sheep, and Argentina raises our cattle. Peru sends us silver, South Africa pays tribute with gold, the Indians and Chinese grow our tea, the Mediterranean is our orchard, and our cotton plantations are expanding from the southern United States to all the warmer parts of the earth...

Western powers absolutely do not want a force like the Kadima Party to develop independently and break away from their control. Even more despicable is that this ultra-nationalist party seems to naturally reject any olive branches extended by traditional Western powers, only negotiating so-called equal trade with other countries, and even going so far as to label the entire Western world as a possible enemy.

Sadow had repeatedly instructed Jordan to negotiate some kind of cooperation with the Sichuan Forward Party, such as a "friendly" peace treaty. This would not only expand British interests in inland areas like Sichuan, but also greatly benefit the Forward Party. This would allow the British Empire to cultivate a powerful representative of its interests in the East. Disputes in Tibet and Yunnan didn't matter, even former enemies. There are no permanent friends or enemies, only interests. However, the Forward Party refused, demanding only an equal trade agreement between the two sides before conducting business.

Damn it, they are so ungrateful. It's not that Britain doesn't want to do business, but with the outbreak of the Second Industrial Revolution in Germany and the United States, British products no longer have a competitive advantage in the world, and there is a trend of them being gradually replaced by German and American industrial products. If Sichuan is allowed to trade freely, will Britain be the one that benefits the most?

Moreover, having acquired the gold mines of the South African Boers, the British Empire genuinely disdained any trade with Sichuan. The British were focused on maintaining a British-dominated world trade system. The Progressive Party was unwilling to join according to the "rules," and Saddam Hussein naturally rejected fair trade. The foolish Progressive Party was unaware of the situation and the might of the British Empire, the world hegemon. Perhaps the two minor victories in Tibet and Yunnan had blinded them, or perhaps their barbaric and backward national roots had prevented them from recognizing the might of Western powers.

The five of them sat down and exchanged a few words of greeting before Sa Daoyi said gravely, "Governor Yuan, the Sichuan Forward Party taking power is not in the interests of other countries in China. Therefore, after careful consideration, we have decided to increase our support for you. What do you think of our previous proposal?"

"Sir Sa! I agree with the idea of ​​recruiting more troops, and we've already done it. But as for opposing the imperial court, that's out of the question. I, ah! The old Buddha has been so kind to me..."

Uchida Yasuya saw Yuan Datou's expression and immediately curled his lips and said, "As countries with traditional friendship with China, China and Japan are close neighbors. We hope to see a hero like Governor Yuan lead the entire country, or at least, with our support, defeat the Sichuan rebels and occupy a considerable territory, at least to divide the river and govern it. We can even eliminate the Sichuan rebels, and then the entire country will be under the control of Governor Yuan! He can even sit in that unique position..."

When Yuan Datou heard this, his pupils suddenly contracted, and then fine beads of sweat suddenly appeared on his fat face, and his whole face suddenly became shiny and oily.

During his time in China, Russian Ambassador to China, Pukhodi, diligently promoted Russia's policy of "peaceful aggression," using economic and diplomatic means to expand Russian influence in China and Korea. He was a sinister figure. Seeing Yuan Shikai fidgeting but refusing to rebuff him, he immediately said, "If we reach an agreement with Governor-General Yuan, the great powers will unite to provide you with substantial funds, even direct military aid. If necessary, we can even send our army and navy to help you eliminate the communist bandits. Just like we did with the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the support we will give you will be beyond your imagination."

"My four envoys! You should have seen that the coastal areas currently controlled by the Qing court are still the richest and most densely populated in China. If I... these places will not listen to me."

"No, no, Governor Yuan, I don't think you're fully aware of the current situation," the French ambassador to China, Lupin, said immediately. France was perhaps the foreign power most knowledgeable about the Liberated Areas at this time. After all, both Consul General Andy in Chongqing and Consul General in Kunming had sent intelligence about the Liberated Areas to the ambassador in Beijing. This time, he was even given a tour in Chengdu, which gave him a clearer understanding of the Liberated Areas.

"According to the intelligence we've received so far, the most affluent regions in China are Hubei and Sichuan, specifically the Wuhan, Chongqing, and Chengdu economic zones. Chongqing's Dadukou Steel Plant, according to our latest intelligence, has seen rapid growth in steelmaking capacity. Their newly designed and constructed 10-ton open-hearth furnace has already begun production, reportedly incorporating some new technology, and is expected to produce at least 8 tons of steel annually. After several years of development, Sichuan has also established a substantial industrial base, boasting some world-leading industries, such as pharmaceuticals, machinery and automobile manufacturing, chemicals, daily necessities, clothing, and food. These products may be relatively unknown in China, but they are incredibly popular in the West. Now that Sichuan has control of Wuhan, its strength should not be underestimated..."

For the foreigners, industry, especially steel and chemical industries, is what they value. As for the so-called wealth of China's coastal provinces, especially Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it's a joke. Without industry and the protection of strength, all this is just a piece of fat, a mirage.

Yuan Shikai was speechless. This minister, who had been busy with military training, did not know much about the liberated areas. He knew that the People's Liberation Army was good at fighting and had defeated his Beiyang Army. For this reason, he could only train his soldiers desperately in order to defeat the People's Liberation Army and avenge his previous humiliation.

Of course, Yuan Shikai had no idea that no matter how the Beiyang Army trained without the support of heavy industry, its final combat effectiveness would only become increasingly lagging behind that of the People's Liberation Army. Even if it could defeat the People's Liberation Army a few times, what would it matter? The People's Liberation Army, with its complete logistics and production support system, could easily kill the Beiyang Army, which relied entirely on purchased weapons and ammunition.

Sa Daoyi patted the armrest gently. Yuan Datou's ignorance didn't surprise him at all. Strictly speaking, the British Empire and Yuan Datou's perceptions of Sichuan were similar. After all, the Sichuan Progressive Party had been hostile to the British Empire from the outset. Had India known Sichuan would annex Tibet, it would have reconsidered directly wooing top leaders from the Communist Party against the Sichuan Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army, while India hid behind the scenes selling weapons and reaping the benefits. Wouldn't that have pushed China to Sichuan's side, giving Sichuan an excuse to oppose the invasion and enter Tibet? The British Empire even helped Sichuan eliminate all of China's local armed forces, allowing Sichuan to easily conquer the entire country. Even though some leading monks had begun to secretly contact the British Empire, the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army maintained a tight defense, with little success, which infuriated the British Empire.

"Governor Yuan, perhaps you should have a clearer understanding of the current situation in the Qing Dynasty and the massacre of landlords and gentry in Sichuan..."

What Sa Daoyi said was exactly what Yuan Shikai and a large group of landlords and gentry could not accept. Moreover, his Yuan family was originally a landlord family. They were a powerful family that had made their fortune by suppressing the Nian Rebellion. They were bound to be one of the targets to be overthrown in Sichuan. Which of the Beiyang high-level officials was not from the landlord class? They had no choice but to fight hard.

Sa Daoyi continued, "The rise of the Sichuan Red Bandits is now unstoppable. According to analysis from various countries, if the Qing central government goes to war with Sichuan, it will basically be defeated. Therefore, we suggest that Governor Yuan replace the Qing court. With the support of the great powers and the help of other countries, we can carry out reforms from the economy, military to education, develop the economy, and build a modern army. We will definitely be able to compete with the Sichuan Red Bandits and at least take over half of the country."

At this time, the great powers all knew that the Qing court was extremely corrupt and was about to collapse, even with the full support of the great powers. Therefore, they had to find a new force to overthrow the Qing government, and then support this new force to compete with Sichuan and maintain the interests of the great powers in China.

After hearing Sa Daoyi's words, Lu Ban nodded and immediately added, "France has received government authorization to support Governor Yuan this time. Our first step is to provide a loan from Britain and France, along with a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and other equipment at preferential prices. These will help you gain control of the situation and strengthen your own strength..."

Sa Daoyi immediately added, "However, after Governor Yuan takes power, he will need to lower taxes, alleviate social conflicts, reform education, and so on. These are all prerequisites for our cooperation. We hope to see a politician who can gain a foothold in China, not someone who is bound to fail."

Seeing this, Sa Daoyi immediately opened his mouth and continued, "If Governor Yuan is willing and cooperation is reached, the first batch of arms and supplies will be immediately shipped from Shanghai to Tianjin. What we need is for you to overthrow the Qing Dynasty, formulate a reform plan, and once you stabilize the situation in the north, immediately establish a nation and gain recognition from the great powers. Then, send troops as soon as possible to establish a de facto division of the river with Sichuan."

Yuan Shikai shifted his fat buttocks nervously, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. Despite his wildest dreams, he hadn't anticipated the four nations offering him such generous terms. Loans and weapons were readily provided. Suddenly, the Western powers had become so friendly!

Seeing that Yuan Datou still didn't speak, Uchida Yasuya immediately tempted him: "Governor Yuan, you also have tens of thousands of loyal troops under your command. Moreover, in order to deal with the threat of the Red Bandits, a corresponding military expansion plan is also being formulated. As long as you get our support, it will be easy to gain several provinces. With the navies of our countries, the Red Bandits dare not occupy the coastal provinces. This way you still have enough time to prepare for war, and half of the country will be at your fingertips!"

Yuan Datou, seeing the olive branch extended by the four foreign envoys, was truly thrilled. Even for a provincial governor holding military power, it was unbelievable. As the saying goes, people see the benefits but not the harm, and fish see the food but not the hook. Yuan Datou was a powerful figure, and naturally he was unwilling to be outdone. He suddenly began to imagine that if he had the strong support of the great powers, he might...

At this point, Yuan Shikai was not yet the influential figure he would rise to prominence seven or eight years later with the Xinhai Revolution. He had the Empress Dowager as his superior and the Manchu royal family watching over him. His ambitions were immense, yet he was still developing and needed to carefully cultivate them. Meanwhile, the Qing court was in a chaotic political situation, precarious as eggs are piled on a pile. He was already deeply troubled, yet the sudden offer of an olive branch from the four powers gave him a glimpse of hope. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. Perhaps China could add another emperor with the surname Yuan to its family tree? What a glorious event that would be!

However, Yuan Datou was not an ordinary person after all. There was no love or hatred without reason in the world. The great powers were not charities. What they gave must be rewarded. Since it was a confidential discussion and the matter had not been finalized, Yuan Datou did not beat around the bush and asked directly: "These conditions do sound very generous, but I don't know what price I have to pay?"

"It's very simple. After the Qing Dynasty was overthrown, the new government inherited the legacy left by the Qing court. All it needs to do is recognize the legality of the treaties signed by the Qing court, guarantee the interests of various countries in China, and strengthen cooperation in economic areas such as railways and mining. Of course, if you go to war with Sichuan, at least ensure the occupation of the area north of the Yellow River, the Huai River basin, and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Protect the interests of the British Empire."

"We are concerned about the situation in Northeast China and Outer Mongolia, so after the new government is established, we will first resolve the issues in the north, and hope to have more cooperation with the new government on the issue of developing Xinjiang province."

"France has reached a certain consensus with Japan that we will participate in some economic affairs in Fujian and around Bohai Sea."

"After the new government is established, it must immediately dispatch troops to the border areas and join forces with the Japanese and Russian armies to eliminate bandits in the Northeast. The Empire of Japan also needs to conduct mineral resource exploration in the Bohai Rim and Northeast China. Of course, mining will be subject to the consent of the new government and taxation will be paid according to the law..."

After hearing this, Yuan Datou was slightly stunned. As expected, the benefits from the great powers were not taken for free. They were not lambs, but greedy jackals and executioners. When they put forward their greedy demands, they were so natural and right that they did not even pause for a moment.

However, Yuan Datou did not think there was anything wrong with what the four countries said. Instead, it made Yuan Datou realize the great powers' disgust with the Sichuan Red Bandits; he knew that the four countries really wanted to unite and support him, let him take power, and expand his own influence. As for expanding the influence of the great powers, it was naturally a matter of course.

Sure enough, Sa Daoyi continued, "Our four nations are already disgusted with China's current complex situation. Governor Yuan must equip more Beiyang New Army troops as quickly as possible. You can recruit instructors and even junior officers from various countries to join the army and command battles. Our army and fleet in Shanghai will do their best to assist your military operations, even going so far as to advance up the Yangtze River..."

Yuan Shikai was so shocked that he stood up completely. This was even better than pie in the sky. If the Qing Dynasty was really overthrown, as long as he got such help from the great powers, why would he worry about not being able to accomplish great things? Now it seems that the great powers have decided to quickly overthrow the Qing Dynasty and support a new regime. If they don't look for him, they will look for others.

Lü Ban immediately added fuel to the fire, emphasizing, "Governor Yuan, you are our good friend, which is why we sought you out. You must understand that what we need is a powerful military group capable of challenging Sichuan. If we wait until Sichuan is ready and then launch an offensive, that will be the end of the Beiyang government and the Qing dynasty. As long as you are determined and receive the full support of the great powers, half of the country will be yours. In addition, our fleet stationed in Shanghai will ensure the security of the coastal areas and even the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Although the Sichuan Red Bandits possess considerable military strength, they lack a strong navy. Now is the Governor's best opportunity."

Yuan Shikai was now worried about Sichuan initiating a war. He was not yet prepared and was in real danger of being annihilated. However, as the old saying goes, even if someone kills someone and burns someone, he will be recruited. As long as he holds military power, he will not be afraid of who is in power, and wealth and glory will naturally follow. But if he could ascend to that position, who would refuse?

Yuan Shikai was thrilled to learn that the four powers had merely made some "reasonable demands" and hadn't forced him to sign any traitorous treaties. As for recognizing the treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty, that was a minor matter. He knew overthrowing the Qing Dynasty on his own would be a major challenge, forcing him to rely on the help of the foreign powers. Yuan Shikai, however, didn't mind leveraging the might of the foreign powers to strengthen his rule. The worst-case scenario was ultimately defeat by Sichuan, with the Communists unifying the country. With military power at his disposal and the credit for overthrowing the Qing, who could possibly harm him? Even if he ultimately joined the Communists, he could still maintain his position of power. If he played his cards right, with the help of the foreign powers, he could even divide the country into two parts, or at least the river itself.

However, Yuan Datou was also a thoughtful person. Even after thinking it through, he did not agree to anything rashly. Instead, he said: "I am very grateful for the help of the four countries. I think we will cooperate happily. However, I still need to discuss it with the people below. If they all agree, we will develop a detailed plan..."

"Yuan, I think you will become a successful man in politics and reach the highest position."

Seeing that the four-nation trip had initially achieved its objectives, and Yuan Datou had agreed to discuss matters with his subordinates, Sa Daoyi, in high spirits, offered his congratulations in advance. In fact, this only reinforced Yuan Datou's greed. Who wouldn't be tempted by the supreme position? Sa Daoyi believed that, given the opportunity, Yuan Datou would risk everything to get there.

This plan to subsidize Yuan Shikai was proposed in light of the rising power of the Sichuan Forward Party, which disregarded the interests of the great powers. The loans would be secured by railroad construction, mining, and tax revenue, while weapons and ammunition would be purchased from the four countries themselves using loans provided by the four nations. This not only fostered Yuan Shikai's pro-great power stance, but also stimulated the currently sluggish economies of the four nations. As for cash, the four nations were unlikely to contribute much, especially Japan and Russia, which were even poorer than the Qing Dynasty. How could they possibly contribute cash? They were still desperately trying to profit from China's oil production, so how could they possibly contribute a single hair?

Chapter 576:

For Western capitalists, China presents a vast market. However, due to the closed and backward nature of its small-scale peasant economy, the extreme poverty of its people, and the severe lack of purchasing power, Western interests are limited. Therefore, a moderately developed China, one with a certain level of purchasing power, truly serves Western interests. Of course, the regime that allows China to develop moderately must be pro-Western, orderly, and controlled.

The sudden rise of the Sichuan Liberated Area forced the great powers to change their traditional approach of completely suppressing China and adjust their policies toward it. They even supported and aided Yuan Shikai in overthrowing the Qing Dynasty, forcing him to implement certain tax, education, social, economic, and military reforms, which would have strengthened the Beiyang Group. It was foreseeable that the stronger the Beiyang Group became, without industrial support, the more dependent it would become on the great powers, ultimately forcing it to embark on a path of treason...

It is now appropriate to loosen the reins, carry out reforms, and develop the economy moderately so that the people can have a certain amount of wealth and ease conflicts. In addition, the military strength of the great powers is sufficient to ensure social stability. Only in this way can people have money to buy goods, and become a place for providing raw materials and dumping goods, which is also a very good choice.

The great powers were certainly not benevolent. How could they truly help China develop, doing something so "conscienceless and against one's nature"? Ultimately, the great powers were simply strengthening Yuan Shikai's power to prevent the expansion of the Forward Party. Even if Yuan Shikai, with the help of the great powers, could barely resist the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army, or even achieve the goal of dividing the river or the river to rule, what would happen?

In addition to guaranteeing peace and security through armed forces, the great powers would also receive the enormous benefits they needed. For example, Tsarist Russia would benefit from the northern Xinjiang, northeastern China, Outer Mongolia, and some coastal ports. Britain would benefit from mining and road construction, while southern Xinjiang, Tibet, and Yunnan would benefit from the vast quantities of raw materials it could harvest and the resale of industrial products.

The great powers are only trying to further open up the Chinese market and frantically plunder and dump their products from this huge market of raw materials. What the great powers want is profit, so how can they really care about the lives of the Chinese people?

..……….

After secretly sending off the four ministers, Yuan Datou was so excited that he couldn't sleep all night, falling into a dream of beautiful future. However, Yuan Datou didn't know that in the following days, in addition to Yuan Datou, he also received visits from the foreign powers. Governor-General Zhou Fu of Liangjiang, Governor-General Duan Fang of Min and Zhejiang, and Governor-General Cen Chunxuan of Guangdong and Guangxi also received visits from foreign powers. Even provincial governors, admirals and generals who held military power received visits from strangers and even foreigners. Among them, the most active were the Japanese and their spies, who began to jump out to make behind-the-scenes deals with powerful figures in various places, exchanging interests and making profits for Japan...

The diplomatic negotiation team that arrived in Chengdu was quite satisfied with the trip, especially the very good talks with Germany, the United States and relevant comrades. Based on the principle of trade balance, the liberated areas signed a number of trade contracts with the United States and Germany.

Zhang Yinghao was very happy to see that the great powers were really ready to do business, instead of insisting on the principle of unity among the great powers and resolutely boycotting the liberated areas. For this purpose, he specially organized a small exhibition to display the goods that the liberated areas could now produce. Many diplomats felt that the trip was worthwhile and they gained a lot.

Zhang Yinghao had actually prepared for a short-term, complete blockade by the great powers. After all, Britain was the current world hegemon, and the principle of unanimity among the great powers regarding China was no joke. Of course, even if the great powers imposed a temporary, complete blockade and refused to trade with the liberated areas, Zhang Yinghao wouldn't be truly frightened. He simply couldn't believe that if foreigners could build an industrial system from scratch, the Chinese couldn't. This industrial system didn't just fall from the sky, it didn't emerge out of thin air; it was slowly accumulated through the development of production and science and technology. With his own control and guidance, and a tech tree to climb step by step, and with the current foundation, there was no reason he couldn't forge his own path. A short-term blockade wouldn't be a big deal. So, Zhang Yinghao was prepared to temporarily face a blockade from the entire Western world, just as the Soviet Union had done.

But now it seems Zhang Yinghao's worries were unnecessary. The great powers are not a monolithic entity, each with its own interests. After all, it's foolish not to make money. More importantly, there are people who will risk their lives if there's enough profit. Furthermore, how could the big capitalists of the Western powers let go of such a big piece of fat meat, such a huge market, like China?

All good things must come to an end. Before these foreigners left, Zhang Yinghao gave them gifts accordingly. Needless to say, the gifts for the Russians included two boxes of wine, one box of Maotai and one box of Luzhou Laojiao. Those from other countries gave cigarettes, soap and other daily necessities, raw silk, pig bristles and their products, down jackets and other clothing, tung oil, white vinegar, raw lacquer, canned food and even Yunnan Baiyao. The diplomats were all smart people and they naturally understood what he meant at a glance.

Pig bristles, in particular, are a crucial strategic commodity. Brushes made from pig bristles are now indispensable and irreplaceable for painting and cleaning military equipment. After the revolutionary army liberated Sichuan, the Liberated Area, having acquired the core processing technology, immediately established pig bristle processing plants across the region. Production has steadily increased, making it a traditional staple export commodity in the Liberated Area. Export sales now account for approximately 70% of the world's total pig bristle trade, earning the Liberated Area a significant amount of foreign exchange and making it one of its flagship products.

"Mr. Zhang, we hope to see you again in Wuhan, and then we can treat you back."

"I will definitely go to Wuhan as soon as possible to eat my fill, haha!"

After hearing Zhang Yinghao's words, these people were stunned, but they also understood a meaning: the Forward Party and the Liberated Area Central Government were leaving Sichuan. Zhang Yinghao's single statement revealed such a significant piece of news, which made it unclear whether it was good news or bad news for the great powers. The good news was that they would be able to have closer and more frequent contact with the Forward Party, without having to travel thousands of miles to Chengdu. The bad news was that the Sichuan rebels were ready to make further advances.

As Zhang Yinghao saw off the diplomats, negotiations between the new Wuhan government and Belgium regarding the repossession of the Luhan Railway and the Belgian concession in Wuhan were reaching their final stages. While small countries like Belgium and Luxembourg had limited influence in China, they were both steelmakers with mature and comprehensive technology, exactly what the liberated areas needed. Zhang Yinghao had no intention of resorting to coercion; a friend was always better than an enemy. After all, the Qing dynasty's decision to hand over the railway to Belgium wasn't simply because Belgium offered lower interest rates than the US and Britain, but more importantly, because Belgium didn't impose any political conditions.

Although Belgium's construction of the Luhan Railway set a bad precedent—during the loan period, all operational management rights and exploration and mining rights along the Luhan Railway were controlled by Belgian companies, completely forfeiting China's sovereignty over the railway and causing enormous financial losses. Several of the loans were also usurious, but at least there were no political conditions attached. In other words, as long as the loans were repaid in full and on time, the railway could be redeemed, and sovereignty would not be lost. Problems that could be solved with money were truly insignificant to Zhang Yinghao at the moment.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao had no intention of letting Belgium suffer any loss regarding the Luhan Railway, treating it simply as a normal trade dispute. Prior to the negotiations, he had instructed that the railway could be redeemed at its actual price, allowing Belgium to earn a certain profit. Although Belgium was now on the verge of becoming one of the world's top financial and industrial powers, Belgian engineers and entrepreneurs had built hundreds of kilometers of railways around the world, and the driving force behind these achievements was the Belgian king's colonial dream, a small country is still a small country. Without the support of a massive military projection force in the Far East, it would be futile. In this cruel era, small countries must learn to compromise.

Since the railway was not yet fully operational, and the People's Liberation Army had already effectively seized control of the railways in Hubei and part of Henan, the Liberated Areas, with the assistance of Zhang Zhidong, ignored Belgium's various stalling tactics. When the Sichuan diplomatic delegation entered the Three Gorges, after several rounds of arduous negotiations with Belgium, it was ultimately agreed that the Liberated Areas would pay 42 million taels of silver to nationalize the entire railway. Of course, the Liberated Areas also obtained a wealth of data, machinery, and railway personnel from the Belgian-built railway, which greatly compensated for their shortcomings and accumulated technology and experience for the subsequent construction of the Wuhan Yangtze River Bridge, transforming a natural barrier into a thoroughfare.

Of course, in order to compensate and appease Belgium, the Liberated Area once again put forward several railway route plans for Belgium to choose from, and promised to continue to hire Belgian engineers and other personnel in China to continue to build railways for the Liberated Area...

When the diplomatic corps arrived in Wuhan, a piece of news that shocked China and the world again came out: Belgium gave up the Wuhan Concession and returned it to the Liberated Area Government. In fact, the Belgian Wuhan Concession was a piece of land with an area of ​​about 600 mu that Belgium purchased for 6,000 taels of silver in 1897. The following year, Belgium forced the Qing government to open up this piece of land as the Belgian Concession as a residence for Belgian road construction workers. Of course, Belgium did not really give up the concession willingly. Instead, the Liberated Area paid 60,000 taels of silver to buy it, which was equivalent to giving Belgium ten times the benefit. Of course, in the final analysis, neither side suffered a loss! After all, Zhang Zhidong spent more than 800,000 taels of silver to take back the Belgian Concession in his previous life. Of course, the ability to take back the concession and abolish the privileges of the great powers in China is something that cannot be measured by money!

Chapter 577:

Upon hearing the news upon disembarking, Jordan was stunned for a moment. As a China expert and a man of insight, he immediately sent a telegram to his superior, Minister to China Sa Daoyi, saying: "The China Progressive Party is a quintessentially nationalist party. Their rise is unstoppable. Sooner or later, they will reclaim all the rights lost by the Qing Dynasty. The future ruler of the Far East will not be Britain, Japan, or Russia, nor will it be the United States, France, or Germany. It will inevitably be China. The British Empire must either make complete peace with the Progressive Party, or even form an alliance. Or it can become a sworn enemy, exploiting the principle of unity among the great powers towards China, rallying all the powers to suppress the Progressive Party's development by every possible means, and jointly safeguard the special interests of the great powers in China..."

After receiving the telegram, Sa Daoyi knew that this matter was not something he could decide. After a brief thought, he directly forwarded the entire content of the telegram back to China and attached his opinion on supporting China's powerful faction and suppressing the Progressive Party.

Unfortunately, the British masters had no idea what was happening in China, thousands of miles away. Even the Qing Dynasty wasn't qualified to make complete peace with a rebel faction, so how could a rebel group deserve the British Empire's complete friendship? Currently, the only countries in the world that could be compared to Britain were world-class powers. Could an uncivilized and barbaric country in the Far East really deserve the British Empire's friendship?

As for suppressing the rebel forces, was it necessary to use all their strength? Even if they lost face twice, it was only because they were not prepared enough. As long as the British Empire took it seriously, who could be their opponent? Moreover, Britain was more interested in maintaining a balance of power in the Far East and gaining benefits. Therefore, Britain did not adopt either of the two suggestions!

Zhang Yinghao didn't know at this time that the foreign devil Zhu Erdian had already put the liberated areas in a position where they could either become enemies or allies. If he knew, he would naturally admire Zhu Erdian, a China expert. Of course, that was all. Zhang Yinghao was very busy and couldn't pay too much attention to other things.

Zhang Yinghao and his comrades were listening to a report from Hubei on the interests of the great powers in China. The comrade in charge of the explanation continued, "...Now, in addition to the six foreign concessions in Wuhan, more than a dozen other countries, including Germany, Russia, France, and Japan, have established consulates in Hankou, serving as a bridgehead for infiltration into the heart of China. Furthermore, foreign-funded enterprises and banks have proliferated in Wuhan. Banks from Britain, Russia, Germany, France, Japan, the United States, Belgium, and Italy have flocked to the city, now numbering 21. Foreign businesses have also established over a dozen new factories in Hankou, including egg factories, nonferrous metal refineries, ice factories, flour mills, construction companies, cotton baling plants, and oil mills. They have penetrated every important commercial sector in the city..."

Zhang Yinghao was shocked to learn that there were 21 banks from various countries in Wuhan. He knew that banks alone could not create wealth. The fundamental purpose of the great powers in opening banks in China was to absorb deposits and then reinvest them in their own countries, attempting to drain China's wealth. Furthermore, the great powers had built dozens of factories in Wuhan. In later times, this would have been nothing. But in this era, it was a major event. In this still very backward era, these factories were earning huge profits, and China would not be able to accumulate any wealth at all.

This is like asking a ten-year-old to lift a 50-pound weight—it's completely beyond China's capacity. Zhang Yinghao was well aware that the banking industry played a crucial role in the transformation of free capitalism into imperialism. Small banks were squeezed out by large ones, which in turn were absorbed by the largest ones. This resulted in a handful of the largest banks, which controlled the majority of national capital and monetary income. In every capitalist country, the large banks concentrated over two-thirds of national capital. Furthermore, the integration of bank capital and industrial capital gave banks new functions. Previously, banks' primary business was deposit and loan, pooling inactive currency and lending it to industrialists for a profit. Consequently, banks were merely ordinary intermediaries.

The fusion of bank capital and industrial capital formed financial capital, transforming it into an all-powerful monopolist, commonly known as a "conglomerate." Not only did it use various methods to subjugate businesses across various industries and unite them into monopolies, but when lending to other large companies, it also demanded the right to supervise their management and production processes, issuing orders to them. This combination of bank capital and industrial capital significantly deepened the process of monopoly. The dominance of financial capital over all other forms of capital ensured the dominance of the financial oligarchy.

This was an era of unparalleled cruelty. As the great powers transitioned from free capitalism to monopoly capitalism, monopolies often emerged through the conquest of smaller enterprises by the larger ones, resulting in brutal competition. Capital groups resorted to every possible means to achieve monopoly, a process rife with violence, fraud, and all manner of iniquity. This was the case with the Rockefellers, Morgans, and Carnegies of the United States. For example, the Rockefellers made their fortunes in oil. After the first oil well in the United States was drilled in Pennsylvania in 1859, numerous small refineries sprang up in Cleveland. John D. Rockefeller, known as the Pirate King, sought to monopolize Cleveland's refining industry by buying off and squeezing out all other refining companies, even employing armed road crews to blow up pipelines with heavy artillery.

Later generations talked about how arrogant the Korean chaebols were, not only playing with actresses but also controlling the president. In fact, these are all leftovers from the old superpowers. People living in countries like China will find it extremely dark, but the superpowers are actually used to it. As the saying goes, money makes the world go round. The law seems to be only for civilians. The chaebols are above all laws, and the president is just a tool in the hands of the consortium. Just like the legal possession of guns in the United States, in fact, civilians basically have low-powered or single-shot guns. Heavy firepower and the manufacture of guns and ammunition have nothing to do with ordinary civilians. Moreover, ordinary civilians can have a gun, but those consortiums can also legally possess guns. They have money and connections, and can even legally possess a large number of guns. Who can really do anything about them?

In Marx's "Communist Manifesto," he called on workers of the world to unite! Naturally, only by uniting could the proletariat hope to overthrow the "decadent, backward, exploitative, and oppressive" capitalist system. In reality, even before the proletariat united, capitalism, after developing into imperial financial monopoly capitalism, had already united the world's capitalists through financial monopoly, achieving a stateless state for capital and unifying the exploiting and oppressing classes.

The harsh reality is that while the proletariat has yet to achieve unity, the bourgeoisie has awakened first and achieved unity, making the revolutionary cause vastly more difficult. Without state power, how can the awakened proletariat possibly defeat the reactionaries, who are armed to the teeth, well-funded, well-armed, and well-connected? Therefore, to uncover the dark curtain of capitalism that shrouds the world, to pry open a corner of capitalism, we must begin in countries where capitalism is underdeveloped or completely oppressed and exploited by capitalism. Otherwise, there is virtually no chance of success...

Retracting his vague thoughts, Zhang Yinghao was very clear that with these banks and factories of the great powers constantly bleeding China, the speed at which the Qing Dynasty created wealth could not keep up with the speed at which the great powers were bleeding China. As long as the Qing Dynasty continued to rule China, as long as these banks and factories continued to bleed China, the Chinese people would not be able to become wealthy, and China's industry would have little opportunity to develop, or could only survive in the cracks, and China would continue to be impoverished and weak...

"We must firmly control the financial industry and remove the financial instruments of the major powers, such as banks, from China's financial sector, removing the tubes that directly draw blood from China..."

While Zhang Yinghao was lost in thought, he missed a lot of content. When he came to his senses, he heard the comrade who was introducing him continue: "... Western powers used Hong Kong or Shanghai as outposts for economic infiltration into China, and Hankou was a transit point for Western countries to absorb mainland agricultural and sideline products and industrial and mining raw materials. A large number of foreign companies rushed to set up branches here. By 1905, there were 81 foreign companies in Wuhan, with 574 foreign businessmen. Britain ranked first, with 26 companies and 216 people, Germany had 13 companies and 118 people, the United States had 9 companies and 89 people, France had 7 companies and 84 people, Japan had 9 companies and 106 people, Russia had 5 companies and 67 people, and there were also the Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Sweden, etc. The powers already had huge colonial rights and interests in the Wuhan area centered on Hankou, and their tentacles of aggression had deeply penetrated into all aspects of politics, economy, military, culture, and society.

For example, the establishment of the Hanyang Iron Works marked the beginning of modern steel industry in China. With China's large population, vast territory and strong demand, its future was limitless. Therefore, while the great powers expressed envy for the Hanyang Iron Works, they were more worried that the Hanyang Iron Works would become their powerful competitor in the future and that it would become the starting point for China's rise. In order to make China their colony forever, controlling the Hanyang Iron Works became one of the important goals of the great powers in their competition in Hubei and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

The steelworks' choice of foreign engineers exemplified the struggle for political and economic interests among various nations in China, a key reason for the frequent turnover of engineers at the Hanyang Ironworks. Powerful nations were attempting to establish a foothold for their political and commercial interests in China, and diplomatic representatives were tasked with controlling China's growing industry. Consequently, from 1890 to 1900, the Hanyang Ironworks' foreign management passed from the British to the Belgians, the Germans, the Americans, and finally back to the Belgians for diplomatic reasons.

Seeing that his comrades were listening attentively, Zhang Yinghao suddenly felt that this scene seemed very familiar. Hmm? It was just like taking an essay test now. There was a lot of introduction materials before, then analysis of the problem, and finally providing solutions and answers to the problem.

After presenting all the materials, Zhang Yinghao clapped his hands before speaking: "The relationships between the world's great powers are complex, but they all hold numerous direct and indirect interests in our country. If our country wants to become an independent, self-reliant, prosperous, and strong nation, and truly safeguard its sovereignty and the interests of its people, it will inevitably undermine the great powers' current interests in China. Why do I say current interests in China? Because although these interests in China were obtained from the Qing Dynasty, they are now something we must face. Whether we like it, worry about it, or hate it, we must accept the fact that the great powers have these special interests in China. Therefore, if we want to reclaim these lost interests, we will inevitably conflict with the world's great powers. This is unavoidable, but it is something we must face, and it has nothing to do with our emotions. How to deal with it is our next concern. Now, comrades, please speak in turn, how to face these problems and how to deal with them."

Bao Shilin, a veteran of Zhang Yinghao's career, understood Zhang Yinghao's thinking best. Furthermore, he also had a deep understanding of the financial system, so he spoke first. "Chairman, comrades, the Chairman has previously stated that we must combine principle with flexibility when handling matters. Regarding the financial sectors like the banks of the powerful nations, our principle is to clean up the mess before inviting guests. We must first clear everything out, and then allow them to participate appropriately based on their needs. Flexibility means using different methods to get the powerful nations to leave..."

"What can we do?"

"For example, the British and Japanese concessions were forcibly reclaimed, so the financial capital and property within them could naturally be forcibly confiscated. A bank's simplest business is lending money based on deposits, so their biggest fear is a bank run. As long as they encourage depositors to run on the banks of the great powers, some banks will undoubtedly collapse..."

"If the bank can't hold on, won't some people lose access to their money? It's the people's money that's being lost, right?"

"We must also stop the losses in time. The foreign powers are using our country and people's deposits to develop their own countries, which is already a disguised loss for me. Moreover, will the foreign powers ship back the gold and silver they have shipped back to China? No, the foreign devils will only tear down the east wall to repair the west wall, and will simply withdraw the money deposited later to those who withdraw it. Every ounce of silver and gold that the bank takes away is equivalent to our country losing an ounce of silver and gold, which is a loss for our country and people."