After the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution, the Japanese must have been the most concerned about the situation in China.

As early as when the Sichuan Road Protection Movement was in full swing, Japan, which had been watching the fire from across the strait for a long time, faintly lost control of the situation in Zuihou. In the midst of a move, Japan, which is extremely dependent on the Chinese market and resources, has taken precautions to make arrangements.

On September 11, 1911, Minoru Fujisai, then Minister of the Navy, quickly telegraphed Kawashima Imajiro, commander of the Third Fleet.

"According to the current situation of the uprising in Sichuan Province, it is necessary to send an inland river gunboat to Chongqing upstream to travel and anchor to ensure the interests of the empire in China."

In the message, for the first time, military intervention was mentioned.

On September 15, 1911, Kawashima Imajiro, commander of the Japanese Navy's Third Fleet, personally ordered the river gunboat Fushimi to go north. This 1903 Japanese first-generation river gunboat built by the British company Sannik Rov (displacement 126 tons, length 44.2 meters, width 7.32 meters, draft 0.61 meters, power plant is two vertical two-cylinder two-stage expansion steam engines, two coal-fired boilers, power 680 horsepower, two-shaft propulsion, maximum speed of 13 knots. It has a crew of 44 people, a coal load of 25 tons, and is equipped with two 60 mm short-barreled main guns, six 6.5 mm carrier-based machine guns, and one light machine gun for the Marine Corps. It was designed specifically for China's inland river cruising operations, and this time it finally has a place to use.

Subsequently, the rapid movement of the road in time and space. Zhao Erfeng, who was in Chengdu, suppressed the petitioners by force, and at the same time sent a large number of new troops from the eighth town into Sichuan to suppress them, which indirectly contributed to the Wuchang Uprising.

After the outbreak of the Wuchang Uprising on October 10, Kawashima Imajiro, the commander of the Third Fleet, who had escorted Bao, was as excited as if he had been beaten with chicken blood. He personally took command of the Tsushima and immediately went up the river, and joined the Sumida at Hankow on October 12. Forthwith. Kawashima became the commander of the navies of various countries in this section of the Hankou River, and received the command of the defense of the concession granted by the consuls of various countries, commanded all the river gunboats, and assumed the responsibility of defending the concession.

Also on the same night, the captain of the nuclear gunboat Sumida, Machida Komajiro Osa, was appointed by Kawashima as the commander of the Marine Corps. With the continuous changes in the situation in the three towns of Wuchang, since the revolutionary army captured the Chuwangtai armory and then went straight to Wuchang, the Third Fleet quickly adjusted its deployment and strengthened its defense. The Liliang guard in Hankou was quickly strengthened to three ships, Chihaya, Sumida, and Shikiba, in addition to two fleet destroyers stationed on the river. Daye specially stationed the Longtian in the direction of the iron works, the Cirrus Yun stationed in Jiujiang, Jiangxi, and the Tsushima led a fleet of destroyers to anchor in Nanjing, Qiujin Prefecture to anchor in the Shanghai concession area. Besides. The Third Fleet also dispatched almost all of its destroyers to cruise along the Yangtze River. Among them, two destroyers, kamikaze and Suma, appeared on the river in the section of Wuhu and Anqing, provoking the river defense batteries in the direction of Wuhu to be on standby and closely monitor the two Japanese destroyers.

At the same time, the Japanese have clear ambitions for the Yangtze River valley in China. The results of years of operating in China are also quickly reflected. The Third Fleet, together with the marines in the concession, quickly completed the encirclement and surveillance of the hot spots in the Yangtze River valley. Once the Japanese cabinet or the military deems it necessary to intervene with armed force. All ships and marines are ready to go into battle quickly. This is unmatched by other Western powers.

"Electric Order. The Fifth Division of the National Defense Force stationed in Jiujiang, as well as the garrisons of various fortresses, immediately raised their combat readiness levels, paid close attention to the Japanese warships on the river, and was vigilant against Japanese interference. In addition, the movie Wuhu River Defense Fort, immediately entered a state of imminent battle. If the Japanese ships on the river make any move to open fire, they will immediately open fire and sink them! ”

Considering the serious consequences of Japan's all-out intervention in the Chinese revolution, Hu Rui ordered with a black face.

At the same time, the accompanying telegraph operator immediately reported the situation to the command headquarters in Wuchang by radio. Zhang Xiaohuai, Jiang Baili, Berman and others who stayed behind. Led the entire staff team to quickly start a war game on this issue.

According to the worst-case outcome, when the Wehrmacht was secretly preparing for war, the concession was not idle. The telegram to the Consulate General in Beijing had already been sent, but no reply had been received for a long time. The incident happened too suddenly, and the impact was too great, and as the British ambassador to China, Zhu Erdian decided on his own, and could only suppress Graham's telegram on the one hand, and urgently telegraph to the White Hall on the other.

Graham could no longer sit still and urgently summoned Vice Admiral Winslow, a British Vice Admiral. The cargo was leading three British warships and was anchored on the Hankou River.

"Dear Winslow, as the consul of the British Consulate in Hankow, China, I solemnly ask you, in the event of an exchange of fire between us and the Chinese troops outside, can you and your fleet guarantee the safety of the concession?"

As soon as they met, Ge Fu, who was so anxious that his mouth was almost bubbling, asked directly.

"Your Excellency, as a naval officer of the British Empire, the St. George Cross bears witness that I must tell you the truth. At present, in the entire Hankou Concession area, plus the group of island monkeys who caused the accident, we have only 2,000 armed people on hand! According to the composition of the Chinese army opposite, not even a single regiment of theirs could be reached, and we had almost no other weapons than rifles. The British Empire has a total of three warships moored on the concession river, and you can lead the entire embassy staff to move to the warships if necessary. But, maybe that's the only thing I can do for you. Just now, the lookout on the flagship saw with his own eyes that the battery on the opposite side of Turtle Mountain was aimed at us, and this battery guarding the river was expanded by the Chinese and equipped with at least six new German-made shore defense guns! They have almost no shooting dead ends! In addition to this, we need to face almost the entire Yangtze River fleet, and in addition to this, there are at least a hundred heavy mines! God testifies that the charge of these new German-style mines was up to 660 pounds (300 kilograms)! ”

Winslow, who had not yet sat down, was so startled that he jumped up directly, and said with a slow and serious report.

Let's not say that this is an inland river in China, and now it is winter, the water level downstream is shallow, and the maneuverability of ships is difficult. The condescending Guishan Fort alone and the Chinese Yangtze River Fleet on the river were enough for a real Lend-Lease defender to drink. Not to mention that there are hundreds of heavy mines that may appear in the channel of the fleet car, and if you really want to fight, Ali will die no matter how you look at it!

"Xiexie, Xiexie, you Winslow. Please order the fleet to prepare for battle, the current situation is beyond our control, and we must be prepared for the worst. Go ahead. I need to be alone for a while. ”

Ge Fu, whose face was pale, waved his hand weakly.

The priority now is not to preserve the dignity of the British Empire, but to protect the entire concession.

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency! Telegram from the Consulate General in Beijing! ”

In the dreary atmosphere, the secretary in the consulate rushed in with a telegram and shouting.

"With the interests of the UK in China secured, the perpetrators should be severely punished and the incident should be quickly quelled. As far as possible to avoid provoking the Chinese warlord, the British acquiesced in their jurisdiction over the Chinese province of Hubei. ”

The meaning of the telegram was concise and to the point, and the British Empire did not hesitate to buy the younger brother Japan. With a "severe punishment of the perpetrators", it is hoped that the incident can be quickly quelled and the safety of the entire lease can be ensured. After all, Britain's center of gravity was in Europe, and the possibility of large-scale military intervention in the Far East was almost non-existent. Not to mention the fact that behind this armament there are still Germany and the United States, which are sharpening their knives.

In principle, the life and death of the Chinese have nothing to do with the British government. However, at present, the formal peace talks between the north and the south should be held at this time, and it is a major matter to take advantage of this time to put Yuan Shikai on the throne and ensure the stability of China's political situation.

The face of the British Empire needs to be maintained, but the Japanese soldiers who are the perpetrators are already dead and cannot die anymore. Will a simple phrase "severely punish the perpetrators" calm the time? Ge Fu himself expressed great doubts, but there was no way to do it. A telegram from the Consulate General came. It has to be executed.

"Damn island monkeys!"

Taking a sharp puff of his cigar, Ge Fu Zuihou scolded the troubled Japanese, dressed up and prepared to go out to negotiate in person.

Professionals are needed to negotiate this job, and the secretaries in the consulate don't have to think about it. There is no politician's consciousness and means at all, and his nose is higher than the sky all day long, and he really lets them go out and provoke the nationalist opposite.

"Great. It seems that the other side has been quiet for too long, so don't you have some ideas? ”

Zhou Weixin, who was a little impatient, asked quietly.

"If my guess is correct, this time it should be the Japanese Miko acting without permission. At least the upper echelons of the concession did not know about it. The incident happened suddenly, and they themselves couldn't pay attention to it, so this time they should have consulted the minister in Beijing. The main force of the Guishan Battery, the Yangtze River Fleet, and the two integrated divisions, how many people are there in the concession?! This time, even if the Japanese are not afraid of death and have thoughts, the British will never allow them to do this! Hmph, the truth is always only within the range of the cannon. ”

Pointing to a 75 mountain artillery battalion waiting solemnly on the side, Hu Rui replied with a sneer.

"Spirited ball, that's our Chinese territory!"

A staff officer looked at the flags of all nations in the leased area, snorted fiercely, and scolded.

That's the land of China, when will it be the turn of foreigners to go wild?! Do you really regard this place as your home? In the final analysis, it is all the sins created by the Manchu Tartars, more than 200 years, more than 1,000 unequal treaties, otherwise where did this group of foreigners get the concession and where did they get the extrajudicial rights?!

Thinking of a group of brain-dead fans in later generations who shouted for the whip to overturn the case, Hu Rui couldn't help but feel a chill. If this whip grows a little longer, I am afraid that the Chinese nation will perish, and China may not know what it will become to decay.

"Click, click, click"

"Don't shoot, don't shoot! This is Mr. Ge Fu, the consul of the British Empire Consulate in Hankow, and the consul hopes to talk to the officer leading the team on the other side! ”

Facing the muzzle of the gun aimed at him, the interpreter raised the straight horn in his hand, opened his voice and shouted.

Behind him, two consulate staff members held a huge British flag and surrounded Graham towards the gate.

"Dashuai, what kind of medicine is sold in this Englishman's gourd?"

Looking at Ge Fu and the others who were about to leave the rental world, Zhou Weixin and the officers and soldiers present were dumbfounded, what kind of trouble is this? !

"Negotiate!"

Hu Dashuai threw out a sentence lightly, then straightened his armed belt, pushed aside the guards in front, and strode towards Ge Fu. The cold frightening wind beside him was stunned, and then followed with the pistol team inch by inch. The full-leather high-waisted combat boots with steel heads and steel soles on the feet stepped on the cement road in front of the concession, and there was a sonorous sound.

"Hello, I am the consul of the British Consulate in Hankow, China, and I would like to know who I am meeting with at this moment."

Forcing himself not to look at the bloody corpses of the beaten Japanese soldiers on the side, Ge Fu asked the tall Chinese officer who was walking towards him.

The rank system of the Wehrmacht was completely different from that of the New Army in the late Qing Dynasty. Ge Fu couldn't make out for a while, but the momentum of the person who came and the leather boots on his feet were almost certainly an officer.

"Mr. Consul, I am Hu Rui, Commander-in-Chief of the Wehrmacht. I need an explanation from Mr. Consul for the terrible consequences of the Japanese troops in the concession suddenly shooting at the Wehrmacht that we were passing by, resulting in two deaths and twelve wounds in our department. ”

In my previous life, I was forced to pass English level 6, and this time it can finally come in handy. Although it is not a correct word, it can definitely ensure that the average person can understand it, and it can finally be put aside from translation.

"Mr. Commander. I think this is a regrettable misunderstanding, and you can see that both sides have their own losses, and the Japanese soldiers who caused the accident have also died. I think it's a very ideal choice for both of us to take a step back. ”

Ge Fu's eyes lit up. Then the sophisticated temptation said.

Each has its own losses, and now all the Japanese soldiers who caused the accident have also been killed. It's better to take a step back. That's it.

Ge Fu prepared to close the mud and hurriedly sent away the plague gods. Standing in front of the gate of the concession, you can see that temporary artillery positions have been set up on the opposite side, and one artillery gun after another has been unloaded and ready to go. Secretly counted, at least fifteen. If there are enough shells. In less than two hours, the entire concession will be in flames.

The knife is almost on the neck, as a veteran diplomat, judging the situation is the most basic skill. Where to stand and speak. Ge Fu immediately knew in his heart.

"I accept this explanation, but in order to avoid the recurrence of such a regrettable misunderstanding, I hope that Mr. Consul will restrain the troops in the concession. Especially those who are irrational, I don't think we have offended the interests of the concessions, and I myself respect the interests of Britain in China, but I don't want to see a similar time happen again. So please restrain the army in the concession! ”

Gritting his teeth and suppressing his anger and humiliation, Hu Dashuai replied with a blushing face.

In this year, John Bull is still the boss of Shijie, and the privileges of the Western powers in China are still very great. At least before the outbreak of World War I, they still had to pinch their noses to live, and these foreign adults were easily unable to move.

Anyway, the rabbit's tail can't grow, and the European Wilhelm II is afraid that he has secretly begun to prepare for war, and in two years, Europe will be in a mess. The thought of hordes of British soldiers, wearing red uniforms and playing Scottish bagpipes, rushing towards the German machine-gun positions like moths to the flames, is relieving!

Let you live happily for another two years, and when the First World War starts, there will be a time when you beg for labor!

"Haode, please rest assured, I will inform you to restrain the soldiers in the concession. Mr. Commander, at least in the textile industry, we had a fairly good experience working together. British woollen merchants and British textile machines have settled in Wuhu under your control. Weishenme: Isn't it better to increase cooperation between us? ”

The phrase "respect for British interests in China" made Ge Fu feel as relieved as eating a big bowl of ice cream on a dog day. Immediately thinking of the huge order won by the Germans, the red-eyed and hot-hearted Ge Fu couldn't help but tentatively say.

"If there is the right opportunity, I hope we can sit down and talk in detail, instead of standing in the middle of the road like this."

replied lightly, Hu Dashuai couldn't help but be stormy in his heart.

Stinky and shameless! Obviously, the machines produced by themselves are expensive and backward, and they are arrogant all day long and can't wait to look at people with their nostrils.

Nima, who threatened labor and management not to send troops to Hankou before, and now who is blocking the Yangtze River Basin?!

The quality can't catch up with the Made in Germany, and the price is thirty and a half times higher than similar products in the United States.

Sending Ge Fu away with a stomach full of anger, Cao Cao solved the emergency, and Hu Dashuai, who was holding his breath, angrily ordered the troops to lift the siege of the concession area. The 1st Regiment laid down the wounded and continued with the established task of receiving Hubei.

"One day, I will get everything that is lost."

At the moment when he turned over and got on the horse, staring at the flags of all nations in the concession area, Hu Dashuai silently swore an oath.

There must be an effect, and the blood of martyrs will not be shed in vain. Piercing the nose groove, the Old Summer Palace, Tianjin Wei, Lushunkou, the Yellow Sea, one day we will all pay with blood! (To be continued......)