The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

The reason why the great powers sent diplomatic missions to Chengdu for negotiations was that these powerful countries could no longer avoid the issue of the People's Liberation Army and the Forward Party. Now it was no longer possible for the British to blockade the trade between the Forward Party and the Liberated Areas. The Liberated Areas and the great powers had reached the point where they had to negotiate.

There were indeed many international students in the liberated areas, but not many were still working in Chengdu. Zhang Yinghao himself had learned poor English in his previous life and had never passed an exam. Negotiations with the foreign powers required an interpreter, so this time, in addition to a few interpreters who knew foreign languages, Yan Fu and other cadres had to personally participate in the negotiations.

The fluent American English of those comrades who had studied in the United States brought a slightly contemptuous smile to the faces of the British diplomats, led by Jordan. Zhang Yinghao didn't know what the British were laughing at, so Yan Fu quietly told him that in the eyes of the British, Americans were just a bunch of barbarians.

Zhang Yinghao immediately understood. Even before the two world wars, Americans in 1905, facing the British, actually considered themselves less civilized. And Americans, when educating their children, inevitably teach them two things: faith in God and hatred of the British. After all, the United States was originally a British colony, just as Chinese education includes lessons about the Japanese invasion of China. Even after liberation, how could the old hatred be easily erased?

Zhang Yinghao attached great importance to this meeting. He also knew what guarantees the great powers needed, so he began by saying, "Thank you all, diplomats, for traveling all the way to Chengdu. The Progressive Party and the People's Liberation Army have the responsibility and obligation to protect the safety of everyone within their controlled territory. As long as they abide by the rules of the Liberated Area, we welcome merchants from all countries to trade in the Liberated Area. Foreigners in the Liberated Area also enjoy safety guarantees, provided they are approved..."

It was necessary for Zhang Yinghao to make such a guarantee first. The great powers have always had a misunderstanding about the Forward Party. From the information they received from the Qing Dynasty, the Forward Party was just a bandit like the Boxer Rebellion. Before they understood the difference between the Forward Party and the bandits, the consular corps once agreed with the Qing Dynasty's point of view. After all, the foreigners who fled from the liberated areas regarded the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army as a scourge. The Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army also tried foreigners with blood debts in the liberated areas, killing those who should be killed and imprisoning those who should be imprisoned. For a time, this did make the great powers have a wrong judgment on the liberated areas. Not only in this era, even during the War of Liberation, when the Kuomintang-controlled areas were fragmented in information, many places still did not understand the Communist Party and regarded it as a scourge. Even in the Internet age, the great powers are still carrying out a policy of ignorance in the country? Are there not many cases of random propaganda and slandering China?

It was not until the People's Liberation Army entered the three towns of Wuhan that the consuls of the major powers truly witnessed the ferocity of the People's Liberation Army and understood the policies of the Forward Party. They realized that this rebel army was not bandits, but an organized and disciplined regular army. At least they regarded the People's Liberation Army as the second Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, not the Boxer Rebellion.

It was precisely because of this understanding that they sent a formal diplomatic team to Chengdu for negotiations. After entering Chongqing, they boarded the train and saw the scenery of many cities along the way. The diplomatic team once again agreed that the Forward Party was not a peasant army, but a political force with a certain industrial attitude.

After a few words, the negotiations got down to business. Jordan, the head of the diplomatic corps, was the first to speak: "The British Empire is concerned about your hardline stance. Various countries have offered you some suggestions, which I personally believe deserve your careful consideration. If you accept our suggestions, it will be highly beneficial to both sides. If you do not, the consequences may not be what either side desires."

"Is the truth finally revealed?"

Zhang Yinghao thought about it, nodded silently, and said, "We will certainly seriously consider the suggestions of various countries. May I ask everyone, what suggestions have been put forward by various countries?"

Jordan said solemnly, "Sir Sir John Sawyer, the British Minister to China, explained to me the basic conditions of the British government. You should recognize the status quo and the various treaties signed by the Qing central government, that is, recognize the historical fact that the Qing central government ceded Hong Kong Island to Britain in perpetuity. The lease of Kowloon, Yantai, etc. will also continue for 99 years. Customs and salt taxes will be taken over by the British tax commissioner. The middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River will be opened to international free navigation, and the free movement of warships and civilian ships of various powers will be guaranteed. The concessions in Wuhan will be exchanged back to the British Empire and the Japanese Empire, allowing for garrisons and enjoying extraterritoriality..."

Zhang Yinghao listened without any reaction. He simply said, "Mr. Jordan, we'll discuss the various unequal treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty later. Let's talk about the free navigation of the Yangtze River by warships of the great powers. Previously, your British warships bombarded Wanxian, causing heavy casualties among our people. Later, your warships interfered in our internal affairs, sailing upstream to prevent the PLA from advancing into Hubei. Not long ago, Japanese warships brazenly bombarded the Yangtze River coast, causing heavy casualties among our people. Furthermore, your warships frequently overturn our fishing boats and cargo ships for no reason. How can we safely allow warships of the great powers to enter the PLA's controlled areas? As for the issue of concessions and extraterritoriality, we are now committed to maintaining the status quo, so there is no need to discuss it."

"However, the demands put forward by our British government are reasonable. European countries have all stated that the British government's terms are also very reasonable. If you overthrow the Qing central government, you must recognize these treaties!"

Zhang Yinghao was silent for a moment, and the comrade next to him immediately asked: "So, what are France's conditions?"

Andy, the French Consul General in Chongqing, could no longer hold back and immediately shouted, "On the issue of recognizing the treaty and the Yangtze River waters, France and the British Empire have the same demands. In addition, you must withdraw the troops from Guangxi and Yunnan, allow France to build and manage the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway, safeguard France's interests in these two regions, and guarantee the freedom and security of French trade..."

Zhang Yinghao sneered and said, "Your statement is contradictory. How can we guarantee safety without an army..."

"The French Empire's army can guarantee the safety of French merchants..." "Fuck, they're waiting here? They even want to send troops into Yunnan and Guangxi. This French guy is dreaming."

However, Zhang Yinghao thought to himself and just said "Oh" and said: "We will discuss this issue in detail later. We will give you all satisfactory answers one by one. So what does the Japanese Empire want?"

Before the Japanese diplomats from Wuhan could speak, Yamazaki Kei, who had repeatedly run into obstacles with the Progress Party, spoke first: "You must recognize the treaty signed by the Qing central government, declare the Yangtze River a free navigation channel, return the Wuhan Concession to the Empire of Japan, compensate for the losses of 100 million taels of silver and apologize, and immediately sell coke, iron ore, etc. to Japan according to the previous contract..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yinghao wasn't angry at all. Instead, he felt incredibly happy, even smiling unconsciously. The more anxious Japan became, the more they wanted to get something from him, and the more they had to restrict him. As for the words of apology, Zhang Yinghao simply ignored them.

Zhang Yinghao then questioned the Russians, and received the same demand: that the Liberated Areas recognize the treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty and withdraw their troops from Mongolia. It could even be argued that Tsarist Russia was the most vocal in demanding that the Liberated Areas recognize the treaties and withdraw their troops from Mongolia. After all, so much of the northern territory had been swallowed up by Tsarist Russia. If the Liberated Areas did not recognize those treaties, war would be foreseeable and inevitable.

Zhang Yinghao asked around and finally asked the American: "What are America's demands?"

"The American government also agrees with your proposal to maintain the status quo. The United States even believes that the demands of various countries for garrisons, concessions, and extraterritoriality in China can be abandoned. However, once the status quo is recognized, it must be maintained permanently. Hong Kong and Taiwan are already fait accompli, and their status quo must be jointly maintained. The Yangtze River will be opened to international navigation, allowing free trade among the great powers. Customs should be jointly managed by the great powers, and the salt tax should be jointly collected according to a certain proportion until the Qing central government repays its debts..."

Chapter 572: Second update!

After hearing the demands of the great powers, Zhang Yinghao's expression remained unchanged, as if the wind had passed by his ears, unaffected in the slightest. But the other comrades didn't have Zhang Yinghao's ability to maintain their composure. They were all young and full of vigor, and their expressions grew increasingly angry as they listened, their faces turning redder and darker, even a little distorted. If it weren't for the strict discipline of the Forward Party, if it weren't for the repeated warnings against speaking carelessly, the comrades would have exploded long ago. Zhang Yinghao now had no doubt that with a single order, even if he had to take all these bastards to target practice, no comrades would have raised a single word of objection.

At this moment, the true nature of the colonizers was exposed, revealing the veneer of the so-called "civilized society" that the great powers had built over hundreds of years through robbery and plunder. Seeing that his comrades were about to go crazy, he couldn't help but explode. Zhang Yinghao immediately stood up and said to these damn foreign devils with a smile: "Haha, let's stop here for today. Your "suggestions" are reasonable, and we need to hold a meeting to study and discuss them thoroughly. I believe you are all tired from the journey and just rested for a day. Take a good rest today and we will talk tomorrow!"

Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, without a moment's pause, he stepped aside, slid his chair under the table, and turned to walk out. Seeing Zhang Yinghao do this, the other comrades immediately stood up, put their chairs in place, and followed him out. The foreigners, noticing the comrades' unfriendly expressions and not wanting to cause any unnecessary trouble, made no attempt to stop them and allowed the Forward Party members to leave.

Zhu Erdian, a China expert, had been observing Zhang Yinghao the entire time. Seeing Zhang Yinghao's expression remain unchanged, or even without a hint of anger, sent a chill through Zhu Erdian's heart. Ever since meeting Zhang Yinghao, Zhu Erdian had been studying the Forward Party chairman, but the more he studied, the more confused he became, and the less he understood him.

Jordan could see through countless Chinese people, but Zhang Yinghao seemed to be a man without any selfish desires. Jordan could describe Zhang Yinghao with words like "saint," "ascetic," "pioneer," "Puritan," and "mentor." But seeing Zhang Yinghao today reminded him of a few Chinese sayings: "One's emotions are hidden from the face, one's thoughts are deep, and the dog that bites does not bark..."

Faced with so many demands from the great powers, Zhang Yinghao remained calm and composed. It's hard to imagine what he was thinking, considering the power he held. It's terrifying to even imagine someone like him plotting something behind the scenes.

Zhang Yinghao was completely unaware that Zhu Erdian had been studying him. Of course, even if he knew, Zhang Yinghao wouldn't care. Even if Zhang Yinghao was thoroughly studied, what would be the point? Zhang Yinghao was just leading his comrades in a cause, and he was just telling them how to do it. Zhang Yinghao had a hundred-year vision, so it was useless for anyone to study him.

As soon as Zhang Yinghao left the Great Hall, some comrades came up to him, wanting to talk to him. Zhang Yinghao probably knew what they wanted to say, so he stopped them with a glare, then said, "Let's discuss this in the conference room."

As expected, as soon as they entered the meeting room, some comrades could no longer hold back and immediately started shouting: "Damn it, these bastards! Who the hell are these foreign devils? How dare they force us like this? They simply don't know that Lord Horse has three eyes."

"Yes, if the great powers want to fight, then let's fight. Are you afraid of these foreign devils?"

"We don't recognize any of the treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty. Let's see what these foreign devils can do to us. Damn, I really want to beat these foreign devils up first."

Zhang Yinghao listened to the comrades' venting words and remained silent. He waited until the comrades had finished venting before letting them sit down. Seeing Zhang Yinghao's expression, one comrade immediately asked, "Chairman, aren't you angry?"

Zhang Yinghao laughed upon hearing this and said, "Haha, comrades, don't forget the history of the rise of the great powers I told you about. The Western powers used their mighty warships and cannons to blast open our country's gates, forcing the Qing Dynasty to sign a series of unequal treaties and plundering our wealth. Whether opium destroyed the Chinese people's health was naturally not a concern for the Westerners. Furthermore, through the triangular trade, the Western powers treated African blacks like cargo, transporting them to various locations as slaves to be abused at will, and forcibly seized the fruits of their labor. After discovering the American continent, the Western powers carried out genocide against the local Native Americans and seized their territory... These countless crimes, one after another, repeatedly expose the fact that the so-called civilized Western society was built on a foundation of bandit-like plunder. Greed, laziness, and barbarism are the true nature of the great powers; civilization is merely a cloak to cover their 'bandit' nature."

Zhang Yinghao finished speaking, patted the table, and then said: "If comrades have already realized that the great powers are such a group of people, will you still be angry? I have always said that the exploiting class has the reasons of the exploiting class, and we, the proletariat, have our reasons of the proletariat. The great powers are talking about their reasons today. We are enemies to begin with, and we have no common principles to talk about. Why should we be angry because of the enemy's nonsense? Isn't it our own fault if we get angry?"

After hearing what Zhang Yinghao said, the comrades thought it was indeed true and laughed out loud.

"Chairman, I always thought that these powers were people from civilized societies, but I didn't expect... Alas! What on earth are these powers thinking? What do they want from us?" Yan Fu asked with some concern.

"Haha, Mr. Yan, begging is useless, and kneeling won't buy peace. The question you asked doesn't conform to the style of our Forward Party. I have always said that peace exists through struggle, but peace dies through compromise. We must seek truth from facts when analyzing problems. If you only consider what the great powers want from us, then you are considering them, the exploiting class. No matter how you consider them, it is definitely not in the interests of us, the proletariat. What do the great powers want? Haha! It's very simple. They want us to be obedient like dogs, to bow down before them. If we don't obey, they will threaten us or even go to war with us, beat us into submission, and then let them have whatever they want..."

"Damn, the great powers are just daydreaming."

"We can't say the great powers are daydreaming. At least they basically achieved this with the Qing Dynasty."

"Those great powers want us to be like the Qing Dynasty. That's just a dream. We will fight them to the death."

"I've said before that the great powers are just so unreasonable. They're like the gangs we're fighting now, like a thug who's used to bullying people all the time. If one day, an honest person who's been bullied by him all day is fearless and hits him with a stick, challenging his authority, what do you think he'll think..."

Yan Fu laughed and said, "Haha, that's true. Our country has been poor and weak for a long time, and has been repeatedly bullied by Western powers. To these Western powers, these bandits, these are things they are used to. Once they encounter resistance, they think we are wrong and that we are no longer used to it."

"So, when facing the Qing Dynasty, the Western powers must have always fantasized: How wonderful it would be if the inferior Chinese would always bow their heads, bend their backs, accept the "arrangements" of these noble and civilized people, and abide by their rules. For nearly half a century, the powers have indeed been doing this. When taking whatever they want becomes commonplace and is met with resistance, the powers naturally start to jump up and down. Now the powers must be thinking: How wonderful it would be if I, Zhang Yinghao, didn't exist? They could continue to lord it over China and take whatever they want as before..."

Zhang Yinghao's words were witty, but everyone fell silent because this was the current reality.

Zhang Yinghao probably knew what his comrades were thinking. Imperialism was at its peak, brimming with arrogance. Unaware of the brutality of modern warfare, the imperialist powers, untouched by World War I and II, couldn't possibly look down upon the Qing rebels. They reasoned that if another "Eight-Nation Alliance" were to be formed, any resistance from the Forward Party would be futile, and the PLA would be easily annihilated.

In reality, Zhang Yinghao had no idea whether he would engage in war with foreign powers at this stage. He was focused on developing industry and trade, and he truly didn't want to fight. Therefore, the initiative and choice of war lay in the hands of the Western powers. However, Zhang Yinghao had always been preparing for war, so he wasn't afraid of the Western powers using force. If they dared to attack, Zhang Yinghao would fight them.

However, seeing the silence on his comrades' faces, Zhang Yinghao continued, "The Qian Gua in the Book of Changes says: 'Heaven moves with vigor, and the gentleman strives for self-improvement.' So no matter how the world changes, or what problems we encounter, we should always strive for self-improvement. We are now willing to do business with the great powers, so in fact, our conflict with the great powers is not as simple as a life-and-death battle. It is that the Western powers want to obtain excessive profits in China, and we do not allow it. However, we do not have the power to attack their territory, so if the great powers want to attack us, it would be aggression. Moreover, the initiative to start a war is not in our hands, but in the hands of these foreigners. The British want to dominate the situation in the Yangtze River Basin, that is, they believe that the situation in these areas should be in the interests of the British.

After our Progressive Party emerged here, a large part of the region fell out of British control, and naturally, they were unhappy. They asked about the treaty to see if we were willing to abide by the rules set by the British for this area. So, the current situation is: if they want to fight, we fight; if they don't, we maintain the status quo."

Yan Fu and Chen Yiwei were both relatively knowledgeable about foreign countries, so Chen Yiwei asked, "So what exactly does the Chairman plan to do?"

"The plan is simple. They want to blackmail us, but that's impossible. However, we welcome normal business. If they send troops to attack us, we will fight them back! The Boer War has only been over for a few years. If the British have truly forgotten the pain, we will give them another blow. We will fight them for as long as they want, until the great powers voluntarily seek peace and give up."

Zhang Yinghao's tone was already thick with murderous intent. "Can we win? Our troops are scattered all over the place," Liu Qi finally expressed his concerns.

Zhang Yinghao sneered at this question. "Disperse? Win? Why don't the powers just go to war? Do you think the Western powers are so easy to talk to? Negotiate? That's a joke! Because our troops are in Wuhan right now, and our troops already have a huge advantage. And we also have the Northeast! Why are the powers playing dumb and not mentioning this? These people are actually scared, not absolutely sure they can defeat us, so they came here. Do you really think they came here just to threaten us?"

Changing the angle, all the situations changed immediately, and Liu Qi's eyes lit up immediately.

As Zhang Yinghao spoke, his thoughts shifted, his expression finally calming. "Besides, we haven't established a country yet. We're just a local government, founded in opposition to the Qing Dynasty. Why should we recognize the treaties signed between the Qing Dynasty and the foreign powers? What's the point of recognizing them? If we recognize the treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty, doesn't that mean we acknowledge the Qing Dynasty's leadership over us? Doesn't that mean we acknowledge the Qing Dynasty's word has the final say? What does the Qing Dynasty's affairs during the implementation of the treaty have to do with us? This is simply a joke."

Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment and continued, "I've said it before, as long as we stand with the people, even if the foreign devils come with one million, five million, or even ten million, as long as we don't give up resistance, don't surrender, and don't compromise, the final victory will still belong to us."

Zhang Yinghao did some mental calculations. Even if World War I were fought in China, and all the Western powers came to carve up China and fight the liberated areas, what would happen? Zhang Yinghao had every confidence that the Forward Party would still ultimately triumph. Is ten million people a lot? Not really. It's roughly the population of a major city in the past, spread across the vast expanse of China, a mere speck of pepper. At most, they could control a few cities and transportation routes.

The foreign devils were not capable of occupying the vast rural areas, and at that time, China only had a few railways. Therefore, no matter how many foreign devils there were, they would still be able to destroy these countries by guarding a few transportation lines. If they went to the countryside to sweep, if they had a small number of people, they would be like delivering meat to the door, while if they had a large number of people, they could just choose to fortify their defenses and retreat. At this time, the Western devils were not able to mobilize tens of millions of puppet troops in China. Especially the white-skinned foreign devils. Even if they did mobilize some puppet troops, Zhang Yinghao would not worry. He could even implement a strategy of fighting in and pulling out.

Why did the Japanese dare to launch wars in later generations? In fact, a major reason was that China was in a state of war among warlords, the country was weak, and the country was fragmented. Another important reason was that the Japanese were able to mobilize a large number of puppet troops. They also believed that they could learn from the scene of the Qing Dynasty's invasion of the Central Plains and conquer China through killing and blood. Of course, the Japanese ultimately ended in failure.

Chapter 573: First update!

When Chairman Zhang Yinghao decisively declared that China would not be afraid of the great powers and that final victory would be China's, all the comrades immediately applauded. Although this wasn't the first time I'd heard Chairman Zhang say this, every time I heard him, under different circumstances, I could sense its power and it was deeply inspiring.

"Our current diplomacy must clean up the house before entertaining guests. We must start anew. The Qing Dynasty left too much garbage in our country. We must clean it up thoroughly from top to bottom before we can entertain guests. Otherwise, if this garbage is not cleared away, we will not feel comfortable and at ease in this house. Therefore, wherever we go, the stigmas of the old era—imperialism, feudalism, bureaucratic capitalism—must be clearly marked and then slowly removed one by one, and we must always be vigilant against their restoration..."

After determining their bottom line, the comrades of the Forward Party quickly reached a consensus and worked out a response strategy. Negotiations resumed the next day. Despite the threats and inducements offered by the foreigners, the Forward Party remained steadfast, insisting on cleaning up the mess before hosting the guests and establishing new diplomatic relations.

"So, will you abide by the treaty signed by the Qing central government?"

Zhang Yinghao could already hear the strong threat in the tone; it was forcing the Forward Party to directly answer this question. This was the question that all members of the consular corps wanted to know most, because it was the key to determining the next steps of the great powers and the fundamental driving force behind their actions.

Zhang Yinghao knew this was an unavoidable question. Although he had said no many times, each time he did it, he felt a little pressured. Ultimately, it was because he was too weak and needed the powers. He couldn't remain indifferent, nor could he be strong without desire. If he had developed his own industry and formed a complete system, and no longer had a truly indispensable need for the powers, why would he need to stubbornly negotiate with them?

Sighing slightly in his heart, Zhang Yinghao took a light breath and said in a calm tone: "We are in a state of hostility with the Qing Dynasty. We have not participated in the signing of any treaties. Since the Forward Party did not participate in and agree to those negotiations, those treaties are naturally not binding on the Forward Party, so we have no responsibility and obligation to abide by these treaties. You should go to the Qing government to ask the Qing government to ensure the implementation of the treaties and implement them in accordance with the treaties. If we do not agree with these treaties, it should not be you who comes to us to ask whether we agree to these treaties, but the Qing government. They came to us and asked us to agree to these treaties with them. You should understand the logic here, right? Well, how should I put it? Let me give you an analogy. It's like the Qing Dynasty planted grain on a piece of land, and you and the Qing Dynasty agreed that each of you would get half of the grain produced. There is nothing wrong with that. But now the ownership of this land has changed and it has become our Forward Party. We did not sign an agreement with you to distribute grain to you, so it is naturally impossible for us to distribute half of the grain to you. As for the losses you have suffered, you should ask the Qing Dynasty for compensation instead of coming to us. Do you understand what I mean?"

"No, no, no, Mr. Zhang, this is against international practice. Your actions are making you hostile to the entire world. Only by recognizing the treaties signed by the previous central government can you gain the recognition of your new government from the entire world. Otherwise, even if your new government overthrows the Qing central government and establishes a new country, it will not be recognized by the entire world..."

"Hmph! You're dreaming of threatening me with this trick. If you don't admit it, forget it. Damn, when the economic crisis comes, that's when you'll beg me to trade with you."

Zhang Yinghao thought viciously, but he said, "The Forward Party has no plans to seize national power at this time. We can't think that far ahead. For now, we can only promise to protect normal trade, the personal and property safety of law-abiding foreigners, and ensure that foreigners' lives and work are not affected. As a bottom line, the Forward Party will only negotiate individually with the heads of the embassies of Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and other countries if they want to sign political and economic agreements. Of course, we emphasize again here that the Forward Party is not only not obligated to abide by the treaties signed by the Qing government, but we also reserve the right to retaliate against any hostile actions in the areas under our control. For the sake of our traditional friendship with the great powers, we can maintain the status quo for now..."

What Zhang Yinghao said couldn't be clearer. We welcome those who abide by the law to do business. Those who want to threaten or force us are dreaming.

"That means you will not recognize the treaty signed by the Qing central government?" The diplomats of the consular corps confirmed this question again.

Zhang Yinghao was very impatient with this question and immediately said bluntly, "This has nothing to do with recognition or not. We were not present when you signed the treaty. You can't go to someone's enemy to collect the debt if someone owes you money, right? Or let's sign a treaty with someone or a certain force in India and then ask the British to pay the debt. That's obviously impossible, right? As long as foreigners enter the liberated areas normally, we will definitely protect their personal and property safety, but we have no responsibility or obligation to recognize a treaty we have never participated in. You can ask a hundred times and you will get the same answer."

All comrades who had received training in the Forward Party deeply hated the humiliating treaties signed by the Qing Dynasty. It's fair to say that no one in this era didn't hate these treaties. For an organization as politically correct as the Forward Party, how could it lead the team if it acknowledged these treaties? If the people's hearts were divided, it would be difficult to lead the team. Naturally, Zhang Yinghao would rather face a tough battle than acknowledge these treaties.

Of course, according to the rules of the game played by the great powers, when a regime changes—that is, a new government overthrows the old one—the new government should recognize the treaties signed by the old one, repay its debts, and the game continues. Why was Red Russia immediately met with blockade and hostility from the West? This was largely due to Red Russia's announcement that all of the Tsarist Russia's debts would be directly cancelled. Tsarist Russia had long relied on loans from Britain and France to sustain itself and finance its development, and its financial system was completely controlled by them. By the time the Bolsheviks came to power, Tsarist Russia's foreign debt had reached 180 billion rubles. Lenin's solution was simple: the All-Russian Central Executive Committee issued a decree canceling all foreign loans. Faced with such losses, it would have been surprising if the British and French powers had not sent troops to intervene in the Russian Revolution.

However, although the Qing Dynasty also borrowed a lot of money from the foreign powers, and even lived on borrowing to pay off the debt, the main debt owed by the Qing Dynasty was due to the indemnity stipulated in the unequal treaties. The foreign powers did not pay this part of the money in cash, and it was actually cancelled by the Progressive Party. Although the foreign powers felt distressed, they did not suffer any substantial losses.

Of course, Zhang Yinghao is not wrong now. The Progressive Party is now a "rebel group" rather than a political entity with official relations with European and American countries. Besides using force, the diplomatic corps has no chance of forcing the Progressive Party to yield and comply with the treaty through peaceful negotiations or intimidation.

According to Zhang Yinghao, when they encountered resistance from the Forward Party, they should have made demands or protested to the Qing Dynasty, demanding that it resolve the rebel problem. While European and American practice would have been to resort to force if the Qing Dynasty could not resolve the problem, the diplomatic corps was currently unsure whether to resort to force, or whether victory would be achieved. What could the great powers do to the Forward Party now? If they could not threaten its core areas, proving their ability to undermine the core interests of the liberated areas, the Forward Party would never yield.

After several rounds of seesaw battles and a break, the foreign devils finally managed to stop trying to scare Zhang Yinghao. At this point, the Japanese diplomat couldn't help but stare at Zhang Yinghao and shout, "Mr. Zhang, the equipment at the Hanyang Iron and Steel Plant has been put back into operation, and production has been restored. However, you are now refusing to sell coal, iron ore, and other supplies to the Empire of Japan. You must explain to the Empire of Japan what exactly you are doing with this behavior."

Zhang Yinghao knew that Japan was now a pauper, and now Zhang Yinghao couldn't understand why he should aid the enemy. He didn't even have enough of these things for himself. Just the hoes, sickles, plows and other farm tools consumed so much of his precious steel. How could he have any extra to sell to the Japanese to develop his national strength?

"Your Excellency, this is the result of a meeting of shareholders at the Hanyang Iron and Steel Works, and I personally cannot interfere. Furthermore, we don't have enough supplies for our own needs right now, so we simply don't have any left to export to you. I hope you'll understand. We will increase our mining efforts, and any surplus we have will be sold to you as soon as possible."

"You are damaging the interests of the Great Japanese Empire!"

The Japanese couldn't hold back any longer. With all the other nations slacking off, Japan was so poor it was practically broke. They couldn't afford any problems at their Yawata Iron and Steel Works. If no more iron ore was shipped in, production at Yawata Iron and Steel Works would cease, with disastrous consequences. He slammed the table hard, shaking the tea utensils on it and making them jump. His eyes, red as they stared directly at Zhang Yinghao.

The Yawata Steel Works not only provided a large amount of military supplies for the Russo-Japanese War (known as the Russo-Japanese War in Japan), but also laid a solid foundation for the development of Japan's military and heavy industries. The Japanese government explicitly mandated that the Yawata Steel Works focus on munitions production and coordinated its production with the Kure Armament Works (a Japanese arms manufacturer). The Kure Armament Works produced cannons, mines, and ammunition, while the Yawata Steel Works produced gun mounts, shipbuilding materials, and rapid-fire shells.

The iron ore used by Yawata Iron and Steel primarily came from Daye, Hubei. Japan annually shipped tens of thousands of tons of iron ore from Daye, Hubei. Later, the Japanese military used warships, tanks, and other heavy weapons, largely incorporating steel produced in Yawata.

The current Japanese envoy certainly didn't know how important the Yawata Ironworks would be to Japan in the future. However, the coal and iron needed by the Yawata Ironworks were all shipped in large quantities from Hubei. Japan had no alternative, so it could only threaten Zhang Yinghao.

Zhang Yinghao continued calmly, "Haha, is this the quality of you Japanese? Mr. Minister, we are Chinese and we can do whatever we want with our factories. You Japanese have no right to interfere. Put away your shameless face. Of course, I also said that if you are willing to trade fairly, we can also trade with you at the market price."

At this point, Zhang Yinghao didn't mention the Japanese bombardment of the Yangtze River, as if he had forgotten. It wasn't that he had forgotten, but rather that there was no need to mention it. He had it all in his mind. If Japan didn't mention it, then so be it. If this matter wasn't resolved, Japan wouldn't be able to remove even a single grain of iron sand from Hubei.

"You, how dare you speak like that and disrespect the Great Japanese Empire? You must know that Hanyang Iron and Steel is responsible for transporting iron ore and steel to Japan. Any changes to the Hanyang Iron and Steel Plant will directly affect the interests of the Great Japanese Empire. You must now deliver coal and iron to the Great Japanese Empire in accordance with the previous contract."

"I'm sorry, that's no longer possible. If you want to buy at market price, you can go to Wuhan to buy it. Otherwise, there's no other way."

Zhang Yinghao knew that Japan was fully aware of the importance of steel mills and had been intent on controlling the Hanyang Iron and Steel Works. They were definitely not just after a small amount of raw materials. The great powers did not want any development of China's steel industry. Without a steel industry, China would have no way to industrialize.

The Progressive Party had previously poached many of Hanyang Iron and Steel's talented employees, knowing that China also had talented individuals. However, the Hanyang Iron and Steel Works had always been half-dead, and this would have been impossible without the hidden influence of the foreign powers. How could those foreign engineers have wanted Hanyang Iron and Steel to succeed? Of course, after the Progressive Party began poaching people, Hanyang Iron and Steel became even more dying.

After the PLA took over Wuhan, they once again mobilized elite troops to Hanyang Iron and Steel, replacing nearly all the previously employed workers. Normal production has now resumed. While not entirely satisfactory and not back to peak production, many problems have been resolved. At least the steel needed to make agricultural tools is now fully operational.

The Progressive Party is not the Qing Dynasty; no one can be frightened by just shouting. Peace survives when it is sought through struggle, but it dies when it is sought through compromise.

Zhang Yinghao knew that he absolutely could not make concessions at this time, otherwise the great powers would immediately press him step by step, and he would eventually be forced into a corner with no room for maneuver.

At this time, the Frenchman also spoke: "I think the Japanese ambassador's request is reasonable. Also, your Guangxi troops must withdraw from Guangxi. Guangxi is our French sphere of influence. Your march into Guangxi has seriously damaged the interests of France..."

"Mr. French Ambassador, Guangxi is our inherent territory. Our march into Guangxi is our internal affairs. It is not your turn to dictate our decisions. We have never recognized Guangxi as your French sphere of influence, so your request is completely unreasonable..."

In this way, everyone was engaged in a war of words at the negotiation table. They had very little common language and even no basis for seeking common ground while reserving differences.

"As I said before, we believe that maintaining the status quo is in the interests of all parties. In the absence of hostilities, we believe it is necessary to maintain the status quo."

Upon hearing this, the foreign diplomatic corps immediately exchanged glances, ending the negotiations for the day.

Chapter 574: Second update!

The attitude of the Progressive Party has become so clear to the great powers that it cannot be any clearer. Naturally, some are happy and some are worried, and it is impossible to satisfy all the great powers. The United States, Germany and other countries have expressed their agreement with the Progressive Party's attitude of increasing trade. As for Britain, France and Japan, they are naturally still trying to get the Progressive Party to recognize the treaty so that they can benefit from those privileges.

With the general discussion concluded, the next step was for each department to have private conversations with the foreign powers. To deal with these foreign devils, they needed to employ different methods and strategies to divide and disintegrate them. So, that afternoon, Zhang Yinghao hosted a Western-style reception for the group. Waitresses dressed in Zhang Yinghao's cheongsams flitted around the reception like butterflies, providing service. Zhang Yinghao also specially prepared a selection of Maotai, Luzhou Laojiao, wine, sweet wine, and fruit wine. Steaks, lamb chops, spare ribs, river fish, and fruit were served one after another, and everyone enjoyed themselves to the fullest!

After a few drinks, the atmosphere became lively. A comrade from the commercial department said to the American diplomat, "I heard that the United States has abundant oil and the price is very affordable. I wonder if it will be exported?"

Upon hearing this, the Americans immediately responded in surprise: "You want oil? We have plenty. We have as much as you want!"

"Is it really that domineering? That's great! Our total demand will definitely not be less than one million US dollars..."

"Oh my god, a million dollars? Really?"

"Of course, but we also want to build a shipbuilding base in Wuhan, and we want to buy machinery and equipment from America..."

-out………-

This wasn't the only place where these conversations were taking place; other foreigners were accompanied by specific comrades. Zhang Yinghao's reception wasn't really about entertaining these foreigners, but rather about conducting business. As long as a deal was struck, or given to the foreign powers, especially if the United States knew that the Liberated Areas had a strong desire to do business, the money would not have been wasted.

The little Japanese devils were furious when they saw that the Forward Party was actually talking about doing business. This time, the diplomatic corps came to force these Qing Dynasty rebels. If they failed to complete their mission and instead let this business be done, how shameful would it be? Wouldn't it become a joke?

After receiving the signal, Yamazaki Katsura immediately said: "We are here to negotiate, not to conduct business. Please remember your mission..."

The comrades immediately glared at the devil. Zhang Yinghao had seen that the comrades were having a good conversation and were about to leave, but when he heard that the devil dared to mess things up, he was really unhappy. However, Zhang Yinghao immediately said: "I think the Japanese consul's words are completely wrong. The fundamental purpose of your negotiations is actually for trade. You even went to war to force the Qing Dynasty to open trading ports. The establishment of concessions was also to facilitate trade between various countries in China. Therefore, the fundamental problem between us and other countries is not the concessions, not the treaty issues, but simply the issue of trade, the issue of making money. If our liberated areas conduct a large amount of trade with other countries, then I don't think there is anything we can't reach an agreement on."