After accidentally shaving Zhang Xiaohuai into a bowl, Wang Mo was most concerned not about the preparation of the new military academy in Hubei, but about the reorganization of the remaining troops in Hubei.

At present, the first and second divisions of the Hubei Army alone have surrendered as many as 6 to 7,000 troops, the third division still maintains a complete establishment, and the 2nd Mixed Brigade was forced to surrender by the 1st Regiment and the artillery regiment of the 2nd Division of the Sichuan Army led by Lu Dayong after suffering nearly 1,000 casualties.

These Hubei Army troops have a total of nearly 20,000 troops, and if they are not reorganized as soon as possible and completely controlled in their hands, it is difficult to say what kind of chaos will arise.

It's time to talk to Li Yuanhong, although he is called "Li Bodhisattva", he still has a great influence in the military and political circles of Hubei. If you want to stabilize and control Hubei as soon as possible, you really can't do without this vice president of Lebanon.

Since the Sichuan army was stationed in Wuchang, Li Yuanhong, in order to avoid the unhappiness of the Sichuan army, did not go to the governor's mansion to work, but hid at home and closed the door.

It is said that power is a panacea for a man to maintain his vitality and spirit, and this is not true.

When Wang Mo took Wang Erhu and several guards to visit Li Mansion and saw Li Yuanhong, he was taken aback by Li Yuanhong's appearance.

Li Yuanhong, who will only be 40 years old next year, now looks like a 50-year-old man, his eyes are dim, and he can't find a trace of the once high and powerful position.

Li Yuanhong welcomed Wang Mohuai into the living room, ordered someone to serve tea, and after sitting down, he looked at Wang Mo a few times frequently, and sighed slightly: "The young marshal is really young, now is really the age of young people." ”

Wang Mo smiled slightly and said, "Duke Li has a good reputation. We, the young people, are counting on the help and guidance of experienced seniors like you. ”

Li Yuanhong didn't care about these polite words, and said: "I know what you are here for, young marshal, don't worry." I have long given an order to Wang Anlan of the Third Division to let the Third Division accept your reorganization unconditionally. ”

Wang Mo shook his head and said, "I'm afraid that Duke Li has misunderstood, I am here not only to issue the reorganization of the Hubei Army, but more importantly, I want to ask Duke Li to return to the military government to handle government affairs." ”

Li Yuanhong was stunned for a moment, although he wanted to pretend not to care, and used tea to hide his emotional changes. But the slight tremor of the fingers of his right hand holding the teacup betrayed him.

Finally stabilized his emotions, Li Yuanhong said: "The young marshal laughed. How can I still have the energy to deal with government affairs, and I have already telegraphed to Beijing a while ago to resign from the post of governor and vice president of Hubei. It's good to be at home now...... Pretty good. ”

Li Yuanhong thought that Wang Mo sincerely asked him to return to the military government to handle government affairs, but he was also incredulous about this, and his feelings were very complicated.

It's not that Wang Mo wants to use Li Yuanhong, an old fox. But there is no better option for now. He used the force of the Sichuan army to suppress and control the whole of Hubei, and his foundation in Hubei was equivalent to zero. If you want to stabilize and control the whole of Hubei as quickly as possible, you can only let Li Yuanhong, who has connections and influence in all walks of life in Hubei, come forward.

Wang Mo said with a straight face: "Duke Li doesn't have to worry too much, I don't mean anything else, I really sincerely ask you to return to the military government." Now the Hubei military government is stagnant and paralyzed, and many government affairs are left unhandled, so that people's livelihood is withering. I also asked Li Gong to return to the military government for the sake of Hubei's fathers and elders to stabilize and restore order in Hubei. ”

"This ......," Li Yuanhong said sincerely. I was a little moved, but I still said, "This thing is easy to do." The people of the military junta must have abandoned government affairs only in a moment of panic, and I can come forward to appease and comfort them. As for returning to the military government, there is no need, I will enjoy my leisure life at home. ”

This old fox was obviously desperate in his heart, and he couldn't wait to agree on the spot. and pretending to be reserved, no wonder he was played by powerful Beiyang warlords in another time and space.

However, such Li Yuanhong is more in line with Wang Mo's requirements. As long as Wang Mo maintains a strong position, people like Li Yuanhong will not make any trouble.

"Li Gong, I'll make it clear. I am ready to separate the military and the government from Hubei, and the government and the army are not under each other's control, so how about you being the governor of Hubei Province and presiding over the government? Wang Mo said.

Hearing that the military power was stripped away, Li Yuanhong not only did not have any frustration and disappointment, but was extremely happy and excited in his heart, and he finally believed that Wang Mo really planned to invite him back to the military government to take charge of government affairs.

Li Yuanhong wanted to be reserved and tentative again, but he was afraid that Wang Mo would regret it, so he was really entangled.

After thinking about it, Li Yuanhong couldn't help but say: "That's the case...... Li has a small person, and the overall situation of Hubei cannot afford to be lost. According to what the young marshal said, Li will rectify and handle government affairs as soon as possible. ”

"That's good, in the future, there will be Lao Ligong in Hubei government affairs. However, I have to make it clear first, I want to send someone to supervise this part of the government's finances, and I hope Li Gong will not mind. Wang Mo's words revealed that there was no doubt that he had to firmly control the financial power in his hands no matter what.

As long as he holds the military power and financial power tightly in his hands, Li Yuanhong will definitely not dare to make any trouble.

Li Yuanhong obviously understood this, and nodded busily in response: "Young marshal, of course you don't mind...... Of course not! As he spoke, his heart tightened for a while, and he could see that Wang Mo, the little fox, was not easy to deal with.

Two days later, Wang Mo officially reorganized the Hubei Military Government and completely separated the military and the government. The Hubei Provincial Government was established, with Li Yuanhong as the governor and in charge of government affairs. The Hubei Army was established, with Wang Mo as the commander of the corps and Zhang Xiaohuai as the chief of the general staff, and began to carry out a comprehensive reorganization of the Hubei army.

Cracking sound...... Cracking sound......

In front of the office building of the former military government, now the Hubei Provincial Government, amid the constant sound of firecrackers, the new governor Li Yuanhong and Wang Mo lifted the red cloth together, revealing the signboard of "Hubei Provincial Government of the Republic of China".

Poof

More than a dozen Chinese and foreign reporters held their cameras to take pictures of the scene just now, and crowded forward to try to interview Li Yuanhong and Wang Mo.

"Mr. Li, may I ask if you resigned from the important posts of governor and vice president and became the governor of the Hubei Provincial Government, were you coerced by force by the Sichuan army?"

"Governor Li, may I ask if Hubei is really a separation of military and government, or is it just a pretense, and the provincial government is just a puppet doll of Wang Mo, the young marshal of the Sichuan Army?"

"Young Marshal Wang, I don't know if you have obtained the permission of the Beijing Central Committee to reorganize the Hubei Military Government, and what is President Yuan's approval for this?"

"Marshal Wang, may I ask you did not threaten the survival of the 2nd and 6th Divisions of the Jiangxi Beiyang Army to force President Yuan to acquiesce in your entry into and control of Hubei?"

"Governor of Lai......"

"Young Marshal Wang......"

……

Wang Mo really has to admire the reporters and literati of this era, who really dare to say anything and ask anything.

This is indeed an era of spiritual awakening of the Chinese people, especially the young heroes. Later generations only the legendary students marched in the streets, holding banners and shouting the slogan "Down with the warlords, down with imperialism" was real in this era.

Thinking of this, Wang Mo was a little distressed, thinking that he was currently going farther and farther in the direction of the warlord, maybe one day his name would be hung on a banner, and then a group of students held small flags and marched on the streets, shouting the slogan "Down with the independent warlord Wang Mo".

Of course, that's all for later.

In order to get rid of the unrelenting entanglement of those reporters, Wang Mo had to ask Wang Erhu and several guards to stop these people, and then fled into the provincial government office building in embarrassment.

As soon as he walked into the office building, a staff member of the provincial government ran over and reported: "Governor, young marshal, there is a person who claims to be the special envoy of President Yuan Da in Beijing who wants to see you. ”

Wang Mo thought about it, although Beijing is far away, it must be much slower. But these days, it's time to calculate that the time is indeed up, but I don't know who will come.

So Wang Mo and Li Yuanhong went to the reception room of the provincial government office building to meet with President Yuan Da's special envoy from Beijing.

Walking into the reception room, as soon as Li Yuanhong saw the envoy from Beijing, he exclaimed: "Yezi, why are you?" ”

The person who came was Yang Du, but his face was obviously not good-looking, and he said coldly: "Brother Song Qing, you have changed quite quickly, you resigned from the position of governor and vice president of Hubei without making a sound, and became the governor of Hubei Province in a blink of an eye." ”

Li Yuanhong smiled awkwardly and didn't argue anything.

Yang Du shifted his gaze, looked at Wang Mo, and asked, "This must be Young Marshal Wang, right?" Sure enough, young and promising! ”

Wang Mo arched his hand and said with a smile: "In Xia Wang Mo, I have seen Brother Yezi." ”

"Don't dare to be!" Yang Du said coldly, "You don't even pay attention to the Beijing Central Committee and President Yuan, how dare I, Yang Du, be an idler." ”

"Oh Zi, if there is something to say, why bother with thorns in every word." Li Yuanhong tried to ease the atmosphere.

Yang Du snorted coldly and scolded angrily: "Is it useful to say it well? Such a major event as the reorganization of the Hubei military government and the establishment of a provincial government can be carried out without the permission of the Central Committee and the President in Beijing. Do you still have the central government in Beijing, the president, and the law of the country? ”

It turned out that it was for this matter, Wang Mo and Li Yuanhong both secretly smiled helplessly, in local affairs, which warlord in the whole country really got the permission of the central government in Beijing and Yuan Shikai to carry it out? If there is a telegram asking for approval, it is only a superficial article.

"Brother Zhenzi misunderstood, I called Beijing early on to report the reorganization of the military government and the establishment of the Hubei provincial government." Wang Mo said.

Yang Du seemed to be a little reluctant, and criticized angrily: "I called to report, but has the Beijing central government approved it?" Without President Yuan's approval, if you do it without authorization, it will be illegal! ”

The more Wang Mo listened, the more wrong it became, and Yang Du seemed to overemphasize the status of the central government in Beijing and Yuan Shikai in legal theory.

Could it be that Yang Du is trying to gain the initiative and advantage in the subsequent negotiations?

That's right, most likely. The biggest advantage of the north today is that they hold the orthodox position. In any case, Beijing is also the central government of the Republic of China, and Yuan Shikai is also a reasonable and legitimate president of the Republic of China.

If Yang Du wants to gain the initiative and advantage in the negotiations, he naturally has to emphasize the status and authority of the central authorities.

Yang Du is indeed worthy of his reputation, as soon as he came to Hubei, he decisively seized the opportunity of the establishment of the Hubei Provincial Government and took advantage of the topic to play. (To be continued)