The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Zhang Yinghao nodded inwardly. Indeed, as Cai E had said, China's main enemies were still the two neighboring countries, Japan and Russia. Of course, if the population in the north were as dense as in the south, Japan and Russia would be as insignificant as Britain and France.

"What's the solution?"

Hearing Zhang Yinghao's question, Cai E gritted his teeth and immediately said: "In order to preserve the achievements of construction in Northeast China and for the people of Northeast China to live and work in peace, we should take the initiative to invade North Korea."

Cai E then drew a line on the map and said, "If we occupy the northern part of the Korean Peninsula and form a buffer zone with Japan, the war will not affect the hinterland of Northeast China, and we will have a long-term confrontation with Japan in Korea."

Zhang Yinghao looked at the line drawn by Cai E and couldn't help laughing. Cai E's line actually went through Pyongyang. Such petty ambitions! Zhang Yinghao was speechless. Of course, Zhang Yinghao wouldn't take the initiative to draw the 38th or 37th parallels. That would only make things difficult for him.

“Why not drive Japan into the sea?”

"Because we have no navy, if we drive Japan into the sea, then we will be completely helpless against Japan. In that case, Japan can attack any point along the coast at any time, and it will become the Ming Dynasty's anti-Japanese war, which is completely impossible to defend against. On the contrary, it is more advantageous for us to keep Korea. We can fight against Japan in Korea and weaken Japan. Japan has a large population and a small land area, and is short of resources. Now that they have been defeated and owe countless debts, their situation is even more difficult. It won't take long for Japan to give up. The great powers cannot afford to waste money."

After listening, Zhang Yinghao immediately applauded and said: "Staff Officer Cai said it very well. Now there are three questions. First, can we cross the Yalu River and defeat the Japanese army? You must know that Japan has also built a defense line on the other side of the Yalu River. Can the People's Liberation Army successfully break through these defense lines? The second question is the problem of this line. How can we be sure where we can drive the Japanese army? Logistics and supplies are all problems. So, if we can't fight anymore, we will retreat a little and build a defense line. We must seek truth from facts. It is wrong to force ourselves to do something stupid. The third question is what to do with the land we have won. Should we give it to the Koreans to manage or should we establish a province? After all, northern Korea is our old Han land, and there is no problem in recovering our homeland. But Korea is also an ancient country with a history of thousands of years, and the Korean people are now beginning to awaken their national consciousness, so these are all things that need to be discussed."

"Chairman, I think we should take the initiative and invade Korea. War is too destructive. If it happens in Northeast China, it will be detrimental to our development. Now that it is confirmed that the great powers will jointly invade China and Japan will launch an attack on Northeast China, we will naturally not be polite and spread the war into Korea. This will at least preserve Northeast China and make it a safe rear area. Otherwise, if tens of millions of Japanese troops invade Northeast China, it will definitely be another protracted war."

"Yes, Chairman. The border formed by the Yalu and Tumen rivers is simply too long to be defended. If we really invade North Korea, the defense line will be shortened dramatically, which will be extremely beneficial to us. The current situation is extremely detrimental to us."

"We haven't signed an armistice agreement or treaty with Japan, and we're still at war. Those who strike first gain the upper hand, and those who strike later suffer. As long as we invade North Korea, we can continuously send troops to create a numerical advantage, which will allow us to better seize the initiative."

Listening to his comrades' bellicose words, Zhang Yinghao suddenly felt his scalp tingling. Could it be that the liberated areas were already strong enough to challenge Japan or even the coalition of great powers? However, Zhang Yinghao also supported the war. Japan was still recovering from the Russo-Japanese War. If the great powers provided financial support for Japan's military deployment, Japan would definitely invade Northeast China. Moreover, Japan's continental policy could not be easily changed. Taiwan was still in the hands of the Japanese. The Sino-Japanese contradictions were irreconcilable, so war between China and Japan was inevitable. If the border line continued to be the Yalu River and the Tumen River, the pressure on China's national defense would be too great. It would also seriously affect the economic construction and production development of Northeast China and waste a large amount of land.

The Military Commission unified its thinking, and Zhang Yinghao immediately issued war orders to Zhang Feng and Liu Wenxiu, writing: "Comrade Liu Wenxiu, Comrade Zhang Feng, is the army still capable of fighting?"

Zhang Yinghao soon received a telegram reply from the two: "Always be prepared." Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment and immediately wrote: "Immediately mobilize the soldiers of the Fifth and Sixth Field Armies. Leave some soldiers to defend against Tsarist Russia and continue to destroy the railway. The two armies will jointly and secretly mobilize to the Sino-Korean border. After preparations are complete, they will attack Korea with lightning speed, thus gaining an advantageous position in the Sino-Japanese confrontation. In this battle, we must carry forward our army's fine tradition of fierce charging and fighting, and drive the Japanese out of northern Korea in the shortest possible time, ending the first phase of operations. Then, we will quickly shift to the strategic defensive phase and prepare for a long-term confrontation with the Japanese army."

Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Feng were both aware of the great powers' joint plan to invade China, so upon receiving Zhang Yinghao's telegram, they immediately understood what it meant. Since war was inevitable, they naturally had to find a way to proceed in their favor. Seizing the initiative and attacking proactively was the best option.

Zhang Yinghao didn't care about the specific operations of Liu Wenxiu and his team, and he almost never did any micromanagement. After assigning a task, Zhang Yinghao would wait for the results. Of course, if the front line encountered difficulties that needed to be resolved by the central government, they could naturally send a telegram to Zhang Yinghao.

Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment and continued to send a telegram to Zhang Feng and Liu Wenxiu, writing: "We can mobilize Russian prisoners of war to assist our army in attacking the Japanese army, especially technical arms such as artillery, by treating them as mercenaries. After the war, the prisoners of war will be released from prisoner status, given commissions, rewards, medals, and freedom. Those who are willing to settle in China and join the army can also be naturalized and become Chinese..."

Chapter 716: Second update!

Zhang Yinghao also wanted to experiment and see if he could recruit some Russian troops to join the attack. Success would have numerous benefits, including reducing military casualties. As for success, Zhang Yinghao remained optimistic. After all, he had labored for so long that any resentment had faded. Giving prisoners hope always led to others willing to seize the opportunity, seeking wealth and glory amidst the dangers of danger.

As Zhang Yinghao expected, after the promise that the Russian troops would not be used as cannon fodder but incorporated into the People's Liberation Army, many Russian prisoners signed up enthusiastically. In a short period of time, more than 10,000 people were willing to participate in the war against Japan, accounting for one-tenth of the total prisoners.

Zhang Yinghao truly had no intention of using these Russian prisoners as cannon fodder, so Liu Wenxiu and his men kept their promise and immediately incorporated them into the PLA. Zhang Yinghao was well aware that recruiting foreigners to fight in a country generally resulted in greater bravery, loyalty, and a greater fearlessness of death. In his previous life, over 70 Chinese had served as guards for Lenin, Trotsky, and other leaders at the Smolny Palace in Leningrad. This demonstrated their trust, and the further Chinese joined the Red Army, the more glorious achievements they made. Unaware of this, Zhang Zongchang recruited a force of over 5,000 White Russian mercenaries, becoming his ultimate force. Of course, the political impact of having Russian troops join the PLA was immeasurable. However, this was merely a convenient move to reduce PLA casualties; Zhang Yinghao hadn't given much thought to the future.

After discussing one topic, Zhang Yinghao brought up a new one: the rebellions in Tibet. The comrades present didn't take these rebellions seriously, as the PLA had defeated the British in Tibet. Therefore, the comrades believed that even if these rebellions were supported by the British, they were still minor issues.

Zhang Yinghao also knew that these rebellions were not the real problem, but rather the problem of serfdom in Tibet. Zhang Yinghao, after observing the West, knew it was time to address this issue. Military power served politics, and simply suppressing the rebellion would achieve nothing; it would only treat the symptoms. Only by liberating all serfs, ensuring the complete liberation of tens of millions of serfs, would these rebellions truly be resolved. Otherwise, as the slave-owning chieftains, nobles, and monks continued to isolate the serfs from the Forward Party, Tibet would never achieve stability.

Zhang Yinghao knows how to hold a good meeting and knows the purpose and significance of the meeting. Zhang Yinghao may not know the results of the discussion, but he can decide the topic of discussion.

So after introducing the situation in Tibet, Zhang Yinghao said, "Russia is obsessed with using Mongolia and other places as a buffer zone between China and Russia, establishing a Yellow Russia to protect Tsarist Russia's East and West Siberia. Britain is also obsessed with separating Tibet from China, making it a British colony or sphere of influence, and a buffer zone between China and India. Therefore, if we do not take Tibet's rebellion seriously, it could lead to serious consequences."

Seeing many of his comrades' faces change, Zhang Yinghao continued, "The main ones plotting against Tibet are the British, followed by the Russians. Speaking of the British first, they've gone to great lengths to seize control of this land. Just like the disunity that erupted in Mongolia after Tsarist Russia built the Trans-Siberian Railway, Tibetans used to consume tea grown in Sichuan and Yunnan, but after the British discovered this, they began extensively planting tea in the Indian mountains. If we hadn't entered Tibet, most Tibetans would be drinking Indian tea by now! This single glimpse reveals the full picture. The British have diligently cultivated and coveted Tibet for so long that they've cultivated a group of traitors. China is still weak, and holding onto Tibet is no easy task. Logistics are a huge challenge; yaks can only make one round trip a year!"

Zhang Yinghao knew that cheap goods and smooth trade were the most effective means of winning people's hearts. The British had built a complex railway network in India. If it weren't for the difficulty of building a railway from India to China, perhaps China would have become independent like Outer Mongolia and separated from China.

Zhang Yinghao also used this opportunity to suppress the comrades present at the meeting, letting them know the importance of territory to a country. Any behavior that splits the territory should be nipped in the bud. Once it arises, it will be difficult to deal with and will cause huge property losses and casualties.

Zhang Yinghao continued, "If we lose Xinjiang, Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, and Xinjiang will all face pressure. Controlling Xinjiang will also put enormous pressure on India. Therefore, Xinjiang's special strategic position made Tsarist Russia pay more attention to it. During its long-term invasion of Xinjiang, Tsarist Russia adopted various means: on the one hand, it constantly used the name of investigation to spy on military and political intelligence in preparation for a direct military attack on Xinjiang; on the other hand, it used religion, bribery, deception, infiltration and other means to win over the upper echelons of Xinjiang, incite ethnic separatist sentiments, and provoke rebellion. The ultimate goal was to separate Xinjiang from China and throw it into the arms of Russia.

According to data provided by Thubten Gyatso and Choekyi Nyima, from 1870 to 1905, the Tsarist Russian Geographical Society dispatched a total of ten expeditions to Tibet for "scientific exploration." These expeditions reached Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Xinjiang, reaching as far as Nagqu, just 320 kilometers from Lhasa. These expeditions consistently adhered to Przhevalsky's principle that "excellent shooting skills are the best passport to China," resulting in the Tanggula Pass Massacre, the Zhaling Lake Massacre, the Amnye Machen Massacre, and the Suotu Massacre, sparking public outrage wherever they went. For example, in the Suotu Massacre, the expedition burned Tibetan houses, looted horses, and caused the bloodshed of forty Tibetans. Consequently, the expeditions faced resistance from local residents and were forced to operate in peripheral areas.

However, to infiltrate the ruling clique, the Tsarist Russian government devised various means to exploit the Buryat and Kalmyk Mongols. These adherents of the Gelugpa sect of Tibetan Buddhism had long traveled to Tibet for pilgrimage, incense burning, sutra study, and spiritual practice, enjoying free access to Tibet's major monasteries and temples. A representative example of this was the Buryat Mongol Ngawang Dezhi. Under the guise of religious activities, he extensively promoted and glorified Russia to the upper echelons of the Chinese Communist Party, convincing the Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, to align himself with Russia and reject Britain. As the Dalai Lama's representative, he traveled between St. Petersburg and Lhasa seven times, receiving numerous audiences with the Tsar and his ministers. This brought relations between Tsarist Russia and Tibet to a climax.

For example, in 1901, the Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, sent Delzhi to Russia as a "special envoy of Tibet," leading a so-called "Tibetan delegation" where they were received by Tsar Nicholas II. Subsequently, Russia dispatched two heavily armed teams, under the guise of "scientific exploration" and "business," respectively. These teams, loaded with guns, ammunition, and equipment, were shipped via Kulun and Qinghai to Lhasa. From then on, Russian merchants and troops began to sneak into Tibet in droves, and the trade route between Tibet and Tsarist Russia was unimpeded.

The attendees were all Party members, with no non-Party members. That's why Zhang Yinghao spoke out without hesitation. He also wanted to help his comrades understand the true nature of Thubten Gyatso, who was still very well-behaved and sensible in the liberated areas, and to unify their thinking for future actions. Many people wondered how Tsarist Russia could have plotted against China, as they didn't share a border with the Communist Party. But what if Tsarist Russia had established Yellow Russia? What if Tsarist Russia wanted access to the Indian Ocean? Given China's poverty and weakness at the time, and the incompetence of the Qing court, wouldn't it have been easy for Tsarist Russia to border China?

Of course, Zhang Yinghao didn't make any more associations, and just continued: "The climax of Tsarist Russia's invasion of Tibet was also the peak of the Russian-British competition for Tibet. It happened a few years ago. Britain advanced north, Russia moved south, neither side gave in, and the competition for Tibet became increasingly fierce. Britain and Russia, "one wanted to take Tibet to defend against Russia, the other wanted to occupy Tibet to control Britain, which can be said to be tit-for-tat." However, our People's Liberation Army vowed to enter Tibet to resist the British invasion. In addition, Tsarist Russia failed in its wars against Japan and the People's Liberation Army, and a nationwide general strike and armed uprising broke out in Russia. The domestic and international situation changed dramatically. The Tsarist government had to reassess this situation and made major revisions to its foreign policy: on the issue of Tibet, it compromised with Britain, and switched from competing with Britain for Tibet to using Tibet as a bargaining chip to conduct political transactions with Britain.

Comrades, do you still think the 1949 rebellion is a minor problem? Territory is one of a nation's most important resources and one of the fundamental interests of its people. Territory you despise, territory you deem uninhabited and worthless, is a prized commodity in the eyes of the enemy, coveted and yet to be obtained! If we relax even a little, the enemy will pounce like a vicious dog, seeking to devour our territory. Therefore, we must wage the most resolute struggle against any person or force seeking to divide our territory, even if it means waging war. China's current territory of over 10 million square kilometers was cultivated by our ancestors, paved with the blood of our soldiers, inch by inch. Therefore, not an inch is superfluous, not a thread can be ceded to another country. Do you understand?"

Hearing Zhang Yinghao's knock, the comrades immediately stood up and answered in unison: "Chairman, we understand."

Zhang Yinghao waved his hand and asked his comrades to sit down. He then said, "To resolve the xz rebellion, I have three strategies: the worst, the middle, and the best. Comrades, please discuss which one we should use. The worst strategy is to win over the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama, and other nobles, chieftains, monks, and slave owners, strengthen trade, and suppress the rebellion. This will temporarily stabilize the situation."

The middle strategy was to use a large army to suppress the rebellion, eliminate the "traitors," and make the Chinese feel the motherland's strength, so that they wouldn't dare to rebel. Then, they would assign civil servants to directly manage the local areas. This would require a long-term direct confrontation with the British. Furthermore, China was located on a snowy plateau, making supplies extremely difficult, and there was also altitude sickness. Maintaining a combat-ready army would be incredibly expensive, and any carelessness could backfire, easily provoking opposition from local slave-owning nobles, chieftains, and monks, and putting the slaves in a passive position.

The best strategy is to seize this opportunity to suppress the rebellion and completely abolish slavery, allowing millions of slaves living in darkness to achieve personal and property freedom. This will effectively gain a million more supporters, and Tibet will be completely stabilized. Even if some of the upper echelons want to reverse course, they will be like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, an ant trying to shake a tree, overestimating their own capabilities and acting like clowns. This is the only way to completely eliminate the risk of territorial division.

The comrades naturally supported abolition, so as soon as Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, everyone already had the answer in their hearts.

"I support abolition, Mr. Chairman." "I support abolition, too."

Seeing the comrades express their views one after another, Zhang Yinghao continued: "The Sichuan-Tibet Highway is not yet fully built, but it is countless times easier to travel than before. Although the conditions for abolishing slavery are not yet particularly mature, it is not advisable to postpone it any further. Comrades, do you have any questions about abolishing slavery in Tibet?"

"Chairman, although Tibet has a small population and abundant land, the arable land area is insufficient and the yield is limited. Even after distributing the land, it may still be completely unable to solve the problem of food and clothing for the Tibetans."

Zhang Yinghao knew this was a fact. Even when he traveled through time, xz had only more than three million people, which showed that survival in xz was not easy.

Another comrade also raised his hand and said, "Chairman, there is another problem, and that is the issue of labor tools. In provinces like Sichuan and Hubei, after the land was distributed, the farmers in many areas had no tools for cultivation, no livestock, and many were weak laborers. These are real difficulties. If this is the case in Hubei and Sichuan, the situation will surely be even more serious. Moreover, many serfs have disabilities and are unable to work. These are all problems that must be addressed."

Abolition might not solve the problem temporarily, but not abolishing it will never solve it. Zhang Yinghao simply glanced at the comrade who spoke and continued to listen to the other comrades, brainstorming. The comrades did raise many questions. No one knew the current situation of Xz better than himself. There were certainly difficulties, but not abolishing slavery would only make them more difficult. The difficulties after abolishing slavery would be temporary, but not abolishing it would be long-term, and the slaves would suffer even more. This was something Zhang Yinghao did not want to see.

After everyone finished speaking, Zhang Yinghao glanced at the recorded questions and said, "To address the problems of lack of tools, livestock, strong labor, and disabled hands and feet, we should still use the same method as before. That is to set up mutual aid groups and cooperatives to protect these vulnerable groups. We can pool all the farm tools and work one family at a time. You help me, I help you, and everyone works together. This will temporarily solve these problems. As for the distribution issue, it will be the same as before, with labor for labor, livestock for labor, and labor for food. We will discuss and decide on any issues, and the principle is that no one should starve to death."

This was a last resort, and Zhang Yinghao had no better solution at the moment. However, he emphasized, "This cooperative mutual aid model shouldn't be too large, with five to seven households forming a unit. It shouldn't be a constant communal arrangement, and should only be practiced during busy farming seasons. Government intervention shouldn't be forced, but should be voluntary and encouraged... Those who starve to death must be held accountable!"

Zhang Yinghao also knew that once the land was distributed, it would be difficult for people to starve to death unless the government messed up or they really lost their ability to work.

Zhang Yinghao observed that his comrades were listening and taking notes, so he continued, "The most crucial thing is to accelerate development. If we produce enough steel, will there still be a shortage of agricultural tools? If we have enough synthetic ammonia plants, will there still be a shortage of fertilizer? If we have enough jobs, will we still have to worry about a weak labor force? If we have enough high-quality seeds and fertilizers, will we still have to worry about a lack of food? Our hybrid corn and wheat are now a huge success, and the imported American pumpkins have also yielded a good harvest. These are prime examples."

Zhang Yinghao's only concern for the crops he introduced was their high yield. He didn't care whether they tasted good or not. In the future, as living conditions improved, unpalatable crops would naturally be eliminated. Furthermore, Zhang Yinghao ordered the introduction and promotion of crops like long-staple cotton, which significantly increased cotton production and significantly solved the people's clothing problem.

Zhang Yinghao glanced at the questions raised by the comrades and continued, "To solve the food problem of the Tibetans in Tibet, the best way now is to relocate them. We established a production and construction corps to Tibet to carry out construction, accelerate the development of the Tibetan areas, and stabilize the region. Therefore, we are also establishing a production and construction corps composed of Tibetans in the Tibetan areas, and then taking the corps out of the Tibetan areas. Where will the corps be placed?"

Zhang Yinghao turned and took a look at the area around Jiangxinpo and Hugang Valley. He said, "This area is rich in water and heat, and has excellent natural conditions. Once cultivated, it could easily support a million more people. Therefore, we can relocate over 100,000 or 200,000 Tibetans here. This will greatly reduce the population and material pressures on Tibet. Jiangxinpo and other places are also the only plain access to southern Tibet. From here, we can bypass the barriers of the Hengduan Mountains and the Himalayas and easily enter the Zayu region of southern Tibet. Their significance for strengthening national defense, protecting the homeland, and resisting aggression is self-evident..."

Chapter 717: First update!

Zhang Yinghao knew the liberated areas would face various crises. However, he also knew that even if the great powers jointly invaded China and interfered with the Chinese revolution, they would never suffer the same fate as the Soviet Union, where nearly three-quarters of its territory was lost in a matter of months, with key military-industrial complexes and grain-producing areas falling into enemy hands. The loss of these areas not only directly weakened the Soviet regime's military supplies and fiscal revenue, but also seriously threatened its stability and sustainability. These external and internal military actions plunged the Soviet Union into an unprecedented predicament.

The current liberated areas faced a different situation than the Soviet Union. China's geographical location was significantly superior to the Soviet Union's. China was located in the impoverished, desolate, and backward Far East, while the Soviet Union faced direct intervention from developed European powers. The European and American powers' homelands were too far from China, and with the exception of Japan and Russia, the great powers could not send a large number of interventionist forces. Therefore, the main enemy of China's counter-revolution was still the feudal and backward landlord class. Facing this class, which was about to be swept into the dustbin of history, could the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army not easily defeat it?

The Soviet Union not only faced intervention from the allied powers, but also faced a domestic enemy that was progressive and deceptive, a bourgeoisie still on the rise. The combatants consisted of 2.7 million Soviet troops and 100,000 Ukrainian Front troops, 2.4 million White Russian troops, and 700,000 Allied intervention troops. Thus, the Russian Civil War, like the Liberation War of its predecessor, was destined to be a total war, destined to be brutal, bloody, and protracted. Ultimately, the Soviet casualties were 191 million (incomplete statistics), while the White Russian casualties were at least 1.7 million, with an estimated 9 million civilian deaths.

Although the situations of China and Russia differed, Zhang Yinghao still had to do everything he could to secure victory in the upcoming anti-intervention war, gradually building up his odds, preparing for a comeback, gradually withdrawing his forces, recovering his scattered energy and attention, gradually eliminating internal troubles and eliminating the influence of the foreign powers. Thus, Zhang Yinghao sent an order to suppress the rebellion and abolish slavery to Xizang.

Ouyang Jun had been in XZ for several years by this point, and his skin had clearly aged: a dark complexion, deep wrinkles, sagging skin, prominent spots, and visible signs of UV sunburn. His cheeks also had a distinct redness from the plateau, making him look like a typical highland farmer. However, Ouyang Jun's expression remained calm, devoid of the youthful impetuousness. Even as news of rebellion spread from all directions, he continued to handle his work methodically.

At this time, his wife Zhao Xinrui walked into the office. Her delicate skin had disappeared. Although she had light makeup on, the highland redness on her cheeks was clearly visible. Her delicate skin was also damaged in many places, and there were small red spots...

Ouyang Jun sighed in his heart: "I married the right wife."

For a soldier and founding father like Ouyang Jun, marrying a wife wasn't just about looks; it was also about her ability to share joys and sorrows, her ability to understand the bigger picture, her ability to endure obscurity, and her ability to wholeheartedly support her husband. Ouyang Jun was deeply touched that his wife had followed him to the xz, and he silently vowed to treat Zhao Xinrui well for the rest of his life. Zhao Xinrui's once delicate figure had become much stronger, and the traces of her past training were almost gone. Even the way she walked, she had the air of a true soldier.

Zhang Yinghao had read the erotic novel "Snowy Plateau" in his previous life, so he required all female comrades entering Tibet to undergo military training. They had to learn shooting and bayoneting, as well as basic self-defense techniques like eye-poking and crotch-grabbing. He even sent repeated telegrams emphasizing that the troops entering Tibet must protect female comrades. Ouyang Jun and his men were aware of the fate of female comrades who fell into the hands of thugs, so when the riots broke out, the female comrades entering Tibet were taken to the military camp for protection.

Fortunately, because the PLA entered Tibet under the guise of fighting against British aggression, local Tibetan forces suffered heavy losses in those battles against the British and were subsequently absorbed by the PLA. Furthermore, the PLA's blockade and inspection of the India-Tibet border meant that the Tibetan slave-owning aristocrats, chieftains, and monks who organized the riots received little support. They were still short of weapons and ammunition, their subordinates were poorly trained, and the serfs who instigated them were a mob. Therefore, the riots were still within the PLA's control.

Ouyang Jun glanced at his wife and was about to ask about her placement when a comrade from the telegraph office rushed in and reported, "Commander, the Chairman has sent a telegram."

"The Chairman's reaction is amazing! He sent a telegram in such a short time." Ouyang Jun thought to himself. He took the telegram and read it. After reading it, he handed it to the General Political Commissar and said, "Comrades, the Chairman said that the Dalai Lama Thubten Gyatso is about to leave Wuhan. Let's spread this news. Then the rumor that 'Han people imprisoned the Dalai Lama Thubten Gyatso' will be debunked. More people will wait and see, which will be beneficial to stabilizing the overall peace in Tibet."

Hearing this, the comrades breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the Dalai Lama returned to Tibet, the rioters would have no excuse to continue their riots. However, Ouyang Jun continued, "The Chairman ordered us to send troops to suppress the riots. However, my intention is to use courtesy first, then force. After we spread the news that the Dalai Lama is rebelling against Tibet, if the rioters don't lay down their arms and surrender, we will send troops to resolutely suppress them."

Seeing that the comrades all agreed with his suggestion of using courtesy before force, he continued, "There are two final points. First, the Chairman has ordered us to take advantage of the opportunity of quelling the riots before the Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso, arrives in Lhasa to abolish slavery in Tibet, liberate all slaves, and complete land reform so that all slaves can obtain land to cultivate and be liberated."

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. Everyone knew the plight of these slaves in the Communist Party and sympathized with them. The People's Liberation Army and the Forward Party had clashed with the Communist Party's leadership over the issue of slavery many times. The comrades had long wanted to abolish slavery, but when the order actually came, everyone fell silent.

Zhao Xinrui, a woman, felt this more emotionally. After a moment of silence, she muttered to herself, "I've finally waited for this day."

"Yes, I have finally waited for this day."

"I've long disliked those slave owners, nobles, chieftains, and monks. If they don't obey, I'll suppress them all. There might be some who are wrongly accused, but if I miss even one, I'll definitely kill them all."

It's no wonder the comrades harbor such a strong desire to kill. If feudal landlords could display "tender affection," then slave owners were simply worse than animals, plundering with brute force. Some brutal slave owners, in particular, would often beat, abuse, and torture their slaves, even wantonly killing them like animals. How could the Progressive Party tolerate such executioners?

However, the General Political Commissar continued, "This is a crime left over from history, and we can't simply kill them and be done with it. We want to dismantle the slave system from an institutional perspective and make the slave-owning aristocrats, chieftains, and monks recognize their mistakes. Of course, brutal and inhumane executioners must be publicly tried and executed, but for those who are close to our superiors and have provided us with assistance, who recognize their mistakes and are willing to correct them, we must provide policies and a way out."

"Shouldn't we have a fair trial and spare their lives, allowing them to remain at large?"

The General Political Commissar shook his head and said, "No, no, no. Just like we did before in Sichuan, even if we face innocent landlords who have surrendered their land, we will still conduct public trials and struggle sessions. This is class hatred. We should treat them differently from a slave owner, aristocrat, chieftain, or monk who has done good deeds. Doing good deeds does not affect being subjected to struggle sessions. We must let the people know who their friends are and who their enemies are, and we must unite the people around us. Of course, this also requires those being criticized to keep their tails between their legs, recognize the sins of themselves and their class, and accept the supervision of the masses."

The comrades attending the meeting all had rich work experience. After listening to this, they felt that it made sense and naturally agreed with it.

"Whether those on public trial should be put to death or not is a decision to be made by the people participating in the public trial. It also depends on whether they have performed meritorious service, and on their level of awareness of the sins of themselves and their class, and on their degree of repentance."

Ouyang Jun also chimed in, "What the General Political Commissar said is correct. Tibet is a systemic evil. Five percent of the population treats the rest as slaves, using religion to control them, exploiting them wantonly and even killing them. Serfs, and even those worse off than serfs, are nothing more than two-legged animals, powerless. This is something our Progressive Party cannot tolerate. In short, we must mobilize the masses, eliminate all evil spirits, and return a bright and peaceful world to the people. Furthermore, the Chairman, taking into account the poverty and barrenness of the Tibetan people and their difficult survival, has allocated more land for cultivation to improve their lives through land reform. During the land reform, he recruited homeless and displaced Tibetans to form a Production and Construction Corps, numbering up to 200,000..."

While Ouyang Juntong was thinking, Zhang Yinghao was planning to go to the Nationalities and Religious Affairs Commission for a meeting. At this time, the Dalai Lama Thubten Gyatso, the Eighth Jebtsundamba Bokdoggegen, and other religious representatives from Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam, Catholicism, etc. were already in the meeting room waiting.

On the way, Zhang Yinghao met Zhang Zhidong. After telling him about the current situation in the liberated areas, Zhang Zhidong became extremely worried. When the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded China, the Southeast Mutual Protection Agreement had prevented war in the South. Now that Britain, France, Japan, Russia and other countries were forming an alliance to invade China again, Zhang Zhidong suddenly felt a little dizzy.

"Is it inevitable that the South will be devastated by war?"

Zhang Zhidong looked at Zhang Yinghao's young face, and a sentence popped up in his mind: A man with no hair on his face cannot do things well.

Zhang Zhidong knew that if China continued to be disturbed by a group of ignorant young people like the Forward Party, disaster would surely befall it. He just didn't imagine it would be so serious, leading to an invasion by the great powers. He had no idea what the future held for China, nor did he know where China would be led by these young people. He felt like a small boat on the ocean, helpless and adrift.

When Zhang Zhidong was wondering what Zhang Yinghao wanted to talk to him about, Zhang Yinghao said, "Some people in Tibet, with the support of Britain, are inciting rebellion on the pretext that the Han Chinese have imprisoned the Dalai Lama, Thubten Gyatso. So we hope to talk to Thubten Gyatso and his people, and then have him send a few telegrams to Tibet to stabilize the people's hearts and minds, and then let Thubten Gyatso return to Tibet."

"Since the British are behind this, then even if Thubten Gyatso sends a telegram, the rebellion won't stop, right? How do you plan to deal with the rebellion in Tibet?"

"We intend to abolish slavery in Tibet so that Tibet will never be in danger of splitting apart."

Zhang Zhidong listened, shook his head and said, "Abolition is easier said than done. To abolish slavery would mean going against thousands of years of Chinese tradition and against all Tibetan nobles and lamas. It would be like destroying their livelihoods. Cutting off their financial resources is like killing their parents. This is a life-or-death struggle!"

"What the old gentleman said makes sense. Abolishing slavery is indeed not an easy task. The harsh conditions of Xinjiang's high altitudes and cold lands are immense. These slave-owning nobles, chieftains, and monks are also incredibly brutal. Furthermore, the British are eyeing us covetously... It requires strong execution capabilities."

Zhang Yinghao was resolute in his attitude towards abolishing slavery. The correctness of abolition had been proven by the history of previous lives. Zhang Yinghao had no doubts about this, only firm beliefs.

"You are going to kill people everywhere! You... killing too much is not a good thing."

Zhang Yinghao turned around and said, "For the sake of our eternal legacy and the rejuvenation of our nation, I will go forward even if there are thousands of people against me!"

Hearing this, Zhang Yinghao clearly saw Zhang Zhidong's pupils shrink. After a pause, he said, "Knowing it is impossible, but still doing it?"

"No, abolishing slavery and overthrowing landlords are the general trend of the times. We should do it if we know it is possible."

·…-…--

After arriving at the conference room, Zhang Yinghao asked a comrade from the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission, who had been prepared, to elaborate again on the liberated areas' attitude toward religion. The comrade then said, "...In our country, every citizen will have both the freedom to believe in religion and the freedom not to believe in religion...Religion must operate within the scope of the Constitution, laws, and policies...All religions are equal...No one may use religion to interfere with state administration, the judiciary, school education, or public education; no one may interfere with marriage, childbirth, etc....The state protects all normal religious activities within the scope of the Constitution, laws, and policies...Atheism and theism must respect each other...Religious groups and religious affairs are not subject to the control of foreign forces..."

Chapter 718: Second update!

These contents were basically written by Zhang Yinghao based on what he learned in his previous life and his own deductions. The religious people attending the meeting had basically already understood these contents, and they were also old news. However, since it involved religious rights and their own interests, everyone was very focused and basically listened carefully even if the content was boring.

After the comrade from the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission finished speaking, Zhang Yinghao asked the delegates to express their opinions on the contents. Some supported it, but the majority opposed it.

Separating religion from state power—what a joke! It seems like, aside from Taoism and Han Buddhism, every religion these days isn't integrated with state power. In China, Mongolia simply combines religion and politics. Islam also has its own laws, with civil provisions and penalties covering a wide range of legal areas, including but not limited to culture, commerce, finance, contracts, marriage, and property. It can be said that Islam is a religion used to seize state power. In the past, the laws of many countries were based on Islamic law.

After listening to everyone's stories, Zhang Yinghao knocked on the table and said, "The fundamental law of our liberated areas can only be the Constitution. Religious precepts must never conflict with the Constitution. The Constitution must prevail. If a precept violates this, it is unconstitutional and impermissible, and must be subject to legal sanctions. Therefore, the teachings of all religions must undergo appropriate reforms to adapt to the changes of the new era."

Zhang Yinghao's words immediately sparked a flurry of discussion in the conference room. For religious believers, changing doctrine is a truly monumental matter. How could such a thing be casually discussed? Furthermore, many religions in China are still under the leadership, guidance, and oversight of foreign religions, some even serving as branches. How could they have the qualifications and authority to revise their doctrines?

Those in power, such as Thubten Gyatso and Jebtsundamba, who combined politics and religion, felt as if they were struck by lightning. It was like a knife cutting through their flesh, as if they saw sharp blades slashing at their heads. However, they were far from the center of power, and they were at the mercy of others. What could they do?

The conference room was packed with as many people as there were thoughts. Zhang Zhidong was startled when he saw Zhang Yinghao mentioning revisions to the doctrine—how audacious! But seeing Zhang Yinghao remain calm and composed, sitting on the podium, he thought of the poem he had written: "For the sacrifices we have, we have great ambitions, daring to change the sun and the moon for a new world." Remembering Zhang Yinghao's recent experience with an assassination attempt, Zhang Zhidong looked at Zhang Yinghao's youthful face again and couldn't help but feel admiration. It was indeed as he had written in his own poem: "In the revolutionary era, we are full of vigor and enthusiasm, we are willing but cautious to change the world, and we vow to start anew..."

When the meeting room gradually quieted down, Zhang Yinghao continued, "The Progressive Party will lead the people of the country to build a modern nationalist state, a state of people's democratic dictatorship. All classes and religions must be based on the concepts of "Chinese" and "Chinese nation." When the interests of the nation and the nation conflict with the interests of religion, they must stand on the position of safeguarding the interests of the nation and the nation. Because before a person believes in religion, he is Chinese and a member of the Chinese nation..."

Zhang Yinghao is now using gentle persuasion to actively encourage these religious figures to change, to adapt to the changes of the new era, and to actively seek change. If these people insist on forcing themselves to do something, and gentle words are ineffective, then Zhang Yinghao will naturally let them know whether the iron fist of the proletarian dictatorship is strong enough and whether the blade is sharp enough.

.......Religious affairs in our country are handled by the Chinese people themselves, free from interference and control by foreign forces. This is the principle. Religious groups in our country must adhere to the principle of independence, self-governance, and self-propagation... All religions must sever political and economic ties with foreign religions and refrain from accepting guidance or remote control from foreign religions......"

Zhang Yinghao also gave an example: "If faced with invasion by foreign powers, the Vatican ordered Chinese Catholics to rebel and disrupt order, would Chinese Catholics do so? Of course not, because this would harm China's interests and the interests of the nation. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate the imperialist forces in religion and eliminate the feudal and colonial nature of old Chinese religion..."

The regime cannot be timid in the face of religion. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao is ready to strike down the religious community. To this end, Zhang Yinghao previously stated at a Party meeting that unity and cooperation are necessary to continuously expand the united front between the Party and religious circles; that education must be strengthened, promoting patriotism and socialist education; and that religious circles and believers must be actively guided to participate in socialist construction. Resolutely resisting foreign forces' exploitation of religion to infiltrate the country provides a crucial safeguard for the Sinicization and modernization of religion in the new era.

Zhang Yinghao also emphasized, "Our religions must adapt to China's realities and develop independently. For example, consider the issue of Muslim women wearing headscarves. Islam maintains a sense of modesty, but wearing a headscarf can make many jobs difficult or even impossible. This goes against the Constitution's principles of freedom and liberation, much like foot binding, which is meaningless. Therefore, our religions should boldly move forward, bravely reforming religions and saying no to unreasonable practices..."

Zhang Yinghao knew that some of his words would inevitably be seen as disrespectful to religious traditions. However, in Zhang Yinghao's heart, why do Muslim women wear headscarves? The truth is, the Middle East is so windy and dusty. Without a headscarf, working or even walking outside for a while would leave your head and face covered in fine sand. Furthermore, the Middle East is extremely water-scarce. To maintain bodily cleanliness, wearing a headscarf is naturally better than not wearing one. However, China's natural environment is much better. Wearing a headscarf in the windy and sandy weather of the northwest is understandable. But if you still cling to the old ways and don't adapt, wearing a headscarf in places like Guangzhou and Shenzhen, wouldn't that be asking for trouble?

...guarantee citizens' freedom of religious belief, while ensuring that religious activities do not interfere with public areas such as national administration, justice, and education, safeguard national security and social stability, and promote harmonious coexistence between religion and society..."

Because of the impending invasion by foreign powers, Zhang Yinghao had to address religious issues. Furthermore, Zhang Yinghao believed that once the invasion began, a large number of saboteurs and corrupt officials would inevitably emerge from within the religious community. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao felt that it was a bit too late to convene this meeting to rectify religious issues. However, it was never too late to mend the fences. Taking preventive measures now also provided an opportunity to eliminate some of the bad apples and promote reform and development within the religious community.

Zhang Yinghao has personally experienced two assassination attempts, and he has no idea how many secret struggles have occurred. Now he is preparing to attack the religious community. Zhang Yinghao is very aware of the power of extreme religious elements, so Zhang Yinghao's security has been strengthened again.

This assassination attempt was not only an attack on Zhang Yinghao personally, but also a serious threat to the stability of the regime in the liberated areas. Therefore, after the assassination attempt, Zhang Yinghao personally intervened, and the government conducted a rigorous review and strengthening of security measures, especially the protection of leaders. Simultaneously, the functions of the Ministry of State Security were strengthened, which in turn triggered the government's further investigation and suppression of internal and external threats, repelling the attacks of illegal forces, curbing the enemy's arrogance, and maintaining social stability.

The assassination soon came to a conclusion, just as Zhang Yinghao had expected. After a detailed investigation of the assassin, it was soon discovered that the hostile force had bribed a teacher at the school. The teacher provided the class schedule and information about cars entering and leaving the school to track Zhang Yinghao's whereabouts.

Such leaks are truly difficult to prevent, and the Party Committee held a special meeting. To mitigate unnecessary risks, they voted to forbid Zhang Yinghao from teaching at the school. This was a bit alarming, and Zhang Yinghao naturally expressed strong protest. However, for Zhang Yinghao's safety, the decision was still made to significantly reduce his teaching hours. In addition, he would no longer have fixed class hours, but would instead teach at the school irregularly in the form of lectures.