Meng Enyuan hit a big nail, and he knew that the errand was not easy to do. Thinking that these people in Shandong didn't take the imperial court seriously, and Yang Shixiang's attitude was very ambiguous, he felt even more annoyed. Meng Enyuan is also selfish here, he is about to become the twentieth town, weapons and ammunition are a big problem, if you want to control the twentieth town, how can you do it without guns and cannons? Shandong's errand is not only a business matter, but also closely related to his future. Therefore, Meng Enyuan is a little restless compared to Wang Shizhen, who leisurely travels around the mountains and waits for the results every day.

Meng Enyuan misjudged the situation. thinks that Tie Liang can force Yuan Shikai to retreat step by step, how can a small Shandong be enough? Not to mention that the fifth town is no longer in Shandong, what if Long Qian is here? Could it be that he is more difficult to control than Yuan Dashuai?

On this day, Wang Shizhen came back from Qianfoshan, and Meng Enyuan, who stayed in the State Guest House, talked to Wang Shizhen about business, "Brother Hireqing, do you think they will comply?" ”

"Lao Meng, you really should go out for a walk, not to mention that the three major scenic spots in Jinan are beautiful in this season, but the street scene of Jinan is also quite impressive. After a few years, I couldn't imagine that Jinan had changed so much...... "Wang Shizhen Wang Gu said to him.

"Pingqing, how can I have the heart to watch the scenery."

"Oh, I forgot that dude is going out of town...... This matter of arms is naturally more worrying than Wang. Now Wang is just eating mixed rice......" Wang Shizhen's tone was sarcastic. Although Yuan Shikai was a little indifferent to himself, Wang Shizhen really despised Meng Enyuan's blatant change of court. In the past few days, he has been wandering around in the car provided by Yang Shixiang, not just to watch the scenery. Instead, I investigated the changes in Jinan, and I was deeply touched. In terms of the width and cleanliness of Jinan's streets, Jingshi has been stunned. And the newly built large factory in the western suburbs made him sigh, I really don't know how Long Qian raised such funds. When he heard that Huayuan Industrial had more than 10,000 employees and an annual profit of millions, he decided that Zhou Xuexi and others would not give in easily.

"What if they refuse?" Meng Enyuan put on an unyielding attitude and continued to ask.

"Naturally, I went back to Beijing to report truthfully. What can we do? Wang Shizhen thought that Meng Enyuan would propose to visit Huayuan's military factory, but this brother waited in the State Guest House for the past few days, during which he was only invited by Yang Shixiang. Visited the product exhibition room of Huayuan Industry. The dazzling array of samples were all civilian and did not have a single weapon. Wang Shizhen really wanted to ask Lu to go to the munitions factory and remind Meng Enyuan with his eyes that the benevolent brother was just immersed in those novel and beautiful samples. Ignore Wang Shizhen's reminder at all. I feel even more contempt in my heart.

"Do they really dare to resist the imperial court? Possession of arms is a crime of death. ”

"Didn't Yang Lianfu say it? Arms production is strictly controlled. Each piece is registered. ”

"! The War Department sent troops over, and they were honest. Meng Enyuan threw the cigarette butt on the ground, and there was already a cigarette butt on the ground. These days, he eliminated two packs of cigarettes almost every day, of course, all of them were the hospitality provided by the State Guest House.

"Ha Luha, my brother is a big celebrity in front of Tie Liang, maybe Lord Shangshu will send you to lead troops into Shandong. Lao Meng, how many soldiers do you think you can bring over to make Shandong surrender? Wang Shizhen asked rhetorically.

"They dare to rebel? I don't believe it. Isn't it just a few patrol battalions? Send a target to take over Huayuan directly, why bother? ”

"Ha Lu Ha, Takami. You can send a telegram to the War Department. ”

"If you don't say it, I'll forget." A sentence reminded Meng Enyuan, and he immediately drafted a telegram and went to the telegraph office to send it out in code.

The telegram requesting the War Department to send troops to take over Huayuan immediately caused an uproar.

On the afternoon of the third day of the telegram, a reply had not yet been received from Beijing, nor was there a deadline for the giants of Huayuan ZTE to reply. Bai Ruiting, the political envoy of Shandong, hurriedly came to the guest house, "Lord Meng, Lord Wang, why are you so Meng Lang?" Huayuan is already in chaos, and the cigarette factory has gone on strike! Huayuan Gun Factory is also in chaos, and Yang Futai has rushed over to dispose of it! Two adults," Bai Ruiting sank his face, "We have already agreed to negotiate a charter, why do we not wait for the result to make this decision?" He used the word "we" to make his position clear.

"What? Strike? Wang and Meng were a little stunned, this is too allergic, right?

"Huayuan Gun Factory rumored that the imperial court was going to send troops to arrest people, and there was an immediate uproar. It is a matter of arms safety, and Lord Yang wants the patrol force to effectively protect the factory and make sure that not a single weapon escapes. How can you do that? It's nonsense. ”

"Whoever dares to make trouble will be arrested!" Meng Enyuan was furious, this was a public demonstration, and of course he couldn't give in.

"Arrest? Do you know how many people are there in Huayuan Ordnance? How many people are you going to take with you? Besides, the arsenal is closely related to the Fifth Town, and the branches are connected, how can the Fifth Town sit back and watch the chaos in the old town? This month, you have to send a large number of arms to Ganxi, and you can be responsible for the fact that things can't be made and the front line is trapped? Bai Ruiting sneered, "The Fifth Town can suppress bandits on the front line, and you are not afraid of messing up the morale of the army!" ”

"How could I ever say arrest? It's bloody. Don't talk about the fifth town and suppress the bandits? Isn't it just a few party members making trouble? ”

"Master Meng had better go and explain to the workers."

It is a bit tortuous to say that such a thing happened to Huayuan Group, which has always been very well organized and running smoothly. The initiators did not realize that they had been shot at the imperial court by the Shandong authorities.

The Shandong authorities mentioned here do not refer to the Shandong officials headed by Yang Shixiang, but the Longqian group that really controls Shandong.

The Jinan Telegraph Bureau is the key department of the Intelligence Department. As soon as Meng Enyuan's telegram to Beijing came out, Fang Shengyuan, who stayed in the base camp, received a secret report from the intelligence department.

That night, Fang Shengyuan convened a meeting of the members of the "Left-behind Committee" in Jinan to study countermeasures. There were seven members of the committee, Ye Yanbing led the First Brigade to train troops in Dongchang and Jinan Prefecture, Wu Nian led the main force of the Second Brigade to be stationed in the Qingzhou area of Laizhou, Jiang Yun went to Guanwai, and only Fang, Ning, Chen, and Song attended the meeting.

First of all, I want to report to Long Qian. The express report to Long Qian was drafted by Fang Shengyuan and sent out by a fast horse. But everyone knows that for the time being, they will not receive any instructions from Long Qian, who is far away in Ganxi. This time the crisis must be resolved by their own strength.

Fang Shengyuan analysis. The War Department sent Wang Shizhen and Meng Enyuan to blackmail Huayuan and Zhongxing, which can be regarded as a test of Shandong by the imperial court. According to the information available, there is currently a fierce political dispute in the imperial court, involving Yuan Shikai, the lord of Beiyang, and in this case, it seems that he will not use troops against Shandong. Because the troops that Beiyang can fight are all Yuan Shikai's. Moreover, the commander led the fifth town to be stationed in Jiangnan, and if the imperial court did not want to cause the biggest civil war since Hongyang, it would not have made such a decision. Moreover, the actions of the imperial court violated the vital interests of Shandong officials (the vast majority of officials had shares in the two major industrial groups). Even Yang Shixiang. I will not do it. Therefore, you might as well use static braking and wait and see what happens. To give him a conclusion, the industrial company did not agree with the approach of the imperial court. Finished.

Song Jinguo thinks. Decisions must never be made on the basis of assumptions. Better do it than wish it done. Including Yang Shixiang, Bai Ruiting, and others could not believe that preparations for military confrontation must be made. According to the commander's explanation, the Shandong column must hold out until the main force turns back to Shandong. So. The Shandong column must be assembled and make all preparations for war with the imperial court.

Song Jinguo, who has always been low-key and steady, has become a radical.

Ning Shijun believed that if the Shandong column was assembled and the reserve force was mobilized, it would inevitably be impossible to conceal the imperial court and completely expose Shandong's intention to arm against the Qing Dynasty, which would not be in line with Long Qian's general policy of accumulating strength and waiting for the opportunity.

Chen Chao believes that he can rely on public opinion and the strength of foreigners to force the imperial court to make concessions. Looking at today, the power of public opinion cannot be underestimated, and it is possible to mobilize newspapers in Shandong to denounce it, but it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that the targets of condemnation can only be Meng Enyuan and Wang Shizhen, so as not to excessively stimulate the imperial court. In addition, David and his son can ask the American consulate for help, and if the foreigners come forward, the court can't help but have scruples.

Chen Chao's opinion inspired Fang Shengyuan. He smiled gloomily and said to the other three, Chen Gong reminded me that since I want to create momentum, public opinion is not as good as hard work, so let Huayuan mess up for a while. With this reason, the following moves are easy to play.

"Why mess with Huayuan?" Chen Chao was taken aback.

Chen Gong didn't know. It has been several months since there were members of the League lurking in Huayuan Industrial! Because it is a matter of confidentiality, there are very few people who know the Tao in this situation. Considering that we may find a scapegoat in the future, why not use this person and let him sell his strength for us. These people are restless, and it is a curse to stay. As he spoke, Fang Shengyuan told him about his plan, "If this matter is launched according to the plan, it will be more convenient for public opinion to do." ”

Fang Shengyuan's plan was immediately approved by the other three. As a result, several people made a division of labor, Ning Shijun and Song Jinguo were responsible for military preparations, and first secretly ordered Ye Yanbing's First Brigade stationed in the northern Lubei region to assemble in the Dezhou area in the name of military exercises to prepare for the worst. However, Wu Nian's 2nd Brigade did not assemble for the time being, and trained as usual. In terms of logistics, it was arranged by Song Jinguo. Fang Shengyuan instigated the riot, and Chen Chao went to contact David and asked David and his son to go to the U.S. consul in Jinan.

Soon, on the third day of Meng Enyuan's message, the riots really appeared - there was a strike demonstration in Huayuan Industrial.

The strike was not initiated by a military factory, but by one of Huayuan's most profitable civilian factories, Huayuan Jinan Cigarette Factory.

After seeing the scene in Jinan, Xu Jingxin, the head of the Shandong League, decided to take Jinan as his work point, and his initial goal was to enter the army, and it was a regular army. However, the Fifth Town of the Regular Army in Shandong Province had been transferred south, and the patrol battalion left behind was somewhat out of his sight. Han Ce suggested that he go to school to get a job. The reason is that the highest salary in Shandong is a teacher, you go to inquire, in Jinan, as long as you say that you are a teacher, you will immediately be envied, and it will be much easier to marry a daughter-in-law.

Xu Jingxin is determined to make a revolution, but the revolution needs money, and more money. He thought it would be nice to go to school, so he started his job search. His initial goal was to establish three universities in Jinan: Shandong University, which is comprehensive but focuses on liberal arts, Shandong Normal University, which trains intermediate teachers, and Shandong University of Technology, which is highly specialized. Xu Jingxin thought that he was not qualified for the post of a teacher at the University of Technology, so he made Shandong University and Shandong Normal University his goal for job hunting. Unexpectedly, he hit a wall again and again, and the two universities are extremely strict in the recruitment of teachers, attaching importance to both diplomas - must be graduated from regular universities, and real talents - must pass the examinations organized by the school. He didn't have a university diploma – he had studied in Japan as a cram school and people didn't recognize him. I can't pass the exam again. It hit him hard. turned to seek Huayuan's arsenal, but I didn't expect people to be strictly censored. He was rejected because his resume was unclear. He naturally didn't expect that there was an intelligence agency behind him, and under the helplessness of being shy in his pocket, under the recommendation of Han Ce, he went to the cigarette factory under Huayuan Industrial Group to get a job.

In Xu Jingxin's eyes, since Long Qian led the army south to quell the rebellion, the fifth town and Shandong under the actual control of the fifth town are the sworn enemies of the alliance! Although Jinan is really good, many places are beyond his imagination, and Huayuan's corporate salaries and benefits are quite good, which is also beyond his imagination. However, Long Qian was willing to be a lackey of the imperial court. The butcher's knife swings at the rebels. Then he is the sworn enemy of the Alliance!

The information he had heard about Shandong, as well as the fruits of his hard work in recent months, was brought back to the headquarters of the League by Han Ce, who insisted on returning to Japan to study military affairs. Xu Jingxin has not been idle in the past few months, and he has used every opportunity to promote the anti-Qing ideas of the League among his fellow workers. Thus discovering potential members of the Alliance. It's hard work. It is the foundation of all work. Xu Jingxin did quite well. With his enthusiasm to help others, he won the love of many workers in the workshop with his generosity, and he also established prestige among the workers. Since he is literate. I have stayed in the ocean and seen the world. Soon, the workers became the team leader, and the group leader was the workshop manager, and he became a leader of the cigarette factory.

It's even more convenient for him to work. But Xu Jingxin has not received special training after all, he has never found himself under close surveillance, who he is good with, who he invites to dinner, and whose house he goes to as a guest and give gifts, all of which are recorded by the intelligence department.

For months, Xu Jingxin found that his anti-Qing propaganda was welcomed by his fellow workers, but his attacks on Long Qian and the Shandong authorities were resisted. He tried to make the workers realize that Long Qian was an accomplice of the imperial court, and if the Manchu Tartars were not driven out, the Republic of China would not be established, and if the Republic of China was not established, everyone would not have a good life. Long Qian led his troops to suppress the rebellion of the Southern Revolutionary Party in order to help the evil Qing court Tartars. The workers said that Admiral Long is a good person, you can't say that, if there is no Admiral Long's fifth town, there would be no where we are now - everyone knows that Huayuan is formed by Admiral Long, if there is no Huayuan Industry, without this cigarette factory, where do we go to make money? As for Marshal Long leading his troops to quell the chaos, it doesn't matter to us, right?

This incident further confirmed Xu Jingxin's judgment that a group of warlords had been formed in Shandong, who were not in the same league as the imperial court, but hated the revolutionary party. Xu Jingxin was not discouraged. The determination to do harder work is a highly valuable quality.

He didn't know about Meng Enyuan's telegram, but one of his "comrades", Wang Wenliang, a colleague he focused on cultivating, brought him news: the imperial court was going to send troops to take over Huayuan Industry. Wang Wenliang said that the imperial court sent a Qincha to Jinan to ask the arsenal to provide a large number of arms to the Beiyang Army in Zhili for free, but the leaders of Huayuan did not do it, which angered the Qincha and sent a telegram requesting Beiyang to send troops.

Wang Wenliang is the statistician of the workshop, responsible for counting products. His father worked as an errand boy in the Yamen, and he was always well-informed. Xu Jingxin realized that an opportunity had arrived. That night, he summoned several comrades from the cigarette factory, made arrangements, and acted separately. In the afternoon of the next day, Xu Jingxin's workshop in the cigarette factory went on strike first, and the rest of the workshops also stopped. Send a representative - Xu Jingxin and another worker who likes to show up to negotiate with the factory, stating that the strike is not against the factory, but against the unreasonable actions of the imperial court! Worried that the factory would fall into the hands of the imperial court and that wages and benefits could not be guaranteed, the workers demanded that the factory petition the Huayuan headquarters and even the governor's yamen, demanding that the imperial court withdraw its order.

When Xu Jingxin did this, he didn't even have time to contact Liu Fenze at Huayuan Vehicle Factory. He believes that as long as Huayuan is instigated, it will inevitably affect the political situation in Jinan. Thus affecting the relationship between Shandong and the imperial court. They will make trouble, and the alliance will have a chance.

Han Ce, the "head snake" who helped them find a job, has returned to Japan, and the two of them are left in the alliance that stayed in Jinan. The past few months have not been in vain, and the two of them have developed more than a dozen peripheral elements of the League in their respective units. Out of prudence, Xu Jingxin and Liu Fenze did not completely disclose their identities.

It was the first time that Huayuan had encountered such a thing since its establishment. Before Xu Jingxin's so-called negotiations with the factory could reach a conclusion, the intelligence department of the Fifth Town, which rushed to the scene, detained Xu Jingxin and the stinging worker, and half an hour later, the worker was reprimanded and released. But Xu Jingxin was arrested "temporarily".

But the situation has not subsided, the cigarette factory has not yet resumed work, and other factories in Huayuan have begun to make trouble. Strike petitions took place one after another in the vehicle factory and garment factory, and then the Huayuan Arsenal, which was under the key care of the patrol battalion, began to be unstable, and it was rumored that the imperial court would send troops to take over the factory. Gun factories were the first to strike. The artillery factory responded.

Not only that, "Lu Bao" was the first to disclose the news of Meng Enyuan's application to send troops to take over Huayuan, and "Shandong News" and other official media also reported it. This caused panic among the citizens of Jinan. Then, Shandong Normal University was the first to respond, and about 400 teachers and students took to the streets, waving banners that read "Oppose the Imperial Court's Sending Troops" to the governor's yamen to petition. Then, more than 300 people from Shandong University also ran out to cheer, which gave Yang Shixiang a big headache. He had never seen students petition on the streets, and he was a little overwhelmed.

convened his subordinates to discuss, and Bai Ruiting suggested that the bell should be tied to the bell. It is still up to Huayuan's people to settle this matter. As for school students. can let Hu Xuezheng contact the school and pull the students back, what are they doing to make a fuss? However, I heard that Ning Shijun detected that someone was deliberately inciting trouble. I am afraid that there will be disruptive party activities. It is recommended that adults contact Ning Shijun and Fang Shengyuan. ordered them to investigate strictly, and the rebellious party should not be indulged, otherwise it would be difficult to explain to the court.

Yang Shixiang is clear. The security of Jinan and even the whole province is actually controlled by Long Qian, and it is said that the investigation of the chaotic party - as long as it is not the chaotic party in the army, there is nothing to do in the Fifth Town or even the patrol army, it is the matter of the patrol police station. However, the Shandong patrol police was formed at the suggestion of Long Qian, and most of the personnel came from the Fifth Town system, and even the training of the police was completed with the help of the Fifth Town.

"Okay, I'll leave this matter to you. You go to find Ning Shijun and Fang Shengyuan. If there is a disturbance caused by the party, it must be strictly investigated, and no one will be allowed to slip through the net. Yang Shixiang remembered the news he had heard recently and became alert.

The Fifth Town Garrison and Patrol Battalion moved quickly, and in less than a day they captured two rebels, both of whom had joined the Japanese League, and had been lurking in Huayuan's civilian factories after returning to China, and the interrogation confirmed that one of them had participated in the incitement of the cigarette factory that had first struck.

Yang Shixiang was shocked when he saw the confession of the "prisoner", "This is worth it!" Turn Gao Si Yamen to punish crimes! Is it just these two? He asked, confused.

"No one else has been found to be a real rebel." Fang Sheng is far away.

"What does Mr. Fang think should be done?"

"The fifth town can't kill people, if you want to kill it, it has to be done by the government. The person can be handed over immediately. ”

"Good." Yang Shixiang felt a hint of relief. It doesn't matter if Fifth Town becomes a warlord group, but it must not be mixed with the rebels, it will be a catastrophe. Since the Fifth Town has strictly pursued the rebels, it proves that they have no connection with overseas rebels, which always reassures him a lot.

"Mr. Fang, we are all in the same boat. I also don't want the imperial court to take over Huayuan. In this way, leave the chaos to me, you and Mr. Chen appease Huayuan, and don't make any more trouble. He lowered his voice, "There is already conclusive news, and Guangdong is in chaos again." Let's not add chaos to the court at this time. ”

"Huayuan strikes, and the losses are the interests of shareholders." Fang Shengyuan made a pun, "I'll go to Zhou Jizhi with Mr. Yue Zhi to discuss, but on the side of the imperial court, I still have to mediate with Lord Futai on my behalf." It is said that the imperial court did have the intention of sending troops. You can clearly say that the patrol will never allow guest troops to enter Lu! ”

Yang Shixiang verified the case of Xu Jingxin and Liu Fenze, and ordered that the two be immediately escorted to the execution ground to be publicly beheaded.

This is the second time that the blood of the revolutionary party has been shed in the Mengshan military system after the "quelling of the rebellion" in Hunan and Jiangxi.

With the intervention of the upper echelons, the strike only lasted two or three days before resuming work.

Only the school has not calmed down, and the teachers and students of Normal University and Shandong University are dissatisfied with the killing of people by the government and continue to make trouble. Yang Shixiang asked Ning Shijun to send troops, but Ning Shijun refused to arrest people in the name of not being able to commit violence against the students, but only sent troops to maintain order, and did not allow the students to enter any of Huayuan's factories, and could only assemble and demonstrate in designated places.

Fang Shengyuan, Chen Chao, Cai Yuanpei, Xu Wenfu and others continued to negotiate and persuaded Xu and Cai to stop. Xu Wenfu was okay, Cai Yuanpei was angry about killing the Alliance. Fang Shengyuan shamelessly blamed Yang Shixiang for the killing, and persuaded Cai Yuanpei to do it calmly - if he continues to anger the government and thus harm the school, will the gain outweigh the loss? Only when the green mountains are there can there be firewood. The fifth town is gone, and the patrol can't openly disobey orders, right? You can also see that Commander Ning is openly biased in favor of the school, so you have to leave us a way out.

In addition, the Shandong Information Department has intensified its inspection of newspapers and has not allowed any inflammatory articles to be published. Shandong's first student uprising began to ebb under the strong intervention of the government.

But to Yang Shixiang's horror, Ning Shijun took advantage of the unstable situation in Jinan to transfer Wu Nian's troops into Jinan Mansion to implement martial law, and Yang Shixiang understood that this was Ning Shijun's specific measure to prevent Beiyang.

The crisis broke out, and Yang Shixiang knew that after this incident, the signs of Shandong's separation were clear. Now it's up to the court to do it. (To be continued......)