The Qing New Deal, which began to be implemented from 1903 to 1905, was the last and most serious Western-style reform of the Qing Dynasty, but this reform could only be carried out by administrative means.

"In the name of the New Deal, it is actually moneyist." Almost all the names of the New Deal, from running the police to establishing local autonomy, checking the household registration and measuring land, have become opportunities for officials to take advantage of the opportunity to accumulate wealth, and all kinds of land surcharges and taxes are directly named in the name of the New Deal.

It should be said that although the implementation of the New Deal is very different in terms of process, it is the same as the goal of the revolution in the general direction, and it is a Western-style reform toward modernization. However, resentment over this reform became the starting point for a larger change with the same goal, which was unimaginable for both the Qing court and the people.

Since then, the huge pressure of reparations and foreign debt has made the people's ability to bear the economic burden very vulnerable, and the increasingly bloated and ineffective bureaucracy can hardly bear the burden of reform. Unfortunately, the Qing government dragged itself to a terminal point of illness before carrying out reforms, and society simply could not afford to bear the increasing costs of reform.

Despite seeing the inevitability of this historical development, Chen Qiang did not think that the overthrow of the Manchu Qing would be easy, and he also had reservations about the League that was being prepared in Tokyo.

As the old proverb goes, "If a talented person rebels, it will not be achieved in ten years", and the "alliance" composed of talented people and others corresponds to this proverb. Although the talents are full of ideals and enthusiasm for transforming the country, these enthusiastic young people do not have the slightest strength in their hands. Although they tried to seek a multiplier of power from the modern social theories and science and technology they had mastered, the program they were about to put forward did not convince Chen Qiang.

It's full, it's still full. Although the resistance of the Han people was reduced and the area of attack was narrowed, everyone thought that as long as the "Tartars" were expelled, everything would be fine and the revolution would succeed. But because of this, the later revolution ended there. It's like a reflection. The high of the mind determines the distance of the action.

The "equal land rights" represent the voice of overseas Chinese who are divorced from the interests of domestic land, but for the majority of members of the domestic landlord class, it is a major issue closely related to their vital interests. Differences, irreconcilable. The final split, the law of development of things seems to determine the final outcome.

Besides, from the telegram that Chen Qiang received from the Tokyo branch from Shanghai, this alliance in preparation made him feel more and more strange.

Look, revolutionary thoughts. A sample of democracy originating in the United States; The example of the revolution is the achievements of Japan's Restoration; The venue for the revolutionary activities was sponsored by the friendship of the Black Dragon Society, a Japanese non-governmental invasion organization of China. Funds for revolutionary activities will also be raised from overseas Chinese, and there may also be quasi-official financial aid from Japanese opposition figures at the behest of the Japanese government...... Is it embarrassing to mention the word "aggression" in such a relationship?

The closer he was with Japan, the more disgusted Chen Qiang became. If you don't say anything else, if you know about the War of Resistance Against Japan, you will definitely not have a good impression of the Japanese.

Therefore, Chen Qiang expressed his position in a telegram to the Shanghai headquarters, "Linking but not agreeing." remain independent". In the telegram, he did not forget to remind Song Jiaoren that he should keep the secrets of the Revival Society and only let the Tokyo branch have contact with the League.

The boat rocked slightly for a while, then calmed down again. Chen Qiang stood on the deck, the remnant sun shone golden sunlight, and the sea in the distance also changed color.

Before returning to Shanghai, Chen Qiang went, not only to send a telegram to Shanghai, but also to take the opportunity to get benefits from Yu Chunxuan. The decree has not arrived, but the telegram has arrived. The alliance between Yixuan and Yuan Shikai won the first victory in the party struggle, that is, the transfer of Cen Chunxuan to the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou, and "there was no need to come to Beijing for training".

Cen Chunxuan was obviously reluctant to go to a poor place like Yungui to be a governor, because it would keep him away from the center of power (which was exactly what Yixuan wanted). But he had no way to resist the decree. I could only make up my mind to temporarily avoid Shanghai, not to go to work on the grounds of medical treatment, and wait for the planning and help of Qu Hongzhen in the DPRK.

And Cen Chunxuan, who was about to step down, naturally had a similar idea of "having the right not to use it, and it will be invalid when it expires", and tried his best to get along with Chen Qiang, a newcomer of the constitutionalists, and it was more convenient to stay in Shanghai. Among them. Wan Fuhua, who donated his official body, was appointed as the development supervisor of Qiongzhou, and his power was not small; Newly immigrant immigrants in Qiongzhou do not pay taxes for two years and are naturalized by the government; Guangdong Customs implements preferential tax treatment for machinery and materials imported from various ports in Yazhou......

It can be said that Chen Qiang's second visit to Cen Chunxuan was very good and he got a lot of unexpected gains. And these harvests will undoubtedly create a lot of convenience and reduce a lot of trouble for Qiongzhou's operation.

"Big brother." Ah Mao walked over, holding the telescope that Chen Qiang had asked for from the cabin.

Chen Qiang took the binoculars, looked into the distance, and said slowly: "Returning to Shanghai is the final stage of testing you." Haven't killed anyone, have you? It's not easy to pass the psychological barrier! ”

Ah Mao thought for a while and said, "Although I haven't killed anyone, I've seen a lot of dead people, and this level is not difficult." ”

"It's still different." Chen Qiang put down the binoculars and said earnestly: "Neither panic because of killing, nor happiness because of the pleasure of killing." Actually, I would rather be a warrior than a killer. ”

A cat was a little confused, guessing and asked, "Warrior? Is it just to be a soldier and fight, that is not the same as killing? ”

"Huh." Chen Qiang patted Ah Mao's shoulder and said with a smile: "If you are a warrior, you will be above board when you kill people on the battlefield, and the more you kill, the more heroic you are." Killers are different, they don't come across in the first place. Hero, you'll have to come up with a loud name! ”

Ah Mao scratched his head embarrassedly and snorted: "Big brother is making fun of me, where will I become a hero?" ”

"If you have this heart, no matter how hard you put in, why can't you succeed?" Chen Qiang said earnestly: "The reason why I took you back to Shanghai is because you still have some things that you don't know, and you still need a good assistant." Don't think that it is easy to hide in the distance and let go of the cold gun, you have to kill with one hit, especially in a complex environment, you can catch that fleeting opportunity, you are the real master. ”

"I understand." Ah Mao nodded, not knowing whether he really understood or was casually perfunctory.

Chen Qiang smiled slightly. I don't go into details. The defect of a cat is in the knowledge of chemistry, especially in the calculation of numbers, if you do not make up for it, there will be deviations in the calculation of distance, estimation of wind speed and wind direction, etc. Other words. In a simple environment, a cat can be called a sniper; The more complicated the environment, the less powerful he will be.

In addition to these, a qualified observer is also necessary. A standard two-man sniper team, which was also original at the time. Chen Qiang also specified the specifications and shapes. A batch of monocular scopes was ordered from Carl Zeiss in Germany, hoping to be converted into more professional sniper rifles in their own factory.

The more such well-planned and well-planned arrangements were, the more Chen Qiang looked down on the scattered and scattered party armed forces, and did not have great hopes for the form of the revolutionary alliance that the League would adopt in the form of a "revolutionary group-party armed group."

Whether it is relying on the friendship sponsorship of the party or relying on the talents to go into battle shirtless, there is little hope of success. Because judging from Chen Qiang's horns, these two people are not professionals engaged in violent struggle. Yes, that is, the professional should be the right one, and the amateur one is not good.

Rather, it is necessary to have the large-scale participation of professionals who are fighting violently. The first is to recruit and train their own troops, and the second is to develop the new army. Chen Qiang has always implemented this kind of professional thinking and never gave up or changed.

In terms of political and economic affairs, the Renaissance Society has Song Jiaoren and Chen Qiang, but there are military shortcomings. Chen Qiang temporarily maintained the daily training of the newly established armed forces by employing Germans, but this was far from enough. In this regard, Chen Qiang has been looking for and developing through the members of the Revival Association.

And when he returned to Shanghai this time, Chen Qiang was going to meet a professional military talent with Song Jiaoren's characteristics. Knock down Asia with one punch. Kick Europa over twice! The couplet written at the age of eight is really lofty and ambitious, thinking of this, Chen Qiang is really looking forward to meeting. Looking forward to the revival will be in full swing.

……………

Shanghai.

Song Jiaoren's residence, No. 8 Tongfuli, is a neighbor of Xu Anbao, the chief inspector of the French Concession.

The lights were bright, and Song Jiaoren was chatting with a thin man in the study. Don't look at this man, he doesn't look amazing, but he talks well.

Wu Luzhen was born in a family of intellectuals, and her father was a private school teacher. When I was a teenager. Wu Luzhen studied at his father's Mengze Book House in Wuchang, he was good at poetry, full of interest in the West, bold personality, and rarely ambitious. When he was eight years old, he wrote a couplet: "Knock down Asia with one punch, knock over Europa with two kicks".

In the first six years, Wu Luzhen entered the Hubei New Army Engineering Battalion as a soldier with the desire to be ashamed of the country, and was later admitted to the Hubei Military Preparation Hall. He became close friends with like-minded patriotic young people such as Sun Wufu and Cixiang. Zhang Zhidong was very much appreciated by Zhang Zhidong for his "Throwing Pen from Rong to Rush First", which was heavily mimeographed and widely distributed in the barracks and military halls of the New Army.

In the eighth year, Wu was recommended by Zhang Zhidong to enter the Japanese non-commissioned officer academy to study in the army cavalry department, and became a non-commissioned officer student in Japan. At school, he met Zhang Shao, Zeng Lantianwei, who had outstanding achievements and extraordinary interests, and was later called "Non-commissioned Officer Jie".

In the winter of 1901, Wu Luzhen graduated from the non-commissioned officer academy and returned to Wuchang, where he was detained by Zhang Zhidong. During the interrogation, Zhang Zhidong was persuaded by Wu Luzhen and entrusted him with an important task to serve as the director of the Wuchang Wuordinary Hall, which caused a sensation in Wuhan. Wu Luzhen took advantage of his position to continue to engage in revolutionary activities, widely spread the flame of revolution, founded the first secret organization in China, the "Garden Hill Gathering," and advocated "showing off talent to serve as soldiers," thus enabling a group of intellectuals with new ideas to join the army, which greatly strengthened the process of the army itself. It was in Huayuan Mountain that Song Jiaoren met Wu Luzhen and others, and since then he has embarked on the anti-Qing revolution.

In 190, at the invitation of Huang Xing, Wu Luzhen, together with Li Shucheng, Geng Jiguang and others, went to Changsha to initiate the organization of the Huaxing Society with Huang Xing, Song Jiaoren and others in Hunan, and assisted Huang Xing in formulating a plan for an uprising in Changsha and planning for Hunan independence. At this time, the Qing court set up a training office in Beijing to train the new army, and urgently needed to employ people. During his stay in Beijing, he still had secret contact with Hubei scholars, and Song Jiaoren also wrote letters to him in Shanghai.

In 1905, Wu went to Yili, Xinjiang, to inspect the New Army. Because of his resentment against the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, he was removed from the overseer and detained in Lanzhou. He took advantage of the unpreparedness of others, escaped overnight, and rushed to Shanghai to find Song Jiaoren.

History has changed because of Chen Qiang's existence and activities, or many people's fates have taken different paths because of him.

"Brother Shouqing, there are two options for you to choose from now." Song Jiaoren pushed over a plate of cut pineapples and said with a smile: "Taste this Qiongzhou fruit first, soaked in salted water." ”

"It's a good life!" Wu Luzhen looked at the interior furnishings, shook her head and sighed: "After more than two years, it has changed a lot!" ”

"Only this anti-complacency heart has not changed." Song Jiaoren smiled faintly and said, "Let's get down to business." One is to 'join the central government and wait for the gap to move', as suggested by the elder brother and brother in those years, and the other is to shake off all fetters and help us organize and train the revolutionary army. ”

"You've tried it before, so much the same thing." Wu Luzhen pondered for a moment and said, "Now that I have made my words clear, I will also say my thoughts." Qiongzhou, a deserted place, far from the center, even if it can cause trouble, it can't shake the Manchu court; Hubei, the heart of China, once it is difficult, it will respond from all sides, and great things can be accomplished. ”

"I also hope that the first righteousness in my hometown will take the lead in blowing the horn of the charge." Song Jiaoren frowned slightly, and said patiently: "But you can also imagine that whether it is to fight for the party or the new army, it is not a day's work to act secretly. Of course, we have been working on this and have not slackened. However, it would be desirable to organize and train armed troops on a large scale under relatively open conditions. It's even more convenient and faster than exercising in the dark. ”

Wu Luzhen thought for a while, hesitated and asked, "Who has the ability and financial resources?" Not much, just arm a town, do you know how much it will cost? ”

"I don't care how much I spend, and I don't have to worry about how to raise it." Song Jiaoren said with a smile: "Anyway, our Revival Society plans to raise at least 20,000 people and horses within two years, and then directly take Liangguang, and then wait for the opportunity to launch a general attack on the Manchus." ”

"What a big breath." Wu Luzhen was a little incredulous, thought for a while and said: "You have to let me see more conclusive evidence, otherwise, I still feel that it is more certain to return to the central government and wait for the opportunity to control the army." ”

"You'll see it soon." Song Jiaoren smiled, full of confidence.

……………… (To be continued.) )