Dongjiaomin Lane, Beijing, British Legation.

In this embassy district, which is located in the capital of China, but the Chinese ** police are not allowed to enter. The British Legation was undoubtedly in a leading position, and the former residence of Prince Tan became the seat of the British Legation after the Second Opium War, and was attacked by the Boxers and Qing troops during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, but it was not breached. And now the alert situation in this British embassy seems to be back to 1900! Soldiers of the British Royal Marines set up barricades and machine guns in front of the embassy. All the Chinese servants in the embassy have been dismissed, except for the red-headed Ah San who has come from India.

Minister Zhu Erdian stepped out of the car a little tiredly and took the briefcase handed by the secretary. It seemed that the British soldiers who were on guard at the gate of the embassy took a long sigh and strode towards the inside of the legation. As soon as the Indian gardeners and servants saw the dejected look of the minister, they knew that the Chinese had not yet completely surrendered to the British Empire.

In the living room, there was already a neatly dressed middle-aged man waiting there with a frown. This gentleman was Counsellor Eston of the British Legation. Seeing Zhu Erdian walk in with a black face, Eston barely squeezed out a smile and asked, "Mr. Minister, does Duan Qirui still disagree with our plan?" ”

Jurdian sat down on the sofa tiredly, and the Indian servant brought him a cup of black tea, and the minister took a sip and said with a bitter smile: "These damned Chinese, they don't want to think about who protected the country from partition in 1901." I don't want to think about who saved China from secession in 1911...... What an ungrateful person! They still stubbornly insist that they cannot be held responsible for the terrorist activities of the Red Brigade in the concession, and they do not agree with us to use Guan Yu to form an international merchant group to defend the concession! It's so irresponsible. By the way, Mr. Lampsheng, do you think the British Empire's position in favor of the Beiyang government is wrong? Should we consider having Sun Yat-sen come to Beijing to preside over the Chinese government? ”

Eston shook his head with a wry smile, took out two telegrams from his pocket and handed them over: "Mr. Minister, I don't think Sun Yat-sen will speak better than Duan Qirui. ”

"What is this?" Zhu Erdian frowned and put down the teacup. took out reading glasses from his pocket and put them on the bridge of his nose, only then did he take the telegram and read it, only to look at it twice and jump up violently: "What! How dare they hit the idea of customs! Are these two messages exact? ”

Aiston shrugged his shoulders: "I don't think Mr. Chan Jiongming should be able to deceive Sir Stubbs (Governor of Hong Kong), right?" Moreover, this Mr. Chen did not ask the British Empire to support him in overthrowing Sun Yat-sen's rule in Guangdong. I just hope that we can reach a compromise with the Beiyang government to avoid further deterioration of the situation! So I think the information provided by Mr. Chen Jiongming is reliable.

As for the report of the consul in Xiamen, it is even more accurate, there have just been protests in Xiamen and Fuzhou against our accusation against the Chinese customs! Tens of thousands of Chinese people have taken to the streets of Xiamen and Fuzhou. Our personnel stationed at the customs in Fuzhou have retreated, and in Xiamen, the marines are confronting the Chinese people......"

Although the shape seemed to be extremely severe, the British counsellor only said unhurriedly and slowly, with the calmness of some British Empire gentlemen.

However, Minister Zhu Erdian, who had always been steady, could no longer hold his breath, and he jumped to his feet and shouted: "Immediately send a telegram to Fry, asking him to immediately protest to the Chinese officials in Xiamen, and ask them to ensure the safety of the British concession in Xiamen!" Sue sù our fellow marines, we must not allow the Chinese mob to enter the concession for a single step!

Then send a telegram to our consul in Fuzhou, asking him to go to the Fujian overseer and governor of China. And what kind of military affairs supervisor Chang Ruiqing exerted pressure and told them to immediately send troops to disperse the rebellious people who occupied the Fujian Customs Building! Otherwise, the British Empire would not mind sending troops to restore order there.

Also, send a telegram to the commander of the Far East Fleet in Hong Kong, asking them to send a fleet to Xiamen to support our marines there! The Chinese must not be allowed to spread wild in the British concession! ”

Eston was a little surprised, did this Jurden know what he was doing? He wanted to do it at a time when the war in Europe was not over. Provoke another war in Asia? He didn't move to convey Zhu Erdian's order, but only reminded in a low voice, "Mr. Minister." I don't think it's that bad, Consul Fletza's telegram doesn't say that the protesters in China are out of control, maybe it's just a peaceful demonstration. And in this case, we did mishandle it, and I think the most important thing at the moment is to reach a compromise with the Beiyang politicians. Let them come out and regain control of the situation! ”

Zhu Erdian held his head down, he also knew that he might be a little too tough on some issues, but it was also to protect the interests of the British Empire in China! Ultra-nationalist and anarchist terrorist organizations like the Red Brigades must be eliminated as much as possible! The Chinese government must also do its utmost to achieve this goal...... For this reason, there was nothing wrong with the British Empire putting some pressure on them.

And there is nothing wrong with appropriating the Chinese's "Guan Yu" to form a business group to defend the concession, and can't the British government or British businessmen in China bear this additional expense? He really couldn't understand why the Chinese government, which had always been obedient and obedient, did not comply with such a reasonable demand. This must be the effect of the terrorist activities of the Red Brigades, right?

Zhu Erdian stomped his feet and said coldly: "Just do as I say, now is the critical moment of confrontation with Chinese, if we give in, it will make those Chinese think that the British Empire no longer has the strength to maintain her rule in Asia, like that...... The Chinese will soon once again challenge the interests of the British Empire in China! ”

"Okay." Eston sighed softly in his heart, just like walking to the telegraph room upstairs, he suddenly stopped after walking a few steps, turned back and asked Zhu Erdian: "Mr. Minister, what about Guangdong?" Sun Yat-sen may take action against the Guangdong Customs within a few days. ”

Zhu Erdian waved his hand. He said loudly: "Let's find a way to do this...... We must now suppress this opponent who jumped out first, so that Sun Yat-sen may be able to retreat from the difficulty! Saying that, he gritted his teeth and stretched out his hand to greet his secretary: "Charlie, we will go to Zhongnanhai now to meet the president of the Chinese." As he spoke, he muttered to himself in an inaudible voice, "The matter should be over......

……

Outside the window, some students braved the drizzle to march through the streets of Mawei. The struggle to reclaim Fuzhou Customs was much simpler and quicker than expected. When thousands of students and workers from Fuzhou, as well as nearly 10,000 peasant brothers who had come from various nearby counties in Fuzhou, appeared in the small ponytail and shouted the slogans "Down with imperialism" and "Take back the customs". The foreigners in the customs building slipped away at the first time.

Then, Comrade Li Dazhao, the leader of the Chinese and G Countries, who led the struggle to take back the customs, held a press conference in the customs building in Mawei in front of a group of Chinese and foreign reporters. Publicly declare that the Min Customs is back in the hands of the people! And Chang Ruiqing's Fujian Army did not show up at all in the struggle to recover customs here in Fuzhou.

After all the foreigners in the customs office in Mawei, Fuzhou were expelled, the peasants who gathered in Fuzhou received a few yuan each. Each embarked on his own way home...... Anyway, it's also a farming slack now, and everyone is happy to have such an extra income. As for the students, who did not have a penny and were working in vain, they were very excited, and they were still marching on the streets where the consulates of various countries gathered in Mawei to vent their excessive energy, and the placards were full of slogans against imperialism, and some even shouted the slogans of long live the Red Brigade and long live the Zuo Min!

Chang Ruiqing closed the curtains of the customs commissioner's office, and his expression seemed a little strange, after all, it was the first time he had heard someone shouting long live himself! He had just arrived at the Mawei Customs Building from Fuzhou City. The purpose was to negotiate with the British consul in Fuzhou about the takeover of the Fujian customs by Chinese personnel. Although he didn't expect the British to agree at all, he always had to do a job of face.

"Yaoru! What are you waiting for? Hurry up and give the order to suppress these rioters! And the leader of the rebellious party named Li Dazhao must also be arrested immediately! The situation must not be allowed to escalate. ”

A voice full of anxiety suddenly sounded in his ears, it was Fujian Overseer Sa Zhenbing speaking. The theoretical leader of Fujian Province is now a little at a loss, although it is winter, his old man's forehead is covered with beads of sweat the size of soybeans.

He and Chang Ruiqing came from Fuzhou City in a car. Also in the car was an Australian named Duanna, who was a famous journalist who had served as an adviser to many political leaders of the Republic of China in history. He came to Fujian to interview Chang Ruiqing, and this journalist friend was obviously very interested in Chang Ruiqing, a rapidly rising Chinese ** valve, and as soon as he received Zhang Junmao's invitation, he and several foreign journalist friends rushed south.

Now he was also in the same office as Chang Ruiqing, and when he heard Sa Zhenbing shouting to suppress his compatriots, his eyebrows twisted slightly.

As a journalist who stands on an impartial basis. He believes that in the current conflict between China and the great powers, the behavior of the Red Brigade is certainly an unforgivable mistake. But the Chinese government and the Chinese people have done nothing wrong, and the powers should not punish the innocent Chinese for the fault of the Red Brigade. Moreover, the brutal approach of the legation not only failed to strike at the Red Brigades, but made more Chinese believe that the Great Powers really wanted to turn their homeland into a colony...... The occurrence of today's incident of the Chinese people rushing into the customs to expel the foreigners is undoubtedly the inevitable consequence of the arbitrary actions of the legation.

At this time, the Supreme Governor of the Beiyang Government in Fujian, Sa Zhenbing's Overseer, actually proposed to impeach the unarmed Chinese people in order to curry favor with the British Empire...... This is simply a slave of the British Empire, Sir Zhu Erdian is not satisfied, and he keeps persecuting them, what kind of Chinese bureaucracy does this old guy want to rule this country?

Chang Ruiqing's eyes widened, and he looked at Sa Zhenbing, who was urging himself to suppress the people, with an unbelievable expression: "Ding Gong! What are you talking about? It's just some students there! They are just expressing their dissatisfaction in the most gentle way, this is their basic right as a citizen, how can I send troops to suppress it? As he spoke, he looked back at Duan Na and said with a smile, "Mr. Duan Na, do you think what I said is right?" ”

"Yes, yes!" Before Duan Na could speak, Sa Zhenbing replied first: "These mobs were storming the customs just now. What if I rush into the consulate later? Now that Beijing has become like that, we must not have any more chaos in our local area! Otherwise, China will really die! Yaoru, you quickly order the impeachment, and then go with me to the British Consulate to apologize, invite those foreigners who ran away back, and return the customs to the British! ”

When the old man said this, his whole body trembled, as if his heart was about to jump out of his cavity. He is an old navy. And I once studied in the United Kingdom, and I have seen the strength of the British Empire with my own eyes! To put it mildly, he is a Chinese living in the Victorian era!

But Chang Ruiqing's face did not have the slightest fear. Instead, there was a contemptuous smile. This look makes Duan Na a little strange, although the national strength of the British Empire is not as good as before, it is still the number one power in the world! He coughed softly. He said: "Sadu Army, Governor Chang, I am good friends with Mr. Herb, the British consul in Fuzhou, and I can explain to him your goodwill, and perhaps we can negotiate a satisfactory settlement of the conflict here, right?" ”

Chang Ruiqing suddenly set his eyes on the Australian: "Mr. Duanna, the Fujian Customs has been taken back by the Chinese people, and I, as a Chinese soldier, only have the obligation to protect it, and there is no reason to hand it over to foreigners again!" I don't think there is any reason for your British Empire's customs to let foreigners manage the controls, right? ”

Duan Na was stunned when he heard this, and looked at the young middle-aged ** person in front of him with an incomparably complicated gaze, and nodded slightly after a long time: "General Chang, can I publish what you just said in the newspaper?" ”

Chang Ruiqing said lightly: "Yes." It's not a big deal. By the way, please call Mr. Herb again and tell him that I will never hand over the Min Customs to the British, and that if he wants to come and ask me to return the customs administration, then there is no need to make a trip in vain. As for the personal safety and property of British citizens in Fuzhou. I'll do my best to protect it. ”

……

Unlike Mawei, Fuzhou, where customs are taken back effortlessly. At this time, the entrance to the British Concession in Xiamen is full of gunpowder!

The British Concession of Xiamen was close to the sea in the west, and the north and south ends were very narrow, and the only entrance had been completely blocked by the British Royal Marines with deer barbed with wire. The entrance to the east of the concession has several wide roads, which is the most prosperous business district in Xiamen. But now, all the shops are closed, and there must have been a cordon of more than 100 well-dressed British soldiers and Indian police. The muzzle of the black hole pointed in the direction of Huajie.

At this end of the Chinese realm, there is a sea of people! There were tens of thousands of people. At the forefront were the students and workers in Xiamen, who, unlike the peasants who had been hired for money, were all indignant, holding placards, five-color national flags, and GCD sickles and hammer flags, chanting the slogan "Get out of imperialism" for a while, and singing the impassioned tune "The Internationale" under the leadership of some movement organizers from Beijing or Shanghai!

The British consul in Xiamen, Fleisha, stood alone on the roof of a British foreign firm building. His face looked a little gloomy, and there was a slight hint of surprise. He was no stranger to the tune of "The Internationale"! When he was a university student in England, he Freisha was a frequent attendee of leftist rallies – because at that time he was courting the daughter of a banker who had been bewitched by leftist ideas.

At this time, the secretary of a consulate hurriedly walked up and reported loudly: "Mr. Consul, a telegram from Sir Zhu Erdian in Beijing, he demands that the security of the British Concession be absolutely guaranteed, and not a single Chinese mob will be allowed to break in!" It is also said that the Far Eastern Fleet will soon arrive for reinforcements! ”

Freisha looked up and looked at the secretary fixedly, "What did you say?" What does Sir Jurdian want to do? Is he going to start a war in Asia? ”

The secretary was stunned for a moment and muttered, "Mr. Consul, do you want to give orders to the marines so that they can ......?"

Fleische glared at the secretary as he pointed to the Chinese crowd singing "The Internationale" in the distance and shouted, "Are you crazy? Do you think they are all unarmed Chinese people who can be shot by us? They're singing The Internationale, they're red! There must be terrorists from the Red Brigade among them! Those people in Tianjin can wash the Russian barracks in blood! I don't think our overage Marines and Indian police are any tougher than Russian soldiers...... Go and call Minister Zhu Erdian back, telling him that the protest here in Xiamen was organized by Chinese Red Elements, and it is estimated that it has something to do with the Red Brigade! Go to Major Sù Walter and tell him not to fire first, and to keep his composure.

Also, send people to the Chinese officials in Xiamen and negotiate with them, asking them to send troops to isolate the Chinese people from the concession, and to tell them that we have no intention of aggravating the situation. ”

The secretary agreed, and turned his head to convey the latest order of Minister Freisha, when he heard several crisp gunshots from somewhere.

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