When he received Yuan Shikai's telegram, Xiao Mubai was listening to the report of the four general departments on the preparations for the counterinsurgency war. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info After that, after a brief explanation to a few people. He rushed to visit Zhao Erfeng, and he still had to ask the former Sichuan-Yunnan border minister of the Qing Dynasty for advice.

If you want to say that at this time, in China, you can have an in-depth understanding of the situation in Sichuanbian and Tibet, and this old man who has served in Sichuanbian for many years is probably in the top few.

At this time, Zhao Erfeng is no longer the frontier minister who dominated the frontier and became famous on the riverside, he is more like an old man in his last years at this time.

Sitting in the study, the old man closed his eyes and recalled, and scenes appeared in front of him and hurried by. Born in a family of eunuchs, he tried and failed repeatedly, and he could only enter the officialdom by donating officials, and he wasted most of his life before he had the opportunity to be able to stand up for himself in Sichuan. The frontier was finally settled, followed by the Baolu movement in Sichuan, and then the wave of uprisings across the country. Then, the Qing Dynasty, for which he had devoted all his heart and soul and had fought for most of his life, also came to an end. For a few months, the old man seemed to have experienced a dream, during which he had aged very much, his head was full of silver hair, his face was covered with age spots, his eyes could not see clearly, his hands were shaking, and his ears were a little bad.

"Boss, Xiao Mubai of the Communist Party is here!" The old servant came in to report, Zhao Erfeng was stunned at first, and then randomly relieved

"Let them in!"

For Xiao Mubai, although he is young, but with his means of turning his hands into clouds and turning his hands into rain, he has completely controlled the entire southwest in his hands, Zhao Erfeng is not very close, but he is not very disgusted. Although Zhao Erfeng was loyal to the Qing Dynasty, he was not pedantic.

"Sir, you're in good health!" Seeing Zhao Erfeng, Xiao Mubai took the lead in saying hello.

Zhao Erfeng sighed, and said with a somewhat indifferent expression: "The minister of the dead country is just a remnant of life." ”

"Hehe, the old gentleman said with a smile, you see that the Republic of China was first built, and the weather is updated, I believe that the world will definitely be much better than the Manchu Qing Dynasty."

"Xiao Zicheng, the old man once killed people in Sichuan, and shot and killed the petitioners in Chengdu, and was named 'Zhao Butcher', what do you think?" Zhao Erfeng didn't answer Xiao Mubai's words, but asked rhetorically.

Xiao Mubai also knew what Zhao Erfeng said in his questioning. The title of "Zhao Butcher" was obtained because of his ruthless actions and ruthless methods when he quelled the rebellion in Sichuan in his early years. Later, because he shot and killed the petitioners in Chengdu, causing a tragedy, the notoriety of "Zhao Butcher" spread all over the world.

"The old gentleman's earlier style of acting in Kawabe, the younger generation has also heard of it. It's just that the younger generation thinks that it is just the normal reaction of a decisive and resolute person in a specific contradictory and complex environment. This is the same as the nickname 'Zeng Shaved Head' that Zeng Wenzheng got to him. After a short period of silence, Xiao Mubai said, "As for the Chengdu bloody case, the reason for it, I think the old gentleman couldn't be clearer. The so-called sin of wanting to add is unexcused, right and wrong, and its own descendants will comment. ”

Hearing Xiao Mubai's words, after half a ring, a few turbid tears flowed from the corners of Zhao Erfeng's eyes. Obviously, he was touched by what Xiao Mubai said.

"But no matter what others think or think, the old gentleman was able to run the Tibetan region on the border of Sichuan for many years under the condition of declining national strength, successfully resisted the strong infiltration of the British, and made contributions to the country and the nation, and his historical merits cannot be erased."

Zhao Erfeng heard Xiao Mubai's sincere words, and his heart also fluctuated slightly. In that kind of cold and oxygen-deficient area, he dealt with the thorny affairs of the frontier ethnic groups, stayed for several years, and repeatedly led the army to defeat the Tibetan rebels supported by the British behind the scenes, and successfully entered Lhasa. Although the situation in Tibet has been stabilized, the situation in the whole world has changed to an unbelievable level. He couldn't understand why the Qing Dynasty he worked for would fall overnight.

This time I wanted to understand that the group was coming, although Zhao Erfeng didn't know the meaning of their origin, but at this time, he also guessed eight or nine. Although he is almost staying at home now, as a politician who has been in a high position for a long time, although he is no longer in the limelight at this time, he is still quite concerned about the current situation. He was also saddened by the changes that had taken place in Tibet, but there was nothing he could do.

"For a long time, the central government has not established its own administrative system in Tibet, relying on local Tibetan personnel to exercise its rights. Now, the younger generation wants to rectify the Tibetan land, I don't know how the old gentleman thinks to start? Seeing Zhao Erfeng's somewhat empty eyes, Xiao Mubai hesitated for a while, and finally said the ultimate purpose of his visit.

Hearing this, Zhao Erfeng turned around and began to carefully look at the young man in front of him. After a long groan, he said: "To rectify Tibet, it is necessary to take power, and if you want to take power, you can't do it without troops." ”

"Dissatisfied with the old gentleman, we have already prepared to use soldiers. If the Tibet issue cannot be effectively resolved, it will be a trouble sooner or later. ”

"In the final analysis, the rebellion in Tibet has always been the fault of the British. It is no longer a matter of a day or two that the British are plotting against Tibet, so the key to solving the Tibetan problem is to eliminate the interference of British forces. But Britain, as the world's number one power, is not so easy to deal with. Zhao Erfeng has been on the side of the river for a long time, and his words are also straight to the core.

"I'm not afraid of your old jokes, I'm ready for the worst." Speaking of this, Xiao Mubai's face was solemn.

Zhao Erfeng didn't think much about what Xiao Mubai just said, he just said to himself: "The Tibetan rebellion, although it is menacing, is just a group of rabble in the final analysis, as long as a combatable army is dispatched, it is enough to calm down." ”

"What the old gentleman said is that I have a document here, and I ask the old gentleman to give me some advice." Xiao Mubai said, and took a document from the entourage.

This document was drawn up by Xiao Mubai and others, and will be prepared to be implemented in Tibet after the rebellion in Tibet is put down. Its main contents include:

1. Respect religion and give preferential treatment to the status of **, ** and lamas, etc., and do not give you actual power.

2. Administratively, Tibet will be taken from Tibet, brought it under the framework of the sovereignty of the central government, and will be completely reclaimed and directly administered by officials dispatched by the central government.

3. In civil affairs, the system of serfdom should be abolished and the number of people in Tibet should be checked.

4. Economically, we will abolish all kinds of taxes and servitude, build roads, develop minerals, and revitalize industry and commerce.

Of course, militarily, in order to strengthen national defense and consolidate the frontier, it is certain that troops will be stationed.

Zhao Erfeng took the information handed over by Xiao Mubai, and after reading it, he was silent for a long time. This is undoubtedly a fairly thorough and comprehensive set of reform measures, although many localities still need to be improved, and if they can be implemented, they will certainly benefit the people at the bottom who make up the vast majority of the population in Tibet. Especially the abolition of serfdom is simply a draw from the bottom of the kettle! You know, how many nobles are there in the whole of Tibet, and how many serfs are there?

The abolition of serfdom is a sight and means that cannot be described as vicious. At that time, even if those lamas and Tusi leaders still had different opinions, it was more important than the millions of serfs who were emancipated and grateful to the new government, and I believe that anyone in power would have to choose.

But on the other hand, such a radical and comprehensive change also means reconstructing a new system of distribution of benefits for all people in Tibet. In particular, once these reform measures are implemented, they will inevitably destroy the traditional political and economic foundation on which the Tibetan high-level leaders depend, that is, the theocratic ruling system, etc., how can those with vested interests endure it? "This is against all the aristocratic lamas in Tibet, smashing their jobs, but desperately."

"What the old gentleman said is right, although this will offend a small number of people, but for the long-term peace and stability of the entire southwest, now I can't take care of so much." Xiao Mubai smiled slightly, but his eyes were a little cold.

Although Xiao Mubai said these words with a smile, Zhao Erfeng understood how bloody it would be behind this. He had no doubt that Xiao Mubai would wield a butcher's knife at those who resisted. Looking at the young man in front of him, Zhao Erfeng had to sigh, and suddenly had a feeling that he was really old. Everyone in the world calls himself "Zhao Butcher", but compared with the young man in front of him, he really responded to an old saying, and it is actually difficult to live up to his reputation.

After Xiao Mubai said goodbye to Zhao Erfeng, he got up and rushed to the General Staff again. The big war is coming, and there are really a lot to prepare.