Since 1901, Sun W and later the League have repeatedly purchased arms from Japan with the assistance of the Black Dragon Society and smuggled them back to China to finance the anti-Qing uprising. Pen "Fun" Pavilion www.biquge.info

Under the Qing court's negotiations, the United States, Britain, France, and other countries reached an understanding with the Qing court, restricting their merchants from selling arms to Chinese non-official persons and organizations. However, the Japanese military (Shen Ben No. 2) has been secretly supporting the Black Dragon Society to help the League buy weapons, and for this reason, the Qing court has been keeping an eye on the actions of the Japanese trading companies. Therefore, it is not surprising that the "Nichen Maru" was seized.

And for the weakness and incompetence of the Qing court, Chen Wenqiang was also psychologically prepared. Afraid of the ocean like a tiger, and has no talent or courage. If the case is carefully investigated and the relevant favorable provisions of international law are used to refute it, even if it cannot succeed because of its weak status, it can still establish a new image in the international community and make other countries have a different perception and impression.

On the contrary, under the intimidation of foreign countries, the Qing court repeatedly backed down, which not only brought humiliation on itself, but also aroused strong dissatisfaction among the Chinese people.

The "Nichen Maru" case is not just as simple as seizing a smuggling ship. Complying with all the unreasonable coercion against Japan not only involves the country's face and national self-esteem, but also leaves an even greater hidden danger, that is, the issue of demarcation of Macao. If the outcome of the "Nichen Maru" case is satisfactory to the Japanese, it will be a disguised recognition that the sea area and area where it is located belong to Macao, and the coastal rights it has received belong to Portugal.

The impact is unfavorable and long-term, and Chen Wenqiang and the think tank have analyzed and researched and made accurate judgments. But he hasn't made a move, just paying attention, just contacting and secretly arranging.

When the Qing government went so far as to accept all of the five unreasonable demands of the Japanese side, the warships of the Qing Army's naval division on the waters of the Jiuzhou Ocean released the Japanese merchant ship "Nichen Maru" in the Jiuzhou Ocean in accordance with the terms proposed by Japan, and fired 21 cannons to apologize to the "Nichen Maru." When the news came out, the whole country was ashamed. Chen Wenqiang made a move.

The Cantonese Entrepreneurs Autonomous Association took the lead in attacking, held a meeting of tens of thousands of people, designated the day as the "National Shame Day", and burned Japanese goods on the spot. It was also decided to promote the movement to safeguard sovereignty and boycott Japanese goods. Within three days, the Shanghai General Chamber of Commerce, the Hankou Chamber of Commerce, the Hong Kong Chinese Chamber of Commerce, and the Nanyang Chinese Entrepreneurs Association responded one after another. A two-year boycott of Japanese products began.

The boycott was launched so quickly and so widely, even in Shanghai and Hankow, that it was stronger than in Guangzhou, where it was first launched.

First of all, the Shanghai Chinese Association issued a call for dock workers to refuse to carry and load the goods of Japanese ships; Then there were hundreds of porters in Hankou, Ningbo, and Nanhai County, Guangdong, who refused to load and unload the coal transported by Japanese ships, which set a precedent for a comprehensive boycott in Guangdong Province.

From the port to the mainland, the boycott movement spread at an alarming rate. Among them, Shanghai, Hunan, Hubei and Guangdong are the most active and enthusiastic.

The Chinese in Hong Kong, on the other hand, behaved more radically, and the newspapers also made anti-Japanese remarks after reporting the news of the "Nichenmaru incident". As a result, the Chinese in Hong Kong rose up one after another to participate in the boycott of Japanese goods, destroying the shops selling the goods and besieging the warehouses in Sai Wan that stored Japanese goods. This was the first anti-Japanese patriotic movement set off by the people of Hong Kong.

The Nanyang Chinese Entrepreneurs Association contacted branches in Java, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi and Pontianak to actively participate in the boycott movement. And through the newspaper, he called on the Nanyang Chinese to refuse to buy Japanese goods. Refuse to sell Japanese goods and refuse to serve Japanese people......

“…… The boycott movement is becoming a sophisticated and mature weapon for the Chinese, especially for Chinese businessmen. First the United States, then the United Kingdom, and now it is Japan's turn. The main reason for the rejoicing in the boycott was the rise of patriotic sentiment on the one hand, and economic interests on the other. It's not hard to see. Each boycott has squeezed out the Chinese market for the goods of the boycotted country, replacing them with either Chinese factories or ...... from other countries."

"A non-violent boycott movement is clearly not easy to provide a pretext for the boycotted country to resort to force; And this kind of spontaneous movement of the people, the official suppression has little effect. As for the other powers. They will be very wise to stay out of the situation, and even deliberately create anti-Japanese sentiment in China to squeeze out Japanese forces in order to reap the benefits of fishermen......"

"China's industrial and commercial community is growing, and what is even more terrifying is their unity. And the boycott movement seems to be quickly gaining widespread support from Chinese, including overseas Chinese. It is impossible to create such a momentum without unified command, unified action, careful planning, propaganda and agitation......"

"The boycott of Japanese goods was supposed to be in Guangdong alone, but Shanghai and Hankou came from behind and quickly set off in the interior of Hunan and Hubei provinces, and the result is intriguing......

Perhaps in response to speculation from the outside world, the industries controlled by Chen Wenqiang, such as the Hanyang Iron Works, Daye Iron Works, Pingxiang Coal Mine, Synthetic Pharmaceutical Factory, and Fengxiang Textile and Garment Factory, published announcements in newspapers to cut off all commercial contacts with Japan from now on, and neither sold their products and raw materials to Japan, nor did they buy any Japanese goods.

At the beginning of the boycott, Japan was not to be outdone, and the Japanese minister Lin Zhuquan forced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with Yuan Shuxun, the governor of Guangdong, to strictly prohibit Cantonese merchants from boycotting Japanese goods. However, the boycott of Japanese shipments continued to expand, and Shotaro Abe, the acting Japanese minister in Beijing, again "protested" to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Qing court, and also demanded that the Qing court claim 210,000 yuan in compensation for the "Nichen Maru" case.

When the boycott movement spread rapidly at home and abroad, and the anti-Japanese sentiment of the Chinese people became increasingly high, and the people in Guangzhou were indignant, the Japanese consul in Guangzhou sent a note to the governor of Liangguang, agreeing to revoke the demand for compensation in the "Nichen Maru" case.

However, Japan's slight concession did not affect the breadth and depth of the boycott movement. In less than a month, the import of Japanese goods at Guangzhou port alone has decreased by nearly 5 million yuan. If we add the rest of the country, as well as Hong Kong and Nanyang, Japan's merchandise exports have fallen by nearly 26 million yuan.

As a strong supporter, planner, and agitator of the boycott of Japanese goods, Chen Wenqiang finally ended his trip to Hunan and Hubei and bid farewell to Zhang Zhidong.

"Wen Qiang, everything should be done in moderation, and it is not a good thing to offend the Japanese to death." Zhang Zhidong reminded worriedly: "In Shanghai, Hankou, Hunan, Hubei and Guangdong, the boycott movement is the most intense. Did you also order the railway patrol officers to charge additional Japanese cents in shops in towns and cities along the railway, as well as passengers traveling with Japanese goods? There are also announcements in the newspapers, but your identity as the mastermind is exposed. ”

"Thank you for the reminder." Chen Wenqiang smiled faintly and said: "In fact, this movement to Japan has long been wanted by the lower officials, but there is no excuse. Now the Japanese themselves have sent it to the door, just to blow their arrogance. Even if the Japanese knew that the lower officials were actively advocating and promoting it, what could they do? If they do not compromise and make concessions, there will be no deadline for the movement to arrive in Japan, even if only my family is left to resist. What's more, the conclusion of the Erchen Pill case will also affect the boundary survey of Macao, and the hidden dangers are extremely great, so we must not worry about it! ”

"You've told Motobu about all of this, and Benbu Hall thinks so." Zhang Zhidong smiled bitterly and said, "But things don't have to be so decisive, especially you, don't have to be so positive and eye-catching!" ”

Chen Wenqiang shook his head lightly and said, "My lord also knows that it is the colleagues of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce who are contacted by the lower officials, as well as the Nanyang Chinese Entrepreneurs Association, if you only say it and don't do it, how can you call on everyone?" ”

Zhang Zhidong sighed lightly and said: "Forget it, this matter is not under the control of the Ministry Hall, and you are not a person who is scheming, the Ministry Hall believes that you have your own way." You are in a hurry to leave for Guangdong, and the headquarters will not keep you, anyway, all the arrangements have been made, in Hunan, I am afraid that no one can shake you. ”

Although Chen Wenqiang's request was not fully agreed to by Zhang Zhidong, the industrial relocation adjustment, coupled with Zhang Zhidong's care as much as possible, Chen Wenqiang's power in Hunan is stable. Not only did he get the post of patrol policeman, but also Quanye Dao, the General Office of the Hunan Provincial Garrison Army, the General Office of the Hunan Provincial Railway Supervision, the General Office of the Hunan Provincial Lijin Bureau, and the assistant of the Huguang New Army Training Office, which can be regarded as a lot of weight.

All in all, most of Chen Wenqiang's goals were achieved, and although Zhang Zhidong also had a lot of cronies in various departments, Chen Wenqiang was not too worried about their containment and surveillance.

Because of Zhang Zhidong's departure, Chen Wenqiang certainly lost a reliable helper and an unfamiliar boss in Huguang Province; But without Zhang Zhidong in charge, Chen Wenqiang can also gradually remove or transfer out of his unreliable elements.

Chen Wenqiang's retreat to Hunan was not only safe, but also avoided a direct conflict with the new governor of Wuchang. Moreover, Zhang Zhidong also summoned many former officials, including Zhang Biao, the commander of the eighth town, and Li Yuanhong, the commander of the mixed association, to feast and drink with Chen Wenqiang, which brought everyone closer to each other, so that they could take care of them more in the future. That is to say, in Hubei, around the new governor, there are also civilian and military generals who speak for Chen Wenqiang and support him.

The official level crushes people to death, which is a statement that excludes personal strength. What Zhang Zhidong said was not excessive, he controlled most of the New Army's food and salary, controlled the weapons and ammunition of the New Army, and had patrol police and a nominal garrison in his hands, Chen Wenqiang's position in Hunan was indeed stable.

"Adults have cultivated hard, and Wen Qiang is unforgettable." Chen Wenqiang got up with some emotion and took a deep look, hesitated for a moment, and then said in a deep voice: "Your Excellency may not know the reason why Wen Qiang is in a hurry to return to Guangdong, but there seems to be an abnormal movement in Macao and Portugal, and Wen Qiang has to rush back to sit in town." During the riots in the southwest, the Guangdong army was almost completely evacuated, and the police under the command of the subordinate officials could only be counted on to maintain law and order and resist foreign aggression. ”

Zhang Zhidong couldn't help but be surprised, stared at Chen Wenqiang for a long time, frowned, and asked: "Macao and Portugal are moving, but they want to use troops to start a war?" The riots in the southwest have not subsided, and there is a conflict with foreigners, I'm afraid it's not a good strategy, you have to be cautious, don't act like Meng Lang! ”

……………… (To be continued.) )