The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

“Where is my dad?”

"Your father has already agreed. You don't have to go to school anymore. Just stay home for a few days."

"No, Mom. Our school has a new teacher, Mr. Zhang, who teaches law. Mr. Zhang said that the world has changed here. It's the government of the Progressive Party, the government of the people, and the People's Liberation Army. I'm a Young Pioneer now, and Mr. Zhang told us in the meeting that usury is illegal and not recognized by the new government.

The amount of money we owe to Landlord Liu has grown so large in such a short time. This is usury, and we don't need to pay it back at all..."

"But it's written in black and white, this..."

"Then let the Liu family sue us. We'll see how much the government wants us to pay back. Then we'll figure out how to pay it back. Besides, the Liu family is still refusing to accept the money from the new government, which is illegal. They're such ruthless people, how could they behave after the new government came in? Now they're back to their old ways."

"And the new government has a women and children protection law. Girls can't get married until they're 18. I still have to go to school. I won't marry into the Liu family. I'm going to be late..."

Before Xiaoying could finish her words, a man's voice rang out: "Xiaoying, the world around us has changed, but it hasn't changed either. In this area, I've never heard of anyone owing money to the Liu family and not paying it back. The Liu family's eldest son used to be a high-ranking official, but even if he was overthrown, he's not something we ordinary people can afford to offend."

At this time, a middle-aged farmer with a face full of wrinkles, bent by the hardships of life, and a dark complexion, opened the door, walked out, looked at his daughter miserably and helplessly and said.

There were no more tears in those deep eye sockets, only turbidity and bitterness, numbness and pain!

Xiaoying stared blankly at her father. If it were before, she might have just accepted her fate. However, after the People's Liberation Army liberated the area, they spread propaganda everywhere, built schools everywhere, and enforced compulsory education. Under the pressure of the village chief, Xiaoying went to school every day. Children from poor families have to take on responsibilities early, and Xiaoying is a girl, who mature early. She is also intelligent and already knows that the world has changed.

When she was herding cattle and cutting grass for the landlord, she would secretly attend private school lessons in her free time and learned quite a few characters. After attending school, she learned simple simplified Chinese characters. Xiaoying was diligent and achieved excellent grades, joining the Young Pioneers early on and moving closer to the Party.

Students who joined the Young Pioneers were sometimes called to attend classes. Xiaoying's heart raced as she listened to the teachers' speeches, which she couldn't quite understand but were still filled with yearning. The poor weren't born poor; they were oppressed and exploited by the landlord class. People weren't beasts of burden; everyone deserved equality and freedom from bullying. At that moment, Xiaoying felt the oppression of class oppression deeply within her little heart.

The teachers urged the poor masses to unite and overthrow the landlord class and the Qing dynasty it represented. They should strike down the local tyrants and redistribute the land. They should build factories and farms, hospitals and schools, high-rise buildings, roads and railways, and electric lighting and telegraphs, so that the poor of the world would no longer suffer poverty and hardship, but would have food to eat and clothes to wear...

Xiaoying's heart would always beat with passion when she thought of this. She could no longer bear to be like her grandparents, her father and mother, who had endured a lifetime of bullying, exploitation and oppression without uttering a word, who had been exploited thoroughly at an early age, their blood drained from them, who had lived in silence and died without a sound, a life of cowardice.

Looking at her honest father, who had been oppressed and exploited by life and was on his last breath, Xiaoying didn't know what to say. But she was unwilling to accept her fate being dictated to her. Her lips trembled as she managed to utter a few words: "I went to ask Teacher Zhang. He said that the world has changed here. Why do we poor people continue to be bullied and suffer?"

After saying that, he no longer looked at his father, and even didn't pick up his books and homework. He turned around and ran out.

Inside the Yangshahu Hope Primary School office, a newly built adobe building measuring approximately ten square meters, the furnishings are simple: a camp bed, a desk, a dining table, and a half-open trunk filled with books and manuscripts. A thin young man is furiously writing at the desk, a thick stack of manuscripts already on the table. The top page begins with the words: "Hunan Xiangyin Rural Investigation Report."

The young man, Zhang Hanliang, a member of the Progressive Party, was writing a survey when there were sudden knocks on the door. Without even looking up, Zhang Hanliang said, "Come in."

The door creaked and was pushed open impatiently.

Xiaoying was breathless from the long run. She tried to pour out everything she'd been thinking about, but her voice started to sob. Her breath was choking, and after she'd called out "Teacher Zhang," she suddenly started coughing violently. This made Xiaoying even more anxious, but she couldn't speak, so she just let out a loud cry and burst into tears.

Zhang Hanliang heard the crying and looked up to see that it was a female student. He quickly stood up and helped her sit on a chair next to him. Then he walked over to the side and poured a glass of water, handed it to Xiaoying and said, "Wang Xiaoying, what's wrong? Drink some water. Don't be anxious. Let's sit down and talk slowly. The sky won't fall. Even if it does, I'm tall enough to hold it up!"

Zhang Hanliang was deeply impressed by Xiaoying, a very studious student. Hunan Province had been liberated for quite some time, but work had been slow to progress. As the municipal Party Secretary, he had put aside his duties and taken time off to personally investigate the countryside, choosing this school as his base. Hearing that the school was short of teachers, he took time off to teach the children, and Xiaoying was one of the students who had made the most progress. Zhang Hanliang knew that, if nothing unexpected happened, Xiaoying might one day become one of his comrades.

When Xiaoying heard this unhurried voice, she felt as if there was a magical power that could soothe all her pain. After drinking a sip of warm water, Xiaoying gradually calmed down and felt that she was not afraid of anything when she was with her teacher.

"Wang Xiaoying, what's the matter with you coming to see the teacher so early?"

Xiaoying opened her mouth, wiped her tears, and said in a sobbing voice: "Teacher Zhang, my mother borrowed money from Mr. Liu's family at high interest rates to pay for her medical treatment. Now it has turned into ten taels of silver. Mr. Liu came to my father yesterday and forced me to marry his seriously ill son, saying that it would bring good luck.

The Liu family is a real scourge. In just a few years, I've heard several of their maids have died. They were all loan sharks who were arrested to pay off their debts. I've heard you say that loan sharks aren't protected by the new government, but my dad says that in this neighborhood, no one dares to default on their debts owed to Master Liu's family.

"Teacher, before we had the revolution, Master Liu bullied us. Now that we're liberated, Master Liu still bullies us. So, does that mean we haven't been liberated here? Isn't this revolution in vain? Hiccup~"

As Xiaoying spoke, her face flushed with anger. She grew increasingly anxious, feeling flustered, angry, and a bit aggrieved. Seeing Teacher Zhang listening attentively to her, she hiccupped, fearing she might not be able to explain herself clearly. She felt a sudden rush of embarrassment and anxiety.

After listening for a while, Zhang Hanliang had a rough idea of ​​what was going on. He walked over to the table, picked up a pen, and began to write down Xiaoying's story, line by line. He wrote more and more. After Xiaoying finished, Zhang Hanliang asked a few more questions. After writing, he read the content to Xiaoying again and asked her to sign her name at the end.

Wang Xiaoying only saw a title: "Investigation Report on the Oppression and Harm to the People by Liu Renyi of the Liu Family in Yangshahu Town," and then signed her name on the back.

Zhang Hanliang put the recorded contents into the box, put the other documents on the desk into it, then picked it up and said: "Xiaoying, we are not revolutionaries in vain, otherwise how can you understand these principles? Where can you find a place to reflect that you are oppressed by the landlord class? Where can you find someone to support you? It is normal to miss some garbage when sweeping the floor! However, we in the Progressive Party often say that the revolution depends on our people themselves. The revolution is the people's need for revolution, not the Progressive Party creating the revolution. Our Chairman said it well, if you rely on mountains, the mountains will fall, if you rely on rivers, the rivers will dry up, and if you rely on people, they will run away.

So now that Master Liu is bullying us, we must take the initiative to stand up and defeat him, moving from spontaneous action to conscious action. We can't rely on Master Liu or Master Wang to have a change of heart, a change of heart, and finally overthrow themselves. That's unrealistic. If we want to overthrow Master Liu, we need more people like you to stand up and fight him. Dust won't go away without a broom.

Now the teacher is going to report this Mr. Liu and bring them down. You are the victim. When we arrest Mr. Liu and put him on trial, will you dare to stand up and expose him?"

When Xiaoying heard these words, her blood rushed to her head. She had just complained to the teacher, and the teacher was about to beat Mr. Liu down? This was a bit too dramatic, wasn't it? Even a play wouldn't dare to act like this. This world was a bit too unreal. Although Xiaoying was still a little dazed, she didn't forget to give a loud yes.

"I dare, I dare, even if I die."

Xiaoying had no idea that the landlords and gentry in Hunan were banding together to fight against the new government. As the conditions for revolution matured, all they needed was a fuse to completely destroy the landlords and gentry in Hunan.

Hunan, a lot of people are really going to die this time!

"Okay, then go to the classroom first. You will definitely hear relevant news during the public trial of Master Liu."

After that, Zhang Hanliang stopped talking and took out a 28-inch bicycle and rode on it. Xiaoying chased after him for two steps and then stopped, watching Zhang Hanliang leave. After he could no longer see his back, she turned around silently and walked towards the classroom.

Two days later, a special working group from the city arrived, a team of PLA soldiers, stationed at Mr. Liu's home, where he was preparing for a grand wedding. Half a month later, the Liu family's youngest son, who had been discharged from the hospital, knelt with his mother in front of several new graves, burning paper money. A stork, perched on a branch, watched the scene unfold. Suddenly, it cried out, flapped its wings, and flew away with a whoosh!

Such incidents are now rampant in the liberated areas. In past lives, China was said to be a society based on personal connections, but in Hunan, these powerful and influential families are almost all related. The constant intermarriage between these families has led to their immense power, so intertwined that they can even stand up to the Qing government without losing ground. However, in the face of the righteous iron fist of the proletarian dictatorship, any force that goes against the times will inevitably collapse and be wiped out.

Chapter 735: First update!

Man proposes, God disposes. This time, the intelligence work finally did not go wrong and achieved breakthrough progress.

On April 2, 1907, Zhang Yinghao received urgent intelligence from Comrade Li Tianqiao: the envoys of Britain, Japan, France, and Russia had held secret negotiations and unanimously agreed to launch a "punitive" attack on the liberated areas. At the same time, they also redefined their spheres of influence in China.

Japan will get Northeast China and Fujian, France will get Guangxi, and will share Yunnan with Britain. Britain will also get Shandong and Guangdong, and Tsarist Russia will get Mongolia...

Zhang Yinghao took this intelligence very seriously, knowing that the foreign powers had already decided to attack. Zhang Yinghao had to convene a meeting of the Central Political Bureau and the Central Military Commission to discuss how to deal with the current dangerous situation. This situation also made the senior members of the Progressive Party nervous.

After the Liberated Areas unilaterally announced the abolition of all unequal treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty, the Western powers had already begun to take action. Otherwise, the Qing Dynasty would have perished. To this day, no major power has established diplomatic relations with the Liberated Areas. At this time, the major powers are watching the actions of countries such as Britain and France. Even small countries like Belgium, with little interests in China, still adhered to the unanimous choice of the major powers towards China and did not dare to give up their privileged interests.

Although Zhang Yinghao had placed a large number of orders with the major powers, which did stabilize their sentiment to a certain extent, but Britain refused to give in, Zhang Yinghao knew that these orders were not enough to completely divide the major powers.

Zhang Yinghao had long anticipated the actions of the great powers. Even if the entire world's military forces attacked China at this time, Zhang Yinghao had no fear at all. If you want to fight, then fight. In previous lives, the Soviet Union was able to drive out all the intervening forces. After China's liberation, it immediately fought the nearly three-year-long War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, and during that time, it also liberated Tibet. War would only result in casualties, so what was there to be afraid of? At worst, it would just be a war against the great powers on the scale of the Anti-Japanese War.

Because of Zhang Yinghao's previous meeting prediction, everyone present fell silent after reading the intelligence content, and the tension quickly erupted.

"Fuck it, just fight, who's afraid of who?"

"These imperialists are damnable." "How do we fight them? Can we win?"

... …….

Zhang Yinghao looked at the bustling conference hall, his heart calm. He knew full well that the great powers at that time had not yet experienced the cruelty of World War I, had not yet been weakened, and were still at their peak of arrogance. Zhang Yinghao unilaterally announced the abolition of all unequal treaties. Although he had not yet unified the country, he had taken many concrete actions, which had completely violated the interests of the great powers in China.

They naturally hoped to use force to force the new government to recognize the various treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty. Needless to say, Japan and Russia had already lost troops and territory in Northeast China, and were completely defeated. The war had not yet ended. Japan, Russia, and Britain had all their privileges in places like the three towns of Wuhan, and their concessions had been directly reclaimed. Therefore, the great powers naturally hoped to gain sufficient benefits through war, to feed themselves through plundering China.

Zhang Yinghao could imagine that Britain, France, Japan, Russia, and other countries were colluding and preparing for action. Japan and Russia must have received support from Britain and France, and obtained promises to provide money and equipment to allow the two countries to fight the PLA to the death. Zhang Yinghao was not worried about Japan at the moment. If the attack on North Korea was successful, even if Japan borrowed money, without a few years of easing tensions and improving people's livelihoods, Japan would not be able to afford a major war.

Russia was in even greater chaos. Just how chaotic was it? Czarist Russia, mired in internal and external turmoil, was completely unable to address a major event like the Tongos explosion. The Russian Empire was plagued by revolutionary unrest and widespread popular discontent. Left-wing revolutionary groups were constantly engaged in actions to overthrow the monarchy, gaining widespread support. Across Russia, police and government officials were frequently attacked by revolutionary terrorists.

Stolypin, Russia's "last statesman," even created a new court system that allowed for the on-the-spot arrest and swift trial of suspects accused of revolutionary activities. Stolypin subsequently suppressed the workers' and peasants' revolutionary movement, massacring revolutionaries. Over 3,000 convicted revolutionaries were hanged by special tribunals across the country...

Every empire faces a savior in times of crisis, and Stolypin was that savior of Tsarist Russia. His reforms ushered in a brief period of prosperity for the crisis-ridden Tsarist Russia. This prosperity, which lasted several years, saw increased wages for Russian workers and employees, rapid industrial growth, greater social activity, a more vibrant cultural life in major cities, significant progress in national education, and a significant improvement in soldier literacy.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao knew very well that before Stolypin carried out reforms, Russia would no longer have the ability to deal with the outside world.

As for Britain and France, they naturally wanted to gain the greatest benefits and acquire colonies. So at this time, Jordan had already decided to start a war. The situation had reached a point where war was inevitable.

When the meeting calmed down and everyone's eyes were on Zhang Yinghao, Zhang Yinghao knew that now was the time to make his position clear. He immediately waved his hand and said, "If we want independence and liberation, we will inevitably have a huge conflict with the Western powers. This is an inevitable fact determined by interests and will not change even if we give in. Throughout history, no country has risen without going through the test of blood and fire. It is impossible to rise quietly."

Revolution is not a dinner party, writing an essay, painting or embroidering. It cannot be so elegant, so leisurely, so refined, so gentle, kind, courteous, frugal and modest. Revolution is an insurrection, an act of violence by one class to overthrow another.

What we need to consider now is whether our Progressive Party can still represent the interests of the people and keep them on our side. How is our land reform progressing? When the Western powers enter China, who will be their guides? Who will disrupt us? Are these landlords and gentry, whose lands have been taken away from them, constantly yearning for their former glory days? Do they yearn to get their land back?

The Qing Dynasty has fallen, and we can no longer make decisions for them. What about the Beiyang government? If the armies of the foreign powers invade, will they use their power to make decisions for them? Will they obtain arms from the foreign powers and once again form militias to fight against us? These people want the old ways. They don't produce anything themselves, so they need military support to exploit us...

Upon hearing Zhang Yinghao's words, many comrades' expressions changed. Many of those present were now reflecting on whether the Forward Party's land reform policy had been too hasty, whether it had resulted in excessive killings. Some comrades also believed that the land of the landlord class should not have been confiscated. Newspapers were flooded with articles criticizing the land reform policy, saying that they had listened to the propaganda of certain people and adopted the method of determining land prices, providing compensation, or redeeming the land. When these comrades heard Zhang Yinghao's discussion of the land reform issue and the problems of the "leading party," they naturally thought he was criticizing them.

Zhang Yinghao didn't care what his comrades were thinking. He just continued, "...Peace survives when it's sought through struggle, but it dies when it's sought through compromise. The great powers are like hungry wolves that can never be satisfied. We have only one thing to say to these foreigners: when friends come, we offer good wine. But when the jackals come, what awaits them is a hunting rifle..."

At this moment, Zhang Yinghao knew he had completely changed the course of history. However, at this point, he was not afraid of making a big deal out of it. China was now barely on the verge of unification under the leadership of the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army. The history of his previous life and the party before him proved one thing: in the face of people's war, in the face of the organized Chinese people, any attempt by the European and American powers to destroy, overwhelm, or coerce China would be impossible.

As long as the Progressive Party firmly stands with the people, the People's Liberation Army will only grow stronger with each battle. Even if ten million foreign troops invade China, facing the most terrifying situation, Zhang Yinghao believes that the People's Liberation Army will continue to fight bravely, and the Progressive Party will continue to lead the people to the final victory, which will inevitably be a great victory that will culminate in the complete liberation of China.

After unifying the Party's top leadership, Zhang Yinghao immediately convened a meeting of the CPPCC. The CPPCC now consists of representatives from the Progressive Party, various religions, non-partisans, people's organizations, ethnic minorities, and various sectors, as well as representatives from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Sakhalin Island, overseas Chinese, and specially invited individuals. Each term lasts five years. When Zhang Yinghao relayed the relevant information to the attendees, the room erupted in excitement.

The great powers are not threatening us, they are about to invade!

Many people who had been to foreign countries and witnessed the might of the great powers turned pale and their lips trembled. In particular, some people were so veiled in slander that they almost pointed at Zhang Yinghao's nose and cursed him as the second Empress Dowager Cixi and a vainglorious person.

Zhang Yinghao looked at this dramatic scene, wanting to laugh but unable to. No matter whether they said he was the second Empress Dowager Cixi or that he was just vainglorious, Zhang Yinghao didn't feel anything.

Zhang Yinghao admitted that the current powers were truly powerful, especially their navies, and that China was completely unable to contend with them. But was he supposed to just lie back and wait for the Qing Dynasty to be defeated? Zhang Yinghao didn't think he could do that. Or was he supposed to completely inherit the Qing Dynasty's treaties, as the Beiyang and Nationalist governments did in previous generations? Was he supposed to rely on the powers to abolish them themselves? Zhang Yinghao didn't think he could do that either. With the money, it would be better to fight a few battles. Victory would be best, as it would boost morale. Even if they lost, it would teach the people a lesson and help them recognize the true face of the powers.

So, after the meeting had quieted down, Zhang Yinghao stood up and said, "Shortly after the Qing Dynasty was overthrown, Yuan Shikai came to power and recognized the treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty. He then gained the support of the great powers and became emperor. Now these great powers are eager to join forces with the Beiyang government to attack the liberated areas and interfere in our internal affairs. This is absolutely not allowed."

Zhang Yinghao would not say that the great powers interfered in the Chinese revolution, because interfering in revolutions is the tradition of the great powers, but interference in internal affairs is indeed generally opposed.

"They are trying to use their mighty ships and cannons to force us to surrender and acknowledge the humiliating treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty. This is wishful thinking. The awakened Chinese people will never submit to the tyranny of the great powers.

It took only six years from the rise of our Progressive Party to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty. National unification is only a matter of time. Now the great powers are attempting to interfere with our national unity and China's internal affairs, trying to force us to recognize the treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty or to overthrow our people's government. Our Progressive Party and the heroic People's Liberation Army's answer to the great powers is: If you want a war, then we will fight.

After the CPPCC meeting, Zhang Yinghao convened another meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Here, Zhang Yinghao quoted and modified the words of Emperor Taizu at the closing meeting of the Fourth Session of the First National Committee of the CPPCC in 1953 after the Korean War, saying to the NPC: "In the face of aggression from the great powers, we must be prepared to fight for a long time and not compromise. In the end, we must defeat them. The road is tortuous, but the future is bright. We have been fighting continuously since we started our uprising. Are we afraid of fighting? Therefore, we should not decide how long this war will last. Let Downing Street, Tokyo, Paris, and St. Petersburg decide. We will fight as long as they want, until we achieve complete victory and until the great powers completely withdraw from China..."

After Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, the attendees, some voluntarily and some under duress, broke into applause. Zhang Yinghao glanced around, as if he had seen through everyone's eyes, and continued: "...We resist the aggression of the imperialist powers and oppose imperialist oppression. Everyone must remember that our resistance is just, and a just cause cannot be broken by any enemy. Our cause will succeed, our cause will definitely succeed! All reactionaries are paper tigers. Let those reactionaries, both inside and outside, tremble! The Chinese people will steadily achieve their goals through unremitting efforts. We will definitely achieve our goals. Long live the Chinese people, long live the Progressive Party, and long live the People's Liberation Army."

"Long live the Chinese people, long live the Progressive Party, long live the People's Liberation Army!" "Long live the Chinese people, long live the Progressive Party, long live the People's Liberation Army!"

··………-

After reuniting their minds, Zhang Yinghao signed two presidential decrees for the liberated areas. The first declared the concept of national territory, encompassing the vast expanses of newly liberated East and West Siberia, as well as Sakhalin Island, Taiwan, Ryukyu, and the Spratly Islands, as inherent Chinese territory. It also declared the abolition of all unequal treaties signed by the old government. The second presidential decree ordered the People's Liberation Army to launch a resolute counterattack if attacked by the armies of the foreign powers.

China unilaterally abolished all unequal treaties of the old government. Zhang Yinghao was indeed under great pressure, but he knew he had to do it. As a time traveler, Zhang Yinghao naturally knew that a world war was coming, and he could use the opportunity of a world war to slowly reclaim these powers. But would the people understand? Would they be willing to continue to delay? Especially China's youth, these most radical people, would definitely not want to wait any longer.

While the stance on abolishing these unequal treaties must be clearly stated, the specific implementation and timing can be more flexible. A new society demands a new atmosphere, so it's best to start over from the past. Zhang Yinghao has already made up his mind: he's going to present himself to the world with a completely new look.

Zhang Yinghao returned to his office. Soon, the contents of Zhang Yinghao's meeting and the signed documents reached the foreign powers. The diplomatic corps, led by Jordan, immediately came to see Zhang Yinghao, and Zhang Yinghao personally met them. Zhang Yinghao knew that these foreign devils were here to confront China, but he didn't care. As long as China could resolve its internal problems, it would have a chance to ask the foreign powers for help in the future.

Before the boss, Zhu Erdian, could say anything, Uchida Yasuya immediately spoke up: "Mr. Zhang, you sent troops to attack the Korean Empire. This is an act of aggression. You must withdraw your troops immediately. Now you unilaterally declare the abolition of the treaty signed by the Qing Dynasty. This is completely inconsistent with international law. Taiwan, Sakhalin Island and Ryukyu are now territories of the Empire of Japan. You must expel the CPPCC representatives, apologize immediately, and declare that these places belong to the Empire of Japan..."

Zhang Yinghao watched Uchida Yasuya's exasperated expression and realized that Japan, with the support of Britain and France, seemed emboldened. He wondered if that was truly the case. Zhang Yinghao also knew that if Britain and France provided money, equipment, or even simply loans sufficient to purchase sufficient supplies and equipment, Japan would absolutely not care how many soldiers died. Now that Japan had the support of Britain and France, it began to clamor again.

Zhang Yinghao looked at Uchida Yasuya for a moment without saying anything, then turned to look at Jordan. Jordan shrugged and said directly, "Mr. Chairman, the presidential decree you signed seriously endangers the interests of the British Empire in China. Therefore, you must recognize the treaty signed by the Qing Dynasty and retain extraterritoriality and concessions..."

After listening to the translation, Zhang Yinghao knew that this was the final warning, the final ultimatum. After a moment of silence, he said, "Sir Jordan, we want to build a brand new country and a brand new society, so our foreign relations must also be brand new. The unequal treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty and the Beiyang government with the foreign powers were not participated in by the Liberated Areas. They are invalid for the Liberated Areas and are despised by the entire Chinese people. Therefore, we will absolutely not recognize them."

Hearing this, Zhang Yinghao saw Uchida Yasuya almost jump up in excitement, and of course he understood why. Japan was eager for the Liberated Areas and the Great Powers to fall out immediately and completely! Japan was in a very difficult situation right now. If the Liberated Areas attacked Korea, without the help of the Great Powers, Japan really couldn't afford to fight, and would have to swallow its anger. If it had the support of the Great Powers, then everything could be saved.

Seeing that Zhu Erdian wanted to say something else, Zhang Yinghao said directly: "China's future relations with other countries must be equal and mutually beneficial. Our liberated areas are not afraid of any hegemony or threat. Every inch of land is shed with blood, and millions of young people and millions of soldiers are fighting. If war is forced upon the Chinese people, and you still want to treat China the same way you exterminated the Indians, sold black slaves, or ruled India, then as the people's vanguard, the Forward Party, as the chairman of the Forward Party, and as the chairman of the Military Commission of the People's Liberation Army, I will tell you one thing: if you want to fight, then fight. We Chinese are indeed a little poor, but we are not afraid of death in war.

Of course, you have come all the way to China in search of wealth, so we welcome all friendly nations to invest and trade in our country. We will safeguard the interests of your nations and protect the safety of our merchants. In today's China, only the liberated areas can guarantee the inviolability of your interests. Therefore, all nations must abandon the various unequal treaties they signed with the Qing Dynasty. Only then can their interests be protected by China.

In addition, Sir Jordan, fellow ministers, the Yangtze River is my country's internal waterway. Since rivers in other countries are not open to the outside world, foreign warships are no longer allowed to sail on the Yangtze River, including Shanghai. Your warships must all withdraw from the Yangtze River within three days. Otherwise, if discovered, it will be considered an invasion of China. China can take any form of counterattack, and all responsibility will be borne by the invader. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Hearing Zhang Yinghao's words, Jordan's face was full of disbelief, and Uchida Yasuya immediately jumped up excitedly. Because after hearing Zhang Yinghao's words, Uchida Yasuya was very clear, that is, Britain must use force against China, and there is no room for easing.

"Mr. Chairman, you will pay the price for your hasty decision."

If there is no chance of success, then there is no point in talking. Since the powers like Britain, France, Japan and Russia are already preparing to use force against China, then let's use war to decide the outcome. Without saying anything, Jordan turned around and left with a large group of people. The German envoy wanted to say something, but he opened his mouth and left without saying a word.

Seeing that war was inevitable, Zhang Yinghao immediately ordered the entire army to prepare for war and issued a level one combat readiness order. At the same time, he ordered the troops stationed in Hami and Kobdo to immediately liberate all of Xinjiang and to liberate the entire Xinjiang within a year. He had no time to wait any longer.

Zhang Yinghao's words were reported back to Europe and published in newspapers, causing a wave of ridicule. Politicians in particular were eager to publish articles denying the strength of the Chinese. They all believed that Zhang Yinghao, a yellow-skinned monkey, was overestimating his own capabilities. He was still just a bunch of peasants, with no fighting power at all.

The imperialist powers still possessed a significant capacity for interference in China. Beyond direct military intervention, their diplomatic corps controlled two of the most important revenue streams for the Chinese government: customs duties and salt taxes. Without universal recognition from the imperialist powers, the liberated areas would be unable to collect the remaining customs duties ("guan yu") and salt taxes ("yan yu") after the indemnities and benefits "collected" by the imperialist powers. Therefore, Western politicians assumed that the finances of the liberated areas would be extremely difficult.

In the minds of most Westerners, China is still a country with a pig's tail hanging from its head, a barbaric, backward, and ignorant place. Many Westerners even believe that China is still in the cannibal stage. It is full of ignorant people wearing tattered linen clothes, with no food to eat and no clothes to wear. How could such a country undergo fundamental change?

At this time, in the minds of the great powers, China was just like what Zhang Yinghao thought of India in his previous life: dirty and messy, and Africa: poor and lazy. It was a country that could be conquered as long as the great powers fired a few shots with their giant ships and cannons.

Of course, a few people read Zhang Yinghao's articles and became deeply interested in the policies of the Liberated Areas and the Forward Party, but these were naturally a minority, and their voices were quickly drowned out by the current of history, lost in the vast ocean. The public opinion front had long been occupied by the rulers, and naturally, the voices calling for punishment of China always held the majority.

Chapter 736: Second update!

Zhang Yinghao's speech was published in domestic newspapers. "Every inch of land is stained with blood, and millions of young men and millions of soldiers are mobilized." "If you want to fight, then fight!" The Chinese people were immediately inspired by these words. Yes, if millions of soldiers were truly mobilized, who could defeat China?

The allied forces of the great powers invaded China. The place of war could really be anywhere on the border, and counter-revolutionaries had to be suppressed, so the pressure faced by all regions was enormous. Zhang Yinghao considered it over and over again. In order to cope with this war, he decided to establish the Northeast Bureau, which was responsible for the fight against Japan in the Northeast and the liberation of Vladivostok and other places. He also established the Northwest Bureau to be responsible for the liberation of Xinjiang and the subsequent war against Britain and Russia. He also established the Northern Bureau to be responsible for the war against Tsarist Russia in Outer Mongolia. He established the Southwest Bureau to be responsible for the war in Yunnan and ×z. He established the South China Bureau to be responsible for possible wars in Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian. He established the Yangtze River Bureau to be responsible for the war in the Yangtze River basin, etc.

The Beiyang government couldn't afford to maintain its fleet, and after the People's Liberation Army liberated Min and Zhejiang, the remaining Qing navy almost completely surrendered to the PLA. Zhang Yinghao valued these valuable warships, ships, and gunboats, including several Japanese ships captured in Lushun. However, he was still concerned about China's vast maritime borders. These old ships were not up to the task of ensuring the security of China's coastal areas, and the coastal areas still lacked effective protection.

Therefore, when the foreign powers attacked, Zhang Yinghao gave the navy a clear order: to save the warships and preserve the seeds of the Chinese navy. Zhang Yinghao also ordered the front-line troops confronting the foreign powers to take action, not to allow the foreign powers' warships to freely enter and exit the Yangtze River and bombard both sides of the Yangtze River.

During this period, Zhang Yinghao also did one thing, which was to order the Science and Technology Investigation Management Committee and the Industrial Committee to absorb the scientific and technological achievements and talents of the newly liberated areas as soon as possible.

The Qing Dynasty's Westernization Movement, which lasted from the 1860s to the First Sino-Japanese War, resulted in the destruction of the Beiyang Fleet. Through these decades, the Qing acquired a number of large-scale heavy industrial units, including the Hankou Iron Works, the Jiangnan Arsenal, the Kaiping Coal Mine, and the Fuzhou Shipyard, capable of smelting steel. These units were in fact no less advanced than those of Japan, though their systems were entirely fragmented. These units also accumulated a vast amount of technical data, and Zhang Yinghao, naturally, would not allow this information to be lost and gather dust, so he set out to collect it.

Once these units fell into the hands of the Forward Party, they could be incorporated into the entire industrial system. Furthermore, although a large number of workers in these factories have died, many are still alive. It's not a problem for these veteran technicians to serve as mentors, guiding apprentices, and making use of their remaining energy. At this point in time, how can skilled workers be allowed to retire? They must be employed until they can no longer work.

Under the Qing Dynasty, these factories were unorganized and insignificant. However, under the leadership of the Forward Party, the entire liberated area came together, and their opportunity for development arrived. Some of these enterprises were capable of manufacturing heavy artillery, and until recently, warships and submarines. Therefore, Zhang Yinghao had to collect this technical data to build technological reserves for the country. Without Zhang Yinghao's revolutionary work, these factories would have fallen behind the times and disappeared into history.

Just as Zhang Yinghao was preparing for the next war, Xinjiang attracted not only British forces but also Russian forces. By 1907, Russia was at the bottom of its revolutionary period. Having stabilized the domestic situation somewhat, Nicholas II naturally breathed a sigh of relief. His gaze naturally turned to the Far East, the region where he had lost troops and territory twice. However, Russia was already exhausted, and Nicholas II knew that the railway to Irkutsk was still not completed, making it impractical to deploy troops to the Far East.

But at this time, Britain and France approached Russia and proposed to form another coalition to invade China. This made Nicholas II ecstatic, like a dream come true, and he immediately agreed to send troops. However, the direction of the troops made Russia embarrassed. Although Nicholas II knew that China did not have a decent navy, he was still afraid of the annihilation of the navy during the Russo-Japanese War. So the only way was to send troops from land. If he sent troops from East and West Siberia? Then he could only send cavalry, because infantry had to rely on two legs to march across thousands of miles of wilderness, and the logistics would drag down Russia. But if he sent cavalry, the cavalry would be much less dependent on logistics. At least they could have food and fodder for the horses and could also plunder along the way.

In addition to this route, there is another route, which is to march into China's Xinjiang region, which is also the place Russia dreams of. If it can be seized, it will be a million square kilometers of territory, which may be able to make up for the loss of land in the Far East to a certain extent.

Just at this time, the remnants of the Qing Dynasty in Xinjiang, the landlord class, took the initiative to contact the Russian troops stationed in Tashkent and other places. This gave the Russian army an excellent excuse to enter Xinjiang. Tsar Nicholas II jumped for joy when he heard the news.

If China in the past was a construction maniac, then Russia in this era was also an infrastructure expert. The Trans-Siberian Railway, which traverses the entire Asian region, and the railway to Central Asia were built despite immense difficulties. By 1903, the Russian Central Asian Railway had already reached Andijan, just a stone's throw away from Xinjiang. If Russia marched into Xinjiang, the People's Liberation Army would face immense pressure. Therefore, after entering Xinjiang, the People's Liberation Army must fully mobilize the masses. Only by gaining their support can the revolution gain continuous strength. Only with the whole nation's resistance to Russia can the Tsarist Russia have no foothold.