The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

"It's good to ask if you don't understand! Let me give you a brief introduction! Anhui, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shandong, and other regions are all rich in silk production, and the silk industry has been a key pillar of social and economic development throughout Chinese history. However, the silk industry has long been a sideline for farmers, a casual pursuit that has never truly developed on a large scale. This has led to outdated technology, equipment, and management. China's traditional silk production methods, due to a long-term lack of support and variety improvement, have resulted in uneven texture and a hard, tough gelatinous substance. Silk now needs to be re-spun before it can be used for machine weaving before it can be shipped to Europe and the United States. With the continuous expansion of raw silk foreign trade, this serious problem has become increasingly prominent in the international market.

Time is money, efficiency is life. If this problem isn't addressed, problems are bound to arise! Therefore, while China's silk industry was stagnating and even experiencing a decline in product quality, some countries with less developed silk industries began to focus on improvements. As early as the Middle Ages, Italy invented the "twisting" process, which involves twisting silk into strands to withstand the strain of the spinning machine. In the early 18th century, this technique spread to Britain and became widely used. In 1828, France invented the co-twisting machine, bringing new life to the Lyon silk industry.

Although Italian and French silk never challenged Chinese silk's dominance in the international market, their technological improvements were far ahead of China's and had a significant impact on the Chinese silk industry. If the rise of Italian and French silk industry improvements indicated that China's silk industry had fallen behind the world's advanced production technology, the rapid rise of Japan's silk industry indicated that China's dominance in the international silk market had begun to waver.

Japan's silk industry has always been inferior to China's. Before the Meiji Restoration, only a small amount of silkworm seeds and native silk were exported. The Japanese government ignored this issue, "and even took the absurd steps of raising taxes and banning silk exporters." After the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese government and the public fully recognized the importance of the silk industry in the national economy and implemented a series of reform measures, which enabled Japanese silk to begin to emerge in the international market.

In 1870, Japan's raw silk exports were only 7,000 dan, only one-seventh of my country's! Since then, they have grown rapidly. By last year, Japan's raw silk exports exceeded 100,000 dan, surpassing my country's, and Japan has become the dominant force in the international raw silk market. This change, unprecedented in thousands of years, is a great shock and irony to my country's silk industry.

"Chairman, we've been overtaken by the Japanese. This is unacceptable! We can't afford to lose face. We really need to vigorously develop the raw silk industry. So what should we do?"

"Develop raw silk according to local conditions and encourage large-scale and industrialized production. We can increase the number of silkworms raised by selling fertilizers, increasing grain yields per mu, and boosting mulberry leaf production. Guangxi, Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, and Liaoning are all very suitable for sericulture and have a solid foundation. With dedicated support and encouragement, the sericulture industry will soon become a powerful weapon for China to counter Japan's economic aggression. Even if we can't crush Japan's raw silk trade, we can at least disrupt its monopoly. Japan is a resource-scarce country, so renewable commodities like raw silk make up the bulk of its exports. As long as Japan lacks sufficient funds, its military development will be slowed, and China will gain more time to prepare."

Zhang Yinghao didn't know how to do it specifically, but sericulture and silk production had such a long history, so why did Zhang Yinghao need to investigate and understand it himself? After the comrades reached a consensus, Zhang Yinghao handed the task over to the comrades from the Ministry of Agriculture to investigate and study it.

Zhang Yinghao soon found a solution. He then listened to the comrade's report: "Chairman, according to our investigation, the sericulture industry is facing many problems. The main problem is that the silkworms are often sick, and most silk farmers are conservative and unwilling to make improvements! Our first suggestion is to establish a number of sericulture schools or expand existing agricultural schools such as the Gao'an Sericulture School in Jiangxi to establish a silk industry education system.

The second is to select the best silkworm seeds. High-quality silkworm seeds are an important link in the entire silk production. The quality of silkworm seeds not only determines the harvest of cocoons, but also affects the quality of silk and even the sales of Chinese silk in the international market.

Farmers have long relied on their own seed, often containing over 90% viruses. This low-quality silkworm seed is a fatal blow to the development of the silk industry. Therefore, improving silkworm seed has become a central issue in developing the silk industry!

The third is large-scale operations. Mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing are ancient industries in my country. In the past, when farmers were smallholders and self-sufficient, individual farmers operated scattered operations, clinging to old methods and leaving production technology largely unadvanced. Therefore, we must adopt advanced production methods to replace outdated ones. We must purchase machinery and equipment, replicate and develop them ourselves, establish large-scale factories, and directly promote technological progress in society.

"If that's the case, won't farmers go bankrupt?"

"Chairman, some families only raise silkworms and then sell their silk to those who specialize in spinning. Some raise silkworms and spin silk, while others don't raise silkworms and only spin silk. They're very flexible. Since the silkworm industry must be reformed, then we should forcefully intervene. Since our goal is to suppress the Japanese silk industry, then we should simply lower the price. This may seem brutal, but it's actually more effective. Although there will be some initial pain, technological advancement will indeed benefit the people."

"Do you know how Hu Xueyan fell?" "I've heard a little bit about it!"

"Raw silk, and silk products, are extremely dependent on large sums of capital. Whenever raw silk enters the market, local banks and money houses inevitably face a cash crunch. Back then, Sheng Xuanhuai learned that Hu Xueyan was seeking to buy up all the domestic raw silk at a high price, attempting to monopolize the silk industry. You must understand that raw silk pricing is determined by textile trading platforms in Marseille, New York, and London. It has nothing to do with China, the silk-producing region, or even the amount of raw silk produced. Foreign companies set the purchase price and entrust compradors to purchase the raw silk. The compradors and the Chao Silk Factory then purchase the cocoons at what price from farmers. Whether farmers profit or lose money depends entirely on international market pricing and the purchase price offered by the associated comprador Chao Silk Factory. Farmers had no way of knowing this information. Foreign companies firmly controlled the pricing power of China's raw silk exports. Under their oppression, raw silk prices plummeted, leaving silk farmers in Jiangsu and Zhejiang miserable. Local silk merchants struggled, their high profits gobbled up by the foreign companies."

After Hu Xueyan began to engage in the raw silk trade, he felt the pain of exploitation and oppression at the hands of foreign banks. Seeing silk farmers being exploited and driven into bankruptcy by foreign banks, he sought to seize pricing power in the raw silk trade and force the foreign banks to compromise on prices. He carefully searched for loopholes in the foreign banks' price control systems.

The foreign companies controlled raw silk trade financing, international exchange, export channels, and shipping insurance, and, backed by British gunboats, seemed invincible. However, Hu Xueyan keenly identified the foreign companies' Achilles' heel: their inability to control the source of raw silk production. He conducted a thorough investigation of the silk-producing areas and, through conversations with local silk merchants, discovered that the silk harvest that year was declining, leading to a severe supply shortage. Seizing this rare opportunity, he quietly began to act.

Hu Xueyan made extensive purchases, issued deposits, and controlled the supply. This strategy proved effective, as Jardine Matheson & Co. suddenly found it difficult to buy raw silk without a higher price. They tried to break up the business individually, but Hu Xueyan maintained a tight control, and even relatively large silk merchants were told to adhere to the agreed-upon price. While high-quality raw silk sold for a mere 16 shillings and 6 pence per bale in London, the price in Shanghai, thanks to Hu Xueyan's acquisitions and manipulation, reached 17 shillings and 4 pence in British pounds. This operation was undoubtedly a success.

Then the big comprador came into play. Sheng Xuanhuai bought raw silk and sold it to Hu Xueyan's clients, while at the same time contacting merchants and compradors from foreign companies who refused to buy Hu Xueyan's raw silk. Coincidentally, Europe was experiencing a bumper silk harvest, causing prices to fall. As a result, Hu Xueyan's raw silk inventory increased day by day, and his funds became increasingly tight, making him miserable.

It just so happened that Hu Xueyan had a loan of 80 taels that was due for repayment, and foreign banks asked Hu Xueyan for the money. Originally, this money was the military pay that Hu Xueyan had raised on behalf of Zuo Zongtang, and should have been compensated to Hu Xueyan by the subsidies from various provinces. However, Sheng Xuanhuai found Shanghai Circuit Intendant Shao Youlian, and under the banner of Li Hongzhang, instructed Shanghai to delay the payment of this subsidy, and then spread the word that Hu Xueyan's bank was about to go bankrupt, causing a bank run.

Hu Xueyan was caught off guard, surrounded by enemies on all sides, and ultimately reached his wits' end. Even after selling his properties and clearing out his stocks, he still couldn't withstand the bank run. The bank's threshold was trampled down, the door frame was squeezed crooked, and Hu Xueyan, powerless to recover, finally went bankrupt.

"Chairman, I think Hu Xueyan's bankruptcy was indeed caused by Sheng Xuanhuai, but the real reason is that the Qing Dynasty was not good at creating wealth, but was very good at robbing and looting. To the Qing Dynasty, merchants were like pigs. Once they were fattened up, they would naturally be slaughtered. How could they allow a businessman to become big?"

Zhang Yinghao laughed heartily after hearing this. "That's right, you've said a lot. It's great that you think it's the Qing Dynasty that's to blame. Now, I'll leave the sericulture industry in your hands! Make sure you develop it well and bring China's sericulture back to its peak! Make a contribution to the people of the world!"

Chapter 733: First update!

Zhang Yinghao knew that it was unrealistic to resolve Japan's threat to China in the short term, but there were many ways to slow down Japan's development, such as reducing Japan's income and increasing Japan's expenditure.

Zhang Yinghao said to his comrades: "Trade can be a knife that kills without bloodshed, or it can be a life-and-death war without the smoke of gunpowder. Especially for an island country like Japan with few resources, if it wants to develop and become strong, it must expand to the mainland in this era to obtain sufficient resources. And China, as a traditional continental country, will inevitably need to move towards the ocean in the future. In this era of colonialism, the contradictions between China and Japan are irreconcilable. Until the two sides decide the winner, one side falls, or the historical issues are resolved and the confrontation ends. Since a big fight will happen sooner or later, it is natural to start preparing now, and raw silk is one of the preparations we are making now."

"Chairman, the land we have for silkworm breeding and silk production is several times larger than Japan's. Moreover, we can also adopt large-scale industrial production. This will definitely affect Japanese companies and put farmers out of work."

Zhang Yinghao knew the reality was cruel. If China vigorously developed raw silk, given the already large market, and China suddenly took a bigger bite, many Japanese silk farmers would go bankrupt, and some might even starve to death. However, in order to reduce the number of Chinese deaths, the only option now was to let the Japanese farmers die!

"Chairman, Japan has been through the Meiji Restoration for so many years now. Have they achieved complete independence?"

Zhang Yinghao shook his head and said: "No, the Meiji Restoration is Japan's own business. If they don't fight hard, how can the great powers give back the benefits they have gained? However, the Meiji Restoration was not done in vain. Japan won the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and gained a certain political status by stepping on the remains of the Qing Dynasty. For example, in 1897, it signed new treaties with Russia, Germany, France, Austria and other countries, completely abolishing the unequal treaties imposed on Japan for 40 years. In 1899, it revised the tariffs, abolished the export tax, and abolished the original 5% import tax, and reduced the import tax to 5%. Goods were divided into three categories: taxable goods, non-taxable goods, and prohibited goods. Taxable goods were taxed at rates ranging from 5% to 40%, divided into eight categories. Industrial products were generally taxed at a rate of 20%. Raw materials needed for Japanese industry, such as cotton, were imported duty-free, while luxury goods such as alcohol were heavily taxed. However, the shackles placed by Britain and the United States on Japan remained intact, so this revision was incomplete and incomplete. For major export commodities of the Western powers, such as British cotton and woolen textiles, iron, and dyes, the privilege of unilaterally agreed tariffs, averaging around 10%, was retained.

However, the Russo-Japanese War caused Japan to borrow too much money and consume too much. Now the shackles are tightened. Japan is still under a cap and has not yet fully regained its tariff autonomy.

"Yes, if we don't fight a war with the great powers, how can they let us go? Without independent tariffs, developing industry will be extremely difficult. I don't know how much blood and sweat it will take!"

Zhang Yinghao nodded and said, "Indeed, without a strong fist, how can we force back the great powers? Especially for a country like Japan. Japan's industrialization requires a huge amount of resources, and import and export trade is bound to be an irreplaceable lifeline. Last year, the total import and export volume even reached 35% of the total industrial and agricultural output value. After all, as an island country, Japan's dependence on foreign trade is quite high, and it is a typical export-oriented economy. The machinery and equipment needed for Japan's industrial revolution are almost all imported, not to mention that the materials for the previous Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War were basically imported. Therefore, although Japan's imports and exports expanded threefold in the 12 years from 1894 to 1906, the cumulative trade deficit was as high as 600 million yen. How to solve the huge foreign trade deficit is the first major issue facing Japan.

While Japan's raw silk trade no longer accounts for over 40% of its exports as it did in 1860, it remains its largest export, still accounting for over 3% of total exports. In other words, if we were to block Japan's raw silk exports, Japan's trade deficit would surge by ¥3 to ¥4 million in the next two years. The trade deficit caused by the silk shortage in the next few years would exceed the accumulated trade deficit of the past 12 years.

Just when Zhang Yinghao and his comrades were discussing vigorously developing the traditional sericulture and silk industry, Liu Wenxiu received a telegram from Zhang Yinghao regarding the temporary disposal of North Korea.

After reading the telegram, Liu Wenxiu frowned and asked, "I understand confiscating the Japanese mineral resources, but what does it mean to ask us to provide land reform to the Koreans? Will there be a referendum in the future?"

Zhang Feng smiled and said, "After land reform, public security in our liberated areas has generally improved, and the people's living standards have generally risen. This kind of equal distribution of wealth has generally satisfied the people. Land reform is to win over the hearts and minds of the North Koreans, and it can also help to deal with some anti-China elements. As for the referendum, it represents the will of the people! With the people's will in hand, who can go against it?"

"I see. It seems we need to eliminate the remaining Japanese forces as soon as possible. We'll see whether to send those volunteer soldiers south to fight against the Japanese or to become obedient subjects of the Korean Empire. If they obey the arrangements, they will be sent to the newly liberated areas north of Heilongjiang. Those areas need a lot of manpower to cultivate them."

"Sure, there are already over 100,000 North Koreans in Northeast China, right? We wouldn't mind a few more..."

Just as Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Feng were discussing arrangements for the Koreans, they received a dispatch: "Commanders, we've just received news that our rapid infiltration force encountered a group of fleeing Japanese troops as they approached Pyongyang. Surrounded by our forces, they not only refused to surrender but also fought tooth and nail. To quickly reach Pyongyang, the soldiers in the armored vehicles shot them all with their mounted machine guns. Among those killed, captured Japanese prisoners have identified the previously escaping Japanese general Kuroki Tamemasa."

"Kuroki Tameshige? Did he just die under the machine gun of an armored vehicle? That's a good thing."

"This brave general who charged forward died just like that? However, dying under the machine gun fire of an armored vehicle doesn't really disgrace his reputation. It was a worthy death. If Kuroki Tamejin had been allowed to escape to Pyongyang, there might have been a tough battle. A good death."

By this time, the cavalry and armored vehicles had already reached the gates of Pyongyang. After the Japanese occupied Korea, they had indeed invested a lot of energy in managing it. They invested a lot of money in infrastructure, building roads and railways, expanding the city, and setting up many factories. Pyongyang is now a relatively prosperous place.

However, Pyongyang was indeed a chaotic scene at that time. There were only two battalions with about 2,000 soldiers in the whole city. Moreover, they were not the main force. One battalion was the garrison and the other was the logistics force, which was specifically used to supply materials to the Yalu River defense line. The Japanese army had not been prepared before. Who would have thought that the People's Liberation Army would suddenly attack and actually capture Pyongyang in such a short time?

By the time the Japanese realized what was happening, it was too late. They had no time to concentrate their forces to respond, and could only defend the PLA's attack from the perimeter. Indeed, if Kuroki Tameshige had escaped to Pyongyang, it would have been a major problem, causing many unnecessary losses to the PLA.

The People's Liberation Army did not stop. Armored vehicles led the way, machine guns fired continuously, and they rushed towards Pyongyang with a roar.

At that time, cars were still a rarity. It was the first time the Japanese had seen such an armored vehicle, and also the first time they had seen the power of machine guns mounted on armored vehicles. They were beaten so hard that they could not raise their heads and began to tremble.

The armored vehicles rushed all the way, and the Japanese troops fled at the sight of them. The elite Japanese troops on the Yalu River defense line did fight to the death at all costs. However, after being easily broken through by the People's Liberation Army using unconventional weapons such as airships, the Japanese troops knew that the game was over, and their momentum changed 180 degrees, as if all their energy and spirit had been drained away.

If the Japanese were in such a state, the Korean troops following them were even more horrified, falling to their knees in terror and begging for mercy. The PLA's armored vehicles easily shattered the hastily assembled Japanese defenses and entered Pyongyang. Cavalry escorted the armored vehicles and followed them into Pyongyang.

After twelve years, Chinese troops entered the city of Pyongyang again. Time seemed to be a reincarnation. Last time, the Japanese army easily entered Pyongyang, and now it is the People's Liberation Army that easily entered Pyongyang.

After the People's Liberation Army entered Pyongyang and captured an area to gain a foothold, in order to reduce the losses in street fighting, they immediately began to mobilize the Pyongyang residents who had been bullied by the Japanese to join in and work together to eliminate every Japanese in Pyongyang.

The people of Pyongyang were ecstatic when they saw the Celestial Army's troops arrive. When they saw the Japanese army being defeated, they immediately joined in with hoes, iron bars and other weapons. They had been badly bullied by the Japanese, so now that they had the chance, they naturally took action and set off a vast ocean of people's war.

With the help of Korean residents and the continuous addition of follow-up troops, the Japanese troops in Pyongyang were finally cleared out.

After entering Pyongyang, the cavalry had already covered nearly 300 kilometers on a rapid march and were essentially exhausted. Without rest, they could not continue the offensive. However, capturing Pyongyang meant the offensive had achieved its minimum strategic objective. Further advances, securing a buffer zone for Pyongyang, would complete the mission. Whether to continue the offensive depended on the decision of the main force behind them.

However, occupying Pyongyang does not mean the end of the war. There are still hundreds of thousands of Japanese and South Korean soldiers in the rear. If the deserters cannot be completely eliminated, there will be no peace in the rear. North Korea is mountainous, which is also a difficult task!

"Commander, we just received intelligence that Japanese Major General Akiyama Yoshifuru has arrived in Seoul and is leading his troops north to resist our attack. There are also reports that Japanese General Oshima Yoshimasa has landed in Busan with three to four divisions and is traveling north by train. Some Japanese troops are also planning to land in Inchon directly on troop transports. Japanese warships have also reached Port Arthur and the Yalu River estuary and are bombarding..."

Zhang Feng and Liu Wenxiu exchanged a glance and said at the same time, "We can't go any further south!"

The map of North Korea is in Zhang Feng and his men's heads. Now that the Japanese reinforcements have arrived in Seoul, the People's Liberation Army doesn't have much time to prepare.

Liu Wenxiu immediately said: "Japan's response is so quick. They sent both land and sea forces in such a short time. It seems that Japan is really anxious."

"Yes, the Chairman said that Japan will never give up North Korea. Otherwise, Japan's mainland will face threats at any time and will not feel safe. North Korea, as a buffer zone, is Japan's safety line!"

"During the First Sino-Japanese War, Yoshimasa Oshima led a mixed brigade to land at Inchon. Unexpectedly, Yoshimasa Oshima chose the railway now. Sure enough, the enemy has also improved."

"I wonder how serious this war will get. Should I send a telegram to the Chairman?"

Zhang Yinghao was delighted after receiving the news of the victory in Pyongyang. Seeing the Japanese army's actions again, he realized that it would be extremely difficult for the People's Liberation Army to reach the 38th parallel in the past life, and it would require a great price. As for Liu Wenxiu's decision to stop the offensive and go on the defensive, he thought for a moment and replied to Liu Wenxiu and the others: "Agree to switch to a strategic defensive stalemate. Retreat one step and advance two steps, strive to annihilate the Japanese army's active forces and deplete their supplies. Engage in a fierce battle, and prepare for a long-term armed coexistence with the Japanese army!"

Upon receiving Zhang Yinghao's instructions, Liu Wenxiu immediately ordered: "The troops must immediately leave Pyongyang and advance another 50 to 100 kilometers south. Taking advantage of favorable terrain, rivers, cities, and villages, dig trenches and bunkers, and establish deep defense positions to prepare for the Japanese attack."

Zhang Feng also immediately ordered: "Order the logistics comrades to speed up and immediately transport barbed wire, mines, steel bars, cement and other military supplies to the front line."

"Orders: All units immediately launch a final attack against the remaining Japanese and North Korean troops encircled in the newly liberated areas..."

"Orders: Mobilize the local Koreans to kill the Japanese invaders and Korean traitors, arrest ordinary Japanese, confiscate their property, and ensure the safety of the rear."

"Orders: Recruit North Koreans to repair railways and roads. Ensure smooth logistical access."

……".

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Chapter 4: Second update!

The PLA's surprise attack on North Korea dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese army, causing serious losses. As the saying goes, every failure makes you wiser, but Japan actually suffered the same loss twice in a row when facing the PLA's surprise attacks. It was really embarrassing. However, Akiyama Yoshifuru always believed that the Japanese army had always been subjected to the PLA's despicable sneak attacks, so there was a reason for the continuous heavy casualties. This does not mean that the PLA's combat effectiveness is stronger than the Japanese army.

After studying the situation, Akiyama Yoshifuru and Ōi Narimoto, whether due to their overly conservative tactical thinking or a deliberate attempt to boost their morale, both concluded that, under similar field conditions, the Japanese army's combat effectiveness was no less than that of the People's Liberation Army. However, they simply failed to acknowledge, or were unwilling to acknowledge, the following: first, the PLA was led by the Party, and its ideology was far superior to the Japanese; second, the PLA's individual and squad-level shooting accuracy was far superior to that of the Qing army, with bullet trajectory and other details clearly explained to the soldiers; and third, the PLA were not fools; why would they engage in battle on the battlefields the Japanese had requested?

The PLA has switched from offense to defense in Korea, and will now allow the Japanese to attack the turtle shell. This will continuously consume Japanese supplies and slow down Japan's development.

When Zhang Yinghao thought about his own goal, he recalled the Russo-Ukrainian War that had lasted for several years in his previous life, as well as the ten-year-long war on the Sino-Vietnamese border. The strategic goal was to attrition! How could Vietnam outlast China? How could Ukraine outlast Russia? Moreover, with the productivity of China and Russia, how could they not sustain the continued consumption of the conflict? On the contrary, it would stimulate the development of their own productivity!

In the military, especially during wartime like today, senior generals have considerable autonomy. But the PLA must obey the Central Military Commission and the Party Central Committee's orders unconditionally. Disobeying orders or being half-hearted in carrying them out is absolutely unacceptable.

Just like the reorganization of the army this time, there are a lot of cadre transfers, and a large number of middle and low-level cadres will be selected to enter schools for training.

Many cadres were actually reluctant. It was still okay for those who were transferred to other military regions, but many comrades who were transferred to military academies to study were reluctant.

However, this time the transfer is an all-round transfer. Due to the small-scale rebellion of the Guangxi army before, the policy of recruiting soldiers from other places must be fully implemented this time, and the organization must be completely disrupted. China is so big, can't it tolerate conflicts between natives and Hakkas? Although the combat effectiveness of the army will decline in the short term after such an adaptation, as long as it stabilizes and receives a little training, the combat effectiveness of the army will recover quickly. In the long run, it will be very helpful to improve the combat effectiveness of the army.

There are no parties outside the party, and the thinking is imperial. There are no factions within the party, and all sorts of things happen. This sentence was said by Taizu in history. It is very objective, practical, and materialistic.

There are no parties outside the party, and there is no imperial thinking. This means that we cannot engage in dictatorship, but must unite with other progressive forces to jointly participate in politics and decision-making. There are no factions within the party, but there are all kinds of strange things. This means that there will inevitably be factions within the party, different factions, and different interests. These are all normal and not worth making a fuss about.

It's a bit of an exaggeration to say that any organization practices nepotism, but it's generally true that those promoted are almost always those who benefit the organization. Is this a problem? In reality, there's absolutely no problem at all. It's just how it is. For the same position, if the difference in ability is not significant, a leader will naturally be more inclined to promote the one who is close to them, rather than someone who is of no benefit or even harmful. So, there's really no such thing as nepotism or meritocracy. Even if you promote people based on merit, it's only when that person can bring sufficient benefits to the organization.

This is something that cannot be changed by personal will. The sayings of "a new emperor, new ministers," "solidified interests," and "involution" don't necessarily mean that leadership must be replaced. Rather, when everyone promotes those who benefit them, once a new leader takes office, the "new emperor, new ministers" dynamic inevitably occurs: those close to the leader are easily promoted, those distant from the leader, and those who stand apart find it difficult to rise.

Many people think that there are a lot of shady operations or unspoken rules when superiors promote their subordinates, but everyone must think about it: when you want your leader to promote you, are you close to the leader besides work? What benefits can the leader get? There is no love without reason in this world, and there has never been a shortage of geniuses in this world, let alone capable and capable people. So when the abilities of your subordinates are similar, or when anyone can accomplish a task, why would the leader promote you instead of others? People who don't understand this truth, understand it but are unwilling to do it, are self-righteous, and think that relying on relationships is a crooked way, want to climb up, then there is only one word: difficult.

Human actions tend to seek benefits and avoid harm, or rather, are driven by self-interest. Even when science and technology are considered the primary productive forces, or productivity is the fundamental driving force behind social development, this is actually about increasing wealth. Whether it's science and technology or increasing productivity, both increase wealth. Rather than saying productivity is the driving force of development, it's better to say that increasing wealth is the fundamental goal of human beings, or that the pursuit of wealth is the fundamental driving force.

Capitalism has led to a dramatic increase in social wealth, but it has also created irreconcilable problems: the gap between the rich and the poor and the emergence of a proletariat. While capitalism has increased overall social wealth, and per capita wealth has also increased, society should have been stable. However, the profit-seeking nature of capital has led to the emergence of a large proletariat. Far from benefiting from this increase in social wealth, these proletarians have been exploited, and their wealth has become even more scarce. This is why the revolutionary proletariat emerged.

Communism, in fact, transforms the profit-seeking nature of capital into actively improving productivity and increasing the wealth of society as a whole. Through vigorously building infrastructure and providing public services, everyone can enjoy the benefits brought by the increase in per capita wealth.

So when a leader's interests change, the people he promotes will naturally be different from before—birds of a feather flock together. So why is political struggle so brutal? It's because it involves a struggle for interests and a question of distribution, a near-irreconcilable zero-sum game.

However, Zhang Yinghao is confident within the current Forward Party and the PLA. This is primarily due to the rapid growth of the Forward Party, which hasn't yet fostered any so-called interest groups. This is also a key reason why Zhang Yinghao is reorganizing and relocating a large number of PLA cadres. If interest groups emerge, or if they solidify, Zhang Yinghao, as an ordinary person, doesn't know if he has the ability to resolve them.

Hunan was a very special place in the late Qing Dynasty. During the Taiping Rebellion's march from Guangxi to Nanjing, Hunan was one of the main sources of soldiers for the Taiping Rebellion. The Taiping army, numbering only a few thousand, arrived in Hunan and quickly recruited hundreds of thousands of soldiers. Zeng Guofan, who later quelled the Taiping Rebellion, led the Hunan-based Hunan Hunan Army. The saying "no army can be formed without Hunan" is no joke. Thanks to the example of Zuo Zongtang and Zeng Guofan, many Hunanese scholars joined the army to seek wealth and prosperity, not to mention the illiterate and impoverished masses.

During the Hundred Days' Reform, Hunan was one of the sites of the most intense clashes between reformists and conservatives. Tan Sitong, one of the Six Gentlemen of the Hundred Days' Reform, was a Hunanese. Later, Tang Changcai of the Self-Reliance Army also launched his uprising in Hunan. Hunan was also the only province in China to support the reforms during the Hundred Days' Reform.

When the trend of studying in Japan took off, Hunan was the most proactive among all students, with the largest number of students from Hunan. Waves of students journeyed to Japan, eager to understand the secrets of Japan's rise. At its peak, Hunanese students accounted for a quarter of all students studying abroad.

Hunan was home to the largest number of landlord and gentry families. Local power was so immense that Hunan was the only province where the gentry and the Manchu government were on equal footing. When the Taiping Rebellion swept across half of China, the Qing court was unable to suppress it. To address the rebellion, the Qing government relaxed restrictions on militia. Zeng Guofan's Xiang Army, the most accomplished of the group, captured Nanjing, burned, looted, and brought wealth back to Hunan via horse-drawn carriages. They purchased vast tracts of land and became landlords and gentry. Many of them rose to high positions of power and wealth, becoming the new ruling class of Hunan.

These men, who had achieved military merit, combined with the landlords and gentry who had supported the Hunan Army, became extremely powerful. Coupled with intermarriage, their relationships became extremely complex. A small landlord might hold a title, and his network of connections could span the entire Hunan province, even forming close ties of life and death. The loss of one person could cause grief to the other, and the entire Hunan province would be affected.

Hunan may not have many large landowner families owning thousands of hectares, but there are many with hundreds of hectares, and even more with tens of hectares. What astonishing numbers! One hectare is equal to one hundred mu, meaning some families own hundreds of thousands of mu. What a remarkable feat! These large landowner families have tens of thousands of tenants alone. This gives you an idea of ​​their wealth, and the severity of exploitation and oppression in Hunan.

Hunan already has a large population and limited land, and has suffered from successive disasters. The big landlord families have occupied so much land. How can the poor people survive? The Chinese have been calling for "those who till the land shall own the land", which has been advocated for thousands of years. How can this be achieved without violence? You can imagine how great the pressure is.

The Progressive Party's desire for land reform met with the most severe resistance in Hunan. They might agree to rent and interest reductions, but if they were to touch the land of these landlord families, it would be a threat to their very lives, and many families were willing to risk their lives. Therefore, even after Hunan's liberation, it was still stuck in the propaganda phase for rent and interest reductions.

It's no wonder that only Sun Zhongshan advocated for "equal land rights." When the Tongmenghui and the Restoration Society split from the Tongmenghui, they deleted this phrase. The leaders of both the Restoration Society and the Tongmenghui were essentially gentry and landlords, with substantial land holdings. Equal land rights simply meant dividing their land, didn't they? How could they agree to the revolution if it affected them?

While there's a Chinese saying that "good iron doesn't become a nail, good men don't become soldiers," and that scholars are ashamed to join the army, this isn't a problem in Hunan. During the Hunan Army's suppression of the Taiping Rebellion, many scholars rose to power or even wealth through military exploits. Consequently, many Hunan scholars, seeing no further advancement in their studies, chose to join the military, hoping to earn military merit on the battlefield and become a stepping stone to advancement.

Therefore, there were quite a lot of scholars in the Hunan army, and many of them even had the title of scholar. Many of these people had very radical ideas, advocating cutting hair, changing clothes, unbinding feet, promoting new policies, establishing new schools, and equal education for men and women.

Hunan's immense gentry power and the widening wealth gap quickly ripened the conditions for revolution. With tens of thousands of people supporting a single family, one can only imagine the immense demand for revolution in Hunan. This was also the reason for the rampant banditry in western Hunan, which even led to the emergence of numerous long-standing bandit families. This demonstrates the intensity of the struggle in Hunan.

After learning this, the PLA arrived in Hunan with extreme caution. In Hunan, a single move could affect the entire region. However, during the revolutionary era, any demonic force was no match for a mantis trying to stop a chariot. In this era of turmoil, even a thousand-year-old noble family could be wiped out with a single careless move.

For the time being, the People's Liberation Army couldn't truly cleanse every village. This was especially true in the newly liberated areas. Before cracking down on local tyrants and distributing land, the new government couldn't directly reach the village level. Furthermore, due to the rapid expansion of the liberated areas, there weren't strong grassroots forces. In many places, the campaign didn't even reach the town level, only the county level. Those backward and remote villages still maintained their old ways of life, and the landlord class there maintained their status and lifestyle, like local tyrants.

However, in many places, the biggest changes occurred after the conscription, when the first batch of soldiers returned home. Furthermore, due to the previous crackdown, a large number of bullies had been eliminated, and now local security has improved many times over. Even if these people still exist and still act tyrannically, they will probably decrease in number after the new government's grassroots power penetrates into the countryside and after the forced land reform.

Early in the morning, in a small mountain village in Xiangyin, Hunan Province, a thin mist still drifted in the air, creating a fairyland-like scene. Just as the sun was rising, the mist rolled in, as if playfully trying to block out the sun, hoping to linger a little longer.

With a soft creak, a wooden door slid open. A shabby thatched cottage on the north side of the village was opened by a young girl, about ten years old, carrying a basket full of wild boar grass. The girl had delicate features, bright eyes, slightly arched eyebrows, and shoulder-length hair.

Perhaps having heard the door open, a few weak coughs emanated from inside the hut. The little girl's brows furrowed slightly, revealing a look of worry and pain.

"Xiaoying, why are you up so early?"

"Mom, I went to cut a basket of pig grass and came back. Our teacher said that we can chop the pig grass into small pieces, mix it with some bran, and feed it directly to the pigs without cooking it. Although feeding it this way will slow the pigs down, it will save firewood.

Also, I've left the medicine the doctor prescribed on the table. I've divided it up. Take one portion at a time. You don't have to drink those bitter and ineffective herbal remedies anymore. With this medicine, you'll get better soon.

You should sleep a little longer. Breakfast is already cooked and in the pot. After you finish eating the sweet potatoes, don't throw away the water for the pigs. I like drinking that water, it's sweet. If there's nothing else, I'm going to school.

After saying that, Xiaoying picked up her schoolbag, which had been put away long ago, and prepared to run to school. If anyone at home was sick, she would get up early in the morning to do farm work to reduce the burden on her family. Perhaps this is why children from poor families grow up early!

"Xiaoying, wait a minute. Yesterday... Master Liu came over. His son had been ill and hadn't recovered, so he asked a fairy lady to come. She said she wanted to bring him happiness. Master Liu said you'll be thirteen soon, so a little time isn't a big deal. He'll marry you off in a few days..."

"Humph, we only owe his family money, not anyone else. Now that we have a new government, how dare he use the same old tricks?"

"Hmm~ Xiaoying, I borrowed quite a bit of money from Master Liu for my medical treatment before. The interest has been compounded, and now it's almost ten taels of silver. Our family really can't pay it back, so your father can only ask him for a few days' grace. And they want us to pay back the money only in silver. They won't accept paper money from the government. They only give paper money to workers working for the new government, and they pay workers in salt and other things, not silver. They don't allow us to use silver anymore. Now no one uses silver anymore, and your father has no way to earn money.

The last time Master Liu's son came to collect the debt, he took a fancy to you. He told your father that if you marry into the Liu family, the debt will be forgiven. Otherwise, you must pay the debt immediately, and your father can't do anything about it.