The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

In addition to these questions, there were also questions about the policies and philosophies of the Progressive Party, as well as some math and logical thinking questions. Zhang Yinghao couldn't say whether he was satisfied or dissatisfied with the exam. He didn't know the specific procedures for taking the civil service exam in his previous life, but as a leader in this life, he knew what kind of talent he needed.

The principles of openness, equality, competition, and meritocracy must be upheld. Only in this way can we, as Li Shimin said, "all the heroes of the world are within our grasp." However, relevant political review is still necessary. Those who fail the political review are naturally barred from joining the civil service or the military.

Zhang Yinghao's civil service exam was over. He knew what his next job would be: industrial development. This was undeniable; without industrialization, China had no future. Zhang Yinghao had always been very dedicated to this end.

In his previous life, Zhang Yinghao only knew that Japan's Meiji Restoration made Japan strong, but after traveling through time and experiencing the changes of this era, Zhang Yinghao understood more clearly the changes that Japan was going through in this era.

In reality, everything was forced upon them. Why did Japan have to overthrow the shogunate? It was a desperate situation; failure to do so would lead to national annihilation. The conflict between the shogunate and the anti-shogunate faction had reached a point of life and death. And after the overthrow of the shogunate, Emperor Meiji was forced to carry out reforms, otherwise his position would be jeopardized. There was nothing more to this than a naked conflict of interests.

So in the past, Japan had experienced the anti-Mu movement and then the Meiji Restoration. They understood very well what the Qing court and even China would do in every step. In fact, it was just like how people in the 20th century looked at African tribes. Everyone knew what those tribes would do next.

Japan didn't suddenly become civilized during the Meiji Restoration; rather, the soil that fostered the Meiji Restoration had already been nurtured before the anti-Muslim movement. Zhang Yinghao's current revolution is essentially like the civilized Japanese choosing to overthrow the Muslim regime, so it's obvious that the Japanese fear a revolution in China. Japan's overthrow of the shogunate through the Meiji Restoration was actually a revolution that set Japan on the path to industrialization. It's no wonder that in previous lives, when dealing with the Qing Dynasty, Japan was so successful. In his previous life, Zhang Yinghao thought the Qing Dynasty was truly useless, but now he doesn't think so.

The Qing court was the equivalent of Japan's shogunate. The shogunate ruled Japan for three hundred years, and the Qing ruled China for almost the same three hundred years. Therefore, the Japanese had a pretty good idea of ​​what the Qing would do and what they would face if they were overthrown. There's nothing new under the sun; even a poor student who knew the answers performed just as well as a top student. By rote memorization, the Japanese understanding of the Qing court completely surpassed that of the Chinese of the time.

Zhang Yinghao now fully understood why Western powers feared revolution in countries they had bullied, and why they prevented their colonies from developing industry, especially heavy industry. After a revolution, the only path forward was industrialization, as this era could no longer regress to feudalism. Furthermore, these countries had themselves struggled out of these backward feudal states, and these industrial nations understood the transformations that industrialization could bring.

The knowledgeable people in these countries are very clear in their minds that for the sake of their own national interests

Considering that suppressing the revolution in non-industrial countries is an inevitable fact for imperialism. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao must desperately develop industry, which is the key to the development of the entire country.

The way to protect your home.

After understanding this, Zhang Yinghao gained a deeper understanding of the principle of making friends with distant nations and attacking nearby ones in foreign policy. In the short term, the interests of China, Japan, Russia, Britain, and France were extremely conflicting. After driving the Japanese and Russians out of Northeast China, Zhang Yinghao felt that they could gradually withdraw from his focus.

However, after learning that Japan and Russia had actually experienced a revolution, Zhang Yinghao knew that Japan and Russia were much more advanced than the Qing Dynasty, not only in industry, but also in

To deal with Japan and Russia, as well as the powers behind them, is definitely not as simple as driving them out of the Northeast.

In the meantime, we must always be prepared for war, otherwise we will suffer great losses.

While Zhang Yinghao has led the Progressive Party to certain successes, to claim that it has completely suppressed Japan and Russia is wishful thinking and not objective reality. However, given China's size and population, once it embarks on the path of industrialization, Japan and Russia will face competition from a rapidly growing China. With such a large population, industrialization will require more resources and a larger market. It is absolutely impossible for Japan and Russia to obtain sufficient development funds and resources from China as they did in the past.

After figuring this out, Zhang Yinghao no longer dares to slack off at all and must speed up industrial development.

The second thing Zhang Yinghao needed to do was to address ideological issues. Many people didn't know what the Progressive Party actually was. Most of its members weren't highly educated, and the general public was largely illiterate or semi-literate. Zhang Yinghao had to explain to them in the simplest terms: the Progressive Party determined what kind of country China would be.

Zhang Yinghao had already made plans. Regardless of what happened domestically and internationally, he planned to spend the next five to ten years establishing the first stage of ideology in the minds of the people. This meant establishing the concept of a nation-state, learning the concepts of communism and socialism, and establishing a consensus throughout the Party and the army on anti-imperialism and anti-feudalism.

Zhang Yinghao knew that socialism also has a term that's easily confused: state capitalism. State capitalism is a form of capitalist economy controlled by the state. Its nature and role are determined by the nature of the state. In capitalist countries, because the state itself is controlled by the bourgeoisie, state capitalism is a disguised form of private capitalism. In the imperialist stage, it becomes state monopoly capitalism. In socialist countries, capital is an economic model under state management, interconnected with the socialist economy in various forms, and subject to the supervision of the people.

Zhang Yinghao knew he would have to start actively engaging in capital operations, but he didn't know much about capital operations. However, he did know that socialism and communism didn't mean there was no capital. On the contrary, socialism and communism were supposed to be better at operating capital than capitalism.

But capital operations without a foundation of communist ideals are bound to be a complete disaster. Zhang Yinghao sometimes shudders when he thinks of past South Korea, where ordinary people were manipulated by conglomerates and Jews used bonds and other means to hold the United States, and even the world, hostage. The question is whether capital reigns supreme over power, or power controls capital.

When it comes to the question of enlightenment, Zhang Yinghao is confident that the Chinese have the most say. The Great Harmony Society has been promoted for two thousand years, and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom represents the pinnacle of the agricultural era in China and even the world. The Chinese people understand the significance of land. In the agricultural era, the largest source of capital was land, while in the industrial era, the largest sources of capital are industrial monopoly capital and financial capital.

Zhang Yinghao was bold enough to launch a thorough land reform. Even though he still doesn't know whether his land-sharing reform was right or wrong, the slogan "everyone has land to farm, everyone has food to eat" is absolutely correct. The Chinese people readily understand that the food grown on China's land feeds all Chinese people, and that land is a means of production.

The Chinese have talked about a harmonious society for two thousand years. Although that society is entirely imaginary, this does not prevent the Chinese from yearning for this beautiful vision. The reason why a communist society is achievable is because it is scientific. In fact, Marx, Engels, and Lenin did not know the specifics of communism.

Therefore, Marx and Engels devoted extensive space to refuting feudal socialism and other pseudo-socialisms. Once all the falsehoods had been refuted and the erroneous path had been exhausted, what remained was true socialism. Lenin even believed that once the entire Soviet Union achieved electrification, the initial stage of communism would have been reached. Therefore, to this day, no one knows what communism will look like. In fact, if one knew what communism would look like, it would imply that development has an end point, which contradicts the principle of seeking truth from facts.

Zhang Yinghao didn't know exactly what communism would look like, but he knew what the world would look like a hundred years from now. Knowing more about the future was Zhang Yinghao's greatest advantage. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao knew that the Forward Party urgently needed training in communist ideologies. Once the Forward Party began engaging in capital operations, and after witnessing the power of capital, without a foundation of communist ideals, serious problems were inevitable. Although Zhang Yinghao didn't know the specifics of how things would unfold, having played around in the stock market in his previous life, he knew firsthand how terrifying it was.

Theoretically, the highest stage of capitalism is equality before capital, but in his previous life, Zhang Yinghao had never seen a capitalist country achieve this. Although countries like Britain and France had sent emperors to the guillotine, a nation like Britain, which prides itself on being the Lord of the Inscriptions, still has kings. Birth determines destiny. Even the United States, the most developed capitalist nation, still retains numerous feudal remnants. This is especially true for the so-called blue-blooded aristocracy, the consortium that formed the Federal Reserve, which still enjoys unparalleled privileges.

Socialism, which stands above the entire capitalism, aims to revolutionize everything that hinders the development of productivity. How can this be a simple matter? Therefore, socialism despises capital and regards capital as just a tool that can be used. If capital can be used to improve productivity, then the proletarian party will operate capital. When capital can no longer play a role in developing productivity, it will be discarded.

Zhang Yinghao now believes that capital is merely a tool, something that makes his work more convenient and motivates Party members, cadres, and the general public. However, without the foundation of communist ideals and the belief that progress is endless, once capital is used for personal enjoyment or to serve individuals, rather than to increase productivity and expand reproduction, then this is a path down the wrong path.

Zhang Yinghao now has an instinctive wariness of financial capital, and he never hides his class interests. The proletariat is the lowest class, a member of the working people, and the foundation of society. Therefore, the proletariat is the class that most pursues liberation. Only by liberating all of humanity can they liberate themselves. In this sense, as long as formalities such as the state and nation exist, the realization of true communism is absolutely impossible.

The proletariat is the most self-interested class. When the proletariat can live well enough and have access to sufficient resources, then everyone in the world will be able to live a prosperous life. The state is a tool of the ruling class, a tool to maintain the interests of the ruling class. Why does a country promote patriotism? In fact, in Zhang Yinghao's opinion, it should promote love for oneself. Because once the protection of the state is gone, the power of the individual is too weak to protect their own interests.

From this perspective, the reason those traitors betrayed their country was that they must have found another country to rely on, and secondly, their personal interests were completely at odds with the interests of the country. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao knew that the entry into communism would be a joint effort of the entire people. At that time, the state would be dissolved, and the army would no longer exist. If only one country did not enter communism, then from the perspective of the organized defeating the disorganized, this backward country could even defeat the communist country. Every time Zhang Yinghao thought of this, he found it amusing.

After so much practical work, Zhang Yinghao is extremely disgusted with the lies about capitalism in his previous life, especially the era in which he lived in his previous life, when financial capital spread one lie after another, which made Zhang Yinghao see the true face of capitalism more clearly.

Zhang Yinghao now understood that no matter how many checks he wrote or how many zeros he added to the numbers, if there were no one to plant and harvest the land, no rice or steamed buns would grow. A sedan chair wouldn't move on its own without someone to carry it. Without a solid foundation, even if it appeared to flourish temporarily, it would ultimately be nothing more than a facade.

All finance is based on physical production, and all profits are based on labor. This simple and straightforward statement is enough to debunk the capitalists' lies. However, Zhang Yinghao knows that any person or country that disregards capital finance will pay a heavy price. While financial capital cannot generate wealth, it can transfer it. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao will never allow financial capital to go unchecked; he will firmly control it.

Capitalists possessing capital does not necessarily mean they are wealthy; many are even deeply in debt. Capitalists only profit after their goods undergo that "thrilling leap" from commodity to currency. To expand their markets and seize raw materials for capital, colonizers have plundered the world for centuries.

Zhang Yinghao believes that China's current path of developing productivity and tapping into its internal potential is the correct one. However, Zhang Yinghao wouldn't be so pedantic as to desperately suck the blood of a health pack when it's available; that would be servile. Zhang Yinghao understands that a large country like China can resolve its internal problems internally, or externally.

Ultimately, however, internal problems must be resolved internally; external intervention can only delay them. Therefore, many of the problems of this era cannot be solved internally, so we resort to launching wars to seek external solutions, as the cost of waging war is too low.

After the two world wars, and especially after the advent of nuclear weapons, the ruling classes realized the high cost of waging war, and so they desperately sought internal solutions. For example, in the 21st century, China and the United States, since neither side dared to engage in war and thus destroy each other, the only options were negotiations, struggles, and cooperation under the premise of peace.

After reviewing the civil service exam papers, Zhang Yinghao had to implement the political review process, and convening a meeting of relevant comrades was a must. In his previous life, Zhang Yinghao hadn't known which department was responsible for the political review, but he felt it would involve the assistance of the local public security bureau, as well as personnel from the personnel department, the organization unit, and the Political Security Bureau.

"Comrades, before we liberate the country and train a new generation of successors, we will not systematically accept those old-fashioned scholars. We should not give those old-fashioned scholars the opportunity to join our ranks, but let them decay and wither with the times."

Zhang Yinghao has addressed this issue many times before. The Progress Party's lack of cadres is undeniable, and as a result, it often uses the abilities of those who are considered "old intellectuals" without giving them power. While this can only be achieved through institutional exclusion, appropriate adjustments can be made in practice.

When Zhang Yinghao explained ideology, communism, socialism, and other issues to his comrades, many did not understand. However, when he explained specific tasks, these comrades generally understood everything. Therefore, everyone listened attentively to Zhang Yinghao's explanation.

"What kind of political party is our Progressive Party? Our Progressive Party is a party centered on getting things done. It is a workers' party, a labor party. One of our philosophies is that labor creates value. Therefore, our Progressive Party emphasizes that those who can get things done and do them well should be assigned to the corresponding positions. If you can't get things done, then you should go and do what you are supposed to do.

But what kind of people are those old scholars? They only care about getting promoted and making money. When they join our team, their first thought is not to get things done, but to use the old bureaucratic tricks they learned before to climb up the ladder. Those old scholars believe that scholars should be high and mighty, commanding others to work, and they believe that labor is a lowly thing.

Zhang Yinghao knew very well that it was very easy to destroy a person. All it took was to convince them that reading was a sacred fact, that scholars were superior to others, and they would practically be destroyed. Someone who despised labor, someone who despised workers, could never understand the meaning of labor.

"What do you think is the purpose of reading? Old scholars say that reading can enlighten us, but we must understand whose principles they are enlightening. In fact, one of the most important purposes of reading is to solve problems. As a new political party, managing such a large country, we will encounter countless problems. Therefore, the Progressive Party must continue to learn and make progress. However, the purpose of our learning is to solve the problems we encounter. If you don't read and know how to read, many tasks will be inconvenient, and you will not understand many things.

Our approach is completely different from that of the old intellectuals. Our different understandings of this issue are even more terrifying and serious than the contradiction between ourselves and the enemy. Everyone is clear about the contradiction between ourselves and the enemy, so we can still guard against it. But once these old intellectuals infiltrate our ranks, their thoughts, actions, and behaviors can corrupt our moral character.

Therefore, we do not accept these old intellectuals from a systemic perspective. Furthermore, there is no such thing as a mentor in our Progressive Party. If you don't know how to proceed, we hold a meeting to discuss it. By consulting with our comrades, we can always find a solution. Any condescending or overbearing behavior should not occur in the Progressive Party.

Zhang Yinghao was deeply concerned about the emergence of so-called "big bosses" within the Progressive Party. If someone emerged who didn't want to work but only wanted to seize power, they would be even more terrifying than the enemy. However, Zhang Yinghao also knew that many comrades within the Progressive Party were married to women from prominent families. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao would approve cadres who could use their wealth and future as collateral. However, this would entail the assumption of joint liability. If something went wrong, the recommender's life would be in jeopardy. He had to shoulder the responsibility of misjudging people.

Now, Zhang Yinghao only dared to dwell on a problem for a short while before shifting his focus. He simply didn't have the energy to solve specific problems. He could only try to remedy the situation after his subordinates' work went awry. He had no other choice. For one thing, Zhang Yinghao's own energy was limited. His secretary worked three shifts, and Zhang Yinghao himself worked and rested at random, with no fixed schedule. He could only manage eight hours of sleep a day.

However, this kind of remedy after the sheep have been lost does have its benefits. First, it can serve as a case study to educate fellow comrades. Comrades of the Forward Party now face new challenges daily, so using the mistakes of their own comrades to educate them is a particularly good idea. Zhang Yinghao tolerates mistakes made by his comrades in their work. Once these comrades have a clear understanding of what constitutes a crime, a mistake, and a failure, all work becomes easier.

No one in this world is perfect. If we were to condemn all those who made mistakes, the Progressive Party would have wiped itself out. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao strongly encouraged his comrades to work hard and constantly make mistakes, which enabled them to grow rapidly.

Zhang Yinghao now understands the saying more and more: the purpose of rest is to work better. In addition to work, life is also for better work. In the past life, there was a saying: small wealth depends on hard work, and great wealth depends on fate. Now Zhang Yinghao thinks that this saying should be changed to small wealth depends on physical strength, and great wealth depends on ability. How much money can a person earn by working hard?

Relying solely on physical labor, one can only achieve a small fortune. However, in previous lives, even a simple skilled worker's income was not low at all. That's why Zhang Yinghao conducted extensive vocational training, training ordinary workers to become skilled workers, so that their income would be significantly increased. Of course, social development will eventually eliminate the huge gap between manual labor and mental labor, but in the short term, this gap will only widen.

After giving instructions on the political review, Zhang Yinghao put the matter aside. He himself wasn't clear on how the review would be conducted, but he believed his comrades would be able to provide an answer quickly. Everyone with a discerning eye now knew it was only a matter of time before the Progressive Party took power. Therefore, when the Progressive Party announced its recruitment of talent from all walks of life and the public examination, it caused a huge response.

The Qing dynasty had abolished the imperial civil service examination not long ago, following the trend. Now the Progressive Party has actually started a civil service examination similar to the imperial examination. Isn't this a blatant regression? However, those who read the relevant content carefully will find that the Progressive Party has begun recruiting clerks rather than officials. In other words, these people were recruited to do work, not to become officials.

If the country is likened to a large factory, then the people recruited are the workers, and the officials are the factory managers, drawn from these officials. Zhang Yinghao naturally couldn't allow someone fresh out of school to enter the upper echelons; they must have grassroots work experience.

Zhang Yinghao planned to select all future state officials from among these "clerks." If these comrades were suddenly given high positions without grassroots experience, it would often lead not to comedy but to tragedy. Zhang Yinghao knew the saying: "A new official starts with three major tasks." Once power is in hand, orders are issued.

After the meeting, Zhang Yinghao returned home without seeing his mother or Xue'er, but he didn't mind. After leaving Sichuan, he had no intention of returning. Sichuan was a huge stage for most people, but for Zhang Yinghao, who now had ambitions for the world, it seemed a bit small.

Moreover, why is it that every time the country is divided, the warlords are like crazy trying to unify it, when it is obvious that they can still live a life of luxury by ruling a certain area?

Xiang Yu just didn't want to unify the country and wanted to divide the country among the princes. In the end, he was defeated by Liu Bang.

Zhang Shicheng also wanted to establish his own kingdom and did not want to unify the country, so he was eventually defeated by Zhu Yuanzhang. He did not want to unify the country, but other factions did, so he had to fight continuously until only one faction was left. Zhang Yinghao naturally could not let down the party members, cadres and the people.

Zhang Yinghao knew he couldn't hold a general election right now, but he knew the saying, "A new official starts with three major changes." So, after liberation, the general election would take place in the third year of the five-year plan. This way, policies could be smoothly transitioned.

If a new generation of officials is left to formulate their own plans after they take office, major problems will arise, as plans will not be in line with reality. However, if the plan is implemented for two or three years before the election, the elected officials will still have to continue to implement the previous plan. After two or three years of practical work, they will have a more or less understanding of the actual situation. When formulating plans, there will be no new officials making new moves, and no policy will be abandoned after the new officials leave.

Confucius said: "If a man does not change his father's ways for three years, he can be called filial." In ancient times, life was difficult. After a father passed away, his children continued to follow the rules left by his father. This way, the family would not have major problems and would be able to safely overcome the loss of the family's pillar.

Imagine, in ancient times, when productivity was extremely low, that a father had planted wheat on a piece of land, with good harvests year after year. But the next year, after his father's death, his son planted rice in pursuit of higher yields. Because he didn't understand the actual situation, the land was not suitable for growing rice, resulting in a poor harvest. The family might not simply face starvation, but even face the possibility of family destruction.

Therefore, a smooth transition is extremely important. However, Zhang Yinghao doesn't need to worry too much about this matter right now. Because the Liberated Area is developing too rapidly, relevant interest groups have not yet emerged. As for the actual situation in the Liberated Area, Zhang Yinghao feels that he is still under control...

Chapter 706:

Just as Zhang Yinghao continued to vigorously mobilize party members and cadres and set up a large number of short-term crash courses for training and further study, diplomats from Britain, France, Japan, Russia and other countries had already come together for negotiations. Zhu Erdian, Lu Ban and others had returned to the capital without seeing any results.

The actions of the Liberated Areas had already seriously threatened the interests of Western powers in China. The Qing government, plagued by internal and external troubles, was unable to resist the People's Liberation Army and the Forward Party, and therefore had to seek help from the foreign powers. With the Qing court's request, the foreign powers were even more eager to divide and plunder China and gain further benefits. Western powers took advantage of the situation in the Qing-controlled areas even more brazenly, hoping to cut more fat from the Manchus. Britain, France, Japan, Russia, and other countries jointly urged the Qing government to sign more unequal treaties. The Qing court then requested the foreign powers to send troops to attack the Liberated Areas again, promising that if the rebels were eliminated, the Qing would agree to any conditions...

Everything was carried out in secret. Time passed little by little, and as autumn turned to winter, the temperature in Beijing dropped sharply. A cold front moved south, and the weather became increasingly cold. Due to mental and physical exhaustion, coupled with the cold weather, Cixi caught a cold and was bedridden.

Cixi is now 71 years old, which is considered a long life in this era. Cixi lying sick in bed is no different from an ordinary old man in his twilight years. Moreover, Cixi's condition continues to worsen, and this time it seems that she has really reached the point of running out of energy.

Cixi, who ruled China for nearly half a century, undoubtedly wielded immense influence. However, her illness had also created a tense atmosphere in Beijing. Various factions were mobilizing, colluding, and attempting to profit from the chaotic situation.

Zhang Yinghao also quickly received the news that Cixi was seriously ill, and immediately called everyone together and said, "Hold a meeting."

Zhang Yinghao knew in his previous life that Emperor Guangxu died before Empress Dowager Cixi. He wondered if she had caused his death, and therefore wondered if Cixi would make the same choice in this life. Zhang Yinghao looked at the comrades present, briefly briefed them on Cixi's serious illness, and then said, "According to the confirmed information we just received, Empress Dowager Cixi in the capital is terminally ill. Once she passes away, what do you think will happen next? What should we do?"

"Chairman, if Cixi dies, then the imperial power will return to Guangxu. I don't think anything will change. However, we can also take this opportunity to overthrow the Qing Dynasty and unify the country."

"Chairman, I think there will be some chaos in the capital after Cixi's death, but with us watching closely and Emperor Guangxu still around, there shouldn't be any major unrest."

After listening to the comrades' speeches, Zhang Yinghao smiled and said, "We have taken note of everyone's words. Perhaps we will soon know whether your predictions are accurate. If some comrades' predictions are correct, don't be proud. If they are wrong, you should also recognize your mistakes and your shortcomings."

"Chairman, what do you think will happen to the capital? What should we do?"

Zhang Yinghao raised his head and continued with a smile: "I think everyone has overlooked one person, that is Yuan Shikai, and also overlooked the power and influence of the great powers in China. The great powers all know that the Qing Dynasty is no longer viable. Will they interfere in China's internal affairs? I think they definitely will. This is such a rare opportunity! And what about Yuan Shikai? If Yuan Shikai gained the support of the great powers, and acted like Cao Cao, holding the emperor hostage to control the princes, or even taking risks and attempting to usurp the throne, then the puppet emperor Guangxu might not survive..."

"Chairman, the current situation is a situation of internal and external troubles for the Qing court. Who can solve these difficulties? Is Yuan Datou really willing to jump into this fire pit?"

"Hehe, look at history. The Qing Dynasty started with only thirteen suits of armor. Many local governments were smaller than a province at their peak. If Yuan Shikai seized power, it's possible he could have taken over three or four provinces. Wouldn't that be larger than the territories of the great powers like Germany, France, and Japan? With the support of these powers, the Beiyang government would have the qualifications to fight for the world."

Seeing that all his comrades nodded, Zhang Yinghao continued: "In the feudal era, destiny was not controlled by people. How could kings, princes, generals and ministers be of different species? So if people really want to control their own destiny, they must climb higher and climb to the highest. In the Ming Dynasty, Yu Qian was ordered to teach the King of Han to read. The King of Han asked in return, what is the essence of the classics, history, and collections? Yu Qian said: All-encompassing. The King of Han said: Strive to be the emperor! Therefore, do not underestimate Yuan Datou's ambition. As a person who has invaded the court and the country, as a person who started his career with military merits, and as the head of the military group Beiyang, he wants to ascend to the position of emperor from the bottom of his heart.

You know. After Li Zicheng was defeated by the Qing Dynasty in Yipanshi, he ascended the throne with Shangluzhiercheng and became the emperor for 42 days. Why? Hehe! He was able to sit on that position.

For the leader of the uprising, it was truly worth dying for! His name will live on through the ages! Didn’t we also have the farce of someone proclaiming himself emperor in our liberated areas?”

"Chairman, what should we do then?"

"That's why we need to unify our thoughts now. Why do we keep the Qing Dynasty? There are many reasons, but one of them is that the Qing Dynasty is already surrounded by us. No matter how the Qing Dynasty jumps around, no matter what happens in the capital, no matter what changes occur, we are confident that we can control the situation. So it's not bad to keep the Qing Dynasty to take the blame for us, and let the Qing Dynasty put on a big show for us, so that our comrades can open their eyes. However, if Cixi dies, the white cloth business will be very good, so we should prepare white cloth and white towels to sell in the capital. We should be able to make a lot of money after Cixi's death."

"What if Cixi kept the death a secret?"

"That shouldn't be the case. As a foreign-run court, how long could they keep such a major event as Cixi's death secret?"

Just as Zhang Yinghao unified his comrades' minds, hoping to witness a grand drama of power struggle within the Qing Dynasty, Yuan Datou's ambitions truly grew like wild weeds. The British envoy had already hinted at this possibility many times, even engaging in numerous discussions. Yuan Datou was Britain's spokesperson, and since Britain needed to protect its interests, it would be easy for Yuan Datou to gain British support. The diplomatic corps had long understood that the corrupt Qing Dynasty was unpopular, and that Yuan Datou was a good choice to replace it.

Japan and Russia naturally also supported Yuan Shikai. After all, the liberated areas were the great enemies of Japan and Russia. If the Forward Party ruled China, it would be a disaster for Japan and Russia. Revenge would not be so easy, and it would even be a fantasy.

Yuan Datou immediately called a few of his confidants and favorites for a secret meeting. Yuan Datou said: "According to the secret report, the Empress Dowager Cixi is already terminally ill and has difficulty eating and drinking. I am afraid she will not live long. Alas, I am afraid that there will be unrest in the capital. Let's talk about it. How should we respond?"

The group of people below looked at Yuan Datou, and perhaps only they themselves knew what they were thinking. The current Minister of Military Affairs, Xu Shichang, knew Yuan Datou's thoughts best. After all, Yuan Datou once wrote a poem "Expressing Aspirations" to encourage himself: "The dragon and tiger before me cannot fight each other, and the murderous aura rises to the sky. I want to open my huge mouth to the sky and swallow all the Hu Tianjiao in one gulp."

There is also a widely circulated saying of the "Ten Evils of Xishan Mountain," which refers to: the bear (Dorgon), the badger (Hong Chengchou), the osprey (Wu Sangui), the wolf (Heshen), the donkey (Hailancha), the pig (Nian Gengyao), the python (Zeng Guofan), the monkey (Zhang Zhidong), the fox (Cixi), and the toad (Yuan Shikai). All of these indicate Yuan Shikai's desire for that position.

So I heard Xu Shichang say: "Gong Bao, if Empress Dowager Cixi passes away, the power will have to be returned to Emperor Guangxu, this... "

As a smart person, there are some things that cannot be said. After all, if Emperor Guangxu came to power, then the first person to be dealt with might be Yuan Datou, after all, Yuan Datou had stabbed Guangxu in the back. If Yuan Datou was dealt with, then the Beiyang government would not be able to please him!

The literati rebelled for ten years without success, hiding their intentions and making no sense. But the officers under Yuan Shikai were different. Cao Yin, the idiot Cao San, immediately shouted: "Sir, let's just go all out. If that little Guangxu doesn't let us have an easy life, then we won't let them have an easy life either."

"Yes, Governor, this is an excellent opportunity. Let's launch a coup and purge the court."

"Except for the little emperor, Cixi and the emperor were at odds anyway, so we can just say it was Cixi who did it. We can push a little emperor to power, use him to control the princes, and then you can ascend to that position, rule the whole world legitimately, and eliminate the rebels."

If someone dares to start, naturally there will be people who express their loyalty. Yuan Datou was hesitant at first, and finally said with a shy look: "Is this feasible? This is a matter of life and death. If I fail, I will be sorry for everyone."

At this time, Yuan Shikai did not know that he should take the initiative to assume responsibility. Instead, he wanted to follow Zhao Kuangyin's example and be forced by his subordinates to sit in that position and wear the yellow robe.

"I will serve you even if it means death."

Seeing his men kneeling in unison to pledge their allegiance, Yuan Datou was very excited, but he said calmly: "But...but, what should we do if the Red Bandits attack us at this time?"

China now must look to the Forward Party for support. Yuan Shikai cannot help but worry. Even if he has his subordinates' loyalty, what good will it do? Without a solution to the Red Bandits, will he be emperor for just a few dozen days like Li Zicheng?

At that time, there was no Xinhai Revolution advocated by Sun Yat-sen, so if Yuan Shikai overthrew the Qing Dynasty, how could they come up with the idea of ​​establishing a republic? Everyone would definitely support Yuan Shikai's enthronement so that they could take credit for being his successors.

"Gong Bao, we've already expanded our army considerably and are ready for a fight. Furthermore, the main force of the Red Bandits is tied up in Mongolia and Northeast China. It's freezing and snowy right now, so they can't mobilize their troops. Even if they wanted to attack, they'd have to wait until next year. By then, you'll have secured the throne, commanding the empire with legitimate authority, and you'll have the support of the great powers. Do we, the Beiyang government, really fear a bunch of rebels?"

Yuan Datou nodded. That was the truth. Siberia and the Northeast were covered in ice and snow. The Red Bandits might be a threat to the Beiyang government, but the threat had been reduced to the lowest point. If it happened to coincide with the death of Empress Dowager Cixi, it would be a golden opportunity. If you don't take what Heaven gives you, you will suffer the consequences; if you don't take it when the time comes, you will suffer the consequences! If he waits until he has firmly established himself on the throne, he can then slowly negotiate with the Red Bandits. Since the Red Bandits can patiently keep the Qing court, if he gives in a little, will the Red Bandits definitely want to destroy him?

"However, we must gain the support of foreigners. The key is the support of the English and the French. In addition, the Red Bandits have a grudge against both Japan and Russia, so they will definitely support us. We can even ask Japan and Russia to make some moves on the border to contain the rebels. At most, we will give up some interests. With the support of these countries, the external threat will be gone, and we will have the time and capital to defeat the Red Bandits and seize the world."

After hearing the analysis, Yuan Datou said immediately: "Everyone, Bu Wu (Xu Shichang's pen name), it is not convenient for me to come forward in person on this matter. You should contact the foreigners on my behalf and negotiate the terms. In addition, I also need you to coordinate with the Beiyang government. Once this is accomplished, you will be the Prime Minister."

Xu Shichang listened and nodded immediately, saying, "Okay, I'll do it. We absolutely cannot let the Red Bandits seize the world, otherwise there will be no peace in the world."

Yuan Datou nodded and said, "Yes, if the Red Bandits take over this world, none of us will have a good ending. So, Zhiquan, Zhongshan, and the rest of you, the soldiers below, please train well and don't slack off. The generals and governors will naturally have a share of your share..."

Next, Xu Shichang met with the envoys of the various powers stationed in China on behalf of Yuan Datou. The envoys immediately expressed their support for Yuan Datou. After all, having Yuan Datou replace the Qing government was the best solution. With the exception of Germany and the United States, the relations between the other powers and the Progressive Party government had always been poor. If the Progressive Party government eliminated the Qing government and took over the central government of China, it would not be a good thing for the powers, even for Germany and the United States. In comparison, the Beiyang Group was their best choice.

Of course, Yuan Shikai also promised that after he ascended the throne, the interests of the great powers in China would be further expanded. Xu Shichang even agreed on Yuan Shikai's behalf to borrow money at high interest rates, purchase weapons and equipment from Japan and other countries at high prices, and recognize the treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty.

Because of the Qing court's corruption and backwardness, the Beiyang government had long been dissatisfied with the court and even extremely disappointed with it. Yuan Shikai held a high prestige within the Beiyang government, and everyone naturally hoped that Yuan Shikai would rise to the top. Naturally, no one dared to openly stand up to him. Especially Feng Guozhang, Cao Kun and others who held military power were loyal to Yuan Shikai and would never betray him.

Of course, Yuan Datou also secretly granted official titles and made a promise, saying that after he became emperor, all high-ranking officials of the Beiyang government would naturally be considered meritorious officials and they would definitely not be treated unfairly. The high-ranking officials of the Beiyang government are now wealthy and are basically the targets of the dictatorship of the liberated areas. They are against the liberation areas unifying the country, and the Qing court is unreliable, so they can only support Yuan Datou. Is there any difference between working under the Qing court and working under Yuan Datou? Moreover, Yuan Datou has always been their old superior. Even if the Qing court is overthrown, the Beiyang government will still be plagued by internal and external troubles. Yuan Datou needs them even more and wants to win them over. Would the old superior still treat them unfairly? Would he dare to treat them unfairly?

After gaining the support of foreigners and his subordinates, Yuan Shikai was naturally full of confidence. He seemed to have seen himself standing at the highest position. You know, the Yuan family had never produced an emperor in history. If he became the emperor, it would bring honor to the family and would definitely leave his name in history!