The demonstration of the Fengtian New Army planned by Song Biao really made the Qing Zheng Axe extremely nervous, and also made the Shengjing General Zhao Erxun, the Qing Zheng Axe and the Empress Dowager Cixi break out in a cold sweat.

At this time, there were four forces in the three eastern provinces, the Qing political axe was Party A, the Tsarist Russian Empire was Party B, Song Biao was the C side, and the British Alliance was the D side, the Tsarist Russian Empire was busy dealing with the domestic revolutionary uprisings, and the British Alliance contained each other, and was temporarily unable to fight for control of the three eastern provinces, and the two parties that further fought for power and profit in the three eastern provinces were the Qing Zheng Axe and Song Biao.

The military parade of the new army was the product of Song Biao's struggle for power with the Qing political axe, and Zhao Erxun's secret telegram of "speculation" that Song Biao was about to rebel shocked the Empress Dowager Cixi and the Manchu court, and the Manchu nobles were furious.

In order to successfully become the governor of the three eastern provinces and take over the power of the three provinces, Song Biao spent money to dredge some officials within the Beijing Division, and the batch of jewelry, calligraphy, paintings and antiques purchased from Stessel were also sent over, such as Lu Chuanlin, the secretary of the Ministry of Officials, Lu Shouchen, the right attendant of the Ministry of Rites, and Song Biao, who all had dealings, and they were also the main channels for him to inquire about the information of the Qing political axe.

Song Biao didn't expect that the reaction of the Jingshi and provincial officials to this was so fierce, and he was quite unwilling to let him down, and Zhao Erxun even united many ministers to be as aggressive as gold.

This made Song Biao a little surprised, first, he felt that Qing Zhengaxe overreacted; second, he felt that the Qing Dynasty officials were unreasonable from top to bottom, as if the Qing Dynasty was still really strong, and he could wipe out his Northeast New Army by blowing fairy air; Third, he was not ready for revolution, and his troops did not have the strength to overthrow the Manchu Dynasty, let alone sweep the whole country.

Just when Song Biao was about to fight to the end and fight with Qing Zheng's axe, a very special person came to meet him secretly.

This person's name is Yuan Jinkai.

Because the situation in the past few days was too tense, Song Biao could only step up preparations for war, and secretly took Jiang Fangzhen and others to formulate a complete set of battle plans, so that all battalions of the whole army were under martial law.

If the situation was really out of control, Song Biao decided to strike first, directly take down the generals stationed in the three provinces, and fight to the death with the Qing army in Liaozhong and Jinzhou.

At noon that day, Song Biao was secretly discussing the plan with Jiang Fangzhen, Shu Fangde, Cai Yi, and Zhao Tingzhu, when Li Dayun suddenly came in with a letter of worship, saying that the Liaoyang Police Bureau had sent Yuan Jinkai to visit.

This is a rare thing.

Song Biao opened this person's worship post and looked at it, feeling a little interesting in his heart, since he became the governor of the three eastern provinces, I don't know if Zhao Erxun secretly made arrangements, and so far few officials have come to visit him.

After a little thought, Song Biao paused the discussion with everyone and went to the office in the front yard to meet this person named Yuan Jinkai.

As the number one aide of Zhang Zuolin, the king of the Northeast, Yuan Jinkai is definitely a person worth using.

When Song Biao arrived in the office, he saw a Qing Dynasty official in his thirties waiting in the room, wearing a Manchu four-grade official uniform, with a mustache, not tall, and a calm expression.

Seeing Song Biao, this person stepped forward to pay homage and said: "The lowly Liaoyang police officer has promoted Yuan Jinkai to see the governor!" ”

Song Biao looked at Yuan Jinkai carefully for a moment and asked, "You said that you were the police officer of Liaoyang, why didn't I meet you when I was fighting in Liaoyang?" ”

Yuan Jinkai replied unhurriedly: "Tell your lord, before the army entered the city, the humble post saw that the Russian army was about to retreat, so he took more than ten patrols from the police bureau in advance to escort Liaoyang Wang Zhixian out of the county seat. ”

Song Biao nodded slightly, recognizing this person's talent and adaptability, and said, "Get up and speak!" ”

"Thank you, Lord Governor, for not being held accountable!"

Yuan Jinkai thanked him, then got up and took out an excerpt and continued to Song Biao and said: "I am not talented, I have the courage to write a new policy book of the three provinces and want to dedicate it to the governor, I have to write this book to show that I am different from others, or I want to protect the three provinces from foreigners, and please take a look!" ”

Song Biao knew that this was a figure of a constitutional monarchist, so he asked Li Dayun to take the fold over and look at it, and asked while looking at it: "What was your background in the past and what have you done?" ”

Yuan Jinkai replied: "The humble post is a talent who was promoted in Fengtianfu in the eleventh year of Guangxu, Gengzi ran a regimental training in the year of Gengzi, served as the general office of the North Road Baojia Bureau and the general director of the regimental training, and only served as a police officer in Liaoyang last year!" ”

Song Biao sighed and said: "It's an interesting thing to do group training!" ”

After the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance, the Qing political axe seemed to suddenly wake up and began to handle new policies throughout the country, even the Empress Dowager Cixi seemed to be very enthusiastic, and there were really a lot of new policies during this period, including local autonomy and elections, etc., there were new armies, tax bureaus, industrial patrol bureaus, police bureaus, and telegraph bureaus in various places, and the prime minister's national affairs yamen became the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and new departments such as the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Law, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, and the Ministry of Education were also set up. Railways began to be built on a large scale, and foreigners were able to set up factories all over the country after the invasion of China by the Eight-Nation Alliance.

From 1901 to 1911, China and the late Qing Dynasty were undergoing a rapid transformation during this decade, and all the changes in this period laid the foundation for the arrival of the Republic of China.

As for the police bureaus in various places, they are basically transformed from the regimental training in various places during the Boxer Rebellion, and there is still a very big difference from the modern police system, not so much a police system, but a new kind of green battalion soldiers, and the main responsibility is not to handle cases, but to maintain local stability and law and order.

Yuan Jinkai's regimental training background has become a promotion of the police bureau, which is also a very common thing.

After reading Yuan Jinkai's more than 10,000-word "New Deal Book of the Three Eastern Provinces", Song Biao really had a bit of a constitutionalist posture, first of all, he wanted all regions to run local autonomy, step up supervision and handling of the new army, encourage the establishment of factories, develop coal and iron, and resettle displaced people to reclaim wasteland.

Although they are all advanced remarks that are very common in this era, being able to say these words and sort out a document of more than 10,000 words is enough to show that the vision is still relatively broad, not to mention that this person has the skills and foundation to show talent, no wonder he is one of the leaders of the Fengtian Constitutionalism faction.

Not bad.

Even if it's all calloused nonsense.

Song Biao put away this "New Deal Book of the Three Eastern Provinces" and said: "Your new deal is well written, there are not many people who can have such ambition and foresight in Kanto. It's just that the matter of local autonomy is still worth considering, and if it is too hasty, it is just to divide the power among the squires, and the ordinary squires are just that, if it is given to the squire bullies, the new policy has not been made, and the people are miserable. ”

Yuan Jinkai immediately bowed down again and said: "What the lower official said is arrogant, please don't pursue it!" ”

Song Biao said: "Get up, there's nothing to pursue, I'll just talk to you casually, let's discuss it together." It's always a good thing to have someone to work with you and discuss a few times. ”

Yuan Jinkai was overjoyed, and immediately got up and thanked him: "Thank you, Lord Governor, for your appreciation." ”

Song Biao nodded and motioned for him to sit next to him and talk.

When Yuan Jinkai respectfully sat down on the chair next to Song Biao's desk, Song Biao said to him: "The matter of the New Deal is both a good thing and a bad thing. The good side is to seek innovation and change, and the bad side is extravagance and waste, if the imperial court cannot control the fire, it may become an excuse for bureaucrats at all levels, as well as local squires and bullies, to take advantage of the opportunity to fish. At that time, the people will be miserable, and that will be a good intention. I also want to carry out a new deal, but one of my principles is not to increase the burden of the people in the three provinces by a penny, what do you think? ”

Yuan Jinkai was amazed, and he bowed his hand with joy and sincerity: "I originally thought that the lord would dominate the world by making good use of the art of war, and he would be an official because of this, but now I know that the lord is really a famous minister's capital, and the lower officials are full of admiration, and they also want the people of my three provinces to thank the lord." It is a blessing for my three eastern provinces to have an adult as the governor, and it is a blessing for the people of my three provinces! ”

Song Biao smiled bitterly in his heart, he really didn't understand why Yuan Jinkai came to visit him at this time, and whether he would continue to be the governor was a question.

After waiting for a while, seeing that Song Biao did not speak anymore, Yuan Jinkai resolutely said to Song Biao: "Don't hide it from the Governor, I have been coming to Liaoyang for a few days, and I originally wanted to go to see Lord Zhao Erxun Zhao, but I happened to see the parade of the new army, and I was very shocked, so I made up my mind to come and ask to see you first." One of Zhao Erxun's staff members is a friend of mine, and he told me some news that the Jingshi was very angry because of the new army's parade, and after I thought about the various changes, I hurriedly came to ask for a meeting, and wanted to offer a strange plan to the governor! ”

"Oh?"

Song Biao was slightly surprised, he didn't expect Yuan Jinkai to have such skills, so he asked, "Then you basically know the ins and outs of these things?" ”

Yuan Jinkai immediately replied: "The front and back are clear." My fellow villager friend is called Su Huichen, this person is my brother-in-law, from a human background, originally a staff member of Lord Zengqi, served for a long time, after Lord Zengqi returned from illness, he was invited by Zhao Erxun Lord Zhao to stay and continue to serve as the chief in the yamen of General Shengjing, so he naturally knew the details inside. According to what my wife and brother said, Lord Zhao Erxun sent an urgent telegram to the imperial court to report the parade of the new army, and added three crimes, one is to say that you don't shave your hair, don't braid, and your anti-heart is notorious, and everyone in the Northeast knows it; The second is that the new army is wearing Russian [***] uniforms to demonstrate, intimidating the people, and clearly serving foreigners; The third is that you have secretly formed a sworn party, colluded with rebels, and intended to rebel. ”

Song Biao didn't know the original text of Zhao Erxun's secret report until this time, he had only heard of the first and second articles before, and Prince Qing Yixuan had refuted it, but it had little effect, and he also pulled Yixuan into the water and scolded him together.

Song Biao sighed and sneered in his heart.

If he really rebelled, he would first take down Zhao Erxun's head, and maybe even the whole family would be dealt with together, having said that, it is estimated that Zhao Erxun had already made up his mind and was ready to die.

Song Biao didn't have a good countermeasure to this, so he asked Yuan Jinkai: "Then since you know so clearly and are a smart person, what do you think I should do now?" ”

Yuan Jinkai had already thought about it for a long time, and immediately replied: "I think that if the governor really wants to rebel, he might as well take down Zhao Erxun's head immediately, but I say that Zhao Erxun falsely accused Zhongliang and forced you to rebel." If the governor does not want to rebel, then the surname Suo continues to fight for power, now a word is the real bad thing, the lord should send an urgent telegram to the imperial court, only to say that Zhao Erxun in order to fight for power and falsely accuse you, you are now the governor of the three provinces, unarmed, everything is controlled by the three provinces garrison generals, Zhao Erxun also sent a telegram to the prefects and officials in various places, ordering the officials not to associate with you, so that the three provinces do not even recognize you, you have the intention to build a new deal, serve the country, but you end up like this, defenseless, let others slaughter. Moreover, your telegram cannot be sent through the telegraph office, so you must send it to the foreign affairs department of the imperial court by the telegraph company of the foreigners, just say that Zhao Erxun strictly controls the telegraph bureau, and does not give you the opportunity to play the imperial court at all, and wants to use the imperial court to treat you to death. Second, you will issue announcements in Fengtian City and other localities to recruit talented people who can seek a new policy, and you will also place advertisements in the newspapers of various provinces to recruit new teachers and people who are proficient in the new policy, so as to put on a posture that you will never give up until the establishment of a new policy in the three provinces. ”

Speaking of this, Yuan Jinkai paused slightly, and seeing that Song Biao did not object to this, he added: "Your Excellency Governor, it is easy to say, the court is not afraid of you showing off your might, not afraid of you fighting for power and profit, in fact, it is afraid that you are going to rebel, as long as you have no intention of rebelling, will the court still dare to compete with you?" After all, you have so many troops in your hands and all the guns and cannons, the imperial court really wants to send 100,000 troops to attack you, in case you are defeated, won't this Great Qing Kingdom bring about its own destruction? ”

Song Biao had to sigh in admiration when he heard this, thinking that these people who can turn the clouds and rain are really capable after all, at least this mind is not simple.

After all, Song Biao had never eaten official dinner, and he was unprepared for these things, so he really didn't see it as clearly as Yuan Jinkai at this point.

After thinking about it, Song Biao suddenly clapped his hands and applauded: "Okay, good, you are indeed the timely rain of this governor, and you are good to come." ”

After saying this, Song Biao asked Li Dayun to call Jiang Fangzhen and Shu Fangde over, and when the two of them came over, Song Biao gave each of them one order, and asked Jiang Fangzhen to send a report to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Qing Dynasty through the Dabei Telegraph Company, and at the same time send a telegram to Rong Xingqiao, so that Rong Xingqiao could immediately place advertisements in the provincial newspapers through various connections to recruit talents who were interested in coming to the three provinces to set up new policies and new factories.

As for the content of the performance, Song Biao discussed it with Jiang Fangzhen, Shu Fangde, and Yuan Jinkai, because Yuan Jinkai was born in Xiucai after all, and he had been mixed in officialdom for several years.

Waiting for Jiang Fangzhen and Shu Fangde to go out to do business, Yuan Jinkai said to Song Biao again: "The Governor has no intention of rebelling, and he also understands the people of our three provinces, if he can stay as the governor of the three provinces for a long time, it is really a blessing for the people of our three provinces." What's more, the Governor has a wide range of soldiers under his command, and he does not dare to act rashly, and he is actually the only candidate to guard the three provinces. Although Lord Zhao Erxun Zhao is not incompetent, compared to the adult, he is really not the governor we want to stay, not to mention that this time it is mostly a false accusation under urgency, and the act is really not worthy of our service. It's just that although I see that there are many good generals around adults, there are few staff members who can understand officialdom, and they are willing to resign from the police bureau and stay with adults as staff. ”

Song Biao couldn't ask for it, and praised: "That's really good, with a smart person like you by my side, I will have to worry a lot in the future." I'm right for you, I don't know about the officialdom of the imperial court, I'm afraid it's already a well-known thing, and I really don't have such talents around me, if you can recommend more people, that's really great. ”

Yuan Jinkai said: "The qualifications are shallow, and most of the people I know are down-and-out people who are not able to reach the rank, and few are proficient in officialdom. Although my brother-in-law is old, he is also a person who is proficient in this matter, and if Zhao Erxun leaves Mukden in the future, he will definitely be willing to serve by your side again. In addition to him, there is a clerk named Wang Yongjiang in the Liaoyang Police Bureau, this person is actually very talented and shrewd, but he may not be proficient in officialdom. ”

Song Biao said: "In this way, I will set up a secretariat in the governor's yamen, and you will be the head of this secretariat, and recruit more suitable talents to come over." ”

Yuan Jinkai said with a smile: "Your Excellency trusts the lowly position so much, the lowly position must do your best." ”

Yuan Jinkai is indeed a certain brain, he may not be good at running a new policy, but he is an expert in engaging in this kind of conspiracy and gladiatorial fighting, Song Biao sat down with him and talked casually for a while, and he felt more and more that the characteristics of this person are shrewd, and his true knowledge is average.

With the new countermeasures, Song Biao's reaction was very rapid, he knew in his heart that he had suffered because he had offended too many people, and during the Russo-Russian War, most officials still supported him, and his appearance was believed by many officials to be the cause of the Northeast dilemma, and regarded him as a traitor.

In addition, Song Biao won the throne of the governor of the three provinces with his strong strength at a young age, which made many old officials over half a hundred years old embarrassed, and now they don't attack to the death when they seize the opportunity.

Someone has said before that these officials of the Qing political axe are all shrewd and cunning, and they are collectively stupid when they encounter [***], as if no one needs to consider the most real question - if Song Biao is really forced to rebel, who will quell the chaos, and will the three eastern provinces still want it?

Thinking about this, Song Biao decided to find a way to reverse his reputation.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, reputation was still very important.

After several considerations, Song Biao asked Shu Fangde to write an article called "The Possibility of Yellow Races", based on the Battle of Liaoyang, he talked about some things about Song Biao's command of the Russian army, including the combat level and achievements of the Northeast New Army, so as to prove that the yellow people are not inferior to foreign foreigners in terms of wisdom and body, as long as they master Western knowledge, combined with Chinese and Western learning, and integrate their knowledge, the yellow race can better beat foreign foreigners.

After this article was written, it cost a lot of money to send electricity directly to Shanghai, and Shu Fangde's father Shu Gaoli found a relationship to publish it in many newspapers such as "Declaration", which aroused strong reactions from people from all walks of life as soon as it was published, making Song Biao fight a small turnaround in his not very good reputation.

Forcibly opposing the Qing Dynasty, the preparations for a head-on decisive battle with the Qing army in the area of Liaozhong County continued to be in preparation, since Zhao Erxun regarded death as home, Song Biao also planned to fulfill him, if the Qing political axe really made a mistake, Song Biao could only set off this great revolution in advance.

It's a big deal to have a fish die and the net is broken, and this kind of thing is not commonplace for Song Biao, let alone fighting the Qing army.

(To be continued)