Twentieth Century Chronicle

Page 55

Wu Luzhen agreed with Lin Xinyi's assessment, believing that the safest approach was to send a vanguard to scout ahead, with the main force following behind. Zhang Yintang also agreed with their views. Initially, Lin Xinyi wanted to lead the vanguard, but both Zhang Yintang and Wu Luzhen believed he should be responsible for boosting morale from the rear. They argued that the army's high morale was entirely due to Lin Xinyi's efforts, and therefore he shouldn't be the vanguard.

The next day, Wu Luzhen set off with a group of men, lightly equipped. Lin Xinyi and his men rested in Changdu for three days, where they purchased Tibetan horses to replace their mounts. During these three days, Lin Xinyi also ordered half of his men to stay behind and set up a radio station to maintain contact with the rear. He also visited local monasteries and, under the pretext of protecting Tibet, transferred twenty or thirty young monks fluent in both Chinese and Tibetan from these monasteries.

The local Gere Lama had little interest in defending Lhasa, but he was very close to mainland officials. Lin Xinyi later learned that Gere Lama came from a prominent local family and had a long-standing dispute with Lhasa over control of the Chamdo Monastery.

The most treacherous section of the route from Chamudo to Lhasa is the Xiagongla Mountain, stretching 90 li (approximately 45 kilometers) in both directions. Sheer cliffs jut out, the sand is loose and barren, and the peaks rise like knife edges, earning it the nickname "Heavenly Pillar Mountain." Because the mountain is uninhabited, one must set off early in the morning and cross the summit before nightfall. Although Lin Xinyi and his group encountered several dangerous situations while crossing this mountain, they ultimately all made it safely. Further on, the road gradually leveled out, and more people began to appear.

Chapter 188 The Situation in Tibet

After crossing Gongkoubala Mountain, the Lhasa Plain comes into view. If the western side of the mountain, even in the height of summer, is still covered in snow and doesn't seem very suitable for human habitation, then going east down the mountain, you can feel the normal summer temperature, and finally, large swathes of green vegetation and even farmland appear on the plain, which allows the tense and tired team to truly begin to relax.

In Mozhugongka County, which is nearly 140 miles from Lhasa, Zhang Yintang was already under the jurisdiction of Xueliekong (the government office at the foot of the Potala Mountain). Therefore, Zhang Yintang not only received excellent hospitality, but the local Tibetan officials also immediately sent a messenger to Lhasa to inform them of Zhang Yintang's arrival.

At Dazi Dzong, 40 miles from Lhasa, also known as the eastern gateway to Lhasa, Tibetan officials and lamas sent by the Dalai Lama were already waiting for Zhang Yintang, with Wu Luzhen also present. After only a few words of conversation, Zhaikang Qiangba Tuwang, representing the Dalai Lama, impatiently urged Zhang Yintang to proceed to Lhasa as soon as possible.

On the way, Lin Xinyi learned from Wu Luzhen about the dire situation facing Lhasa. After the Qumi Xingu massacre, the British army continued northward. About 4000 Tibetan soldiers, monks, and militiamen resisted the British in the Zachang Valley. The Tibetan army gathered 1000 cavalrymen and attempted to charge the British in a dense formation in the narrow valley. However, this tactic, which had almost always been successful for the Tibetan army, turned into a major defeat in the face of the British Maxim machine guns.

After passing through the Zachang Valley, the British army successfully reached Gyantse Dzong, a transportation hub on the way to Lhasa and Shigatse. The Tibetan army gathered its main force here. However, the British officer Barr, the tax official of the Zhuomu Port appointed by the Qing government, who came with the British army, demanded that the officials in Gyantse come out of the city to negotiate in the name of the Qing government. He took the opportunity to detain these officials, trying to force the Tibetan army in the city to surrender. However, the Tibetan army in the city refused, so the British army killed all the officials.

This incident directly led to an end to any possibility of compromise between the British army and the people of Gyantse. It also caused the deceived Tibetans to direct some of their anger towards the Qing government. The remarks of the Qing Resident Minister in Tibet, You Tai, who refused to resist the British army, further fueled the anger of the pro-war Tibetans. The conflict between Han Chinese and Tibetans in Lhasa began to intensify.

On April 12, the British army occupied Gyantse, but did not capture the fortress on Dzong. At this time, the British army's ammunition was running low, so the British commander left a part of the troops behind and returned to Yatung to transport supplies.

In early May, the British troops stationed in Gyantse suddenly dispatched a force to attack the Tibetan army positions on Karola Mountain in the direction of Langkazi. Langkazi is a key point on the route to Lhasa, and this attack was clearly a test and exploration.

After discovering the British army's movements, the Tibetan army launched its largest counterattack since the British invasion. The Tibetan army, which moved from the direction of Shigatse, launched a night attack on the British army left behind in Gyantse. However, the Tibetan army, which lacked training and experience in night attacks, failed to take advantage of the British army's division of forces and was eventually repelled by the British army. The Jiangluo Linka raid failed.

Following the failure of this surprise attack, secular officials in Tibet began to favor peace, and some privately requested that You Tai go to Gyantse to mediate the conflict. Although nominally the Qing Resident Minister and the Dalai Lama both had the power to govern Tibet, the Qing government's authority in Tibet began to decline after the Opium War.

Especially after the Qing government dismissed Wen Shuo, the Resident Minister in Tibet who supported Tibet and opposed the British Indian government's continuous encroachment on Tibet's sphere of influence, the several Resident Ministers who took office were all compromising with Britain, and therefore became even more unpopular with the Tibetans, almost causing the central government to lose its ability to control the Tibetan government.

This time, the Tibetan pro-peace faction's request for You Tai to mediate the war presented the Qing government with an excellent opportunity to regain control over the Kashag government. However, You Tai hesitated at this point. On the one hand, he claimed that he had not received orders from Beijing and therefore could not negotiate with the British; on the other hand, he asserted that this was the work of the 13th Dalai Lama and that the 13th Dalai Lama should send someone to resolve the issue himself.

You Tai's shirking of responsibility greatly disappointed the monks and laypeople in Lhasa, and allowed the Dalai Lama and the pro-war faction, who were beginning to lose support, to stabilize the political situation in Lhasa once again. Just then, British reinforcements returning from Yadong captured Naining Monastery in Kangmazong.

Although Naining Monastery, located 20 kilometers south of Gyantse, was on the route used by the British army to attack Gyantse, it did not show any desire to attack the British army's supply route in the face of the British army's powerful strength, and chose to protect itself.

The British army considered Naining Monastery strategically important and large, and therefore demanded that the monks open the gates, surrender, and hand over their weapons. The monks naturally refused. The British then launched an attack from Shaogang and Jiangluo, using artillery to destroy the monastery walls. When the British entered the monastery, the remaining Tibetan soldiers and militia continued to resist until they were all killed in action.

The British troops then looted all the artifacts in the monastery and set it on fire. The battle of Naining Monastery finally changed the attitudes of the monks in Lhasa, who began to try to persuade the British troops to withdraw to the border before negotiating peace. However, this battle further fueled the anger of the lower-ranking monks, who viewed the British troops as demons destroying Buddhism. The Tibetan people's calls for resistance against the British began to overwhelm those of the upper nobility.

In late June, British troops captured the Zijing Temple, northwest of Gyantse, cutting off Gyantse's connection with Shigatse. As a result, the Tibetan army and militia at Gyantse Dzong were cut off from external communication by the British.

To prevent the main Tibetan army from being encircled and annihilated by the British army, the 7th Dalai Lama sent Kalon Yuthok and others to Gyantse on July 1 to meet with British commander Younghusband. The Tibetans demanded that the British army first withdraw from the siege of Gyantse before negotiations could begin. However, Younghusband demanded that the Tibetans lay down their weapons and descend the mountain first, in which case the British army would allow them to safely withdraw from Gyantse.

However, given the British army's repeated deceptions of the Tibetans, the Tibetans did not believe that the British would allow them to leave safely after they laid down their weapons, and therefore rejected the British ultimatum. The well-prepared British army launched a general offensive against the fortress on Gyantse Dzong at noon on July 5th.

From July 5th to July 7th, the British army launched a total of 7 attacks. Lacking water and food, the Tibetan army was ultimately unable to hold Zongshan Castle under the fire of British cannons and rifles. However, the Tibetan soldiers stationed in the castle showed great courage and fought to the last man without surrendering to the British army.

After the war, Tibet's armed forces were almost completely wiped out. Even the most ardent advocates of war in Lhasa had given up their hopes of driving the British out of Tibet. Just as the Dalai Lama was preparing to bow to the Qing-eminent official in Tibet, You Tai, and hand over his power, Wu Luzhen entered Lhasa on July 6.

Although there had been news that the court had replaced You Tai as the resident minister in Tibet in preparation for helping Tibet resist the British invasion, the people of Tibet were skeptical of this news. They hoped that the court would send troops to defend Tibet, just as it had done when Nepal invaded Tibet before, but they also felt that the news was somewhat unreliable, because organizing troops to enter Tibet was obviously not something that could be done in a few months, and it would be at least until this winter to see the results.

The arrival of Wu Luzhen's small force in Lhasa once again gave the Dalai Lama and other pro-war factions the courage to persevere. In particular, the Dalai Lama's courage was greatly boosted after the troops spread the idea of ​​resisting the British and protecting the Tibetan people along the way. He expressed his willingness to fight the British army to the end with the court and sent his confidant, Zhaikang Qiangba Tuwang, to welcome the assistant minister Zhang Yintang and his party.

The support from the Dalai Lama and Tibetan monks and laypeople for the troops entering Tibet is certainly good news. However, a large number of British troops have gathered in Gyantse, reportedly exceeding ten thousand. Adding the monks and lay soldiers recruited by Lin Xinyi along the way, the current force entering Tibet numbers only about 400 people – a clearly disparate strength.

In addition, Wu Luzhen brought bad news: the resident minister in Tibet, You Tai, refused to hand over power to Zhang Yintang. He believed that he was acting in accordance with the court's wishes and had not committed any acts of betrayal or humiliation. He said that if Lian Yu arrived in Lhasa, he would naturally hand over power to Lian Yu, but he would not hand over power to Zhang Yintang.

According to Wu Luzhen, You Tai didn't want to bear the blame imposed on him by the court, so he wanted to delay until the British army entered Lhasa. That way, his proposal would be proven correct, avoiding diplomatic trouble for the court and conflict with the British. Furthermore, the British army teaching those unruly Tibetans a lesson would benefit the court's governance of Tibet.

The officers and soldiers standing nearby were furious upon hearing You Tai's proposal, but Lin Xinyi just smiled and said, "Isn't this perfectly reasonable? Better to befriend a friend than a slave. In the eyes of the Manchus, Han Chinese and Tibetans are all slaves, while the British are friends. Therefore, if a slave disobeys, let a friend teach him a lesson, and then work together with your friend to manage the slave. Isn't this the right judgment?"

The soldiers standing nearby gradually calmed down after hearing this, but Wu Luzhen could sense that these soldiers had not calmed their anger, but had begun to regard the imperial court as an enemy. Who would complain about the actions of the enemy? Clearly, under the political propaganda along the way, the concept of protecting the Tibetan people had replaced the concept of protecting Tibetan territory, and everyone had naturally lost respect for the imperial court.

Wu Luzhen glanced at Zhang Yintang, who was talking to the Tibetans at the front of the procession, and then said to Lin Xinyi, "I think it's unlikely that we can get You Tai to hand over power. Perhaps we'll need to use some force. I wonder if Lord Zhang would agree?"

Lin Xinyi glanced ahead, then said to Wu Luzhen, "After entering the city, you accompany Lord Zhang to see the Dalai Lama first. Calm him down and put his mind at ease. If the Dalai Lama can't withstand the pressure and runs away, our plan to resist the British army will be a joke. As for You Tai, I'll handle that. I'm more suited to handle such matters than you are."

After hesitating for a moment, Wu Luzhen whispered to Lin Xinyi, "It's best not to cause any deaths. If Youtai dies, it will be very difficult to handle."

Lin Xinyi nodded and replied, "Don't worry, I know why we're here, and naturally we can't let him die here. However, if we hesitate any longer, it's tantamount to suicide..."

Chapter 189 Paying Salaries

After passing through a willow grove, Lhasa came into view. The existence of such a city on the plateau is truly a miracle. Although to the Han Chinese it is just an ordinary small county town, to the Tibetans on the plateau, it is the most sacred and glorious holy city in their hearts.

Lhasa was originally just a temple, namely the Jokhang Temple. Legend has it that Princess Bhrikuti of Nepal, whom the Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo married, brought a life-size statue of an eight-year-old Shakyamuni Buddha from Kathmandu, so the Tibetans built the temple to enshrine it.

With the completion of the temple, a market quickly formed around it for Tibetan herders to exchange goods. Then, to supply monks and merchants, agriculture emerged on the Lhasa plain, and the population living around the Jokhang Temple continued to gather, eventually forming this city on the plateau.

Lin Xinyi and his group did not enter the city, but instead circled the city wall and headed to Zhashi City in the north of the city. Zhashi City was originally a military camp for the Qing army that quelled the Dzungar invasion of Tibet during the Kangxi era. It eventually became the small Han Chinese town it is today, with not only military camps, streets, and government offices, but also a temple dedicated to Guan Yu.

This city is located east of Sera Monastery and between Jokhang Temple. It was once the site of the Khoshut Khan's military parade. Therefore, the area is flat and spacious with an extremely wide view. There is also a water source nearby, and it is about 5 miles away from Jokhang Temple.

In the fifty-third year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, the Nepalese invaded Tibet. After the Qing government sent troops to rescue and repel the Nepalese, it left 3,000 troops in Tibet at the request of the Tibetan side, establishing 12 battalions along the Lhasa River to protect the Lhasa Plain. Later, another 3,000 Tibetan soldiers were trained, bringing the total size of the army to 6,000.

However, the garrison troops stationed in Tibet, which were originally rotated every three years, were not rotated for more than a decade. Over time, Han soldiers in the camps married Tibetan women and had their children take their place in service, leading to a trend of Han-Tibetan integration. This was obviously unacceptable to the Manchus, so Qishan petitioned the court to abolish the original responsibility of the garrison troops stationed in Tibet for training Tibetan soldiers. After that, a situation was formed in which the Qing troops stationed in Tibet and the Tibetan troops "each managed their own camps".

This artificial division between Han and Tibetan people, attempting to create ethnic conflict in order to consolidate Manchu rule over both Han and Tibetan people, was naturally unpopular. However, the most important issue was that the Tibetan army, which originally obeyed the imperial court, became the private army of Tibetan nobles. The Han troops stationed in Tibet could neither be replaced by those in the interior nor absorb new blood from the local Tibetan population, and quickly became ineffective in battle.

So much so that when Nepal invaded again in 1857, the Qing official stationed in Tibet moved his office directly into Lhasa to seek protection from the Tibetan army. This meant that the Qing government had lost its military deterrent in Tibet and could only rely on its ancestral resources to intimidate the Tibetans.

However, there was still a 500-strong Green Standard Army unit within Tashilhunpo city. This army, however, was only there to provide salaries to the Qing Dynasty's resident minister and military commanders; it had no real combat capability. The resident army's pay was still allocated from Sichuan, a practice that had not been abolished.

When Lin Xinyi led his large army into Zhashi City, the city's residents flocked out to watch the spectacle. Lin Xinyi, mounted on horseback, observed the expressions of the crowd in the streets. He noticed that the people who had come to watch the procession showed neither panic nor relief; they were simply curious about the appearance of such an army. It seemed that the war had not instilled any fear in the Han Chinese residents.

Upon arriving at the entrance to the barracks, the platoon of soldiers who had accompanied Wu Luzhen were already lined up, while the rest of the troops inside remained nowhere to be seen. Lin Xinyi noticed that the guards at the barracks entrance were also from the Tibet-bound army. He dismounted and called out the name of one of the soldiers in the queue, asking, "What's going on with the other officers and soldiers in the camp? So many of us are blocking the entrance, and not a single one of them has come up to ask?"

After being called out, Liu Gong saluted Lin Xinyi and complained, "Theoretically, our camp should have one guerrilla, one garrison commander, two centurions, two battalion commanders, five assistant commanders, plus 450 regular soldiers. However, the guerrilla and garrison commander have all moved to Lhasa, and the centurions don't live in the barracks either, but have bought houses outside. It's said that they're lucky if they appear once a month."

The two battalion commanders are there, but they went to Lhasa after we arrived and haven't shown up since. As for the foreign commissioners, they won't meddle. Of the remaining 450 regular soldiers, more than half are vacancies, and most have settled down locally. They won't show up until it's time to collect their pay, but it's said they haven't been paid for more than half a year.

If you're planning to pay them military pay, they'll probably come to greet you; if you're not, they won't bother with you at all.

Lin Xinyi glanced at the Green Standard Army soldiers looking in his direction from afar, nodded, and said, "Indeed, who will fight you if you don't pay them? Go, have them notify all the registered Green Standard Army soldiers that we're preparing to pay them, and tell them to come and assemble. Oh, are the barracks and storerooms all ready? Find someone to lead the way, and have the Ula constables unload the luggage..."

The city of Zashi had a population of about two or three thousand, with ordinary residents and merchants outnumbering the Green Standard Army soldiers. As a result, the military camp had become a neighborhood within the city. Upon hearing that the new officer was going to distribute military pay, the registered Green Standard Army soldiers who were working in shops or running small businesses in the city immediately dropped what they were doing and rushed back to the camp.

The city wasn't large, so Lin Xinyi dismounted, settled into his office and lodgings, and washed his face. Nearly a hundred people had already gathered on the training ground outside. Hearing Liu Gong report to him, Lin Xinyi went out of his barracks and looked around the training ground. Somewhat surprised, he asked Liu Gong beside him, "Why are there even women here?"

Before Liu Gong could reply, someone interrupted and explained, "Your Excellency, these are people who came to collect their pay on behalf of their husbands or sons. Some are working for caravans, while others are spies at the front. Only their family members can collect it."

Lin Xinyi glanced at the person who answered. It was a Qing army general dressed in military uniform, who was about thirty or forty years old. He had a smile on his face and looked rather shrewd.

Liu Gong then realized what was happening and said to Lin Xinyi, "This is Liu Kang, the battalion commander. He is mainly responsible for liaising with us on camp affairs."

Lin Xinyi nodded to Liu Kang, then said politely, "Then please ask those family members who are out on official business to come out first, and we will register them first."

Liu Kang was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, and then subconsciously asked, "Didn't you say it was about issuing pay? Why has it changed to registration?"

Lin Xinyi looked at him and said, "We don't even have a roster, how can we distribute them? Of course, we should register them first, and then ask the guerrilla commander to bring back the roster so we can distribute them accordingly. Isn't that the logic?"

Liu Kang's heart sank. He said with some difficulty, "But this official just told me that we were gathered here to distribute military pay, and now it's just registration. I'm having a hard time explaining this to everyone..."

Lin Xinyi looked at him strangely and said, "If people have complaints, they shouldn't come to me. Am I their superior? I don't know what the rules are here, but the rule of my Tibet Army is that people who don't register are naturally not under our jurisdiction."

Lin Xinyi stopped looking at him and turned to Liu Gong, saying, "Go and call Li Tang here. Have him line up the ranks to register these people. After they're registered, reorganize them into squads and rearrange the barracks."

Liu Kang was getting anxious. He said to Lin Xinyi, "Why are we having to form squads? Everyone dropped what they were doing and took leave to come here. You're detaining them all. What's going on? Sir, this is going to cause trouble..."

Lin Xinyi looked at him and smiled, saying, "Since when did soldiers stop doing nothing but collecting their pay? Commander Liu, this is the army, not a mess hall. You think it's acceptable to come to eat on time, then just leave?

Liu Kang wanted to argue with Lin Xinyi, but seeing the indifferent stares of the soldiers from the Tibetan army beside him, he suddenly realized that these soldiers in foreign uniforms weren't there to replace them, but to fight the British. He suddenly felt a pang of regret; he shouldn't have let his mind be clouded by the thought of paying the soldiers' wages.

Lin Xinyi gave Liu Gong a wink, and Liu Gong immediately ordered two soldiers to take Liu Kang to select men. Only then did Liu Gong speak to Lin Xinyi, saying, "Do we really have that much money to pay their military salaries? The accumulated debt is not a small amount."

Lin Xinyi replied, "No rush. Let's find out which major merchants in Lhasa frequently engage in Han-Tibetan trade. We can borrow money from them for working capital, and then have them withdraw it from the Central Bank in Hankou..."

Li Tang, also known as Domoto Keiichi, made a rational decision to follow Lin Xinyi into Tibet. Although he suffered a lot along the way, he also broadened his horizons. He felt that this trip to China had benefited him greatly, and more importantly, he gained Lin Xinyi's trust.

From the moment they entered the Kham region, he was the most diligent and proactive among the group in investigating local customs and traditions. He was also one of the few who learned Tibetan during their stay and could communicate in Tibetan. As a result, his platoon was reorganized and became a dedicated platoon for information processing and collection.

After receiving the task from Lin Xinyi, he immediately divided the entire platoon of 50 men into pairs, and then divided the people on the training ground into 25 teams, each with about eight or nine people. He then conducted identity registration and family background checks on each person. An hour and a half later, he had completed the registration of 233 people, and then spent another half hour classifying and organizing them.

While he was organizing the documents, Lin Xinyi, holding the documents of several people, addressed the Green Standard Army officers and soldiers who had regrouped: "We are troops sent to Tibet by the Governor-General's Office of Huguang to protect the Tibetan people. In principle, your military pay is not related to our army, but I believe that since everyone is protecting the Tibetan people, we should naturally be treated equally."

So, the reason I've gathered you all here today is to ask you if you're willing to join the troops deployed to Tibet to protect the Tibetan people. If you are, then I can register you all under the roster of the troops deployed to Tibet and then issue your pay according to the roster. Of course, the following individuals are currently at the front lines gathering intelligence, so I think we don't need to ask them anymore. I'll read their names once, and if everyone believes they are indeed on duty at the front, then I'll issue their pay first…”

The Green Standard Army soldiers standing on the training ground listened to Lin Xinyi's words with some confusion, but when they saw that several family members who were away on business had indeed received a month's salary and a month's battlefield allowance, they immediately quieted down and looked forward to their turn to receive the money.

Chapter 190 Army Reorganization

Zhang Wu was eagerly waiting for the officer who had spoken to them to call him forward to collect his military pay. These new officers were much more reasonable than the officers above them; they were actually paying his military pay without any discounts and even giving him wartime allowances. He thought that once he got this money, his family could have a few decent meals.

However, after the family members received their pay and left, the new officer began to talk about the significance of their entry into Tibet. After finally listening to the officer's long speech, Zhang Wu was immediately discouraged when he heard that the officer only asked them to volunteer to join the army entering Tibet, and no longer mentioned the matter of pay.

Several senior Green Standard Army soldiers began to complain, loudly questioning the officer who had spoken about why they hadn't received their pay. However, they quickly backed down. The officer explained that he hadn't received the roster yet and therefore couldn't verify their arrears.

Although everyone was somewhat agitated, they didn't vent their anger on the new officer. The officer had explained that it wasn't that he wasn't paying their salaries, but rather that he lacked the proper documentation, which was clearly their superior's problem. Seeing that the officer had already paid several people, no one suspected he was lying.

Some soldiers who had no work outside were quite straightforward and directly replied that they wanted to join the army entering Tibet. These people were quickly called to another side to register, and there were about fifty or sixty of them. The rest of the soldiers wanted to disperse and go back to their own work, but they were stopped by Liu Kang, the commander of the outer committee. Now everyone's resentment finally had a target to vent.

Zhang Wu walked to the front excitedly and questioned Liu Kang, "Why can't we leave the camp? If we're not paid, are we not allowed to do other work to support ourselves?"

The Green Standard Army soldiers following behind him echoed Zhang Wu's sentiments and also began to curse Liu Kang, believing that he was in cahoots with the military governor above and couldn't stand to see everyone doing well.

Liu Kang felt that he had treated people quite well in the past. Although he had not brought any benefits to them, he had not bullied these soldiers with his superiors and colleagues. However, they vented their resentment on him, which was quite a blow to him.

Since the Qing Dynasty's Resident Commissioner's Office moved to Lhasa in 1857, the local army had become more civilianized, with its inhabitants resembling more of neighborhood residents than soldiers. However, due to the unique nature of the area, there were few Han Chinese outside the city, leading to greater unity among the locals. Even the common people were far more militaristic than those in inland China. Therefore, officers relied on personal relationships rather than military orders to control their soldiers, as most of these officers had lost their military capabilities and were merely merchants in name only.

Guerrilla commanders Liu Wentong and Li Fulin, along with Sima Quanji, were all shareholders of well-known businesses in Lhasa. They even used their military ranks to facilitate their businesses. Such officers naturally couldn't give orders to the soldiers, and their misconduct, such as withholding and delaying pay, infringed upon the soldiers' interests, making them deeply resentful of their superiors. Therefore, these officers rarely visited the barracks, fearing the soldiers would demand unpaid wages.

Communication between these guerrillas, commanders, centurions, and soldiers in the camp was mostly through battalion commanders and external commissioners. Since these people still lived in Zhashi City, they had at least some interaction with these soldiers on a regular basis, and they could exert a certain influence by persuading them.

Liu Kang had no choice but to turn his gaze to the side. He was forced to take the lead out of necessity, but he had absolutely no reason to risk his life for these new soldiers. In fact, if he hadn't heard that the imperial court was dissatisfied with the performance of the resident minister in Tibet, You Tai, in the war against the British, and hadn't sent these new troops to Tibet to fight the British, he wouldn't have been so eager to get close to these new soldiers. What he was worried about was that these new soldiers would forcibly organize them and send them to the battlefield, which would be no laughing matter.

Under Liu Kang's pleading gaze, Lin Xinyi slowly walked over and inquired about the situation from the Green Standard Army soldiers gathered at the camp gate. Understanding their request to leave the camp, Lin Xinyi casually pointed to a soldier standing at the front and asked, "What do you want to do by leaving the camp now?"

Zhang Wu was the one Lin Xinyi pointed to. Standing at the front of the crowd, it was impossible for him not to be noticed. Zhang Wu had no choice but to say to Lin Xinyi, "I asked my master for leave to come out. Since I don't have any military pay, I naturally have to go back to work."

Lin Xinyi then asked, "I just want to ask you, why do you want to go back to work?"

Zhang Wu said, somewhat puzzled, "Because if we don't work, the master won't pay us."

Lin Xinyi glanced at him, then looked at the Green Standard Army soldiers surrounding him, and said, "Oh, you remember to work when you get your wages from the boss, so what gives you the right to receive your military pay?"

The soldiers, who had been so agitated just moments before, quieted down considerably. However, some still protested, saying, "But the imperial court hasn't been paying us on time either! If we hadn't gone out to do other work, we would have starved to death long ago."

Lin Xinyi gestured for the soldiers to quiet down, then asked them, "So, as long as the imperial court pays your wages on time, you can train in the camp with peace of mind?"

Some of the younger soldiers answered him immediately, but another group remained silent. Lin Xinyi then said, "As I just said, our army entering Tibet will definitely receive its pay on time from now on. Right now, we just haven't received the roster, so we can't pay yet. But you are still soldiers, aren't you? You should obey military orders, right? If you really don't want to be soldiers, then you should apply for discharge through the normal procedure. But until that's approved, you are still soldiers. So, I'm curious, why do you think you can disregard military orders?"

Faced with Lin Xinyi's questioning, some soldiers hesitated, looking at the others to see if anyone would step forward to lead the charge. Although these Green Standard Army soldiers were more united than ordinary civilians, in the event of a major incident, someone still needed to stand up and shout. However, in the past, when such major events occurred, they would first make private arrangements and then elect a leader. But this time, everyone was only concerned with receiving their pay and had not anticipated being detained in the barracks under the guise of military orders, so naturally, they were unprepared for a disturbance.

Unsure whether others would follow him, and given Lin Xinyi's reasoned arguments, even the most respected members of the camp dared not easily confront him. After all, Lin Xinyi not only had the support of the newly appointed assistant minister but also led a fully armed new army, which seemed far superior to their Green Standard Army soldiers.

Of course, not all soldiers backed down. For example, Zhang Wu's family was indeed in dire straits. He couldn't give up his livelihood, otherwise his whole family would have no way to survive. So he said to Lin Xinyi in a bit of anxiety, "But we don't know when the court's military pay will be issued. If I stop making a living, my family will starve to death. No matter what, I have to go out."

Led by Zhang Wu, some soldiers were eager to follow him and charge out, but Lin Xinyi decisively ordered Zhang Wu to be arrested, thus intimidating the remaining soldiers. Seeing Lin Xinyi's resolute attitude and the New Army soldiers surrounding them, some finally lost their nerve. They persuaded their comrades not to act rashly and then retreated back to the training ground under the watchful eyes of the New Army soldiers.

At this moment, Liu Kang approached Lin Xinyi, hesitated for a moment, and then pleaded for Zhang Wu. After hearing Liu Kang's explanation, Lin Xinyi asked him, "How many families are in such dire straits as Zhang Wu's?"

Liu Kang thought for a moment and said, "There are at least ten households that are slightly better off than them, but there are still twenty or thirty households that are in the same predicament."

Lin Xinyi then summoned Liu Gong, who was organizing the Green Standard Army soldiers, and instructed him: "First, organize a platoon, then have them follow Commander Liu to buy a batch of grain and deliver it to the families of those in need in the military camp. Deliver it per person, ensuring at least one month's rations for each person."

Liu Kang was overwhelmed with mixed feelings upon hearing this. As he stood there in a daze, Lin Xinyi said to him, "When you deliver the grain, also ask them if they have any other difficulties at home. If they encounter any trouble, they can come directly to the military camp to find me, Lin Xinyi. The army will not abandon the families of soldiers..."

Liu Kang agreed, but seeing Lin Xinyi about to turn and leave, he couldn't help but ask, "But didn't you come to Tibet to fight? Why are you getting involved in these things?"

Lin Xinyi stopped and looked back at him before saying, "No, we are here to protect the people of Tibet. Soldiers' families are also people. If we can't even protect their interests, how can we expect soldiers to protect the interests of others..."

Meanwhile, upon entering Lhasa, Zhang Yintang and his entourage were immediately greeted by thousands of monks and laypeople lining the streets. While the Dalai Lama's encouragement played a part, the Tibetans of Lhasa genuinely regarded this newly arrived assistant minister as their last hope. Everyone knew that the Tibetans alone could no longer stop the British army from entering Tibet.

At that time, the Dalai Lama was residing in Norbulingka, the summer palace west of Lhasa. The four Kalons received Zhang Yintang at the city gate and immediately took him to Norbulingka, even refusing to allow him to meet with You Tai first. This demonstrates the extremely poor relationship between the Dalai Lama and You Tai. Zhang Yintang accepted Wu Luzhen's suggestion and went to Norbulingka to meet with the Dalai Lama first, in order to reassure him.

Standing atop the south building of the yamen compound, You Tai watched the large entourage escorting Zhang Yintang head towards the western suburbs, his mood unusually somber. Beside him, a group of officials, both high and low, shared the same anxiety; though they were surrounding You Tai, they truly didn't know if he could overcome this hurdle.

However, they had no other choice now, because the decision to compromise with the British was not solely up to You Tai, a Manchu who had only recently arrived in Tibet. It was not only the court's will but also the opinion of these officials stationed in Tibet. In particular, the military officers stationed in Tibet were preoccupied with business and had little time to manage the army. They were also the main force strongly advising You Tai not to get involved in the conflict between the British and Tibetans.

However, the sudden shift in the court's stance left them somewhat bewildered. But military officers like Ma Quanji still had some confidence. He grumbled, "The court is utterly ignorant of the difficulties of border affairs. If they just uttered a few harsh words, the British would retreat. Can't we do that? They only show weakness because they can't win. The Dalai Lama is young and impetuous, which is why he angered the British. The court is starting to lose its composure. I don't think things in Tibet are going to get any better. I might as well just quit this job and let whoever wants to do it take over..."

Chapter 191 The First Day

As for Ma Quanji's words, Tai let them go in one ear and out the other. Although he was reluctant to accept his position as the Resident Minister in Tibet, he also knew that without the court's endorsement, his title as a minister was worthless in the eyes of the Tibetans. These locals would not recognize whether he was a Manchu or not; they only recognized the Emperor's orders.

Therefore, once Zhang Yintang entered Lhasa, his position as the Resident Minister in Tibet came to an end. His current refusal to hand over power to Zhang Yintang was simply because he believed the latter was Han Chinese and could use his Manchu identity to buy time. He hoped to use this method to force Zhang Yintang to say a few good words for him in his memorials, because his real trouble wasn't in Tibet, but after he left.

As for going against Zhang Yintang for the sake of those around him, he wasn't truly foolish enough to risk his life for these cronies. Creating some trouble for Zhang Yintang would only elicit a few words of gossip from the Manchu nobles in Beijing, but if he actually opposed Zhang Yintang and caused the situation in Tibet to deteriorate, then the responsibility would fall on his own shoulders.

Moreover, the situation in Tibet is already in a terrible state, so why would he need to step forward? In his view, Zhang Yintang's entry into Tibet at this time was actually to take the blame. Otherwise, why would the court appoint a Han Chinese as an assistant minister, while Lian Yu, the official minister, remained in Dajianlu and refused to move? Obviously, everyone felt that the situation in Tibet was beyond saving and was only thinking about cleaning up the mess.

Seeing that You Tai refused to utter a word, the officials around him fell silent. Without You Tai's intervention, they certainly dared not confront the assistant minister. After all, in a place like Tibet, only ministers representing the court and assistant ministers could maintain the prestige of the resident government in Tibet. Without such prestige, they could do nothing at all.

Zhang Yintang entered Norbulingka around noon, but did not emerge until dusk. While officials inside the resident minister's office were speculating about what the newly appointed assistant minister and the Dalai Lama were discussing for so long, a servant came to report that a man named Ma Quanji from Tashi City had come looking for Ma Quanji. Ma Quanji walked out irritably.

No one paid much attention to this matter; their focus was now on the meeting between the Assistant Minister and the Dalai Lama. But soon Ma Quanji walked in looking somewhat flustered and reported to You Tai, "Lord You, something bad has happened. Assistant Minister Zhang sent people to Zhashi City to collect Green Standard Army soldiers, and they are currently counting and registering them."