The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 707: First update!

Transportation in this era is incredibly inconvenient, and for Zhang Yinghao, a native of his previous life, it's hard to adapt. In his previous life, a dense network of roads and railways closely connected the entire country. But now, those roads are completely gone. Even the north-south Beijing-Guangzhou railway, which Zhang Yinghao often traveled on in his previous life, is still unfinished. Crossing the Yangtze River is only possible by ferry; there's no major north-south bridge. Zhang Yinghao knows he has a long way to go, but he still has time, so he can only patiently continue processing relevant documents or holding meetings with relevant colleagues.

Ever since he found out about the fabricated content of those junk newspapers last time, in addition to the selected content in the newspapers sent to Zhang Yinghao, Zhang Yinghao also needs to purchase several commercial newspapers from the market in order to achieve the purpose of supervising the work results of the newspaper industry and the Propaganda Department. Sure enough, after the rectification and closure of many tabloids, the effect is obvious, and there is a lot less irresponsible content.

One day, Zhang Yinghao was reading the newspaper when he came across a report about an incident on the Changsha-Chenzhou section of the Han-Yue Railway. The article detailed a demolition worker's visit to a widow's home to negotiate compensation. The gist of the matter was that because the woman disagreed with the demolition, the local "official" issued a harsh warning: "Whether you agree or not, it will be demolished. What can you, a woman, do? If you don't agree, we'll arrest you and then demolish the house. You have three days to move to a new house, or you'll be arrested and jailed, and your house will be demolished, and there will be no compensation..."

Everyone wants fairness and no one wants to be bullied, especially by the public, so once this incident was reported, it immediately caused an uproar. Especially since many people still disagreed with the railway construction, they immediately found an excuse to vent their anger, making statements like, "Chinese people are attached to their land," "building a railway is useless," and "it disrupts feng shui." Some who had returned from abroad and learned a few words about law cited the saying, "The wind can come in, the rain can come in, but the emperor can't." They argued that if women disagreed with the demolition, forced relocation was not an option, and that the people's rights must be respected. All sorts of evildoers jumped out with their own rhetoric, attempting to prevent the railway construction and development in the liberated areas.

Practice makes perfect, and railway construction will become faster and faster, especially when the railway is built in sections and trains can run on the railway, which greatly facilitates the transportation of materials. As long as the logistics are sufficient and the engineering team becomes more and more proficient, the construction speed will naturally increase, and more difficulties can be overcome. Naturally, there will be forces that want to prevent the construction of railways in the liberated areas, create trouble, and stifle the development of the liberated areas.

Of course, some people think that the woman is just being unreasonable. They have already compensated her for her new house, so why doesn't she agree to the demolition?

The rapid construction of the railway was also due to the need for land reform in the liberated areas. This integration of the railway and land reform was crucial. The vast tracts of land along the route were not distributed to anyone, making construction exceptionally smooth and minimizing the need to compensate those who occupied farmland along the route. However, the railway sometimes had to pass through villages. The trains of this era were truly "trains," with steam engines blazing and lightning, and thick black smoke billowing from their chimneys. This caused significant environmental pollution and considerable harm to people, so houses near the railway lines were uninhabitable and required demolition. Furthermore, from the perspectives of environmental pollution, disrupting feng shui, and causing damage to people's physical and mental health, trains of this era were not a good thing. For China, where land is a precious commodity, the idea of ​​contaminated land being uncultivable was difficult to accept.

Zhang Yinghao had a rough idea of ​​what was going on after reading the report. There was definitely something wrong with the staff member who came to negotiate compensation. They shouldn't have made random remarks or threats. Furthermore, the woman involved didn't behave in an aggressive manner. She even went to the local government to file a complaint, and was eventually directed to go to court. That's when the story was reported.

It was definitely wrong for those staff members to make harsh remarks. However, the amount and method of compensation for building the railway were personally formulated by Zhang Yinghao with reference to the demolition compensation method in his previous life, and it was passed by the National People's Congress. It should be said that it is relatively reasonable.

Of course, without an investigation, there is no right to speak. Zhang Yinghao naturally cannot say much now. Zhang Yinghao does not know whether the compensation money was embezzled or the compensation process was not followed. As long as the process is followed, there will be no problem in applying for judicial demolition in the end. Or is it that the staff relied on their power to handle the problem simply and crudely?

However, for Zhang Yinghao now, he actually hates those greedy nail households, of course, those who obviously received too little compensation due to corruption and other reasons are exceptions.

Zhang Yinghao knew that this matter could be resolved even if he did not intervene. Building the railway was now one of the most important things in the liberated areas. A large amount of manpower and material resources were invested in it. Under the consensus of the whole party and the government, under such a great trend, especially in this era of slow information transmission, the resistance of this woman was like a cicada trying to shake a tree or a mantis trying to stop a chariot. In the end, it would seem insignificant and would inevitably be crushed by the torrent of the times.

However, Zhang Yinghao immediately asked his secretary to find out the reason why the woman refused to be relocated. Building the railway is for the public interest and the benefit of the people. It is impossible to stop investing so much manpower and material resources because of the selfish interests of a woman. If all the villagers have been compensated and resettled, and no matter how much they negotiate, the woman still refuses to be relocated again and again, then no matter how many negotiators are replaced, it will be in vain and forced demolition will have to be done in the end.

At this time, the railway construction was all done by government departments, and it can even be said that there were powerful departments involved. If you want to discredit a woman, it is really not too easy.

It can be said that the Revolutionary Committee alone can completely make this woman have no way to go to heaven or hell, and have no place to redress her grievances. However, Zhang Yinghao naturally did not want such a thing to happen.

Regardless of the final outcome of the woman's lawsuit, the best solution is for her to agree to the demolition. As long as she agrees to move, all problems will be solved.

With Zhang Yinghao's intervention, the staff member who had spoken harshly was quickly given a serious warning and transferred from his position for training. If he passed the training, he would be assigned a new job or even demoted. The secretary also quickly learned the truth about the woman's real objection to the demolition.

It turns out the woman's husband was a member of the Black Flag Army, previously formed by veteran General Liu Yongfu. He participated in the Sino-French War, fighting against the French and aiding Vietnam. Shortly after their wedding, the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 broke out, and the Treaty of Shimonoseki ceded Taiwan. The woman's husband then traveled to Tainan with Liu Yongfu, fighting against the Japanese and defending Taiwan, ultimately dying a heroic death.

The woman was stubborn and believed that her husband would come back to see her, so she refused to move and wanted to wait for her husband to come back in the house.

The body returned to her hometown, and she always stubbornly believed that her husband was not dead and that he would come back. So this woman is completely unreasonable now. It is not a question of compensation, but a refusal to relocate. In this case, Zhang Yinghao

I don’t know if it can be said to be unreasonable.

Zhang Yinghao could also imagine that if this woman admitted that her husband had sacrificed himself and would never come back, then what was the point of her ten years of waiting? She would even have to bear the reputation of being a jinx. As an innocent person, what had she done wrong? Ultimately, this was due to the corruption and incompetence of the Qing government, or the fact that backwardness would lead to being beaten.

Zhang Yinghao immediately said to his secretary: "Send a telegram to Comrade Liu Yongfu to see if the remains of this woman or other clues can be found. Inquire with other members of the Black Flag Army to confirm their identity and deeds. Let the Veterans Affairs Department make a martyr's honor certificate for this woman's husband and give him certain care. This is something that the Qing court did not do well. We must do it even if we know it. This is the country's fault for the martyrs, and even more so for this woman. We cannot let the martyrs bleed and cry, and we cannot favor one over the other just because this martyr is not a member of the People's Liberation Army. They all fought for the country and deserve our respect and love.

Furthermore, we should provide this woman with a job on the railway, so she understands its importance. The railway's construction aims to reduce the number of casualties like her husband's. We should also introduce her to the outstanding comrades who work tirelessly on the railway. The comrade responsible for negotiating relocation compensation should explain to this woman that her husband's sacrifice was a testament to his resistance to aggression, a sacrifice for his country and his people. It was a glorious and noble death. He was willing to fight because he didn't want to see his country bullied, his people enslaved, or become a slave to his nation. Furthermore, he wanted this woman to have a better life. If she refuses to relocate, she's betraying his dedication, his love, and his sacrifice. Tell this woman that her husband would be heartbroken and in tears if he saw her living in a dilapidated house waiting for his return. He certainly wouldn't want her to suffer for him. If necessary, we could even arrange for this woman to perform a soul-calling ceremony at the seaside, inviting her husband's spirit to return home and join her in her new home.

Zhang Yinghao's goal is to defeat magic with magic. Even the most stubborn person can be defeated with a single blow if he finds their weak spot. This is especially true nowadays when most people still have a bit of feudal superstition. He can use superstition to defeat superstition.

As Zhang Yinghao had anticipated, the matter was quickly resolved. After receiving Zhang Yinghao's telegram, Liu Yongfu immediately confirmed that the woman's husband was indeed a member of the Black Flag Army and had indeed died. Because of the urgency of the war in Tainan at the time, there was no way to transport the remains back to China. They had to be buried on the spot or even left exposed in the wilderness, leaving them to the Japanese to deal with. Ultimately, nothing remained of the remains.

After seeing Zhang Yinghao's telegram and understanding what happened, Liu Yongfu's eyes turned red, as if he had returned to the time when he and his tribe made a bloody alliance, burned incense and paper, and announced to heaven and earth that they were willing to work together and never regret it.

Although Liu Yongfu was in Qinzhou, at nearly seventy years old, he still traveled thousands of kilometers over mountains and hills to personally visit the woman's home and tearfully explain the situation. He repeatedly said that he had not done his job well, that he had not done it properly, and that the soldiers who led Wanwan suffered heavy casualties, and he even claimed that he was guilty...

The Veterans Affairs Department contacted other Black Flag Army personnel and personally informed the woman of her husband's sacrifice. They also issued her a Martyr's Certificate of Honor and provided her with gifts. The railway department also offered her a job as a cafeteria assistant, and demolition workers, following Zhang Yinghao's wishes, told her that her husband preferred a better life for her and that she should not let his sacrifice go to waste.

Through the joint efforts of multiple departments, this woman eventually agreed to withdraw her lawsuit in court and relocate. She even began to speak highly of the Party and the new government, becoming a true supporter of them. She then worked diligently and studied diligently, freeing her mind and shedding the feudal shackles that bound her. She became a member of the Women's Federation on the railway construction site. She later met a man who also worked on the railway, remarried, had a child, and lived a life of unashamed bliss.

Chapter 708: First update!

While the liberated areas were overcoming all difficulties and carrying out construction, the struggles in the Qing court had reached a white-hot stage. In particular, in order to save the financial crisis and other situations, the Qing court, under the slogan of "unifying the currency system and returning the rights and interests", also learned from the Forward Party to issue paper money in order to control the financial economy. At the beginning, the Qing court really wanted to solve the problem of money shortage and only planned to temporarily issue 10 million taels of silver.

The exchange coupons could be exchanged for silver. However, the Qing court did not understand economics and was greedy. As time went on, the financial revenue became increasingly insufficient, and the government had to print paper money.

After reaping the sweet rewards of the Qing Dynasty's policy, the Qing government no longer cared about the lives of its people. They immediately activated all the money-printing machines, continuously printing more. By then, the total amount of Qing Baochao issued had reached over 10 billion yuan, a thousand times the planned issuance amount! Consequently, prices also rose 5,800 times compared to before. At this point, the Qing Baochao had completely lost its credibility. The mess had become unmanageable, and the economy of the Qing-ruled region was on the verge of total collapse.

At this time, prices were no longer rising sharply every few days, but rising several times a day. For example, the affordable cotton cloth store in Tianjin changed its price tags as many as 12 times a day.

One coal miner recalled: "At the beginning of the month, wages were calculated, enough to buy five dou of rice. After receiving wages, if the foreman agreed to go out and buy rice immediately, then we could buy two or three dou of rice. But if we waited until the end of the day, the rice shop would be closed, and the next day we could only buy one dou or even half a dou of rice."

Another weaving factory worker recalled: "Once, the capitalists delayed paying our wages, and as a result, our monthly wages could only buy five kilograms of rice, which was not enough to live on."

Prices soared like a whirlwind, seriously threatening the lives of the people. According to statistics, the number of bodies of people who froze to death or died homeless on the roadside and were not buried reached 12 on December 2, 1906 alone.

However, under the coercion of the new armies such as the Beiyang government, gold, silver and foreign currencies of financial circles and common people in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei provinces flowed into the Ministry of Revenue Bank of the Qing Dynasty. In a few months, a total of gold, silver and foreign currencies worth more than 2 million taels of silver were looted.

Silver! The issuance of Qing treasure notes plundered the wealth of all walks of life in the ruling area. It was a feast for all, but the economic collapse of the Qing Dynasty was about to come at any time.

Even more serious was the fact that, in order to control the New Army, some Qing nobles began to use Qing Baochao instead of some of the original silver dollars as pay for the Beiyang New Army starting in November 1906. These banknotes issued by the Qing Dynasty were not recognized by the foreign powers, and the people did not want to accept them at all. They could only use them as quickly as possible in military-related shops, but these shops were seriously short of supplies. This made the soldiers of the New Army very confused. Soon after, the Beiyang New Army actually began to owe pay for the first time, which completely aroused the anger of the soldiers of the New Army. Privately, they began to discuss the reason for the demise of the Qing Dynasty.

On December 27, 1906, Yuan Shikai, the Governor-General of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang during the Qing Dynasty, was impeached by numerous imperial censors. The imperial family, fearing the Beiyang forces, began to take countermeasures to eliminate Yuan Shikai. Most members of the Grand Council also demanded that Yuan Shikai relinquish power. In such circumstances, Yuan Shikai did not back down, but took a risky action.

Because Yuan Datou already knew that Cixi had passed away at this time, but Yuan Datou

At this time, it was unknown that Cixi had taken Guangxu with her. However, the Qing imperial family chose to keep the death a secret for the sake of political stability, the survival of the Qing dynasty, and a smooth transition of power. However, Yuan Shikai had already planted a large number of spies in the palace, who tried their best to spread the news of Cixi's death outside the palace.

Upon receiving the news, Yuan Shikai immediately contacted the British, French, Japanese, and Russian powers. After gaining their support, on the evening of January 4, the Second and Fourth Regiments of the Beiyang New Army suddenly took action upon receiving Yuan Shikai's orders. They surrounded the First Regiment, which served as the imperial guard, forcibly disarmed the Manchu-led First Regiment, and took control of the capital.

Under the pretext of clearing the court of corrupt officials and punishing treacherous officials, Yuan Shikai arrested and imprisoned all the censors and other ministers who had impeached him. All the military ministers, except for Xu Shichang and others who were inclined towards him, were arrested and imprisoned. The residences of the Qing imperial family and nobles were also placed under strict surveillance...

Yuan Datou immediately sealed off the capital as soon as he took control of the palace, continuing to suppress the news of Cixi and Guangxu's deaths. He then called another meeting with his men. Having already begun his plot to usurp the throne, Yuan Datou displayed his fortitude. He immediately ordered Duan Qirui, Cao Yin, and the others, "Zhiquan, you must continue to strengthen the training of your soldiers. If the Red Bandits attack, you must defend Zhili, Shandong, and other areas. Only in this way can we maintain our foothold."

"Yes, sir." Duan Qirui, Cao and other generals nodded in agreement. Wang Shizhen then spoke up, "Sir, the soldiers are generally dissatisfied now. The Qing Dynasty's treasure notes have lost their credibility. If we continue to issue Qing Dynasty treasure notes, I'm afraid the soldiers will mutiny. We have been spreading rumors that the court is to blame and issuing paper money to the soldiers. All the soldiers resent the court and are willing to follow us to overthrow it. However, if we continue to issue paper money, once the soldiers find out that they have been deceived, their anger will inevitably turn to us, and then the soldiers will be difficult to lead."

Sheng Xuanhuai immediately said, "Sir, the Qing Dynasty's reckless issuance of paper money is self-destructive, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, the reckless issuance of Qing treasure notes has caused prices in the Zhili, Tianjin, and Beijing regions to soar, and the people are living in dire straits. If there is no capital injection to solve this problem and stabilize the financial system, then we will have no tax revenue, and collapse will not be long."

Yuan Datou had already made up his mind at this time and would not be intimidated by the difficulties. He immediately said: "I will find a way to solve the problem of money. The great powers all support us. If it really doesn't work, we can borrow money from them..."

Yuan Datou naturally knew that he had to keep the financial power firmly in his hands, so even though Sir Jordan had promised that the British Empire would lend Yuan Datou at least 10 million pounds to stabilize the situation, Yuan Datou refused to say it at this time, just to let his subordinates know that he was a capable person and everyone had to rely on him.

Of course, Yuan Datou also knew that if he had no money, his failure or even destruction would be imminent. Therefore, Yuan Datou would not rely entirely on the British and French powers. He also knew that Britain, France, Japan, Russia and other countries were wolves and tigers that would eat people without leaving bones. If he borrowed money from them, he would inevitably have to pay a higher price. Moreover, at this time, Yuan Datou had to satisfy the thirst for money of his soldiers and also get enough money. Therefore, Yuan Datou had his own goals.

The Qing court was very poor due to the excessive extravagance of the royal family and the payment of indemnities. However, the princes and nobles of the Qing Dynasty were very rich. For example, Yizhu's "Qingna Company" openly sold official positions and accepted bribes from officials of all ranks. It accepted all comers and its business was always crowded with customers. It could receive hundreds of thousands of taels of cash and gifts worth more than one million taels of silver just for a birthday celebration.

The Manchu nobles, having sucked the blood of China for over two hundred years, were fabulously wealthy, and even the Eight-Nation Alliance could not plunder them completely. Yuan Shikai naturally set his sights on these nobles, believing that if only they could absorb their wealth, their Beiyang clique would survive for a considerable period. Thus, a premeditated "mutiny" began in the capital.

On the evening of January 5, 1906, gunfire erupted suddenly in the East District of Beijing, and flames shot up into the sky. Horrified citizens watched as groups of armed soldiers, like hungry wolves, pounced on every street corner, looting and plundering. Nearly every shop, bank, or wealthy household they passed through was spared. Lawless civilians then took advantage of the situation to loot, the soldiers and bandits merging into one. The victims were treated like lambs to the slaughter, leaving them to their ravages.

It was later confirmed that the mutiny originated from the 9th Army Artillery Battalion stationed at the Dongyue Temple outside Chaoyang Gate. They first looted merchants outside the city walls, then bombarded Chaoyang Gate at night, attempting to force their way into the inner city. The baggage carriers stationed at the Lu Mi Cang opened the gates to let them in. Troops stationed at the Shuaifu Garden, the Tudi Temple, and other locations also responded. They then branched out and began sweeping through the East City and the commercial district outside Zhengyang Gate, causing the situation to spiral out of control. On the night of the 5th, the Dong'an Market and its surrounding areas suffered the most, being looted and burned to ruins.

The mutiny was orchestrated by Yuan Shikai in an effort to solve military pay and financial problems. Yuan Shikai was overconfident and believed he could control the army well. However, after the mutiny, the soldiers' actions were no longer under Yuan Shikai's control, and the situation unfolded beyond his expectations.

Dong'an Market, once a bustling hub of the capital, was bustling with merchants. With numerous shops burned down, the already stagnant business became even more stagnant. When shops and homes were looted, many owners fled to save their lives, while those seeking profit often stole. Many items that the bandits hadn't been able to carry off were left in the streets, where citizens found a bounty.

That night, the Yi Army stationed in the capital was the first to dispatch troops to quell the rebellion. However, without a kill order, they primarily focused on intercepting and dispersing the rebels, failing to effectively deter the bandits and robbers. This led to the continued burning and looting throughout the night. The next day, seeing the situation completely out of control, Yuan Shikai was furious and immediately declared martial law, taking appropriate precautionary measures. However, the mutiny spread like a plague.

On the night of January 6, the defeated soldiers who had not satisfied their greed the day before turned back from Fengtai and other places. Some soldiers stationed in Xicheng joined forces with them and rioted again. The catastrophe was even more tragic than the riot in Dongcheng last night.

That night, the military and police, who had been on guard in advance, began a forceful crackdown, beheading the rebels and robbers. The situation in the capital improved slightly, but the garrisons in Baoding, Tianjin, and other places mutinied one after another, and the capital region was in a state of panic.

The devastated Dong'an Market, where people stood frozen in the rubble, found it difficult to describe their state of mind. The crooked Qing Dynasty dragon flag atop the distant gatehouse was probably one of the few remaining artifacts from the market.

After the chaos subsided, rumors spread that patrol officers were planning door-to-door searches, causing unrest. Consequently, the Patrol Headquarters issued a notice ordering that anyone found property must be returned without permission, and failure to do so would be considered robbery.

The streets were littered with corpses to deter lawless individuals. These victims were all dressed in civilian clothing, not rebels. Whether they deserved execution was beyond the pale of judgment. Looters were shot at, yet no one spoke out. Compared to the night terrors and devastating destruction experienced by law-abiding citizens, the public always assumed these thieves deserved their punishment.

The chaos subsequently spread to Baoding, Tianjin, and other cities, ultimately spreading throughout Zhili. The war not only caused immense social panic and economic losses, but also led to a rough estimate of losses for merchants in Beijing alone, amounting to tens of millions of silver dollars. Over 4,000 businesses in the inner city and over 600 in the outer city were looted, with gold shops, silver shops, pawnshops, and jewelry stores being the hardest hit. Among them, the Hengda silver shop, which also operated a gold shop, was completely destroyed, losing 400,000 taels of silver and 3,000 taels of gold. When the mutiny later spread to Tianjin and other places, its branches were also not spared. Dozens of royal residences were looted, and digging three feet deep into the ground yielded tens of millions of taels of gold and silver.

Yuan Shikai, the mastermind behind the mutiny, reaped rich rewards, becoming instantly wealthy. However, the aftermath of the chaos in the capital caused by the mutiny was extremely complex and will not be detailed here. The mutiny was caused by Yuan Shikai's instigation of Cao Yin and others. The mutiny was sparked by the deterioration of discipline among Beiyang soldiers, and dissatisfaction with unpaid wages and reduced salaries, which led to the mutiny.

Western diplomatic corps in China had initially welcomed Yuan Shikai's overthrow of the Qing court, even achieving a peaceful transfer of power. However, the sudden mutiny at this juncture caused great concern among the foreign embassies. Upon the outbreak, martial law was declared, and the guards in Dongjiaomin Lane were placed on high alert. Italy, the United States, and the United Kingdom successively dispatched armed soldiers to escort their nationals from the danger zone to the embassy compound overnight. At midnight, over twenty bandits attempted to escape through Chongwenmen Gate. Seeing the German troops stationed there and nearby, they dared not venture beyond the designated area and instead continued their burning, murder, and looting elsewhere.

.…group….

Foreign diplomatic corps questioned Yuan Shikai's ability and inability to control his own army. They were also very dissatisfied with the mutiny and looting that undermined regional stability. If the British, French, Japanese and Russian envoys to China had not continued to express their support for Yuan Shikai and negotiated with other envoys, the powers might have issued an ultimatum to Yuan Shikai and launched another war of aggression against China!

Even though Jordan and his colleagues expressed support for Yuan Datou, Jordan's understanding of Beiyang's finances was even better than that of the Beiyang government itself. In fact, the great powers knew that Beiyang was broke, and they also realized that Beiyang's "mutiny" might actually be an attempt to get money. This could not help but disappoint Jordan and his colleagues, because Yuan Datou's behavior of losing the support of the people was completely digging his own foundation and digging his own grave. Jordan also realized that he had to speed up his actions, otherwise Beiyang would not be able to hold on for too long and would collapse. In that case, Yuan Datou would be of no value at all.

Although the Beiyang New Army controlled by Yuan Datou was still very powerful, it was still difficult to control the situation facing internal and external troubles! However, at this time, Yuan Datou was already in a difficult situation. If he could not open up the situation as soon as possible, his fate could be imagined!

Yuan Shikai, realizing the seriousness of the "mutiny" getting out of control, immediately mobilized the remaining reliable Beiyang troops, as well as those in the area where the mutiny had occurred, to suppress the rebellion and search for the roaming mutinous soldiers. With a look of hatred and gloom, he addressed officers such as Wang Shizhen: "All soldiers who flee will be shot upon capture, and all looted property will be confiscated. All other soldiers will be given triple their pay to appease the troops..."

Yuan Datou looted so much money this time, which eased his financial pressure.

He was naturally very happy. But he was also very worried about losing control of the army. Yuan Datou knew that his power came from the army. Without the support of the army,

He was nothing. Moreover, these soldiers actually absconded with the money, which was what he could not accept the most. So he hated these fleeing soldiers very much. Once these fleeing soldiers were caught, Yuan Datou's only way to deal with them was to kill them with iron-blooded means without mercy.

While Yuan Shikai was busy mobilizing his troops to quell the situation in the capital, Mongolia and other places encountered big trouble. Since mid-December, the Siberian cold current has moved south, and strong blizzards have hit the Mongolian Plateau. Tribes in central and southern Mongolia have been severely affected. In some areas, the snow depth is as deep as one meter. Herders on nearly a thousand kilometers of grassland have suffered from snow disasters, and their yurts have been crushed, resulting in a serious shortage of fodder and a large number of livestock frozen to death. The lives and even the lives of local people have been seriously threatened.

After receiving the disaster report, Zhang Yinghao ordered Zhang Feng to set up a temporary command center for snow-fighting and disaster relief, immediately mobilized troops to join the ranks of snow-fighting and disaster relief, and sent troops to assist the local government in urgently transporting relief supplies.

This sudden snowstorm crushed many of the yurts of the Outer Mongolian nomads. Even worse, a large number of their cattle, horses, and other livestock froze to death. Without their livestock, the nomads wouldn't know how they would survive the coming year.

As we all know, disaster relief also has different levels of difficulty. Generally speaking, among large-scale natural disasters, drought relief is generally the easiest, followed by earthquakes, then floods, and snowstorms are considered to be a very difficult natural disaster to rescue.

The freezing weather exponentially increases the difficulty and suffering of disaster relief, placing an even greater strain on rescue workers. Food is paramount in disaster relief efforts, and snowstorms also require large quantities of fuel and other supplies.

No matter how difficult it is, we must go; the disaster is our order. The PLA troops, divided into multiple groups, cleared the snowy roads and rushed to various parts of the grasslands, delivering daily necessities and livestock fodder to the herders affected by the disaster. They gathered the remaining livestock in gathering places, and all the herders gathered in temporary shelters.

Since many of the soldiers currently serving in Mongolia were recently enlisted, they were particularly concerned about the disaster situation back home. The soldiers considered their stationed areas like their hometowns and the herders like family. The troops also appropriately called out the slogan, "Go Home and Bring Warmth." Under this impassioned call, the troops swiftly mobilized, led by local soldiers, and headed directly to the herders' settlements.

For example, dozens of herdsmen households near Zuoyou Banner had more than a hundred livestock frozen to death or starved to death. The officers and soldiers braved the freezing temperatures to deliver stored forage, cooking oil, rice, flour, fuel and other supplies to the herdsmen trapped by heavy snow.

At the same time, some troops were dispatched to clear the main access roads to the garrison. Soldiers shoveled through snow over a meter thick, clearing paths. By the third day, all had suffered varying degrees of frostbite, but they remained undaunted, their courage growing stronger as they fought. This ensured the timely delivery of relief supplies to the disaster area. Many soldiers braved temperatures exceeding -30 degrees Celsius, with visibility less than 30 meters, to make repeated trips back and forth to deliver relief supplies. Fortunately, a large amount of supplies had been stockpiled for the war effort, and Zhang Feng even used these reserves to provide the soldiers with large quantities of compressed food and meat products. Otherwise, even the best cook would be powerless without the rice. In such freezing weather, even if the PLA wanted to provide relief, it would be unable to do so.

The affected herders huddled together in the corners of their yurts, shivering from the cold. No one had ever rescued them during previous snowstorms, and they didn't expect anyone to come to their rescue now. If the People's Liberation Army hadn't aggressively engaged in trade after liberating Mongolia, trading the herders' wool for manufactured wool products at low prices, far more people would have suffered from the cold.

Braving the blizzard, their faces covered in snow and their lips chapped by the cold, the PLA soldiers, led by local herders, opened the doors of their yurts one by one. Families inside, huddled together, shivering from the cold. When they saw the white-bearded and white-browed PLA soldiers emerge from their yurts, the simple herders could not believe their eyes and were instantly filled with excitement. When the PLA soldiers told them to immediately go to the gathering point and offered to help them drive their cattle and horses to a leeward area to survive the blizzard, the herders were even more incredulous.

"Are you sent by Changshengtian to rescue us?"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers immediately followed the instructions given by the political commissar and instructor and said, "We were sent by the Progressive Party and the new government to rescue you. Eternal Heaven brought this disaster upon us, so we will not come to save you."

This is the sentence that is most often used in conversations between the Progressive Party and the herders. If Zhang Yinghao heard this sentence, he would think of the Jews who always pray to God when they are in trouble. Even if someone saves them, they will not thank the person who saves them. Instead, they think that this person is sent by God to save them, and they naturally only need to thank God.

"I won't eat the disaster relief food, I won't use the disaster relief firewood, I won't sleep in the disaster victims' beds...

During the disaster relief efforts, the officers and soldiers carried forward the glorious traditions of the People's Liberation Army and, with their exemplary behavior, left the reputation of the PLA as a civilized force in the memory of the Mongolian people.

Some herders lived far away and were highly dispersed. In some areas, access to the disaster area was temporarily impossible, and the rescue routes were blocked by heavy snow. The soldiers, having shared their compressed rations and canned food with the victims along the way, endured starvation, with many going three days and two nights without food. However, no one used the compressed biscuits and canned food in the vehicles. The soldiers knew that more food could potentially save a life in the near future.

Due to the extremely harsh disaster relief environment, at least 6,000 rescue officers and soldiers suffered frostbite to varying degrees, but no one took the initiative to use disaster relief clothing, blankets and fuel; at least a thousand people suffered from snow blindness and other diseases, and an entire squad of soldiers got lost in the snow. In the end, it was confirmed that except for one person who was rescued, all of them froze to death.

Among them, more than 200 officers and soldiers fainted from hunger on the way to transport relief supplies, but no one took the initiative to use the relief food, which almost caused dozens of soldiers to die from hypothermia; the officers and soldiers slept in snow caves and sheep pens at night, and no one took the initiative to disturb the victims.

Late at night, many soldiers who had just returned from missions were assigned to rescue operations. Unable to purchase supplies, the regional disaster relief office leaders, unwilling to let the soldiers travel hungry, made an exception and approved four boxes of compressed biscuits and two boxes of canned fruit for them. Upon realizing they were relief supplies, the soldiers resolutely refused and continued their journey on an empty stomach, creating a series of touching stories.

The herders were deeply moved by this scene, and many who had already rested and settled joined the relief effort, hoping the troops would rest before setting off again. However, the soldiers refused, continuing until the roads were cleared and rescuing over 350 households and 1500 people trapped by the snow and ice. Even though the soldiers were extremely weak, they still managed to deliver supplies to the herders, who had run out of firewood and food. The herders embraced the soldiers and burst into tears.

Lakmu, a 76-year-old herder from Sainnuoyan Banner, spoke of past snowstorms with unbearable pain. In the aftermath of these disasters, villagers died or fled due to lack of rescue efforts. This weathered old man spoke passionately, "After Mongolia's liberation, we distributed pastures, ensuring food, clothing, and shelter for our fellow villagers, ensuring production."

Many people say: Disasters are ruthless, but people are kind. True love is revealed in the face of snowstorms. Only the Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army are the herders' lifesavers! Chairman Zhang is the herders' great savior!

The officers and soldiers fought day and night in the disaster area, risking their lives to save their Mongolian compatriots trapped in the sea of ​​snow, and composed a song of the heroic army's fight against the snow with their youth and blood.

On February 2nd, the Mongolian Military Region's vanguard troops, participating in disaster relief efforts, returned to camp. As news spread, Mongolian herders spontaneously bid farewell to their benefactors. Many wept, clinging to the soldiers' hands, unwilling to let go. Many even rode their horses to clear the way for the PLA, escorting them.

Onward, forward, forward,

Our team is heading towards the sun, standing on the land of our motherland, carrying the hope of our nation.

We are an invincible force, we are the children of workers and peasants,

We are the people's armed forces.

.…….

The soldiers marched forward, singing resounding songs, and the masses followed the troops like a tide. After the troops left, nearly a thousand people flocked to the banner, demanding credit for the disaster relief efforts. Many herders wanted to send letters of condolence to the troops, but were unable to find their addresses. Local temporary disaster relief offices dispatched personnel to assist, ultimately meeting the demands of the masses. It was this disaster relief effort that firmly established the Party's and the People's Liberation Army's position in Outer Mongolia and won the hearts and minds of the herders.

The success of this disaster relief effort was due to the PLA's comprehensive material preparations. As we all know, the most crucial aspect of disaster relief is preparing supplies and delivering them to the people. The PLA's Outer Mongolian troops had been preparing for war, and their stockpiles of food and other supplies were sufficient. Furthermore, after the land reform and the distribution of pastures, they purchased and processed a large number of livestock, including cattle and sheep. This enabled the rapid resettlement of the people affected by the snowstorm.

After the pastures were divided, the newly liberated herders began their most important task of the year: fattening their cattle and horses. Livestock deplete their energy during the winter months, when water and grass are scarce. The further north you go, the harder it becomes for livestock to survive the winter. Weaker animals will die in the cold, and the remaining ones will inevitably be significantly weakened. If they aren't properly cared for during this time, they'll have no chance of thriving in the summer or autumn, and may even die of illness.

It is precisely for this reason that since ancient times, nomadic peoples have been reluctant to engage in large-scale warfare in spring. Desert marches necessitate war horses. If forced into battle at this time, the horses would not have recovered their strength yet, and the mere marching would cause them to fall ill, die, and become injured. Furthermore, if the battles continued for a long time and the horses became overly fatigued, the mortality rate for these precious animals would be several times higher than in autumn, a devastating price to pay.

This is called the spring when horses and cattle are tired, and it is also the time when nomadic peoples are at their weakest.

Of course, the PLA emphasized self-reliance and a well-fed society wherever they went. So, after Zhang Feng liberated Kulun, the herders discovered that these Han Chinese, known as PLA soldiers, also possessed considerable expertise in animal husbandry. They also fattened their horses and cattle, though their horses were still free-range, while their sheep and cattle were kept in pens. They also raised pigs. Neither beef nor pigs were allowed to move freely, and the pigs, in particular, were kept in pens, supposedly to help them grow faster. Besides herding livestock, the Han Chinese also cleared fields along the river to plant crops like spring wheat.

Moreover, in order to breed better quality meat pigs, Zhang Yinghao imported Haitian pigs, Guinea pigs and other breeds from abroad, and bred pigs that can grow more meat, adapt to the environment better, and are easier to raise.

The disaster relief efforts consumed a huge amount of supplies, so after the weather improved a little, Zhang Feng quickly sent out a caravan to buy livestock that had frozen to death or needed to be disposed of from the herdsmen and sent them to the meat processing factory. He surprisingly easily replenished the depleted food reserves and obtained a large amount of furs, making another huge profit.

In fact, it was not just the caravan sent by Zhang Feng that started to target these cattle and horses. Merchants would not do anything without profit, and many private caravans also started to target these livestock. However, after a disaster relief operation, many herdsmen took the initiative to sell their livestock to the caravan sent by Zhang Feng.

Of course, the disaster was severe, with many livestock casualties, and the merchant caravans also reaped a rich harvest, taking in the hides, horns, and other items. These items were like waste to the herders, but the Han merchants only needed to offer a small amount of cloth, salt, and other supplies in exchange for large quantities of hides and horns.

It was this snowstorm that made Mongolian herders realize that the PLA and the Kadima Party were truly one family. Although the war with Russia hadn't yet ended, the herders' relocation was already on the agenda. With a simple call from the new government, the Mongolian herders' relocation effort sped up. The army dispatched soldiers to assist, quickly moving the herders back to northern Mongolia.

This must be done, otherwise if we rely solely on the army without herders in northern Inner Mongolia, there will definitely be big problems. The PLA also distributed weapons to herders in northern Inner Mongolia and formed a militia to resist Mongolian bandits and roving Russian bandits, assisting the PLA in guarding the border and stabilizing the area.