The chaotic month of May was coming to an end, and on the last day of May, on this sunny afternoon, with a circular from the Southwestern Autonomous Government, all the newspapers from the south to the north were doing almost the same thing, that is, to print newspapers. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

Not long after the Dasang Zhandong rebels were completely annihilated near Shuodu, the troops of the 9th Division of the Southern Front, under the command of its political commissar Yang Jixiang and chief of staff Zhao Kangshi, also broke the rebels of Wangqin Dundui, the king of Bomi Tu, in the territory of Bak, leaving nearly 5,000 corpses of Bomi rebels in just one battle.

The rebellions on the northern and southern fronts were all put down, and the situation on the entire Sichuan border suddenly turned from dangerous to safe. After a short rest, the Seventh Division and the Ninth Division began to regroup and march to Lhasa.

When the Western Expeditionary Army won a complete victory, marched forward with great triumph, and the whole country was excited, the British, who were the direct supporters behind the Tibetan rebellion, finally could not sit still. Unexpectedly, the ** rebels, who had high hopes for them, were so vulnerable and were chased all the way to Lhasa by the Chinese army, which made the British extremely annoyed. But they are annoyed, they are doing everything possible to split China and support the Western Independence, how can they see the Chinese army successfully quelling the rebellion? In this way, the British, who had to move from behind the scenes to the front of the stage, soon appeared.

Although at this time, because the smell of gunpowder between the two major military blocs in Europe had become stronger and stronger, Britain, which had devoted all its energy to the confrontation, had no time to think about it for the time being, the British did not think so. In the Far East, it is enough to have a signboard of their British Empire.

In order to solve the situation in Tibet, the Indian Governor Harding, in order to support the rebellion of **, also began to propose to the local people to put pressure on the government of the Republic of Beijing to blackmail the government of the Republic of China on the terms of recognizing the Republic of China, the loan of the four countries bank group. These measures have also been adopted by the British government. After repeated consultations between the British Empire government and the Indian colonial authorities in London, the Minister to China, Zhu Erdian, was authorized to make representations to the government of the Republic of China. Zhu Erdian, who was authorized, naturally agreed, as an existence like the emperor in China at this time, he has always been arrogant, and he never thought it was such a difficult thing.

At this time, Yuan Shikai's life was actually not easy at all. Don't look at it now, Beiyang controls the world, but his family knows his own affairs. The provincial decrees were not smooth, the treasury was empty, the loans to the banks of the four countries could not be negotiated for a long time, and all kinds of problems urgently needed to be solved.

Speaking of this incident of borrowing money from the banks of the four countries, it is actually not like some people say, it is some kind of betrayal. Frankly speaking, in fact, it is just a kind of helplessness in a special period. Its essence is that Yuan Shikai in order to deal with various aftermath matters after the establishment of the New Republic of China, the purpose mainly includes four aspects:

1. Rectify Beijing's government institutions and strengthen political, economic, military, and other forces;

2. End the Provisional Government of Nanking and dismiss the People's Army in the south;

3. Repayment of outstanding external debts and reparations;

Fourth, fulfill the preferential conditions of the Manchu royal family for abdication.

For Yuan Shikai, who already regarded himself as the leader of the country, all kinds of problems arising from the revolution and the establishment of the new government needed to be solved, and all this needed money, but the new government's finances were already on the verge of bankruptcy, and it was unable to open up domestic financial resources for a while, and finally had no choice but to ask for foreign loans.

President Yuan Da, who was born as a Beiyang warlord, knows the importance of a gun. Because of this, the hundreds of thousands of people's troops gathered under the Southern Kuomintang and the army under the command of the Southwest Communist Progressive Party suddenly became a thorn in President Yuan's heart.

Of course, there is already a solution, that is, in the name of the state, reorganization and demobilization. If you want to say that it is reorganized, it is okay, as long as you have money, but there is no way, Lao Yuan, who has not yet received a big loan, has no money. In this way, the Kuomintang in the south said that the military salaries of those who were already poor had been issued, and seeing this situation, they slowly began to implement them. But the southwest is different, people have money and can support themselves. As for President Yuan's order, he prevaricated with the reason why the southwest frontier is not quiet and the military strength required is quite large. Although the angry old Yuan is itching, there is no way to do it, after all, it is the people's own finances to raise. But in this way, Lao Yuan didn't understand, where did the southwest get so much money?

Just when President Yuan was depressed, Zhu Erdian came to visit. When Lao Yuan heard the news, he immediately sighed in his heart, the so-called "Nothing to Do" is not to go to the Three Treasures Palace, and he is very clear about the temperament of his "old friend". Still, he was not well seen.

"Old friend, we haven't seen each other for a long time!" Before anyone arrived, Yuan Shikai had already begun to greet Zhu Erdian.

Zhu Erdian, who was sitting upright in the Huairen Hall, saw President Yuan who walked in, and after getting up, he smiled slightly and said, "Your Excellency the President, hello! ”

"I wonder if my old friend is here this time?"

"Your Excellency, I have come to negotiate with you on the orders of the British Empire, hoping that you will order your army to stop its march into Tibet."

Hearing Zhu Erdian's words, Yuan Shikai's face immediately became a little unsightly, and his heart was really like this, there was no good thing for a night owl to enter the house. At this time, the situation on the Sichuan side is very good, marching into Lhasa, and forever consolidating the western region is just around the corner, if he gives this order, he will not be drowned by the spittle of the people of the whole country!

"Mr. Minister, you must also know that the current situation of our country, I only have nominal command over the army in the southwest, and I have no control over it, even if I issue an order, they may not be willing to listen!" Yuan Shikai, who didn't want to be infamous on his back, turned his heart around, and immediately had an idea, using the Chinese's usual method of shirk.

Zhu Erdian lowered his head and groaned slightly, and then understood what Yuan Shikai meant, although what he said was true, but there was no lack of prevarication: "Your Excellency, the British Empire has always supported you, and I myself very much hope that a more friendly relationship can be established between the two countries." ”

"What Mr. Minister said is that I am very grateful to the British Empire for its support to me, and I very much hope that the two countries can be more friendly." Yuan Shikai continued to play haha.

Hearing Yuan Shikai's perfunctory words, Zhu Erdian finally got angry: "Your Excellency, the interests of Tibet and the British Empire, our government is quite concerned about the Chinese army's expedition to Tibet!" ”

Without waiting for Yuan Shikai to speak, Zhu Erdian immediately said: "If the Chinese army continues to march to Lhasa, it will definitely be in direct conflict with the British Empire, and your government will be responsible for all the consequences!" ”

Yuan Shikai, who didn't care about this, immediately shook his head when he heard this. The late Qing Dynasty's successive defeats in foreign wars made most Chinese in this era afraid of foreigners to the bone. Of course, President Yuan Da is no exception. The great military might of the foreigners in Gengzi Nian is still in front of him!

"This is a memorandum from my government to your government, and I would like you to take a look at it." Seeing Yuan Shikai's appearance, Zhu Erdian seemed very satisfied, and at this time he threw out his trump card again.

Yuan Shikai reluctantly took the memo. When I opened it, I saw that it read:

1. The British Government recognizes China's suzerainty over Tibet, but does not allow the Chinese Government to interfere in Tibet's internal affairs;

2. Oppose the unauthorized exercise of administrative power by Chinese officials in Tibet, and do not recognize China's equality between Tibet and the provinces in the interior;

3. The Chinese Government may send a prefect stationed in Tibet to Lhasa with appropriate guards, and shall have the right to make suggestions to the Tibetans on Tibet's foreign affairs, but the British Government shall not allow the Chinese Government to station an unlimited number of troops in Tibet;

4. The British Government will recognize the Republic of China only after the above conditions have been agreed;

5. In the absence of such a declaration by the Chinese Government, the United Kingdom has the right to take further action.

After reading the memo, Yuan Shikai felt a wave of anger in his chest, the British were simply too deceitful, and they were actually playing tricks with themselves in the memo. In a vain attempt to use the concept of "suzerainty" to obscure China's territorial sovereignty over Tibet.

"Mr. Minister, the stakes are very high, let me think about it before I give you an answer!" Looking at Zhu Erdian's arrogant posture, even if Yuan Shikai was full of anger, he had to endure it at this time.

Zhu Erdian also knew that today's conversation with Yuan Shikai could only end here, so he also took the initiative to leave. It seems that we have to have a good talk with that local force in the southwest! Zhu Erdian, who was walking on the road, thought so.