Someone came to "send the end" in a second, who would be happy?

Yan Xishan held back his anger and asked with a smile, "Mr. Zhou, what do you mean by this?" ”

"Minister Yan, please take a look. Pen ~ Fun ~ Pavilion www.biquge.info" Zhou Hexuan took out two official letters from his pocket.

Yan Xishan opened the official letter and found that the payment was made by the Central Ministry of Finance, and the content was to request the Tianjin Customs and the Changlu Salt Administration to allocate money to pay for education in the Beiping University District every month.

Tianjin Customs' surplus (the remaining silver to repay foreigners' loans) is not to mention, only the long reed salt tax is very terrifying, with an income of more than 10 million a year. When Chu Yupu was the overseer of Zhili, he relied on the interception of salt taxes to support an army of nearly 200,000 people, and no matter who controlled Tianjin, he would not let go of the money.

Yan Xishan also has a nickname called "Money Devil", and he even fights like he is doing business. With whom to form an alliance, with whom to turn the other cheek, no troops...... Before making a major decision every time, Yan Xishan's first consideration is whether he will lose money.

After seeing these two official letters, Yan Xishan immediately understood that Chang Kaishen was about to reach out to his money bag, and sneered: "Song Ziwen said a few words with empty teeth and white teeth, just like asking me to give money?" He didn't have too much appetite to support himself. As he spoke, he glared at Zhou Hexuan again, "Just for this matter, you came to send me to the end?" Tell me, what kind of calculation are you making. ”

Zhou Hexuan smiled and asked, "What does Minister Yan think the central government wants?" ”

"Wealth is moving, of course, I want to get silver." Yan Xishan said.

"Is it really that simple?" Zhou Hexuan asked.

Yan Xishan said impatiently: "If you have something to say, don't go around the bush." ”

Zhou Hexuan did not get to the point, but talked about the current situation in the central government: "In order to win the Northern Expedition as soon as possible, the Nanjing Nationalist Government implemented a policy of bribery and reorganization against the defeated small warlords. These miscellaneous warlords, plus Minister Yan's garrisons in Hebei, Tianjin, and Beiping, as well as General Feng Yuxiang's garrisons in Shandong, Henan, etc., all expenses need to be funded by Nanjing. In other words, you, Minister Yan, would you be willing to spend money every year to raise hundreds of thousands of troops that you can't command? ”

Of course, Yan Xishan was unwilling, but he smiled and said: "Nanjing is the central government, and it is only natural that the central government will pay for raising troops. ”

"It is only natural for the central government to pay for the raising of troops, and it is also natural for the central government to announce disarmament." Zhou Hexuan said.

"He dares!" Yan Xishan said angrily.

Zhou Hexuan sighed and said: "It's not a question of whether you dare or not, but whether you can afford it." If Chang Kaishen does not announce disarmament, then more than half of the central government's annual fiscal revenue will be used for military spending. According to the statistics of the Central Ministry of Finance, the actual military expenditure is even more than twice the state budget. What's more, the warlord troops in various places do not listen to the announcement, and Chang Kaishen, who is the most head of state, can bear it? Disarmament is imperative, whether for political or economic reasons. ”

Yan Xishan likes to settle accounts, so Zhou Hexuan specially calculated an account for him.

After hearing this, Yan Xishan instantly fell silent. Considering the situation of putting oneself in his shoes, even if he is replaced as the leader of the central government, he will definitely not be able to tolerate the status quo at this time.

Zhou Hexuan continued: "The first step of the Nanjing government must be to recover the finances of various places, such as the Tianjin Customs and the Changlu Salt Administration. The second step is to suspend the payment of military expenses to the garrisons of the warlords in various places. The third step is to begin the great disarmament. ”

Yan Xishan had a small calculation in his heart, and he could barely accept the second step that Zhou Hexuan said, but the local financial power would never be handed over. As for the reduction of the army, if the central authorities are too urgent, then they will have to roll up their sleeves and do a battle.

Zhou Hexuan said: "As for disarmament, Chang Kaishen must attack the Gui family first, because the south is his base camp, and he must stabilize the rear first." When you finish cleaning up the Gui warlords, it's time to take Minister Yan and General Feng Yuxiang under the knife. Therefore, out of admiration for you, I came to send a bell in advance, so as not to have a chance when the time comes. ”

Yan Xishan didn't get angry anymore, but asked with a smile: "Do you think I will lose?" Chang Kaishen If he dares to disarm, the local real power factions all over the world will unite against him! ”

Zhou Hexuan said: "Chang Kaishen has the righteousness of the central government, and disarmament is also a matter of course, because there are too many Chinese troops, and the people's will is at least on his side." As for the alliance of warlords in various places, Minister Yan, you understand people, this kind of alliance is too fragile, just like the princes of the Eighteenth Route in the late Han Dynasty to discuss Dong, each with its own calculations. ”

Yan Xishan was silent, he didn't want to fight, because it costs money to fight, and there is a risk of losing.

Historically, the Gui warlords have been cleaned up by Chang Kaishen, Feng Yuxiang rolled up his sleeves and was tough with Chang Kaishen, and it was about to be Yan Xishan's turn. But Yan Xishan is still undecided, and hopes that everyone will sit down and solve the problem peacefully.

"You stand down first, let me think about it." Yan Xishan waved his hand.

"Farewell!" Zhou Hexuan hugged his fists and smiled.

After Zhou Hexuan left, Yan Xishan immediately asked the adjutant to send telegrams to Nan Guixin, the mayor of Tianjin, and Fu Zuoyi, the commander of the Tianjin garrison, asking about the specific situation there.

Fu Zuoyi mentioned in his reply that the military expenses of the Tianjin garrison have not been paid for more than half a month, and he is in the process of arguing with the Central Military Department, but the other party has been avoiding the issue.

Nan Guixin, like Zhou Hexuan, is also a trickster, belongs to the first-class Zongheng family, and is also an important strategist of Yan Xishan.

Nan Guixin had been keenly aware of the anomaly, saying that the Nanjing side seemed to have sent a representative and was secretly in contact with foreign officials from the Tianjin Customs and the Changlu Salt Bureau. After his many inquiries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nanjing is also actively taking action, wanting to take back the financial control of the customs and salt administration from foreigners in the name of the state.

Yan Xishan looked at the two telegrams from his subordinates, and was speechless for a long time - they were all hit by Zhou Hexuan's words!

Whether it was financial power or military power, Yan Xishan did not want to give up.

He asked the strategists to discuss countermeasures, but he still couldn't find a way to deal with it, so he could only see a move, and the top priority was to protect North China's finances.

Five days later, Yan Xishan took the initiative to summon Zhou Hexuan and asked with a pleasant face: "Who is Mr. Zhou talking for?" ”

Zhou Hexuan smiled helplessly: "I can't help anyone, Chang Kaishen must be disarmed, and the real power factions in various places must resist, and this battle must be fought if it is not fought." The result is that you, the high-ranking people, in order to protect your own interests, beat China to a pulp, beat China to a great extent, and then you should go to the wilderness, and the scenery should be beautiful. ”

Yan Xishan frowned and asked, "Then what are you doing with me?" Don't mention the bell. ”

"I want money," Mr. Zhou said, "for 300,000 yuan a month for education." ”

At the mention of money, Yan Xishan suddenly exploded: "I'm not the central government, and the education funding is my business!" ”

"It was none of your business before, but now it's your business," Zhou Hexuan said, "and the Nanjing side wants to allocate the money from the Changlu Salt Administration and Tianjin Customs to the Beiping University as funds, and this matter is reasonable and legal, and even if it makes a fuss, public opinion will be in their favor." If Minister Yan does not agree, he will be infamous for not respecting the central government and not supporting education. Teachers in major public schools in Pingjin have not been paid salaries for 10 months, officials at all levels of education departments are also waiting for rice to be cooked, and thousands of students are looking forward to resuming classes as soon as possible. If you don't give this money, the education officials, teachers, and students in the whole of North China will all hate you, and the newspapers will write articles to scold you! ”

"This is Song Ziwen framing me!" Yan Xishan said angrily.

"What about the trapping, what about framing?" Zhou Hexuan said with a smile, "I know Minister Yan's scruples, you are afraid that if you give this money, the Central Ministry of Finance will take the opportunity to withdraw customs duties and salt taxes." ”

Yan Xishan didn't speak, which can be regarded as acquiescence. Song Ziwen is commanding his army, no matter what he does, he will suffer a big loss.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Zhou Hexuan began to further persuade him: "Minister Yan has run education in Shanxi, so that the enrollment rate of school-age children in Shanxi has reached 70%, far ahead of the country. Why don't you pay to support education in North China? Could it be that Shanxi is your territory, and the people of North China are not your people? ”

"It's different!" Yan Xishan said distressedly.

Zhou Hexuan also said: "Minister Yan thinks that the officials of the Peking University District are all appointed by the central government, and you should not pay for them. You gave this money, but the benefits went to the central government, and this transaction lost a lot, yes or no? ”

"That's right." Yan Xishan nodded.

"No," Zhou Hexuan analyzed, "the central government, headed by Chang Kaishen, is against education reform, and they want to take the education system into their own hands." The establishment of the Peiping University District was obtained by Li Shi on the basis of reason, and he did not have the support of the central government at all, otherwise he would not even be able to raise funds for education. ”

"Is there such a thing?" Yan Xishan heard of it for the first time.

Zhou Hexuan said with a smile: "In the education bill promulgated last year, the funding of the university district after the education reform should be solved by the local finance, and the status is independent of governments at all levels. Minister Yan, according to the provisions of this law, you can announce that the local government of North China will bear the expenses of the Beiping University District. This move is legal, no one can oppose it, and it can also gain the support of teachers, students and public opinion, which is greatly beneficial to your reputation. Not only that, but it also avoided the excuse for the Nanjing government to meddle in the Tianjin tariff and salt tax, which was a plan to kill birds with one stone. ”

Yan Xishan is still worried about money, 300,000 oceans a month, which is not a small amount, he said: "Let me think about it again." ”

Zhou Hexuan hit the railway while it was hot: "It's too late to think about it, the students in Peking are already making trouble." If the Nanjing government finds out that you have withheld education funds, what else can you do in the face of monstrous public opinion? Tianjin tariff and salt tax, even after deducting the loans to foreigners, there are still more than 20 million left every year. The monthly education allocation of 300,000 yuan is only 3 million a year, and you still make money on this transaction. ”

There is only one way to persuade Yan Xishan, and that is to settle accounts with him, and if the accounts are clear, then the matter will be secure.

Thinking about it, Yan Xishan finally made up his mind, and he was still in the mood to joke with Zhou Hexuan: "Mr. Zhou, you are really condescending to be a literati, you should do business." ”