The sun never sets

This is simple. There are many bankers in the United States. What the United States has now is capital! If the Chinese have no money, can't they just borrow money from the United States? But things are not that simple. Investment requires consideration of various factors. The most important of these is safety. If a Chinese person's car overturns, won't all the loans become bad debts?

Americans are not philanthropists. Even if they are, they still want to make money. For every dollar invested, they want to get several times or even dozens of times the return. If they can make a hundred dollars but only make ninety dollars, the capitalists will feel that they have lost money. If the investment is really wasted, I don’t know how many people will cry out in despair.

The return on lending money to the Chinese is not high, not a huge profit, but it is better than losing money in the United States. The problem is that the Russians have occupied the Northeast. If they continue to expand into the Chinese mainland, what will the Chinese do if they can't bear it? Before lending to the Chinese on a large scale, the Chinese must prove that they have the strength to keep their existing territory.

The Eight-Power Allied Forces were overturned, and that haphazard army was just a mob, far from being comparable to the 200,000 Russian troops in the Northeast. It didn't matter that many American soldiers were killed. At that time, the United States was very... barbaric. They usually used machine guns and cannons to teach striking workers on the railways and mines a lesson. The Pinkerton Detective Agency killed workers and made them bleed more than once or twice. DuPont blew up the factory of its competitor, and other capitalists were no less. What did the death of a few hundred Americans mean? Even if thousands of people died, as long as it didn't affect their money, they wouldn't care.

America’s greatest advantage is not its strong martial virtues or its ability to fight and conquer, but its low human rights, which remains the same even in later generations.

But again, the Chinese had to prove they could handle the Russians before American financial groups and banks would move into northern China in force. This was one of the reasons why Lin Yongchang gave up on rushing into Wuchang, killing his way into Nanjing, and hanging Zhang Zhidong, Li Hongzhang and the others.

Another important reason was the Russian army's massive westward advance. In the guerrilla war that lasted for more than a year, the Chinese military and civilians suffered heavy losses, and the Russians suffered even greater losses. After occupying the three northeastern provinces with great difficulty, the Russians wanted to withdraw most of their troops back to Europe. Before the Siberian Railway was completed, it was very difficult to maintain nearly 200,000 troops in the Northeast.

The Russian army carried out large-scale looting and massacres of the local Chinese, and then found that they were short of food. Withdraw the troops. The Chinese guerrillas in the west are extremely active. If they dare to withdraw, the situation in the northeast will definitely deteriorate further. How about concentrating troops to attack the west, defeat the Chinese, and rush into the North China Plain in one go?

The Russian governor in the Far East thought so, but they failed to break through the Chinese defense line, mainly because they did not have enough food. For an army of 200,000, most of the supplies had to be shipped from Europe. Originally, the Russians planned to leave less than 50,000 troops in the Northeast, but now not only did they not withdraw their troops, but they actually increased their forces, further increasing the pressure on supplies.

If China was still the corrupt colonial regime it was before, it would be fine if it could just send 20,000 or 30,000 people to fight. How could it be so troublesome like now? It is not possible now. 20,000 or 30,000 people will just be food for the people. Although the Eight-Nation Alliance was a mob, and the Japanese divisions and the British colonial troops were not taken seriously by the Russians, there were actually 14,000 people among them.

The Russian troops were also defeated.

The Russian army is no longer as arrogant as before. They no longer say that one Russian soldier can deal with three Japanese soldiers and five Chinese soldiers. The annihilation of the Eight-Nation Alliance and the brutal fighting in the three northeastern provinces made the Russians realize that they had encountered a strong enemy.

In order to completely solve the problem of the three provinces in Northeast China, the Russians decided to launch a major attack. They shrunk the front line, increased the transportation of food and ammunition to the Far East, and bought a lot of food from the United States and Japan, preparing to use a large-scale battle to completely defeat the Chinese and force them to sign a treaty to cede Northeast China.

If the Tsar continues to waste time in the Northeast like this, he will definitely be in great trouble even if he doesn't go bankrupt.

But the Russians didn't know much about Marshal Lin. Lin Yongchang would never sign a treaty to cede territory with the foreigners, not even compensation! Even if he was defeated, he would resolutely drag the enemy into the quagmire of war!

The Russian plan was based on false assumptions from the outset.

Chapter 177 Russian Army

With the continuous advancement of science and technology, military equipment is becoming more and more advanced, and wars are becoming more and more complicated. In order to launch an attack, the army often needs to prepare for a long time. Whether there is mobilization and preparation, there will be a big difference in the combat effectiveness of the army.

In the Battle of Sedan, the Prussians were able to achieve brilliant results not only because Prussian officers were better at commanding operations than French officers, but also because the Prussians mobilized faster and relied on their developed railway system to deliver more troops and ammunition to the battlefield, thus completing the encirclement of the French army.

"Offensive tactics" are also simple to say. Relying on mobility and mobilization, piling up more troops and firepower on the local battlefield, as long as this can be achieved, victory in the battle is almost certain. After the Franco-Prussian War, the whole world was shocked by the brilliant achievements of the Prussians, and many countries instinctively or unconsciously began to study and learn Prussian tactics.

The Japanese abandoned the French Army and turned to learn from the German Army, while Russia has always had a tradition of advocating "offensive". Offensive and offensive are also different. The Prussians are more inclined to develop firepower advantages, while the Russians are not. As early as the early 19th century, the famous Russian general Suvorov, who said "bullets are stupid, bayonets are heroes", tried to break the linear tactics and adopt columns and skirmish lines.

Suvorov's military principles include two things: "speed" and "fierce attack". Because of the emphasis on rapid attack, his requirements for the Russian army were different from those of the European armies of the same period. He did not put all his efforts into the firepower of guns and artillery. The requirements for infantry shooting also formed a sharp contrast with the linear tactics of the time. He did not pursue the fierceness of firepower, but paid more attention to accuracy, and then resolved the battle with fierce hand-to-hand combat.

Suvorov's military thought of saving bullets, emphasizing the use of blades, and emphasizing quick battles and quick decisions was mainly due to the fact that the wars he fought throughout his life were all expansionist wars, and the battlefields were all in enemy countries, often without a rear base, and it was difficult to maintain morale. At the same time, in most periods, due to historical inertia, the conservatives who promoted the Prussian system dominated the Russian army. Although military strategists like Suvorov won more battles, they often lost in internal political struggles and became victims of court conspiracies.

After the Crimean War, the Russian army carried out military reforms. The Military System and Organization Committee organized a special committee to study the scattered firing of infantry and concluded the importance of the scattered line in the infantry battle formation. In order to improve the quality of soldiers, the work of literacy was also carried out. Before the reform, only 10% of soldiers could read and write. In order to improve the literacy rate, a company school was established, with platoon leaders and company commanders as instructors, and an infantry literacy training team was also established. By the mid-70s, the literacy rate of infantry reached 36%.

These reforms were not without results. In the subsequent Russo-Turkish War, Russia won a military victory over Turkey. In the battles over the Balkan Mountains, the various Russian troops mostly adopted skirmish formations and outflanking tactics. Things in Russia were always so bad. After the victory, the military reforms were immediately interrupted and distorted by the subsequent government.

The change of military system is not only a military problem, but also a political problem. Why do soldiers need to know so much? The smarter the people, the harder it is to fool them. The reform of the army is contrary to the foundation of Russian rule - serfdom. The army needs more educated and conscious soldiers, but the bureaucrats hope that the serfs are as dumb as possible. In the end, the military gave way to politics, and the reform of the Russian army was interrupted, and it turned back into the huge, bloated "European steamroller" that relied on its size to crush its opponents.

The rapid development of industry and technology led to great changes in the military, but the Russian ruling class mainly used the Russian army to deal with domestic class contradictions and neglected the modernization of the army. From the Russo-Turkish War to 1901, the Russian army developed slowly and was always in a backward and unprepared state. At the same time, the dominant military thought in Russia at that time was conservative and backward, and the most influential ones were Genrikh Leyer and Hemiil Dragomirov.

Hemiil Dragomirov attached great importance to the initiative of officers and soldiers, but he overestimated the role of spiritual factors. He believed that the basic principle of military training was to cultivate willpower. In terms of tactics, he emphasized bayonet hand-to-hand combat and belittled firepower. Under the conditions of increasingly fast weapons shooting,

He also required soldiers to exercise in a standing position, believing that leaping, crawling and earthwork were all manifestations of cowardice. He even opposed the Russian army being equipped with rapid-fire weapons such as machine guns.

He attempted to transfer Suvorov's combat and training principles to the imperial era. As a result, many senior officers in the Russian army worshipped cold weapons and fantasized about "lowering their heads, rushing into the enemy group, and chopping the enemy into pieces with a knife to the right or left."

For the Central People's Republic Government, the stubbornness and backwardness of the Russians were good things. The worse the enemy, the greater the advantage. In more than a year of guerrilla warfare, the Russian army's sluggishness and tactical backwardness were fully exposed. The Russians were equipped with sophisticated weapons, but their tactics had regressed to the Napoleonic era. They did not focus on detours or maneuvers, but only piled up a large number of troops on the front battlefield, trying to defeat the enemy with bayonet charges.

On the other hand, the People's Army, due to its own weak strength, often had to launch hand-to-hand combat after firing a round of bullets, but it paid great attention to the use of firepower and always tried to enhance the firepower of the front-line troops as much as possible, including equipping them with machine guns and rapid-fire cannons, and equipping them with grenades.

The Russian army is a tough opponent in defense, and their manpower advantage is obvious. But as long as they engage in mobile operations in the wild, the Russian army will often be defeated. The Russian army, which advocates "offense", is actually not good at attacking, and defense is their strong point.

Through dozens or even hundreds of small-scale battles, the People's Army had roughly grasped the combat characteristics of the Russian Army and formulated corresponding tactics. After receiving the combat plan from the General Staff, Lin Yongchang raised some questions and gave some suggestions, mainly to draw the end line of the war and provide strategic guidance.

Fighting against Russia will be a long process. Don't think about recovering the entire Northeast with one or two battles. Lin Yongchang didn't even include Shenyang and Liaoyang in his offensive targets. The People's Government did not have such a strong offensive capability. The number of artillery was seriously insufficient, especially in large-caliber artillery. The entire army only had a dozen large-caliber howitzers.

In the past year, the tactics of the People's Army have emphasized "mobility" and "flexibility". Attacking a heavily guarded city is still a very difficult task for the People's Army now. The General Staff's plan is very good, but the appetite is too big, and they are not afraid of overeating themselves.

Moreover, the situation in Northeast China is not just a matter between China and Russia. There are also Japanese soldiers on the border who are eyeing them covetously. Given the Japanese's morality, it is very likely that they will stab him in the back for justice. Lin Yongchang did not want to be attacked by the Japanese army when he was stationed under a strong city.

Chapter 178 Friends

“Woo…..Woo….”

The steam locomotive purchased from the United States made a roaring sound, announcing the train's arrival. The staff at Shijiazhuang Railway Station immediately became busy. The platform was already densely populated with fully armed soldiers, holding loaded rifles in their hands and watching the surroundings vigilantly.

There were also pickets of railway workers wearing armbands checking around to ensure that no mistakes were made.

After a while, the train stopped at the platform, and the workers' representatives, regional leaders, and military personnel who had been waiting for a long time immediately stepped forward. Several guards came out of the carriage first, and then the well-known big bald man. Lin Yongchang came out, shook hands with everyone present, and then asked with a smile: "Has everyone eaten?"

Liu Chengxiang, commander of the North China Army, replied with a serious expression: "I have eaten them all! Marshal, this time..."

"Let's not talk about this for now." Lin Yongchang waved his hand and said, "We'll talk about the military later. Yang City Night Raid Group: Sixth, Fourth, Nineth, Three, Sixth, One, Threeth, Leader, let me ask you, how are the preparations for the autumn harvest going?"

Mayor Yang immediately replied: "Marshal, please rest assured. We are ready to ensure that all the food is stored in the warehouse."

Like many local officials, Mayor Yang was also the leader of the Boxer Rebellion. Because of his weak strength, he was reorganized with Lin Heier at the beginning. Later, he was seriously injured in the battle to annihilate the Eight-Nation Alliance. He was rescued with great difficulty, but he was left with sequelae and was not suitable for fighting on the battlefield again. Lin Yongchang let him transfer to work in the local area. Now he is the mayor of Shijiazhuang. In the past, he was a county governor, which was the most critical step from the local to the central government.

Lin Yongchang brushed the dust off Mayor Yang's shoulders and said, "I'm confident that you can do the job."

His eyes fell on the other person's right arm and asked, "How is the wound healing?"

Mayor Yang hesitated for a moment and said, "It still hurts on rainy days, but it's not a big deal."

Lin Yongchang smiled and said, "It hurts, it hurts. What do you mean it doesn't matter? We, the members of the People's Party, must seek truth from facts. Have you forgotten that? I think you are still not conscious enough. You need to study harder!"

"Uh... it hurts a lot. When it's rainy, my bones feel sore and painful. I can only feel better by drinking more."

"Our pharmaceutical company is already able to produce aspirin in small batches. I'll have someone give you some. It can help relieve pain, but don't take too much. I'll give you a few bottles of tiger bone wine in a few months, but don't drink too much, at least don't get drunk! No matter what it is, you have to know when to stop."

Lin Yongchang said a few words, and then continued to talk about work, including agriculture, education, water power, animal husbandry, etc. The tractor factory bought from the United States is still floating on the sea. Even if it arrives at the port, it will take a long time to transport it to the mountain.

It will take more time for debugging and production. If you want to realize agricultural mechanization, it will take a very long time.

At the current stage, agriculture still mainly relies on oxen. In vast rural areas, oxen are equivalent to several strong laborers and are the main property of many families. The number of oxen in each place cannot fully reflect the level of agriculture, but it can reflect part of the situation.

The conversation lasted for more than half an hour. At the end, Lin Yongchang patted Mayor Yang on the shoulder again, encouraging him to continue working hard and make more contributions to the people and the country. He has become very skilled in using many polite words, and his performance ability has also reached a new level. Now Lin Yongchang can easily do things like inspiring people, naturally, without the slightest fireworks.

When leaving, Mayor Yang's eyes were filled with tears and he patted his chest to promise that he would not let the Party and the people down.

When they arrived at the camp near the station, except for Wu Tingfang and Yang Du, the rest of the accompanying personnel were military personnel. Liu Chengxiang was eager to fight again, and he said loudly: "The soldiers of our corps are ready. As long as the Marshal gives the order, we can immediately give the Russian big nose a good show!"

Lin Yongchang looked around and ordered, "Everyone else, go out first. I want to talk to Commander Liu about something."

"Commander Liu, our strategic goal this time is not to destroy all the Russian troops in the Northeast, nor do we want to recover all the lost territory, so we won't need the North China Corps for the time being. Your main task is to ensure the smooth flow of logistics, ammunition, food, clothing, medicine and other things, to ensure the supply of the front line. In addition, your Corps must prepare more beds and operating rooms... How many beds are there in the military hospital in Peking now?"

Liu Chengxiang knew exactly how much money he had, and he could tell without even thinking, "There are 1,500 beds in the hospital, and we can add another 2,000 beds temporarily. If the situation is urgent, we can also vacate some barracks, but we may not have enough beds, blankets, bandages, etc."

"We need to rely on ourselves and use what we have first." Lin Yongchang sighed. They were still too poor and didn't have enough of anything. "Premier Wang is trying to find a way to raise supplies. Things will get better."

Liu Chengxiang still wanted to fight on the front line. The commander of the corps sounded impressive, but he only did things like farming, raising pigs, and building roads. There were special departments to deal with matters related to life, such as political commissars, training, supplies, and military pay. As the commander of the corps, he actually had little to do. When he couldn't fight, he could only care about the farms and pig farms of the corps.

Fighting was certainly hard and dangerous, but it was more interesting than farming and raising pigs. If farming and raising pigs were something you could do at home, why would you join the army? Liu Chengxiang was only 20 years old, and he felt that he could still achieve more.

"There is a chance, but not now."

Lin Yongchang's expression gradually became serious. "The North China Military Region must not only do a good job in logistics, but also prepare the main forces to be deployed to fight! The Russians are enemies, and so are the Japanese! If the Japanese cross the Yalu River, or land at Dagukou, then we will need you!"

Liu Chengxiang's breathing became heavier. "Will the Japanese take advantage of the situation to rob us?"

"It's hard to say. But it's better to be prepared than not. You should make plans in this regard. If the Japanese army really attacks, you should make more plans on how to deal with it. It's not a good thing to let you be the commander of the North China Corps. When the critical moment comes, you will be asked to fill in the front line!"

Liu Chengxiang shouted: "If the Japanese really dare to come, we will make sure they never return!"

"It's good to have courage and fighting spirit, but don't forget that the Japanese army is still much stronger than us! They have nearly 20 regular troops, all of which are modernized! There are also several times more reserves! How many guns do we have? How many cannons? Compared with the Japanese, our strength is still very weak. Don't underestimate the enemy!"

"Yes!"

Chapter 179 Flame

The railway was only built to Laishui County for the time being, and the last section from Laishui County to Beiping was still being built overtime. Lin Yongchang and his entourage, as well as the guard regiment, abandoned the train and walked instead. The ground was still a little muddy after the rain, which was fine for people to walk on, but loaded carts often got stuck in pits when passing through, and the soldiers stepped in the mud and pushed the carts with great effort.

The efficiency of transporting by mule and horse is far inferior to that of water transport and railway, which is better than human transport. However, in the northeast, especially in western and eastern Liaoning, China and Russia do not have many railways to use, and river transportation is not feasible in most areas. You can't just stay by the river, right?

Both sides were accumulating strength bit by bit in the manner of ants moving house. China had a slight advantage because it was fighting on its home turf, but it was not much better. In order to launch a large-scale campaign, it would take two or three months of preparation in advance.

Preparations for war were carried out in secret. The gathering of food, ammunition and troops were all state secrets. The reason Lin Yongchang gave was to inspect the progress of the railway. Because the confidentiality measures were quite good, most people believed what was said in the newspaper. Zhan Tianyou had been busy with railway affairs for more than a year. He didn't know much about other things and didn't pay much attention to them until he was reminded by his subordinates. Then he found out that the president came to inspect the railway.

Zhan Tian

You hurriedly took a few people to Beijing and reported to the President on the work done over the past year. The "Triangle Railway" was actually two railways under construction at the same time. The most successful section was the section on the North China Plain, followed by the section from Taiyuan to Shijiazhuang, which crossed the Taihang Mountains. The most difficult section was the section from Nankou to Qinglongqiaogou, where the slope was too steep and the tunnel to be opened was too long. There were many difficulties.

However, President Lin had already spent points to buy a solution from the [The Sun Never Sets in the Celestial Empire] system, and Zhan Tianyou only had to follow the given method to carry out the construction, so the progress of the railway project far exceeded that of another time and space. Zhan Tianyou also thought about using a better method, so that he could show his ability, but after thinking for a long time, he found that all the plans were tailor-made, and under the current technical conditions, there was almost no possibility of improvement.

Therefore, Zhan Tianyou believed that the President should have a very powerful surveying team at his disposal. He always wanted to talk to the engineers there in person, but after submitting several reports, he always received the reply “It’s a state secret, no comment.”

"Mr. President," Zhan Tianyou put the work report in his hand on the table, looking very tired, "This is a summary of the work in the past six months, please take a look."

Zhan Tianyou was admitted to the Department of Civil Engineering at Yale University in the United States in 1878. He was the first chief engineer in China. He was not only good at building railways, but also very good at various other projects. Lin Yongchang not only made him responsible for railway construction, but also for training engineers and workers needed on the railway. Zhan Tianyou did an excellent job in all aspects. Not only did he build the railway quickly and well, he also wrote books such as "Railway Glossary" and "Railway Engineering Chronicle", which are now required textbooks for civil engineering departments.

Lin Yongchang thought highly of Zhan Tianyou. Although he did not give him much money, his treatment was very high. Not only did he have someone to take care of his food, clothing, housing and transportation, but he also had a squad of armed guards at all times. Of course, those guards were not only there to protect his safety, but sometimes they would also do things like convey orders. President Lin also said that as long as the "Triangle Railway" was completed, Zhan Tianyou would be responsible for establishing the Ministry of Railways, and he would become the first...deputy minister of the Ministry of Railways.

Moreover, although Zhan Tianyou studied in the United States, he did not have the bad habits of the Americans. Compared with Lu Zhengxiang, who believed in Protestant Christianity, talents like Zhan Tianyou are much more lovable.

"Chief Engineer Zhan, please take a seat. Have some tea first. I'll take a look."

Lin Yongchang asked the guards to serve tea to Zhan Tianyou, while he flipped through the work report. He read very quickly, only needing to look at each page for one or two seconds. Zhan Tianyou had some understanding of President Lin's supernatural powers, so he took the time to drink a sip of herbal tea. Sure enough, Lin Yongchang finished reading quickly, and then began to ask some practical questions about work.

The two talked for more than an hour, with Lin Yongchang asking questions and Zhan Tianyou answering them. When all the questions were almost answered, Lin Yongchang smiled and said, "The railway is one of the most important projects of the government, but I don't get to meet you often. If you have any requests, just ask them now. If you miss this opportunity, it will take a long time to find a store next time."

Zhan Tianyou said: "There are a few requirements."

Lin Yongchang's expression became serious. Anyone who has done real work knows that in actual work, you will encounter all kinds of weird things. Because of ideals, beliefs, and the nobility of human beings, they are far beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Driven by interests, human beings will also do all kinds of things without limits.

Railways are one of the most important projects of the people's government. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has sent a lot of people to keep an eye on them. Anyone who dares to "take bribes" on railway projects will soon be investigated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It's okay if the government doesn't have the energy and manpower to manage them, but if they really want to investigate, they can even find out the three generations of ancestors.

However, this cannot completely prevent problems from occurring during the construction of the railway. Sometimes, the people below would conceal specific problems for various reasons. It may not necessarily be because they want to do something bad, but it may be because of different ideas and views. That is why Lin Yongchang spent a lot of time going to the front line to listen to what the people working on the railway were dissatisfied with.

It is not good to just listen to good words. If you only listen to good words, sooner or later someone will come up with things like "yield 10,000 catties per mu" and "flying on the grass". But we can't just focus on the dark side. As the saying goes, listening to both sides will lead to enlightenment, while listening to only one side will lead to ignorance. No policy can be all-encompassing. Even if it is a good policy at the time, there will be many smart people who want to bypass it and find loopholes to gain benefits for themselves.

Lin Yongchang's expression was serious, and he was ready to ask the people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs to investigate those blind guys thoroughly.

Zhan Tianyou asked, "Can my salary be adjusted down?"

“?” Lin Yongchang was a little surprised. Is there anyone who complains about having too much money?

"I heard that the president only gets the third-level salary, so it's not appropriate for me to get the second-level salary." Zhan Tianyou said, "Also, my treatment is too good. Compared with other staff members, I don't work more. The workers on the front line are really hard-working. They work a lot every day. My salary can be reduced by two levels, and the money saved can be used to improve the lives of the workers."

His tone was sincere, without any affectation. Zhan Tianyou felt the fiery enthusiasm of the workers and engineers, and he himself was about to burn up.

Chapter 180 Yellow Bird

In the civil service system of the Central People's Republic Government, the third-level salary was 221.5 yuan per month, which was roughly equivalent to three taels of silver, or six oceans. It was slightly higher than the lowest-level military salary of the Beiyang New Army, but it was incomparable with the salaries of Beiyang officers.

221.5 yuan may not seem like much, but it has good purchasing power in this era. It can buy to kilograms of rice, which is enough to feed a strong laborer. With this salary, if you save a little, you can feed a family of four and eat meat occasionally. Lin Yongchang's income is not only salary, but also royalties and various patent fees. Although most of them are donated to the country and various institutions, he is really not poor and his income is much higher than Zhan Tianyou.

Zhan Tianyou didn't think so. He felt that it was unreasonable that he could eat fish and meat every day, but the workers were just eating cabbage sticks. The labor intensity on the construction site was very high, and there were great dangers when working in mountainous areas. When the Americans built the Trans-Pacific Railway, countless Chinese workers died. It is said that there was a Chinese corpse under each sleeper. The railway project presided over by Zhan Tianyou would certainly be much better, but casualties were inevitable.

“Those workers pay more, and there is no reason for me to be treated better than them.”

Lin Yongchang was moved by Zhan Tianyou's awareness, but refused the request to lower Zhan Tianyou's salary grade.

"Comrade Zhan, there is a reason why we set your salary at level two, and it was also discussed by the organization. The country's construction needs intellectuals like you. There is no distinction between high and low jobs, but your role is irreplaceable. In addition, it is also a role model for others. Our People's Party does not want to rob the rich to help the poor, but to lead everyone to achieve common prosperity."

In terms of railway construction and engineering skills, Zhan Tianyou could compete with Marshal Lin, but in terms of eloquence, three Zhan Tianyous were no match for Lin Yongchang. It didn't take much effort for Zhan Tianyou to be convinced, but he soon made another request, "I want to join the People's Party. Here is my application for joining the Party."

Lin Yongchang laughed and said, "I have the same idea, but I have never had the chance to tell you. Comrade Zhan Tianyou, your character and ability are enough to become a real member of the People's Party. I can be your introducer to the party, but you still need to go through a one-year observation period before you can become a formal party member."

When the People's Party was first established, the number of party members was very small. Now the number has increased by hundreds of times, reaching more than 100,000. With so many people joining, there must be a lot of speculators mixed in. Those who can be introduced by Lin Yongchang to join the party are both capable and ideologically conscious, or at least one of them is strong. Zhan Tianyou is a person who is strong in both hands.

After sending the chief engineer away, Lin Yongchang inspected the city of Beiping again, and then rushed to Liaoxi overnight with his entourage. According to the intelligence obtained by the spies from the Russians, the Russian army will dispatch 120,000 troops to fight all the way to Shanhaiguan along the Liaoxi Corridor.

The Russian fleet ranks last among the great powers, but it is definitely stronger than China. Lin Yongchang only has a few gunboats, which are not even enough to tickle the Russians. The Russians can land anywhere in the narrow terrain of western Liaoning and rely on sea transportation to ensure supplies.

In order to launch this attack, the Russians spent a lot of money, not only transporting more ammunition and food from Europe, but also spending a lot of money to buy a lot of food from Japan. The Russian army stockpiled a large amount of food in Lushun, Yingkou, Liaoyang, Shenyang and other places, preparing to rush into Shanhaiguan and completely eliminate the Chinese.

In the late period of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the Japanese army originally occupied Liaodong. They coveted this vast and fertile land, and wanted to swallow it and digest it. However, Japan was not yet a member of the great powers and was not qualified to eat at the table, so the "Three-Power Intervention to Return Liaodong" incident occurred.

This made the Japanese very angry. They sold food to the Russians and made money, which was not bad. Although they hated the Russians to death, they would not let go of anything that could make money. On the other hand, the Japanese leaked the relevant information to the Central People's Republic Government.

In the eyes of the Japanese government, the government of northern China is hateful and a potential enemy, and the Russians are even more hateful and are enemies that have already reached the door. The government of northern China must be attacked, and the Russians must also be attacked! Now that the two enemies are about to have a big fight, they are happy to watch the show from the sidelines.

It would be best if the Chinese and the Russians both suffered losses in the fight, and then the Japanese could come out to clean up the mess, and maybe even swallow up the entire Liaodong, and get a large sum of war reparations from the Chinese like six years ago. In addition, no one mentioned the incident of Yamaguchi Sushin, but many generals in the army regarded it as a shame, and many wanted to compete with the Chinese again. Of course, the Russians also had to be dealt with, and everything depended on how the war progressed.

In order to achieve this goal, the strength of North China cannot be too far behind that of the Russians. The Japanese spies in China were active and, after paying a great price, they roughly understood the military strength of the North Chinese government. The Chinese weapons and equipment were very poor, with few modern weapons and insufficient number of officers. Fighting a war relied on numbers... Oh, and they also invented gadgets like grenades.