It was also when Sa Zhenbing decided to stay that the fleet heard the news of the Shanghai Navy uprising.

At this time, the supply of coal and grain for the Qing Navy Cruiser Fleet and the Yangtze River Fleet had been cut off by the Wuchang People's Army, which further prompted the majority of naval officers and men to make up their minds to revolt.

Sa Zhenbing gave the last order before leaving, and notified the ships anchored in the Yangxia water in the language of lanterns, saying, "I will go, and in the future, the military will wait for the ships to do their own thing." "

Then, Sa Zhenbing left the ship "Hairong", boarded the ship of the British company Swire Pacific, and sailed to Shanghai.

Sa Zhenbing did not report the matter of leaving to the Qing government. Therefore, the Qing court has always been ignorant of the inside story, thinking that Sa is still fighting against the revolutionary army in Hankou. On 16 November, when Yuan Shikai was forming a cabinet in Beijing, he even appointed Sa Zhenbing as the Minister of the Navy.

Sa Zhenbing's departure was actually a tacit approval of the naval uprising. As soon as Sa left the ship, Huang Zhongying, the "sea chip" pipe belt, immediately took on the big responsibility.

On the afternoon of 11 November, Huang Zhongying and the officers and men of the ships unanimously decided that the fleet would leave the Wuhan battlefield and sail down to Jiujiang to prepare for the right day.

The "Haichen" ship management belt Rong Xu and the "Hairong" ship management belt Xichang are both Manchurians, and they are unwilling to succeed to their original posts. Knowing that the general trend was irretrievable, he had to ask the first mate to act as the agent of the ship, and he hid in the bottom compartment of the warship and did not come out; Later, the rebel officers and soldiers were sent home with travel expenses.

There are also those who took the head of "granite" to see the king of Hades, and the "Hairong" gang took Ji to be promoted to the Qing court and committed suicide by throwing himself into the river.

At this time, the two fleets of the Qing Dynasty Navy, led by three cruisers, were lined up on the river in an orderly manner, and they looked extremely majestic and majestic.

Black smoke rose from the chimneys of the ships, the engines roared, and the iron anchors were exposed.

Huang Zhongying, the leader of the "Haichou" pipe, issued an order to leave Yangxia and sail to Jiujiang to stand by and prepare for the uprising.

I saw a midshipman of the "Haichen" ship rushing forward with an arrow step, tearing off the dragon flag of the Qing court, throwing it on the deck, trampling it with both feet, and then abandoning it in the river.

The officers and men of all ships followed suit, and for a moment there was thunderous cheer.

In the early morning of the next day, the officers and men of the ships raised the huge white flags that had been secretly made one after another on the mainmast.

The naval uprising, which dealt a heavy blow to the Qing court. In this regard, Li Yuanhong has made great contributions, and no one dares to say that he has picked up a governor.

The secret pipe letter was sent out, and he had not yet received a reply, and Yuan Shikai knew that it would take time. Anyway, he is not in a hurry, and this matter is indeed in a hurry.

Liu Chengen and Cai Tinggan also returned, and the message they brought back was rejected by a mouthful. Liu Chengen said: The revolutionaries have said that constitutionalism is an option that must not be considered.

The revolutionaries have shed so much blood for the sake of the republic, and to return to the constitutional monarchy is a betrayal of the martyrs. On the contrary, I advise this side to see the situation clearly, consider the way back for yourself and your family, and not be obsessed and become enemies of the people.

Yuan Shikai was not interested in constitutional matters, but was a little annoyed. I thought that if Hanyang was taken, Wuchang would be in no danger to defend, and these revolutionaries would be able to understand some affairs, but I didn't expect these people to be so arrogant and unstoppable.

Yuan Shikai asked Li Yuanhong what his attitude? Cai Tinggan said that the governor of Li Tu opposed the constitution and advocated a more resolute attitude towards republicanism. Yuan Shikai could only shake his head, thinking about whether to teach a lesson again, these revolutionary parties who don't know the height of the sky.

Thinking about it, if Wuchang is taken, he will be forced to go to Liangshan, and he will completely tear his face with the revolutionaries, and it will be difficult to have any room for maneuver.

If you can't bear it, you will make a big plan, Yuan Shikai endured this breath.

While a few people were talking, someone from the palace said that the Queen Mother and the Prince Regent had summoned the Prime Minister. He also said that the palace already knew that the two envoys sent to Wuchang and the chaotic party had returned, so he might as well let him go over and talk about the situation.

Yuan Shikai was shocked in his heart, thinking that the news in the palace was fast enough, it seemed that he couldn't get the secret agents of the palace around him, so he had to be more careful in the future.

Yuan Shikai thought about it for a while, and felt that it was better not to bring Liu Chengen and Cai Ting over, not necessarily to show his mouth somewhere, but it would add to the chaos.

When he arrived at the palace, the Empress Dowager Longyu and the regent Zaifeng were waiting for him in the palace. After the ceremony, Yuan Shikai briefly introduced the news brought back by the two envoys.

Zaifeng said that it is not that he wants to interfere with the total. The Minister of Li made a decision, but a few royal families and the prince made too much trouble, asking why they had already captured Hankou and Hanyang, and did not take advantage of the victory to march to capture Wuchang, and then recover the entire territory of Hubei.

Jae-bong said he explained that the prime minister wanted to appease and reduce the killings.

They said that it had been so many days, and that this group of revolutionaries was different from other strongmen, and that it was impossible for them to be easily appeased. What needs to be done now is to take Wuchang as soon as possible before the reinforcements from Wuchang arrive, and then levy all the rebels and implement various strategies to break them.

Zaifeng explained again, saying that he had also explained and couldn't convince everyone, "Can Yuan Qing explain more convincingly." ”

The Empress Dowager Longyu also said that a few people had made a lot of trouble just now, and the regent had indeed tried to explain, but he was unable to convince everyone to let Yuan Shikai not have any ideas.

Yuan Shikai knew that this was what these two people wanted to know more, but he didn't say anything.

Yuan Shikai first affirmed that it was normal for the Queen Mother and the regent to ask him about it, and he must report it according to the truth, and his attitude was deferential.

Then the conversation changed and said: "Everyone is completely right, Hankou, Hanyang, and Wuchang have been taken and there is no danger to be collected, and taking Wuchang can be said to be captured." But why do you not move and send people to make peace? ”

Speaking of this, Yuan Shikai paused, looked at the Empress Dowager Longyu, and then looked at Zaifeng.

Seeing that the two people were looking at him, they wanted to hear Yuan Shikai's answer. Yuan Shikai originally wanted to continue, but on the way here, he knew that the Empress Dowager Longyu and Zaifeng would definitely have this question, and he was ready to answer.

But when he looked at Zaifeng, he temporarily changed his mind. He wanted to abuse Zaifeng, but as soon as he saw Zaifeng's face, he remembered the two years when he was expelled, and he was angry.

"I don't mind what other people say about this, I think the regent who is extremely smart and knows the overall situation well won't know, right? I want to hear what the Lord Regent has to say first? ”

Listening to Yuan Shikai's words, Zaifeng's face was flushed, he knew that Yuan Shikai was taking the opportunity to embarrass him, sarcastically mocking him, and trying to embarrass him in front of the Empress Dowager Longyu.

"Xiao Wang is dull, let's ask Yuan Qing to give me advice!"

After Zaifeng finished speaking, he looked at the Empress Dowager Longyu for help.

"Yuan Aiqing, don't be polite, if you can convince those clan relatives who don't do anything more, does the regent still need to invite Yuan Aiqing?"

"The regent must know, he is just for the sake of examining the minister, and the minister will be ugly."

After speaking, Yuan Shikai paused for a moment, and then said: "Yes, taking Wuchang, although it is not so easy now, there is no big problem. However, what can you do if you take Wuchang? At present, Nanjing has been captured by the rebellious party, and the navy has been betrayed. Once Wuchang is taken, Wuchang, which is of great significance to the chaotic party, the chaotic party will definitely fight for it with all its might. With the cooperation of naval artillery, whether Wuchang can hold on or not will be returned to the second, and if Hankou and Hanyang are not good, they will also be lost.

"However, even if Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang fall into the hands of the rebellious party, it is not the most terrible. The most terrible thing is that our rear is unstable, and Taiyuan is so close to us. But anyway, there are still nearly a thousand miles to go, and Luanzhou is right under our noses! If these places make trouble, what will we use to defend the Gyeonggi Stronghold?

"Now, the so-called family foundation in our hands is left with the Beiyang Army of the Six Towns, and everyone may be suspicious that I will preserve my strength. Isn't it often said by some people? The Beiyang Army is my Yuan Shikai's private property, what is ***.

"If the Beiyang Army is sent to capture Wuchang, break the current equilibrium state, and the chaotic party attack, even if it can hold Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang. The Beiyang Army was also to be seriously damaged. If the rebellious party adopts the Beiyang Army to contain Wuchang and take advantage of the emptiness of Gyeonggi to attack the capital, what will we do to defend Gyeonggi? ”

After Yuan Shikai finished speaking, he looked at Zaifeng, saw that his lips moved, and replied wordlessly, and then said: "It is said that I, Yuan Shikai, and the Beiyang Army are self-respecting, but what about the end?" Don't think that I don't know, in order to exclude the officers and men of my Beiyang Army, so many students have been recruited into the army, and so many new troops have been recruited, what happened in the end? Those who participated in the rebellion were all new troops, and in the end, it was the Beiyang Army that protected the Qing Dynasty, didn't it still have to be the Beiyang Army? ”

Speaking of this, Yuan Shikai was excited, and he looked at the Empress Dowager Longyu. Obviously pulling one hit the other.

The Empress Dowager Longyu also glared at Zaifeng hatefully, because it was his idea.

Longyu may think about it again at this time, this Qing Dynasty will be destroyed in the hands of the regent's brothers. These people took the military power into their hands, and finally betrayed everywhere.

Of course, Zaifeng knew that Yuan Shikai was condemning himself, but the facts were obvious, and he couldn't tell how many mouths he had. I can only close my lips and not speak, and close my lips and pretend to be stupid.

Yuan Shikai took a few steps closer to the Empress Dowager Longyu and knelt down, "The minister is guilty, and the crime deserves death." ”

Empress Dowager Longyu was taken aback, "What is Yuan Aiqing's crime?" ”

"Naval rebellion is a crime of improper use of people."

"Yuan Aiqing, please come up, Sazhen Ice Plain is the naval capital, everyone knows that the affairs of the navy have little to do with Aiqing."

"Sa Zhenbing only left his post without permission and did not participate in the rebellion." Zaifeng echoed on the side.

"As far as the minister knows, although Sa Zhenbing did not participate in the rebellion, his unauthorized departure opened the door to the rebellion." Yuan Shikai said.