The most dangerous moment for a bad regime is precisely the moment when it begins to reform. This is especially true in China www.biquge.info Without leaving a way back for the rulers to exit safely, which ruler would dare to concede to reform? Especially the Manchu government, they were alien and had blood on their hands. But to leave them a way out, which of those angry victims would agree? This is to blame for the fact that they have created too many iniquities.

With the further decline of the Manchu government and a series of humiliating acts, the Chinese people completely lost faith in this rotten regime.

The New Deal at the end of the Qing Dynasty was the last effort made by the dying imperial court, hoping that the revolution could be contained with reforms, and that the reform would go further and the revolution would retreat, which made some sense, but the false reform would inevitably lead to a real revolution, which the stupid Manchus did not expect.

The Qing court's brief announcement of the constitutionalism contained a clause that "power is under the control of the imperial court, and the government is public opinion", which is not so much a constitutionalism as a cloak of enlightened autocracy.

The subsequent "Outline of the King James Constitution" was copied from Japan's "Meiji Constitution", which was even more backward than the latter, stipulating that domestic and foreign affairs should still be ruled by the monarchy, interpreting the specific content of the so-called "power is unified in the imperial court"! Unfortunately, the Manchus obviously chose the wrong teacher and wanted to transplant Japan's rubbish political system, but they didn't know that Japan had set a very bad precedent for Asian countries in their political systems.

Guangxu issued an edict promulgating the outline of the constitution, "within nine years of preparation". From 1908 onwards, the deadline for the constitution was 1916. From indefinite to indefinite, it cannot but be said to be a progress, but the question is, tortoise and rabbit race, will the revolution wait for you for nine years?

Not to mention nine years, the time for the great revolution has entered the countdown. Only half a year, and no more than a year at most.

Moreover, in the process of promoting the constitution, the Qing court also showed a contradictory side, that is, Cixi followed the centralized strategy of recovering the power of the Han people after the Gengzi Incident. Yuan Shikai was secretly demoted by Mingsheng and taken from the position of governor of Zhili. The same goes for Jang Zhidong.

All this made the constitutionalists unhappy. For the constitutionalists, on the one hand, the establishment of the Senate gave them hope for a constitution, but on the other hand, they could not accept the nine-year preparatory period, and at this time, the local governors also began to support the call of the constitutionalists, calling for the establishment of a cabinet and parliament to ease the pressure of centralized power on the local government.

As a result, a large-scale petition to the National Assembly had been brewing for a long time, and some Manchu and Han governors also began to jointly perform telegraphs. When the Diet was called for to be convened quickly and a "responsible cabinet" was formed, the petition began to be carried out vigorously.

"What, the Revolutionary Party has co-opted you, and the revolution has succeeded in appointing you as a member of the cabinet?" Zhang Jian looked at Chen Wenqiang in surprise, and said in a low voice for a long time: "It's a big matter, be cautious, be cautious!" ”

"Elder Zhang. You are not sincere, I don't believe that the Revolutionary Party did not win you over. I didn't test you. Chen Wenqiang smiled disappreciatively, stretched out his hand and pointed to a few people present, "And you, you have a reputation and energy, will the Revolutionary Party let it go?" ”

This is a small western-style building on Nanyang Road, a quiet road parallel to the bustling and fashionable Nanjing West Road. It's called Xiyin Hall. And the owner of Xiyin Hall, Zhao Fengchang, a constitutional figure, once hid behind the scenes of Zhang Zhidong and raised his face to Zhang Zhidong, so he was nicknamed Mrs. Zhang Zhidong.

Don't look at Zhao Fengchang, who may not be so famous in history, but he has strong political power. It is also the think tank of the constitutionalists. As for the Eiyin Hall, it was one of the strongholds where the heads of the constitutionalist faction often met and discussed matters. Among them are the press, progressive business circles, and local old-timers such as Ma Liang (Ma Xiangbo), Zhang Jian (Ji Zhi), Zhao Fengchang (Zhujun), and so on.

The revolution that Chen Wenqiang hopes for is not a mountain of blood and a prolonged war in the ordinary sense, that is to say, the military revolution is indispensable, but it must be transformed into a political revolution and a social revolution as soon as possible. To this end, Chen Wenqiang also needs to contact and win over a group of politicians who are famous, well-connected, appealing, and politically skilled.

"The Revolutionary Party is gaining momentum in the southwest, and it is also getting closer to people of prestige in the government and the opposition." Zhao Fengchang smiled, did not deny it, paused, and said: "When Wen Qiang said this, even if he didn't agree, he must have a secret relationship with the Revolutionary Party." Otherwise, there would not have been such stability on the Eastern Front, and when you clashed with Macao and Portugal, the Revolutionary Party would probably take advantage of the situation to attack, right? ”

"There is such a tacit understanding in the local ceasefire." Chen Wenqiang did not hide it, and said: "I control the Guangdong Navy Division, turn a blind eye to Qinzhou's external maritime communications, and the revolutionary party does not make any efforts to develop eastward. If this were not the case, Guangdong might already be the territory of the Revolutionary Party. ”

"After that, paper can't hold the fire, how can the court never know?" Ma Liang asked with concern.

"And there is no written agreement, what am I afraid of?" Chen Wenqiang smiled faintly and said, "Besides, I know the situation of the war in the southwest better than you. Don't look at the fact that the revolutionary party is only in a corner, but it is developing rapidly, and the victory or defeat of the imperial court is still unknown. I am a hypocrisy and a false snake, on the one hand, I am waiting and seeing, and on the other hand, I am strengthening my strength. What the situation is in the future, I can also move forward and retreat freely. ”

"Wen Qiang always has a unique way of looking at people and things, and since he said so, I am afraid that the Revolutionary Party will really threaten the imperial court, and even change the dynasty." Zhao Fengchang groaned and said: "Don't hide it from you, the Revolutionary Party also has contacts with me and invited me to go south to serve in the military government. Of course, I politely declined. The Revolutionary Party did not have any difficulties for the strongmen, but often sent some documents and materials to the Xiyin Hall and asked me to read them and give my opinions. ”

"It's okay to read, it's okay to give opinions, and it's okay to speak." Chen Wenqiang reminded seemingly kindly.

"It's nature." Zhao Fengchang nodded with a smile and said: "There are indeed many elites in the Revolutionary Party, and they have overseas support, and maybe foreigners to help. If the imperial court wants to pacify them, I am afraid it will not be easy. Even, the Revolutionary Party may sweep across the south like the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, and occupy half of the country! ”

"If the Beiyang New Army can move southward in a big way, can the Revolutionary Party resist it?" Zhang Jian shook his head and said that he was not optimistic about the Revolutionary Party.

"Can the Beiyang New Army be loyal to the imperial court?" Chen Wenqiang pursed his lips and said, "I don't think so!" Anyway, that's what I think, no matter who wins, we have to be flexible now. The Southwest Revolutionary Party is no better than the League, but people have reserved a place for our monarchical faction, and our monarchical faction had better return the favor. If the Revolutionary Party can sweep the south in the future, we can either support it or watch from the sidelines, as long as we don't oppose them, we can always protect ourselves, right? In short, I think there is a contingency charter so that you don't have to rush when the time comes. ”

"It's a precautionary measure." Zhao Fengchang turned his inquiring gaze to everyone, looked at everyone nodding quickly or slowly, and said, "Then let's start discussing, be prepared!" Speaking of which, our force is still not enough, if we see the wrong situation and timing, it will be difficult to protect ourselves. ”

............ (To be continued.) )