Just after the Qingming Festival, the officials of the Sichuan Provincial Political Axe Ministry immediately rushed to Chengdu from all over the country to attend the civil affairs meeting held by the provincial government and the parliament on 8 April.

This enlarged meeting is very important, not only to sum up the gains and losses in the work since the joint establishment of the new political axe between Chengdu and Chongqing, and to openly reward and punish a number of officials, but also to determine the salary grading system of civil servants in the whole province through this meeting, to formally appoint and dispatch officials from all counties in the province to take up their posts, to send troops to suppress the counterrevolutionary and powerful forces in various localities, and to bring the province's tax collection power back into the jurisdiction of the provincial political axe in one fell swoop.

The most important thing is how to raise funds to successfully survive the crisis that is about to erupt, so that the businessmen who contract the old city renovation project can resume work as soon as possible, so that the precarious new deal axe can get rid of the dilemma of having no rice to cook, and the anger of the people of Chengdu who are homeless and have no money to make up for is said to be calmed down as soon as possible.

Zhang Lan, a 40-year-old filial son, failed to return to his hometown Nanchong to pay tribute to his ancestors during the Qingming Festival this year, and he, the chairman of the Advisory Bureau, was busy every day, and the two chief and deputy governors were all talkative, and they appeared everywhere in military uniforms every day.

In addition to grabbing two provincial newspapers, Minister of State Shao Congen has no government affairs to manage, and everything he wants to manage has been taken care of by Governor Yin; Finance Minister Dong Xiuwu could not face the surging creditors, so he simply went to the Wuhou Temple in the suburbs to live in seclusion, threatening to shave his hair and become a monk if he did not raise a minimum of no less than 500,000 yuan for the project; Deng Xiaoke, the minister of salt affairs, looked at the map behind closed doors every day, and tied the small red flag on the map on the artesian wells and the salt well symbols in southern and western Sichuan, imagining how he would make great progress after the army eliminated the various forces occupying the salt well.

Minister of Education Shen Zongyuan is the most diligent minister, and every day he leads a group of powerless teachers to run through the mud of the streets and alleys of Chengdu, inspect one school after another that looks like ruins, and inspect one ancestral hall after another with leaky air on all sides and leaking rain on the roof.

Everywhere he went, Mr. Shen and the teachers who followed in his footsteps were heartbroken and burst into tears, causing the onlookers to think of their children and the house still in their dreams.

Yin Dudu, who got the report, was very angry, thinking to himself, aren't you, Shen Zongyuan, demolishing Lao Tzu's table? Doesn't it add fuel to the fire of the already complaining people? Governor Yin decisively gave an order, and Minister Shen was grounded.

In a fit of rage, Minister Shen led more than 100 teachers to the West China Middle School in the north of the city, and asked more than 100 teachers to divide into more than a dozen groups and sit with the students to listen to the lectures.

In fact, to a large extent, Shen Zongyuan and his entourage were attracted by the sumptuous lunch provided to the teachers by the West China Middle School free of charge at noon every day, and the teachers who finally became officials but could not receive a salary were too poor, and they were considered rich to eat meat once in ten days.

The two governors not only became the shopkeepers, but also launched a power struggle for the interests of their respective groups, from the open and secret fighting to each other, and gradually escalated to the point of demolishing each other and attacking each other.

Therefore, all the difficulties are naturally pushed to the respected Zhang Lan, wherever Zhang Lan goes, a large group of officials from various ministries who want to die or live will follow him, Zhang Lan, the speaker of the parliament who is over forty years old, is pitiful, his original fair and moist face has become scorched yellow, and his wise and clear eyes are now full of bloodshots, because of the lack of sleep after a long period of exhaustion, the blisters under the eyelids are getting bigger and bigger, getting greener and greener, and it looks like two pine flower eggs hanging at a glance.

The day before the meeting, an "international incident" that seriously threatened the image of Sichuan Province's political axe and social stability of a "foreign-related incident" suddenly occurred, and Zhang Lan, who was overwhelmed, was finally knocked down.

The surrounding officials, big and small, and a large group of creditors were so frightened that they rushed up and rushed up, carried Zhang Lan into the carriage, and flew him to the West China Hospital on Zhenxing Road for rescue.

The news that Zhang Lan vomited blood and fell into a coma spread throughout the city like wings, and Yin Dudu, who was hiding from creditors in the eastern suburbs camp in the name of inspection, was startled when he received an urgent report, and his first reaction was that Zhang Lan must not fall, otherwise who would clean up this mess?

After Yin Dudu was stunned, he hurriedly asked the reason, and learned that it was caused by two representatives sent by the German Mauser company to Zhang Lan's serious protest, Yin Changheng was stunned for a while, and suddenly asked in annoyance:

"Why are the foreigners here? Why are they protesting? At most, we won't refund the money, and if they send the two million yuan machine, won't it be over? ”

Shao Congen, the Minister of State who was sweating profusely all the way, smiled bitterly:

"If only it were so simple, the representative of the Mauser company issued a contract in Chinese and German signed at the beginning, which clearly stated that we only paid 15 percent of the deposit, that is, only paid 300,000 yuan, and the rest of the payment was not given to the family, according to the provisions of the contract, the goods must be paid in full after completing the customs formalities in Shanghai, otherwise the Germans will not only not supply, but also sue us Sichuan Zhengaxe, demanding compensation of 30 percent in accordance with the provisions of the contract."

The surrounding generals were all stupid when they heard this, and Yin Dudu gasped, his face was dull and speechless.

Shao Congen continued to report heartbrokenly:

"The two representatives of the Mauser Company are now sitting in the reception room of the Governor's Mansion, shouting to wait for the Governor to receive them, they said that this batch of goods will arrive in Shanghai at the end of February, due to our political turmoil in Sichuan, they do not know who to contact, so they have to inform the joint client of both sides, Huaxi Company, Huaxi Company wrote back to them that the original Sichuan political axe is gone, the new political axe is being reorganized, let them wait.

After receiving the support of the German Consulate General in Chengdu, they immediately came to the door to ask for an explanation, threatening that if we did not pay the full amount according to the contract, or pay the liquidated damages and the customs duties of 250,000 marks in advance, they would file a lawsuit with the international tribunal in Shanghai, and appealed to the banks and commercial companies of Germany, Europe and the United States in China to stop credit and economic and trade cooperation with Sichuan.

"As a result, when Speaker Zhang heard the news, he vomited blood and fell down on the spot!"

There was silence in the hall, and the embarrassed and angry Yin Dudu slapped his palm on the table: "Blackmail!" Absolute blackmail! It must be a trick made by Xiao Yimin in collusion with foreigners! ”

Everyone was frightened by Yin Changheng's angry roar, and no one dared to squeak, and many people were nervously considering Yin Dudu's words to weigh whether this was possible.

Chief of Staff Wang Youyu saw that the situation was wrong, and finally stood up with a wry smile:

"My lord, even if it's really blackmail, we have no basis! The Chengdu mutiny in November last year burned down half of Chengdu, and also burned down the two rows of official offices in the Governor's Mansion, and all documents and account books were burned. ”

"Yes, Dudu, you have to hold on at this time! If this news spreads, I am afraid that Chengdu will immediately be in chaos, and hundreds of thousands of people are still in the continuous spring rain, waiting for the political axe to subsidize the construction of houses, in case they know that foreigners have come to claim compensation, I am afraid that it will be ......."

Shao Congen said that he didn't say it here, everyone knew what he didn't say next, that is, the bankruptcy of the political axe's credibility and caused popular riots.

Yin Changheng's violently undulating chest gradually calmed down, and he waved his hand to let everyone retreat, leaving only Shao Congen and Wang Youyu, and the first thing he said was to ask the two of them what to do?

Wang Youyu thought about it for a long time, but still pushed the matter on Zhang Lan:

"I can only ask Speaker Zhang to mediate, after the governor decided last month, this matter was handed over to Speaker Zhang, and Speaker Zhang also went to Huaxi Company many times to negotiate for this, the reason why Huaxi Company didn't ask, and pushed the matter all on the foreigners, you don't need to think much to know that it is Xiao Yimin's meaning.

"Since the establishment of the United Political Axe, Xiao Yimin has never attended any meetings, either soaked in his own camp, or frequently went to Ya'an to inspect the border army, coupled with the sudden establishment of the Military Senate by adults, dividing most of the power of the Ministry of Military Affairs, Xiao Yimin is afraid that he is even more unhappy, so this incident happened today, otherwise with his good cooperative relationship with the Germans, how could it be possible to make trouble to this point today?"

Shao Congen hurriedly echoed:

"Yes, Du Du, if Xiao Yimin really lets it go, the situation will be out of control! Britain and the Bank have always refused to give us loans, only the German Deutsch-Hua Bank lent us 600,000 yuan in two installments, but as soon as the loan arrived, it was divided up by a group of businessmen who were asking for the advance money for the project all day long. ”

Yin Changheng gritted his teeth, spit out a full of turbidity, and sizzled, like an angry wind snake, which showed how deep the resentment and depression in his heart were.

But no matter whether he is resentful or depressed, as the highest military and political governor in the province, he Yin Changheng can't escape, unless he immediately announces his resignation and doesn't do it, otherwise he has to carry the matter.

"Governor...... Everything needs to be done with caution, and as Speaker Chang has repeatedly stressed recently, the top priority at the moment is to make every effort to maintain social stability, and stability is paramount. ”

Wang Youyu reminded in a low voice that Yin Changheng should not be angry, anger will not solve any problems.

Yin Changheng took a deep breath: "Go!" I'm going to visit Speaker Zhang first, and I'm going to visit Xiao Yimin in person, my husband... I can stretch and bend! ”

"What about the two Germans sitting in the Governor's Palace?" Shao Congen asked anxiously.

Yin Changheng turned around suddenly:

"Lao Shao, you go and greet those two foreigners, you must send them away after eating and drinking, and when I see Xiao Yimin, I believe that foreigners will not come to the door again. Act fast on this matter, don't make the city stormy, or you, the Minister of State, will probably come to an end! ”

Shao Congen couldn't help but shudder, lowered his head and slowly withdrew, turned back again without leaving the gate, and stretched out his hands with a sad face:

"Governor, his subordinates are gone, and the family is almost out of the pot! How do you let your subordinates entertain foreigners? ”

Yin Changheng was so angry that his hair stood on end when he heard this, Wang Youyu hurriedly went up and pulled Shao Congen out, and comforted him in a low voice as he walked: "I'll get you two hundred yuan when I go to the quartermaster department, get the money and leave quickly, you must get things done, and you must remember this sentence at all times: stability is overwhelming!" ”

Shao Congen was grateful: "Okay! It's easy to do with money, and it's stable to be overriding when you have money......"

(To be continued)