The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

But Zhang Yinghao still wanted to save some of his comrades, so he said, "Your thinking is based on a scholar's naivety, believing that the landlord class will never change. The truth is that the landlord gentry will not voluntarily withdraw from the stage of history; they will evolve. Without land reform as a foundation, we are giving the landlord gentry an opportunity to maintain their local rule. While the people still don't understand why their lives are improving, the millennia-old rules implemented by the landlord class will continue to dominate. We won't be able to eliminate them for decades. With foreign powers eyeing us covetously, if we don't clean up the mess inside, we will surely perish. So we can't afford to wait for decades; it would be extremely detrimental to our work."

Comrades, you must understand one thing: revolution is an uprising, a violent act by which one class overthrows another. Some of you now imagine that revolution can be as elegant and leisurely as painting or embroidery. This is sheer wishful thinking and a foolish dream. In areas where land reform has not yet been completed, our primary task is to smash the old order and not give the old forces even the slightest opportunity. Who are our friends and who are our enemies? This is the most realistic question we face. Our primary concern is revolution, not compromise. Peace survives when it is sought through struggle, but it dies when it is sought through compromise. If you seek peace through compromise, you will only reap the consequences...

Zhang Yinghao was furious. The consequences were dire. A single rat dropping spoils the whole barrel. The rat dropping was a minor issue; Zhang Yinghao's concern was to find the rat and crush it. He immediately began investigating the matter. As Zhang Yinghao had anticipated, some outsiders, unable to obtain what they wanted in Sichuan, immediately joined forces with backward forces and began criticizing the policies of the Forward Party. While these were criticisms, they were actually attacks.

There are a lot of things that make sense, and a lot that don't, but it all boils down to one thing: the Forward Party's policies are too violent and radical. Of course, Zhang Yinghao never used words like left-leaning or right-leaning, nor did he talk about adventurism or opportunism. Zhang Yinghao only advocated seeking truth from facts.

Those who were able to come to Sichuan were all heroes and outstanding figures of this era. Many comrades in the base area were born in the mud and were psychologically

They have a sense of inferiority, and compared with these people, their innate conditions are too poor. They always hope to get recognition from others for their work. As a result, many comrades of the Progressive Party see

When these people criticized the left, they thought it was very reasonable, and many comrades immediately leaned to the right. After knowing the reason, Zhang Yinghao cursed his mother for criticizing him.

Now that he knew the problem lay, and that something was amiss within the Party, Zhang Yinghao naturally needed to address it immediately. Over the next few days, Zhang Yinghao repeatedly met with relevant comrades, ultimately agreeing to form a new department. He then recruited a group of capable individuals from the previously established Extraordinary Committee for Eliminating Counter-Revolutionaries and Sabotage and the Intelligence Bureau to form this department, which he named the Political Security Bureau.

Zhang Yinghao assigned them the task of protecting Party organizations and combat units, and eliminating internal spies. He personally trained these comrades in the relevant fields. These units comprised an Investigation Division, an Executive Division, a General Affairs Office, a Political Security Brigade, a Revolutionary Army Work Division, and a White Area Work Division.

The Political Security Bureau carried out investigations within the base areas, suppressing and eliminating all political and economic counter-revolutionary organizational activities, espionage and banditry.

Zhang Yinghao knew that the work of the various units within the base would inevitably overlap, but a single flower doesn't make a spring; a hundred flowers in full bloom make a full spring, so there was nothing wrong with some competition. After all, with labor costs so low these days, it wasn't impossible to keep them employed.

Zhang Yinghao couldn't kill those who acted recklessly in the base area, so he could only put them on the Forward Party's blacklist and send them out of the base area. As for some right-leaning party members, Zhang Yinghao could only train and educate them again. After all, regular rectification is better than a massacre.

Although the truth was becoming clearer and clearer, Zhang Yinghao had neither the energy nor the leisure to debate with these people given the generally low level of the members of the Progressive Party. At this time, the base did not need any other ideas except promoting Zhang Yinghao's ideas, nor did it need things like separation of powers and federal autonomy to disrupt the thinking of the party members.

Since the first Manchu encirclement campaign was defeated, the Qing dynasty had been holding back. Zhang Yinghao knew that Cixi wasn't actually opposed to the New Deal; she was only opposed to it because it had cost her power. Many Qing officials knew the New Deal was necessary, but they knew it was best to proceed slowly. But if each official held this view, it was doomed. With each delay, the so-called New Deal would become an indefinite extension.

In fact, on January 29, 1901, the 1th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, Empress Dowager Cixi issued an edict in the name of Emperor Guangxu, ordering ministers above the rank of governor to discuss in detail issues such as court rules and state affairs, administration of officials and people's livelihood, schools, imperial examinations, military system and finance.

On February 6, 1901, the first edition of Shenbao (Shenbao) reads: "...There are eternal principles that remain unchanged, but there is no eternal principle that remains unchanged.

Governance. Exhausting change and adapting are long seen in the Book of Changes. The danger of loss of life is foreseeable. If the great laws and regulations are not changed, and if old habits are not broken, it will be difficult to revitalize the country and make changes. The Minister of State, the Grand Secretary, the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, the Ministers on diplomatic missions to various countries, and the Provincial Governors should each consider the current situation, consult with Chinese and Western political leaders, and discuss the court system, the history of the country, the administration of officials and the people's livelihood, the schools and the imperial examinations, the military, the government, and the finances. They should determine what should be changed, what should be reduced, and what should be merged. They should learn from others, or seek internal guidance. How can the country prosper, how can talents emerge, how can the budget be improved, and how can military preparations be strengthened? Each should share his or her knowledge and opinions. Within two months, they should submit their detailed proposals to the emperor...

On April 21, 1901, the 4th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered the establishment of the "Office of Supervision of Government Affairs" headed by Prince Qing Yituan as a special agency to plan and implement the New Deal. She appointed Li Hongzhang, Ronglu, Kungang, Wang Wenshao, and Lu Chuanlin as ministers in charge of government affairs, and Liu Kunyi and Zhang Zhidong (later Yuan Shikai was added) as ministers participating in government affairs, to oversee all matters related to the New Deal.

Zhang and Liu jointly submitted three memorials to the Jiangchu Association for Reform, which set the direction of reform, learning from Japan and promoting constitutional monarchy. On August 20, four days before the Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu left Xi'an for their return to the throne, they submitted a memorial in the name of Empress Dowager Cixi.

Yi issued another statement, expressing the Qing government's determination to "reform": "You, the ministers at home and abroad, must know that the country is in such a state that it is impossible to save it by patching up the problems. Only reform and self-strengthening can save the country and turn the tide for the people's livelihood.

The emperor has no other plan except this, considering the ancestral temple and the people."

Zhang Yinghao knew that the three-pronged attack was Cixi's attempt to put down the rebellion quickly and effectively, in order to deter Xiao Xiao. That's why she had so eagerly issued the order for a three-pronged attack, attempting to pacify Sichuan in one fell swoop. However, after their failure, the Qing could only lick their wounds in silence. Most importantly, the signing of the Boxer Protocol had doomed the Qing to an end, which gave Zhang Yinghao so much time.

Zhang Yinghao knew that the next time he faced the Qing, it might be the time when the Qing would collude with foreign imperialism. If he didn't take action, it would be fine. However, if he did, it would be a fatal blow. However, without Sichuan as a cash machine, the Qing would lose a million taels of silver in annual revenue, so the Qing would undoubtedly face greater difficulties than their contemporaries in later generations.

After more than a month of twists and turns, the Lunar New Year is almost here. Factories, government departments, and other institutions have all received New Year gifts, including festive wall calendars printed with both the lunar and solar calendars, shoes, clothes, rice, and flour. Women also received two packages of feminine hygiene products. Everyone else can take the day off, but the leaders of the Forward Party will not. Zhang Yinghao led a performing arts troupe to the border with Xizang to visit and comfort the revolutionary soldiers.

At this time, the cadres of the Progressive Party were also ready to visit the grassroots to express their condolences.

With last year's experience, everyone knows what to do.

Comrades should go to the workers and soldiers working on the front lines to bring warmth.

Now that the revolutionary base has a province-wide scope, this warmth-giving activity is even more necessary. Zhang Yinghao originally wanted to take Xueer with him, but Xueer also had her own work and could not leave. In addition, most of the soldiers were single dogs, so what was the point of Zhang Yinghao taking his wife with him? In the end, he did not take

Cher.

The men and women in the art troupe all wore thick cotton coats, especially the girls.

The little boy's face was still red from the cold. Before Zhang Yinghao arrived at Kang Zhengsan, this place was still called Dajianlu. During the administrative division, this place was called Dajianlu by Zhang Yinghao.

It was directly renamed Kangding. Zhang Yinghao knew about the front and the main out in his previous life because of the "Kangding Love Song". He searched the Internet for the place on Kangnian S and seized the Qing map. Only then did he know that in this era, this place was called Dajian.

furnace.

Anciently a Qiang territory, it was called "Dajianlu" during the Shu Han period of the Three Kingdoms period. It was under the jurisdiction of Shenli Commandery during the Han Dynasty and Jialiang during the Sui Dynasty. The northeastern part of the county was part of Zhongchuan and Huiye Prefectures during the Tang Dynasty, and was part of Ya Prefecture, which was then under the control of Tubo. The Yuan Dynasty established the Xuanfu Division, which was followed by the Song and Ming Dynasties. In the 12th year of Chongzhen's reign (1639), Gushri Khan established a military camp in Muya.

Chapter 199: Thanks to the Fiery Swordsman for the extra chapter!

In the 42nd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi (1701), after the Qing army suppressed the rebellion of Guanchang Cejilie of Muyaying, the Mingzheng Changhexi Yutong Ningyuan Xuanweisi (abbreviated as "Mingzheng Tusi") was re-established. In the 7th year of the reign of Emperor Yongzheng (1729), Dajianlu Hall was established. In the 11th year of the reign of Emperor Yongzheng (1733), Dajianlu Hall was re-established with a Tongzhi. It is now directly established as a city by Zhang Yinghao.

Kangding City is an important historical and cultural city in western China.

Kangding boasts a long and splendid history and culture. It serves as the gateway to the Sichuan-Tibet Plateau, a key town on the ancient Tea-Horse Road, and a hub for the exchange of Tibetan and Han Chinese culture. Since ancient times, it has served as the political, economic, cultural, commercial, information, and transportation hub of the Kham Tibetan region. The city is primarily Tibetan, with Han, Hui, Yi, and Qiang ethnic groups also congregating.

Zhang Yinghao walked along the way and found that the situation here was indeed much better than he thought. Zhang Yinghao knew that before the arrival of the revolutionary army, many places were practicing the Tusi system. The Tusi system was established in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

In the minority areas of southwestern and northwestern provinces of China, a system was established to grant small clans and officials to rule the local people. The characteristics of the chieftain system are:

The expansionism and separatist nature of the chieftain system hindered the centralization of power, so it was necessary to change this situation.

In order to strengthen its rule over ethnic minorities in the southwest, the Qing government, in 1726, based on the suggestion of Ortai, the Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou, vigorously promoted the policy of "reforming the chieftain system" in Yunnan, Guizhou and other provinces. This policy changed the hereditary chieftain system into a system of officials appointed by the central government and subject to change at any time, thus making the local official positions in these areas consistent with those in the interior.

The "reform of the native system" affected the interests of the chieftains, and thus there were frequent reversals. In addition to Huguang, a large number of chieftain systems still existed in the southwestern and northwestern minority areas. After the arrival of the revolutionary army, they began to use tough measures to eliminate the local armed forces with great effort.

Afterwards, the revolutionary army recruited soldiers in this area. Of course, the chieftain families would not send their own children to serve in the army. Instead, they sent children from poor and disadvantaged families. The revolutionary army accepted all the local soldiers and took them away for secret training.

Since many people speak minority languages, they often misunderstand each other. For this reason, while increasing investment in education, many military units have temporarily added the bizarre position of translator. While this is a practical necessity, Zhang Yinghao still finds it absurd. Within a country that has assimilated for thousands of years, the language remains completely incomprehensible. One can only imagine how weak the ancient system of grassroots control was.

However, what distinguished the army from other organizations was its discipline. Training involved a few simple commands. After training and studying for a period of time, these new recruits were sent to other areas to observe and learn about land reform. If the local chieftains learned of the revolutionary army's actions, they would likely fight them to the death.

In reality, chieftains definitely fed far more people than landlords. After all, the areas they occupied were relatively barren, so how could they possibly support so many people? Consequently, the struggles in these areas were brutal, with minor incidents often leading to the destruction of entire families. These chieftains, self-proclaimed superiors, acted arbitrarily and with an insatiable thirst for power, leading to frequent armed conflicts and mutual slaughter.

However, within a few months, when those young soldiers returned to their local areas, they launched a land reform movement. These soldiers, reformed through their complaints, were filled with class hatred towards the chieftains and landlords. Led by these local youths, the revolutionary army eliminated chieftains and landlords one after another.

However, many chieftains and landlords fled to Yunnan, Myanmar and even Xizang. They spread the tyranny of the revolutionary army. For this reason, the Dalai Lamas in Xizang promoted the revolutionary army as the Red Demon. They were extremely afraid of the revolutionary army. At this time, the revolutionary army and the Tibetan soldiers had fought for many days on the Sichuan-Tibet border.

This was one of the reasons why Zhang Yinghao came here. The chieftains in Yunnan were now afraid of Sichuan like a man-eating tiger, and they were also widely publicizing the crimes of the Sichuan Revolutionary Army in the local area.

Myanmar was a British colony, and it was inevitable that these chieftains would run to Myanmar.

Dealing with the British. Unfortunately, communication was not convenient in this era, so the revolutionary army's massacre of the chieftains was left unresolved in Myanmar. However, the British did not welcome these chieftains in essence, but they wanted to expand Myanmar to the north, so they accepted these people and could use this as an excuse to make trouble in the future.

Soldiers.

When Zhang Yinghao arrived, the local army division commander Li Qiang was already waiting. When Li Qiang saw Zhang Yinghao coming, he immediately stepped forward to greet him.

"Haha, Chairman, Happy New Year!"

"Hello, Chairman."

"Hello, Chairman."

.--

"Hello, comrades, Happy New Year everyone. Comrade Li Qiang, there's no need to go to such trouble. We can have a messenger lead the way."

"No trouble, Chairman. It's cold outside. Let's talk inside."

"Please arrange for the comrades in the art troupe first. I'm not in a hurry. Come, let me introduce you. This is Comrade Li Qiang, the commander of our Ninth Division and currently serving as acting mayor of Kangding City."

"Hello, Commander Li."

"Hello, Mayor Li."

"All right, everyone. Captain Qiao, I'll leave these comrades in your care. Take them to the dormitories assigned to them."

"Yes."

Watching Captain Qiao and the girls leave, Zhang Yinghao asked as they walked, "How's the land reform going here?"

"It's almost done. Those guys are working very hard. After we clear the toast, with the cooperation of these locals, we'll be done soon."

"That's good. Land reform is our top priority, and we can't afford to be careless at all. Have all the administrative personnel from various places been sent down?"

"I went down there a long time ago, along with the group of local guys."

"Well, that's good. How's things going on the Sichuan-Tibet border now?"

"It's not peaceful. Fights break out every now and then. According to intelligence, Xizang knows we're carrying out land reform and is smearing us everywhere. They're telling those believers we're red demons, and they're killing many of us Han people. Chairman, if it were you, I'd just go in and attack them. Xizang still has a slave system, and the serfs there are truly miserable."

"Oh, to attack? Are we to attack as conquerors or as liberators?"

"Uh, the Liberator, of course."

"Well, then, when those serfs pick up knives to kill us, should we resist?"

"Well, of course they're going to resist, but we'll educate them..." "Haha, how can we educate them if we don't speak the same language? I always say that revolution wasn't created by our Forward Party, but by the people's need for it. Revolution was already conceived among the people. If we invade like this, and we don't speak the same language, will those serfs think we're liberators? You know they need revolution, and I know that too, but right now it's the serfs themselves who don't know it!"

"Chairman, do you mean to increase publicity?"

"We need to increase publicity, but can you understand or speak Tibetan? I don't have the ability. Furthermore, the power of discourse in Tibet is entirely vested in the Living Buddhas and the Dalai Lama. We can't get in, and we have no idea what to do."

"Chairman, just tell me what to do. I've been thinking about this so much that my head hurts."

"Haha, Zhang Lei, you're unqualified as a political commissar for saying that. I'm just giving you my opinion! If I'm wrong, please criticize me. After all, my information was passed to me by people like you. This is ridiculous."

As he spoke, Zhang Yinghao walked to the front of the map, pointed at the Sino-British border, and said, "The Himalayas are a natural barrier. Given the current transportation conditions in Tibet, will trade between Britain and Tibet be significant? Hardly. Tibet is now vilifying us, so they can no longer obtain trade supplements from us. What do you think of Tibet as a result of this?"

"Cage?"

"Yes, Qinghai is a poor province, and it's of little help to Xizang. And where Xizang borders Xinjiang, there's a vast, uninhabited area, so transportation is a massive problem. It's no exaggeration to say it's a near-death experience. These high-altitude areas also cause altitude sickness. To put it bluntly, at those high altitudes, even breathing can be fatal."

So Xizang is essentially in a semi-lockdown. I often say that revolution and counter-revolution are contradictory. Since we firmly believe we are revolutionary and Xizang is counter-revolutionary, the contradictions within them will naturally intensify. What we need to do now is to recruit a large number of Tibetan soldiers so that when we march into Xizang in the future, we won't be completely blinded."

"Chairman, when do you think the Xizang conflict will intensify?"

"Don't worry about when it will escalate. As long as we're fully prepared, even if the conditions aren't ripe, we can still bring them to fruition. What you should care about is how many Tibetan party members we've recruited, how many Tibetan soldiers we've trained, and how many Tibetan cadres we've trained. And after we march in, can they mobilize the local masses? Without the cooperation of the local people, even if we send in tens of thousands of people, it's useless."

"What else does the Chairman have to say?"

"What orders? I'm just here to comfort our soldiers. We're just chatting here."

"Yes, yes, yes."

"Hey, I still have to go to Batang to pay my respects. You should gather the soldiers tomorrow night. I've brought a performing arts troupe. It's New Year's Eve, so let them sing and dance for our soldiers. You can all go on duty tomorrow in their place."

"Yes."

"Well, I won't disturb you any more. Send me a guide. I want to go and see the local people."

"Chairman, this is not good. It's not safe."

"What's wrong? What's unsafe? Besides a few people here, who else recognizes me?"

"Yes."

Zhang Lei turned around and shouted, "Basang, come in."

Zhang Yinghao saw a typical Tibetan young man walk in, salute everyone and say, "Political Commissar, Basang reports."

"This is Comrade Zhang, who just came from the Party Central Committee. Take him to visit the fellow villager's home."

"Yes, Comrade Zhang, please."

"Comrade Basang, thank you for your help." "This is what I should do."

Zhang Yinghao waved to Zhang Lei and Li Qiang, then followed Basang out, saying, "Basang, who did you learn Chinese from?"

"Oh, this is very simple. Many people here can speak several languages. I learned this language after practicing for a while."

Zhang Yinghao was speechless when he heard him say that.

I have no talent for languages. I spent many lifetimes in Guangzhou in my previous life, and I'm not good at speaking English. I started learning English in fifth grade, but I never got a good score on the test. Zhang Yinghao knows how many people have been ruined by English. If a student is good at English, they're generally not bad at other subjects either. But there are many students in Jiyue who are good at other subjects but struggle with English.

These people could have been admitted to key universities, but because of their average English scores, they could only get into ordinary undergraduate programs.

Zhang Yinghao also planned to make English a required course for Chinese students, but he would not place the same importance on English scores as math and Chinese, as he did in his previous life. Instead, physics and chemistry would only be given 10 points, and they would not be given much attention. If math and Chinese were also 100 points, Zhang Yinghao planned to only get 100 points in English. This would free up the time that students would have spent memorizing English words to study other subjects, and those who were willing to learn would have no time to learn English.

English students won’t be delayed much either.

Chapter 20123: Combined Mid-Autumn Festival Refreshment!

However, Basang mentioned that many people here knew more than one language. Zhang Yinghao thought about it and understood. This was an area where ethnic minorities lived, so knowing one or two languages ​​wasn't surprising. But this was indeed a good thing for Zhang Yinghao. After overcoming the language barrier, his future expansion into Xizang would be much easier.

"Basang, how many acres of land did your family get this time?"

"As we learned before, here we have a vast land and a sparse population, but there isn't much land suitable for farming. In our village, each person only has two plots of land on average."

"Oh, it's actually pretty much the same everywhere. They're all divided according to local conditions, but the maximum limit is ten mu per person. The minimum limit is incalculable.

But most of them have at least one acre of land.”

"It's like this. If the land is fertile, even if there's less land and we farm well, we still have no problem eating."

"How long has your family been dividing the land?"

"It wasn't long before I joined the army. I was one of the first to join the army. I was the one who led the way to defeat the landlords in our area, so I was relatively early in the land distribution. However, the land was only distributed in November last year."

"It's okay. After the land is divided, life should be much better this year." "Yes, I heard that you can pay less taxes if you join the army. If the weather is good, it will be almost the same. Where are you going?"

"Nothing, just wandering around. If we recruit soldiers here again, do you think there will be many people joining the army?"