Chapter 34: Comprehensive Discussion of Reform

  I pulled that person hastily to a door of a room inside, the person stood at the doorway and said: "Boss Long, you go in, we are not allowed to enter!"

  I hastily entered the inner room, and at a glance I saw two people sitting on chairs in the room. One was an old man with a deep blue long gown, five long beards hanging down to his chest, full of English spirit, with eyebrows entering his temples. I recognized that it was Zhang Dequan. There was also a young man who looked extremely handsome and elegant, slender and tall, with bright eyebrows and eyes, wearing a white Western suit, and wearing a snow-white top hat. This should be Tan Sitong.

  As I walked into the house, Zhang De Cai pulled that person and both of them knelt down on the ground: "Pay respects to Your Majesty!"

  I hastily stepped forward two steps, and helped up the two men saying: "Zhenbang (Zhang Dezhai's courtesy name), Fusheng (Tan Sitong's courtesy name), don't be too polite, hurry up!"

  I grasped Tan Sitong's hand and said: "I have long heard that you, sir, are worried about the country and its people. I have wanted to meet you for a long time, but had no opportunity. Today, coming to the Zhongnanhai, I am overjoyed to see you, sir!"

  Tan Sitong was overwhelmed with gratitude and hastily said: "Sitong is just a commoner, I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's remembrance, I am ashamed and cannot bear it!"

  I introduced Swallow to him saying: "This is Lin Yan, the Empress I personally chose, and also the Minister of Military Affairs of the Imperial Court!"

  Tan Sitong hastily knelt down and said: "Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, may she live for a thousand years!"

  I hurriedly pulled him up and said: "Just among us few people, don't come with that set, it's too common!"

  Four people sat down, a lovely young girl brought over some clear tea. I took a sip, the fragrance filled my mouth, and suddenly felt refreshed and invigorated. I couldn't help but exclaim: "Xiyan Wulong, what good tea!" Then I asked: "Does Fuxing know the origin of this tea?"

  Tan Xiangtong took a sip and said: "It is said that this tea is made from the top-grade oolong tea leaves grown at an altitude of 1250 meters on the peak of Dapu Western Rock Mountain, using traditional craftsmanship. It has the characteristics of fragrance, sweetness, clarity, smoothness, and mellow flavor. It is also known as the 'Western Rock Tea King' and is a top-grade oolong tea."

  I nodded and said: "Rebirth is indeed knowledgeable! Today, China is poor and weak, with many troubles. Foreign barbarians frequently lack heavenly authority, occupying our territory, killing our people, and recently the eastern dwarf country has been eyeing us covetously, wanting to knock on our door. The Chinese nation is in danger, the Chinese ten-thousand-mile rivers and mountains are in danger! Brave warriors have taken the world's common people into consideration, how can they resolve the people's suffering?"

  Tan Sitong smiled and said: "Sitong is just a commoner, he can't bring peace to the country with literature, nor can he expand the territory with military power. What strategy does he have to lift the people out of their misery? It's probably a mistake to ask him! But as a member of the Chinese nation, Sitong should also care about the major events of China. In Sitong's opinion, the most urgent task at present is to carry out reform and implement new policies!"

  I shook my head and said: "The implementation of new policies is a must, it's the trend of the world, China's necessity! However, the Qing dynasty is not France, nor Japan. The Chinese bourgeoisie is declining, the feudal forces are deeply entrenched, it's not like Napoleon or Meiji who can implement new policies with just one order! To implement new policies, a life-and-death struggle is necessary, so reform is really difficult to carry out. A earth-shaking revolution must be carried out in order to ensure that the new policy can be implemented!"

  Tan Sitong and Zhang Dechun were both left agape, unable to comprehend why the Emperor would want to overthrow himself!

  I laughed: "Don't consider me for now, but think about whether your new policy can be implemented! To implement Western-style new policies, the key is that a constitutional monarchy must be implemented, that is, a parliament should be established, a national congress should be held, and a constitution should be formulated. In short, it means changing from one person having the final say in the past to everyone having a say, and transferring power from the emperor's hands to the people's hands. Which person is willing to give up their own rights and let others control themselves? Are those iron-hat kings, princes, and high-ranking officials willing to be manipulated by others? Without an iron fist, can your plan work?"

  He was tongue-tied and couldn't say anything more.

  "I say: 'In today's world, various powerful countries rely on plundering the assets of colonized nations and occupying other countries' land to strengthen their national power. Their greedy mouths are already aimed at China. Can they allow you to become strong? Can they allow you to implement new policies? They are now fighting over spheres of influence like dogs biting each other, and when they find out that you want to become strong and no longer let them slaughter you, they will join hands to deal with you. Tell me, what power do you have to deal with those powerful armies as fierce as wolves and tigers?'"

  Tan Sitong was already stunned.

  "I continued to say: 'What power do you rely on to change the law? It should be the people, but what can the people gain from your reform? Don't mention long-term benefits, the people need immediate interests. In China, the most pressing issue is how to fill their stomachs and not starve to death. Can your reform solve this problem? Moreover, those who have the right to speak in parliament are a small number of wealthy and influential people, who have nothing to do with the common people! You develop foreign affairs and implement Western technology to enrich the country, but they can't see any benefits from it. Why should they risk their lives to support you?"

  Tan Sitong nodded.

  "A reform with no supporters and opposition from all sides, how much chance of success does it have?"

  Tan Sitong nodded in agreement: "Are we willing to endure foreign invasion and let traitors dominate?"

  "I said: 'Of course not, we are now facing the danger of extinction if we do not strengthen ourselves, how can we not rise up and become strong? So I say that we must use an iron fist to carry out a revolutionary storm, let hundreds of millions of people and us together, forcibly implement new policies, forcibly implement constitutional monarchy. Of course, I want to be with the people as a monarch who is subject to constitutional constraints and parliamentary supervision!'"

  Tan Sitong immediately knelt down and said: "Your humble servant Tan Sitong is willing to follow Your Majesty through fire and water, advance and retreat together, drive out the barbarian invaders, and revive China!"

  I immediately helped him up and said, "Well, with the thought of reviving the country and benefiting all living things, I am overjoyed!" I sighed and said, "However, the world is in great chaos, foreign enemies are rampant, treacherous officials are on the rise, and the situation is extremely critical! Now we have three steps that must be taken, namely: seizing power, strengthening the country, and refining the military! Seizing power is to pave the way for implementing new policies, it is to enable the entire nation to work together to implement the great plan of revitalizing China! I am currently doing this, and I estimate that there is an 80% chance of success. Although it's not 100%, the heavy responsibility of the country rests on my shoulders, and I dare not slack off, so I can only fight with all my might! The road to strengthening the country is the most difficult, but my heart has already been made up, and I have decided: first, we must develop industry, allow merchants to open mines and build factories, make China also have 'strong ships and sharp cannons', and make China a great maritime power. Let the Chinese fleet sail into the blue ocean; second, we must develop the financial industry. The opium trade has caused 'foreign smoke to fill the universe' and 'currency to flow overseas', resulting in the outflow of silver and empty national treasury. To this end, developing the financial industry must change from using silver coins to paper money, reduce the amount of silver held by civilians, and enrich the national treasury; third, we must carry out foreign trade. We should allow Chinese and foreign merchants to exchange goods except for opium, communicate with each other on an equal basis, and conduct open trade; fourth, we must develop education, attach importance to talent cultivation, widely establish schools, implement universal education, cultivate talents in various fields such as scholars, workers, businessmen, and doctors. Fifth, we must develop science and technology, rely on science and technology to drive the country's prosperity and strength, change from buying advanced weapons and production equipment from Western countries to having Western countries come to our country to purchase, earn foreign money, control the development speed of foreign enemies, and make China stand forever in an invincible position!

  Tan Sitong nodded and said: "In fact, the road to a strong country is the most difficult. China has been a chronic patient for a long time. Strong medicine cannot be used, and mild medicine cannot cure the disease. It's hard to make national policies!"

  I nodded in agreement, paused for a moment and said: "The path to strengthening the military is not easy. To strengthen the military, we must cut half of the current redundant personnel, especially the Eight Banners Army. This will inevitably stir up trouble and the Manchu nobles will surely call me a traitor and want to get rid of me! To strengthen the military, we must increase military spending, which means cutting other expenses. Whoever is affected by the cuts will surely jump to the opposing side and oppose us! Therefore, the opposing forces will be quite strong when implementing this plan. But if we don't take this step, China will be in danger! The path to strengthening the military is forced by circumstances. Currently, foreign powers think of China as a piece of fat meat, a delicious and easy-to-chew bone, so they are all gathering here, dancing with knives and guns, wanting to take action against China. Among them, Japan is the most extreme, strongly advocating for expanding its military and targeting China. Our Qing army is extremely corrupt, with lax discipline and no fighting spirit. The officers and soldiers only know how to visit prostitutes, smoke opium, and fight in gangs. They don't understand strategy or tactics, nor do they have any patriotic passion! The most powerful force in this army is probably the Xiang and Huai armies, but they are also made up of bandits and thugs. Every time they go into battle, they rely on looting civilians' property to stimulate their enthusiasm. When fighting against foreign troops, they will surely be defeated at the first touch! Such an army needs a major overhaul, smashing it and rebuilding a new one with strict discipline, daring to fight and win, invincible in every battle. How can we use this kind of army to resist those foreign tigers and wolves?"

  Tan Sitong said: "I heard that Wanxiu has already formed an iron army?"

  "I said: 'Whether it is the Iron Army or not, at least the officers and soldiers know for whom they are carrying guns and fighting! Moreover, there is strict discipline and a united atmosphere. In the struggle to overthrow the corrupt Qing government, we should be able to fight with all our might. I have been talking for half a day, but it still boils down to one sentence: The corrupt Qing government is not Japan, and I am not Meiji. Relying on reform to implement new policies is a dead end. Today's plan can only be to take out the thunderous measures and carry out a great revolution, implementing new policies on a new foundation!'"

  Several people in the room were excitedly listening, even Yanyan's face was flushed red, clenching her fists.