The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

In May of the 24th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1898), Kuijun was appointed Governor-General of Sichuan. In July, Kuijun sailed up the Yangtze River from Shanghai, and the governors and governors-general along the river rushed to greet him.

The Governor-General of Huguang, Zhang Zhidong, and the Governor-General of Liangjiang, Liu Kunyi, exchanged telegrams to inform each other of the situation.

Receiving Kui Jun. Liu Kunyi's telegram to Zhang Zhidong stated: "Zhang Zhitai: General Kui Le arrived in Nanjing yesterday and will embark tomorrow for Hubei. I intend to pay my respects to him, but will remain aboard. I will then transfer to another ship and proceed to Yichang for Sichuan. He is also aboard and has refused to enter the headquarters. Sincerely, Kunhao. August 4th, 1898."

Set out at 5 pm and collect at 3 pm.

A xingyuan (Xingyuan) was a luxurious residence for passing governors-general or other high-ranking officials. Kui Jun preferred to spend the night on a ship rather than accept Liu Kunyi's offer to stay in the xingyuan, which his colleagues had meticulously prepared. His arrogance was evident from the moment he arrived. If Kui Jun's arrogance is seen as a pretense of integrity, then his behavior during the "Southeast Mutual Protection" was merely a hypocritical act of compromise.

In the 26th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1900), following the Boxer Rebellion, Empress Dowager Cixi declared war on all foreign powers and issued an edict demanding that all governors-general and governors-general jointly declare war. However, under British manipulation, Liu Kunyi, along with Zhang Zhidong, Li Hongzhang, Xu Yingji, and Yuan Shikai, advocated for the "Southeast Mutual Protection" initiative, claiming the imperial edict was a "forged edict" issued under duress by the Boxers. Kui Jun and Duan Fang expressed their support but declined to join. Through the mediation of the comprador bureaucrat Sheng Xuanhuai, Yu Lianyuan, the governor of Shanghai, negotiated with the consuls of various countries in Shanghai the "Southeast Protection Agreement" and the "Regulations for the Protection of Shanghai Within and Outside the City." These provisions stipulated that the Shanghai Concession would be jointly protected by all countries, while the Yangtze River and the inland areas of Suzhou and Hangzhou would be protected by the governors-general and governors-general of each province.

"Sitting in the southeast, I will never obey the imperial edict." This move made the Qing court lose face and the revolutionary forces developed.

Kui Jun's contribution to Sichuan was even more remarkable. He had two loyal subordinates: Feng Lin, the provincial governor, and A Lin, the prefect of Chengdu. The three men shared a common disposition, enjoying the pursuit of wealth. A Lin, the prefect of Chengdu, Sichuan, was notorious for his corruption, neglecting the police and placing his trust in his retainers. This led to a decline in officialdom and a growing epidemic of banditry. Feng Lin, the provincial governor, paid little attention to officialdom. He was confused, forgetful, and, in his old age, obsessed with profit.

After the 26th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1900), the "Boxer Indemnity" was directly distributed to each province to cope with the huge shortfall. At the same time, the Qing government required local governments to raise funds on their own and launched a major new policy. Local governments took the opportunity to create miscellaneous taxes.

Sichuan's tax rates were consistently higher than those in other provinces due to the addition of over 40 or 50 taxes by successive governors, including food taxes, commodity taxes, livestock taxes, business taxes, meat taxes, tea taxes, and flower taxes. Among these numerous taxes, the most bizarre were the "cannon tax" and the "dung tax."

When an official was about to leave office, he would reduce prices and collect taxes, a practice known as "firecrackers." Local officials could earn between 5,000 and 10,000 taels of silver for each firecracker. When officials were about to be transferred, they had their runners spread the word, "Grain and meat taxes will be discounted." The people, eager for a small profit, rushed to pay their taxes. However, some officials, after firing firecrackers, stayed put, a practice known as "peace bombing." However, upon arrival, new officials would again reduce prices and collect taxes, a practice known as "reverse bombing," leaving the people devastated.

Take the Yongchuan County Magistrate, for example. Magistrate Yu set off cannons twenty-one times and collected 214,000 taels of tax; Magistrate Zou set off cannons twice and collected 24,000 taels of tax. Such exploitation led to the common people trembling with fear at the sound of cannons.

The most absurd "manure tax" was an unprecedented invention during Kuijun's administration. Sichuan was required to pay 220 million taels of silver annually as part of the Boxer Indemnity. Kuijun was unable to find a solution, so Chengdu prefect Alin offered a suggestion: "Farmers carrying manure into the city will be taxed. Each load will be taxed, and each toilet will be taxed several hundred taels per month."

Since Sichuan Governor Kui Jun held this view, others were even less willing to take responsibility, and everyone just muddled along. Sweep the snow in front of your own door, and don't worry about the frost on your tiles. It's not that the Qing Dynasty lacked capable people, but rather that the end of any dynasty is like this: a time of comparison. Competent people are unable to get things done, while incompetent people occupy high positions and don't give those below them opportunities to work.

Especially when foreign masters were involved, the Qing had a trick: simply "sit back," lying down and letting the hammer fall. They could only pray that the foreign masters would strike softly, not with a fatal blow. Officials who didn't rely on "superiority" would desperately resist the foreigners to prove their so-called integrity and gain fame and sympathy. These people were simply pathetic, unable to recognize the truth of the world today. Tragically, China, controlled by these pathetic scoundrels, continued to decline.

Moreover, renowned late Qing officials like Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, and Zhang Zhidong only dared to negotiate with the foreign powers, not to offend them. Especially after the Boxer Rebellion, when Empress Dowager Cixi knelt before the foreigners, could other officials dare to surpass the Empress Dowager in wisdom and power? So, they had no choice but to kneel together. Since they couldn't get things done, they decided to compete with one another! Everyone competed to make money together. Thus, the national situation deteriorated further and further, and ultimately, the empire quietly collapsed and disappeared.

Zhang Yinghao didn't know what kind of person the current Qing Dynasty governor in Sichuan was, but he knew that the Qing Dynasty still had capable people. At least the people who had restored the Tongzhi Emperor had not yet died. Zhao Erfeng, who had been protecting Tibet, would come to Sichuan soon!

Zhang Yinghao is now very sensitive to the possible emergence of armed forces from the outside world.

He was very worried that the Qing Dynasty would suddenly come to encircle and suppress him, but Zhang Yinghao never received any news, which confused him. Zhang Yinghao didn't know why the Qing Dynasty didn't come to encircle and suppress him, or when the Qing Dynasty would come to encircle and suppress him.

Zhang Yinghao was unaware that the current Sichuan governor had meddled in various industries in Sichuan, reaping vast sums of money. Of course, even if he knew, Zhang Yinghao would only be happier. After all, such a figure was always preferable to capable and powerful officials in Sichuan. Under this governor's rule, Sichuan's administration had become increasingly destitute, with heavy taxes and oppression rife at every level, leaving the people unbearable. With this governor in place, Zhang Yinghao would have a constant supply of human resources. After all, the more Kui Jun exploited the people's wealth, the stronger the popular resistance would become.

Zhang Yinghao's Quotes: When you think of something, go get it right away, or you won't be able to remember it again!

Chapter 89

Sichuan's weather was unforgiving, with the drought still lingering. However, Zhang Yinghao's will was not affected by the changing weather. Time continued to flow, the Yangtze River flowing eastward day and night. However, as Zhang Yinghao gathered information, he learned that the people were in deep distress. Sichuan was a powder keg. Zhang Yinghao was certain that the conditions for revolution in Sichuan were ripe.

After forcing Kuijun to declare his commitment to handling the Shunqing Prefecture incident, Andy's purpose for coming to Chengdu was halfway accomplished. However, Kuijun remained equivocal about establishing a consulate in Chengdu. Andy, the French Consul General in Chongqing, disliked Kuijun's ambivalence and neither objected nor responded. Well then, Consul General Andy assumed it was tacit approval.

Andy immediately began searching for the address of the French Consulate General in Chengdu. The British, not wanting to be outdone, soon learned of the situation. The British Consulate General in Chongqing sent a note to Sichuan Governor Kui Jun, also requesting an office in Chengdu, citing the inconvenience of traveling to and from the province. According to the principle of unanimity among the great powers, if one power gains certain rights, the others will also receive them. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the United States, Japan, Germany, and other nations will soon establish their presence in Chengdu.

Whether the mountains outside collapsed or the ground cracked, it didn't matter to Zhang Yinghao now. Although the forces organized by Zhang Yinghao had entered Chongqing relatively early, they only took over the property of landlords and engaged in trade. They did not directly raise any banner related to revolution and rebellion.

Regardless of the white pigs' schemes, Zhang Yinghao was determined to increase investment in the research institute. If the technical department could overcome the difficulties of developing a machine and could manufacture it themselves, they could invest heavily in building a factory. Only with a factory could they have workers and produce more products.

It was at this point that Zhang Yinghao recalled that his previous handling of the capital pigs and mine owners was a bit crude. The problem with China now is that there are too many factories, not too few. There is no need to buy them or invest in them.

China can be said to have a blank slate in terms of industry. As long as China increases its investment, there will definitely be a large number of situations where the state advances and the private sector advances. When certain private projects are able to take responsibility, that will be the time for the state to withdraw and the private sector to advance.

However, underground resources must be nationalized. If the workshops are willing to let the government invest in them, they can do so. If not, they only need to register and pay taxes.

By running textile and garment factories, Zhang Yinghao also solved a major problem: the socialist transformation after the founding of the People's Republic of China. Zhang Yinghao had been unable to figure out how to apply the methods he should use. He was aware of his own shortcomings, so he kept thinking about how to flexibly apply the three major reforms. This is why he came up with the solutions of redemption and equity investment.

After Zhang Yinghao opened his own factory, his thinking changed.

The industry is currently completely blank, and it will not be entirely developed by the state in the future. Furthermore, the national capital is currently completely underdeveloped. Zhang Yinghao cannot unleash the monster of capital now, but instead must desperately suppress it. Before he can take over the country and gain a certain degree of control over the entire country, Zhang Yinghao will not release it.

How many constraints on capital will be created?

Zhang Yinghao felt relieved after figuring it out. Enterprises that affected the national economy and people's livelihoods must be controlled by the state, while some service industries and light industries would definitely have to rely on mixed-ownership enterprises or even entirely private enterprises in the future. However, the state also had to play a role in price regulation. Uncontrolled capital was more terrifying than a flood or a beast.

Zhang Yinghao believes that what he should do now is to maximize his earnings while the economy is still growing, and then spend it where it's needed. In the future, when the economy transitions to a stock-based economy, he can open up areas where the state doesn't need to control them and allow private capital to participate.

For those who have agreed to buy or invest now, of course they can quickly obtain funds.

Those who are unwilling to do so can be left alone for now, but the property rights of enterprises must be clearly defined and the land must be state-owned. This is all that is needed. If problems are discovered later,

Deal with the problem again.

Zhang Yinghao's most important job now is actually teaching; all other tasks are left to his colleagues. These days, running a factory simply requires capital to purchase machinery, then training workers to start production. It's a seller's market now; as long as Zhang Yinghao produces, he can sell it through the supply and marketing cooperatives and even sell it along the Yangtze River. Zhang Yinghao's previous clothing and pants business was incredibly prosperous, and production was simply not enough. However, now that they've switched to assembly line production, they should be able to provide a sufficient supply. If that's still insufficient, then expanding the business will be no problem.

It was through the production and sales of clothing that Zhang Yinghao realized that a company can really make a lot of money when it is in a seller's market. As long as the products are produced, they can be immediately converted into cash. It can be said that there is no thrilling jump from commodity to currency.

Only at this moment did Hao feel the madness of the reform and opening up period in his previous life.

For Zhang Yinghao, the present is like the era of reform and opening up. It's an incremental economy, a frantic scramble for territory. The entire map is still in shadow, unexplored, but treasures abound everywhere. As long as you explore, everything you gain will yield dividends, and every industry can be profitable. Therefore, at this stage, expansion and exploration are the main priorities. This has also made Zhang Yinghao realize that now is the best time to make money. He even wants to seize every avenue of profit, hoping for another wave of government retreat and private sector advancement. However, there's no point in overthinking it now; he'll just have to take it one step at a time.

Zhang Yinghao also conducted extensive commercial activities through his business research in Chongqing. He sought to produce and supply whatever the foreigners and the market needed. The base's supply and marketing cooperatives now virtually monopolized Shunqing Prefecture's trade, selling grain, salt, iron and its products, clothing, cloth, bamboo products, pig bristles, coal, and honeycomb briquettes.

Anything produced or surplus in the base area had already been traded in Chongqing. This was one of the reasons Zhang Yinghao temporarily held off attacking Chongqing, hoping to secure a boost through Chongqing. And Zhang Yinghao did just that, dispatching Liu Xinsheng to Chongqing early on to oversee the situation. He also sent a large number of outstanding Party members to Chongqing to help organize unions, run night schools, and mobilize the masses, working among the most destitute dock workers.

Since he felt that the revolution in Sichuan was mature at this time, Zhang Yinghao naturally would not miss this opportunity. He had decided to speed up his pace, throw off his arms, break free from his restraints, and stride forward.

Wu Chengze was one of the instructors sent by the new Forward Party to Chongqing to train members there, conveying the new spirit and directives of the Central Committee. He was a salt worker. Zhang Yinghao had modernized the management of the salt wells he had seized, established a trade union, and started literacy classes. He was diligent and hardworking, studied diligently, and became a model worker and an outstanding student, eventually joining the Forward Party.

Chairman Zhang Yinghao personally trained these worker Party members. It was after attending the class that his soul was liberated. He understood the reasons for the misery of these salt workers and the working people at the bottom of society, and also understood the darkness of the world. He was determined to overthrow this cannibalistic world and build a new one.

Two oil lamps were placed on either side of the podium, illuminating the blackboard with crystal clear light. Wu Chengze was standing at the podium, preparing to lecture the Party members in Chongqing and convey the new Central Committee's directives. Zhang Yinghao was quite strict with those who went to the local areas to teach. Unless there were special circumstances, two or more Party members had to go together. This minimized the risk of opportunistic behavior.

Zhang Yinghao's greatest fear was the emergence of conspirators like Zhang Guotao from his previous life, who, in an effort to establish a one-man army, resorted to machine gunning down and massacring their own comrades. If such a person emerged within the ranks of the Forward Party, Zhang Yinghao would absolutely resort to physical annihilation, rather than any other form of struggle.

"Teacher Wu, all the party members and cadres are here."

Wu Chengze listened, coughed, and said, "Okay, comrades, please be quiet. Everyone has to work during the day, so our training can only be held in the evening. Let's start now. Let's convey the latest resolution of the Party Central Committee. Our next task is to crack down on feudal secret societies and cults. Of course, this elimination of cults will mainly be carried out within the Party, but we must train comrades here. We in the Forward Party do not believe in gods or ghosts. Therefore, our party members and cadres must conduct self-examination and mutual supervision. For any comrades who believe in these gods and ghosts, we have the obligation to help them correct their mistakes."

Hearing Wu Chengze's words, many comrades below immediately started talking. "Comrades, do you have any questions? Please raise your hands."

When Wu Chengze saw so many comrades raising their hands, he knew Chongqing's Party work was doing well. Party members and cadres should ask questions when they don't understand something. Once they start pretending to know something, trouble is brewing.

"Comrade 3, second row, what's your question?"

"Teacher Wu, I understand the crackdown on cults, but I don't believe in anything supernatural. I'm just asking, can't we worship our ancestors?"

"Sit down. Ancestor worship is not something supernatural, because our ancestors are indeed buried there. This is an objective fact. We go to worship our ancestors, firstly to express our grief, and secondly to express our gratitude to them. After all, without our ancestors, there would be no us. This is an objective existence and not something supernatural.

We're talking about supernatural things, like the idea that there are river gods and water ghosts in the river. A rising river means the god is angry, someone drowns because the water ghost is seeking revenge, and sacrificing young boys and girls is necessary to appease the god's wrath. That's unacceptable. And then there's all that charade about summoning spirits and performing shaman dances—we must resolutely resist it. Any other questions, comrade in blue?

"What are the feudal secret societies?"

"Oh, sorry, I'll write it right away."

After saying this, Wu Chengze turned around and began writing on the blackboard. The students below also began to copy. After Wu Chengze finished writing, he read out: "Currently, we know of cults such as the White Lotus Sect, the God Worshipping Society, the I-Kuan Tao, the Red Lantern Sect, Falun Gong, and so on!"

Zhang Yinghao doesn't know if Falun Gong exists today, but that doesn't stop him from labeling it a cult. After reading this, everyone feels a bit confused. Many people are familiar with these sects. After all, there was a demand for them in Qing society, so naturally, there were people who believed in them.

At this time, another comrade raised his hand and said, "Teacher Wu, are there ghosts in this world?"

Wu Chengze laughed when he heard this question, because he had also asked Chairman Zhang Yinghao this question during their training.

"Comrades, are there ghosts in this world? Are there gods? I don't know, and neither do you. We say we are materialists. What is materialism? It means we believe the world is knowable. If you say there are ghosts, then please prove their existence, or call one out for us to see. If we see a real ghost there, then we will believe that ghosts exist in this world. Do you say there are ghosts? If you say there are, then prove it to me. If you can't prove it, then it doesn't exist. Do you understand?"

Seeing everyone nod, Wu Chengze continued, "We oppose feudal secret societies and all things supernatural, not just the cults mentioned above."

After saying that, Wu Chengze turned around and continued writing. After finishing writing, he said: "Now there are a lot of religious incidents in Sichuan. These things like Islam, Catholicism, Jesus Christ, and Bodhisattvas are all bullshit. Anyone who believes in these sects cannot join our Forward Party. Because everything we have now is not given to us by these gods and ghosts, but is done by our own hands. This world is a material world, our world, and we decide our own affairs, not the world of these gods and ghosts. So comrades, if you think you are only opposing feudal superstitions, you are wrong. We are completely opposed to the entire religion. Our Forward Party does not accept any religious believers as comrades. Do you understand?"

Zhang Yinghao's Quotations - Use Marxist philosophy to guide action rather than to seek status, otherwise Marxism will also be doomed!

Chapter 90

Opposing superstitions naturally requires the popularization of scientific principles. Without the popularization of science, feudal superstitions cannot be eliminated from people's lives.

To address this issue, Zhang Yinghao wrote a simple book called "100,000 Whys" specifically to popularize scientific knowledge among Party members. When Wu Chengze came to the training, he brought a batch of books specifically to educate the comrades.

"Next, we'll distribute the book '100,000 Whys'. It contains many principles that we don't usually understand. We'll also explain the content in the next class."

The content of the book is very simple, including explanations of natural phenomena such as the solar system, the Earth-Moon system, gravity, wind, frost, snow, rain, thunder and lightning, spring, summer, autumn and winter, and the ebb and flow of the tide. It also includes simple content such as physics, chemistry, astronomy and meteorology, agricultural science, and physiology and hygiene.

These things take a week to learn. Material matters are easy to understand, but when it comes to the spiritual level, many comrades are still at a loss, unsure how to deal with them. One issue comes up again and again: the question of the spirits of ancestors in heaven and their blessings. Many people still can't accept that their ancestors have no influence on future generations.

Unable to resolve the issue, Wu Chengze wrote a report and rushed it to Zhang Yinghao. Zhang Yinghao couldn't help but smile bitterly after reading it. He could only lament that his comrades were still too inexperienced, or perhaps they hadn't fully grasped what he had taught them. Zhang Yinghao immediately picked up his pen and wrote back Wu Chengze the answer he desired. Upon reading the answer, Wu Chengze felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, yet also a look of sudden enlightenment.

That evening, during class, Wu Chengze responded to his classmates' question by asking, "Since everyone believes that our ancestors will protect us, let me ask you a question. Do the souls of our ancestors, whether they are ghosts or transformed into gods, actually need to eat?"

As soon as this question was raised, everyone immediately started discussing it. Some said that ancestors also need to eat, otherwise why would offerings be placed during worship? Others said that ancestors don't need to eat, since they've become gods, so why would they need to eat? If they need to eat, then there are good and bad offerings. Do gods also have different levels of greatness and inferiority?

Wu Chengze continued, "Whether they eat or not, many people believe that our ancestors will protect us. So we say that our ancestors are human, with good and evil sides, right?"

"Yes."

"There are good and bad people, and there are good and bad ghosts. So, it follows that gods and ghosts also have their own rules, right?"

"Yes."

"So what are our ideals? In our own territory, we must follow our own principles. Since ghosts and gods have their own rules, there's no need for us to feel any reverence for them. While we're alive, we, the Progressive Party, can overthrow the old world and build a new one. So, if there's an afterlife, and the rules there don't suit our tastes, we, the Progressive Party, can just as well overthrow the old world and build a new one. The afterlife is unimaginable, and that's why we fear it and why we're obsessed with it. We all experience birth, old age, sickness, and death, but who has more comrades than we do? When we're all dead, we'll unite in the underworld and once again create a world where we have the final say."

Everyone felt their scalps tingle after hearing this. This was truly audacious. If we were dissatisfied with the rules of a world, we could just unite and overthrow them. What was so terrifying about the underworld?

Wu Chengze turned around and wrote a poem written by Zhang Yinghao: The Revolution Will Victory - Chairman Zhang Yinghao

What if I'm beheaded today? Starting a business is a struggle, full of countless battles. Red flags swirl around the serfs' halberds, black hands wield the Overlord's whip. Only through sacrifice and ambition can we truly change the world. I'm heading to Quantai to recruit my old subordinates, with a hundred thousand banners, I'll slay Yama!

Party members and cadres were overcome with goosebumps as they read these simple, clear lines. A born rebel indeed! This is an unparalleled heroic spirit, a ruthless determination to fight against the old society, a complete disdain for the afterlife. A heroic spirit to change the world in life and conquer the afterlife in death. Comrades who grasped the meaning of the poem's meaning felt their hearts beat faster. To fight while alive, to fight even after death, who wouldn't accept this? Fight! Fight! Fight!

Everyone felt a burning fire welling up inside them after reading the poem, but they didn't know how to express it. Their hearts were surging with emotion, wanting to shout, but not knowing what to say. This was because Zhang Yinghao had barely shouted slogans since the revolution began, and if they held it back like that, they would inevitably suffer internal injuries.

"Long live Chairman Zhang! Long live the Forward Party! The revolution will triumph!"

At this time, Comrade Bai Guangliang, who came with Wu Chengze to train the comrades, immediately stood up and shouted loudly.

These three shouts of "Long Live" perfectly captured everyone's emotions at the moment. Yes, Chairman Zhang had saved me, given us light and hope; he deserved a long live. I, as the Forward Party, should also be a long live. The words "the revolution will triumph" completely moved the comrades present, instantly giving outlet to all their emotions.

Upon hearing this, the comrades present immediately stood up and shouted loudly: "Long live Chairman Zhang! Long live the Forward Party! The revolution will surely triumph!"

"Long live Chairman Zhang! Long live the Forward Party! The revolution will triumph!" "Long live the Forward Party! The revolution will triumph!"

“The revolution will triumph!”

If Zhang Yinghao knew that the slogan "Long Live Chairman Zhang" started from a few lines of poetry he plagiarized, I don't know whether Zhang Yinghao should cry or laugh.

I had grown to a certain size, and it was time to shout slogans. Of course, they weren't slogans like "Long live the revolution," but slogans that would help the revolution.

I don't know who started it, but soon all the party members started singing:

"Chinese Revolutionary Song".

Rise up, you starving and cold slaves! Rise up, you suffering people of China! Your blood is boiling with passion; fight for the truth!

Smash the old society to pieces! Slaves, rise up! Rise up! Don't say we have nothing! We want to be the masters of the world! There has never been a savior, and we don't rely on gods or emperors!

To create our own happiness, we must rely on ourselves! We must reclaim the fruits of our labor and let our thoughts break free from their cages! Let's quickly light the furnace ablaze; only by striking while the iron is hot can we succeed! Who created the human world? It was us, the working people! Everything belongs to the workers; how can there be room for parasites?

What's most hateful are those poisonous snakes and ferocious beasts that devour our flesh and blood! Once they are completely eliminated, the bright red sun will shine across the entire country!

This is the final struggle. Unite and tomorrow, our country will be prosperous and strong, and our destiny will surely be realized!

This is the final struggle. Unite together and tomorrow, our nation will be strong and prosperous, and our destiny will surely be realized!

At this time, the "Chinese Revolutionary Song" completely matched the mood of the comrades. After singing, everyone was still upset and felt that it was not enough. Bai Guangliang immediately took the lead in singing "Unity is Strength".

"Unity is strength, unity is strength.

This power is iron, this power is steel. Harder than iron, stronger than steel. Fire upon the reactionary oppressors, and let all unruly systems perish. Shine forth your rays toward the sun, toward freedom, toward liberation. After singing two songs, the crowd's excitement finally subsided.

With a foundation of contempt for the afterlife and a heroic spirit to fight against heaven and earth, Wu Chengze continued, "Comrades, please sit down. Chairman Zhang once said, 'One rat's droppings spoils the whole barrel.' The most important thing we need to do is not to remove the rat's droppings, but to find the rat. Otherwise, it will keep dropping shit, and how can we possibly clean it out?"

Since feudal superstition is rat shit, then who produced this rat shit? In other words, since feudal superstition is deceptive and a lie, then who needs these lies to deceive people? Who wants to fool the people? Who can tell me?

"It's the emperor."

"It's the clan." "It's the landlords." "It's the landlord class."

"Some comrades have already given the answer. We say that the state is a tool of class rule. Liu Bang of the Han Dynasty said that he would rule the world together with the literati, and Zhu Yuanzhang said that he would rule the world together with the people. In fact, they vaguely understood this principle: the state is a tool of class rule, so they represented a certain class to rule the world together.

Who has been the ruling class in Chinese history up to this point? The landlord class, represented by the emperor and the bureaucratic literati. Comrades, think about it: who had the final say in the village? It was the clan elders. Were these people not members of the landlord class?

"Yes!"

"Yes, these people are from the landlord class. So our world is full of their lies. We are now facing the problem of feudal superstition, Master Zhang.

Xi said that when we encounter a problem, we should not only follow the vine to find the melon, but also follow the vine to find the leaves, follow the vine to find the roots, and follow the melon to find the seeds. We must find it clearly.

I just said we should respect our ancestors, but dealing with clan power and the landlord class is a different matter. There are always those with clan power who, for various purposes, exploit the ancestors' names to force compromises and payments. They can claim to represent the will of the ancestors. Let's not even discuss the question of whether there's an afterlife. Why, after performing a ritual and invoking a spirit, do they represent the will of the ancestors? This is feudal superstition. They use the ancestors as a tool to bind and control us.

Therefore, we must distinguish between clan power and ancestor worship. These ancestors are our own ancestors, yes, but I can worship them however I want, worship them however I want, and use whatever offerings I want. Ancestors' blessings have nothing to do with clan power. It's not because the clan elders say our ancestors bless us that they will bless us. Do you understand?"

After hearing Wu Chengze's words, everyone suddenly had a sudden realization. Yes, even with the ancestors' blessing, it was still the ancestors who had the final say, not the clan elders.