Strategy can only lead to victory if it is correct, and tactics can only be considered correct if they lead to victory. Like other vigorous organizations in history that have achieved great undertakings, the main members of the People's Party have blazed a trail through thorns and brambles, possessing ample practical experience. Coupled with the fact that these principles are discussed daily and yearly within organizational life, there is no issue with these basic consensuses.

The proposals at the Military Commission meeting were scientifically thought out and correctly directed. The current key point was to first send small units to destroy Japan's grassroots organizations in Korea, bleeding the Japanese as much as possible. It was completely the "encircling the cities from the countryside" route. After listening, Chen Ke decided to let the Military Commission continue with their own planning; he had to return to the construction of the industrial system. However, Yan Fu stopped him after the meeting. "Chairman Chen, I would like to write a letter to Sa Zhenbing."

Yan Fu had once served as the Premier of the Beiyang government, but Beiyang soon chased him away to Europe for a "visit." The People's Party also benefited from this incidentally. With Yan Fu leading the team, the naval members sent by the Workers and Peasants Revolutionary Army to Britain received short-term naval training there. At least these young comrades got on warships and served as interns for a month. After returning from Britain, Yan Fu went back to the base to continue naval research. After all, the subsequent battles were against the Beiyang government, and Yan Fu did not want to fight against his old brothers. Moreover, there was no room for the navy to be used in the civil war. Having remained silent until now, Yan Fu finally spoke up.

"Mr. Yan, there is no rush," Chen Ke replied.

Seeing Chen Ke refuse so bluntly, Yan Fu was somewhat surprised. He explained, "Sa Zhenbing was indeed loyal to Yuan Shikai, but now that Yuan Shikai is gone, I don't think he can be truly loyal to Feng Guozhang."

"Sa Zhenbing may not be loyal to Feng Guozhang, but he is certainly hostile to our People's Party. And I don't want to force the current Beiyang Fleet to a dead end where they have no choice but to surrender. That wouldn't be good for anyone," Chen Ke replied.

"Then why not contact Sa Zhenbing now?" Yan Fu was even more puzzled.

Chen Ke smiled. "Then, Mr. Yan, you might as well just tell Sa Zhenbing that we are about to send troops to Korea."

Yan Fu had already confirmed the People's Party's plan to march into Korea at the meeting, during which he had remained silent throughout. The People's Party's inland river fleet simply could not participate in this military operation. Back then, the Beiyang Fleet actually didn't fight too badly in the Sino-Japanese War; at least the British evaluation after observing the war was that the Beiyang Navy had completed its mission. But the Manchu Qing army collapsed at the first touch in Korea, leading to the total failure of the war. Now, the Workers and Peasants Revolutionary Army had no navy at all, yet relied on a powerful army to launch an attack with full confidence against the Japanese army entrenched in Korea. Such a fact filled Yan Fu with a myriad of feelings.

After pondering for a while, Yan Fu said, "If we can conquer Korea, Sa Zhenbing will definitely be happy. Even if Yuan Weiting knows in the underworld, he would presumably be gratified."

If someone else had said that Yuan Shikai would praise the People's Party's military victory, Chen Ke would definitely think that person was being melodramatic. But coming from Yan Fu, Chen Ke didn't find it abrupt at all. Whether it was the deceased Yuan Shikai or the living Yan Fu and Sa Zhenbing, the defeat of the Sino-Japanese War was an indelible wound in their hearts. To heal this wound, nothing short of a military victory would do.

"You can't force a melon to be sweet. If Sa Zhenbing and the current Beiyang Fleet cannot sincerely defect to the People's Party, then I can only destroy them. No matter how pity it is, I can only do so." Chen Ke didn't want Yan Fu to have any unrealistic ideas. The reason the People's Party hadn't fully made a move in the south yet wasn't that they wanted to let off the Southeast Three Provinces controlled by Feng Guozhang. They were determined to settle accounts after the harvest. If Sa Zhenbing couldn't see the situation clearly, Chen Ke had no intention of insisting on recruiting him.

Yan Fu was a rather astute person. Hearing Chen Ke speak so clearly, a look of unbearable reluctance appeared on his face. When the People's Party killed people, they never used reasons like "XX is an enemy of the People's Party," but rather held public trial rallies to drag out "enemies of the people" and finish them off. After April 12th, the landlords and gentry in the Southeast Three Provinces almost all had the blood of the common people on their hands. As long as the People's Party fought into the Southeast Three Provinces, a larger-scale storm of "claiming blood debts" was destined to occur. Yan Fu knew very well that apart from Chen Ke, anyone who tried to stop this storm would be torn to shreds by the revolutionary tempest first. The only person capable of stopping this storm, Chen Ke himself, was the initiator of this storm.

"Then I will write to Sa Zhenbing now," Yan Fu said.

After Yan Fu left, Zhang Yu stopped Chen Ke again. "Chairman Chen, will the British make any statement recently?"

"That depends on how the Japanese go crying to the British, right?" Chen Ke replied.

"Crying?" It took Zhang Yu a dozen seconds to figure out the meaning of this crying. Once he understood, he couldn't help laughing out loud. " The Japanese dumped the British to go it alone, and now they still have the face to go crying to the British?"

Chen Ke gave a cold laugh. "Minister Zhang, this shows you don't understand the Japanese. There are no strategists in the country of Japan. Our People's Party also plays some little tricks, but our strategic backbone is never built on these little tricks. But the Japanese are different; they have a heavy speculative mentality and opportunism runs rampant. They belong to the type that wants to fully utilize every available opportunity. If the Japanese go crying to the British, they will absolutely not mention the matter of dumping the British to go it alone. Instead, they will tell the British that our People's Party is now attempting to achieve China's independence and liberation, and this independence and liberation run completely counter to the interests of British global hegemony. So Japan has paid such a price for British interests and needs the British to give a brother a hand at this critical moment."

"Haha!" Zhang Yu couldn't help laughing. "Truly a model of opportunism, and what the Japanese are saying is the truth too."

"So, the British statement will definitely still be the same old set. Since they are powerless to intervene in Asian affairs now, they only fantasize about temporarily stabilizing the contradictions first." Chen Ke didn't think the British could do anything else either.

Zhang Yu nodded repeatedly. "I now understand why we have to exchange military technology with the German captives. Originally, I thought we were losing out by doing this. But looking at the long term, taking a loss is actually gaining an advantage."

However, on the same day Zhang Yu and Chen Ke mocked the Japanese and British, news came from the Wuhu area. Two warships flying the Japanese naval flag approached the Wuhu area and shelled Wuhu. The artillery on the Wuhu side immediately returned fire, and the mine troops, who had been prepared for a long time, also launched a mine attack on the Japanese warships. The Japanese warships were clever; seeing the People's Party counterattack immediately, they quickly turned their bows and slipped away.

After facing a series of great victories by Japan and then suddenly encountering such a display of power, the members of the People's Party Military Commission immediately became angry. Even Chen Ke was pulled from the industrial cadre training class to continue the meeting.

"What is this attitude from the British?" The comrades did not blame the Japanese but pointed the finger at the British side. Theoretically, the Yangtze River basin was British territory. Without British permission, warships of other countries could not enter the Yangtze. Now that Japanese warships had suddenly launched such a surprise attack, the Workers and Peasants Revolutionary Army couldn't help but question what role the British played behind the scenes.

For several months, the British Yangtze Fleet had been awkwardly docked near Wuhan. This "presence" seemed laughable, but if the British had truly completely indulged the Japanese, then the situation would undergo a huge change.

Chen Ke hadn't been involved in military management for nearly half a year, and he was also somewhat surprised to encounter such a thing suddenly. But Chen Ke quickly returned to his basic state. In the 21st century, Chen Ke had also been deeply angry because the Yankees were showing off their strength around China. However, in some later discussions, many friends raised a point: the Yankees were indeed suppressing China, but the Yankees at least maintained a global operational system. Even if China pushed the US over and dominated the Western Pacific itself, the cost paid compared to the benefits might not necessarily be cheaper than the global operational system maintained by the Yankees.

The People's Party always told the British "maintain the status quo." What was to be maintained was actually just this sphere of influence constructed by the British in Asia. For the People's Party, the British presence on the Yangtze was actually a barrier ensuring no other countries intervened in the Yangtze River basin. There weren't many comrades within the party who truly fully understood this issue, so the sudden raid by the Japanese warships caused quite a shock to everyone.

But the comrades grasped the focus of the contradiction after all. Everyone wanted to figure out directly what the British were thinking, which was a very correct line of thought.

As the Minister of Propaganda, Zhang Yu also took on diplomatic work. He naturally noticed the gazes of all the comrades looking at him. Zhang Yu didn't act coy either. "I will contact the British, but the British may not be willing to tell the truth."

"Why?" Hua Xiongmao asked.

Zhang Yu thought while speaking slowly, "If this was truly indulged by the British, then when we go to the British, they will definitely be vague. What they want is this effect of intimidation. If this was not indulged by the British but was an action by the Japanese themselves, then it means the Japanese side is attempting to drag the British into the water. Then the British have even less reason to explain clearly to us. We don't have a navy and can't truly punish the British. What's the point of the British explaining clearly to us? To prove that they can't even control their own little brother?"

Listening to Zhang Yu's analysis, Hua Xiongmao's eyes lit up. "The British Yangtze Fleet hasn't made a move yet."

After hearing this inexplicable sentence, the comrades of the Military Commission were stunned at first, but sooner or later, they successively understood what Hua Xiongmao was trying to say. Regardless of the British attitude, the subsequent actions of the British Yangtze Fleet would be the British reaction to this matter.

"Don't worry about the British reaction. Hit the Japanese hard, hit them until the British have to come out and make a clear statement." Chen Ke didn't really think the British attitude was that important. The US in the early 21st century was much stronger than the UK in the early 20th century, and it still couldn't hold on in Afghanistan. China's destiny had never been manipulated by foreigners; it could only be manipulated by China itself. On this point, Chen Ke had always been insistent.

"Then I just have to wait for the British to come to our door!" Zhang Yu laughed.

Chen Ke didn't smile. He just said calmly, "In China, naturally, the British have to come begging at our door!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the intelligence officer handed in the latest intelligence: a part of the British Yangtze Fleet had begun to head downriver. This news made the comrades of the Military Commission look surprised. Chen Ke waved his hand, "Ignore them, continue with our own strategy!"

Thanks to the People's Party's control from Hebei to Wuhan, Britain could finally rely on the wired telegraph constantly strengthened by the People's Party to transmit news. The news of Japanese warships breaking into the Yangtze and shelling Wuhu was quickly transmitted from the British concession in Wuhu to Wuhan, and then from Wuhan to Beijing. The British Minister in Beijing immediately ordered a part of the British Yangtze Fleet to go to Shanghai; they had to stop the Japanese fleet from continuing this no matter what.

Although the news of Japan's major defeat in the Northeast had not yet reached the British, after the Japanese fleet pulled such a stunt, the British Minister was already very clear that the Japanese war in the Northeast had failed. The Japanese fleet doing this had no other purpose than to drag the British into the water as well. Even if Britain didn't stand on the Japanese side, the People's Party's attitude towards the British would become greatly hostile. The beneficiary of the hostility between the People's Party and Britain in the near term would definitely be the Japanese.

The British Minister didn't even bother to summon the Japanese Minister. The British Minister could completely imagine what the Japanese Minister would say. Nothing more than how the rise of the People's Party was unfavorable to Britain. If asked about the Japanese warships charging into the Yangtze, the Japanese Minister would play dumb and say he didn't know. If the Japanese government was asked through diplomatic channels, the Japanese government would definitely use that bureaucratic system set to deal with the British Minister.

How to deal with Japan was a matter for later. The urgent task now was not to let the situation deteriorate further. After all, the Yangtze River basin was the British world. Britain absolutely could not accept such things happening again where Japanese warships conducted military operations unilaterally in the Yangtze River basin, especially when such unilateral actions damaged British interests.

"The latest order from home is for the People's Party to accept our bonds." Sir Humphrey discussed the latest situation with the Minister. The People's Party's trade model of living within its means had brought the trade volume between Britain and the People's Party to an unprecedented level, but this trade still could not meet Britain's current needs. The People's Party's canned goods, furs, chemical products, and even industrial products were all urgently needed by Britain at present, but Britain simply didn't have that many commodities to trade. The best way was to get the People's Party to accept British war bonds. But this was also the most difficult goal. The current relationship between the People's Party and the British could definitely not be called friendly. Sir Humphrey knew very well that as long as Britain turned to support the People's Party's demands, the contradictions between the two sides could be resolved immediately. But this was also a condition Britain could absolutely not accept.

What the People's Party pursued was China's independence and sovereignty integrity. Once China successfully obtained these, the model of dominance constructed by Britain in the Far East would undergo a huge change. Britain could not accept this change. So right now, even if they had to hold their noses, they had to maintain the basic framework of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance.

The British Minister understood this point very well. "The People's Party has a very deep understanding of the world situation." This euphemism actually meant that Britain could not currently change the People's Party's attitude through intimidation. A China that knew the true situation of Britain would not fear Britain.

"I always feel that Chen Ke has many issues he wants to solve, only he isn't willing to say them yet. If we can talk to him about these, perhaps we can solve these problems." Sir Humphrey was no longer hostile to Chen Ke. A smart opponent might actually be better able to achieve the maximization of mutual interests than a muddled collaborator.

"Sir, do you have any ideas?" The British Minister knew there must be a reason for Humphrey saying this.

Sir Humphrey said somewhat hesitantly, "I once talked with Chen Ke about the issue of continuing to expand trade volume. Chen Ke made a very interesting suggestion. He hoped to participate in palm oil production in Malaya."

"Palm oil?" The British Minister felt quite surprised.

"Yes, palm oil." Sir Humphrey didn't know much about palm oil, so he answered without much confidence. However, after the People's Party's technological capabilities and vision had been proven multiple times, he didn't have any prejudice against this.

"What exactly does Chen Ke want?" The British Minister only wanted to know Chen Ke's demands.

"Chen Ke wants to lease land in Malaya to plant oil palms, and the palm oil produced will be shipped back to China."

"How much land does he want to lease? How much is he willing to pay?" The British Minister simply voiced the matters he was most concerned about.

Sir Humphrey answered in a very cautious tone, "He hopes to be able to lease 1 million hectares of land for planting oil palms."

1 million hectares was 10,000 square kilometers, a land area one hundred kilometers long and one hundred kilometers wide. It was truly laughable and suspicious that the People's Party actually wanted to get such a large piece of land in Malaya. However, the British Minister did not discuss this issue; he asked Sir Humphrey bluntly, "How much is Chen Ke preparing to pay?"

This time, it was Sir Humphrey's turn to be tongue-tied and speechless.

"The British want to discuss the issue of leasing land in Malaya with us?" Chen Ke was also very surprised after receiving this telegram. Palm oil was a good thing; it was excellent oil for frying instant noodles and making KFC and McDonald's. in the 21st century, Malaysia and Indonesia could provide over 20 million tons of palm oil annually. China lacked oil; the People's Party had imported a large number of coconuts from the Philippines in recent years, and coconut oil had already greatly supplemented the oil supply in the People's Party base areas. If they could obtain a supply of palm oil, they wouldn't need tens of millions of tons; if they could get 5 million tons annually, China's population of 500 million could get 20 jin of palm oil per person per year. This was no small matter to joke about.

But regarding this suggestion from the British, the first thing Chen Ke thought of was not the future possibilities, but the attitude behind this British move.

"Comrade Li Runshi will negotiate with the British on the matter of leasing land in Malaya to open plantations." On March 7, 1916, the Hebei Provincial Committee received this telegram. Entering March, Beijing had also reached the season of spring warmth and blooming flowers. No matter how bizarre this order was, the Hebei Provincial Committee had no intention of refusing.

Also on this day, the Japanese 19th Division, which had trekked with difficulty in the Changbai Mountains, finally endured all kinds of painful experiences and met the guide troops sent by the Japanese army to receive them. The members of the "Government of the Republic of China" who retreated with the 19th Division shivered in the cold wind while feeling truly happy.

The terrible march in the mountains faced shortages of grain, shortages of food, and the invasion of low temperatures. Every day, people fell and never stood up again. Moreover, every day they had to worry about the Workers and Peasants Revolutionary Army troops catching up from behind and dealing a fatal blow to this exhausted marching column. After meeting the guide troops who came to welcome them, although the languages were different, these people who had escaped with their lives with great difficulty cheered together.