Xia Si is full of expectations for his trip to Qingdao, because in the few days he has lived in Jinan, he has a very deep feeling about the style of Jinan, because here, whether in the countryside or in the city, Xia Si Wei sees a completely vibrant and energetic scene. The streets are clean and tidy, and there is hardly a beggar in sight. Whether it is a farmer, a craftsman, or a small trader, all of them are optimistic and positive.

Everywhere he went, the rich families were of course poor and luxurious, but more of them were poor and hard-working, struggling peasants on the line of life and death, and even groups of beggars, and they were all insensitive, passable expressions. Compared with these places, although the situation in Jinan cannot be said to be a paradise, it is definitely a place to live and work in peace and contentment, and this contrast also forms a very sharp contrast.

Although it was the first time for Xia Si to go to Jinan, he also knew that Jinan under the rule of the Qing court in the past should be no different from other places, and it was only because of the overseas Chinese rule that such changes took place. Moreover, such a change has taken place in the rule of overseas Chinese in Jinan for only half a year, and Xia Siyan can't help but admire the governance ability of overseas Chinese.

Of course, when Wang Sheng met with Xia Sipain, he also talked about the land reform system of the East China government, of course, this is also the instruction of the East China government, although the traverser intends to establish a good relationship with Xia Sipain, but the land reform system is now the basic national policy of the traverser, if Xia Si can not recognize this national policy, then the foundation of cooperation between the two sides is very worrying, so let Wang Sheng test Xia Sipain's attitude first.

In fact, Xia Siyan had heard about some land reform before, and of course what he heard was only some one-sided remarks, but he didn't think much about it; first, at the beginning of the establishment of the Chinese dynasties, there was indeed a stage of redistributing land; second, even if overseas Chinese occupied some land for themselves, this was understandable.

But after talking with Wang Sheng, Xia Siyan knew what was going on with the land reform system of overseas Chinese, and only then did he understand the most fundamental reason why the scene he saw in Jinan was different from other places, because the peasants under the rule of overseas Chinese have their own land, and they don't have to worry about their land being robbed by the landlord, so they can farm and produce with peace of mind, so they will naturally have a positive and optimistic mood.

Wang Sheng said very frankly and bluntly that if there is no land reform in today's China, even if the Qing court is overthrown, it will be useless. After pondering for a while, Xia Si painfully agreed with Wang Sheng's point of view, because Xia Si painful is familiar with ancient and modern times, although the Qing court is ruled by foreign races, but in terms of the entire social system, there is not much difference from the previous Ming, Yuan, and Song dynasties, so even if the Qing court is overthrown, if the social system has not changed, China is still unable to become rich and strong, although the means of land reform of overseas Chinese are more intense, but it is indeed the only means now.

However, Xia Siwei also raised a question to Wang Sheng, that is, now the East China government has the strength to wave troops northward and attack Beijing to overthrow the Qing court, but why it still does not move its troops and makes peace with the Qing court. Wang Sheng only smiled at this question, saying that it was the decision of the Executive Yuan, and suggested that Xia Si go to Qingdao to ask the leadership of the East China government about this question.

Xia Si was right to think about it, Wang Sheng was only a local official after all, and it was of course impossible for him to decide on such a major decision related to the overall direction of the East China government, and at this time Jing Tingbin, Zhao Sanduo and others had stabilized in Jinan, so Xia Si said goodbye to everyone and went to Qingdao under the arrangement of the Jinan government.

After arriving in Qingdao, it was an eye-opener for Xia Sipain, because Xia Sipain had been to Japan and had some contact with the revolutionary party, which broadened his horizons and gave him a certain understanding of the outside world. Although Japan is not yet a developed country, after more than 30 years of the Meiji Restoration, the whole country has indeed undergone fundamental changes, and has initially reached the standard of a near-chemical industrial country. Of course, Xia Sizhi still doesn't understand the concepts of industrialization and urbanization, but he also has an intuitive understanding that developed and rich national cities should be like this.

Although the size of Qingdao is not large, its urban style and environment are quite similar to or even surpass those of Japan's emerging cities and urban areas. The vast road, the ground is either paved with masonry or hardened, very flat and neat, clean, pedestrians, knights, horse-drawn carriages go their own way, although the shuttle is endless, but orderly, and on both sides of the road are neat and simple brick and wood houses, almost all of them are more than 3 or 4 storey buildings, there is no single-storey bungalow to be seen, and there are towering street lamps. The street is basically full of various shops and storefronts, and the crowds are like a stream, showing a prosperous scene.

Moreover, Xia Si pained to observe that the clothes and dresses of the pedestrians were also very different from those of the Qing court, and there were only a few people wearing traditional robes and horse coats and melon skin hats, while most of the people's clothes were Western-style middle-row buttons, short plackets, and narrow-sleeved clothes, which looked simple and spiritual, and most of the hats they wore were also Western-style; In Xia Sipain's conception, this is exactly what a developed society looks like.

It seems that it is not Jinan that has changed, but also Qingdao, and it can be imagined that other places in Shandong must be changing more or less, and since overseas Chinese can make Qingdao and Jinan change, then once they rule the whole of China, they will definitely be able to make China rich and strong, but why are overseas Chinese still standing still and staying alone in Shandong Province? Even if they still have to maintain a vassal relationship with the Qing court on the surface, you must know that with their military strength, it is simply easy to defeat the Qing court? Is it difficult for them to have any concerns?

Qin Zheng was responsible for meeting with Xia Si and introducing the development status of the East China government and the ongoing five-year plan. After listening to this, Xia Sipain's admiration for overseas Chinese deepened, because this development plan is not only comprehensive and detailed, but also very organized, which also shows that overseas Chinese do have quite excellent governing skills.

Of course, Xia Sipain also raised his own questions to Qin Zheng. However, Qin Zheng did not answer Xia Sizhi directly, but suggested that Xia Sizhi visit Qingdao for a few days, and also gave Xia Sipain a few books, so as to have a comprehensive understanding of the situation in Qingdao and the political ideas of the traverser, and then talk about this issue. Xia Si listened bitterly and felt that such an arrangement was not bad, so he agreed.

Subsequently, under the arrangement of the East China government, Xia Siyan visited the iron and steel factory, shipyard, Sifang locomotive factory, Hope School and other places, and at night he carefully read the books given to him by Qin Zheng at his residence.

He used to work as a supervisor in the Hanyang Arsenal and had some understanding of modern enterprises, but after visiting these factories in Qingdao and reading the book given to him by Qin Zheng, he understood the concept of industry and industrialization, and only then did he understand that only industrialization can make China truly rich and strong, and then he understood that the five-year plan implemented by overseas Chinese and the Westernization movement carried out by the Qing court were completely different things, so there was a sense of enlightenment and enlightenment.

In the past, although Xia Si Wei hoped that China would be rich and strong, but in the face of the great changes that had not been seen in the past 3,000 years, he was indeed a little confused, and did not know how to do it, so when the Westernization Movement arose, Xia Si Pain once thought that the Westernization Movement could make China rich and strong, but as a result, the Qing court was defeated by Japan in the First Sino-Japanese War, although the Westernization Movement was not completely bankrupt, but it was obviously unable to make China rich and strong; and the reformists who advocated the implementation of the constitutional system appeared again, believing that China could only become rich and strong by carrying out structural reforms, Xia Si felt that it made sense, but unfortunately the reformers were not only short-livedMoreover, many of the reform policies introduced during the Hundred Days Restoration were really unbelievable, and then the Gengzi Revolution made Xia Siyan finally completely disillusioned with the Qing court and became a revolutionary who advocated the overthrow of the Qing court by force.

But what to do after the overthrow of the Qing court? After the overthrow of the Qing court, Xia Siwei still did not understand how to make China rich and strong, and he could only first aim at overthrowing the Qing court; anyway, he had already realized this, as long as it was under the rule of the Qing court, China would never become rich and strong, so after this goal was accomplished, he would come to find a way to make China rich and strong. After all, if you can't think of a way, it doesn't mean that others can't think of it, and after the overthrow of the Qing court is successful, you can retire after success. But the experience of these few days made Xia Siyan have a more intuitive understanding of the word "rich and strong" in the country.

Three days later, Qin Zheng met Xia Sizhi again, and the two had a more profound conversation.

Qin Zheng first smiled and said, "How did Mr. Xia feel about visiting Qingdao in the past few days?"

Xia Si said bitterly: "It's not a secret, there is indeed a feeling of opening overnight, and the ability of the noble people to govern Lu is indeed admirable, but it is just a Shandong Province, which is really wronged by the talents of the nobles, and it should be determined in the whole country." ”

Qin Zheng said with a smile: "Mr. Xia is too talkative, in fact, we are only crossing the river by feeling the stones now, although we have made a little achievement, but it is still far from enough, and as for what Mr. Xia asked me, why did we not send troops to overthrow the Qing court now, now I can also answer clearly." ”

Xia Si listened bitterly, and suddenly cheered up and hurriedly said: "Listen to your ears in the next place." ”