295 tit-for-tat

295 tit-for-tat (middle)

Li Dashuai finally decided to go to Beijing to negotiate and kicked the ball to Yuan Shikai. Whether the negotiations are fruitful or not, the Kuomintang has been in a very active political position.

Before leaving, there were still some senior military generals worried about Li Xiang's safety.

Li Dashuai's face was resolute: "At this critical moment, no one can help us, and we can't rely on the help of others. We Chinese have to solve China's own problems by ourselves!"

After analyzing the situation at home and abroad, he believes that under the current situation, Yuan Shikai will not launch a large-scale civil war, but if the Kuomintang wants to get the fruit of victory that should belong to itself, it is difficult to achieve without struggle. In the next period of time, the two sides are likely to "stop, and may even have to hurt Yuan Shikai to force him to make concessions." Therefore, "this negotiation should go, it can't be delayed, and it is estimated that there will be no danger. As long as we stand firm and keep a clear mind, we will not be afraid of all the big winds and waves."

What a bold decision this is!

"Yuan Shikai held a Hongmen banquet in Chongqing, and I'd like to see what he had served." Li wanted to pretend to be a rare bachelor and said, "Go! In this way, you can get the full initiative.

Li Xiang decided to go to Beijing to meet Yuan Shikai. He said, "We still have to get in and wash Yuan Shikai's face instead of beheading."

China has an idiom of "washing the heart and changing the face", which means to change the face. Li wanted to say, "The older you get, the more reluctant you are to wash your face."

Li thought that at this time, he could still be humorous, and he could see his relaxed mentality at the Hongmen banquet.

Lin Tiechang asked Li, "After you go to Beijing, what should we do if the Beiyang army comes to attack?"

Lin Tiechang asked the worries of the senior generals on the front line. If there is a fight, Yuan Shikai may use this as an excuse to harm Li Xiang.

"Go back to the front and let go. Don't worry about my safety in Beijing. The better you play, the safer I am and the better I talk.

Li Dashuai learned from the wave of a great man's hand and answered very clearly and simply with a strong Xiangyin, because he knew Yuan Shikai's weak nature and knew that Yuan Shikai and Jiang Guangtou were similar heroes. Later facts proved that Li Xiang's judgment was very accurate.

......

In sharp contrast to Marshal Li's calmness, self-confidence and confidence, it is President Yuan's panic, regret and worry.

President Yuan didn't expect that Marshal Li would really come to his door, so he sent three invitations to vigorously launch a "peace" offensive to put Marshal Li in a passive situation. However, it turned out to be self-defeating. This plan was recognized by the madman Li. The madman Li really came and won the praise at home and abroad and became famous. This made President Yuan suffer and had to make bravely arrange social activities.

Yuan Shikai's face was gray, and he fell into the sofa and couldn't say a word.

Yuan Shikai asked for a long time, "What else does Wuhan say?"

"Report to the president," Lei Zhenchun bent his waist deeply and said, "They declared that the outbreak of the European war is a God-given opportunity for China. The period of peaceful construction of the New Republic of China has begun. We must adhere to peace, democracy, that is, and strive for an independent, free and prosperous new China. They also put forward six specific methods.

"Do you also know the embassies of the countries in the People's Lane in the Eastern Suburbs?" Yuan Shikai asked in a daze.

"Yes, the secretary of the British Embassy just called and said that Ambassador Zhu Andian immediately accompanied General Li on the plane with Duan Qirui. The telegram was sent before they boarded the plane. The plane wants to transfer in Handan, refuel, and the entourage will spend the night in Handan, and they can arrive in Beijing the next morning..."

"It's too unexpected." Yuan Shikai can't believe it now.

"This is a little unexpected." Yang Du came in and said as soon as he met, "But this is also in our estimation. It's not worth being depressed. Does the president think it right?"

Yuan Shikai smiled bitterly and said, "Yes. Xizi, I'm afraid you're going to have a hard time.

Yang Du said, "What kind of specifications is the marshal going to welcome Li Xiang's arrival?"

Yuan Shikai thought about it and replied, "How about according to the specifications of Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing?"

"No." Yang Du said: "In order to reduce and reduce the major political impact of Li Xiang's trip as much as possible, we should adopt the means to reduce the reception specifications as much as possible, try our best to block the time when Li Xiang and his party arrive in Beijing, and strictly control the number of people greeted at the airport. He also issued instructions to the major propaganda media in the north, requiring them to 'report less and small reports on negotiations, not too prominent, not too prominent, not too large titles, try to reduce the impact of this matter, and not to create momentum for the Kuomintang...'

"This is it," Yuan Shikai said, "Then who will go to the airport to meet Li Xiang and when?"

Yang Du said, "How about the eldest son?"

Yuan Shikai answered calmly, "Okay." He almost said to himself, "I always feel that Li Xiang's telegram may not be reliable. Aren't you going to transfer in Handan? Come on? Maybe the plane would have a little 'fault' in Handan, so he took the plane to step down and said that he would not come or not.

Yang Du frowned and said, "President, in the days when Li Xiang's telegram had not arrived, I thought he didn't dare to come, like your estimate; but after his telegram arrived, my opinion was different from yours. I thought Li Xiang would come."

Yuan Shikai frowned when he heard the words.

Yang Du advised: "However, if Li wants to come or not, it will not affect our approach. If he doesn't come, we will fight! The powers have no excuse to interfere, but only fully support us. When he comes, we will use the negotiation to delay the days, wave our troops to the north, surround them, and destroy them. At that time, not to mention Li Xiang alone, the remaining Kuomintang people are all Li Xiang. They are all crazy and can't be saved. They can only perish.

Yuan Shikai listened to it without reason, but he couldn't calm down.

That night, Lei Zhenchun entered the presidential palace in Zhongnanhai again, and Yuan Shikai was even more irritable.

"The air outside is like this." Lei Zhenchun said, "People are happy when they hear that Mr. Li Xiang and Li Yuanhong are going to meet. They said that when they came to China..."

Yuan Shikai said impatiently, "Don't mention them. Whether they will come or not, how will they talk about it after they come? I don't expect it now. But I want to ask you: How is Zhao Fengchang and Zhang Jian, the champion of Xiyintang?"

"Report to the president, Xiyintang and Zhuangyuan Gong did not say anything to the president. He has already said that he must protect the Beijing-Shanghai-Hangzhou Triangle."

"Didn't they say that Sun Cannon is also pulling him?"

"Report to the president, according to the news: the truth is not in Sun Cannon."

"Who is pulling him? Do you want him to hand over Shanghai to the Kuomintang?

Lei Zhenchun said, "According to the news from Shanghai, there is a lot of trouble between Zheng Rucheng and Zhang Yu. But in today's situation, they have nothing to fight for and nothing to make trouble..."

"I just want to ask you, is the Kuomintang going to pull Zhang Zan?" Yuan Shikai said anxiously.

"Yes, yes. Report to the president, according to Shanghai intelligence, Zhang Qian told his cronies that their Shanghai play was on the order of the president. Now it's closed, there's nothing to be afraid of. The Kuomintang has been singing all the way and winning battles in a row. It is inevitable that the wall-riding faction in Shanghai has some thoughts. Representatives in some places suggested that Zhang Zhen should hand over Shanghai to Sun Cannon and Chen Qimei.

Yuan Shikai's heart sank. Listening to Lei Zhenchun's report, he said, "Because the madman Li won the 'little' victory in the Jiangxi battlefield, the front of the National Revolutionary Army has gone straight to the south of the Yangtze River. Some local people in Jiangsu and Zhejiang think that the Kuomintang is going to replace it. If it is handed over to them, it will not cause chaos in the market and a mess..."

"I asked if the Kuomintang has contacted him?"

"No, no, it is said that local people promised him that if Zhang Zhen handed over Shanghai to the Kuomintang, and he was not shocked, the Shanghai people would be willing to plead with the Kuomintang for Zhang Zhen,..."

Yuan Shikai suddenly smiled and said, "Zhenchun, you don't know Zhang Yu very well. I know who Zhang Yu is. Now, I want you or send a reliable representative to inform Zhang Zhen in person: the words of local people in Shanghai should not be trusted. The life of the Kuomintang is fake. Imagine that the Kuomintang is a group of mud-legged people turning over. It's such a hard way. Once they enter Shanghai, it's strange that they don't plunder happily! This is called 'Ten Days of Da Suo'. That's how Zeng Wenzheng led the troops. I often talk to you, why did you forget?

"Mr. Report, I dare not forget my humble position."

"Then you go and tell Zhang Ji, don't be fooled by local people! When the National Revolutionary Army entered Shanghai, the market was in a mess. At this time, he neither understood the local parents nor me, so he was done!"

"Yes, sir."

"You go right now!" Yuan Shikai said, "Clap Zhang Yan on the chest and tell him that you can guarantee everything. Ask him to come to Beijing with you. I will treat him very politely. As long as he is willing to listen to life, he will not hand over Shanghai to the Kuomintang."

"Yes, sir."

"However," Yuan Shikai said, "You finish one thing before you leave. Lixiang and Li Yuanhong may go to Beijing, as you already know. If they arrive in Beijing, it will be a great opportunity for us.

Lei Zhenchun was greatly refreshed, and his eyes glowed and said, "Yes!"

"But I have promised Ambassador Zhu Andian myself," Yuan Shikai said, "I will never let Li think of any accident in Beijing."

Throughout the Beijing negotiations, Yuan Shikai attached great importance to the security work of Li Xiang and others and made careful arrangements. He knows the ancient saying that "If you can't bear it, you will make a mess", and he doesn't dare to make trouble on security issues at all.

Lei Zhenchun frowned and was helpless.

Due to the complicated internal secret service system of the Beiyang Army, there are also many extreme counter-revolutionaries. Yuan Shikai is also very afraid that these people will act without authorization and make some trouble. Therefore, Lei Zhenchun was also asked to carefully select some loyal and reliable guards to form a "guard squad". Responsible for the safety of Li Xiang. Yuan Shikai even ordered Lei Zhenchun to say, "No matter which faction, no special character of 'law enforcement and munitions' (referring to the munitions office) is not allowed to approach Li Xiang." If you find someone who is using excuses to make trouble, it doesn't matter if you shoot him to death." Yuan Shikai asked Lei Zhenchun, the spy leader, to instruct him to restrain his subordinates and not to mess around to avoid bad things.

"However," Yuan Shikai stood up: "It's man-made," he stared at Dai Li and ordered fiercely, "It depends on what you do!" You have to do it brilliantly and beautifully. You can't even see it from the embassy.

Yuan Shikai shouted like a Thunderbolt, "Do you understand?"

Lei Zhenchun hurriedly agreed, "I understand, Mr. Report, it must be a good arrangement, a good arrangement. This matter is much more important than inviting the champion. Thinking about the past ten years, we will suppress it today, suppress it tomorrow, suppress it like this, and suppress it like that, and we can't find him. If they really come, how can we miss this opportunity!"

Yuan Shikai shouted impatiently, "Do you still need to say it? Why don't you decorate it for me! Whether he comes or not, you are ready!"

"Yes, yes!" Lei Zhenchun said, "It seems that Li Xiang and Li Yuanhong dare not come. He is not stupid. Isn't that the old saying of 'self-throwing into the net'?

Yuan Shikai grinned, but quickly sank down and said, "Go! Go! Go!"

In this case, Yuan Shikai lost his temper. On the contrary, he showed that he was quite happy, and Lei Zhenchun retreated to prepare. Yuan Shikai really didn't want to see Li think of Beijing, and many of his cronies also estimated that Li didn't dare to come to Beijing. Li wants to wait until he arrives in Handan. If he changes his mind, Yuan Shikai's abacus will start immediately, and the "crusade order" can also be issued.

In the early morning, it was the day when Li wanted to go to Beijing in person. Thousands of cadres and masses have gathered at the airport in Wuhan to see Li Xiang and others off.

When Li Xiang, Tang Hualong, Zhu Andian, Duan Qirui and others approached the plane, there was no speech or noise.

The crowd at the airport stood quietly. Thousands of pairs of eyes moved with the figure of Li Marshal's "Wei An", looking at Marshal Li approaching the plane step by step and stepping on the ladder of the plane step by step.

Marshal Li walked to the hatch of the plane, stopped, turned around, and turned to the crowd to see him off. Once again, people swept over the water like a gale and rushed to the plane.

Marshal Li took off his hat and stared at the people who saw him off, which seemed to comfort and encouragement. People don't know how to express their feelings, but just wave desperately.

Marshal Li also raised his hand and raised his dark helmet. He held it very slowly, like lifting a very heavy thing, little by little. When he raised it over his head, he suddenly waved hard and stopped in the air, motionless. Marshal Li's action was extremely impressive to all the people present. This seems to indicate a process of thinking and making a decisive decision. Marshal Li is completely people's mood at this moment, and expresses this mood with his own movements. This is a specific historical action, which summarizes the intimacy between leaders, comrades, comrades-in-arms and the revolutionary masses during the turning point of history, their incomparable determination and supreme glory.

At this important juncture of China's social and historical development, a rare and strange phenomenon appeared in the Beijing press: on the one hand, newspapers and magazines reported on the great news that Li wanted to go to Beijing to participate in the peace talks in person, and also sent messages and editorials, and the atmosphere was warm; on the other hand, The royal newspapers, which are the mouthpiece of Beiyang Central as the host, reported the news of Li Xiang's trip to Beijing with only a few dozen words of press releases, which lowered the reporting specifications and the atmosphere was deserted.

History will not be reversed. After all, Yuan Shikai can't cover the sky with one hand. No matter how indifferent he is, Li Xiang, Li Yuanhong, Tang Hualong and others, the political influence of the Kuomintang in Chinese society cannot be stopped. With Li Xiang flying to Beijing, China's history has undoubtedly opened a new page.