The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

The power of these large landowners and powerful individuals in the region was even greater than that of the Qing Dynasty. Although these militias did not openly rebel, the Qing court relied on these landlords to collect taxes, which in turn gave them control of the financial system. However, this was no longer the era of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and no one could simply lead a group of people to war. Without firearms and self-sufficient ammunition production equipment, they had no chance of becoming warlords.

Liu Wanrong's family was a merchant family, a major comprador, and naturally, like other merchants, they maintained a team of armed merchant escorts—literally, bodyguards. However, merchants were much wealthier than the landlords and gentry, and they also had connections with the great powers, able to obtain guns, ammunition, and even support. Therefore, their training was more militarized, rigorous, and standardized. In a head-on attack, these armed men would be no match for local militias.

The caravan's servants rode their horses furiously, but Guangrao was too far from Qingdao. No matter how fast they ran, they couldn't report to the master in time and send someone to rescue their daughter. If they waited until the Qingdao people arrived, their daughter would have been raped and her life would have been ruined. The shopkeeper mustered his courage and immediately sent his servants to the county government office to file a complaint. Unfortunately, when the officials heard that the Eight Banners were involved, they acted like mice seeing a cat, and dared not provoke those soldiers.

In the end, the shopkeeper had no other choice. Since he couldn't resolve the matter peacefully, he had no choice but to resort to violence. He absolutely couldn't let the young lady get away. He had watched her grow up and loved her like his own daughter. If he said he had lost her, the young master who had formed the militia would be damned.

He knew how much his young master loved his sister. Although the shopkeeper didn't know there was a disease called "sister-protecting maniac", he also knew that if his young master knew about this, any unexpected situation might happen.

The shopkeeper was also a responsible man. Although he was initially panicked by Fuchun's sudden action, he soon began to mobilize all the strength accumulated in his family. In a very short period of time, he gathered a group of good men, purchased a lot of weapons, and re-armed the security personnel he brought with him.

On the other hand, he really didn't believe that his young lady would surrender so easily. You know, his young lady had undergone relevant military training with her brother many times. Besides, for safety reasons, she also hid a small pistol on her body.

However, the final outcome of the incident was completely unexpected for the shopkeeper. His servants and others had been following the Eight Banners for a while when they suddenly heard a gunshot from a carriage. The carriage then suddenly stopped, but there was no movement from inside. The servants, disregarding the danger, immediately ran towards the carriage. The Eight Banners who had been blocking the road with knives were afraid to kill anyone, and they were also curious about the source of the gunshot, so they let the servants pass them and run towards the carriage.

When the servant arrived in front of the carriage, he saw the curtain being lifted and Fuchun stepped out obediently, clutching his arm, which was now bleeding. Liu Wanrong followed behind Fuchun, her face filled with rage, a pistol pointed directly at Fuchun. Liu Wanrong was very clever, knowing she couldn't get out of the carriage until her servant arrived, so she had no scruples at this point.

Obviously, this matter could not end so simply. Although the shot saved Liu Wanrong from being robbed, the thirty-odd carts of goods were given to Fuchun by the shopkeeper as an apology. If this matter had ended so simply, then the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty would no longer be the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty.

Fuchun was getting more and more angry the more he thought about this. Most importantly, he was still lusting after Liu Wanrong's beauty. He had forgotten that lust was a dangerous trap, and he simply couldn't give up. So he immediately ordered his men to find out about the Liu family, and they easily found out.

Although the Liu family was doing business in Qingdao, like many Chinese, they didn't use their profits to expand their business. Instead, they returned home to buy land, intending to return to their roots and become wealthy. Therefore, the Liu family purchased a large tract of land in Qingzhou Prefecture to establish their family's foothold. Merchants valued their reputation, and the Liu family didn't rely on rent collection, so they enjoyed a very good reputation in the local area.

Reputation meant nothing to Fuchun. Now that he knew the Liu family's lair, he wouldn't let it go. He immediately assembled his troops and headed for Qingzhou. For the Eight Banners, the purpose of leaving Beijing had completely changed: from suppressing bandits to plundering supplies for the Qing court. Since the Liu family was so wealthy, this operation was a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

However, as Fuchun approached Qingzhou, he happened upon Liu Wanrong's brother, a local renowned for his fierce protection of his sister, who had come to trouble him. A servant spotted Fuchun and his group from a distance and immediately informed their young master. As the two groups approached, someone from Fuchun's side spotted the servant who had previously protected Liu Wanrong and immediately informed Fuchun.

Just as Fuchun was about to capture these men, the young master of the Liu family rushed forward to engage Fuchun and his men without a word. Unaware that Fuchun was planning to raid his home, the young master decided to resort to fists and kicks. The Liu family prevailed by striking first and acting with exceptional bravery. Fuchun, with their superior numbers, managed to hold their ground. The two sides engaged in a fierce, back-and-forth exchange of blows on the main road.

It was not known whether it was an accidental discharge or someone really wanted to shoot, but after hearing the gunshot, both sides were in chaos, and they started shooting at each other with their guns raised. At this point, Master Liu knew that he was in big trouble, and Fuchun also knew that he was in trouble. However, Fuchun could just say that these people in front of him were bandits, and that was it. After all, they had the final say whether they were bandits or not. At this moment, Master Liu had some reaction. These people in front of him were not kind, and kind people would not come.

Now everyone with a discerning eye knows that the Qing Dynasty is about to fall. Since the Qing Dynasty is about to perish, there is no need to be buried with the Qing Dynasty. My family has money, food and guns, so I might as well fight the Qing Dynasty. If all else fails, I can take my family to Qingdao or flee to the Yimeng Mountains. Both are ways out, and I will no longer be bullied by the Qing Dynasty court. In fact, since the revolution of the Forward Party, the entire folk customs have gradually changed. Not to mention in the liberated areas, even in the areas that have not yet been liberated, the local Qing Dynasty officials have begun to behave in a cowardly manner. There is no other way. With the example of the liberated areas, the people are unwilling to suffer bullying anymore. If they are not welcome here, they will find other places to go. At worst, they will surrender to the red bandits or simply raise the flag of rebellion.

The Eight Banners were an exception. Having spent so much time in the capital, they became completely lost once they left. They had no understanding of the locals, or perhaps their thinking had completely fallen out of step with the times. The Eight Banners' recent rampage had already caused widespread resentment among the locals. The already seething public sentiment suddenly seemed to explode over this incident. The young master of the Liu family, like Chen Sheng and Wu Guang, roared in anger, alarming much of Shandong.

Correspondingly, two developments emerged. First, a sudden increase in the number of people joining the Forward Party's base in the Yimeng Mountains. Second, a surge in bandit militias, including those led by Young Master Liu, began to fight the Qing. Initially, the Forward Party members in the Yimeng Mountains were baffled by this, but upon learning about the actions of the Eight Banners' descendants after leaving Beijing and the Fuchun abduction incident, they suddenly understood the truth.

All I can say is that there is hope for the worst, but there is no hope for the worst!

Chapter 584:

Such a sudden and catastrophic event in Shandong was caused by a minor incident, the wanton abduction of a civilian woman by a minor deputy commander of the Eight Banners. Who could deny this was a miracle? This was a classic example of how a small figure made history. Liu Wanrong instantly became an internet celebrity, garnering both fervor and derision. Countless men were drawn to her appearance, and many newspapers, seeking to curry favor with their clients, specifically promoted her alongside the Four Great Beauties of ancient times, describing her as possessing a beauty so stunning that it could make fish sink to the bottom of the water, geese fall to the ground, and the moon hide in shame. Of course, others said she was a demon born at the dawn of national doom, a beauty who brought disaster to the nation and its people, a beauty so stunning she could captivate the whole city. They described Liu Wanrong as a figure like Mei Xi, Daji, Bao Si, and Li Ji, a scourge to the Qing Dynasty. Such a person must be eliminated in the cradle...

If Zhang Yinghao heard these remarks, he would only feel speechless and sneer. To link the rise and fall of a country to an ordinary woman is in itself the endless sorrow of men. They are unable to solve the contradictions and problems of reality, and do not understand the internal logic and fundamentals of the change of dynasties. Instead, they find a poor woman to take the blame, and even kill a woman to apologize to the world. How unfortunate is this for a country? This is called when there are no heroes, women become famous! Well, you can also say that women are made to take the blame!

As in Du Mu's poem "Staying at Qinhuai," the women, ignorant of the sorrow of their fallen country, continue to sing "Hou Ting Hua" across the river. Whether these women were willing to sing "Hou Ting Hua" or whether they sang it voluntarily remains unknown. But why did Du Mu use the women, whose lives depended on singing to earn a living, to satirize the high-ranking officials who listened to "Hou Ting Hua"? No one educated the women about the sorrow of their fallen country. Is it strange that they didn't know? But didn't they know the bitterness of life? To survive, to avoid starvation, they had to chase after their sponsors. They provided whatever entertainment their sponsors desired, and that was all. What connection did the women's singing of "Hou Ting Hua" have with sorrow for their fallen country? They simply had to survive.

To get back to the point, the recent upheaval in Shandong was truly devastating, a truly cosmic event. Upon learning of the situation, Tieliang, Cixi, and other powerful figures were naturally furious, their hearts aching with rage. However, anger was futile and offered no assistance in resolving the issue; the key was to resolve the situation quickly. Yuan Shikai was also deeply infuriated by the unrest in Shandong. Shandong was the birthplace of the Beiyang government and a key source of troops for the Beiyang army. If Shandong were unstable, it would have a significant impact on the Beiyang army.

The great powers, especially Britain, Germany, France, and the United States, were also paying close attention to this matter. Britain, France, the United States, and Germany held substantial interests in Shandong, particularly in Yantai, Weihaiwei, and Qingdao. Germany, in particular, had built the Jiaoji Railway and was in urgent need of a source of raw materials and a place to sell its goods. Naturally, they did not want their interests in China to be affected.

Therefore, it can be said that the Shandong riots were completely inconsistent with the interests of the Qing Dynasty authorities and imperialism, and even seriously infringed upon their interests. The great powers had too many interests in Shandong. When the huge problem of the liberated areas had not been solved, the great powers and the Qing Dynasty would definitely not allow any problems out of control to occur in Shandong.

After reviewing intelligence reports from Beijing and Shandong, Zhang Yinghao immediately knew the Shandong uprising would be unsustainable. Not to mention that the Liu family, as compradors, would likely be pressured by the foreign powers, forcing them to capitulate in the short term. Zhang Yinghao was certain that if the Qing Dynasty failed to suppress the uprising quickly, the foreign powers, especially Germany, a rising star, would eagerly join the suppression operation, either for their own benefit or to deter potential threats from the liberated areas. They might even seize the opportunity to take further action against the Qing Dynasty.

If the landlord class cannot mobilize the masses to rise up in resistance, it is certain that this riot will quickly fail. But do the landlord class dare to mobilize the masses? Under what pretext can they mobilize the masses? These are questions worth pondering!

However, this uprising, initiated by the Shandong landlord and comprador classes, was unprecedented in history, at least not something Zhang Yinghao had ever heard of in his previous life. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao was extremely curious about this uprising and eagerly anticipated its subsequent developments. Therefore, this landlord uprising was also a very useful case study, teaching the comrades of the Forward Party why uprisings by the landlord and comprador classes were bound to fail, and drawing valuable lessons from it. Therefore, this Shandong uprising was a rare nourishment for the Forward Party, nurturing its rapid maturity, recognizing the harsh reality, understanding the true nature of imperialism, and that the liberated areas must always be prepared for battle...

Because the war took place on Chinese soil, it was Chinese who were slaughtered and suffered. Shandong was inevitably drenched in blood, wrought by the fearful suppression of the Qing Dynasty and the foreign powers. Countless human cruelties were unavoidable, and countless families were torn apart. For Zhang Yinghao, whose career had been smooth sailing, the inability to immediately liberate Shandong, expel the foreign powers, and protect the well-being of the country and its people, and the need to make such decisions with insufficient resources, was extremely painful.

However, after a calm and brutal analysis, Zhang Yinghao was forced to discover a helpless and cruel truth: the Liberated Areas could not intervene too much in the Shandong uprising and could only treat the incident from the perspective of a bystander and a recorder. Therefore, the only way to turn a bad thing into a good thing was to make all members of the Forward Party, and even the entire Liberated Areas and the entire Chinese people, aware of this fact: the landlord and comprador class could not save China. Only the vanguard of the proletariat—the Forward Party—could save China.

Of course, Zhang Yinghao's tone was much milder. He wrote on the document: "Pay close attention to and record the details of the Shandong uprising, and pay close attention to the reaction of the great powers. If the great powers send troops to participate in the war, pay close attention to the combat effectiveness of the German army and other great powers' armies, and record the crimes they have committed in China... The various branches of the Forward Party can send comrades to infiltrate the rebellious army as appropriate, and can also organize and mobilize the people in Shandong. When appropriate, they can lead the troops to the mountains to protect the lives and safety of the people, reduce China's losses, and preserve China's vitality as much as possible..."

Faced with Zhang Yinghao's incomprehensible instructions, a comrade from the Secretariat immediately asked: "Chairman, shouldn't we send troops to support the Shandong uprising? After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, and we have common interests with these rioters. If the Qing Dynasty and the foreign powers send troops to brutally suppress the riot, many innocent people will surely die!"

"If the foreign powers send troops to help suppress the uprising in Shandong, Comrade Liu Hai, how many troops do you think we should send?"

"Hmm? I'm afraid it will take several divisions of troops!"

Zhang Yinghao didn't comment on the question of how many divisions were needed. Instead, he said, "Yes, facing an uprising that is bound to fail, we will send several divisions into Shandong. And then what?"

"Then we will overthrow the Qing Dynasty and slowly recover the concessions and privileges that foreign powers had in China."

After hearing this, Zhang Yinghao didn't get angry. Instead, he smiled and said, "Comrade Liu Hai, are you planning a decisive battle with the great powers on the land of Shandong? Germany forcibly leased Jiaozhou Bay and its surrounding areas in 1898, and later Britain forcibly leased Weihaiwei and other places. The great powers have many interests in Shandong. Because of our liberated areas, the great powers are now afraid of losing even a little bit of their interests, so they are very determined to protect these interests. Although we will eventually recover these leased territories, we must also recover the privileges and interests lost by the Qing Dynasty. However, trying to solve problems all at once is always an impatient and radical approach! This is not a pragmatic attitude! It is not advisable!"

Zhang Yinghao didn't say anything about left-wing adventurism or blind activism. In fact, Zhang Yinghao didn't really want to arrange it this way. If he had enough strength, wouldn't he know how cool it would be to sweep past and win? However, there was really no other way!

So Zhang Yinghao continued, "Our liberated areas have not yet been connected to the Shandong base. Land transportation is extremely inconvenient and transportation capacity is extremely limited. Shandong is still beyond our reach. It is beyond our capabilities and even a bit beyond our strength limit. Several divisions and weapons and ammunition needed for combat are simply difficult to deliver to Shandong. Are we sending tens of thousands of soldiers there to fight an army armed to the teeth with bayonets? If we force our way in, we will inevitably suffer. This is not advisable and not something a wise person would do! Moreover, the focus of our current material transportation is still in the north. Tsarist Russia in the north is our biggest concern. It is not an exaggeration to prepare for a hundred-year war. As for Shandong, it can only be regarded as a minor problem and is not worth mentioning..."

"That's what I said, but, Chairman, I always feel that this is not an attitude of striving for peace?"

This statement touched a sore spot deep within Zhang Yinghao. Didn't he know the people of Shandong were about to face another massacre? Wouldn't that pain him? Truth be told, Zhang Yinghao knew the people's war would inevitably win, that sustained resistance would ultimately lead to victory. However, without sufficient military force to back him up, Zhang Yinghao wasn't willing to pursue victory through such a protracted struggle.

Zhang Yinghao simply wasn't confident he could defeat both the Beiyang New Army and the coalition forces in Shandong in a short period of time without incurring significant sacrifices. More importantly, defeating these armies wasn't enough; he also needed to reclaim Qingdao, Weihaiwei, and other areas, and drive out the foreign powers entirely. This was something the Liberated Areas couldn't achieve with their current military might. Since he knew it couldn't be done, Zhang Yinghao didn't want to try. The cost of trying was too high, and the damage to the Liberated Areas would be too severe. Relying solely on mobilizing the masses to fight, the price would also be too high. Furthermore, Zhang Yinghao didn't want to offend all the foreign powers now, leaving the Liberated Areas completely blocked. Ultimately, Zhang Yinghao traveled too late, had too little time to develop, and the Liberated Areas were too weak to compete with the foreign powers. Otherwise, how could Zhang Yinghao, a future generation, be willing to compromise in the slightest?

"To seek truth from facts, we must know ourselves and the enemy. We must also act within our capabilities. With war potentially breaking out in the north, we cannot afford to create complications. We do not have sufficient strength to fight on two fronts. Moreover, if we send troops into Shandong, will the landlord and comprador classes welcome us? Will we have to engage in another fierce battle with Wang Lun? We cannot wishfully assume that the landlord and comprador classes, suppressed by the Qing Dynasty and the foreign powers, will inevitably welcome us to fight alongside them. This is a wrong idea. We must know that there are only individuals who betray their interests, not classes that betray their interests."

Zhang Yinghao took a sip of tea and continued, "Furthermore, it's wrong to say we're compromising and seeking peace. That's a savior mentality, and it doesn't treat the people of Shandong as if they were our own people. Struggle doesn't necessarily mean sending troops for armed struggle. We're sending Party members and cadres into Shandong to mobilize and organize the people, and that's a form of struggle. There's never been a savior, and none of us are. We, like the people of Shandong, are ordinary Chinese, simply awakened and organized. We're not heroes, just ordinary people who have stepped forward. Therefore, as long as the people of Shandong are organized, they can be as powerful as our liberated areas. Now, we can only do what we should do within our capabilities. We must approach problems pragmatically, knowing ourselves and the enemy, and we can win every battle. Forcing things will only bring pain to ourselves. Of course, we all know that Shandong will inevitably face many tragic events, and we can all imagine the suffering that will lie ahead. So, if any of you comrades are willing to go to Shandong to work and organize the people, the Party Central Committee welcomes you, and I personally approve!"

Seeing that Zhang Yinghao had already said this, the comrades did not say anything else, but continued to work. At this time, Liu Hai suddenly said: "Chairman, I want to work in Shandong."

Zhang Yinghao looked up at Liu Hai and said, "It's not a momentary passion, is it?"

"No."

"Then please write a summary of your visit to Shandong and a plan of action for the future. If you are still determined to go, I will personally approve it."

"Yes!"

Zhang Yinghao ultimately compromised. If the comrades were willing to go to Shandong and organize the people to protest, Zhang Yinghao couldn't stop them. So, he decided to adopt a two-pronged approach: have some comrades organize the people of Shandong for a long-term struggle now, while he continued to develop his own forces and unite them in the future to completely liberate Shandong.

Zhang Yinghao finished processing the recent documents when his secretary came in and said, "Chairman, Huang Xing, Song Jiaoren and others who were sent from Hunan have arrived."

Zhang Yinghao sighed inwardly after hearing this. What historical figures! He sighed slightly and said, "How long have they been in Chengdu?"

"it's been a while."

"Have they taken them everywhere?" "I have taken them everywhere."

"Bring it in, no, bring it in to the drawing-room."

Zhang Yinghao was now completely indifferent to these so-called celebrities, remaining completely unfazed in the face of them. He had met many historical figures, many of whom had changed their fates and were now working in the liberated areas. People like Huang Xing and Song Jiaoren might have been truly outstanding in their time, but the undeniable fact was that most of them came from the landlord class. Furthermore, most of these famous figures lacked any special skills or knowledge of industrial development...

In this impetuous era, revolutionaries are also often impetuous, full of passion but lacking self-discipline. They are not good at doing things honestly, but rather they pursue passion and burn themselves out, all wanting to do great things. It seems that they are unaware of the words in the Tao Te Ching: "Great things in the world must be done in detail, and difficult things in the world must be done in easy ways." Perhaps these revolutionaries have already looked down on the wisdom left by their ancestors, thinking it is all backward!

Chapter 585:

Zhang Yinghao sat for a moment before standing up and walking towards the reception room with his guards. As they reached the door, they saw a number of young people sitting inside, lighting cigarettes or rolling up their horns and smoking. Some were talking loudly, some were whispering, and some were frowning, looking quite anxious.

Zhang Yinghao frowned when he saw this, then walked in with a smile on his face. Seeing Zhang Yinghao walk in, the people inside suddenly quieted down, and many people stood up to greet him.

Zhang Yinghao walked away, bowing and saying, "Everyone has come from far away. I should have arranged a meeting with you a long time ago, but as you all know, Sichuan has had heavy rain recently, so I couldn't delay. I hope you can forgive me! Haha!"

“Haha, you’re welcome!”

"It's okay, disaster relief is important!"

Zhang Yinghao walked to the main seat and sat down. He glanced around and found that the appearance of several people matched the photos in the history books of his previous life. Looking at a fat and slightly honest face, he said: "This should be Mr. Huang Xing, right?"

"Yes! I am Huang Xing!"

"Haha, nice to meet you! I have long wanted to meet you, an outstanding person. Not only did you study in Japan, but you also joined the volunteer army to resist the Russians. You have seen the corruption and

You are a reactionary person. I know you are firmly against the Qing and Manchus."

"Yes, under the rule of the Qing Dynasty, China's situation has deteriorated to the extreme. Military force must be used to disrupt the status quo. Only by carrying out revolution can we save the country from danger."

Zhang Yinghao clapped his hands and sighed, "Well said! Only revolution can overthrow the Qing Dynasty and save the nation! This understanding is absolutely correct."

"So, Chairman Zhang, when do you plan to overthrow the Qing Dynasty?" Zhang Ying and Zhang Hao saw a young man with a spiky beard asking questions and immediately said, "If I'm not mistaken, this should be Mr. Song Dunchu, right?"

"Yes, I'm Song Jiaoren. Chairman Zhang hasn't answered my question yet!" "Haha, Mr. Song, you misunderstand us! What you said is wrong. It's a misunderstanding of us. In fact, we have been working tirelessly to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. We have never stopped since we started the uprising! If the Qing Dynasty were a dilapidated house, we are constantly undermining the walls and removing the bricks. If the Qing Dynasty were a large tree, we are chopping it down with axes. Therefore, there is no question of when to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. In the eyes of our Forward Party, the Qing Dynasty is like dry bones in a tomb. When the time comes and we have done enough work, the Qing Dynasty will naturally perish."

"Chairman Zhang, what I mean is, when will you send troops directly to the capital to overthrow the Qing Dynasty?"

"This is a military secret, so I can't reveal it to Mr. Song here. You'll know when we mobilize. Besides, it's not us who want to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty will fall only when the people want to overthrow it."

"We are also revolutionaries. You are not treating us as your own people. You searched us when we came in. Chairman Zhang brought so many guards with him to see us."

Zhang Yinghao was stunned when he heard the loudspeaker's words and asked, "Who is this?"

"My name is Zhang Ji."

Zhang Yinghao immediately knew who he was. This was a man who had initially supported Sun Zhongshan's alliance with the Soviet Union and the Communist Party, but later became a staunch anti-communist. Although Zhang Yinghao didn't know why Zhang Ji was so resolutely anti-communist, his first impression of him was not good. He immediately recited to himself: "There is no self, no others, no sentient beings, no life..."

After calming down for a moment, Zhang Yinghao smiled and said, "It's not that I don't trust you, but I was assassinated some time ago. There's no other way. My comrades are worried about my safety, so they had to send guards to stay with me. I heard that Mr. Zhang Ji studied political economy at Waseda University. He is a talent our country needs very much! However, our party constitution stipulates that members of the China Progressive Communist Party must completely sever all ties with parties, groups, and individuals that attempt to oppose our party's program. We have different paths and will not work together, so there is no question of trust or distrust."

"It seems you have many enemies!"

Zhang Yinghao smiled calmly and said, "Haha, you're right. We have enemies all over the world, and there are indeed many of them. Many of them want to kill me, so if I have been negligent or offended you in any way, please forgive me and be tolerant, haha!!"

Huang Xing and other revolutionaries had never seen such a person before. He knew that there were many enemies but he was so nonchalant and even calm and composed. This made everyone speechless.

Huang Xing suddenly said, "Chairman Zhang, does the fact that the Progressive Party has no ties with the parties, groups, and individuals that oppose you mean that your actions and decisions are necessarily correct? How is this different from being willful and self-willed?"

Zhang Yinghao was taken aback by this question. From this perspective, it did seem to make sense! No matter how good the Progressive Party's propaganda is, it's just for its own benefit. That might not be a problem, but if problems arise while the Progressive Party is leading the nation in celebration, it will inevitably bring significant losses to the people. Who will be held responsible? If other parties don't identify and raise issues, and if certain problems aren't identified, problems are bound to arise. Small problems not addressed promptly will inevitably become major problems, and the ultimate solution will inevitably be to start all over again.

Of course, Zhang Yinghao wasn't stumped by these words. He immediately said, "This has to do with our different class attributes and political ideologies. Our Forward Party is a proletarian party, the vanguard of the proletariat. Our relationship with the broad masses of the people isn't one of ruler and ruled, or oppressor and oppressed, but rather one of leader and led. We always stand with the masses. One of our political philosophies is to do everything for the masses, to come from the masses and to go to the masses... Therefore, there's no such thing as willful and self-willed behavior!"

Zhang Yinghao said a lot, but even he felt it was a bit empty. What good was his talk? The key was execution. Furthermore, no one is immune to error, and no organization or political party is immune to error. Therefore, this rebuttal to Huang Xing's words was unrefutable.

There are many issues involved here, far more complex than can be fully addressed in a few words. A political party's ability to correct mistakes is also at play. If it recognizes its mistakes and corrects them without whitewashing them, constantly undergoing a process of renewal, then there's nothing wrong with that party. However, when a political party begins to whitewash things, protects one another, and leaves ordinary people with no recourse for redress, it inevitably leads to oppressive rule, and the people inevitably suffer.

Zhang Yinghao was deeply grateful to Huang Xing for this, as it had helped him thoroughly understand a truth: until the masses awakened, even if they did, it would be useless, because organization was always better than no organization. Absolute one-party dictatorship was truly terrifying, and it was bound to deviate from its original form or even fail in implementation. No matter how the original designers perfected the system, the people who implemented and maintained it were still ordinary people, especially the "officials" who were loyal to their superiors but not to their subordinates. As the economy developed, this would only become more and more distorted.

It seems that Taizu was also afraid of the change of the country! No wonder Mao Zedong wrote poems like "Su Zhongqing":

Back then, loyal to our country, we worried about being beheaded. Now, with our country in our midst, who will protect us? Our work is unfinished, our bodies are weary, our hair is gray. How can we bear to let our cherished aspirations go to waste?

While Zhang Yinghao was alive, he might have been able to keep the system intact, but what about after his death? Or even after several generations? The blessings of a gentleman are cut off after three generations, and the blessings of a sage are cut off after five generations. How long can the blessings of the founding fathers last? Using the founding fathers to rally the people's hearts will eventually drain away their blessings. At that time, the government was extremely powerful, especially when everyone was obsessed with money. What did the scattered people matter? They became mere objects of manipulation, even deception.

We have to find a way...

Before Zhang Yinghao could think deeply, Huang Xing said, "Even leaders and followers can make mistakes, right? When you lead the people and make mistakes, who will bear the responsibility for the losses?"

Zhang Yinghao now understood that Huang Xing and his men had been thoroughly prepared for this meeting. No matter how many white sheep he saw, he couldn't be sure there weren't any black sheep on the grassland. So, as long as Huang Xing and his men were certain that there might be black sheep on the grassland, their statement would be absolutely correct.

Therefore, such a rebuttal was meaningless. Zhang Yinghao immediately asked, "Mr. Song Jiaoren studied at the American Episcopal Wenhua Academy in Wuhan. What do you think of this?"

Upon hearing this, Song Jiaoren coughed and said, "After overthrowing the Qing Dynasty, our country should learn from the American two-party system, establish a constitution, implement constitutional government, and have the two parties take turns in power. Only in this way can the people's sovereign rights be guaranteed, and only in this way can the people freely participate in politics and gain freedom and liberation..."

Zhang Yinghao had heard these clichés countless times before, and now, hearing them again, he couldn't help but reveal a hint of impatience. Huang Xing, with his sharp eyes, immediately noticed Zhang Yinghao's impatience. Song Jiaoren was indeed a man of constitutionalism, and his arguments were coherent and well-reasoned. The revolutionaries who had come with him had heard these remarks countless times before, yet they still listened with great interest.

After Song Jiaoren finished speaking, Huang Xing immediately said: "Chairman Zhang seems to disagree with Brother Dunchu's statement?"

Zhang Yinghao smiled and said, "Let me ask Mr. Huang, Mr. Song, and everyone else a few questions. You said you were drafting a constitution. So, does this constitution protect the interests of the landlord class or the interests of the poor peasants?"

"As long as we abide by the Constitution, we will naturally protect everyone!"

Zhang Yinghao smiled again and said, "Then in places like Tibet, Yunnan, and Gansu, where slavery still exists, should we protect the interests of slave owners and monks, or the interests of slaves?"

"The United States has enacted the Slavery Abolition Act, so we also announced the abolition of slavery and then protected their interests."

"If that's the case, then everyone should agree that abolishing slavery harms the interests of slave owners, right? Do you agree with that?"

"But the abolition of slavery is the trend of the times..."

Zhang Yinghao waved his hand to stop him and said, "So, we can understand that when the Constitution was drafted, it was already determined that it would only protect the interests of a certain group of people and could not benefit all classes. Is that correct? We can't treat different people differently and use different laws, right?"

Seeing everyone pondering, Zhang Yinghao continued, "The state is a tool of class rule. The American two-party system is indeed good, but you have overlooked one point. This country is ruled by the bourgeoisie. No matter which party is in power, they represent the interests of the bourgeoisie. If a party makes a mistake, it can step down and then continue playing the game later. Does this count as taking responsibility? What kind of master is this? It's just a political game.

Furthermore, in our country, the rulers are the Manchu royal family, and the ruling class is the landlord class. The main contradiction in China is between the landlord and comprador classes, imperialism, and the working people. In order to protect the interests of the working people, we must undermine the interests of the landlord and comprador classes and imperialism. This is a zero-sum game, an irreconcilable contradiction. If a two-party system is implemented in China, then, may I ask you, what classes should our two parties represent?

"Is this why you forcibly deprived the landlords of their land?"

Zhang Yinghao said frankly, "That's right. This is why we forcibly expropriated the land of the landlord class and distributed it to the vast majority of landless and landless peasants. When the whale falls, all things come to life. Now, only when the landlord class falls can the vast majority of poor peasants survive and live a good life. This is the fairness and justice that our Progressive Party upholds."

"You are tyrannical. Such plunder is the behavior of bandits..."

Seeing that some representatives of the landlord class were beginning to stir, even speaking excitedly, the guards immediately wanted to go up and fork out the babbling people. Zhang Yinghao waved his hand to stop the guards.

Seeing Zhang Yinghao's actions, Huang Xing immediately said: "Chairman Zhang, in fact, most of us come from landlord families. If it is for the revolution and to save China, we can even hand over all our land. However, your forceful seizure of the landlords' land is indeed too much. At least you can redeem it with money or determine the land price before dealing with it..."

Zhang Yinghao wanted to sneer after hearing this, but he suppressed his sneer with great perseverance and simply said lightly: "Mr. Huang is very understanding and is even willing to betray his own class for the sake of the country and the nation. I admire him deeply, but are you sure you can convince your family to agree to donate land? Can you convince the landlords in the village next door to donate land? Can you convince landlords across the country to donate land? As for redemption, I also want to redeem the land of landlords and nationalize it. The only problem is that we don't have enough funds to develop factories and industry, so how can we afford to redeem the land of the landlord class? Moreover, the land issue is extremely complex, and a one-size-fits-all solution is the best solution now... Therefore, our positions can only be determined by class. You speak for the landlord class, while I stand for the working people. That's all."

"Why does your Progressive Party want so much land?"

"It's not that our Progressive Party wants more land. I personally don't have an inch of land. All land should be nationalized and then distributed to farmers across the country. Whoever tills the land should own it. This is our ideal."

"Isn't the state the landlord? Doesn't that mean you, the Kadima Party, are also the landlord?"

"You can understand it that way, but one of the principles of our Progressive Party is that the nation's land feeds the nation's people, and this requires responsibility and obligation. So I can't say anything about your understanding. But how often does the landlord class drive people to death while collecting rent? How often does our country not see people starving to death? Since the landlord class cannot fulfill their responsibilities and obligations, the only option is to reclaim their land, and let the state assume the responsibilities and obligations that the landlord class, as the ruling class, should have, to feed the people."