There were many guests at the dinner in the evening, and everyone wanted to greet Wang Maoru, but Wang Maoru was exhausted, but he had to deal with this occasion as the generalissimo of the Wehrmacht. Even the blessings of the Japanese ambassador were accepted in full, and he clinked glasses with the ambassadors of several countries and said some friendly words against his will, as if he was particularly cultivated.

On the contrary, the German ambassador of Weimar, Laurensen, looked at Wang Maoru with a strange look, he seemed to have discovered the same thing about his daughter and Wang Maoru, but as a political figure, he couldn't ask Wang Maoru this question, so he had to hold back in his heart and be depressed.

The day lasted until the evening, and the No. 1 Banquet Hall of the Ministry of National Defense held a celebratory reception and a farewell party, which held a banquet for the five marshals and also rushed to the military regions as a farewell to the commanders of various units and regiments. During the banquet, everyone staggered and drank happily, but Jiang Fangzhen did not have any communication with Wu Peifu and Zhang Zuolin, and there was no communication between Wu Peifu and Zhang Zuolin.

Although Wu Peifu looked down on Zhang Zuolin as a bandit, Zhang Zuolin also looked down on Wu Peifu, who only came out in his forties, relying on Cao Kun's support and the lower field in exchange for the commander of the army, the two looked down on Jiang Fangzhen who returned from studying in Japan, Jiang Fangzhen looked down on these two people, one was illiterate and the other dared to talk about army construction without even going out of the country.

Wang Maoru saw it in his eyes but was happy in his heart, if they were harmonious, wouldn't he be set aside? These three people are incompatible, and they also happen to restrain each other. The two of them were deputy commanders of the Wehrmacht. One is the chief of the General Staff, if they really work together, where will they be? This is also Wang Maoru's selfishness. He didn't want his power to be sidelined, and he checked each other so that they could become a table support for each other, neither without one nor sticking together.

When the banquet was carried out, Sa Zhenbing asked Wang Maoru: "Generalissimo, when will the second marshal be crowned?" ”

Wang Maoru smiled and said, "When the time comes." ”

Sa Zhenbing said again: "It is reported. Congress is preparing to pass a mandatory bill that would allow Congress to nominate a person to be compulsorily nominated for the presidency when the country does not have a president. ”

Wang Maoru waved his hand and said, "Haha." I have heard of it, but the opposition is also very strong. ”

Sa Zhenbing asked, "Does the generalissimo agree or oppose it?" ”

Wang Maoru thought for a while and said, "I am a soldier, so it is inconvenient to interfere in politics." Let's not talk about Congress. Ha ha. Eh, Duan Gong is also here, we have thanked you in the past. The two came to Duan Qirui with wine glasses, and at this time Duan Qirui was talking and laughing with a few old Beiyang colleagues, Wang Maoru immediately bowed and said: "Duan Gong, today's event is to be worshiped by the younger generation on behalf of all the soldiers of the National Defense Force." ”

Duan Qirui hurriedly stopped him and said, "Where did Xiusheng say, I will award the title today." It is a matter of the state, and the old age is not yet old. I can help. ”

Wang Maoru immediately said: "What Duan Gong said is extremely true, the younger generation wants to specially hire Duan Gong as a senior counselor of the National Defense Force to assist the younger generation in building national defense, I don't know what Duan Gong wants?" ”

Duan Qirui was overjoyed in his heart, but he remained silent on the surface, stroked his beard and said, "Xiusheng, the old man just said that he is not yet old, you are playing a trick on me." ”

Wang Maoru laughed and said: "Duan Gong is very wise, the younger generation only has a little trick, how can he deceive Duan Gong?" ”

"Hahahaha." Duan Qirui said with a smile, "It's not impossible to be a senior senator, but I have three conditions for you to agree." ”

Wang Maoru said with a straight face: "Duke Duan, please speak." ”

Duan Qirui said: "First, I only provide advice, I don't participate in any decisions, if you want to say something wrong, don't blame me." ”

Wang Maoru said: "This is nature, and there are younger generations to bear." ”

Duan Qirui said: "Second, I am making you a senior senator to use my years of experience in being deceived to remind you from time to time, if Wang Maoru is not in the Ministry of National Defense, I will immediately go home and plow the fields and no longer care about state affairs." ”

Wang Maoru said: "Thank you Duan Gong for trusting me, I naturally agreed to this." ”

"Third, you can't be called an emperor." Duan Qirui said with a stern face, "Xiusheng, you are a smart person, and you are an extremely smart person, you have insight into opportunities and surprises. To tell the truth, if you had been by Yuan Gong's side to give him a think tank, Yuan Gong would not have succeeded in calling him the emperor. And China ended the imperial system of the previous year and has entered the republic, and our generation of soldiers should take the republic as the object of loyalty, and those who belong to the world are selfish to the people of the world. If you become emperor in the future, I will definitely follow the example of the past and raise a righteous army to fight, even if I am the only one, I will also oppose you. ”

Wang Maoru also said with the same straight color: "Duan Gong rest assured, Yuan Gong's shame, Xiusheng dare not forget it from time to time, and Duan Gong also looks up to me." I am not the same now as I was 12 years ago. People always change, people also need to grow, now I have gone through many trials and tribulations to temper, at the beginning I only had ideals and wit, but just a scholar. Duan Gong, I promise you, my Wang clan will never be the emperor. ”

Duan Qirui held Wang Maoru's hand and said excitedly: "Okay, I'll help you." ”

The choice to woo Duan Qirui was also in the consideration of a stable Wehrmacht officer, and Wang Maoru, an officer of the Wehrmacht, was not a murderous person, and he was courteous to even his opponents. It embodies the spirit of benevolence in Chinese culture, the so-called benevolent are invincible, and benevolent and righteous people are also respected and loved. This is what a leader must do, not only to rule harshly, but also to have a spirit of righteousness. Of course, Wang Maoru is only benevolent to the vanquished, and he is like a storm of blows to the current enemies, such as the Kuomintang Party, which has always occupied the presidency. Duan Qirui will not seize Wang Maoru's rights, although he used to be the highest military commander of this China, but the current national defense force and the Beiyang Army have little to do with it, the current national defense force is controlled by Wang Maoru to train and establish, more and more young officers are emerging, and the old Beiyang officers have been eliminated and left the military circles.

But these old Beiyang people still have a certain social influence, so Wang Maoru chose to woo and appease.

After bringing Duan Qirui to his side, Wang Maoru convened another military meeting of the Ministry of National Defense the next day, and officially announced the list of new leaders and commanders of the Ministry of National Defense, Wang Maoru, commander-in-chief of the National Defense Forces, Jiang Fangzhen and Zhang Zuolin, deputy commanders-in-chief, Wang Maoru, chief minister of national defense, and Sa Zhenbing, vice minister of national defense. Wu Peifu, chief of staff of the Ministry of National Defense, Ren Yuanxing, deputy chief of staff, Mi Shaobai, chief of logistics, Zhao Jiacheng, vice minister of logistics, He Rufei, chief of military affairs, Xu Youqian, vice minister of military affairs, Li Delin, chief of security, Zhu Huailong, chief of security, Liu Xiang, chief of guards, Wang Geng, deputy chief of guards, He Anding, chief of military police, Xi Kangyong, vice chief of military police, Liu Guanxiong, chief of navy, Shen Honglie, vice commander of the navy, Lu Rongting, chief of road and navigation, and Luo Haiquan, vice chief of road and navigation.

Subsequently, after consulting with Jiang Fangzhen, Sa Zhenbing, and Duan Qirui, Wang Maoru decided to launch the organization of the National Defense Strategy Research Group. Duan Qirui didn't think it was appropriate to propose a strategic group at this time, but Jiang Fangzhen agreed, and Sa Zhenbing commanded like a Maitreya Buddha and echoed with a smile, without any opinion. Wang Maoru thought about it for a while, and resolutely decided that the later he lined, the bigger and bigger he would be in the future. In fact, at this time, he was also reshuffling the power structure within the Ministry of National Defense, taking the opportunity to attack He Rufei's Lu Da Department and Li Delin's Baoding Department, so that these two small collectives that might threaten him lowered their heads and behaved honestly. Jiang Fangzhen's support and Duan Qirui's opposition were all considered only from the perspective of military and national defense, while Wang Maoru also considered personnel factors.

The so-called seeking his own government in his position, Wang Maoru's consideration is naturally different from the three of them, but Sa Zhenbing's attitude is that no matter what Wang Maoru does, he will support it, showing the true colors of the old fritters. At the commanders' meeting, Wang Maoru said that in order to restrain the power of his defense minister and prevent the emergence of a military dictator, he decided to reduce the power in his hands.

As soon as these words came out, everyone was in an uproar and shocked. Duan Qirui also applauded and supported Wang Maoru's decision, but Wang Maoru's descendants were extremely excited, and even opposed.

Gai Tianjiu, the commander of the Gyeonggi garrison, immediately stood up and objected: "Generalissimo, your subordinates do not agree, only if the generalissimo is strongly controlled, the country can be stabilized." ”

Ren Yuanxing also said: "Generalissimo, I don't agree to my humble position. ”

Li Delin immediately said: "I don't agree. ”

"I don't agree with it."

"Subordinates oppose!"

He Rufei's reaction seemed to be the most intense, and he said excitedly: "Generalissimo, are you going to abandon your brothers?" We can't leave your command, and the Wehrmacht can't do without you. ”

"yes." Everyone shouted and persuaded Wang Maoru not to let go of power.

Wang Maoru pressed down with both hands, smiled and comforted: "Everyone, don't be impatient. He smiled and said: "The Wehrmacht has grown up and is already a part of us, and I know that what you are afraid of is that once I relinquish power, there will be careerists who will take control of the Wehrmacht and lead the country to turmoil." You are all thinking about the country and the people, and I deeply admire your patriotic sentiments. However, if the power is not restricted, there will be a strict deviation, and I took the initiative to ask for a reduction in power because the Wehrmacht has grown up and become more and more large. In the earliest days, the Wehrmacht was the 17th Mixed Brigade, with only more than 3,000 people. My brothers and I will do everything ourselves, because it is small. However, with the total number of national defense officers and soldiers now in the millions, and commanding such a huge military system, it is impossible for any single person to have the wisdom of all aspects. Therefore, I propose the establishment of a national defense strategic military research group, whose actions are under the command of the chief of national defense, and at the same time restrain myself from rashly carrying out stupid dictatorial actions such as proclaiming the emperor. Moreover, the members of the Strategic Military Group should have made the most reasonable suggestions at a time when I myself was too busy with business to make the first decision. ”

"Generalissimo...... How can anyone voluntarily give up power? Li Delin said, "If ambitious people take the opportunity to make trouble, what will be good?" ”

Wang Maoru laughed and said: "The ambition is to murder me successfully, and there is also the constraints of the military strategy team. I don't believe careerists are going to kill us all, hahaha. Besides, if the Wehrmacht is working together, why do the ambitious people say? Everyone's discussion was much smaller, and Wang Maoru said: "Next, I will announce the composition of the members of the military strategy research group." ”

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