The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

When Terauchi Masayoshi heard this question, he cursed in his heart. It was really too difficult.

Upon hearing this question, Zeng Cheng Arasuke immediately said, "Gentlemen, I am not opposed to sending troops to teach the Chinese a lesson, but our finances are indeed on the verge of collapse. We must control the number of troops, control the scale of the war, and end the war as soon as possible, otherwise our finances will collapse."

Hearing the word "collapse", even Emperor Meiji became a little uneasy and immediately asked: "Minister of Finance, you said that the empire's finances are on the verge of collapse?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. We are now deeply in debt. Over a billion yen in military spending is equivalent to over three years of the Empire's fiscal revenue. The Empire has seriously overdrawn its national strength. No one expected such a disaster to happen in Northeast China. All our supplies stored in Northeast China have been lost. The supplies needed for the war must be mobilized from within the country, which will also take a considerable amount of time. It is best to stop the war immediately, recuperate, develop the economy and industry, and then plan other things after we have recovered..."

In other words, he really had no money, otherwise why would Zeng Cheng Arasuke say such a thing? And how could he dare to let Emperor Meiji speak ill of Japan? He really had no other choice.

After listening to Sokiarasuke's words, Komura Jutaro had a new opinion. Perhaps it was because he was in charge of diplomatic work as the Foreign Minister, so he had a different perspective on the problem.

Komura Jutaro was no ordinary Japanese. He actively advocated for the invasion of China, championing the so-called "Japan-Qing War Theory," earning him the nickname "the vanguard of the war." Having previously served as Acting Minister to China, he diligently collected intelligence on China's military, political, economic, industrial, ethnic customs, and the activities of foreign powers in China, sending it back to Japan for reference. His contributions were truly significant.

This old devil's diplomatic career coincided precisely with the formation and development of Japan's "Continental Policy." In every important issue concerning Japan's implementation of the "Continental Policy," the old devil Komura Jutaro performed exceptionally well. In particular, as Foreign Minister, he used all his resources to secure the maximum benefits for Japan in handling major events such as the Anglo-Japanese Alliance and the Russo-Japanese War.

So, after Zeng Chu Arasuke finished speaking, Komura Jutaro immediately said: "Now this war was caused by the Chinese provoking the Empire of Japan. The Qing government should be held responsible. It is they who violated their neutrality. We should consider asking the Qing government to compensate for all losses and let the Qing Dynasty deal with this so-called "Fifth Field Army" of China on its own. Then, we should cede the Liaodong Peninsula to the Empire as compensation..."

Chapter 527: First update, please vote!

As soon as Komura Jutaro said this, everyone suddenly felt enlightened and refreshed. This might be the best way to solve the problem now.

The newly emerging Empire of Japan had an absolutely overwhelming advantage over the once defeated and decadent Qing Dynasty. With its army's victory over the Russian army and its navy's victories in the Battle of Tsushima and the Battle of the Yellow Sea, the Qing Dynasty would have surrendered obediently and stretched out its legs for the Japanese Empire to cut into. Just think about how wonderful it would have been!

When the old devil Komura Jutaro finished speaking, he was immediately met with a series of exclamations of praise. "Troublemaking trouble for the Qing Dynasty—what a brilliant idea! The Empire of Japan grew strong by exploiting the Qing. They must have experience in how to do this!"

Katsura Taro nodded repeatedly after hearing this and immediately exclaimed in praise: "Wow! Foreign Minister Komura's idea is excellent. We are sending troops this time to fight for China, to drive Russia out of Northeast China. The military expenses and other losses should be paid by the Qing Dynasty. Now the Chinese are even more reneging on their promise and plotting a surprise attack on the Empire of Japan. Naturally, the Qing government must also bear the responsibility. Your Excellency, you should immediately arrange for an envoy to meet with the Emperor of China to express our protest and demands, and then ask the Qing Dynasty to compensate the Empire for the losses. If the Qing Dynasty refuses, then tell them that the Empire reserves the right to take further action..."

What right to further action? Isn't it just a military threat? As a once decadent and backward feudal agricultural nation, Japan knew that the Qing government feared military threats the most. For a country like the Qing, the mere resort to war would shake the foundations of its rule. Therefore, generally speaking, military threats would inevitably lead to compromise.

………"

The meeting seemed to have solved the problem perfectly, but in fact it had not solved any problem at all, and was of no use in solving the fundamental problem.

Not to mention how long it would take to negotiate with the Qing Dynasty, even if the Qing Dynasty immediately dispatched troops to suppress the "Fifth Field Army" in the Northeast, what would happen? Could the problem be solved in less than a month or two? The life and death of the Japanese troops on the Russo-Japanese front were measured in seconds, and the war was changing rapidly. Could the Japanese troops on the front line wait so long? If it took as long as a month or two, everything would be too late, and the opportunity would be lost.

The real problem now isn't anything else, but Japan's weakness. It simply can't cope with this sudden, earth-shattering change, let alone solve it. If the Empire of Japan truly possessed sufficient national strength, given Japan's character, wouldn't they be so fussy? They'd just send in their troops and get it done.

Japan is now like a man with a serious deficiency of Qi and blood. He has been on the verge of death after many times and has entered the state of saints. There is really no reserve in his body. If he does not take drugs and inject new energy, he really cannot get an erection. Even if he takes drugs and injects new energy, what he ejaculates is no longer the liquid produced by the body itself, but blood in the urine and heavy bleeding, which is fatal.

But as a tough guy, can you say that you've been soft? A man can't say no! This is something you certainly can't talk about! And you can't admit it! Because if you admit it once, everyone will think you're a softie, and then you're doomed, right?

So, in the end, everyone can only pretend to be ignorant and prepare to "lie down" and have a good rest, to recharge their energy. At this time, if anyone proposes a solution, then go for it. As for the final result, haha, we can only rely on Amaterasu's blessing and leave it to fate.

Not to mention that Japan had already held a meeting to discuss how to deal with the field army. At this time, the field army attacking Lushun finally did not need to make any disguise. The soldiers took off their Japanese military uniforms and began to attack with all their strength.

By this time, all foreigners in Port Arthur knew that the so-called "mutiny" Japanese soldiers occupying the Port Arthur train station were a tactical deception. Incredibly, the "mutiny" soldiers were actually Qing soldiers in disguise. The Field Army's surprise attack and successful capture of Port Arthur was a textbook example. However, naturally, no one was interested in this classic case now. All the major powers were now interested in the origin of this force.

Soon, even more explosive news came out: Jinzhou, Dalian and other places occupied by Japan had been conquered by the "Qing army." No one would doubt this news, because the "Qing army" in Lushun would not come to die. If Jinzhou and Dalian were still in Japanese hands, wouldn't those who attacked Lushun be doomed sooner or later? Even if it was now said that the entire Liaodong Peninsula had been taken back by the Qing army, it would be completely normal.

When the news of Lushun came out, not only were the Western powers stunned, but the Qing Dynasty itself was also stunned. The Western powers were stunned because the Qing Dynasty had the ability to do such an earth-shattering thing without making any noise. Naturally, they looked at the declining Qing Dynasty with new eyes. This was a rhythm of heaven. The Qing Dynasty itself was also stunned. They were really stunned. If they could, the Qing Dynasty would definitely catch the Western powers and ask: "Are you talking about me? Are you really talking about me? I don't even know it!"

Regardless, with such a major incident in Northeast China, all diplomats in China naturally became busy. The officials in the Qing court weren't entirely foolish; upon hearing the news, they understood the seriousness of the incident and immediately reported it. When it came to self-preservation, the Qing were still the most capable, needing no further thought. They quickly declared, "The Qing Empire has always adhered to and strictly adhered to the principle of neutrality. What happened in Northeast China has nothing to do with the Qing Empire..."

Zhang Yinghao simply smiled upon seeing the Qing dynasty's statement. Chapter 78 of the Tao Te Ching states: "To bear the disgrace of a country is to be called the Lord of the Land; to bear the misfortune of a country is to be called the King of the World." Only those who can bear the humiliation and disaster of a country are worthy of ruling and governing it. The Qing dynasty's voluntary abandonment of its responsibilities and obligations demonstrates its lack of virtue and ability, its inability to bear the weight of the crown, and its inability to continue ruling the world. Wouldn't it be perfectly natural for him to seize the world himself? It was a natural progression.

So, Zhang Yinghao put aside the ridiculous Qing Dynasty statement and directly picked up the victory report sent from the Northeast to read. The content of the victory report was very simple. It said that the field army had successfully drawn out the Japanese garrison by guarding the railway station, completely realizing the concept of annihilating the main force of the Lushun garrison in the field battle. Now, all units were working together to pursue the remaining Japanese troops and capture various key points in Lushun. Lushun would be completely liberated soon...

Although the victory report was simple, Zhang Yinghao could still smell the strong smell of blood. With Zhang Yinghao's understanding of the Japanese army, even if this was not the Japanese army during World War II, he could fully imagine how crazy the Japanese army would be when they were forced into a desperate situation. Zhang Yinghao even subconsciously imagined the scene of Japanese and field army soldiers stabbing each other with bayonets at the same time, dying together...

After reading the victory report, the first thought that came to Zhang Yinghao's mind was to say to US President Roosevelt, who later successfully mediated the Russo-Japanese War: Your Nobel Peace Prize is gone! Then he laughed three times.

In Zhang Yinghao's mind, the longer the Russo-Japanese war lasted, the better. Naturally, the more casualties the better. "Goddammit, why did you, the President of the United States, come to mediate?" This had deeply irritated Zhang Yinghao in his previous life. Now, with Port Arthur recaptured, his anger against Japan had been vented. History had completely changed, and his frustration was finally over.

Zhang Yinghao regained consciousness and took a closer look at the captured Japanese gunboats and the rescued Russian prisoners of war. After a moment's thought, he wrote: "The Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission extend their warm congratulations and deepest condolences to the heroic Fifth Field Army. We hope you will continue to work hard to accomplish your new military and political tasks, strive to liberate Northeast China, liberate all of China, and build an independent new country!"

After writing the opening, Zhang Yinghao continued: "Japanese imperialism will never accept defeat and will inevitably launch an attack on our field army. Therefore, all units of our army must quickly eliminate the remaining Japanese forces in Northeast China and continue to mobilize the people of Northeast China to support our heroic field army. Frontline troops must be cautious and guard against Japanese offensives and surprise attacks. All units in Lushun must be wary of Japanese naval artillery fire. At the same time, closely monitor the movements of Japanese troops on the Russo-Japanese front..."

Chapter 528: Second update!

Zhang Yinghao used multiple "musts" and "musts" to show his emphasis on and precautions against Japan. However, when writing this, Zhang Yinghao suddenly thought of Japan's current national strength, and then suddenly thought of another problem, that is, with the successful completion of the field army's military operations, the main contradiction in the Northeast has now changed. The field army has captured Lushun, and now the contradiction between the field army and Tsarist Russia has been completely highlighted. Although the Japan-Russia contradiction is still deep and difficult to adjust, it has immediately become a secondary contradiction.

Zhang Yinghao cursed inwardly, this thing is really endless. But there is no way, he must make timely changes and deal with the problem according to the development of the situation, otherwise he will inevitably suffer a great loss.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao continued, "Tsarist Russian imperialism will never give up. The contradiction between our Party and our army and Tsarist Russia has risen to the main contradiction. The Tsarist Russian invaders will definitely want to retake Lushun and obtain this ice-free port. All units in the Northeast must closely monitor the movements of the Russian army and strictly guard against Russian sneak attacks and offensives..."

After completing the military section, Zhang Yinghao naturally knew that construction was the most important thing. Zhang Yinghao also knew that the southern cities of Fengtian, such as Anshan and Benxi, were very rich in coal and iron resources, and their coal and iron reserves were among the highest in the country.

Furthermore, during the years of Russian colonial rule in Northeast China, Anshan served as a key base for Russian plundering of coal and iron. Consequently, the Russians invested in and established numerous industrial and mining enterprises, giving rise to a hint of industrialization. However, with the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War, the Russians, suffering a crushing defeat, were forced to hand over all of these assets to the Japanese.

Once the field army launched its offensive and the Japanese troops were eliminated, the factory would naturally become one of the field army's spoils of war. Only by building a large coal and iron complex here, followed by an arsenal and other supporting factories, would there be sufficient raw steel, and the foundation for Northeast China's industry could be laid.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao wrote: "We must build a coal and iron complex with Anshan as the center. This is a long-term plan. We are currently short of machinery, so we can first build small furnaces to smelt steel. We must ensure that the arsenal has sufficient raw materials and that production is always running. Our party and army must prepare a good supply of materials for a major battle..."

"...Reform the former Officer Training School into the Army Junior Command College, expand enrollment, further train outstanding soldiers, and intensify the training of junior military commanders. Ensure that a large number of qualified grassroots commanders are trained in a short period of time..."

".......Establish a naval command academy in Lushun or Dalian to recruit political,

We will train students and outstanding soldiers with good cultural and physical qualities to become naval soldiers, ship captains, and commanders in various departments such as navigation, gunnery, mines, and communications...

For Zhang Yinghao, war has never been his main concern. Because the time of actual fighting is temporary and short, and preparing for war is long-term, and the key is the cultivation of talents and the production and storage of materials. So Zhang Yinghao only needs to move his pen and tell his comrades what needs to be done. As for how to do it specifically and to what extent, it depends on how hard the comrades want to work. If you ask Zhang Yinghao what to do specifically? Zhang Yinghao can only talk about it. He knows nothing about how to do it specifically. If the leaders have solved the problems, what do the employees do? Therefore, rushing to help the leaders solve problems is to grab status and money. How can those who just honestly and diligently complete their work in their positions compete with those who take the initiative to help leaders solve problems?

Zhang Yinghao was very lucky. The decades-long Westernization Movement of the Qing Dynasty was not in vain; it produced countless talented people. It was simply that the Qing Dynasty was incompetent. If it had known how to concentrate its resources on major projects and bring together outstanding talents from all over China, how could China, with its size, have been so far behind Japan in terms of talent? The difference in both quantity and quality was actually similar, or even superior.

This was also the inevitable need of this era: to gather all of China's best talent, allowing them to fully utilize their talents, uniting them to build the country and solve problems together. This reminded Zhang Yinghao of his university days in his previous life, when the system of guaranteed employment was in place. That was a method of concentrating all talent, with all graduates assigned to work in factories and government agencies. China had to do the same back then; only in this way could China accomplish the great feat of developing the two bombs and one satellite, completely eliminating the enemy's ambitions for a large-scale land offensive and crushing the enemy's nuclear threat. Even when reform and opening up began, opening up private enterprise, these private companies, offering high salaries as an inducement, found it incredibly difficult to recruit even a single university student, demonstrating the strength of the state's control over talent at that time.

Now Zhang Yinghao can still enjoy the afterglow of the Westernization Movement. Most of the talents cultivated by the Westernization Movement are still alive. Even if they are older, they are basically still alive and can still be used. It is completely different from his previous life. Decades of warlords fighting each other really broke the talent gap in China. When the new China was founded, it was almost impoverished. The industrial production capacity was not as strong as it is now. Moreover, for these talents, Zhang Yinghao was not afraid that they would be sold to the diehards of the Qing Dynasty. He could take them and use them by persuading them with the national justice.

Therefore, after the telegram was written, Zhang Yinghao issued an order, not only to redeploy technical personnel from the liberated areas to support the Northeast, but also to let the Intelligence Bureau and other departments to collect talents such as navy and technicians from all over the country and send them to the Northeast. It is imperative to establish a series of industries in the Northeast in the shortest possible time, so that the Northeast has a certain production capacity, and it would be best if it can independently support a war without relying on captured spoils.

After briefly dealing with the Northeast, Zhang Yinghao's mind was still preoccupied with the issue of Tsarist Russia. Reclaiming the territory lost to Tsarist Russia was one of Zhang Yinghao's missions in this world, a necessity for every time traveler. However, in his previous life, Zhang Yinghao had read countless novels that all placed the optimal time for territorial recovery at the time of the October Revolution and the Russian Civil War, where the Soviet regime was forced to concede, abolishing the series of unequal treaties signed between Tsarist Russia and China, and thus recovering lost territory.

Of course, it wasn't that the timing was bad; it was more that the protagonists of the novels he read mostly traveled around the time of the Xinhai Revolution, making this the ideal time to reclaim ceded territory. However, for Zhang Yinghao, he would rather fight a ten-year war with the clay-footed giant Tsarist Russia for the territories ceded by the Qing than to sow the seeds of a future, mechanized, all-out war with the Red Russians. Tsarist Russia's war potential was limited, but the Red Russians' was virtually unlimited. A full-scale confrontation with a nation capable of arming tens of millions of troops would, even if victory ultimately resulted, result in incalculable losses.

Since a serious confrontation or even war with Tsarist Russia was inevitable, it was imperative to reclaim lost territory from it as soon as possible. Therefore, the best time to start a war was when Russia was at its weakest, not giving it time or opportunity to recover. War required seizing the initiative, and for China, there was one area it must firmly grasp: Outer Mongolia.

Outer Mongolia holds unparalleled strategic value for China, commanding a vast territory that has long threatened the nomadic peoples of the north. The Qing dynasty tamed Mongolia, but in modern times, Tsarist Russia became one of northern China's most brutal and rapacious enemies, leaving Outer Mongolia in a delicate position.

If Tsarist Russia occupied Outer Mongolia, it could firmly protect the Trans-Siberian Railway, the lifeline, ensuring the security of East and West Siberia while simultaneously threatening the capital, the political center of China. If China could capture Outer Mongolia, it could push its northern defenses northward by hundreds of kilometers, or even more, firmly protecting China's political center and dramatically altering the nation's strategic situation.

Just as Russia worried, the Outer Mongolian garrison could threaten the Trans-Siberian Railway at any time and completely cut off Russia's connection with East and West Siberia. In this way, Russia would have to adopt a passive and negative defensive posture, and the strategic initiative would fall entirely into the hands of China.

Moreover, the north is a cold and bitter land. Russia has no strength at all, and it is not suitable for a large-scale confrontation with China in these places. If the confrontation lasts for a long time, it will easily drag down Russia.

The loss of Outer Mongolia was arguably the most tragic event in modern Chinese history, creating an extremely hostile and dangerous strategic environment in northern China. Outer Mongolia was also highly suitable for large-scale mechanized corps warfare. Had it not been for the post-World War II nuclear era, the massive construction of the Third Front, and the psychological preparations for a temporary retreat south of the Yellow River, China would have faced countless onslaughts of steel.

Chapter 529:

When thinking of Outer Mongolia, Zhang Yinghao recalled the drawings he had given to Zhang Feng and others, asking them to build war fortresses in Kulun, Uliastai and Tannu Uriankhai.

"I don't know what the situation is like now."

Zhang Yinghao muttered to himself, without any intention of waiting, and immediately sent a telegram to Zhang Feng to inquire about the current situation in Outer Mongolia and the construction of the bunkers. He also asked when Jebtsundamba Khutuktu VIII would be sent to Chengdu.

Previously, Zhang Feng led the People's Liberation Army into Outer Mongolia, accompanied by a caravan and a large amount of supplies. They did business all the way deep into the Mongolian Plateau, and the cavalry troops arrived in Kulun in a very short time.

After Zhang Feng peacefully liberated Kulun, Jebtsundamba Khutuktu VIII was "protected". Taking advantage of Jebtsundamba Khutuktu VIII's prestige in Mongolia, he "held the emperor hostage to command the princes" and made Jebtsundamba Khutuktu VIII issue an order for all the princes and nobles from all over Mongolia to arrive in Kulun for a meeting. After these princes and nobles arrived, Zhang Feng immediately started talks with them to discuss the land reform in Mongolia.

Why was Zhang Feng so eager to implement land reform in Mongolia? It's because the Mongolian Plateau is vast and sparsely populated, especially Outer Mongolia. Such a vast territory, with only a population of just over 600,000, made the conditions ripe for land reform. Besides religious control, the Qing government's administrative approach to managing the Mongols involved dispersing the power and influence of various Mongol tribes. Specifically, this involved implementing the Zasak system on the grasslands. Zasak is an official title, meaning "governor" in Mongolian. These officials were bestowed by the imperial court and held a noble title, generally hereditary, known as "Prince."

After the Qing Dynasty implemented the jasak system in Mongolia, it was just like the "Enfeoffment Order" - it granted fiefs to Mongolian nobles on a large scale and forcibly divided Mongolia into several banners. Each banner had a jasak, who was a Mongolian noble such as king, beile, beizi, gong, taiji, and tabunang.

According to Mongol tradition, within their fiefdoms, the mountains, rivers, forests, pastures, and farmland all belonged to the jasak, who was exempt from any corvée or taxes to the government. All people were subject to their jurisdiction, paying taxes and performing corvée labor. Furthermore, the jasak had complete power over the herders under his jurisdiction, effectively ruling them as the de facto rulers of the grasslands.

Originally, Outer Mongolia was a single entity, known as Khalkha Mongolia. However, after the Qing Dynasty began to divide the region, it naturally evolved into three major Khanate tribes: the Jasaktu Khanate, the Tushetu Khanate, and the Chechen Khanate. The divisions within each tribe led to a sharp decline in Mongolia's overall strength.

Take the Tushetu Khanate as an example. Originally, it bordered the Chechen Khanate to the east, the Sayin Noyan Khanate to the west, Tannu Uriankhai to the northwest, the Gobi Desert and the Maumingan, Sunite, and Sizi tribes to the south, and the Chukhu River to the north, bordering Tsarist Russia. It was one of the most powerful Khanates in Mongolia.

But the actual situation now is that the Tushetu Khanate has split into at least forty or fifty banners, and the once powerful Khalkha Mongolia has been divided into hundreds of parts. Naturally, Mongolia has lost the qualifications to confront the Qing court.

So, from this perspective, the Qing Dynasty's means of ruling Mongolia were very clever, and the results of the enfeoffment were also very ideal. This can be seen from the fact that the Qing Dynasty did not bother to repair the Great Wall. If it were not for the cost and effort of demolishing the Great Wall, the Qing Dynasty would probably have been able to demolish it.

However, such extensive enfeoffment also resulted in a situation where the vast majority of the working people had to support too many nobles. This, coupled with the fact that a large number of monks were unproductive, led to the emergence of a large number of impoverished, even destitute, nomadic herders in Mongolia. These impoverished nomads had no livestock or pastures and relied entirely on working for the nobles for a living. They were a class between slaves and commoners, living in extreme hardship and fully meeting the definition of proletarians, relying entirely on selling their labor to survive. These proletarians were the largest group of people on the Mongolian grasslands, making them a natural ally of the Forward Party and a natural source of recruits for the People's Liberation Army.

Why did Zhang Feng believe that Mongolia had the conditions for immediate land reform, while China, which also possessed hundreds of thousands of slaves, lacked them? It was because Mongolia could freely deploy its cavalry and its troops could react quickly and maneuver, while China lacked these conditions. Therefore, after a meeting in Mongolia, Zhang Feng and his colleagues decided to use force to implement land reform, effectively resolving Mongolia's unstable centrifugal forces.

Zhang Yinghao supported Zhang Feng's judgment and the Party Committee's decision to immediately implement land reform in Mongolia. Therefore, when Zhang Feng sent a telegram expressing his need for the Jebtsundamba Khutuktu VIII to remain in Mongolia for a while, believing that he could still be of some use, Zhang Yinghao agreed.

Zhang Feng even asked Jebtsundamba VIII to summon all the princes and nobles from all over Mongolia, and then temporarily detained them in Kulun under the pretext of a meeting. The caravans and soldiers then acted quickly and arrived at the designated location one after another.

After everything was ready, Zhang Feng immediately issued an order to start land reform, and various departments naturally began to vigorously promote land reform.

Although Mongolia has begun to warm up in May, the temperature difference between morning and evening is still large, and the overall weather is still cold, so you still need to pay attention to keeping warm.

Early in the morning, under a bright, clear sky, Liu Gongbu, riding a majestic horse, led over two hundred cavalrymen from a military camp near Kulun, speeding like a whirlwind towards the North Pole. All the cavalrymen wore woolen coats, the first uniform issued to soldiers marching into Mongolia, to protect them from the harsh weather. These coats were manufactured by the newly built wool textile mill of the new Shaanxi government. Wool, therefore, is one of the riches of the Mongolian grasslands and a guarantee of a good life for the Mongolian people.

Just over ten to twenty kilometers from Kulun lies the Right Left End Banner of the Tushetu Khanate. Because it was closest to Kulun, Liu Gongbu chose to begin his land reform there. The Tushetu Khanate was divided into dozens of banners, large and small, each with at least one prince or noble. This explains Liu Gongbu's willingness to lead over two hundred cavalrymen, as these princes and nobles maintained no formal armies other than a few armed forces to intimidate herders and collect taxes. Having two hundred cavalrymen was already considered a significant force.

Because the Tushetu Khanate was closest to Kulun, when the Eighth Living Buddha Jebtsundamba Khutuktu summoned them, most of them had gone to Kulun with the Tushetu Khanate and were detained there. Therefore, Liu Gongbu planned to start the land reform from the Right Left End Banner of the Tushetu Khanate.

After Liu Gongbu arrived at Youzuomo Banner, the PLA was received by the steward of the household of the Beile, the banner chief of Youzuomo Banner. This steward's name was Batu Erdeni, who also had a Han Chinese name, Liu Ren. As a steward in a region close to Kulun, speaking Chinese was essential and a common language for him. After all, he frequently traveled to Kulun to purchase goods, entertain guests, and otherwise navigate the city, so he spoke Chinese very fluently.

"Liu Ren, we are now carrying out land reform in Mongolia. I believe you are well aware of the Field Army's land reform policy. Your Beile has already agreed to this matter. Now, please bring out your Beile's registers and atlas materials, and we will begin preparing to distribute the land."

In the yurt of the Beile of Youzuomo Banner, Liu Gongbu spoke calmly.

"But...but this is the land granted by the emperor. It is the private land of our prince's family. How can we give it to those untouchables?"

The field army's land reform method this time was very simple. It was to simply and crudely distribute the pastures of the Mongolian nobles and princes directly to the herdsmen below. In the future, these herdsmen would not have to pay agricultural and pastoral taxes, and they could also sign supply contracts with wool textile factories and meat processing plants established by the new government to fully ensure the interests of the herdsmen. With such interests tied together, Mongolia would be able to quickly stabilize.

Zhang Yinghao also supports the tax exemption for pastoral areas. He does not expect tens of millions of people to pay taxes. He can open a meat processing plant and a wool spinning plant here.

To obtain the benefits they want, they really don’t care about the little money that the herders have now. But if this little money is cancelled, it can win the hearts of the people and gain Outer Mongolia.

With over 100 million square kilometers of land and abundant mineral resources underground, why not?

The Forward Party could have simply declared all previous land deeds illegal and had the new government create new ones. However, this would have taken far too long and was completely unnecessary. Of course, the PLA could have obtained the information they sought through house searches, but they refrained from killing people when possible to maintain order in Mongolia without resorting to violence. Once violence began, the situation would have changed. If unrest truly erupted in Mongolia, the emergence of large numbers of Mongol bandits, their cavalry moving swiftly, would have caused immense trouble for the Forward Party and the field army. Of course, those not summoned by the Living Buddha, especially those attempting armed attacks on the army or resisting land reform, would have naturally become the first targets of armed repression.

Now that these nobles have been detained and their pastures distributed to the herders, the Progressive Party isn't afraid if they return and rebel. Land reform will undermine the power base of the nobles. If these nobles become bandits, living in the open air and enjoying the comforts they've always had, they won't be able to endure the hardship. Perhaps cutting the Gordian knot is the best solution.

Liu Gongbu mentally took note of the steward. He actually called them "untouchables" right in front of him. He was clearly a member of the exploiting class, and he was certainly a tyrant who used to bully others. However, Liu Gongbu remained calm and said, "We are determined to overthrow the Qing emperor, so the emperor's order naturally doesn't count. We, the People's Liberation Army, will divide the land and liberate all the herders. If anything goes wrong, we, the PLA, will be responsible. Just bring the information, or you won't be able to bear the consequences."

Liu Ren heard this and said, "But the prince said when he left that no one can take his land without his order, otherwise he will punish anyone who does."

"Hmm? Your prince already knew that the People's Liberation Army was going to divide the land?"

"Yes, I knew it a long time ago, that's why I went to Kulun to get information." "Haha, well, whatever your prince said before he left has nothing to do with me. They're enjoying a roasted whole lamb right now! You'll find your prince's blueprints and information right now, or you'll go to see Changshengtian. Of course, the ranch you're entitled to will be given to you without a cent less."

After saying that, he pulled out his gun.

Liu Ren was delighted to hear he'd been given a piece of pastureland. But when he saw Liu Gongbu draw his rifle, he shuddered. He'd long heard these soldiers were ruthless killers, and now it seemed true, ready to draw their weapons at the slightest provocation. Liu Ren immediately knelt, begging for mercy.

Liu Gongbu comforted him, "Don't worry, your prince is in favor of land reform. Otherwise, we wouldn't come to divide his land for no reason. He's currently discussing with our leaders about opening a factory to make a fortune, and he has no time to care about this piece of land. I have the final say here. Bring out all the information and gather all the herdsmen."

At this point, Liu Rencai stood up and pulled out the prince's roster, maps, and other documents. These documents clearly documented the number of herders, the size of the territory, and the mountains, rivers, and other information for each banner. This information alone would save the new government a great deal of time and effort. Of course, Liu Gongbu and his men wouldn't completely trust this information as complete, and they would naturally investigate further. Furthermore, these pastures had been nationalized and then sublet to the herders, becoming their personal property. Therefore, even if someone had concealed information about the number of pastures from the newly arrived PLA, if they were discovered later, they could still use this information to forcibly confiscate the pastures.

Liu Ren explained the basic situation of Youzuomo Banner and its mountains, forests and rivers to Liu Gongbu on the map. Listening to the introduction, Liu Gongbu nodded and said, "It's quite detailed. Are the lamas in those temples included in it?"

“No, lamas are monks and don’t count.” “How many lamas are there here?”

After understanding the basic situation of Youzuomo Banner and performing some simple calculations, a PLA comrade said to Liu Gongbu with envy, "Instructor Liu, according to our calculations, if the Youzuomo Banner is divided equally, each person here can get about 2,300 mu of pasture. However, there are certainly many people who are not on the list, and there are also lamas who will return to secular life and need pasture allocation. Some pastures are not very good. Based on the discussions in the previous meeting and the actual situation, we suggest that each person be allocated about 1,200 mu, based on the quality of the pasture. We should reserve more pasture to give the new government more room for maneuver in the future."

It's no wonder that this comrade is envious. The unit for allocating pastures is actually one thousand acres, which is really unimaginable! It's nothing like in the mainland, where the unit for allocating fields is only a few acres per person. It's really incomparable.

In fact, there's absolutely no need for envy. Nowadays, even lush pastures often require 20 to 30 mu (approximately 15 acres) of grassland to support one sheep, and that's an average. The further north you go, the larger the pastures needed, requiring at least 300 to 400 sheep to provide for a family of five. Therefore, a herder family needs at least 6000 to 8000 mu (approximately 15 acres) of land. And that's in good times; in bad, people still have to flee famine or even starve to death. Therefore, Outer Mongolia's true value to China lies in its underground mineral deposits and its strategic value.

Liu Gongbu listened, nodded, and said, "Okay, let's find out where these herders originally grazed, and it's best to allocate pastures nearby. As for water sources, forests, etc., they belong to collective property...Butler Liu, how many people are there in your family?"

"To answer your question, sir, do women count as well?"

"Of course, our Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army emphasize gender equality. Women also need to live, so naturally they have to have their share."

"Your party is benevolent and righteous, your army is benevolent and righteous! In reply to your Excellency's question, there are six people in my family."

"Haha, not bad, not bad. If you divide the ranch like this, your family will be able to get about 7,200 acres of ranch. Haha, congratulations!"

How can working for a prince be better than having your own ranch? After hearing what Liu Gongbu said, Liu Ren was so happy that he couldn't close his mouth. As for the prince's rage and reproaches after he came back, he didn't care about them at all. Can you get so much land by working for the prince for a lifetime? Don't be delusional. The prince still owes a lot of debts to Shanxi merchants! With more than 7,200 acres of land, he doesn't need to serve the prince anymore.

So Liu Renxi was overjoyed and kept saying: "I am so happy! I am so happy! Haha, I am so happy!"

Seeing Liu Ren's expression, Liu Gongbu knew that Mongolia would have no problems with the land distribution in the future. He immediately said with a smile: "Haha, you will have your own ranch in the future and live a good life. Our greatest wish is that you live a prosperous life. After we divide the ranch, in order to protect the fruits of my revolution, the People's Liberation Army plans to recruit soldiers here. Lao Liu, do you think anyone will join the army?"

Liu Ren was also a smart man. He knew that Beile might really be finished. If these Red Devils recruited soldiers here like this, then naturally everyone would listen to the new government in the future, and no one would listen to Beile's words. As for whether the Red Devils could recruit soldiers on this grassland, there was no doubt about it. Well, those poor and lowly people would come when they heard that someone was recruiting soldiers. What's more, they were allocated Beile's ranch. Who would not let the young people in their family serve in the army? Look.

The boy who came to the house also wanted to send one over. He wanted to see it so much, and said to Renzui: "Oh, if you want to answer the adults, there will be too many people to serve in the army. I am afraid that

You can’t collect that much!”

Liu Gongbu was completely unconvinced. He immediately shook his head and said with a smile: "Haha, don't worry about that. As long as we check and meet the requirements, we will accept as many as you want. We accept both male and female soldiers and treat them equally..."

Chapter 530: First update, please vote!