20 I hope so

The morning light shines on the ancient city of Nanjing. With the sudden appearance of the morning light, there is also a great victory in Guzhen! The sad clouds and mist of Nanjing City dissipated in an instant. The whole city was the victory of the first battle of the Northern Expedition. The defeat of the Manting was ecstatic, and the voice of the Northern Expedition resounded through the sky again!

However, Huang Xing looked at the good news but was not happy, but added a trace of sadness. What he was worried about was that the huge military expenditure was finally in front of him, and the next battle of the Northern Expeditionary Army in Suzhou and Xuzhou was right in front of him, so it was very urgent.

Huang Xing took the request form jointly sent by Bai Wenwei and Yao Yuping and asked Li Xiang to meet Mr. Zhongshan.

Mr. Zhongshan is reading foreign newspapers, and the two secretaries, Hu Hanmin and Miss Song, are writing something.

Hearing of the good news, Mr. Zhongshan put down the newspaper excitedly, and he waved a lot: allocated 200,000 yuan! Then he threw it to Hu Hanmin, the secretary-general of the presidential palace: "Go and make the money!"

Hu Hanmin ran to Kufu with Mr. Sun's criticism.

Huang Xing asked if he had a clue about borrowing money from the United Kingdom and the United States.

When Mr. Zhongshan saw Zhang Xunbing's urgent need under the city, he relaxed and replied slowly: "Foreigners once told me that as long as the Chinese Revolutionary Party gets power and organizes a government, they can negotiate loans with the government of the Chinese Revolutionary Party. After I took office, I asked them for a loan and have called them several times. Yesterday, I also generated electricity to urge them to fulfill their promises. But today is Saturday and tomorrow is Sunday. Foreigners are not working as usual on holidays. There will be no electricity tomorrow. There may be a call back the day after tomorrow. I will tell you again.

Huang Xing has been silent, and his heart seems to be very anxious.

Li wanted to sneer and said, "If you borrow money from the great powers, you'd better die early."

Huang Xing and Li think the same thing. He nodded and said, "If the governments of the great powers can't take China's privileges, they won't lend money to us."

On the issue of borrowing from foreign countries, Mr. Zhongshan is more optimistic, and the comrades in Shanghai and Nanjing also have great hope for obtaining recognition and borrowing from foreign governments, because they believe that the Book of Friends (the author's note: is the Chinese name of the Declaration on Foreign Affairs when it was published in the newspaper.) It is enough to show the sincerity of the Nanjing Provisional Government to the great powers.

Li Xiang rudely exposed their fantasy: "The Letter to the Friends of the Provisional Government announced the recognition of all unequal treaties signed between the Qing court and the great powers before the revolution, promised to repay all the foreign debt borrowed by the Qing government, and recognized the vested interests of the great powers in China, in exchange for the help of various countries and the recognition of the Republic of China. This is a naive fantasy and a fundamental weakness of the Nanjing Provisional Government, which shows that the Nanjing Provisional Government lacks essential understanding of the great powers. The great powers not only refused to recognize the Nanjing Provisional Government, but also put pressure on all aspects to create difficulties for us and try to put us in a desperate situation.

Hearing that Li Xiang and Huang Xing said this, Mr. Zhongshan was immediately unhappy and was about to speak when Hu Hanmin came in with a sad face. Ask him to make the money. Isn't it too fast to come back?

"What's the matter?" Mr. Zhongshan frowned and asked.

"The huge Nanjing Provisional Government has only ten yuan in all the working capital on the book." Hu Hanmin squeaked after a half-suffering sound. Isn't it difficult for Mr. Zhongshan to ask Hu Hanmin to pay 200,000 yuan?

Huang Xing suddenly jumped up and said, "How can you go to the north without money?"

Mr. Zhongshan and Hu Hanmin are also embarrassed. Financially, the Nanjing Provisional Government is in a serious and precarious state. The financial resources directly controlled by the Nanjing Provisional Government are negligible, and the expenditure is very huge. Provincial military governments also generally encounter the situation of financial depletion. The province's taxes are retained by themselves. Not only have they failed to provide support, but some even reach out for money. In particular, because the great powers took advantage of the revolutionary opportunity to seize the custody of China's customs duties and control the rest in their hands, which aggravated the crisis of the Nanjing Provisional Government. In this case, it has to borrow money to live. However, borrowing foreign debts has been rejected by the great powers, and there is often no way to sue for loans. Financially, Sun Yat-sen was worried, which caused a crisis in the survival of the provisional government. He was unable to stand up and cope with all kinds of pressures from inside and outside. There was also the "Book of Friendship" that Li wanted to grit his teeth and scold the traitor. It's just that Mr. Sun Yat-sen's declaration to the outside world has been issued for two days, but the Nanjing Provisional Government has not received any reply. Sun Yat-sen is calm on the surface and often kicks in his heart.

At the same time, within the interim government, the constitutionalists and old bureaucrats have been vandalized and dismantled. Did the Northern Expedition just died like this?

"Start a fund-raising!" Hu Hanmin said. This is also the old way of the alliance.

"The fundraising is limited!" Mr. Zhongshan shook his head with a long sigh. The money raised is enough to launch a charity fundraiser for the alliance meeting. Now the stall is big, and the amount of money raised is not enough for the Nanjing Provisional Government.

"How about issuing public bonds?" Miss Song put down the work at hand and came over. She didn't ask Sun Yat-sen, but Li Xiang. Because she knows best that at this time, only Li Xiang can help the Nanjing Provisional Government solve the financial crisis.

Huang Xing, Sun Yat-sen and Hu Hanmin followed Miss Song's beautiful eyes and stared at Li Xiang.

Li wanted to move his body uneasily and suddenly knew why Huang Xing brought him together. Unexpectedly, such a generous revolutionary would make such a narrow-minded, but this is also an opportunity. Thinking of this, he was in a good mood. He leaned against the soft leather sofa and said slowly, "The Nanjing 'temporary' government issued public bonds. The great powers will definitely not buy them. The only way out is to see if they can get the trust of the people."

Li wants to bite the word "temporary" very heavily. It means that the revolutionary military government is "temporary". Is there any credit for the public debt issued by such a government?

Sun Yat-sen looked ugly. From the beginning, he opposed the word "temporary" in front of the president. He naively thought that the word "temporary" was the focus of his inability to borrow money from the great powers!

"You can let the bank underwrite it!" The method proposed by Miss Song has been in her mind for a long time, and she is also exhausted for Sun Yat-sen.

Li Xiang's eyes flashed. Mr. Zhongshan, as well as Huang Xing and Hu Hanmin suddenly cheered up and looked at Miss Song and said, "General international practice, the interest rate of public debt is about 7%. When the temporary government mortgages the bank, it can issue it at a 50% discount on the face. As long as it sells well, the interest is rich and the higher one. You can get about 4% interest. The interim government can also make regulations that banks can use public debt as a preparation for issuing banknotes. Even if they are unsalable, banks can speculate in the securities market and make huge profits. With such practical benefits, the banking industry still does not compete to take over the public debt business? It is reasonable for many rich giants with huge amounts of money to invest in the banking industry or buy public bonds. In addition to issuing a large amount of public bonds and treasury bills, the provisional government can also borrow a large amount of money from banks as a guarantee. As long as there is money to borrow, you can do not hesitate to take a short period of time..."

"No matter how big the profit is, it's just an empty check issued by the 'temporary' government. Who can be so stupid?" Li wanted to smile.

"This is called venture capital. If the Northern Expedition is successful, the check will be cashed!" Miss Song looked at Li Xiang with a smile on her face. I heard that Xinhua Bank, jointly founded by the Chamber of Commerce in Hankou and Shanghai, will be listed for business tomorrow. Li Shuai shouted for the Northern Expedition all day, but how much confidence he has in the Northern Expedition depends on how much public debt your Xinhua Bank is willing to underwrite?

"Absurd!" Li wanted to pat the coffee table and roared, and a bad idea hit him! However, Li wanted to see the strange eyes of Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing. He immediately realized his gaffe and quickly said, "Do you think Xinhua Bank is my words? There is nothing I can do without the consent of the shareholders' meeting.

"Li Shuai..." As soon as Miss Song opened her mouth, Sun Yat-sen immediately interrupted her and politely asked Li Xiang, "Then what do you think is feasible?"

Li Xiang's heart was ** for a while, but he looked as if nothing had happened and said, "There are so many foreign affairs in the former Qing government. Take out and mortgage a few, and the money will come?"

"I have made a decision for a long time. If the new government borrows foreign debt, it will not lose its sovereignty, the second will not mortgage, and the third interest will be light." Sun Yat-sen rejected all the proposals of Miss Song and Li Xiang.

Huang Xing moved his lips and wanted to say something, but finally sighed and said nothing.

"If you sell the official property to the Chinese people, you will lose your sovereignty." Li wanted to say casually. That's what he said in his heart.

Hu Hanminqi said, "It is impossible to sell profitable official property and military official property, so who will buy the remaining loss-making official property and bankrupt official property? There are also large-scale civil official property such as the Ship Merchants Bureau and Jiangnan Shipyard. Who can afford it?

Miss Song's eyes lit up and suddenly understood Li Xiang's secret fetus. Out of the mutual care of her allies, she immediately took over and said, "Since it was Li Shuai who raised it, let him solve this problem. Li Shuai, do you think it's okay?"

Li wanted to secretly cheer. Of course, he knew that Miss Song was accompanying him to play the oboe. He immediately put on a bitter face and hesitated for a while before saying unhungry, "It's all for the revolutionary cause. No matter how difficult it is, I can't refuse it anymore. I will definitely deal with the business circles of the two lakes and Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and deal with this matter to solve the financial difficulties of the Nanjing Provisional Government!"

"I hope so!"

Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing were also disturbed by Li Xiang's embarrassed look.

Beijing, people's lane in the eastern suburbs.

There are only four foreigners in the living room, and the fireplace is burning.

There were only four participants in the meeting of the diplomatic mission in the People's Lane in the eastern suburbs, the British minister Zhu Eldian, the American minister Jia Leheng, the German minister Hahaosun, and the French acting minister Feigwei. They are the highest authorities of the remote control of the Forbidden City.

The great powers have always held a hostile attitude towards the revolutionary movement of the Chinese people. Due to the increasingly fierce competition for hegemony between them, the Qing Dynasty has shown signs of collapse, and the revolutionaries announced their recognition of their rights and interests in China, and the complex contradictions between them on the China issue. After the Wuchang Uprising, the great powers did not adopt Japan's armed intervention, but implemented The so-called "neutrality". In fact, the "neutrality" of the great powers has only changed the method of destroying the Chinese revolution. Under the guise of "neutrality", they tried their best to support Yuan Shikai as a new tool to strangle the Chinese revolution and safeguard the rights and interests of aggression in China. To this end, they put pressure on the Qing court and the interim government through various channels. However, in the first battle of the Northern Expedition, the victory of Guzhen immediately spread all over the mainland like the wind, and at the same time shocked the people's alleys in the eastern suburbs.

"Mr. Baisen, a business statistician, answered a question from a reporter from the New York Times about the recent situation in China and its impact on the world situation." The first speaker had a loud voice and a bearded face.

"We know that," the bearded mountain uncle's voice was relatively sharp, "he said: The Chinese revolution did not make substantial progress until the past two or three months. However, this is the inevitable result of the evolution of a series of domestic events in China that Westerners have ignored for a long time. Under the autocratic rule of the Qing Dynasty, people's grievances increased day by day, and the autocratic government and the moral norms that have bound China for centuries collapsed under the light of Western civilization. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Uprising that broke out in 185 lasted for 12 years, which was a precursor to the Chinese people's dissatisfaction with authoritarian rule. In this uprising, the Taiping Army captured several important provinces and even launched an offensive against Shanghai. It was not until General Gordon participated in the reorganization of the Qing army that the uprising was finally suppressed. In 1998, the royal family of the Manchu Qing Dynasty promised to establish a representative government, and they promised to establish a representative government a few years later. In October, the Qing court formed the Senior Cabinet, but it was only an advisory body. The people then called for the establishment of a real parliament. This sudden petition was a great shock to the royal family of the Qing Dynasty. They tried their best to avoid such petitions of the people, which ignited the fuse of the 1911 Revolution.

The British beard in front is obviously a little unhappy, but his tone is still calm. Very good! But I think you will be more interested in this news... After the revolution broke out, the whole country responded, and the insurgent army was like a broken bamboo in every place, which profoundly showed the weakness of the Qing Empire and the unity of the Chinese people. Western public opinion generally believes that the victory of this uprising is only temporary. However, I don't think this view is correct. The revolution progressed smoothly from the beginning, and the rebel army showed good strategic judgment. Obviously, this is a modern war. It is very important that the lives and property of foreigners are well protected. In fact, the great powers have been waiting to find excuses to intervene, so as to cause what the Chinese people are most afraid of, that is, the division of China.

Everyone, including the mustache, was shocked by this sentence.

"We gave birth to the establishment of a representative government in Turkey, which is very similar to the current situation in China." The old French man looks more obese. Now, Turkey's political system is undergoing the test of time. So far, it has been successful in all aspects.

Some people nodded in agreement, and the Frenchman said, "Obviously, the current situation in China is developing in a systematic and scientific way, and a political model with Western ideals has emerged. It is said that 14 provinces have declared their support for the Republic. In terms of the Qing royal family, the only personal factor worth considering is Yuan Shikai, who is regarded by many as a mercenary and insatiable character. Mr. Sun Yat-sen has been elected as the president of the new republic, although formally, it is more like a military government. This situation will continue until the situation becomes stable..."

"But do you have any evidence that he can stabilize the Nanjing Provisional Government?" It's important for the Germans to open their mouths. What about the evidence?

The Frenchman raised his eyebrows and said, "Next, if the warlords of the provinces do not make themselves kings, and the combat effectiveness of the Qing army has not been qualitatively improved in the short term, then the result of the revolution is bound to be the birth of a permanent representative government."

"Maybe you're right," the British ambassador interrupted. "If so, the problem is really serious."

They need a stable China, but they don't need a strong China, an awakened China!

There is no objection, including the German ambassador who acquiesced to this statement.

"You don't need to be so discouraged." The British ambassador clapped his hands. "On the other hand, this result will not come out in just a few weeks or months. You are all Chinese, and you should be able to imagine her vastness and isolation. Hundreds of millions of ordinary people know nothing about the ongoing revolution. When they heard about it, it was at least a few months or even years later. We live in a developed and civilized world, and we can't imagine what life is like in a country without railways, telegraphs and newspapers. Of course, some coastal areas of China already have these modern communication methods, but hundreds of millions of Chinese people have never seen a train in their lives.

The British ambassador's low voice continued: "Therefore, although I believe that the republican government will eventually come true, at least not now. It will take at least several months to establish such a government and be recognized by Western powers. In addition, in order to make the republican system successful, some personnel turnover is imperative. Mr. Wu Tingfang may be a good spokesman, but I personally don't have any confidence in him. If the new government wants to be recognized by the powers, the Secretary of State must be someone other than Mr. Wu.

The ambassadors ** rose again, even including the silent French ambassador, who moved his slightly fat body on the soft sofa.

"The dispute with Mongolia is still pending. What do you think about the news that the Manchu government ceded Mongolia to Russia?"

"It's not true. The Manchu Qing government has never and will never cede Mongolia to Russia. As for what the revolutionaries promised to the Russians, I have no way of knowing. Take a step back, even if they have the power to cede Mongolia, I believe that you will never give up, will you?

"Do you still need to ask?"

"This will cause the division of the alliance..." The French ambassador whispered.

"It's not that serious now," the British ambassador said, "but I'm afraid the difference won't be too far. Therefore, we must not recognize the Nanjing Provisional Government. The banking group of the four countries must resolutely strangle the finances of the Nanjing Provisional Government.

"I heard about it," the U.S. ambassador said, "the International Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai has appealed to the former regent Zaifeng and Yuan Shikai, calling on them to urge the court to formulate an appeasement plan as soon as possible to stabilize the hearts of the people and restore order until Congress convene a meeting to determine China's future political system. They pointed out in their appeal that the rule of the Qing Dynasty in southern, central and western provinces has ended, and the continued struggle will only further damage the interests of Chinese and foreign merchants and endanger the lives and property of Chinese and foreign residents. In the appeal, they also advocated severing relations with the dictatorship.

The British ambassador turned to the American ambassador: "I assure you that it is just an appeal, and we will never admit that this is the will of our government."

"You're right. It's very important to stabilize the current political situation." The French ambassador said, "I agree to contain the Nanjing interim government. They are a serious threat to our interests!"

"The expedition and rescue team led by Captain Solby, a member of the British Pioneer League, has just returned to Beijing." The German ambassador suddenly interrupted. They have experienced many creepy events in the mainland. Members of the expedition and rescue team found that Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan had fallen into anarchy, and the bandits and the revolutionary party were simply a rut, and there was no difference. And the royalists are also the same. They said that in some areas, few women could survive, villages and towns became ruins, and people hid in deep mountains to save their lives in caves.

"Therefore, only Yuan Shikai is in our interests."

"But his army is in a passive position in all battlefields across the country."

"I just ate a loser in Guzhen."

"His strength is questionable."

After everyone expressed their opinions, the British ambassador nodded slowly: "But at this jux, he is our only hope! Besides, he is not without a chance of winning. Seeing that no one raised any objection, he added, "There is a serious financial crisis in the Nanjing Provisional Government. As long as we stand by and wait for it to go bankrupt, the Northern Expedition will naturally be over!" Moreover, it can be seen from the Declaration on Foreign Affairs issued in Nanjing that Sun is very concerned about the recognition of foreign governments. Why don't we also do something about it? Yuan is a smart person. He will definitely seize the opportunity.

"I hope so." The fat French ambassador whispered.

"I hope so!"

They tried their best to continue to maintain the "foreigner court" composed of the people's alley in the eastern suburbs in this way.