The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Just after the Mid-Autumn Festival, Cao Cao ordered his troops to return to the capital. After more than ten days of arduous journey, the army finally left the desolate Liucheng and arrived in Changli, Hebei. East of this place was Jieshi Mountain, west of the vast ocean. Cao Cao stood atop a mountain, gazing out at the sea. The setting sun shone a golden hue across the blue sea. Distant islands loomed, and nearby waves rolled forward...

Seeing such a magnificent scenery, Cao Cao could not help but feel poetic again, and he recited: Facing Jieshi in the east, I can see the vast sea. The water is so calm, and the mountains and islands stand tall.

The trees are thick and the grass is lush. The autumn wind is bleak, the waves surge. The sun and moon seem to be emerging from the sky. The stars are shining brightly, as if they are coming from the sky. How fortunate I am! I sing to express my feelings.

Although Yuan Shao and Tadun had been defeated in the north, Sun Quan and Liu Bei in the south still held sway. The great cause of national unification had yet to be achieved. Cao Cao was fifty-three years old, older than you, which would have been considered a long life a thousand years ago. But the heavy responsibility of history lay upon his shoulders, and the mission of unifying the motherland still called to him.

He was filled with passion and ambition, and he strode to his desk and wrote:

Even though the tortoise lives a long life, it has its end. Even though the flying snake rides on the mist, it will eventually turn to dust.

Even an old horse in the stable still aspires to run a thousand miles. Even a martyr in his old age still has great ambitions.

The time of prosperity and decline is not only determined by heaven; the blessing of health and happiness can bring eternal life.

Listen to these two poems: a man in his fifties, yet his heart is consumed with the unification of the nation. Cao Cao's love of nature, his disdain for fate, his unwavering vigor and ambition, all expressed in his lofty ambition to transform reality and unify the motherland. Cao Cao recognized the inevitability of birth, aging, illness, and death, but he remained resolute. He sought to atone for this regret through achievement.

Our comrades must also have this kind of mental attitude, take the world as their own responsibility, and have the domineering spirit of no one else in the world but us. We ourselves are the kings of the country. If we don’t work hard to make the country better in our generation, will we have to wait for the next generation to do the same?

Every citizen has his share of responsibility for the rise and fall of a country. Now that the country is in such a state of ruin, we cannot blame anyone or any force. We can only work hard. Today will be better than yesterday, and tomorrow will be better than today. We must build the country day by day.

Our ancestors created a glorious past, and now this responsibility falls on the shoulders of all Chinese people. If you don't work hard and I don't work hard, the country will only fall! So, comrades, our ancestors are watching over us from heaven, and the younger generations surely hope to live in a peaceful and tranquil environment. Therefore, all of this depends on the efforts of us who are still alive! Don't give in to old age!

a=E=

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The late Qing Dynasty could be described with countless words: rampant corruption, a state of terminal illness, darkness, isolation, abject misery, political decay, and feudal despotism. And the people? Ignorance, backwardness, apathy, poverty, and a decline in livelihoods. These terms aren't just for later generations; any educated person who lived through the late Qing knew these adjectives could describe the era. But they were useless. The intellectuals' whining was of no use in solving the problems of the nation and its people.

People can be educated and learn. These words should not be applied to the suffering lower classes, for these people have never been taught anything about the nation or their country. The vast majority of people's knowledge comes from their parents, from the people within a few miles or even dozens of miles of their area. How much do they understand? None of us has the right to accuse such people of being callous, ignorant, and backward. To do otherwise would be to be truly cruel and inhumane.

Two thousand years ago, Confucius said: "To punish without teaching is cruelty; to expect success without warning is tyranny; to delay giving orders and meeting deadlines is theft; and likewise, to be generous with money and property is stingy." This means that to kill without teaching is cruelty; to expect success without warning is tyranny; to delay giving orders and meeting deadlines is theft; and likewise, to be stingy with money and property is stingy.

Lu Xun saw the backwardness of Chinese medicine and the frail constitution of the Chinese people. At the time, China was vulnerable to attack and backwardness. He believed that a strong nation was essential for resisting foreign aggression. Therefore, he hoped to become a doctor and then a military surgeon, serving on the front lines. During a bacteriology class, he needed to use "movies" (slides, as films were called at the time) to illustrate the shape and movement of bacteria.

After the teacher finished, before get out of class was over, a few slides of current events were shown. They depicted a story from the recently concluded Russo-Japanese War: Japanese soldiers captured a Chinese man and were about to execute him, accusing him of being a Russian spy. Surrounding the execution ground were many able-bodied Chinese people, all of whom looked numb and clueless. The film was nothing more than a newsreel glorifying the Russo-Japanese War, waged by Japanese militarism for its aggression and expansion in Northeast China.

"Long live! Long live!"

As soon as the film ended, the students present burst into applause and cheers. Some looked at Lu Xun with squinted eyes and said, "Look at the Chinese people like this. China will definitely perish."

This experience, he felt, was enough to convince himself that if he only cured the patient's body while their spirit remained numb, the harsh reality was clear to him. The filthy war waged on Chinese soil by Japan and Russia for spheres of influence was a violation of Chinese sovereignty. The corrupt Qing dynasty's loss of power and humiliation, coupled with the people's lack of awakening, was the root cause of China's backwardness. He felt that medicine was not crucial to social revolution. If the Chinese people's minds could not be awakened, wouldn't all the weak and ignorant people, no matter how strong their bodies were, be arrested and beheaded by the imperialists if their spirits were numb? Wouldn't they only become fodder for public display and indifferent spectators? The number of deaths wasn't the main issue; the key was changing people's spirits. Only by awakening them could there be hope for China.

But how could we change people's minds and awaken the masses? Lu Xun believed that among the overseas students at the time, some studied medicine, law, engineering, and so on. These could only contribute to a specific field, but could not change people's minds. To change people's minds, literature and art were the first choice. Literature and art could raise people's ideological awareness, awaken the dormant and numb, and inspire patriotic enthusiasm. In this way, people would be awakened, and there would be hope for change in China.

Lu Xun saw the Chinese watching the Japanese chop off their heads, all with numb, stupid expressions, and awakening. But in fact, he forgot that he was the one being educated by the film. He could use a sarcastic tone to satirize people like Ah Q and Xianglin's Wife. But Lu Xun himself was unable to change their fate. He felt sorry for Runtu, but he couldn't change Runtu's fate. When Zhang Yinghao studied this article in class in his previous life, he kept thinking about a question: Lu Xun and Runtu had such a good relationship, and Lu Xun was such a powerful person, so why didn't he help Runtu and change his fate?

Only after growing up did I understand the answer: Lu Xun was a writer, but only a writer. He didn't know how to change these people's fates. His writings are sometimes enjoyable to read, provoking reflection and laughter, but Lu Xun also lacked the ability to solve the problems we face in reality. Zhang Yinghao has searched through all the writings he could find, both ancient and modern, and found few of these writers knew how to address these real-world issues. Just like his outcry, it's over once the outcry is over, the anger is fleeting, and it's useless.

Du Fu wrote the Three Officials and Three Farewells, expressing his deep concern for the country and its people, but he had neither the means nor the ability to change reality. Zhang Yanghao wrote the Rise, the People Suffer, and the Fall, the People Suffer, but he also had neither the means nor the ability to change reality.

The same is true of modern figures like Wen Yiduo, Guo Moruo, and Lu Xun. They felt the pain of their time, but they lacked the means or ability to change reality. Their writings could only educate the intellectuals of their time; they were of no use to the common people at the bottom of society. These people spent their days wondering where their food would come from and how they could finally make ends meet. Therefore, their writings had no impact on the common people, and they could not awaken them. Their writings resonated only with the educated class of their time, who were also incapable of solving real problems.

Just like Chen Tianhua wrote famous works such as "Looking Back", "Alarm Bell" and "Lion's Roar".

When will I wake up from this thousand-year-long dream? Who will sound the alarm in my sleeping place? The bloody storm is too much for me, how can I bear to give away such a great country? The wind and waves are overwhelming, and the ground is covered with blood. I feel so much pain in my heart, and I want my compatriots to listen attentively.

How well written! But he still can't see any way out and can't wake up the people

The masses, and ultimately drowned themselves in the sea. Lu Xun's writings are of little use to future generations, as his sharp satire targeted working people, mocking those who were superior to him in treating illnesses with blood-soaked bread. He failed to teach the working class that individuals could be more tolerant of the enemy, nor did he consider developing a cure for tuberculosis. Furthermore, he was still a satire, believing that educated working people valued their rights more than he did. Consequently, his writings were ultimately removed from textbooks.

History books say that the October Revolution brought China a lot of benefits. The spread of Marxism in China can be said to be of epoch-making significance.

Her greatness cannot be overstated. Before the spread of Marxism, those intellectuals were incapable of solving real-world problems and had no vision of the future. Only after the introduction of Marxism did some intellectuals understand the truth of history, that the people are the creators of history, and that they were able to use Marxism to guide solutions to real-world problems.

If Marxism had not been introduced to China, China might have eventually achieved unification, but it would have been a unified nation, a regime-changing unity, similar to the ancient era. Those who dare not mobilize the masses will only resort to terror. In Chinese history, the only supreme ruler who truly dared to fully mobilize the masses was Taizu.

Even after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Kuomintang still recognized a large number of unequal treaties left by the Qing Dynasty. If there had been no spread of Marxism in China, no GC Party, and no People's Liberation Army, then after the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the Kuomintang would still have to deal with a large number of warlord armed forces. According to previous history, the Kuomintang would have had to pacify the warlords in more than a dozen years.

It would take years, or even decades, to completely unify the country. If the Kuomintang encountered something like the US invasion of North Korea, they would be a complete loser and would definitely not dare to compete with the United States.

Why was Taizu so great? It was because he was able to use Marxism to solve China's real problems and flexibly apply it to guide the people's actions. It's like climbing a towering mountain, with Marxism at the top. Taizu walked at the forefront, blazing a trail, and people followed the path he blazed. That's why everyone looked up to him.

Taizu used his knowledge to solve the problems his comrades faced. For example, when Lin Biao encountered setbacks in his revolution and wondered if the revolution would succeed and how long the red flag could be raised, Taizu told him to keep the red flag raised as long as he wanted. Thus, when people were at a loss, Taizu told them what to do and how to do it, rather than shouting and hesitating.

Taizu led a few wrong paths in his later years, though whether or not that was a mistake remains to be seen. However, some believe they took a few more detours and blame the guide for taking the wrong path, forcing them to walk even longer. However, these people fail to consider that the summit is right there, and following the path is their own choice. They lack the ability and desire to painstakingly forge a path, yet instead blame the one who paved the way. This is profoundly wrong. These people simply fail to make friends with time and fail to understand that history is an upward spiral.

Zhang Yinghao has become someone who never just talks without doing. Instead, he talks about the principles after doing things, instilling positive energy in his comrades. For Zhang Yinghao, it's not appropriate to just do without talking, or just talk without doing. That way, his comrades won't follow him.

Zhang Yinghao is now increasingly aware of a truth: Why are you you? Why are you

How did you become the person you are now? It is because of all the uninterrupted experiences a person has gone through from birth to the present that have shaped this person. This includes everything about this person, and all of this has shaped a person's inertia. How inertia can be

Afraid? There's a saying that goes: "I'd rather die than learn, I'd rather die than change." This is what it means when you say "You can tell a child's future at the age of three, and his character at the age of seven."

Human thinking is not as logical as computers. The human brain thinks linearly, determining its actions one point at a time.

For example, someone asks you to borrow money. If you have some money but no budget, the first thing that comes to mind is whether to lend the money. If you decide to lend, a host of reasons to lend to this person will surface, like their good character, your good relationship with them, the small amount you'll borrow, or stories you've read about people who got paid for lending money. These reasons are supplemented by a few other reasons not to lend. Ultimately, the reasons for lending outweigh the reasons for not lending, convincing you to lend the money.

If you don't lend money, the opposite is true. The reasons for not lending money may include that the person has a bad character, you don't have a good relationship with him, you are afraid that he will not pay back the money, or you remember reading about bad things that happened after borrowing money, etc., and the disadvantages of not lending money to yourself, such as

The relationship deteriorates, the relationship ends, etc. In the end, the loss of not lending money completely outweighs the possible loss of lending money, so as to convince oneself not to lend money to this person.

people.

Whether to lend money or not is a consequence. Human thought determines whether to lend money based on the pros and cons of each. In reality, whether to lend money or not is determined by past life experience or what you've learned from books. In other words, the past determines your future.

How terrifying is this? Why do people say it's easy to change a country, but difficult to change one's nature? It's not easy for someone to change decades of living habits. For example, if you were suddenly asked to work a completely different schedule in the same place, it would take a long time to adjust. However, changing environments is much easier. For example, if you moved from Beijing to New York, where the schedules are reversed, you could adapt completely in a very short time.

The same is true of a person's thinking patterns. They begin at a young age and are determined by the things they face over time. They control a person inadvertently and silently. That's why they say a child's future can be seen at the age of three, and their old age can be seen at the age of seven.

Many books claim that attitude determines everything about you; attitude changes everything. They describe positive attitudes for facing everything, and they certainly explain what attitudes are good and what attitudes can change your life. But books never explain why you are who you are, where your attitudes came from, or why you have these bad attitudes. They simply give a few examples and offer guidance on how to cultivate a positive or serious attitude. Zhang Yinghao never learned from a book how to cultivate a positive or serious attitude.

Chapter 100:

During a meeting, Zhang Yinghao told his comrades: "The world fears the word 'seriousness,' and our Forward Party values ​​seriousness above all else. We must be unwavering in our principles, committed to ensuring everyone lives a good life. This, in essence, is teaching our comrades how to do things. It's like someone who doesn't know how to cook. You've prepared all the prep work and given them the entire flow chart. They just have to follow the instructions, even down to the proper amount of salt. Even so, some people will still mess up the dish.

Zhang Yinghao still remembers people recommending biographies of great figures like Mao Zedong, Napoleon, and Washington, hoping to learn from them the principles of life and work. Zhang Yinghao essentially thought: "Everyone, just go to bed!"

We're all normal people, meaning we all use our past to determine our future. What happens if you ask normal people to read books written by abnormal people? These people are great because their mental circuits are different from those of ordinary people. They are pioneers. Without this ability, learning from them will only lead to further failure.

For example, inspirational quotes and scams often share similar content. They all rely on the person's past experiences to persuade them. In other words, it's not the scammer who convinces the person, but rather the person themselves. This is why it appears to be the simplest scam to bystanders, yet some people still fall for it. Sometimes, even after realizing it's a scam, they still transfer the money anyway.

After turning around, some people realize that they have been cheated immediately, some people realize it after a few hours, and of course some people are unwilling to wake up, so they deceive themselves again. After all, it is too painful to wake up.

To change, people must tap into new forces, whether external or through self-initiated change. Change requires energy, which needs to be constantly recharged. Otherwise, it's easy to fall into emptiness, numbness, and confusion, and be replaced by past thinking patterns. Anyone who has studied physics knows that in the absence of resistance, matter always remains in a state of relative stillness or in constant motion due to inertia. To alter its state, an external force must be applied. The same is true for human thinking. Without external forces, human thought patterns will never change.

People often say that life is not satisfactory for eight out of ten years. Many people hear this comforting statement and then ignore it. In fact, this is a very bad thing, because these words provide countless answers to the questions we humans need. Life is not satisfactory for eight out of ten years. This eight out of ten refers to the obstacles in life. We move forward in life by predicting our future at the age of three and our old age at the age of seven. These obstacles are bound to appear on our path.

For some people, these obstacles are treasures. Failures can teach us wisdom, changing our life trajectory and even our way of thinking. Some people, in turn, become more courageous, fighting again and again despite repeated setbacks.

But for many, these obstacles truly make the journey difficult. Therefore, more people need inspirational quotes and positive energy to recharge themselves. This is truly necessary, as the vast gap between positivity and negativity can be bridged so easily. For example, Zhang Yinghao himself only discusses success, health, and happiness with others, avoiding topics like death, sadness, and illness.

History is an upward spiral. Humanity itself creates history, and therefore humanity itself is an upward spiral. Everyone is part of the human race, and who can escape this spiral? For everyone, the only way is to strengthen learning and learn from experience, including but not limited to one's own. Most importantly, be willing to humiliate oneself. Humiliation leads to growth, and growth leads to humiliation. Humiliation is the easiest way to change a person's mindset.

Everyone's opportunities and time are always limited. Each person can only take one path at a time. Who can say whether that path is right or wrong? No matter what a person does, or even just stands still, it all comes at a cost, the most direct of which is time. It also requires capital. "A penny is a hero" isn't just a saying; it's a reality. After all, if you don't eat, you'll starve to death; if you don't drink water, you'll die of thirst. It's a simple truth, yet no one can escape it.

Why is it said that humiliation can change a person? As a person ages, all insignificant memories gradually fade from their minds. What memories remain? What memories have the greatest impact on us? Are they good memories? No, they are those that bring us shame, sadness, regret, pain, and loss. These memories have the power to forcibly alter a person's mindset. They can cause the person who recalls them to make decisions that are completely out of character, forcing them to change their life's inertia. In other words, these experiences can change destiny.

Countless examples teach us that some people achieve great things because they are able to make the right choices at critical moments, thus changing the direction of progress. Why are these people likened to helmsmen? It's because they control the direction of progress. So how do we determine whether the direction of progress is correct?

This is why we need an ideal, a goal. Can this ideal be achieved? Definitely not! It's because it's unattainable that we keep moving forward. Is communism achievable now? Not within the foreseeable future. Individuals should have their own goals, groups should have their own goals, and nations should have their own goals. Because it's unattainable, we keep moving forward. But after a while, we get tired, sleepy, and numb. This is why we need short-term goals.

For example, let's say someone's goal is to have 100 million yuan, but their current income is only 5,000 yuan per month. Then, a short-term goal could be 100,000 yuan! It's not much at all. As long as the ideal is strong enough, there's always a way to achieve it. Even if you don't end up with 100 million yuan, you'll still have tens or even millions! Just like when we go on a trip, the first thing we need to do is decide where to go. After all, those who just go wherever they go are a minority, and they certainly won't see as much as those who know where to go.

But the reality is that very few people have clear ideals and goals. The vast majority live a mediocre life, content with what they have. The song goes, "In life, we must set high aspirations and keep in mind the arduous struggle." And that's no joke. On the road to our dreams, experiencing countless failures isn't a life of failure; it's a life of unremitting effort and brilliance.

If you're thinking of traveling somewhere, even if you don't know the exact route, there are countless ways to get there. There's always a way to reach your destination. Sadly, most people lack a specific goal. Consequently, they have no idea what they should do or how to do it. As a result, they lose their bearings in the turbulent waters of life, unsure how to move forward. This is why these people need inspirational quotes and positive energy to recharge themselves; otherwise, they lose the motivation to move forward.

Do you accept your fate? Do you have a clear goal? When you see these two questions, please note your answer to whether you accept or not, and write down your clear goal. From birth, everyone seems to be searching for something. This is an inescapable fate. When a person has a completely determined goal, their mind gains strength, fostering a serious attitude. They will always pay attention to the information they need, thus achieving the necessary progress.

Therefore, when someone refuses to accept their fate, they are aimless and often express confusion and bewilderment. This confusion isn't the kind of confusion that comes from not understanding a math problem, but rather a kind of doubt and bewilderment about life. The saying "my fate is in my own hands" presupposes that you have conquered fate; otherwise, you will die as fate wills. The saying "a little force can move a great weight" presupposes that you possess greater strength or knowledge than a thousand pounds. When someone has a very clear goal, they accept their fate. This isn't surrender, but true optimism and understanding. Only then can they truly understand themselves, work diligently, and live honestly, ultimately reaching the state of a "real person."

If one can extend his own thoughts to others and change the fate of more people, he can be called a sage. If one can guide the people ideologically, change the fate of countless people, and change the way of thinking of countless people, then he is a saint.

Zhang Yinghao knew that he held the key to changing the fate of countless people, but this key

The keys will not be distributed to everyone through charity. Zhang Yinghao played the role of a plagiarist and showed the keys to everyone.

The key to changing one's destiny, but whether these people can climb out of the mud pit through their own courageous struggle and see the real world depends on themselves. Zhang Yinghao never intends to do anything to force things.

No matter what, as long as the people follow him, their fate will inevitably change. For most people, life will definitely get better and better. Zhang Yinghao is still confident about this.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao was extremely polite to people like Qin Niugu and also held them in high regard. Especially during this period of great change, countless small figures experienced a resurgence, while countless prominent figures were buried in the wilderness. Of course, Zhang Yinghao would respect everyone, regardless of wealth or poverty, age or gender. This was truly a matter of attitude.

Zhang Yinghao has seen many examples of brothers in a family where the successful ones look down on their less accomplished siblings. Zhang Yinghao wonders, why bother? Life is short, like the passing of autumn. You are a human being, and regardless of your achievements, I respect you. There's no need for a reason, because respecting others is actually respecting yourself. Thinking about this, Zhang Yinghao sometimes finds some human behavior amusing.

For example, the poem "Spring River Moonlit Night" is a must-remember in high school and a must-take exam in college. It reads with remarkable ease and fluidity. Zhang Yinghao loved it from the moment he learned it and throughout his career, until his father passed away from cancer. However, when he reread it, he felt something was amiss. He discovered that the poem, in a jolly tone, depicts the most painful reality in the world. The entire poem is a joyous melody woven with helplessness and pain. Only those who have experienced this can truly appreciate its true charm. The more he reads, the more he senses its helplessness and sorrow.

How cruel is reality? Fascinating from a distance, terrifying up close. This was especially true during the final years of the Qing dynasty, coinciding with a period of unprecedented change unseen in three thousand years. Countless people struggled for survival, but now truly presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Zhang Yinghao. China's current dilemma was whether to be beaten or starved, a question ultimately posed by industrialization. Meanwhile, during this transition of power, Zhang Yinghao's mission was to eradicate any lingering problems and pave the way for the nation's impending resurgence.

Now, as a leader, Zhang Yinghao finally understood why Taizu always emphasized the spirit of ownership. Only as the master can one give their all to the tasks they undertake. Many workers, or those who are merely helping out, simply don't have the right mindset. Some people aren't incapable, but their focus isn't on getting things done. They're always thinking about scheming, taking shortcuts, and climbing the ladder.

In reality, whether you want to climb the career ladder or make money, you have to finish your work first. Your value depends on what you do. It's like a story: Two brothers saw a wild goose flying across the sky and started arguing. One wanted it steamed, the other wanted it braised. By the time they were arguing, the wild goose had already flown away.

This debate isn't an isolated incident; it's widespread. After all, people who enjoy working are just as rare as those who enjoy studying. Many people these days are putting the cart before the horse. They disappear when it's time to work hard, but jump out when the going gets tough.

Chapter 101:

Industrial society differs from agricultural society. In agricultural society, even if there was no merit, hard work was still valued, and participation in the work was rewarded. However, in industrial society, the emphasis is on distribution according to work and capital, and this labor is labor of merit, not labor of hard work. In other words, if a task is divided into 100 steps from start to finish, then the credit for each step is distributed to the participants according to the degree of their contribution. You get credit for every step you complete, but if one step goes wrong, the entire result is ruined, and you no longer get credit for your accomplishment, only your hard work. In industrial society, however, if you fail to complete one step, you could cause huge losses to others who have completed the other 99 steps. Not only will you lose your hard work, but you will also have to compensate for their losses.

Some people think they're remarkable just because they've completed a few steps, that they understand the entire process, and even that they can wait for the fruits of their labor without completing other steps. This is a grave mistake. In agricultural times, the saying "every field is like a mountain apart" might be a bit of an exaggeration, but in an industrial society, where increasingly sophisticated production is paramount, the more specialized you are, the more successful you'll be.

There is an example in economic law: knocking a valve costs $1, knowing where to knock it costs $9999.

Some years ago, a shipbuilding company built a huge ship. However, one day, the ship's boiler broke down. No matter how hard the operators tried, they couldn't fix it.

The company invited a boiler engineer. After inspecting the boiler several times, the engineer drew a few circles on it. Then he took out a hammer from his bag and knocked on a marked spot. All the problems with the boiler disappeared at once and the ship was able to continue sailing again.

The engineer put the hammer back into his bag, walked up to the company owner, and said, "The cost of repairing the boiler is $1."

The boss looked at him and exclaimed: "You spent two minutes on this $1 project, and you only hit it once with a hammer."

The engineer pulled out an invoice and wrote on it: "Knocking the valve is $1. Knowing where to knock is $9999."

At all times, people like this engineer are in great demand because they are true knowledge workers, professionals. With this skill, they can live better than the average person anywhere. The current emphasis on loving one's craft is precisely to cultivate such elite individuals. Such individuals can only be cultivated through talent and self-awareness.

I am a brick of socialism, moving wherever needed. In the new era, this applies only to ordinary workers; it doesn't apply to true professionals at all. Assembly line workers, grassroots civil servants, construction workers, and so on are all easily replaceable. However, certain key positions require a certain person, and we call them the "noble worker."

Many people have a misunderstanding of the concept of "study hard and improve every day." Zhang Yinghao has even seen some people rebut it, saying that if everyone could improve every day, wouldn't everyone eventually become a saint? This is impossible. But in reality, many people haven't invested a penny in their brains since graduating from school. They might start out with a monthly salary of 3,000 yuan, and after ten years of work, they're still only making 3,000 or 4,000 yuan, and then they complain about this and that, without even considering their true worth.

We're not talking about setting aside 10% of your monthly income for studies, but isn't two or three hundred yuan a month a lot? Ordinary workers toil away for four or five thousand yuan a month, but if you invest in welding or lathe skills, you can bring in seven or eight thousand yuan a month. You could learn how to clean washing machines and water heaters, and then work part-time as a cleaner in your spare time, adding a thousand yuan a month. If you don't want to learn these things, you could also learn about financial management, buy some index funds, or invest regularly. As long as society continues to develop, there will definitely be positive returns in the end.

But countless people haven't changed in the slightest over decades. If you knew someone the same way ten years ago and see them ten years later, and they're still the same, then you're done. Just be an acquaintance with them. If you're close to them, then you're done. You haven't changed a bit in decades. It's like a class reunion: what's the point of seeing them every year? Only a few people attend the reunion every year, and these few are likely the ones who haven't changed at all.

In his previous life, in the 21st century, Zhang Yinghao was speechless when he saw some people, after losing their jobs, rioting at government offices, demanding resettlement. They were clearly waiting, relying on, and begging for help, treating the government as their savior. If this person had been willing to learn a little, they wouldn't have ended up like this. With so many jobs available, even if it meant making a fortune, it shouldn't be a problem to support a family.

The proletariat in Marxism doesn't refer to ordinary workers. With the spread of machinery and the division of labor, ordinary workers have lost all their appeal and become mere appendages of the machines. They perform only extremely simple, monotonous, and easily learned tasks, and the cost of their services is barely enough to sustain their lives and provide for their offspring.

But the price of a commodity, and therefore of labor, is equal to the cost of its production. Therefore, labor becomes more and more distasteful, and wages become less and less. Furthermore, the more machinery is used and the more the division of labor becomes detailed, the more the workload increases, either through the extension of working hours, or through the increase in the amount of labor required in a given period, through the acceleration of machinery, and so on.

So, while general workers are considered members of the proletariat, they have become replaceable at any moment. The true proletariat in Marxism is defined as workers who possess technical expertise and represent advanced productive forces. The proletariat's mastery of technical expertise allows them to challenge capitalists, as they control the machinery of production. Otherwise, relying solely on easily replaceable general workers would be impossible. Furthermore, the proletariat in Marxism is constantly learning and improving. Can you consider an ordinary worker who remains unchanged for decades a qualified member of the proletariat?

Of course, in previous lives, many people lacked access to learning. A common worker wouldn't know where to learn welding, cooking, or lathe operation. Zhang Yinghao knew only Lanxiang and New Oriental Cooking School as training schools. But what left Zhang Yinghao speechless was that in his past, while companies like Offcn Education had managed to go public, vocational education hadn't seen much of a presence. It was a stark lack of knowledge.

Zhang Yinghao and Qin Niugu finished their conversation and went home. Reliving his life again was like a chance for him to relive the warmth of his family. So whenever he had time, he would go home to eat instead of eating in the cafeteria. Of course, when he went out for research, inspections, or lectures at military camps, he would usually eat in the cafeteria with his comrades.

As a rural dweller in his previous life, Zhang Yinghao didn't care what he ate, but he did care about getting enough. Whether it tasted good was one thing, but whether he could get enough was Zhang Yinghao's primary concern. Of course, Zhang Yinghao also stipulated that there was no such thing as special meals. Especially in the military camp, the most important thing was the unity of officers and soldiers. An officer who didn't spend all day with the soldiers, didn't understand them, and didn't become one with them was not a qualified officer.

Xiaoxue is the one who bears the most pressure in Zhang Yinghao's family right now. As a girlfriend who was engaged as a child, the pressure is immense. Zhang Yinghao understands that many people are urging Xueer to seize the opportunity and not let Zhang Yinghao get away. Especially with Zhang Yinghao's growing influence, if Xueer doesn't adjust her mindset in time, the pressure will only grow. Perhaps the happiest people are those who are ignorant and naive. However, as the saying goes, people tend to go where they want, and water flows where it doesn't.

Zhang Yinghao has arranged for Xue'er to teach at a school, and she also attends classes to prepare for further studies. Zhang Yinghao's expectations for Xiaoxue are not high at all. He does not need Xue'er to help him in his career. As long as they can communicate normally in life, it will be enough. If she doesn't understand everything Zhang Yinghao says, there is no point in living.

Zhang Yinghao knows that huge differences in culture and habits may make it impossible for two people to communicate, because one person cannot understand the meaning of what the other person says.

This is awkward, there is no way to communicate. Many couples do not know how to communicate and learn to improve. It does not take long for them to go from talking about everything to having nothing to say.

It's not surprising that the two sides have become the most familiar strangers. The solution is actually very simple, that is to understand each other and make progress together. When a couple is constantly exploring the unknown, they will not encounter the awkward situation of having nothing to talk about, nor will they feel bored with each other.

Zhang Yinghao would not put any pressure on Xueer. After the family had dinner, Zhang Yinghao took Xueer's hand and walked around the city. Xueer was wearing a small suit designed by Zhang Yinghao today. She looked very capable. The man was handsome and the woman was beautiful.

The two of them are a beautiful sight. Holding hands, it didn’t take them too long to get used to it after the initial discomfort.

People used to look at children's hands in a strange way at first, but now they have become accustomed to it. However, the rate of people turning back to look at them is still high.

Zhang Yinghao also felt that human beings are very adaptable, which was frightening. It also made him realize a saying: there are only cadres who are not making progress, but there are no masses who are not making progress. At this time in Guang'an, it didn't take long before there were many more well-dressed women on the streets than before, especially after textile factories and other factories recruited a large number of female workers. Female workers wearing new clothes shopping on the streets were a beautiful sight. Zhang Yinghao gave two new sets of clothes to each employee of the textile factory. Just this one move, when a group of people wearing the same beautiful new clothes appeared on the street, I don't know how many people envied him. In Zhang Yinghao's words: "If our textile factory workers don't have new clothes to wear, then who can have new clothes to wear?"

However, Zhang Yinghao knew that these actions were necessary. The workers in these factories were one of his most reliable forces besides the army. For Zhang Yinghao from the future, this was not an act of bribery, but simply to allow these workers to wear better clothes to work.

However, this was a great encouragement to the factory workers. As a result, every time the factory was hiring, more people applied. Considering how frugal a family might be, even if they lived frugally for a year, they might not be able to afford a new set of clothes. Zhang Yinghao still remembered that in his previous life, as a child, he only bought a new set of clothes during the Lunar New Year, leaving his younger brother to wear clothes he couldn't fit into. And that was in the late 1990s. Truly having enough food and clothing wouldn't be a problem until the decade after the 21st century, when the problem of food and clothing would be completely solved.