In order to convey his thoughts, Li Yuanhong expressed his attitude in the newspaper through the British journalist Edwin: "We are eager to see an armistice, so that we can contact the republican provinces and decide to continue the war or negotiate a settlement with the people of Lipet." We have always hoped to put an end to the fratricidal situation, the shedding of blood and suffering, and the destruction of property, so as not to be interfered with by the foreign powers. It declares its readiness to make any concessions to ensure that the killings are stopped. It was thought that a truce should be declared between the Republicans and the imperial court, so that the representatives of the two sides could negotiate. If the republican and the provinces decide to continue fighting, we will fight to the end at the risk of arrows. ”

We already know that Li Yuanhong's change of attitude is exactly what Yuan Shikai wanted to achieve by taking Hankou and Hanyang.

Yuan Shikai got his wish.

In fact, not only Li Yuanhong, but also Cai Jimin, Wu Zhaolin, Zhang Zhenwu, Jiang Yiwu, Sun Wu and others also knew that Wuchang City could not be defended, they just had to fight until the last moment and live and die with Wuchang. "I recommend Xuanyuan with my blood", they want to use bloodshed and sacrifice to "pave the way for building bridges" for the republic.

As we said earlier, just when Wuchang City was about to be lost, the Beiyang Army, which was like a bamboo, suddenly stopped attacking. Cai Jimin, Wu Zhaolin, Zhang Zhenwu and others couldn't figure out the situation, and what they didn't expect was that the Beiyang Army would send representatives to sue for peace.

The two sides of the confrontation are generally the defeated side who take the initiative to sue for peace, such as the Qing government, which has been defeated many times in foreign wars. Prefecture. How could the victorious side and the superior side take the initiative to sue for peace, several people couldn't believe it, but it was true.

At five o'clock in the afternoon of December 1, the British, accompanied by Sun Faxu, hurried to the military administration. The Hongshan General Headquarters of the province.

Sun Faxu, the word Chunzhai, also known as Qinzhai, Yuangong, a native of Tongcheng, Anhui Province, is also a famous figure in modern history. After the Republic of China, he successively ruled Shandong and Shanxi, and Yan Xishan took over in Shanxi. He was also the main initiator of the pro-democracy organizations that supported Li Yuanhong and Yuan Shikai.

Sun Faxu is good at calligraphy and works part-time poetry. In his early years, he served as Zhu Jiabao's staff in Anhui Mansion.

At this time, he was appointed as a military officer. The government adviser has won the reuse and trust of Li Yuanhong.

Pan was the president of the Hankow International Chamber of Commerce, and he was appointed by the British consul in Hankow, Graham Gerfoe, who in turn was entrusted by the British Minister to China, Zhu Erdian. Pann has an armistice agreement in his hand, as long as the military and government. The government stamped the seal, and the agreement came into effect immediately.

There is such a good thing, can you disagree? However, the problem is that the big seal is not there, and he was taken to Gedian by Li Yuanhong.

Jiang Yiwu and Wu Zhaolin were the two who received Pan En at the headquarters, and Pan En said to the two: "Your department has been extremely civilized since the incident, and there has been no crime in the autumn, and we are very appreciative.

"Now that the Qing military has agreed to a ceasefire, I have come to Wuchang to meet the Governor of Li Du and inform him of this matter, as long as the official document I brought is stamped with the big seal of the Governor of Li, the ceasefire will take effect."

Jiang Yiwu took the ceasefire agreement from Pan En's hand, quickly skimmed through it, nodded and handed it to Wu Zhaolin.

Wu Zhaolin looked more carefully, and saw that the agreement was written: "1. During the armistice, each party shall abide by the boundaries of the existing position, and each other shall not be allowed to infringe on each other and snoop on each other. 2. The armistice period shall be set for three days from 8 a.m. on October 12 (December 2 of the Gregorian calendar) to 8 a.m. on 15 December (December 15). 3. Warships are not allowed to take advantage of the armistice to anchor near the north and south shores of Wuhan in order to occupy a superior position. It is necessary to anchor below the green hill until the armistice expires. 4. During the armistice period, the two armies shall not add troops to repair the fortifications and provide any subsidies for combat strength. 5. The armistice shall be accompanied by a consular consulate as a witness, so as to avoid mutual breach of the treaty. ”

Jiang Yiwu and Wu Zhaolin exchanged glances, feeling that this agreement was completely acceptable. But both of them know that the difficult thing is that Li Yuanhong's metropolitan governor Dayin was taken away by him, can you tell people that Li Yuanhong took the big seal and went to Gedian?

Jiang Yiwu had a good head, and he gave Wu Zhaolin a look, hinting that he would find a way to stabilize the person first.

The two of them have a common worry, for fear that this good thing from heaven will expire and be invalidated.

Wu Zhaolin also reacted quickly, prevaricating and said: "Our Li Du Governor temporarily moved to the Liu Gong Ancestral Hall because of the fire in the city. It's a dozen miles away from here, so we'll send someone to get the seal. Please take a break, and when it's time for dinner, please have a light meal at our place. ”

As he spoke, without waiting for the other party's consent, he went straight to Zhang Luo's meal.

Jiang Yiwu took advantage of the time to go out and called Sun Wu and asked him to find a way to carve a new Governor Great Seal. Just get a big radish chapter, and use it once anyway.

After Sun Wu asked about the situation, he was also very happy and agreed.

An hour later, Sun Wu called and said that the matter had been done. At this time, Panen's light meal had also been eaten. Wu Zhaolin found a sedan chair and asked Pan En to get on the sedan chair, saying that the Great Seal had obtained the military and political affairs not far from here. Ministry of Military Affairs.

Wu Zhaolin and others accompanied. After arriving at the Ministry of Military Affairs, Sun Wu was already waiting at the gate of the Ministry of Military Affairs. Sun Wu transcribed another copy of the agreement, and took it together with the original to stamp it with a large seal.

Sun Wu should be "a thief with a weak heart", for fear that people would see the big radish seal and have an accident, so he didn't let outsiders see it when he stamped it.

In this way, this big carrot chapter made a great contribution at a critical moment, and the ceasefire agreement came into effect.

After sending Panen away, Wu Zhaolin and Jiang Yiwu hurriedly sent Wu Zhaoli and went to Gedian with the ceasefire agreement to report to Li Yuanhong.

Li Yuanhong of Gedian was worried about the war in Wuchang, and when he saw Wu Zhaoli coming in a hurry, he thought that Wuchang had fallen. Although this was expected, the mood was still very heavy when it came to the end.

After listening to Wu Zhaoli's report, he couldn't believe it. I have read the armistice agreement a few times, and I am in a good mood, as if I have seen the bright flowers from the mountains and rivers.

Wu Zhaoli conveyed the meaning of Jiang Yiwu and Wu Zhaolin, saying: "After the armistice, Wuchang can turn the crisis into peace, and all the next negotiations must be handled by the governor himself." ”

Li Yuanhong said that he understood that he could return to Wuchang immediately.

At this time, Li Yuanhong suddenly remembered one thing, his big seal was obviously in his hands, what was going on with the seal on the armistice agreement. After Wu Zhaoli told what happened, Li Yuanhong was a little confused, how could this big seal be forged? This is something he can't understand anyway. Fortunately, it was not a bad thing, and Li Yuanhong muttered several times, "Don't take it as an example".

There was a ceasefire in Wuchang, and the ceasefire lasted for three days, and Li Yuanhong was not satisfied, he wanted to achieve a longer and larger ceasefire.

The success of the Wuchang Uprising played a great exemplary role, and in less than a month, more than a dozen provinces in the south had declared independence from the Qing court.

Each province was in its own way, and it was easy for each of them to be broken by the Qing court, and if there was to be a joint action, it was necessary to have a unified command and coordination to establish a joint government in the south. The government has already mentioned the agenda.

As early as November 7, Li Yuanhong and the Hubei military administration. The government is organizing temporary. Central Government. The matter of the government has been reported to the military and political governments in various places. The government issued a telegram to solicit opinions: "Now the rebel army is in all directions, and the overall situation is slightly determined, but the government has not yet been built. countries, not to recognize belligerent groups. We have four more plans, such as the provinces that have revolted to jointly organize the government. The house is close to the side of the peace, and there are still many obstructions; If the provinces are divided into provinces. Foreign countries cannot recognize countless belligerent groups within a country. It is a matter of great importance to the whole country, how to beg the military and government. The government gives teaching. ”

Two days later, Li Yuanhong again sent a telegram to the independent provinces: "The overall situation is preliminary, and the provisional government is not organized. There is no main body in domestic and foreign affairs, and it is extremely dangerous. Please send a committee member as soon as possible, organize the meeting, and forgive the honor. However, the plenipotentiaries of the provinces, who have not been able to fully attend the meeting, have proposed a workaround, and the provincial governors will first elect the chief ministers of the ministries and select the one who has the majority of votes to come to Hubei. The government set up a note to the consuls of various countries, and forwarded it to the ministers to ask for recognition by each country, and the foundation of the state can be preliminarily determined.

"The province intends to be the central government. The government is temporarily divided into seven departments: 1. Internal Affairs and 2. Foreign Affairs. 3. Education, 4. Finance, 5. Transportation, 6. Military and Political Affairs, 7. Justice. The conditions for its head are necessary for him to be prestigious, known to China and foreign countries, and to be able to go out and carry out tasks. Otherwise, this is not enough to show the credibility of all countries.

'Except for the two provinces of the foreign chiefs, Wu Tingfang and Wen Zongyao, the other heads of state should ask for a telegram to inform the province, and after the convergence is completed, the majority of the elected ones should be appointed by telegram and announced on the other. The current situation is urgent, and the meeting is urgent. Again, the head of finance of the province plans to raise Zhang Jian. ”

Judging from this telegram, Li Yuanhong and Hubei Junzheng. The government, already relying on the halo of the first righteousness, unceremoniously took action to form a provisional government. The dominance of the government. Feeling that Shanghai also intended to come forward, in order to obtain the support of Shanghai, it was suggested that Zhang Jian should be the Minister of Finance. At the same time, he agreed to the two candidates proposed by Shanghai for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Later, Wu Tingfang served as the representative of the North-South peace talks, and his roots came from this.

Due to the failure of the cable from Wuhu to Jiujiang, the Shanghai side did not receive the Hubei military administration. This telegram from the government. In the name of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, the military and political affairs of various provinces have begun. A meeting of representatives of the government. As for the provincial deputies nominated by many provinces, they are celebrities who are already in Shanghai, so as of 15 November, representatives from 10 provinces have already reported to Shanghai.

Shanghai took the lead in convening a meeting of representatives of the provincial governors at the Jiangsu Education Association. At this time, representatives of Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangdong, and Guizhou provinces had been invited by Li Yuanhong to rush to Wuchang. This led to the opinion of the Shanghai side that Shanghai has convenient transportation and that the representatives of various provinces are more likely to hold meetings in Shanghai.

Considering that Wuchang is the holy place of Shouyi, its importance is extraordinary. Zhang Jian and others also proposed that the government of the Republic of China. The government is in Hubei, and the parliament can be located in Shanghai, which means that Shanghai and Wuchang are equally divided.