h2> If you look at it from a historical point of view, Yuan Shikai's idea is right, the Central Plains is to fight for hegemony, and the east wind overwhelms the west wind, and the west wind overwhelms the east wind, just like the end of the Sui Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty took the road of the Warring States to strengthen Qin, occupied the rich Guanzhong, and occupied Sichuan, and had the momentum of strong Qin, but the other is not without opportunities, if before the Tang occupies Sichuan, it will be able to pass through the Central Plains, with the momentum of the six countries, it is enough to resist the wealth of Guanzhong and the salt and iron of Sichuan.

It's a pity that the times are changing, the era when you had to rely on territory to gain strength in the past is long gone, Britain, France, Germany, just a small land, especially Britain, starting from an island country, with a population of several million, has become a thriving empire on which the sun never sets, relying on something, not territory, not population, but huge industry.

Super industry, so that the minority victory over the majority made it possible, in 1900 the Eight-Nation Alliance, with a very small number of people and casualties, killed the Mongolian Eight Banners, announced the simple cold weapon cavalry, in front of machine guns and heavy artillery, just a target, earlier in 1840, sail warships and heavy artillery, bombarded China's door, announced to China the advent of the industrial age.

Industry has changed the previous method of calculating strength by relying on the area of land and the number of people, and the generation gap in science and technology is enough to reverse a qiē, in the era of cold weapons, there have been tens of thousands of people fighting hundreds of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, but there are no five people fighting 1,000 people, or even 2,000 people, and there is no sufficient number of well-trained troops, and they will never be able to break through.

However, the modern army equipped with hot weapons, fighting * and machine guns, 2 people, with heavy machine guns and a sufficient number of bullets, with the help of geographical advantages to block or even eliminate a regiment of more than 1,000 people, this is not a dream, reasonable arrangement of firepower, dozens of machine guns to kill 10,000 or 20,000 horse thieves, in the past in Baotou has been realized, with Yang Yuanzhao's vision and under the all-in-one machine, technology, manpower, mechanics and materials, a qiē is not the time to influence, the modern armed Baotou army, How much strength will he have, this, Yuan Shikai because of the limitations of history, can not see at all, even if he can unify the south, except for the northwest, the whole of China, don't think about how much threat to the northwest, which has a stable foothold and solves the population, resources and part of the territory.

These Yuan Shikai don't know, and his staff and officers don't know, it's not that they can't see well, but that Baotou has really transcended their vision, even if it is a foreign power, the vision of Baotou is also biased, Baotou is like an aircraft with a rocket retractor, once it surpasses the opponent, it is impossible to catch up, and the farther and farther it goes.

In any case, after a long period of discussion, Yuan Shikai finally got a satisfactory result, and discussed a perfect plan with many subordinates, and then quietly returned to Beijing, and tomorrow will be the official court, that is, to assume the dual identity of the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang, Yuan Shikai's authority has been greatly improved compared to before returning home.

Yuan Shikai's return, it seems that the Qing court, has a strong needle, Yuan Shikai and Beiyang, is the late Qing Dynasty can not get around, at this time, is the expectation of the people, in the Qing court feels, as long as Yuan Shikai exerts all his strength, destroy Baotou, destroy the entire ** party, it is no problem, even if the regent has a slight whisper, but can not resist the unanimous consent from the Manchu magnates and the queen mother, just like this, there are some-for-tat two, actually closely combined. In many cases, it is external pressure that reunites the separatist forces.

On the first day of the court, one day's time, Yuan Shikai talked eloquently, mainly about his goals and ambitions, and the next series of action plans, so that the Qing court's somewhat reassuring weighting to Yuan Shikai, Yuan Shikai's tentacles began to extend to the household, itself supported his Britain, and directly gave 4 million Guan Yu, this money is almost the entire Qing Dynasty last year's remaining Guan Yu, and even the British did not even deduct it, it was given directly, and the support for Yuan Shikai can be said to be spared.

At the beginning of the 20th century, silver represented strength, especially the support of the British, which suddenly swelled the power in Yuan Shikai's hands, and the crippled Sixth Town, as the first batch of returning troops, temporarily returned to Beijing, with the help of funds, began to restore the power, replenish regiments and weapons, and fill the Sixth Town little by little, and other towns are also increasing their strength.

This can be seen from the establishment, it can be seen that in the past, the towns were all towns with two infantry associations, some towns, not even 10,000 people, even the third town, the fourth town, is only three infantry, an artillery association, now, with the support of a large amount of funds, the first expansion of 50,000 people, so that most of the towns, have become five infantry standards, one artillery standard reinforced towns, this point, with the third town.

Vigorous training and expansion, under the slogan of the expedition to the south, extinguishing the fire of the first, and letting the rights of the south return to the center, the Beiyang strength expansion plan was not hostile to the Qing court, but was supported by the Qing court, and it has not been controlled by Yuan Shikai's Manchu Town, and also mobilized some veterans, into the expanded array, although it is said that the Manchus mixed sand with the Beiyang Army, but the huge expansion plan is enough for Yuan Shikai to successfully eat the benefits, the total number of Beiyang Army of 130,000 people, Each town has reached the scale of 22,000 people, and how much can a full army of 1,000 people play, and it can't make a little wave, but it enriches the strength of the Beiyang Army.

Yuan Shikai was immersed in the great increase in strength, Yang Du was almost 5 days later than Yuan Shikai, and also returned to Beijing, after going to Dongjiaomin Lane, he took a blue-topped Xiaojiao and sent Yang Du to Yuan's mansion.

Yuan Shikai, who had already been informed by his subordinates, heard that Yang Du was back, and he was waiting for him to return to report the news, and met Yang Du directly in the study, and when he saw Yang Du, he asked nervously: "How is it, what is there to say about Baotou!" ”

"They were targeting the Northwest and had some commercial requirements." Yang Du said directly.

Hearing Yang Du's words, Yuan Shikai breathed a sigh of relief, and Yang Du then said: "They want to build the right of way!" ”

The right to build the road, Yuan Shikai's eyes narrowed, the right to build the road, in the past in China, basically, were tied to foreigners, which seems to represent some kind of privilege, the right to build the road to Baotou is nothing, but Yuan Shikai, who is bent on reaching the top, is unwilling to be coerced by Baotou, if Baotou is trapped in the northwest, there is nothing to say, let them be there, but once it comes out, it is easy to hunt the tiger, and it is difficult to catch it, when Baotou's influence expands, this is not what he wants to see.

"Reject them!" Yuan Shikai said solemnly.

Yang Du knew in his heart, and as he expected, Yuan Shikai really disagreed, but he didn't follow Yuan Shikai's words, but took out a letter and said: "They don't unconditionally ask for the road to be built, they are willing to pay for this." ”

Yuan Shikai took the envelope with some confusion and asked, "What is this!"

"Just look at it!" Yang Du raised his eyebrows, he didn't speak, Yuan Shikai opened it and looked at the usual piece of paper, on which was written a series of numbers, very simple and clear, 70,000 rifles, 100 Makqin, 30 million bullets, 70 guns of all kinds.

Yuan Shikai's hands trembled slightly, he was old in the army, he had been on the battlefield, and he had killed people, and now he was in a high position, the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang, even if it was Li Hongzhang, the founder of Beiyang back then, it was nothing more than that, Yuan Shikai He didn't know how long he had been, he was not so excited, if this was according to the equipment of the Beiyang Army, but the materials of the whole 3 towns, he expanded Beiyang, the soldiers were supported by money, and there was no problem at all, but on the weapon, the British and the Japanese have mentioned support, However, those supports were not given for free, not to mention the high price, and there were many strings attached, and the military strength of 50,000 people was expanded, and no one in the entire East, except for the great powers, could afford such a large amount.

Now, a single qiē is no problem, as long as this right of road construction is agreed, then this batch of weapons is his, and he can even expand to 200,000 on the basis of the current Beiyang Army. The 200,000 army is not an old-fashioned green battalion, but an army armed to the teeth, led by an officer of the Beiyang Officer Corps, Yuan Shikai is very confident, the Beiyang Army on his hand is his foundation, what kind of strength does the Beiyang Army have, he knows very well that as long as there is this batch of weapons, the Beiyang Army can be expanded to a strong man and a strong horse, what can not be done at that time.

"Promise him!" Yuan Shikai almost gritted his teeth and said, this is a gift that people can't refuse, he spent a lot of effort, 20 years to create Beiyang, but more than 70,000 people, as far as the gun is concerned, it is basically the same as this, if it is not for the support of the United Kingdom, this weapon, maybe he can double the number of troops, such a big pie directly hit his head. Yuan Shikai, who rarely changes his mind, is difficult to maintain his personality, the promise is certain, the current strength of the other party is strong, he almost agreed to it according to the scalp, the price paid by the other party, so that he did not agree, a strength of strength, is in the strength, in the barrel of the gun, with this batch of guns, his Beiyang Army, can immediately be upgraded to a level, when the time comes, the clown in the south, all of them are not a problem.

"By the way, Dong Weng's, his conditions are still there!" Yang Du then said.

"And!" Yuan Shikai was a little angry, his eyes widened, if the Baotou man was in front of him, maybe he would kill it, Yang Du knew that Yuan Shikai had misunderstood, and hurriedly said: "It's not other conditions, it's these weapons, if we still need them, they can sell them." ”

"What, this can't be!" Yuan Shikai almost lost his temper and shouted loudly. R1152