146 proud

After a secret talk overnight, we decided on a plan to usurp it. The next day, the rooster sang white in the world, and Yuan Shikai invited Yang Du to have breakfast together. He is also accompanied by his eldest son, Yuan Keding.

However, it was the time that made Yuan Shikai proud, and what made Yuan Shikai uneasy happened immediately.

Three years of Xuantong, October 12th. Today, when the armistice agreement between the two warring parties in Wuhan came into effect, Nanjing was captured by the revolutionary army.

Yuan Shikai was surprised first and then happy. Just as Yuan Shikai and Yang Du talked secretly all night and bargained with Li Yuanhong in Wuchang, the rapid progress of the revolutionary army in Nanjing was beyond his expectation, although this was also the result of his indulgence. However, this also echoed his prediction: without Hanyang, it is not enough to seize the spirit of revolution; without losing Nanjing, it is not enough to chill the courage of the Qing court.

It's not true! Early in the morning, a royal family meeting was immediately held in the Forbidden City. With the efficiency that had never been seen in the history of the Guo Dynasty for more than 260 years, it came to the result of incompetence that had never been seen in the history of the Guo Dynasty for more than 260 years: Empress Dowager Longyu's cronies Xiaode Zhang personally went to the Xila Hutong Yuan's house and asked Yuan Shikai, the prime minister, to hold a cabinet meeting to discuss one. Discuss the matter of Nanjing.

This time, he forced the regent to return to the mansion and firmly grasp the praetorian guard in his hands!

Yuan Shikai lost Nanjing with the general trend of the world, but the Beiyang Army is still in a dominant position, at least everything is still under his control. A group of people in the south who have just washed their mud legs can't get into his eyes. If they want to put out, isn't it a matter between the palms? Not to mention Li Xiang, who is still fighting local tycoons in Anlu, Hubei Province, divides fields, reduces rents and interest rates, and specializes in farmers & movements. He looks like a peasant uprising in the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. His old Yuan doesn't even pinch his eyelids.

After tea and dinner, Yuan Shikai seemed to be in a good mood. He also asked Yang Du a few words about his recent life, and to show his affection.

Yang Du still responds freely and tastes the fragrant tea in the cup from time to time. Yuan Keding was silent with a lot of trouble.

Suddenly, Yuan Shikai asked headless, "How's the situation over there?"

Yang Du's exquisite mind naturally understood what he wanted to ask, so he looked sideways at Yuan Keding.

Sure enough, Yuan Keding replied, "I met Wang Jingwei again yesterday. He said, 'Xiang Chengxiong looks at the world, hopes for things, and the head of state is a foreigner. He supports his father as president. After the dissolution of the Freemasonry, he did not stop his activities in Beijing. He was extremely enthusiastic about the North-South peace. After analyzing the situation with Wei Chen Group, a member of the alliance, and others, he believed that his father was the only one who could overthrow the Qing court in China at that time. He also repeatedly advised me to persuade you anyway for the national righteousness. I took this opportunity to propose to him three conditions for solving the current situation: the first is to make Yi's father the interim president, the second is the unification of the north and the south, and the third is that Yi's father uses the name of the emperor for Mongolia and Tibet, and asks him to discuss with the southern revolutionaries.

After Wang Jingwei was released from prison, he gathered the northern party members in Tianjin and held a discussion in the Russian Concession Hostel. It was named the Beijing-Tianjin Alliance. Wang Jingwei was the president and Li Yuying was the vice president. Each department had its own head. Wang Jingwei declared: "It is not easy to do things in the north, but the assassination is more certain. Those who oppose the Democratic Party and hinder the republic, such as Yuan Shikai, Yinchang, Feng Guozhang, Zaize, Zai Xun, Zaitao, Liangbi, etc., are all in the hoe. However, many people in the Qing court have no knowledge, and the obstacles are still small. However, Yuan is well-known in the north, and his power is unparalleled. If he works together with the Qing court to resist me, there is nothing to do in the north. The north does not solve it at all. It has become a situation in the north and the south, resulting in the bloodshed of the whole country. When there is no disaster, outsiders take advantage of this to divide up. It is that our country will not die in the Qing Dynasty, but in the revolution. Therefore, I Yuan is the most important goal of the party.

This declaration is a little contradictory. Is Yuan Shikai a "must hoe" or a "purpose"? But when he said such nonsense as "our country does not die in the Qing Dynasty, but in the revolution", it shows his lack of confidence in the 1911 Revolution!

Wang Jingwei is not a person with a firm belief. He soon had no confidence in the revolution. He believed that carrying out the revolution to the end would only drag China into the chaotic Warring States Period, and even the Southern Revolutionary Army would be extinguished by Yuan Shikai! ( Wang Jingwei is not a person with firm belief in the first place. During the Xinhai period, because he had no confidence in the revolution, he betrayed the alliance. During the Anti-Japanese War, he became a traitor and traitor because he lacked confidence in his own national independence war.)

After Yuan Shikai arrived at the capital, Wang Jingwei was introduced by Liang Shiyu and Yang Du. In the past, he talked about the interests of current affairs for half a day. Yuan Shikai repeatedly said to Wang Jingwei that he had long sympathized with the revolution. Later, he instructed Mr. Yuan's son Yuan Keding and Wang to be brothers to win over Wang to work for himself. Wang Jingwei's thought changed from the assassination of Yuan Shikai to the rebellion against Yuan Shikai, and he even believed that Yuan was the only one who resolved the current situation.

Then, Wang Jingwei, adhering to Yuan Shikai's will, announced the establishment of the "State Freemasonry" with Yang Du. Yang Du wrote the "Love Letter of the Senate" for the Freemasonry, and asked to "give an order and declare the implementation of the armistice." And ask for a decree to convene the Provisional National Assembly to decide on the issue of monarchy democracy, with a view to ending it peacefully."

It can be seen that the "National Assembly" is the proposition of the Yuan Party, and the so-called "National Congress" is an attempt to create an institution to promote Yuan Shikai as the interim president, so that Yuan can not only obtain the status of China's supreme ruler, but also not get the notoriety of usurped power. As Tang Shaoyi said when she went south to negotiate peace later: "After the opening of the National Assembly, it must be democratic and peacefully resolved, which makes it easy for the Qing court to step down, Yuan's easy to transfer, and easy to restrain the army. It is nothing more than a peaceful solution."

Yuan Shikai's heart is that he can't speak. He snorted, "What's going on with the southern revolutionaries?"

Yuan Keding said with a solemn frown: "After the Jiangsu and Zhejiang allied forces captured Nanjing, the morale of the revolutionary army camp rose, and the spirit of being hit by the fall of Hanyang and Hankou reappeared. Especially Li Xiang from Hubei, he patted the electricity everywhere, shouting to ' carry out the revolution to the end'! The secret talks in ambush in Wuchang sent information, and the military and civilians in Wuchang were crazy about this, forcing Li Yuanhong to agree to 'kone the revolution to the end'. The armistice and discussion that just came into effect today may have become a waste paper. In the whole south, who else can hear Wang Jingwei's voice?

Yang Du asked Yuan Keding in a low voice doubtfully, "Who is Li Xiang?"

Yuan Keding smiled and replied disdainfully, "A grandstanding clown! A twenty-five people who don't know the depth of heaven and earth! He fired at foreigners in Hankou and was kicked out of Hankou. At the beginning, we were eager to enter Hankou, so we indulged him and shouted until today. Who put him in tears? It's just a pile of stinky shit. Who wants to step on it?

Yang Du was stunned and turned around and laughed. So it's him! This laughter after dinner is really a bit of the bravery and ignorance of Zhili boxers in those years! At that time, it was just a joke. Who would bother to remember his name?

"There is no fear for such a person." Yang Du laughed and said, "It's better to think about Wang Jingwei. Now that the Southern Revolutionary Center will be transferred from Wuchang to Nanjing, which is of more strategic and historical significance, the object of our peace talks should also be transferred from Li Yuanhong. Why care about the ups and downs of Hubei?

Yuan Keding said again, "I'm afraid Wang Jingwei doesn't have so much energy."

Yuan Keding's words seemed to be constantly stimulating Yang Du.

The reason is actually that the senior court held three meetings to discuss Yang Du's love letter. Except for Fan Yuanli, Liu Zexi and a few other people who agree with Yang Du's idea, most people do not agree to discuss this major issue. Some people think that Yuan Shikai should be invited to the hospital first to explain "the master is to suppress the master". Yuan Shikai doesn't want to bear the charge of usurpation. How can he make a statement? The debate between the two sides at the meeting was very fierce, "the order was chaotic", "the use of force" and "so the parliamentarians dispersed one after another". After that, the Council did not meet again because it was short of the legal number of meetings. At the same time, the idea of the "National Assembly" was also condemned by the Southern Revolutionary Party. Wang Jingwei called the military government of Shanghai and Wuchang to request the recognition of his claim. The war in Wuchang was tense, and Li Yuanhong had no intention to call back. The hearts of the Shanghai military and the people are very passionate. The People's Daily published an editorial denounced it as the "boring Freemasonry", saying that at the time when the revolution will be successful, "China is the monarch for democracy, and it still wants to have a meeting to solve it?" And solemnly stated: "The Masonic is not the consent of our national Republicans." Yuan Shikai's plan could not succeed, and the "masonry" had to announce its dissolution.

Mr. Yuan jumped up and down and was busy for nothing. Can he not be angry?

No matter how unrestrained Yang Du is, it is also a little embarrassing.

Yuan Shikai sat up at the table and looked at Yuan Keding and Yang Du and said softly, "You go to the garden!"

Both of them are both human spirits, and they follow him to the garden without thinking.

Yuan Shikai walked forward with his hands on his hands, with a thoughtful look.

The snow had stopped early, but the ground was covered with snow, and there was still a row of ice hanging on the eaves. Several servants were busy sweeping the snow. Seeing Yuan Shikai coming, they hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed.

Zhai Rang came to the small pavilion in the garden, looked up at the sky, and said behind their backs, "Sit down!"

The two sat down at a loss.

Yuan Shikai's favorite young wife's childlike innocence did not diminish, so she made a snowman in the garden for fun. Several beautiful maidservants saw that she had a good time and boldly joined in.

Yuan Keding looked at his father's profile, and didn't know that his father was comfortable in the study. He wandered around the garden to blow the cold northwest wind, and there was any leisure and elegant wandering around. When is it? I'm still in the mood to watch my little wife and maidservant have a big snowball fight.

Yuan Shikai put his hands on the pavilion railing, and a cold feeling came from his fingertips. He lowered his head and meditated, and looked up at the sky, looking thoughtful. In this cold season, his hands will be cold in the cold wind for a while, and he doesn't realize it.

Difficult silence.

Yuan Keding is still too young, not as calm as his father and Yang Du. He came to Yuan Shikai and whispered, "Father, it's too late. It's time to go back. The court also destroyed his father to hold a cabinet meeting and discuss with his father. Should we also make Feng Juntong express that we can't make the southern party members too arrogant? ...Especially that Li Xiang!"

Yuan Shikai sneered: "What else do you want to discuss?" What else can be drawn in the Forbidden City and Qingdi? If the southern revolutionaries have little momentum, can they scare the bird princes in these cages? Can you force the regent to return to the mansion? Can you force the Empress Dowager Longyu to bite the tight cheeks and let go? And the Li Xiang, who fell from the sky, deserves your attention like this? Fortunately, you are still my son, so I don't know the importance! Hankou and Hanyang threatened the south with their troops. After the capture, they decided not to enter the army and only cleaned up the north and south of Hehuai to consolidate the north, and Nanjing did not send heavy troops to aid.

"My son knows!" Fatty Yuan was so angry that Mr. Yuan quickly lifted his buttocks and nodded. This can't be blamed on him. The Southern Revolutionary Army is too fierce. He doesn't have his father's strong ability to control the situation. Naturally, he feels scared.

Yuan Shikai said with his hands behind his back and said with a sad face, "I, Yuan, am struggling to maintain the situation for the Qing Dynasty. It is easy for me to be at peace in this trend. The revolutionary army rose, and the hearts of the people were boiling. Aren't the Jiangnan gentry and the constitutionalist bosses the same? They are familiar with Yuan and know each other. I, Yuan, respect them, and the revolutionaries have no friendship with them. I, Yuan, have a Beiyang and eat the money of the court. Everything has been operated by a system for a long time, so I don't have to take out the purses of these gentry landlords. The revolutionary people's army carried a gun to do justice and did not eat big people. How could they support such a large army? Rely on Sun Cannon to raise funds? Foreigners are even more worried that foreigners have interests in the south, and the national revolution has always been xenophobic. It is said that the man surnamed Li shouted 'Down with imperialism' in Hankou, bombarded the combined fleet of the five countries, recovered the Hankou concession by force, and was very rude to the foreigners. Although the man surnamed Li finally rolled out of Hankou, he also sounded the alarm for foreigners. Can foreigners rest assured that there will be another two hundred and fifty-four places like Li? Foreigners also think it's easier to deal with Yuan. After all, they have been dealing with each other for decades and know each other well. I, Yuan, didn't think we were good when we were there. At this time, we all felt that we were still reliable!"

"Is't this what everyone expects!" Yang Du just smiled and said for a long time, "Your Excellency. See if it is to encourage the people's lane in the eastern suburbs. Please ask Ambassador Zhu Erdian of the old British government to connect with the foreign diplomatic mission, jointly submit a public presentation to the court, and then force the regent. The court is most afraid of foreigners' interference. Once it becomes an exchange, how dare the court not listen? There is also a telegram of Jiangsu Cheng Xueshuai (Cheng Dequan). The situation is in danger, revealing the political revolution and the racial revolution. Xinjiang officials have never dared to listen to the above, which can be said to be courageous. The telegram: 'Please dismiss the current pro-gative cabinet, and be able to punish those who are the first scourge, and announce the constitution in advance.' At the time of this telegram, the regent did not say anything. Qingdi knew that his talent was insufficient and repeatedly begged for rest. Today, he got this telegram. The general assistant pleaded and reprimanded together, or first sent a telegram to the governor of the provinces to ask for permission to enter the joint notice. At home and abroad, all parties appealed that the regent would not resign from the mansion? Take a look............

Yuan Shikai slanted at Yang Du and said lightly, "Shuizi. What do I do to you? How about the Beiyang brothers?

Yuan Shikai led the army and had a unique trick. He held an official and money in one hand and a knife in the other. If he obeyed, there would be an official with money, and he would never be stabbed. This makes the officers and soldiers feel that he is the parents of food and clothing. Only by obeying his orders can they be promoted and get rich. Yuan Shikai is good at dealing with people in small circles. He is very schecal and not small. Ruan Zhongshu has done beautiful things for him, and he has always been good to him. Ruan is responsible for the copywriting when training soldiers in the small station. One day, Ruan told Yuan that he made a friendship named Xiaoyu in a brothel in Tianjin and wanted to take her as his concubine. Yuan said that this is a matter that hinders the reputation of the military. Forget it. Ruan had to give up. Soon, Yuan asked Ruan Tong to go to Tianjin in the name of business. When he got off the bus in Tianjin, it was getting late. Yuan said he would go to a friend's place first. Ruan and he walked into a courtyard door and saw that the house was paved with flowers, and the red candles in the hall were burning, and a table of banquets was set up. When they entered the room, they saw a girl shouting, "The new uncle is there!" There was a beautiful beauty in the bride's costume. Yuan asked Ruan to welcome the marriage. Ruan Zhongshu was like falling into the clouds for a moment. When he looked closely, he knew that the bride was Xiaoyu. He was really overjoyed. Yuan Shikai laughed and said, "It's all right!"

In Yang Du's view, Yuan Shikai is a mean but ungrateful benefactor. At present, it is an impassioned state: "I am willing to go in the water and in the fire for adults! Brothers in the six towns of Beiyang, all of them hold this thought!"

Yuan Shikai smiled and nodded gently: "This time, Zhiquan was transferred to the governor of Huguang, leading the first and second armies of Beiyang and replacing Huafu, which is also according to your plan. After all, Huafu led the Beiyang Army and the Hubei People's Army to work hard, losing soldiers and depleting their strength. When attacking and plundering Hankou and Hanyang, they set fire to the city, and the two cities have become rubble. The people of Hubei and the people's army deeply hate them. If you still leave this Huafu governor in Wuhan, it is not conducive to the implementation of the peaceful inducement plan, so you offer a way to exchange Zhiquan for Huafu. The plan to recall Hua Fu was also for him to serve as the commander of the imperial guard. This is the last bit of military power of the Aixinjueluo family. Hua Fu has been openly opposed to making peace with the civilian army, and strongly focusing on organizing the army to attack the south. After becoming the commander of the imperial guard, he can continue to do this, in order to win the trust of Liangbi and other relatives and other relatives, so that he can find out the situation of the royal family.

Seizing the royal military power is precisely to serve as the backing for the next step.

Yang Du smiled and said, "I advocate the constitutional monarchy and strongly oppose the republic. On the one hand, I put pressure on the southern party members, and on the other hand, I use the credit of the court to extract the money of the Empress Dowager Longyu in the name of supplementing military expenses for special use. It is natural to be a soldier and eat food. That is to say, the crusade is due to the fact that there is no military expenditure and can't be implemented. Let Huafu entangle the Beiyang officer to come to ask the empress dowager Longyu for pay. Isn't this a requirement too much? Let's see if she can open the inside?

Yuan Shikai laughed and said, "If they don't have soldiers and money, they can't control me anymore."

"Father, are we going to force the palace?" Yuan Keding was a little hesitant. After all, he was a dog slave for the master of Manqing for a lifetime.

Looking at him hesitantly, Yuan Shikai's eyes were cold. Yuan Keding woke up, and they walked the usurpation road that they took against the throne. Is it waiting for the Qing court to hide from his father again? Maybe it's not good to retire in Changde this time. At this time, what is there to hesitate? He immediately patted his chest and said, "Father, don't worry. Jin Yunpeng went to Jingbaojian and lodled with the generals of the Beiyang army to make them understand their father's will. Liao Yuchun and Xia Qingyi came to Ninghu to talk about Huang Xing and Cheng Xueshuai, and they are expected to make a secret appointment to return to Beijing. I tried to make a hypothetical negotiation with them: (1) Preserve the honor of the royal family. ( 2) Organize a republican regime and publicize the father as the interim president. ( 3) Preferential treatment for soldiers in wartime. ( 4) Restore the order of the provinces.

Yuan Shikai said "um" and seemed to be a little satisfied with his son's plan these days, and there was a trace of praise in his eyes.

"The eldest son played beautifully. Shaoyou talked secretly first. When the court issued an oracle, the two lines of light and dark will talk together, and the result will be twice the result with half the effort. Yang Du didn't forget to compliment Mr. Yuan.

Yuan Keding was also a little proud of Yang Du's admiration, but he looked down and thought about it, and finally interrupted half a sentence: "Father, Li Xiang... Don't you really care? However, Feng Juntong, on the front line of Hankou, sent a telegram again and again early in the morning, asking for a general attack order, believing that Li Xiangbu must be completely eliminated so that Hubei can be regarded as stable.

Yuan Shikai was angry and smiled coldly: "This Hua Fu really can't distinguish the priorities of things! What's the point of competing with an arrogant nobody at this time? In the name of the cabinet: Feng Guozhang will be transferred to Chahar, and he will return to Beijing immediately after Duan Qirui arrives! It's time for him to calm down.