On the morning of October 19, 1911, the Taiji Hall of the Forbidden City in Beijing

As soon as the Empress Dowager Longyu got up, a eunuch reported that the regent Zaifeng Xie, the ministers of military aircraft, ****** Yixuan, Beile Yulang, Na Tong, and Xu Shichang asked to see him, and the Empress Dowager Longyu knew that it was a big deal and hurriedly ordered the eunuch to invite the regent Zaifeng and others into the Taiji Palace.

After a while, a eunuch led Zaifeng and a group of military ministers into the Taiji Palace, and Zaifeng led the ministers to kneel and bow: "The regent of Weichen Zaifeng knocked to see the Queen Mother, and the Queen Mother is Chitose Chitose Chitose. The ministers behind him also shouted Chitose. Empress Dowager Longyu said: "The regent hurry up, the mourning family told you that these false gifts will be waived." Rise up, gentlemen. After thanking them, they stood up.

The Empress Dowager Longyu said again: "Is there anything wrong with looking for the mourning family in the morning?" It would be good if the political affairs were handled by the regent and the adults, and a woman in the mourning family did not understand government affairs. Zaifeng said: "There is a big event, please make a decision on the Queen Mother." The Empress Dowager Longyu asked, "What's going on again?" Zaifeng said: "This morning, the British ships of the Yangtze River and the naval commander Sa Zhenbing sent a telegram saying that the rebel army in Yinchang had been defeated in a battle with the rebels last night. ”

The Empress Dowager Longyu was shocked: "What! Defeated! What can I do? Yin Chang misled the country! Yin Chang misled the country! Zaifeng defended: "This can't be blamed on Yin Chang, he also sent me a telegram yesterday that Feng Guozhang of the Second Army did not listen to the order, ignored Yin Chang's marching order, and stopped his troops at Hukou. Empress Dowager Longyu said: "What can I do then?" Do you want to reactivate Yuan Shikai? Zaifeng said: "Only the first town of the six towns in Beiyang is mostly banner people who can still listen to orders, and the other five towns are all in violation of the orders of the imperial court, and only Yuan Shikai can command the move, although Yuan Shikai has become a big trend, but no one can set the country and the country is in a state of malaise, and only Yuan Shikai can be reactivated." The Empress Dowager Longyu waved her hand weakly, leaned on the couch and said, "The regent will look at it." Zaifeng looked at the Empress Dowager Longyu and sighed, thanked him and led the ministers of military aircraft to the military aircraft department.

Because of his opposition to many of Yuan Shikai's new policy measures, and because of the Wuxu coup, he suspected that Yuan Shikai had betrayed the reformers, resulting in Guangxu being imprisoned to death by the Empress Dowager Cixi, and hated Yuan Shikai very much, and immediately dismissed Yuan Shikai from his official position after becoming the regent. Yuan returned to Henan, initially living in seclusion in Huixian and then to Anyang. The current state affairs can not tolerate Zaifeng's prejudice against Yuan Shikai, the British ship telegram just said to the Empress Dowager Longyu is not only the defeat of Yinchang, but also the telegram of Zhu Erdian, the consul general of the British Consulate, threatening that the situation in China is out of control only Yuan Shikai, Zaifeng inherited Cixi's weakness, and was afraid that although the foreigners hated Yuan Shikai so much, they had to reactivate Yuan Shikai.

In fact, when he sent troops to suppress the Wuchang uprising, Zaifeng sent someone to appoint Yuan Shikai as Yinchang's deputy, but Yuan Shikai refused to be called because of the recurrence of his foot disease. When Zaifeng returned to the military aircraft department, he asked people to draft an edict appointing Yuan Shikai as the governor of Huguang, and the governor to discuss the rebellion.

Although it is very big in this Forty-Nine Emperor City, it is difficult to hide a little thing. Zaifeng had just issued Yuan Shikai's edict in the morning, and by noon it was already in a big uproar. At this time, Prince Gong's Mansion had already turned upside down, and a group of nobles from the clan who carried the characters and Puzi got together and scolded Yuan Shikai for being Cao Cao, and the regent for being a traitor. Among them, the most ferocious one is Xiaogong Wang Puwei, who said loudly: "The imperial court's reuse of Yuan Shikai is self-destructive, and we, as the descendants of Aixin Jueluo, cannot watch this Qing dynasty be taken away by Yuan Shikai, Cao Cao." The Queen Mother and the Prince Regent must have listened to the demagogy of the traitorous ministers who were attached to Yuan Shikai to make such a mediocre policy, how can I wait for the emperor to be the emperor as a clan family, do you dare to enter the palace with me to confess to the Queen Mother and the regent. ”

The children of all the clans are all wine bags and rice bags, and they are all powerful families who have become the demon kings of the mixed world. So Pu Wei led a group of always children out of Prince Gong's mansion, and let the servants carry the sedan chair to the palace. Entering the palace, the guards and eunuchs did not dare to stop them when they saw that there were many people and the children of the ruling clan, so they rushed to report to the Empress Dowager Longyu and Zaifeng.

Zaifeng heard that Prince Gong was making trouble in the palace and was walking towards the Taiji Palace, so he hurriedly went out of the military plane and ordered someone to carry him to the Taiji Palace, striving to intercept Xiao Gong Wang Puwei and his party on the road, so as not to disturb the Empress Dowager Longyu by these demon kings of the mixed world. But in the end, it was too late, and Zaifeng heard bursts of noise and the cry of the Empress Dowager Longyu at the gate of the Taihe Palace, among which Pu Wei's voice was the loudest.

The Empress Dowager Longyu has a docile temperament, to be precise, she is a little cowardly, and she has no opinions when she encounters something. Now I am extremely aggrieved by Xiaogong, Wang Puwei and others, and I am not good at arguing with others, I can only cry, where is there still a little bit of the queen mother's majesty. Zaifeng saw that this was repaid, where did they put the royal face. Zaifeng immediately raised his feet and entered the Taihe Hall and said angrily: "What kind of system have you become, are there any national laws and family rules in your eyes, and are there any condescension and humility." Zaifeng has always been known for his gentleness, and he didn't even kill Wang Jingwei, who assassinated him, but after all, it was the regent, and everyone was so frightened that they didn't dare to speak out when they saw Zaifeng's anger. Zaifeng blasted them all out and confessed to the Empress Dowager Longyu: "Weichen's death penalty has frightened the Empress Dowager." Empress Dowager Longyu said: "It has nothing to do with the regent, their clans have always been like this. Hey, look at the current Eight Banners where they still have the bravery when they entered the customs, and there is not even a person who can lead the troops. Now we orphans and widows can't control the scene, and the state affairs depend on the regent. Zaifeng sang the promise repeatedly, and hurriedly said that the Queen Mother wanted to save her body, and went out after chatting.

There was only the Empress Dowager Longyu left in the Taihe Palace, and the Empress Dowager Longyu looked around the empty hall and couldn't help but think of her misfortune, and couldn't help but burst into tears.

Not to mention that the Empress Dowager Longyu lamented self-injury, and the current Yuan Shikai is also mixed. At the same time that Zaifeng received the news of the defeat of the Hukou army, Yuan Shikai also received a telegram from Zhu Erdian, the consul general of the British Consulate, and learned of the defeat of the rebel army, Yuan Shikai did not know whether to be happy or angry. I am glad that I finally have a chance to make a comeback, but I am worried that Feng Guozhang's second army is also in the defeat this time, which is composed of the fifth town of his descendant Beiyang New Army.

Yuan Shikai instructed Feng Guozhang to stand still, but he didn't want Yinchang to succeed, and Yuan Shikai was disdainful of the revolutionary party's army. Yuan Shikai thought that it was not enough for the revolutionary army to be a rabble, but their uprising this time had built a platform for himself to come back, so he ordered Feng Guozhang to hold his troops so that the imperial court could reactivate himself, but Yuan Shikai was still very confident in the combat effectiveness of the Beiyang New Army. Who knew that the situation turned out of Yuan Shikai's expected range, not only Yin Chang couldn't stop the revolutionary army, but even Feng Guozhang couldn't stop it.

Yuan Shikai immediately summoned his staff Yang Shiqi to discuss countermeasures. Yang Shiqi said: "Gong Bao don't have to worry, Feng Guozhang will be defeated if he loses, although it is beyond our expectations, but it will help Gong Bao a lot to come back, and the voice of Gong Bao going out of the mountain will definitely be much less in the court." Since the rebel army has been defeated, the holy decree of the palace protector to invite the palace guard to leave the mountain is also on the way. Yuan Shikai said: "Although Xingcheng (Yang Shiqi's words) is reasonable, but the towns of Beiyang are my hard work, and I am unwilling to lose in Hankou." ”

Yang Shiqi said again: "Gong Bao is right. The success of the revolutionary party's uprising in Wuchang will inevitably stimulate the revolutionary parties in other places, and they will follow Wuchang's example and launch a rebellion. There must also be a constitutionalist faction joining this force, and Tang Hualong in Hubei is the representative. Therefore, the revolutionary party's rebellion cannot be suppressed by the six towns of Beiyang and some old military pressure alone, and the key is to see how much we can benefit from it. Yuan Shikai heard his interest and said busily: "Xingcheng went on to say what is good for us. ”

Yang Shiqi said: "After the revolutionary party riots succeed, the provinces will respond, but the constitutionalists in the provinces are the most powerful, so the people in power in most provinces must be constitutionalists rather than revolutionary parties." What does the revolutionary party have? If you want guns without guns, you want food without food, like duckweed without roots, it can only be prosperous for a while, but not for a lifetime. Kung Bao thought about whether these constitutionalists would defect to Sun Wen, a revolutionary party without guns and no pay, or whether they would defect to Kung Bao, who was strong and had the support of foreigners. When the Republic of China is established, the palace guards will rely on the strength of our Beiyang towns and the support of foreigners, and the first president of the Republic of China will be the palace guard. ”

Yuan Shikai laughed and said: "Okay, Xingcheng's words can solve the worries in my heart, then the revolutionary party in Wuchang will let them toss...... Yang Shiqi said again: "Gong Bao can't." Yuan Shikai was puzzled: "Why?" Yang Shiqi said: "Just now I just said that the revolutionary party succeeded, if the revolutionary party does not succeed, the palace guard should use the thunder to exterminate the rebellion, to express the palace guard's loyalty to the court and the world." Moreover, even if the revolutionary party succeeded, the palace guard would threaten the revolutionary party with a large army to make the revolutionary party give in. Therefore, Gong Bao should send troops to Henan and make a large army to suppress the territory. "Yuan Shikai Dayue greatly rewarded Yang Shiqi and waited for the imperial decree in Anyang.

Sure enough, before it was dark, the holy decree arrived, and Yuan Shikai received the holy decree and returned to Beijing to thank him.

Since Yin Chang and Feng Guozhang's rebel army was defeated by Sun Wei at Hukou, Yin Chang and Feng Guozhang were like lost dogs, and they did not dare to stay in Hubei for a moment. It was not until October 20 that Yin Shichang and Feng Guozhang retreated into Henan and were stationed in the strategic Chongxinyang to replenish the lost baggage ammunition.

After they had calmed down and counted their troops, they found that there were less than 20,000 of the 40,000-strong troops left at the time of the expedition, and most of them had fled to the death. In fact, Feng Guozhang was unconvinced, he felt that he was wronged.

The commanders of the opposing side clearly did not understand military affairs, and the army was all attacking in a swarm, thanks to the high morale and large-caliber artillery. However, even if the enemy's morale was high and there were large-caliber artillery, Feng Guozhang was not afraid, and Feng Guozhang was still confident in his command ability.

But as the saying goes, if you are not afraid of an opponent like a wolf, you are afraid of a teammate like a pig. Feng Guozhang believed that if Yin Chang's troops had not broken up their barracks, even if the other side had large-caliber artillery, he would not have been defeated so badly. Feng Guochang is very entangled now and doesn't know how to meet Yuan Shikai.

At this time, Yuan Shikai did not have the energy to take care of Feng Guozhang, but only sent a telegram to ask them to be stationed in Henan to rest the team. Now Yuan Shikai is fighting hard in the Taiji Palace, and forced the Chun Court to agree to the six conditions put forward by Yuan Shikai by strong means: convening the Congress, reorganizing the cabinet, tolerating the Wuchang revolutionaries, lifting the prohibition on the party and mass organizations since the Wuxu Reform, making up military salaries, and so on.

After the six conditions were proposed, Yuan Shikai's heart has been revealed, he neither wants to prostrate at the feet of the Qing royal family, nor does he want to take refuge in the revolutionaries to share a piece of the scraps, he has had enough of the days of looking at people's faces and acting like acts, he wants to take advantage of the Wuchang Uprising to shake the thunder and create a reformist Chinese empire that belongs to him.

On the one hand, it is the revolutionary party that wants to love Xinjueluo, and on the other hand, Yuan Shikai, who wants power, the lesser of two evils is to ask Yuan Shikai for perfection, so that the country that loves Xinjueluo can survive.

Yuan Shikai forced Chunting to compromise and immediately returned to the army, reorganized the old department, and prepared to make a big effort in order to strive for more benefits in the future negotiations between the north and the south.

On the same day, Yuan Shikai telegraphed Duan Qirui to be the commander of the First Army of the Rebel Army, commanding the Fourth Town and the Seventh Town of the Provisional Army stationed in Henan, and stationed troops in Xinyang to wait for orders. Yuan Shikai reorganized the remnants of the original rebel army into the second army of the rebel army, deposed the defeated Feng Guozhang, and appointed Wang Shizhen as the commander of the second army.

When the Qing army was defeated, the naval fleet avoided the disaster in Jiujiang, and now Yuan Shikai ordered the Sa Zhen Bingshuai fleet to reassemble in Wuhan.

After arranging everything, Yuan Shikai stayed in Beijing for a few days, on the one hand, waiting for the reorganization of the army and the recovery of morale, and on the other hand, entertaining the princes and nobles and important ministers of the court who had their hearts on Yuan Shikai, in order to thank them for their support to him. In the past few days in Beijing, Yuan Shikai also visited Wang Jingwei, who is famous throughout the country for his assassination of Zaifeng and was sentenced to life imprisonment, and greatly appreciated Wang Jingwei's courage and character, and became friends with Wang Jingwei. This revolutionary who put down his arrogance of "leading the knife into a fast and living up to the head of the youth" is also a confidant of Yuan Shikai, and he has a very happy conversation with Yuan Shikai.

On the afternoon of October 20, Wang Shizhen went to Xinyang, met with Yin Chang and Feng Guozhang, and conveyed Yuan Shikai's meaning. Feng Guozhang saw that Wang Shizhen was coming, and suddenly had a feeling of finding an organization, and poured bitter water on Wang Shizhen, trying to show how unlucky he was, how aggrieved he was defeated, and how wronged he was removed from his position, and finally asked Wang Shizhen to help him say a few more kind words in front of Yuan Shikai.

For the sake of the old buddies for many years, Wang Shizhen took it all to herself, patted Feng Guozhang's chest and said that she would definitely help Feng Guozhang say a few good words in front of Yuan Shikai. (To be continued.) )