Manchun Tea Garden is located in the prosperous area of Hankou Huajie, not far from Hankou Xunli Gate, before the Battle of Hankou was used as the headquarters of the Qing Army, so it ate a few cannonballs of the revolutionary army in the battle, if it did not rain later, I am afraid that it would have been burned to ashes here, after the republican army occupied the tea garden, it became the team headquarters of the current political propaganda team.

As an important means of propaganda warfare, the General Headquarters of the Republican Army formally established the "press spokesman system" a few days ago, and announced Zhang Jiyang as the press spokesman.

However, today's press conference was personally presided over by Zhao Bei, commander-in-chief of the Republican Army.

The venue was located in the back tea house of the Manchun Tea Garden, although there was no direct shelling here, but because the fire of the former tea house spread to some of the buildings, so when those Chinese reporters sat on the bench, they could still smell the faint smell of burning.

At this time, China's local journalism was not well developed, and there were not many reporters attending the meeting, only about 20 or so, and there were all Chinese and foreign reporters, and most of them were employees of the newspapers of the various concessions in Hankou, and they knew each other, and they inevitably had to say hello after sitting down, and there was some commotion in this venue.

"Stand upright! Salute! ”

The soldiers' orders came from outside the door, and the reporters stopped greeting and turned their heads to look at a group of young officers walking into the tea house, and the first one was very familiar, it was Zhao Bei, commander-in-chief of the Republican Army, and the press conference held by Li Yuanhong when he was the speaker of the Hubei Provincial Assembly a few days ago was also presided over by this commander-in-chief.

Chinese reporters stood up and saluted, and several foreign reporters took off their top hats to pay their respects to the revolutionary vanguard, but most of them still sat on benches to show their absolute neutrality in their journalistic stance.

A few wooden boxes were placed on the north side against the wall, and on top of them were satin-covered desks, where usually the storyteller sits, but now it is the position of the press spokesman.

Zhao Bei walked up to the podium, and Tian Jinfu stood by the podium and shouted at the right time: "Please give a lecture to the commander-in-chief!" ”

The spotlight of several cameras wasted no time in bursting into flashes.

Waiting for the reporters to close the camera lens cover, Zhao Bei said unhurriedly: "Mr. reporters, you must be familiar with this kind of scene, if there is no accident, similar press conferences will be held frequently, and the Republican Army will spread our voices and thoughts to the world in this way." ”

After a pause, let's get down to business.

"You may have received the news that now the puppet Qing army has divided into two ways and rushed towards Wuhan, perhaps, the battle to defend Wuhan is about to start. Although the puppet Qing court kept saying in the pseudo-edict that it would wipe out the revolutionary army in one fell swoop, it was just their delusion! It is extremely ridiculous that the puppet Qing court tried to use a patchwork rabble to maintain their rotten rule, because the puppet Qing army was demoralized and unsympathetic, and they were about to face a revolutionary army with high morale, high morale, sufficient ammunition, and the support of the people! If the enemy dares to attack Wuhan, our Republican Army will definitely give them a head-on blow, so that they will not return!

Now all the officers and men of the Republican Army are waiting for the rest of their lives, devoting all their revolutionary enthusiasm to the construction of fortifications, and with the enthusiastic support of the revolutionary masses, in a few days we will be able to turn Wuhan into a fortress, and any invading enemy will be bruised in front of this fortress, and every section of trench and every pillbox will become a nightmare for the enemy officers and men!

The puppet Qing court is dumb and incompetent, and there are no good generals like Duan Qirui, Wang Shizhen, and Feng Guozhang, but they are called banner people and nobles to lead the army, which is the proof of the stupidity and incompetence of the Manchu court! The proof of the arrogance of the flag people! It is also a clear proof that the Han generals of the Beiyang Army have been squeezed out!

I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate once again my position that no matter whether or not an enemy of the enemy army has ever been an enemy of the revolutionary army, as long as he can change his stance and join the revolution, then he will be a revolutionary comrade who will oppose the Qing Dynasty, and he will also be the father of the revolution when the republic is reached in the future. A few days ago, Wang Zhanyuan and Lu Yongxiang have set an example, resolutely broke with the puppet Qing court, led their subordinates to revolt on the battlefield, and now they are the generals of the revolutionary army. ”

Speaking of this, Zhao Bei changed his words and said: "However, I invite you to come here today, not to discuss military issues, nor to discuss the issue of the Manchu and Han regions, but to read out a new statement!" ”

The reporters were silent, watching Zhao Bei take out a piece of paper from the pocket of his military uniform, just the day before yesterday, in Hanyang City, it was also this group of reporters who witnessed the scene when Li Yuanhong was sworn in as the speaker of the Hubei Assembly, although Li Yuanhong almost didn't say a word, but the photo of him shaking hands with Zhao Bei still shocked the Qing court, and the subsequent statements of Wang Zhanyuan and Lu Yongxiang stirred up a thousand waves with one stone, forcing the Qing court to take the risk of seizing the military power of Beiyang.

Now, Zhao Bei has come up with a new statement, what will it be? Obviously, it could not have been the "anyway" statement of the Governor of Huguang, Lord Chen Kuilong, because Lord Chen was still stubbornly resisting at the corner of the street outside the concession and had not yet fallen into the hands of the revolutionary army, and I heard that the British and Russians were persuading Lord Chen to disarm himself and guarantee his safety, and it was obvious that the concession authorities would not extradite him to the revolutionary army.

"This statement was written by Sheng Xuanhuai, the right attendant of the Postal Department of the puppet Qing Dynasty." Zhao Bei's next words solved the mystery in everyone's hearts, but at the same time, it also made everyone on the scene start to talk to each other. Who is Sheng Xuanhuai? There is no reporter who has been in China for several years who does not know, among Chinese officials, Yuan Shikai is the most famous among foreigners, although Sheng Xuanhuai is inferior, but he is not far behind, especially celebrities in the business world, no one does not know him Sheng Shilang, if Yuan Shikai is the fist of the Beiyang Group, then Sheng Xuanhuai is the treasury of the Beiyang Group.

When the reporters looked at each other, Zhao Bei had already read the statement with it.

"The contemptible Sheng Xuanhuai now transfers all the shares of the 'Hanyeping Coal and Iron Works and Mines Co., Ltd.' under his name to the republican military government, hoping that the republican military government will operate prudently, abide by the contract, and realize the grand wish of China's businessmen and people to save the country at an early date."

The reporters were in an uproar again, although they did not know how much of Han Yeping's shares Sheng Xuanhuai held, but one thing that was obvious was that once this statement was issued, it was tantamount to announcing the end of Sheng Xuanhuai's career, because this kind of behavior was a "capital enemy" in any country, not to mention that he was funding an armed group that was clearly declared a "rebel" in the Qing court's edict.

There is no way, it is not possible not to "fund", it is going to lose its head, the reporters don't know, but Sheng Xuanhuai doesn't dare to take risks. After Zhao Bei arrested Sheng Xuanhuai, he not only extorted him from a huge amount of 2 million silver yuan of "redemption silver", but also ordered him to write a transfer contract and this statement, in addition to swallowing Sheng Xuanhuai's shares of Han Yeping, another intention was to convey such a message to the officials of the Qing court: Even your squire of the Great Qing Kingdom is "rebellious", what are you still holding onto?

In this way, Sheng Xuanhuai lost all his shares of Han Yeping, whether private or official, and it was obviously impossible to continue to be his squire.

Zhao Bei raised the statement in his hand and unfolded it, and Tian Jinfu on the side also raised the transfer contract.

Zhao Bei said: "Please look at the lower right corner, this is Mr. Sheng Xuanhuai's autograph, and it is definitely not a forgery." ”

"Bang! Bang! ”

The spotlight burst into several flashes, and the scene was captured by the reporters. This historical scene is so worthy of recording that even the famous God of Wealth has begun to fall to the side of the revolution, how long can the Manchu Dynasty last?

A reporter asked, "Your Excellency, why is Mr. Sheng in Wuhan?" As far as I know, he was also in Beijing not long ago to participate in the redemption negotiations of the Jinghan Railway. In addition, a large part of the shares of Han Yeping are government assets, and Mr. Sheng does not appear to be eligible to transfer his property rights. ”

Zhao Bei said: "The revolutionary army was prosperous, and Mr. Sheng knew that the rule of the Manchu Qing could not be maintained, so he wisely chose a new allegiance, so he went to Wuhan and transferred Han Yeping's shares to the revolutionary army, which was his surrender to the revolution. These shares can be said to be the people's fat and people's ointment, and now they are just returning to the hands of the people. We revolutionaries launched a revolution in order to take back the wealth plundered by the Manchus back into the hands of the people, not to mention a Han Yeping, even the Forbidden City, we will also take it back! ”

Another reporter asked loudly: "Your Excellency General, do you sincerely support Yuan Shikai as president?" As far as I know, now that Mr. Yuan Shikai is no longer in the capital, and it is rumored that he has taken refuge in a foreign country, if the revolution succeeds in the future, will you still support him as president? ”

Zhao Bei smiled and said, "The rumors I heard said that Yuan Xiangcheng hid in the concession. However, whether he hides in the concession or in a foreign country, as long as he can join the revolution, I will support him as president of the republic. ”

"What you mean by this is that your real intention in sending a 'telegram' in Jiujiang is actually to drive a wedge between Mr. Yuan Shikai and your imperial court? Now there is a saying circulating in diplomatic circles: The reason why you sent a telegram to support Mr. Yuan Shikai as the president of the republic is completely a ploy and is to divide the upper echelons of your country. The reporter asked with a wink.

Zhao Bei pondered for a moment and replied to the question: "China needs a strong man to lead, at present, Yuan Xiangcheng is a suitable candidate, as long as he sincerely supports the republican system, defends national interests and sovereignty, and works for the welfare of the people, I believe that any Chinese politician will be optimistic about him." ”

……

Just when Zhao Bei was showing off the statement and contract, at the China Merchants Wharf by the Hankou River, an old man with white hair trembled and was helped onto the trestle by several attendants and walked towards a British merchant ship leaning on the wharf.

This old man is none other than Sheng Xuanhuai, the signatory of that statement, because Zhao Bei's blackmail was too ruthless, the last few strands of black hair of the God of Wealth turned white, and his spirit was not as good as before, as if he was more than ten years older than a few days ago.

Can it not be white-headed? Most of the shares of Han Yeping under Sheng Xuanhuai's name are not his own, and those princes, Baylors, and Zhenguo generals in the capital, which one is not drooling at Han Yeping? If you don't take advantage of the government-run to change to a business-run office to make a lot of money, how can you be worthy of your identity as a "red belt" and "yellow belt"? Even the Han officials in Beijing are not allowed to join a few cadres. Therefore, Sheng Xuanhuai's transfer this time is not only his own industry, but also the property of those dignitaries, which offended half of the officialdom at once, and he Sheng Xuanhuai can be regarded as unprecedented.

If it weren't for Zhao Bei pushing too hard, and Sheng Xuanhuai was anxious to call his family and move the whole family to the concession in the shortest possible time, he would rather die than sign this transfer contract. Sheng Xuanhuai didn't think about death, but when he thought of Zhao Bei's vicious threat and the few maids specially sent to serve him, Sheng Caishen lost the courage to die.

It's still good to be alive, beautiful maids are waiting, brocade clothes and jade food, fresh clothes and angry horses, befriending dignitaries and dignitaries, and going in and out of luxury hotels...... This is the blessing of several lifetimes of accumulated virtue, how can it be easily abandoned?

Therefore, Sheng Xuanhuai finally chose to compromise, Han Yeping is gone, and he is not bankrupt, just with his means, popularity, and resources, can he still not find a way to make money in this kind of chaos? Fishing in troubled waters and holding sheep with hands is the motto of businessmen, if he can't even do this, then he has been in vain in the shopping malls and officialdom for so many years.

Of course, the premise of all this is to get together the "redemption silver" as soon as possible, otherwise, when the officials and soldiers of the court arrive, the jade will be burned, and he will only be able to do anything in vain.

In the shortest possible time, the "redeemed silver" was gathered, and the two steamships of China Merchants were hung with the British flag and transported to Hanyang overnight.

He's the leader of a rebel army who knows how to make a fart of sulfur? Sheng Xuanhuai wanted to argue, but he couldn't argue, because he didn't know how to test the fineness of the sulfur, so the result was that the two iron-hulled steamers of China Merchants were confiscated by the Republican Army as "fines", and then they were put on cannons and turned into gunboats of the Republican Army.

Zhao Bei did not break his promise, and on the day he got the "ransom silver", he released the God of Wealth, and contacted a British merchant ship for him to send him to the British Concession in Jiujiang.

Walking on the merchant ship, Sheng Xuanhuai glanced back and spat at the red flag fluttering all over the city:

"Zhao Bei! This account is going to be settled with you! If the old man doesn't die for a day, he will be inseparable from you for a day! ”

A few long whistles, the merchant ship slowly started, sailing downstream, now the Yangtze River is full of smoke, the Chinese ship has long been suspended, only these foreign ships are still moving, but the price of the ship is higher than the day. The ship was full of foreigners and Chinese who were fleeing the war, and at the same time, the resentful God of Wealth was also carried away.

After the whistle stopped, the passengers of the ship stood at the stern of the ship and looked out at the fading Hankow, but the drizzle was so heavy that they could not see anything clearly, and could only hear the faint sound of singing.

"When will I wake up after a long dream for a thousand years, and who will make the alarm bell ring. East Asia Xiongzhou will sink the land, and listen to the lyrics of a song...... Don't send Shaoguang to the old, and the old man is self-pitying. Catching up with Japan, Europe and the United States, the world's civilization is the first to open. ”

Amid the rumbling of the revolutionary army, this long-sleeping nation has woken up.