November 18, Xinhai ().

Yuan Shikai's reply on the armistice in Hubei had not yet returned, and the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River centered on Hubei once again sent a nationwide telegram, and the Hubei, Hunan, and Sichuan Provisional Military Governments issued a joint telegram, inviting Mr. Sun Wen, who had fled overseas, to return to China as soon as possible and come to Wuchang to discuss state affairs ().

Although this telegram was finally slightly modified in terms of rhetoric, and did not directly say that Sun Wenlai was invited to Wuchang to be the president, a discerning person knew at a glance that these were the three provinces in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangzi River and wanted to gain a greater political status in the new country in the future. And everyone knows very well that whether it is Li Yuanhong or Tan Yanhong, or Deng Xiaoke with Yang Qiu's background, it is impossible for them to work together to issue this joint telegram, which is obviously Yang Qiu and the National Defense Army.

But what can you say now? Troubled times are coming, and the gun is the biggest! Now in the three provinces, except for bandits and heroes, all guns are in the hands of others. The Battle of Kokurayama established Yang Qiu's supreme reputation, and the limelight even overshadowed Cai Yi and other veteran officers. The liberation of Chengdu was also fought by the pioneer brigade of others, and the Hunan "Granny Tan" simply regarded a small national defense corps commander as a military staff! In just over a month from scratch, the Wehrmacht is forming a huge interest group. This military group headed by Yang Qiu gradually kneaded together through the fierce battle between the Qing army and Beiyang. Although there were still various internal problems, a new military group began to emerge with the formation of the Fifth Division of the Wehrmacht with the Pioneer Brigade as the team and two more brigades in Changsha and Chongqing at the same time.

The gale from upstream was swift. Fast as lightning and unstoppable, when the song "Jing Zhong Serving the Country" on the bank of the Hanshui River spread all over the land of China, I don't know how many hot-blooded young people dreamed of joining this army, some of them went up the river, some people preached locally that the national defense army should be allowed to quickly go south to liberate Nanjing, and the radicals simply thought that the northern expedition should be decisive.

Taking advantage of this whirlwind, in just a few days, Yang Qiu selected hundreds of people from the army, the Lu Shi Academy from all over the country, and even the young students who returned from overseas to enter the Hubei Army Accelerated School to continue their studies. Let Xiao Anguo, who is in charge of training and officer training, scratch his ears and cheeks with joy. Several times a day, I had to run to the training ground and the crash course to personally check the future of the Wehrmacht.

On this day, when the impact of the electrification had not yet fully spread, Huang Keqiang and Song Jiaoren entered the cabin half a month earlier than history. Tian Tong and other party members who followed also boarded the ship, and Li Shucheng, who had been invited to join the General Staff, also followed and left after thinking twice. As for Ju Zhengze, as a representative of Hubei, he went to Shanghai to invite representatives from various places to come to Hubei to discuss state affairs.

The only surprise is that Tang Qianming, who led the warship uprising in history and won a good reputation, but now he has found nothing, also followed south. Yang Qiu understood that he should be the representative sent downstream by Tang Hualong, and Hubei was already too small for Tang Hualong, who had an increasing appetite. As they boarded the river ship one by one, it was officially announced that the party had been defeated in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River! On the contrary, it was the previous "Manchu Baturu", because the National Defense Force won Chengdu again and became the most dazzling political star in the central and southern regions. His series of achievements even made the whole of South China look sideways.

In the parallel world, after Huang Keqiang retreated from Hubei and returned to Nanjing, he only nominated Li Yuanhong and Tang Hualong when arranging the members of the new government, and the meaning is self-evident. Will he let Hubei go after he leaves this time? Yang Qiu, who stood on the dock to see him off, didn't know that when the aura of those "great people" began to gradually dissipate, there was no obstacle in front of him, and his mind gradually shifted from war to accelerating the consolidation of the three provinces.

Beiyang has withdrawn Xiaogan, Feng Huafu left office ahead of schedule and returned to Beijing, and it is difficult to say whether he can continue to be the commander of the Praetorian Guard. Wang Shizhen, who had the title of the Dragon of the Beiyang, temporarily took over the military power at the front after resigning from the post of governor of Huguang. As for Duan Qirui, he has not arrived for a long time because he is dealing with Wu Luzhen and others in the north. Yang Qiu didn't want and didn't want to care about one of the three famous non-commissioned officers, because this person was too deep, and Cai Jimin and the others were really pediatric compared to him, even if they used their foresight to recruit them, it would be very troublesome in the future, and it might be a good thing to die.

Song Jiaoren walked behind, and after thinking about it, he suddenly walked to Yang Qiu's side: "Chenhua." At all costs. Keqiang and I still want to thank you, if you hadn't led your troops to fight hard for more than a month, maybe Beiyang would have been able to free up your hands to attack Lianghuai, and there would not be today's good situation. ”

"Sir is polite, Yang Qiu swore to defend Hubei at the swearing-in meeting that day. Defend the Revolution! At this moment, Beiyang has not retreated, Yuan Shikai is still obedient left and right, and I hope that Mr. can urge the Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai coalition forces to take Nanjing as soon as possible, so that after Mr. Sun returns, we can overthrow the Manchu Qing as soon as possible in the Northern Expedition of three routes, unify the country and achieve a republic! ”

These impassioned words did not make Song Jiaoren smile, but brought a deep sense of worry, and asked: "Does Chen Hua really support Mr. Sun as the president?" Really republican? ”

Those sincere eyes shocked Yang Qiu's heart, in the face of this rare idealistic revolutionary in Xinhai years, he really didn't want to deceive, this barren soil has believed in power politics for thousands of years (). How easy is it to go from the rule of man to the rule of law? Even in later generations, his own era was still ruled by man, so it was impossible to achieve a true republic without going through several generations, but at this moment, he could only say against his will: "Sir, you will see." ”

After Song Jiaoren got on the boat, Yang Qiu saw Miao Luo and Rui Yao beside her, even in his eyes, he had to admit that this gang leader was very beautiful, with a height of one meter and six meters, the proportions were very symmetrical, there was no such incongruity of long body and short legs, and wearing a cheongsam at this moment made the already moving figure even hotter.

Rui Yao glared at Yang Qiu, who was uninterested, in fact, he also wanted to say a few words to Miao Luo, but when it came to his mouth, he didn't know where to start. His persecution of Huang Song and the disguised expulsion of the party members have caused an invisible gap between the two, and I am afraid that things will ...... in the future Only God knows.

Thinking of this, Yang Qiu suddenly smiled in his heart, do you need a woman? Why else would there be such an idea?

Miao Luo's beautiful eyes slipped across Yang Qiu's face, the two met in Sichuan, and she had been thinking about this man since the assassination. When she saw his class teacher come back that day, she couldn't wait to hug him and celebrate together, but then he forced Song Jiaoren and Huang Keqiang to leave, and the faint rejection of the party made her confused.

"Miss Miao...... Take care. ”

Miao Luo, who wanted him to say a few words of love, didn't expect to wait for a word to take care, his eyes were slightly red, and after a while, he bit his slightly trembling lip and said in a low voice: "You...... Also take care and don't go to risk in person in the future. "Finished. He turned around and was about to leave, but after taking two steps, he quickly came back and stuffed something into Yang Qiu's hand before disappearing behind the hatch.

Unfolded hand is a white handkerchief, but on each of the four corners is embroidered a striking red plum, the petals are red and eye-catching. You can even feel the slightest fragrance in the breeze. Yang Qiu held the softness and smiled bitterly, it has been so long since he came back inexplicably, he is no longer the ignorant "fool" he was at the beginning, how could Miao Luo not see his friendship. …… But not to mention how uncertain his future is, the attitude of the two men towards the Kuomintang is already a huge chasm.

The boat slowly left the dock, Yang Qiu also stuffed the handkerchief into his pocket, and as Li Yuanhong and the others left one after another, Rui Yao suddenly stood upside down in front of her: "What's the matter with you?" Senior sister is good to you, don't you know? And the commander ()! I think you're Chen Shimei at all! ……。 ”

Rui Da Gang Leader is worthy of being a fool. The words were so urgent and fast that people couldn't fight back, and after scolding, Lei Meng, who was escorting him next to him, had already taken a few steps back. Yang Qiu looked at her, and for some reason remembered that she had a lot of problems in her previous life, but she still liked to stand up for her little sisters. The corners of his mouth were quietly crooked, and his naughty heart deliberately bluffed his face: "Gang Leader Rui, since your gang has undertaken the military transportation task, why did you deliberately delay?" Until now, there are still more than a dozen ships that have not returned, where have they gone? I hope you can give me a reasonable answer before sunset. ”

Rui Yao has a straightforward temperament. I just want to vent my anger for Miao Luo, forgetting that Commander Yang is now the biggest person in Hubei! Myself...... I scolded him for my junior sister! also scolded Chen Shimei? It's over, what can I do now? In case he settles accounts after the fall...... Isn't the Yangtze River Gang gone? So he hurriedly looked at Chang Si. Chang Si also became more bitter. muttered secretly, help the aunt and grandmother, you are scolding and looking at it?

Seeing that her pretty face turned pale with fright, and the arrogance of the wild girl was extinguished in an instant, Yang Qiu was happy. Walking towards the headquarters with a pleasure that had not been seen for a long time, his steps became much lighter.

Upon returning to headquarters, the poor bodyguard captain Hakan was chatting with Traun, recounting what he had seen and heard during this time, presumably dissatisfied with being sent ashore to protect a little monkey. So the chatter goes on and on. Although he also admired Yang Qiu, admiration and venting were completely different things, and Yue Zi, who was sitting next to him, laughed secretly, and translated it to Zhang Wenjing as a joke from time to time.

After Yang Qiu came in, Hakan's flames reached its peak, this guy asked himself to find Traun early in the morning, but he didn't appear until now, his face was angry and he lit his own cigar and smoked it violently. No way...... Who made the information of the 15-inch naval gun too important.

Traun was still a proud European aristocratic demeanor, and he was not angry at Yang Qiu's late arrival, and asked unhurriedly: "Your Excellency Honorable Commander, have you asked me to come today to prepare for a transaction?" ”

"Oh?" Yang Qiu hung up his coat and sat down in front of him and asked, "Your country has raised all the things I need so quickly?" ”

"Not yet. But the first batch has already arrived in Shanghai, and the rest will arrive in the next month. Traun said truthfully: "The banks are ready, and you can rest assured that Germany is a country of credibility." ”

"Your Excellency, I will go to Shanghai in mid-December, perhaps ......." Yang Qiu glanced at Hakan and said with a smile: "You still need to take the warship of your navy, I think the transaction is the best at that time." ”

Traun was a little surprised that Yang Qiu went to Shanghai, and asked, "Your Excellency, Commander, haven't you already sent out an invitation today to invite your overseas leaders to come to Wuchang?" Why go to Shanghai? ”

Yang Qiu smiled, even if Huang Keqiang and Chen Qimei were willing to let Sun Wen come, the lower reaches of Jiangsu and Zhejiang would be willing? Guangzhou and Jiangxi are willing? It is estimated that even Yuan Shikai is unwilling to let Sun Wen come to Wuchang, which is equivalent to helping himself get the central military power. He said: "Your Excellency, Your Excellency, the Governor is negotiating with all parties regarding the future political structure of our country, and I have invited you today to discuss a new deal. ”

"New deal?" Traun frowned, thinking that Yang Qiu was going to take the opportunity to ask for more. Displeased: "No! With all due respect, I don't think there should be any new deals until this transaction is completed. ”

Zhang Wenjing and Song Ziqing were also a little surprised, and they didn't understand what the commander had in mind, so they pricked up their ears and listened to him say: "Your Excellency the Minister can listen to me?" Sichuan artesian well, I believe you must understand. Yang Qiu took out a document and put it on the table: "This is the revenue of Sichuan's salt tax for the past three years, which has remained at about 6 million every year, and I think this number can continue to rise, so I hope to use it as collateral for 20 years." Take a loan from your country's bank. ”

"Plus!" Without waiting for Traun to speak, Yang Qiu continued: "I believe you have learned the news that the Hanchuan Railway will restart, and I can tell you that this line will undergo a major change, and it will not go through the complicated and difficult Wushan and other areas. The detour will take from Hunan to Guizhou, into Chongqing, and eventually connect with Chengdu. In this way, the railway will include Hubei, Hunan, northern Guizhou and Sichuan, which will be a big opportunity to connect the four provinces! I believe that any businessman will be interested. ”

As a veteran diplomat, Traun, who has visited the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River many times, knows very well how difficult the planning of the old Hanchuan Railway is, and has always thought that it will be difficult to succeed, so when he heard that he should avoid the northern line and take the northern line of Hunan and Guizhou into Sichuan, he knew that Yang Qiu's restarting of the Hanchuan Railway this time was probably not a slogan and a whim (). As he said. Such a railway, which could connect the four provinces, was indeed a real artery, and the population of more than 100 million in the four provinces alone was enough for any businessman to die, but why did he say this to himself?

Yang Qiu answered his doubts: "Your Excellency the Minister should know that although the northern route has been avoided, there are also many mountains and valleys north of Guizhou, and with my country's current technical capabilities, I am afraid that it will not be able to be successfully completed, so I hope to get your country's help, and as for the reward....... I am willing to complete the construction of the railway." Sell 30 years of operation to your businessmen! ”

Sell the right to the railway! Zhang Wenjing almost suspected that his ears had heard it wrong, although it was the right to operate, and the railway was still in his hands, but the Chinese people have always been very disgusted with foreign control of the railway, and if it is used, it will probably be the next road protection movement! So he immediately wanted to get up and stop it, but was quickly stopped by Song Ziqing, shook his head and whispered, "Wait." ”

20 years Sichuan salt tax mortgage. At least 100 million marks can be obtained in a loan of about 5 million pounds, according to the actual fact that only 90% of the loans to China are issued by various countries, excluding the cost and some formalities, the profit that can be obtained immediately alone is as high as 8 million marks, and the interest of the entire loan can be at least 50 million marks! It was already faintly making him unable to sit still. Unexpectedly, Yang Qiu threw out another 30-year operation right of the main arteries of the four provinces! Even if the ownership of the railway does not belong to Germany, according to the calculation of the Jinghan Railway owned by Belgium, the 30-year operation right can at least get a direct profit of 20 million marks! And that's not even counting the hidden benefits of the railway, which is 100 million marks at a minimum of five times!

More importantly, His Majesty Wilhelm has always been very dissatisfied with Germany's inability to obtain British-style treatment in the Far East, so he has repeatedly urged Far Eastern diplomats to accelerate the expansion of the Chinese market and obtain more benefits for Germany. Now this young man throws such a big cake, which is equivalent to giving Germany a bridgehead to expand beyond the downstream controlled by Britain to the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and even the entire central and western regions.

Oh, God! If I send this news back, will I be promoted to earl immediately?!

"That's right......." Before Traun could recover from the huge benefits, Yang Qiu's face suddenly became serious: "I believe that the distrust of our people in foreign capital is very well understood by His Excellency the Minister, so it is impossible for me to give you the right to garrison troops along the railway after your country obtains the right to operate, but I think that your country's concession troops in Hankou, Changsha and Sichuan can ensure the safety of the railway, and at the same time, I will also send enough troops to ensure that your country's interests are not infringed upon (). In addition, I want to settle the repayment of all loans and transactions in marks, and I must get back within a month! Because...... The U.S. government is also waiting for my news. ”

U.S. government?! Traun didn't expect Yang Qiu to make an offer to the United States at the same time, he didn't have a good impression of the United States, which was shouting all day long about the open door, they had long been interested in the interests of various countries in China, and such a large amount of business that could be monopolized was enough to make those short-sighted American politicians and trusts make the decision to withdraw from the banking syndicate!

Of course, he won't say yes right away, because there are some problems. The first is the right to garrison the army, fortunately, Yang Qiu is right, as long as Germany is signed, he is not afraid of defaulting on the debt, to put it bluntly, even if he falls, neither Yuan Shikai nor the Southern Party government will dare to offend Germany and veto the agreement! Just like British interests in the Yangtze River! However, all the settlements were in marks, which made him frown slightly, which meant that when Yang Qiu repaid the loan in the future, he would need to first exchange the silver or his own currency into marks in the international market, and then return it to Germany.

Isn't he afraid of trouble? There was no hard currency in the Far East other than silver and gold that could be exchanged for the mark, and as the German domestic economy boomed, the mark had become stronger and stronger, and the monetary difference in 20 years alone was very large. Of course, depreciation is possible, but not by a large margin, because the mark is also pegged to gold, and in the gold standard, unless gold reserves are gone, there will be very few major devaluations of currencies.

Will Germany's gold reserves disappear entirely? It's simply impossible!

Traun is confident, but there are two things that cannot be avoided whether this big loan can be concluded: the first is that Germany must now abide by the treaty of unanimous action in China made by the banking and ministerial missions of the four countries. The second is Yang Qiu...... Now it's just a commander! Although his words are now unimpeded in the three provinces, it is not enough! Because he is not a leader, he cannot sign the contract on behalf of the government! So to make this deal, he must have at least the status of the top leader of the local government, even a pseudo-government. So he immediately reminded politely: "Your Excellency, Commander, I will immediately transfer back to China for the new deal you proposed, but your current status cannot be signed on the contract as a government." ”

"Your Excellency, you will see that day!" Yang Qiu was confident, confident and hearty, and smiled: "And I believe that my new identity will come soon......." ”