The sun slowly rose from the horizon, Qi Xieyuan's department was ready to attack, he had already received the news that He Fenglin's department had entered the city of Shanghai last night, and the peace of strength between each other turned again, and the advantage in numbers no longer existed, which made him sleepless all night, squinting his eyes and thinking about the next siege plan.

"Report, urgent military affairs!"

As he spoke, a scout rushed to Qi Xieyuan, and said breathlessly: "Lord Qiyu, a banner of rebellion was suddenly erected in the city of Shanghai, and Zhao Laosi, the acting envoy of Shanghai, asked the city to talk!" ”

"Zhao Laosi? Rebels? The two names were turning back and forth in front of Qi Xieyuan like a marquee, and when the two names gradually merged into a new name because of the rapid rotation, Qi Xieyuan not only said to himself: "Could it be him?" Impossible! Okay, let's take a look. ”

Qi Xieyuan took the lead and rushed to the city of Shanghai with a few horses, but saw a man with five big and three thick men standing at the head of the city and looking at the Jiangsu army under the city with contempt, this person was Chang Zhenbang's Guards Brigade Commander Zhao Laosi, his eyes made Qi Xieyuan's heart very uncomfortable, and said: "You are Zhao Laosi General Zhao?" ”

Zhao Laosi smiled and said: "Now Lao Tzu is the Shanghai town guard, boy, you should call Lao Tzu Zhao Zhen guard, right?" ”

Qi Xieyuan was very annoyed when he saw him open his mouth and close his mouth, but he still suppressed the anger in his heart and said: "Zhao Zhen is the envoy, but the Guangdong and Jiangxi patrol envoy Chang Zhenbang Chang is under the command of Lord Chang?" ”

Zhao Laosi said: "What ashes, white, Lao Tzu is the commander of the guard brigade of Chang Zhenbang, and this kid is the patrol envoy of Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian, don't forget." ”

Qi Xieyuan forcibly endured the anger in his heart and asked: "Fujian rebellion, Zhao Zhenshou envoy does not go to Fujian to quell the rebellion, what do you have to do in Shanghai?" ”

Zhao Laosi said: "That kid said, you are all waste, you can't take Shanghai for so long, it's really useless, so I asked Lao Tzu to pretend to be He Fenglin to help you take Shanghai." ”

Qi Xieyuan said: "Since this is the case, then please trouble Zhao Zhenshou to open the city as soon as possible, and let me wait for my brother to enter the city!" ”

Zhao Laosi said: "That kid said, our brothers pretended to be stupid to sell garlic to earn Shanghai City, we can't lose to you like this, you can pay a price, whoever pays more money, Shanghai will give to whom!" It's not like our brothers are busy in vain! ”

Qi Xieyuan said: "Zhao Laosi, you are wrong, Lord Chang is friendly with Li Dujun, how can you do such a businessman?" ”

Zhao Laosi smiled and said: "Brothers are all promoted to get rich in wars, how can they die in vain and nothing will be left behind?" If you refuse to pay, Lao Tzu will let Lu Yongxiang go and let him continue to work with you. I believe that Lu Yongxiang, this kid is definitely willing to pay! When he said this, he turned to Lu Yongxiang, who was pushed out, and said, "Boy, don't worry, as long as you give up the money, our brothers will not only return the city of Shanghai to you, but maybe we can also help you slaughter the kid under the city." ”

Lu Yongxiang said: "I am willing to pay fifty percent of Shanghai's taxes, and the chief financial officer has Chang Daren to supervise it." If Lao Tzu captures Zhejiang, Zhejiang will definitely look forward to Chang Daren! ”

Zhao Laosi nodded with satisfaction, and shouted at Qi Xieyuan under the city: "Lu Yongxiang, this kid is very sincere, I don't know how much Qi Xieyuan is out of your kid?" ”

Qi Xieyuan said angrily: "Chang Zhenbang provoked the battle of Shanghai, but he made a lot of nonsense here, blackmailing friendly troops, it is really shameless, Lao Tzu will not give you a penny, come and give Lao Tzu to attack the city!" ”

"Wait!" Li He didn't know when he appeared under the city of Shanghai, he shook his hand with a smile and said: "Fourth Brother Zhao, I haven't seen you for a long time, but I miss my brother, I didn't expect that my old man who hadn't seen you for many days would become the guard of Shanghai." What a gratifying congratulations! Zhao Laosi saw that it was him, and immediately smiled, this is an old acquaintance, since Chang Zhenbang became the military envoy, he and Li He were responsible for the security of his overseer's mansion together, but he dealt with him a lot, and said with a smile: "Brother, why are you here, we haven't seen each other for a long time, but you have to drink well, by the way, why did you get to Jiangsu now?" Don't you know, now Chang Zhenbang's kid is amazing, the most of us are brigade commanders, and the town guards are envoys, if you don't leave, maybe this Shanghai City Chang boy will let you occupy it. ”

Li He saw that he was so affectionate, and he also knew his bold and simple character, so he didn't care, just smiled and said: "Fourth brother, you forgot that I am the nephew of Li Overseer, and my uncle is now the overseer of Jiangsu, and the younger brother naturally followed him to Jiangsu, doesn't the elder brother know that the Jiangsu Army outside the city is commanded by the younger brother?" ”

Zhao Laosi touched his head, and said with a smile: "I know that I have the same name as you, and I don't think much about it, you don't say that Lao Tzu really doesn't know it's you." ”

Li He smiled and said, "Fourth brother, please invite Master Chang to come!" ”

Zhao Laosi was taken aback and said, "How do you know that kid is here?" ”

Li He said with a smile: "Lu Yongxiang dares to pay such a big price with you, compared to his reason, only Lord Chang can eat Zhejiang, and General Zhao is a guard brigade, how can Lord Chang not be there!" ”

Zhao Laosi smiled and said, "You kid is not stupid, but that kid just went to chat with what Sa Bing, you have to wait." ”

"Sprinkle ice? Could it be the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Sa Zhenbing? Li He was taken aback and said.

"Yes, it's this weird name, why do you know it too, it's a good feeling." Zhao Laosi said in Shanghai.

Li He let out a long sigh and said, "Who doesn't know the Chief of the Navy, Sa Zhenbing? Brother Zhenbang is real and false, I am not as good as him, I don't know what Brother Zhenbang can leave for me? ”

Zhao Laosi touched his head, thought about it, and finally said, "I forgot, that Zhang boy, you come out and tell the kid below." Zhang Xiaoliu hurriedly stood up from behind Zhao Laosi and said, "Zhang Xiaoliu, the commander of the Third Regiment of the Inferior Guards Brigade, has seen Master Li He Li. ”

Li He saw that it was him, and he could be regarded as an old acquaintance, and said: "Adjutant Zhang didn't expect to be promoted to the Guards Brigade, it's really rare, and the future is unlimited, I don't know what Lord Chang ordered before leaving." ”

Zhang Xiaoliu sighed, he couldn't help but feel a little bad in his heart, Li He is Li Chun's nephew and has an unlimited future, although he is now promoted to an officer, but no matter how high the status of this brigade commander is, it is not as powerful as the adjutant, I don't know how many town guards in one day, the division and brigade commander flattered, out of Tang Baichuan in front of one person and above ten thousand people, now it is good, it is thankless to follow Zhao Laosi to fight in the south and the north, and he nods to the people who nodding to him in the past, not to mention how awkward he feels, but he is also a smart person, Although the adjutant chief is majestic, after all, he is a fox and a tiger, and it is better to take up a military post and stand out in the future to be independent, that is the real majesty.

"My lord said, Shanghai is a mountain of gold, futures can live, whoever pays the highest price, will give it to whom? If no one is willing to come out, then the adults themselves simply take it up, anyway, Zhejiang Chen Guangyuan absolutely supports my family, Li He, the young overseer, what do you think? ”

Li He thought for a while and said: "The 13th Beiyang Division is strong and strong, and it has been attacking the city for a long time. ”

Zhang Xiaoliu smiled and said, "Young Overseer, have you forgotten what your lord is doing now?" ”

"What are you doing?" Li Hedao.

Zhang Xiaoliu said proudly: "Navy Chief Sa Zhenbing has used the Jiangxi Third Division and Jiangxi Fourth Division that were originally stationed in Jiujiang, which are the troops that the adults focused on training when they were in Jiujiang. ”

Li He has lived in Jiangxi for a long time, so he naturally knows what Jiujiang soldiers mean. That is the elite of Chang Zhenbang's elite, the iron of the iron, plus the Beiyang Tenth Division in Shanghai, Wang Guilin's department, the elite guard brigade, even if the Beiyang Thirteenth Division is a tiger, and it can't stand these hungry wolves, thinking of this, he couldn't help sighing, and said: "Shanghai Sancheng's tax uncle has promised Chen Guangyuan, for the friendship between Jiangsu and Jiangxi, on behalf of my uncle, I will take out up to 30% of the tax to the adults, as for the rest, I really can't do anything. If you risk the rupture of our five southeastern provinces and ask for this little money, then my brother can only go to war. ”

Zhang Xiaoliu just wanted to say something, but was pulled to the back, Zhang Xiaoliu couldn't help but be furious, thinking that this person was so bold that he dared to pull himself so in public, he was really tired, and when he looked back, he saw that it was Chang Zhenbang, and he hurriedly stepped aside respectfully, saying that Chang Zhenbang was invited to the front, Chang Zhenbang smiled and said to Li He in the city: "Brother Li He didn't expect us to meet again, the medicinal materials sent by Uncle Li are really good, brother, after I finished eating, I was strong and alive." ”、

Li He said: "Brother Xian is so calculating, presumably the rebellion within the three provinces has jumped out!" ”

Chang Zhenbang said with a smile: "You can't say that, the younger brother travels between Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Jiangxi, the water and soil are not adapted, and there are colds and colds, but the rumors in the market are inevitably exaggerated, as for the few wives in the family, they have been fighting from beginning to end, and the elder brother didn't know it when he was in Jiangxi, this house is really a piece of the younger brother's heart, but it makes the elder brother laugh." ”

Li He said: "Thank you to the virtuous brother for helping my brother capture Shanghai, the younger brother is willing to fund 200,000 yuan in military salaries, and give 30% of Shanghai's taxes to the elder brother as a military fee, I don't know what the virtuous brother thinks?" ”

Chang Zhenbang smiled and said, "What did the elder brother say, our five southeastern provinces are in the same breath, how can we ask you for money?" You are so out-of-this, if the elder brother is willing to help the younger brother, why not send a telegram to the president. ”

Qi Xieyuan was surprised: "Just a telegram? What the hell is the telegram so valuable. ”

Chang Zhenbang said: "A telegram! As for what telegram it was, didn't Brother Li He already know? ”

Li He smiled: "What was I at that time? The elder brother is really careful, but the elder brother does not help, after taking Shanghai, we still have to send this telegram in Jiangsu. You can rest assured. ”

Chang Zhenbang said with a smile: "The younger brother just sent a telegram to the president in the name of the patrol envoy of Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces on the warship. Jiangsu is not out of now. Brother won't be embarrassed! ”

Li He was stunned, thinking that he was the first to post an article with Shanghai to threaten Jiangsu, but who knew that he would send it first, and couldn't help but say: "Brother, what are you doing this for?" ”

Chang Zhenbang said: "Uncle is loyal and wise for the country to defend Jiangsu, Zhenbang is greatly moved, how can you not help your uncle?" Now that there are steps, Premier Duan can't say anything like this! ”

Li He was greatly moved when he heard this, this thought was that he didn't have anyone who was a nephew, but he didn't expect it to appear on Chang Zhenbang, and then he thought about it and felt that it was wrong, this Chang Zhenbang is a person who can't afford to be unprofitable, and he is so desireless and unwanted, which also makes Li He not know where his benefits are. I had to say: "How did the virtuous brother open the city?" ”

Chang Zhenbang smiled and said, "Since the ownership of Shanghai has been determined, don't be so anxious, brother." After these Beiyang comrades in the city were sent away by the navy, the brothers handed over the defense of Shanghai to the British Consul General. What do you think, man? ”

Li He said: "The virtuous brother is thoughtful, and he can't be a brother yet, so he is coming!" ”

An adjutant immediately stood up and said, "Yes, my lord, I am here." ”

"Go back to the city immediately and call Inspector Li, saying that when the time comes, you can generate electricity."

……

A day later, all the troops in Shanghai and those military and political dignitaries related to Duan Qirui were taken away by Chang Zhenbang, and together with him were the entire Shanghai treasury and official property, although not sparing a cent of the people, but all the government property was swept away, leaving only empty shell-like houses, and even some houses even carpets, flowers and plants were demolished. Qi Xieyuan, who was promoted to the town guard of Shanghai, was really a little disappointed, but Shanghai had it in his hands, what kind of escort envoy Yamen and so on was just a little money, Chang Zhenbang took it, anyway, his town guard made the yamen to be renovated.

Lu Yongxiang on the warship looked at the gradual departure to Shanghai, and couldn't help but shed tears, this is the city he has fought for, but he didn't expect to leave in such a hurry. As soon as he thought of this, his heart was jammed.

Chang Zhenbang said lightly: "Brother Lu, Shanghai is a birdcage made of pure gold for you, maybe if you leave Shanghai, you will have the day when you spread your wings and hate the world." ”

Lu Yongxiang glanced at him and said, "You're talking about Fujian!" ”

Chang Zhenbang said: "I know that I can't hide it from my brother, let's open the skylight and say something, Zhenbang has already discussed with the Navy Chief Sa Zhenbing, and Xiamen will be managed by the Navy Department as a naval city, and the two areas of Tingzhang are mine, as for the other areas, even if you Brother Lu knock it down, even if it is yours, if you can't beat it, it doesn't matter." There are many blank areas in Guangdong, Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, so naturally there is a place for the elder brother to protect the army! ”

Lu Yongxiang said: "Why do you do this? ”

Chang Zhenbang said: "I am not a descendant of Beiyang, so the Fujian government affairs system was given to Feng Guozhang, and now it is not a big deal to give half of Fujian's military affairs system to Duan Qirui, after all, people have no long-term worries and near-term worries." ”

Lu Yongxiang said: "After Lao Tzu pacifies Fujian, he won't listen to your command!" ”

Chang Zhenbang said: "Let's listen to the tune and not listen to the announcement!" ”

Lu Yongxiang looked at Chang Zhenbang curiously and said, "Aren't you afraid of raising tigers?" ”

Chang Zhenbang said: "People's hearts are exchanged for people's hearts, eight taels are exchanged for half a catty!" ”

……

After Chen Zhiji went to Hunan Province, after some operation, Wang Ruxian and Fan Guozhang actually sent a joint telegram: "I implore the President to order to solicit the opinions of the northern and southern provinces and agree to organize a legislature to decide on the fundamental law, so as to perpetuate and eliminate disputes." Subsequently, Chang Zhenbang, Chen Guangyuan, and Li Chun jointly proposed to stop the Hunan War, withdraw the Hunan Overseer Fu Liangzuo, improve the cabinet, and adjust the garrison of Ni Sichong's Anwu Army.

Duan Qirui's crusade against the Southern War was a complete failure.

This book was first published in Reading Books