On November 1, 1910, the night was gloomy, and the lights were still on in Yuan Shikai's study. Since seizing the central power, Yuan Shikai has been like this every day. It's not contemplation, it's just walking back and forth with hands behind your back. He never imagined that it would be so difficult to dominate the whole of China, where all kinds of chaotic situations were tangled together, and all the seemingly trivial conflicts of interest at first could eventually become major events that affected the situation. Except for a few people in the Beiyang Group, most people are not afraid of making things big at all, Yuan Shikai is proficient in officialdom, and he has already seen the problem. In the new Beiyang political system, everyone is trying to expand the scope of their authority, whether it is justified or not, and fight for it first. Anyway, now the Beiyang Group is now the largest political bloc in China, and everyone is not afraid of tossing at all.

But these people are not completely ignorant. First of all, they knew that they had to put Yuan Shikai on their heads. Second, these people are unwilling to provoke the BJP. Third, they don't choose to really choose risky jobs. Thinking of these subordinates, Yuan Shikai felt a headache.

Yuan Shikai made a limerick poem when he was a teenager, "The dragon and tiger in front of me can't fight, and the murderous spirit goes straight to the sky." I want to open my mouth to the sky and swallow Hu Tianjiao in one gulp. "Personally, he sees himself as a man who tries to achieve supremacy through his personal merits. However, after all these years of crawling in the officialdom, Yuan Shikai has long lost the youthfulness of the year. Politics has never been a system in which individual ability alone can command everything.

Before Cixi's death, Yuan Shikai felt that he had a lot of room to exert himself. was just held down by Cixi. As soon as Cixi died, Yuan Shikai understood that if there was no real recognition and help from Cixi back then, Yuan Shikai would not be able to do many things at all. This is the case in Beiyang now, and any of Yuan Shikai's orders are actually greatly reduced. Those who want to do things will immediately be pulled back by countless people.

It was Xu Shichang who came to Yuan Shikai's mansion tonight, and Xu Shichang came to ask for funds for reclamation in the Northeast. There is now a Northeast Governor above the four northeastern provinces, that is, Xu Shichang. Yuan Shikai was not willing to easily change the official system of the Manchu Qing Dynasty for the time being, but in fact, the political program of the autonomy of the provinces, the autonomy of the provinces, and the governors of the major regions above the provinces, such as the governors of the northeast, the governors of Liangguang, and the governors of Huguang, were meaningless. But Yuan Shikai refused to refute Xu Shichang's face, and still hoped to let his old friend Xu Shichang do it to the end.

Moreover, Yuan Shikai has also talked to Xu Shichang that once the autonomy of the provinces is completed, Xu Shichang will be appointed as the vice premier of the cabinet. The post of Prime Minister of the Cabinet is to be given to Prince Qing. Of course, Prince Qing is now in his last years, and Xu Shichang's correction is just a matter of sight. Xu Shichang also gladly accepted the kindness of his old friend Yuan Shikai.

But what I didn't expect at all was that with Xu Shichang's qualifications, he actually hit a wall in the new cabinet. Minister of Civil Affairs Zhao Bingjun and Minister of Industry, Agriculture and Commerce Zhang Jian did not want to embarrass Xu Shichang, but argued over who should be in charge of the expenditure of this fund.

The reclamation of the Northeast was proposed by Yuan Shikai, and now there are many people in the Guan, but the things outside the Guanxi are precisely the many people and few in the land. So Yuan Shikai recruited some willing people and organized them to go to the northeast to reclaim the famine. It's a real feat. Zhang Jian, Minister of Industry, Agriculture and Commerce, believed that since it was a state-led reclamation, it was a commercial activity and must be led by the state. He believes that there are few people who can achieve and many who fail. Moreover, there are too many oppressive things, so it is better to directly organize manpower in the state and turn land reclamation into farm construction. Pooling manpower and material resources, coupled with the support of the state, will be more effective.

In fact, this proposal is quite similar to the BJP's farm building. The fertile land of the BJP was distributed to the people, and the government contributed to the formation of large farms, recruited some people who were willing to work on the farms, and added a lot of support from the government. So far, it's been quite good.

However, Minister of Civil Affairs Zhao Bingjun thinks that Zhang Jian is meddling indiscriminately. Past experience has proved that if there is no government intervention, things can still be done, and as soon as the government intervenes, many things will immediately go out of shape. It's not beautiful.

This was a normal argument, but soon someone joined the argument between the two men, and things gradually developed towards a dispute between the two factions. Those who support the Ministry of Civil Affairs believe that in the future, all land reclamation will be under the control of the civil administration, while those who support the industrial, agricultural, and commercial departments believe that the state has supported this kind of behavior and it is best to achieve results as soon as possible. So state-led is the most effective.

Xu Shichang is a person who understands, and at a glance, he knows that the current matter has developed into a dispute between interest groups, so he hurriedly came to Yuan Shikai to ask Yuan Shikai to make a quick decision. The matter must not be allowed to continue to expand.

However, Xu Shichang was still a step late, because today Zhang Jian, Minister of Industry, Agriculture and Commerce, has made it clear that he is willing to personally manage the reclamation of the Northeast and must make the reclamation effective.

Yuan Shikai didn't want to make these things so anxious, his goal was to stabilize the situation first. Gradually straighten out the relationship. Xu Shichang's originally good things were suddenly disrupted. However, at this time, it was impossible for Yuan Shikai to change the arrangement. He had no choice but to let Xu Shichang take the money and leave first, and the follow-up procedures for this matter will wait for the matter to calm down.

If you have to say, in fact, Zhang Jian is not malicious, Beiyang is short of money now, and he hopes that every investment in money can produce the greatest effect. But at this juncture, it's not appropriate. Now that the world is far from the peaceful period, not to mention that the provinces have begun to have civil strife, the existence of the People's Party alone makes Yuan Shikai have to spend a lot of thought. But Beiyang seems to have forgotten the word sincere cooperation for a long time. They don't seem to know that politics requires cooperation.

In this regard, Yuan Shikai was very envious of Chen Ke. Chen Ke, a child, understood this completely at a young age. He did not follow the old-fashioned line, but started with the founding of the party and climbed all the way to his current position. Yuan Shikai inquired about the information of the People's Party in many ways, and the news sent back really shocked Yuan Shikai. Although the BJP does not promote its political ideas to the outside world, these things are not a secret that is tightly sealed.

"The working man is the master of the house", "opposition to exploitation", and the whole political system built around these core ideas have become increasingly clear in the BJP documents. Chen Ke's sentence "Who is our friend and who is our enemy is the primary question of the revolution." It has repeatedly appeared in many speeches, which cannot but attract Yuan Shikai's attention.

Yuan Shikai knew that the People's Party had the intention and ambition to seize the world. If it weren't for the fact that the People's Party really existed and became stronger and stronger, Yuan Shikai would never have believed that such a large number of people could be organized and maintained without relying on teachers and students, blood relations, and friendships alone, let alone that these young people would unite under the banner of "workers as masters".

If he hadn't seen Chen Ke, and if he hadn't known what Chen Ke had basically done after 1905, Yuan Shikai would not have imagined that such a "wonderful" organization as the People's Party could be compared with Beiyang. But he had to face the reality that the People's Party was booming, at a time when other provinces were in chaos, and when Yuan Shikai had tried his best to straighten out the internal relations of Beiyang. The People's Party has stabilized the situation in the four provinces step by step, and has made great progress in economic and political development.

Maybe it's good to kill Chen Ke, Yuan Shikai couldn't help but think. But he quickly pushed the idea out of his mind. There is no shortage of loyal fighters in the BJP, and whether an assassination operation is successful or not, it will lead to war. What is even more terrifying is that it triggers targeted retaliation by the BJP. If the People's Party assassins swarmed out, Beiyang would not be able to guarantee the safety of its senior cadres.

"It seems that the decisive battle with Chen Ke is not yet time." Yuan Shikai sighed secretly.

forcibly pulled his thoughts back, and Yuan Shikai had to continue to consider Beiyang's next arrangements. Cao Kun was reluctant to go to Shaanxi, and Yuan Shikai could not refute Cao Kun's face. The only one in Beiyang who can take charge of the situation is Duan Qirui. But this encountered another problem, whether Feng Guozhang, who took over Duan Qirui's position, had the ability to control the situation in Jiangnan. Zhejiang and Fujian are both next to the People's Party, and both provinces have Restoration Society. If the People's Party is determined to add chaos to Beiyang, I am afraid that this situation will not be maintained.

In the end, how to maintain the situation requires coming up with a political solution that is acceptable to all the provinces in Beiyang. That is how to form the provincial assemblies, how to function the provincial assemblies properly. In these aspects, the Beiyang Group itself is also arguing endlessly. Naturally, the military chiefs wanted the parliament to have no influence. However, the civil service was interested in the parliament, and they wanted the gentry to better coordinate the work of the government. It is also good to give the gentry a certain strength.

Now both sides hope to get Yuan Shikai's support, and Yuan Shikai is also in a dilemma. To be sure, Yuan Shikai didn't want anyone to share his power, but he now felt that the recent performance of the military leaders was very unsatisfactory.

After thinking about it, Yuan Shikai finally decided that since he had given the military leader so much power, it would never work without certain constraints. This is also one of Cixi's political tricks, and she will never let one side dominate. Yuan Shikai now understands why he couldn't fight this old lady back then. People really have the courage to let the people below do things, but they don't let the people below have the opportunity to complicity.

After confirming this matter, Yuan Shikai felt relaxed for a while. He presided over the constitution and was well versed in various political models. The reason for the indecision is that he did not make the final decision, once he has made a decision, Yuan Shikai uses his pen like the wind, and begins to write documents bit by bit.

The next day, Yuan Shikai convened a cabinet meeting and took out the program of the universal suffrage plan. In the Beiyang provinces, all men over the age of 18 with no criminal record have the right to vote and to stand for election. As for the details, it is natural that the civilian clique is responsible for this matter.

As soon as this decision came out, the Beiyang cabinet immediately became in an uproar.

"Duke Yuan, if this is the case, how should the authority of the provincial councils and governors be determined?" Justice Minister Shen Jiaben asked.

At present, all legal issues, including the constitution, are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, and although the Ministry of Justice is not a fat man now, the Ministry of Justice is in the hands of the Ministry of Justice.

Wang Shizhen asked lightly, "Are the governors of each province elected by the parliament or appointed by the central government?" ”

Although Wang Shizhen is not the spokesperson of the military leaders, Wang Shizhen feels obliged to ask this question clearly.

"This first term is temporarily appointed by the central government, as long as they are diligent in government and love the people, won't the people everywhere continue to elect them?" Yuan Shikai replied. This is also Yuan Shikai's sincere words, the governors of the provinces are in power, to what extent will this be overthrown by the parliament elected by the local gentry? If it really reaches this level, then it will be honestly overthrown and pulled down. Yuan Shikai didn't want to wipe his ass with this kind of waste.

Some of the cabinet members immediately showed joy on their faces, while others had gloomy faces. However, no one objected, everyone has been arguing about this matter for too long, and once Yuan Shikai makes up his mind, this will be the final decision. wants to overthrow Yuan Shikai's established plan, no one has the guts.

"Minister Shen, you hurry up and list the basic terms and bring them to the cabinet for deliberation." Yuan Shikai issued an order, "After it is agreed, it will be distributed to the Beiyang provinces." Other provinces have also issued it, as for whether they can do it or not, it depends on their own will. ”

Shen Jiaben immediately replied: "Yes! ”

Chen Ke received the notice in Jiangxi on November 29. He wanted to go to Anhui, but he couldn't rest assured that he would work in Jiangxi. So simply go straight from Hubei to Jiangxi. See the situation

Although Jiangxi is under military management, the political level of political commissar He Zudao and military commander Hua Xiongmao is no less than that of other cadres engaged in civil affairs. Before the departure of the cadres and fighters of the army, training in land reform was intensified. Jiangxi is poorer than Anhui, and the social contradictions are simpler. There are many opportunities for land reform work, needless to say, just by defeating the local tyrants and inferior gentry, and eradicating bandits from all walks of life, the preliminary land reform was completed in two percent of Jiangxi in one year.

The situation in the provinces is really completely different, and in Jiangxi, the troops found that there are many strange villages in many mountainous areas. The whole village turned out to be full of homesteaders. Due to the poor economic situation in the local area, the small villages are all yeoman farmers, with no clans, no ancestral halls, and no landlords. The masses discuss things when they have something, and they have nothing to do with their own lives. Although it is poor, there is no lack of order. The only problem is that there are "quasi-bandits" in this place.

In order to make a living, people everywhere had to devote themselves to a lot of business outside the home. There are a lot of vigilante groups of darts from all walks of life, and the dart industry began to evolve into asking for money to buy roads, and finally simply became professional bandits.

The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army has dealt with these bandits for more than a year, and the direct result of this is that the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army has changed from 50,000 men in two divisions to 100,000 in four divisions.

When making a report to Chen Ke, He Zudao's report clearly firmly grasped the main contradiction, and the criteria for identifying bandits were "for the sake of pleasure and money" and "for the sake of living and eating".

The former were definitely exploiters, and they were all put to death after a public trial. The latter also belongs to the object of salvation. The BJP simply incorporated them into the newly formed army. Of course, this can never be magnanimous. Anyone who has a bloody case in his hands, even if it is a minion, must be put to death after a public trial.

However, He Zudao was very disciplined, and for the vast number of captured bandits, the People's Party first organized and educated them. Let them realize that they are bandits, not because they are born badas, but because they are forced by life. These bandits simply cannot survive in their normal ways.

Hua Xiongmao talked to Chen Ke about this work, and he really admired it very much. "Zudao and the political commissars tell these people about this every day, although I know the whole plan, but I still don't know the bottom of my heart. However, after several grievance meetings, some new comrades are willing to change their past mistakes and become new people. Who has a murder in their hands and who has played what role in various looting operations. At first, everyone didn't talk much, but when this is summed up, a lot of things can be connected. In less than two months, more than half of Jiangxi's looting operations in the past three years have been arrested. This public trial was held, and it quickly gained prestige among the masses. ”

"Zhenglan, Zudao is careful in his work, and neither of us can compare." Chen Ke also smiled.

"Wen Qing, you're criticizing me." Hua Xiongmao said.

"That's right. You should learn more from the Foot Path. Chen Ke and Hua Xiongmao have always spoken very straight.

"I can't learn this thing, I've tried. Let me say I'm okay for a while, let me say I'm in a hurry for a long time. I'm really not a commissar. Hua Xiongmao never told Chen Ke nonsense.

Hua Xiongmao is so straightforward, Chen Ke is not strong, "You can't be the principal of the party school." You can't do school either. Military Academy, you have to arrest me. ”

"I think I'm okay with business." Hua Xiongmao believes that it is impossible not to show his own merits.

Jiangxi is so big, it is impossible to attack everywhere and defeat all the bandits. There are not enough troops, and many military operations are too costly, and they are also calculated.

Hua Xiongmao found another way and started the old business of the insurance group.

The "Insurance Group," the earliest armed force of the People's Party, had to say that it was "bandits who fought bandits." An organization that monopolizes logistics and bodyguards as an economic means to collect fixed taxes from controlled areas. Chen Ke did not expect the flood at first, and his original intention was to gradually infiltrate and monopolize the administrative and judicial affairs of the base areas through the formation of such organizations. As a result, the situation is stronger than people, but the People's Party directly transformed into a disaster relief start.

However, Jiangxi has many mountains, and although the flood problem is serious, there are few opportunities for flooding in the plains. Therefore, Hua Xiongmao simply dispersed his troops and began to grasp local power in the mode of "insurance regiment".

And He Zudao's vigorous transformation of the "former bandits" is fully integrated with this measure. Bandits have the advantage that things are clear everywhere. With these reformed fighters as local guides, the situation in many places is very easy to grasp.

Therefore, although Jiangxi is under military control, order can also be effectively established. And being a bodyguard also has some benefits, and you can fully understand the specific situation in each place. The situation in Jiangxi as a whole is not bad at all.