Zaixun Beile's mansion is in Xidan Ganshi Bridge, and he is the sixth brother of the late Guangxu Emperor.

On the cobblestone path came a young prince, dressed in a sumptuous gown of red and green gemstones adorned at the neckline and shoulders, with a black accent and a knee-high hem, and a boat-shaped hat decorated with feathers, his face undisguisedly melancholy.

"Fifth brother, why are you here? Is it decided? How is it decided? "The person who came is Zaixun's brother Prince Zaifeng, now the regent of the Qing Dynasty. Zaixun threw down the newspaper in his hand and stepped forward.

Today, the center convened a meeting to study the sudden change in the situation, Zaixun was not qualified to participate, he didn't expect Brother Wang to come to his Baylor Mansion.

Zaifeng stood still and looked at his sixth brother steadily. Then leaned over and picked up the newspaper at his feet, and sure enough, the front page was indeed the news of the first righteousness in Guangzhou, of course, the newspaper in Beijing would not use the word "first righteousness".

"Sixth, I'm afraid you will have to be on an errand to the enemy country."

"What do you mean?"

"The Beiyang Army can't be moved, and the assembly has not been completed for half a month, except for the third town, which moves quickly, and the other three towns ......"

"How?"

"Xu Shichang said, I have to invite Yuan Shikai!"

Zaitao understood in an instant! His face changed immediately, "What did Tie Liang say?" ”

"What can Tie Liang say? Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui are all trying their best to help, "Originally, Zaifeng had some views on Tie Liang's control of the War Department, and even had the idea of replacing Tie Liang with the end party, but now it seems that Tie Liang is right, and he is absolutely loyal, "You can't change the control of several towns, even if you change the control." What about the following co-unification and standard unification? Will you replace them all? Is there any hope for that? ”

Zaixun was furious, "If you survive this!" It's too late for all of them! He stamped his foot vigorously and stomped on the newspaper he had just read, the headline of which read: The greatest crisis since the rebellion of the three feudatories is coming.

The day is July 29th. The day after the Mengshan Army sent a "survey telegram" that shocked the world. The Military Aircraft Department convened an "enlarged meeting" to study the drastic changes in shape. Guangdong (in fact, there is also Guangxi), Shandong, and Jilin raised anti-flags one after another, stunned the War Department, which originally thought that the strength ratio was superior, and all the remaining illusions were shattered.

What illusions remain? After Tie Liang obtained Zheng Du's information of strategic value, he realized that the power of the center was actually not superior. But there is still a hope based on the weakness of human nature, that is, Long Qian's control over Shandong and Kanto is not so strong. He has been away from Shandong for three years, and he has never been outside the border. It's been at least five or six years. His henchmen may not listen to him, if they buy time to divide and disintegrate, especially against the eighteen towns outside the Guan, they will adopt gentle measures. Maybe it will be able to avert the catastrophe. So. After Tie Liang and Liang Bi, Yin Chang and others discussed secretly. It is believed that concentrating the main forces of Beiyang to defeat Shandong is the correct way to solve the current crisis. Therefore, after receiving Zheng Du's secret report, the center did not change its general strategy to deal with Long Qian, but the secret telegram Tang Shaoyi, Zhu Jiabao and other senior officials outside the customs were unstable. Ask them to take precautions. In particular, Zhu Jiabao was instructed that if there were any measures to stabilize the 18 towns, they could be implemented, including the bribery and assassination of the main generals of the 18 towns.

However, as soon as the "survey and electricity" came out, Jilin and Shandong responded immediately, completely shattering the illusion of the center, and the tenth town of Guangxi cut off contact, and the legend of Long Qian's appearance in Guangxi made Tie Liang sit on pins and needles, and the situation actually slid in the most unfavorable direction! Therefore, under Tie Liang's strong advice, Zaifeng convened a meeting of the Military Aircraft Department on the 29th after reporting to the already frightened Empress Dowager Longyu, and Tie Liang, Liangbi, Yin Chang and other Manchu military talents, as well as Beiyang generals such as Xu Shichang, Duan Qirui, Wang Shizhen, and Feng Guozhang, all attended to discuss countermeasures.

It is obviously delusional to go to peace talks with Long Qian now. What he wants is the emperor's position, what other high-ranking officials can impress him? Therefore, the center unanimously decided to fight by force.

It's easy to set the tone. The first is to publish an article denouncing the rebellion,-for-tat to fight back against the "survey of electricity," and calling on the whole country to unanimously fight against the rebellion. This matter is easy to do, and there are many people in the court who shake the pen, so they don't have to worry about not being able to concoct a good article.

The second is to refer to the original Xianfeng story, allowing all provinces to recruit troops and horses, and form regimental training or new armies, especially in Hunan, Guangxi, and Jiangxi provinces, where the governor has put on the minister of regimental training of the Qinban on his head, fantasizing about the emergence of another batch of Zeng Zuoli-style characters to save the extremely critical situation.

The third is the most critical, that is, the use of the Beiyang Army.

The south has been in chaos, and of course the eighth and ninth towns should be used, but the key is the four towns of Beiyang in Zhili, and the first town does not need to be said, although there is no problem, but the combat effectiveness is worrying. How to use the second, third, and fourth towns, which are destined to be the main forces of counterinsurgency, is the main topic of the meeting, whether to attack Shandong first or solve the problem outside the border according to the plan formulated in advance? This question was raised by Zaifeng, and he was immediately hit head-on by Liangbi.

Liangbi said angrily, "It's been half a month since the order of the Zhili Huicao was issued, except for the third town, which is still moving quickly, the other three towns have not yet completed the assembly, what does this mean?" Will they also rebel? ”

Liangbi's accusations were immediately countered by Duan Qirui and others, the reasons were sufficient, the difficulties were obvious, and there were several reasons for the slowness of the second, fourth, and sixth towns.

Zaifeng immediately saw the clue, there was something wrong with Beiyang!

Sure enough, when Shixu shouted loudly to stop everyone's quarrel, Xu Shichang spoke up, and the Beiyang Qisu, who had been appointed as the governor of the three eastern provinces, was canceled before he took office, and said in a deep voice, "The matter is critical, and it must be led by the governor of the important ministers to help things." I have to invite Yuan Shikai. ”

The implication is that you dismissed Lao Yuan for no reason, and now you are being punished, right? Beiyang has an opinion!

Tie Liang was furious, and immediately scolded Xu Shichang for his ill intentions, "Beiyang is the Beiyang of the imperial court, not Yuan Shikai's Beiyang!" Could it be that if Yuan Shikai doesn't come out, can't the Beiyang soldiers be used?! ”

Xu Shichang did not show weakness, and immediately asked to resign, "The minister is a scholar of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, not about the military." This meeting has nothing to do with Wechen. Weichen recommended Yuan Shikai to go out of the mountain, but for the sake of the court, and he did not have any doubts about it, and the minister asked to retire. Saying that, he didn't get Zaifeng's permission. Walk away.

Duan Qirui then spoke, "Weichen thinks Xu Shichang's opinion is okay. Yuan Shikai was deeply favored by the emperor, and if he led the army to quell the rebellion, he would definitely inspire the soldiers and make a full contribution. ”

This is another general, and the implication is that if Yuan Shikai doesn't come out, Beiyang will have no "incentive" and will not be able to fight. After Tie Liang took over as the secretary of the Ministry of War, he focused on squeezing out Yuan Shikai and his henchmen, and transferred Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang, who originally led the troops, to the War Department as staff officers. Duan Qirui, who was extremely obsessed with power and superstitious about force, had long hated Tie Liang.

Jae-bong, the regent who had just been in office for nine months, faced his biggest challenge. was angry in his heart, and the blue tendons on his forehead were exposed, but he couldn't say a word.

That Tong Jian yì adjourned.

Several military planes held urgent consultations after the withdrawal of the non-voting personnel, believing that the most critical time had come. If it provokes Beiyang. The Qing Dynasty is really going to be overturned! In the case that Jang Zhidong was not able to attend due to serious illness. Several military planes agreed on several things: First, the transfer party took over the secretary of the War Department. Tie Liang served as the governor of Liangjiang and exchanged them to ease the contradictions between the center and the Han generals in Beiyang. Second, Zaixun was sent to Zhangde on behalf of the center to invite Yuan Shikai out of the mountain, and his position was the Minister of Military Aircraft and the Governor of Zhili, and Yuan Shikai returned the official position that Yuan Shikai had lost. The governor of Zhili is now a fictitious title, and Yuan Shikai's task is, of course, to lead the Beiyang Army to extinguish the fire that Long Qian ignited. Third, Duan Qirui went out to supervise the military outside the customs to cut off Yuan Shikai's most powerful arm. Pai Liangbi supervised the Kwantung military as the minister of the Qincha and was fully responsible for the Kwantung war situation. Fourth, strengthen Zhang Zhidong to make it sit in Wuchang to deal with the greater threat from the south. This matter requires the regent to come to the door in person, if the old minister who has served the court loyally for decades is really not in good health, at least Zhang Zhidong must give a clear instruction to the generals of the eighth town. The eighth town was built by Lao Zhangtou, and his words will definitely work.

This is drinking to quench your thirst! But Zaifeng couldn't have done better. Shandong has already been fighting hard, and if it drags on here, it will be launched first, and the direct subordinate will be in danger, and the Beijing division will be in danger.

After the adjournment of the meeting, the meeting was held again, and Zaifeng announced with a straight face the four articles agreed upon by the Military Aircraft Department. At this moment, except for Tie Liang Tie who didn't say a word with a blue face, the rest of the people called the emperor wise.

The emperor is still playing in the harem, and there is nothing wrong with the child, but this can only be said.

After the meeting, Zaifeng immediately went to Zaixun's mansion in person and told Zaixun to go to Henan on his behalf, "The matter has come to this, the ancestors of the country and the society are important, you can be wronged for your brother." You have to go to this matter, if you don't go, only me will go, do you want to make that living Cao Cao kick his nose even more? ”

"Fifth brother, if you do this, we will hand over our lives to someone Yuan."

"I've thought about this section. Compared with Long Qian, Yuan Shikai still has room for maneuver. Moreover, if this battle is fought, even if Yuan Shikai wins, his vitality will inevitably be greatly damaged. We are not without opportunities. But is there anything better than that? Yuan Shikai can descend to Longqian and not lose the opportunity to visit Yilin Spring, but we are going to fall to the ground! ”

Zaixun is not a mediocre talent, and if you think about it, it is really like this, and immediately said that he can leave for Henan, but it is best to have someone go with him.

"I know who you are talking about, Xu Shichang will go with you. I'll give him the order. Didn't they think that Yuan Shikai could turn things around when he went out of the mountain? Then let him reverse it. Zaifeng said hatefully.

Foreign envoys, who were closely monitoring the situation in China, soon learned of the center's final response. The British minister Zhu Erdian reported to China, "It was wise for the Qing court to invite Yuan Shikai out in desperation, and now it has become a duel between Yuan Shikai and Long Qian." This battle would determine the final outcome of the Qing Dynasty and profoundly affect the situation in the Far East. In my opinion, our attitude is to resolutely support General Yuan Shikai's counterinsurgency, unite with countries that may be united, and give General Yuan the greatest support in terms of weapons and military spending. If I am allowed to do so, I will bring a private letter to General Yuan Shikai, who is still watching the situation in Zhangde. ”

The Qing court finally came up with an idea. Now it depends on Yuan Shikai's attitude. What I didn't expect was that at the same time that Tie Liang was resentful and handed over the errand of the War Department to Nanjing, and Zaixun and Xu Shichang hurriedly took the train to Zhangde to ask Yuan Shikai to go out of the mountain to preside over the overall situation, and a small person, Duan Yongqing, a staff officer of the Military Orders Department who had been lurking in the key departments of the Beiyang Center for many years and had obtained countless top-secret information for the Mengshan Army, urgently handed over the important information he had learned to the Beijing Intelligence Station, and a serious financial crisis broke out.

The crisis destroyed the economic foundations of the Manchus and inflicted a heavy and even irretrievable defeat on the Manchus on another heavy battlefield. (To be continued......)