The sky was overcast.

Nanjing, the capital of the Chinese Empire, is traditionally the city, or at least the center of its old city, which is supposed to be the imperial palace, but in fact, it is the Western-style parliament building, which is the geographical sense of Nanjing, and behind the majestic parliament building is the spacious official residence of the head of government. The largest of these is the Prime Minister's Residence, which consists of two buildings, the office part is a Western-style building, and the National Assembly Building, only part of the decoration is in Chinese style, and the living part is a typical Chinese-style building, although the main body of the building is a reinforced concrete structure, but the appearance is similar to the Ming style palace building in Beiping.

Although the design of the Prime Minister's Mansion adopts Chinese lighting, and at the same time borrows from the lighting design of European architecture, the gloomy weather makes the interior of the Prime Minister's Mansion also gloomy, and the atmosphere is far more oppressive than the weather.

At this time, in the conference room of the Western-style official office building, everyone attending the meeting was gloomy.

It's as if a heavy thunder is going to sound and a rainstorm falls!

The venue was as silent as death, and only the head could not be seen. It's as if a group of animals without long faces are gathering here.

With a kind of anger and helplessness, Yuan Shikai spoke first, said an official sentence that was almost a manuscript, and then revealed how he cherished the nation and served the country, and then, with a sigh, said weakly.

"Now, if we make concessions, then the Democrats, the Constitutionalists, those people's goals have been achieved, and if their goals have been achieved, then the political situation will be known? At that time, it will be really too late, you must understand that Nanjing is now in a state of anarchy, and now it is a wartime, and our country wants to use foreign troops to take advantage of this golden opportunity to seek national interests, but the situation today is like this, and we, as important members of the cabinet, must reach an agreement to restore normal order in Nanjing and the whole country as soon as possible."

Although the situation is so urgent, no one can say a solution at this time! The cabinet members who hung their heads were silent, and the situation was pressing.

"I have consulted some people in the legal profession that our country is now in a state of war, so we can first sign a wartime control law, so that no one can go out into the streets, demonstrations, and if necessary, coercive measures can be taken."

As for Yuan Shikai's proposal, no one responded, and the atmosphere in the conference room seemed to be frozen at this time.

Yuan Shikai set his sights on Zhang Feng, Minister of Justice, who has in his hands an armed force that can be directly mobilized in the cabinet -- the tax police force, which is a special armed force that can keep, carry and use the prescribed firearms and other special weapons, and has absolute authority, and more importantly, the tax police force can be mobilized throughout the country, although there are only 48,000 tax police officers in the country, but there is no problem at all in restoring order. He didn't avoid it, but slowly swallowed it word by word.

"Yes, Prime Minister, in legal terms, well, it's doable, but it's contrary to constitutional principles, and it's ......"

Zhang Feng's answer only made Yuan Shikai's brows frown, he still wanted to listen to what he said, but Zhang Feng was silent, and at the same time turned his face back, taking coercive measures, the cabinet can mobilize the paramilitary force is only the tax police, if the tax police are mobilized to forcibly dismiss the people who march, there is no problem at all technically, there is no better than the tax police to use coercive measures to dismiss the unarmed people, in the past when the tax was levied, the tax police have already accumulated sufficient experience in dealing with tax resistance.

Yuan Shikai set his eyes on Cai Yi, he did not evade, nor did he speak in a hurry, but he repeated the words mentioned repeatedly in the past: ...,

"The army is preparing for war, if necessary, please ask His Excellency the Prime Minister to ask the palace for instructions"

The mobilization of the army requires the emperor's order, even if it is a company, it also needs to be authorized by His Majesty before the War Department can be mobilized, and no one will transfer the army without an order.

With his chest straightened, Yuan Shikai was almost scolding. However, he just looked at Cai Ye, and finally shook his head helplessly.

Since the "uprising", Yuan Shikai seems to be smiling at everyone because he is in a middle and very delicate position; This is true even for those who are also cabinet members. Mixing sand in the Beiyang Army, he acquiesced; transferred the officers of the Beiyang Army, and he also acquiesced; Presiding over the Ministry of Internal Affairs, he was silent, and secretly liquidated the Manchu colonists in the labor camps, he was still silent, even later in North Korea, he also tried in every possible way to include North Korea as a province of China, he did not hesitate to tarnish his reputation, and finally pacified North Korea, now North Korea, who dares to say "Korean Empire", who dares to say independence?

On this basis, Yuan Shikai has always believed that His Majesty should be able to see his loyalty, in his heart, he knows better than anyone else, for that Majesty, he is more careful than waiting for Lafayette in the past, unlike Lafayette, His Majesty always has a smile on his face, so he doesn't know whether he is really laughing or really angry, so he will show what a loyal minister should do like this, but now, His Majesty has pushed him to the position of scapegoat, he is not annoyed, nor angry, but after being annoyed and angry, I only hope that Your Majesty can remember the old love and be able to warm himself a little, how Yuan Shikai hopes that Your Majesty can no longer be silent, can clearly express his support for him, and change his loneliness alone.

But His Majesty disappointed him.

After smiling dumbly, Yuan Shikai waved his hand, then stood up and said.

"Let's adjourn"

When he spoke, his whole strength seemed to be hollowed out, as if he was getting much older in an instant, and the originally straight backbone collapsed in an instant, and everyone sitting in the conference room glanced at Yuan Shikai's back, and then looked at each other, and finally everyone sighed helplessly.

"Yuan Gong"

In the garden of the Prime Minister's official residence, looking at Yuan Shikai, who seemed to be much older and could not see a trace of spirit on his face, Niu Yongjian sighed secretly in his heart.

"Hey"

With a long sigh, Yuan Shikai glanced at Niu Yongjian with some weakness, this vice president of the House of Nobles, if he was right, he was probably here to convey His Majesty's will.

"Whatever the will, just say it"

After saying that, Yuan Shikai closed his eyes, and then said as if talking to himself.

"I haven't been back to Xiangcheng's hometown for so many years, I should go back to have a look, please tell Your Majesty, just say...... Minister, old and sick for many years, these years barely maintained, please also ask Your Majesty to read the ministers have been conscientious for many years and have not felt a trace of slackness in state affairs, please tell the ministers to return to their hometowns......"

resign

Yuan Shikai knew that if he resigned, he was afraid that it would be as those people wished, and it would only make them worse, after so many years, those thoughts at the beginning had already faded, so he should be the last to do something that a loyal minister should do for His Majesty

Saying goodbye to the old man and returning to his hometown is at least better than resigning, and if he returns to his hometown, it will leave some dignity for the country, which is better than being forced to resign like now.

Yuan Shikai's words only made Niu Yongjian stunned, and he carefully examined Yuan Shikai in front of him.

"Thank you Yuan Gong"

"What thank you or not, all these years, ......"

Closing his eyes, Yuan Shikai smiled bitterly, and asked himself if he had never failed His Majesty, but His Majesty had never let go of himself, he...... Still a little bit of a family...,

"There are still some words, I hope that the new prince can convey to His Majesty, when the judgment continues, the body is in turmoil, at this time, there is no room for the kindness of the woman"

As for the inside story of this incident, Yuan Shikai knows better than anyone that on the one hand, it is true that the Democratic Party and the Constitutionalism are working together to promote it, but on the other hand, His Majesty is secretly exerting a hand, how can he not know.

"Sometimes, some ideas are good, civil rights are certainly fought for by citizens, but if they are manipulated by ambitious people, I am afraid that it will not be the luck of the empire, there are too many driving forces behind this incident, if you can't make a decisive decision, you are only afraid of ......"

Opening his eyes and looking directly at the Newon key, Yuan Shikai said in a deep voice.

"I'm afraid that there will be chaos, and if you blindly give in, it will be too late by then."

"Yuan Gong, this ......"

For His Majesty's thoughts, Niu Yongjian somewhat understood, but Yuan Shikai's words still startled him, and after pondering for a moment, he knew that Yuan Shikai was not alarmist, at least not all.

"Duke New, as the vice president of the House of Nobles, at this time, you must stand up and take care of this matter for Your Majesty."

Take care of this?

Frowning slightly, Niu Yongjian was thinking about Yuan Shikai's suggestion in his heart, his so-called block, Niu Yongjian couldn't be clearer, it was nothing more than a resolution passed by the House of Nobles, so as to end the current disorder, in this way, at least there would be no staining of His Majesty's name, but ......

Seeing that Niu Yongjian was hesitant, Yuan Shikai sighed in his heart, but also said with pity.

"Sometimes, there are some things that always need to be done, if the husband resigns, the cabinet will inevitably need to be reorganized, if the democratic and constitutional parties merge, and then there will be an early parliamentary election, and then in the name of the parliament, the people's rights and the elected cabinet will only be feared that chaos will be born, and at that time, this golden opportunity, I am afraid that it will be mistaken by chaos, and then who will be the sinner of the country?"

After the rhetorical question, Yuan Shikai shook his head.

"What I can do is to resign as Prime Minister in the name of saying goodbye to the elderly, I believe that by then, the majority of people will be satisfied, and they will be able to calm down, if the House of Lords can pass the corresponding resolution, think about it, this matter can end naturally, at that time, no matter who is the Prime Minister, with the support of His Majesty and the support of the House of Nobles in the middle, if there is another appropriate stimulus, I think about it, the situation can be stabilized, at least in the next few years, there is no need to worry about the merger of the democratic and constitutional parties, at least in the ......future."

Closing his eyes again, Yuan Shikai sighed helplessly.

"That's not something I can imagine, the Yuan family, I haven't lived past sixty, this life is ......" ......,