On New Year's Day 1918, Xiao Yimin, a prominent figure from all walks of life at home and abroad, still did not make any response to the appointment of the Yanjing Central Political Axe, nor did he receive more than 100 Chinese and foreign journalists and special envoys from Britain and France in Yunchengdu.

On the first day of the new year, the Huaxi Times, one of China's five major mainstream newspapers, published a New Year's greeting from Xiao Yimin to the military and people of Sichuan and the people of the whole country in a special issue of the New Year.

Just when all kinds of speculations and rumors were rising, a long report in the Chinese edition of the French "Far Eastern Post", which is also one of China's five major mainstream newspapers and has always been known for its neutral, objective, rapid, and accurate reporting, triggered an exclamation from all walks of life at home and abroad.

On the third day of January, the "Far Eastern Post" published a shocking headline in large font on the front page -- "The Sichuan Army Secretly Expands to 250,000," in which the "25" used extremely eye-catching bright red.

From the famous journalist "Don. The blockbuster news of "Henry's hand", which began with "disclosure of key persons", described in detail many insider and personnel changes in the secret expansion of the Sichuan Army in a very definite tone, and clearly listed the latest sequence of the Sichuan Army.

What is even more shocking is that the article goes so far as to list the establishment, commanders, and garrisons of the 24 divisions of the Sichuan Army's newly organized First Army to the Eighth Army, as well as the establishment of the four major garrison divisions of Chengdu, Ya'an, Yucheng, and Syria, which are mainly responsible for the defense of Sichuan Province.

-- The establishment of the four major garrison divisions, all of which were reorganized from the combat units of various divisions of the Sichuan Army and the senior officers and veterans of the Xikang Frontier Army, marked a fundamental change in the strategic focus of the Sichuan Army.

According to rumors, General Xiao Yimin, commander-in-chief of the Sichuan Army, who had never lost his temper, broke his cup for this, and immediately afterward, there was a violent shock in the subordinate organs of the Sichuan Army General Headquarters, and the names of the 17 officers suddenly disappeared from the internal personnel establishment that was about to be announced.

Perhaps because of the heavy pressure brought about by the leak case, and the strong appeal of the European and American institutions in China and the Chinese and foreign press, at 9:30 a.m. on the 4th of January, Xiao Yimin, the commander-in-chief of the Sichuan Army, who was secretive, and the visiting British envoy to China, Alexander Brown. Edward, the newly appointed Commercial Counsellor of the British Consulate General in Shanghai, Johnson, and his entourage held a meeting at the West China Hotel in Chengdu, and hundreds of Chinese and foreign journalists soon poured into the spacious and luxurious lobby of the West China Hotel.

At 11:40 a.m., the two-hour bilateral talks finally came to an end, and under strong pressure from public opinion, the two sides of the talks had no choice but to meet the demands of Chinese and foreign reporters and hold a press conference in the main conference room on the second floor of the hotel.

To everyone's surprise, Xiao Yimin very frankly admitted the news of the secret expansion of the Sichuan army, which is currently in an uproar, but refused to disclose the details and the appointment and dismissal of generals, and denied the so-called "250,000 army expansion" figure.

The second reporter from the "Zilinxi Daily" who was asked a question loudly asked the sharp question that everyone wanted to ask: "General Xiao has not responded to the appointment of the Yanjing Central Political Axe, does this mean that the general has acquiesced in a low-key manner?" And how did the general view the strong opposition to this from the revolutionary party and government axe in Guangzhou? ”

Xiao Yimin obviously pondered for a moment, and finally said the long-awaited choice:

"As a local political axe official, I obey the leadership of the central political axe; As a member of the [***] team, I obey the orders of the only legitimate Yanjing Central Political Axe; As the chairman of the China Mingzhu Party, which has 350,000 members and has become the second largest political party in China, I will shoulder my responsibilities without hesitation.

"Here, I hope that through all of you and all the news media, I would like to make a proposal to the Chinese Revolutionary Party led by Mr. Sun Wen: end confrontation, abandon disputes, seek common ground and differences, and work together! Our country and people, who have suffered so much, can no longer withstand division and war! ”

The audience was in an uproar, and more than a dozen reporters from the revolutionary party faction among the reporters suddenly became dull-eyed and colorless, and Xiao Yimin's solemn and clear statement with implicit respect was undoubtedly announcing that the Chinese Ming Cook Party and the powerful Sichuan Army had reached a cooperation with Duan Qirui's political axe.

Just when the audience was amazed, Zheng Wei, a well-known reporter of the West China Times, seized the opportunity to ask Edward, the special representative of the British Minister to China, Zhu Erdian, in a loud question:

"Mr. Edward, what is your comment on the appointment of General Xiao Yimin by the Yanjing Central Political Axe? What were the positive outcomes of the talks you and General Hsiao just concluded? ”

Edward, who was well-dressed and looked at ease, smiled slightly, and glanced at a circle full of reporters very gracefully:

"Here, on behalf of Mr. Zhu Erdian, Minister of the British Empire to China, I would like to reiterate our country's position on China, that we will not interfere in China's internal affairs, including the series of appointments made by General Xiao Yimin by China's sole legitimate political axe, and that we sincerely hope that the re-improved Yenching Central Government will strictly abide by all agreements between China and Britain and effectively safeguard the interests of the British Empire in China.

"During the just-concluded talks, we had sincere and frank exchanges with the respected General Xiao Yimin on many issues, among which we reached a gratifying consensus on the interests and responsibilities of China and the allies, Sino-British economic and trade cooperation and development, scientific and technological and cultural exchanges, etc., and we are full of expectations for the future development of bilateral relations and future cooperation with General Xiao Yimin."

This is another surprising and shocking result, from this large paragraph full of diplomatic rhetoric, the shrewd reporter saw Xiao Yimin's clear political stance and active foreign policy, Edward once again emphasized that the Yanjing political axe is "China's only legitimate political axe" is undoubtedly echoed with Xiao Yimin's previous attitude, which means that the British political axe has clearly understood and accepted Xiao Yimin's diplomatic position, and thus accepted the appointment of the Yanjing political axe for Xiao Yimin, which also means that some of Xiao Yimin's concessions finally make the British political axe feel at ease, This concession is likely to be in the two extremely important areas of "effectively safeguarding the interests of the British Empire in China" and "Sino-British economic and trade cooperation and development" that Edward emphasized.

At the same time, both of them deliberately avoided the controversial and unpleasant "Tibetan Province issue" for several years, and it was obvious that the two sides did not reach a consensus on this, or that Xiao Yimin, who had a tough attitude, did not make any concessions, so the two sides could only start cautious cooperation on the basis of seeking common ground and differences.

The half-hour press conference was enthusiastic, but all the reporters failed to get more out of the increasingly sophisticated Xiao Yimin, but the friendship between Johnson, the new commercial counselor of the British Consulate General in Shanghai, and Xiao Yimin surprised and relished.

On the afternoon when everyone thought they had grabbed the first important news of the new year, another major news caused a national shock:

Sichuan Provincial Governor Zhang Lan issued a proclamation at 4 p.m., expressing for the first time that he fully supports all the policy decisions made by the central government since December last year, obeys the leadership of the central government, and accepts the supervision of the central government.

Zhang Lan's announcement immediately won the praise of the northern political axe and all walks of life in the country, and countless politicians showed great joy and comfort to the last major province that read beyond the central political axe to return to the central leadership, Duan Qirui and the biggest worry in the hearts of the Beiyang family has since disappeared, and Sichuan's strong financial strength and the industrial and commercial level far beyond the provinces of the country have provided the greatest boost to Duan Qirui's ascension.

This important statement, but also an important part of Xiao Yimin's commitment, so that Duan Qirui Group up and down grateful, see the telegram Duan Qirui excited eyes flushed, in front of the jubilant Anhui generals, praised Xiao Yimin's integrity and open-mindedness, although according to the secret agreement, the first five years of the central political axe can only get 20 million fiscal taxes paid by Sichuan every year, but 20 million do not need political guarantees, let alone the huge amount of money to sell the country, undoubtedly for Duan Qirui's ascension to the top of the huge material foundation, Duan Qirui's political prestige has thus risen to a new level.

Some people are happy, others are sad, and this principle is very applicable to the current chaotic political game.

Xiao Yimin's answer to reporters' questions, Zhang Lan's announcement on the political axe was like a thunderbolt from the sky, which shocked the political axe in Guangzhou and made him anxious.

The political axe in Guangzhou, which was already shrouded in pessimism and disappointment, had no way to reverse the declining trend except for a few sharp and strong attacks, and the various factions within the party and the various departments of the revolutionary army, which were already facing splits, finally had a real split, and no matter how a large number of pen writers such as Wu Zhihui, Wang Jingwei, and Hu Hanmin attacked and insulted Xiao Yimin, they could not change the cruel reality that Xiao Yimin had entered the hostile camp of the revolutionary party.

On the morning after Zhang Lan released the announcement of the Sichuan political axe, the deeply encouraged Yanjing Central Political Axe Joint Conference exposed the news again, warmly welcoming Sichuan's return to the central leadership and giving Zhang Lan and others great honors At the same time, Duan Qirui signed a letter of appointment that shocked the north and the south:

General Xiao Yimin, Vice Minister of Military and Political Affairs, was appointed as Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Army and Navy of the Republic of China to oversee the reorganization, training, and review of the armed forces of the provinces in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and to have the power to supervise them.

At 10 o'clock in the morning of January 6, General Xiao Yimin finally made an official announcement and took up a series of posts.

At three o'clock in the afternoon of the sixth day of the first month, General Xiao Yimin sent another telegram to the whole country: According to the orders of the Central Political Axe and the Military Affairs Department and the General Staff, all divisions of the Fourth Army of the Sichuan Army led by General Wang Zhanxu will immediately go to the front line from southern Jiangxi to western Fujian to garrison!

(To be continued)