After the promulgation of the text of the Boston Accord and China's entry into the Entente to declare war on the Central Powers, the shock caused by the world was far less than that of China.

Although Long Qian has reported to the Congress, there are still many voices of opposition and doubt. Among the people, especially in the cultural circles, there have been fierce criticisms, because the news of the formation of an expeditionary force to aid Russia has spread, and the voice of accusing Long Qian of being reckless and militant has become louder and louder.

On 17 June, demonstrations took place in the capital against the government's declaration of war on Germany and Austria. This is the first time after the establishment of the Mengshan Army. Mass rallies and marches have become almost the norm, but this is the first time that demonstrations have openly opposed the current regime. The procession gathered from the back streets of Beihai, passed through several main streets of the capital, entered Chang'an Avenue from Dongdan, and finally concentrated in the square, where they made speeches in which they strongly criticized the government's decision, and even uttered such blatant insults as "Long Qian is a murderer" and so openly insulting to the president.

It aroused a large number of onlookers and attracted foreign journalists who gathered in the capital. Clashes broke out during the organizers' speeches, and several veterans, resentful of the desecration of their gods, stepped forward to take down the speakers and beat them up, causing a riot of no small size.

Three people were wounded, one of them with a broken rib.

The riots were quickly stopped by the police, and eleven people (including the speakers) were detained by the police station.

The anti-war march was organized by the Progressive Party. On the evening of the same day, Liang Qichao, chairman of the party and president of the Academia Sinica, was summoned by the Ministry of Police. Liang brought a copy of the Constitution and questioned Wang Zhifeng, vice minister of police, saying, "The people have freedom of speech, assembly, and procession. This is a sacred right conferred by the Constitution. Why are you arresting the marchers? ”

Wang Zhifeng said, "We arrested people because they gathered people to fight, not because your party held a rally and marched. You certainly have the right to make your voice heard. It was not only your party that was arrested at noon. However," Wang raised his voice, "Mr. Liang, as a well-known scholar and political figure, do you think it is appropriate to organize such an event?" ”

"What's inappropriate?" Liang Qichao hated the spy government, and many legends of the State Security Bureau made him angry, knowing that this person was also the deputy director of the State Security Bureau, so he was not so polite when he spoke. "A few days ago. When Mr. Long came to visit me at my home, I objected to his decision to renounce neutrality and join Europe for the sake of petty profits. The Congress is a virtual reality, and he has the final say in everything, but he still has to pretend to be obedient to the public will. What is it called? The European war is like this. Hundreds of thousands of casualties are frequent. What is it to send a good youth to Europe, not a murderer? ”

"Not to mention that you slander the country's major policies. Do you think it's appropriate to publicly accuse the president of being a murderer? You've seen the world. When the Manchus were in power, could you be as comfortable as you are now? ”

"I have never denied Mr. Long's merits in creating a republic, but it is precisely because of the end of the monarchy and the realization of the republic that I do things in accordance with the powers granted by the Constitution. Mr. Long has been in power for six or seven years, and he has been carried away by a series of achievements, which is regrettable. We should never have joined Europe at all, and I will never take it back. As for criticizing the president in public, it is the true meaning of democratic government, and which supreme political leader has the right to honor in the Taixi countries? ”

"The right to reputation?" This word is relatively unfamiliar to Wang Zhifeng, who has been immersed in the dark world for many years, "I don't care what the situation of other countries is, in our place, slandering the president is absolutely not allowed!" ”

"Vice Minister Wang, please study law hard. Mr. Long has repeatedly spoken about the significance of popularizing the law among the people, and I strongly agree with him. But it's not the people who do the bad thing, it's you self-righteous magnates! Mr. Long's reputation in the first half of his life will be buried in your hands if he doesn't do well! ”

"The name of the first half of my life?" Wang Zhifeng sneered in shock, "Mr. Liang, I can be regarded as understanding what the president said." The president's exploits will be etched in history, shining with the sun and the moon. The first half of his life? Do you think the president will be like Tang Xuanzong? ”

"You're not illiterate. I also know that the original meaning of 'Xuan' is to be a rising star, first bright and then dark! If he insists on using military force, the outcome may not be as good as Emperor Ming. I advise you, who claim to be his cronies, to read a few books. He looked at Wang Zhifeng, whose face changed, "If you want me to admit my mistake, it's a dream." The truth that Liang believes is that unless I use a greater reason to convince me, I use power to suppress the imagination. Nothing else, I went back. Let the people of our party who have been arrested by you let go, and don't cause trouble for your leader. Can you find a clause in the existing law that discredits the president? ”

Liang Qichao walked away.

Wang Zhifeng was summoned by Chen Chao to summon Liang Qichao. Chen Chao's original intention was to ask Liang Qichao to be more restrained and not to go too far, especially in the special period when the country has joined the war, the people should work together to make an anti-war demonstration. If it weren't for Chen Chao and Jiang Yun's strict orders, Wang Zhifeng would really want to detain Liang Qichao, an annoying guy.

Liang Qichao once served as the speaker of the House of Representatives, resigned because he was dissatisfied with the inaction of the parliament, and was persuaded by Cai Yuanpei to serve as the president of the Academia Sinica, which was established separately from the Ministry of Culture and Education, and transferred most of his energy to the study of literature and history, but he did not completely leave politics. His Progressive Party has always been an influential political party in the country, and in recent years there have been many criticisms of current politics.

Of course, Wang Zhifeng can't detain Liang Qichao. He thought about it, got up and went to Chen Chao's house to report to his immediate boss, and Lieutenant General Tian Shubang, then director of the Military Intelligence Bureau, was present.

"If you can't, you can't help it. This is what the president said. There is really no right to reputation," Chen Chao said to Wang Zhifeng, "Liang Qichao is not a big problem, this person is acting brightly, it is not a big problem." It was not a problem for a few intellectuals to clamored for anti-war. Do you know? The president and Minister Mingyuan have gone to the northeast, and the army also has different voices, and some generals in the northern military system have some comments on the president's assistance to Russia, and the president attaches great importance to it," Chen Chao glanced at Tian Shubang, who was sitting precariously, "Fan Deping has gone to Petersburg, and the expeditionary force is about to send troops, and the instability of the army's morale is a big problem." ”

"It's the other way around! These short-sighted guys, didn't participate in the war bring so much benefit? "The General Directorate of National Security shall not intervene in the affairs of the military. This is an iron law, and the problems related to the army must have been reported to Chen Chao by Tian Shubang.

"You are in charge of the political party department, and Yan zhòng is derelict in his duties. Be instructed! Chen Chaoban lowered his face, "We must strengthen control and prevent problems before they happen!" Today's events are not allowed to happen again. Those arrestees will be released after a few days. The election is approaching, and the enemy cannot be allowed to see the joke. ”

"I've already arranged it, and those guys may have other backgrounds. Don't you rush to release people first, right? The offence of endangering the safety of the public still applies. Give me a little time. ”

"Talk to Jiang Yun about the situation and listen to his opinion."

"Yes. I'll call him tonight. ”

Jiang Yun went to Zhangde. Yuan Shikai was seriously ill, and Jiang Yun, Duan Qirui, and Wang Shizhen went to visit Yuan's mansion together. At the beginning of the year, the State Security Bureau found out that Yuan Shikai was behind the command of several small parties to unite and form a new Republican Party. Prepare to launch a selection of presidential candidates. He openly contradicted the CDL and the Peasants' and Workers' Party, collected the shortcomings of Long Qian's administration everywhere, and compiled an internal pamphlet that was distributed to the National Assembly. It aroused a high degree of vigilance from the Ministry of Police and the Office of the President.

"Yuan Shikai should have died a long time ago!" Tian Shubang scolded in a low voice.

"Leave him alone! In fact, he can't make any big waves. The focus of the MIA is on the military. In particular, it involves military espionage. The focus of the Directorate General of National Security is on the general elections to be launched in the second half of the year. It is necessary to strengthen the monitoring of political forces of various factions and foreigners. Don't slack off! Now that the country is about to move into a wartime system, it must win the national war! Otherwise, it's over! Chen Chao's tone was stern.

"Understood!" Tian Shubang and Wang Zhifeng stood up at the same time and replied solemnly.

"If those leaders are found to have committed wrongdoing. Can be transferred to the program. Chen Chao agreed to tighten the control at this time, and today's opposition march was a wake-up call for him.

After Wang Zhifeng and Tian Shubang left, Chen Zhi came to his father's study.

Twenty-eight-year-old Chen Zhi has already married a wife and is already the father of two children. Since graduating from university, Chen Zhi has been working in Jinan, and now he is the deputy manager of the design department of Shandong Automobile Industry Group, and his home is also settled in Jinan, this time I heard that my brother-in-law has served as the commander of the expeditionary force and is about to go to Russia, so I asked for leave to take my wife and children to see off my brother-in-law, only to see one side, Ye Yanbing has left Beijing in a hurry to Harbin to rectify the troops.

"Father, you don't have to be like a great enemy, do you? The people almost regard the eldest brother-in-law as a god, who dares to go against him? Who can oppose him? ”

"You know what! Do your tricks well. You don't understand the affairs of politics, let alone ask about it. Did Yan'er sleep? ”

Yan'er is Chen Zhi's youngest daughter, Chen Zhi has a son and a daughter, his son Chen Rong is the eldest, and his daughter Chen Yan is only two years old.

"Sleep."

"Ming'er, you take them around the capital. Didn't Xiao Rong want to see the palace? Take him there. ”

"I'm going to eat at my eldest sister's tomorrow, have you forgotten?"

"Just pass noon. The palace is too big, just take a look at the flowers, and you can't walk through it in two days, and the child is just a rarity. Xiaozhi, do you understand my intention of not letting you enter politics? It's better to engage in technology and learn some real skills, which is more stable than politics. ”

"Originally, I had no intention of being an official." Chen Zhi smiled, "Isn't it enough to have you?" ”

At the beginning of the year, the province transferred Chen Zhi to the Department of Industry as deputy director, but was blocked by Chen Chao. For this reason, You Shi also quarreled with her husband.

"The Chen family is already a wealthy family, this is an undeniable fact. But you don't understand the taste of being cold in a high place. As long as your eldest brother-in-law does not fall, the Chen family will naturally be safe and sound. However, your eldest brother-in-law has some other ideas. That's it, let's not talk about it, you go and rest, I still have official business to do. Turn off the headlights for me. ”

The study darkened, as long as the lamp with the green shade glowed softly. Chen Chao couldn't look at the large stacks of texts piled up on the table. There are hundreds of documents that need to be processed every day, some of which need to be approved by themselves, and more of which are circulated. In particular, Chen Chao must read the "Bulletin of Important Situations" run by the State Security Administration, and he will generally give direct instructions on his opinions on the handling of some major matters on the text, and the instructions will be quickly implemented, turning them into a series of actions that determine the fate of others. This highly readable internal newsletter reflects the daily situation in the country, and together with the two briefings of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense, it constitutes a set of must-read newsletters for the highest ruling circles to grasp the dynamics at home and abroad.

Chen Chao first read the Ministry of National Defense's "Military Intelligence Overview." Thoughts turned to the Expeditionary Force. He did not approve of Ye Yanbing's appointment as the commander of the First Group Army of the Expeditionary Force, and there were many high-ranking generals who wanted to get this position. But Long Qian's decision is the final decision, and no one can veto it.

The stakes are enormous. The unified army does not have to be at home to fight abroad. But Long Qian's selection of Ye Yanbing as the pioneer officer must have been mixed with other factors. This issue of the "Military Brief" reflected some of the circumstances surrounding the formation of the First Army of the Expeditionary Force, because Lu Shan died at the hands of the Russians, and some senior officers (Chen Chao thought it was common) were very unhappy about this. In addition, there are also some different voices on the appointment of Wu Peifu and others. Wang Mingyuan was obviously aware of the xenophobia of the Northern Military System, and had already begun to make personnel adjustments. Chen Chao believes that the proportion of three of the five armies that make up the expeditionary force is too high from the northern army system, so why not include the 6th Army brought out by Ye Yanbing into the expeditionary force? Even if the 3rd Army, which strongly requested to participate in the expeditionary force, was transferred in, it would be troublesome if there was a situation where the command was not in order. Now that Long Qian and Wang Mingyuan have gone to Harbin, Chen Chao knows that Long Qian is going to the different voices in the expeditionary force. But the troops will be handed over to Ye Yanbing's command. Thousands of miles of expeditions, how can you ask for instructions in China? Chen Xian can't be blamed for having opinions, it is indeed a huge risk.

Chen Chao turned his mind to this year's presidential change. In fact, Long Qian never instructed him to use the organs of power to monitor "political opponents". It was a spontaneous act by him and his colleagues and subordinates. Whether it is a direct election in the future or a transitional approach now. With Long Qian's prestige, no one will have a chance to win. Yuan Shikai used to be their great enemy. Some evidence also confirms that Yuan Shikai is indeed doing some underground work, and the Beiyang faction still exists. However, it has been divided, and some of Yuan's former subordinates who entered the political arena or "survived" in the military after the establishment of the republic have completely severed their political relations with him, such as Duan Qirui, who now went to Zhangde. But there are still some people who maintain close contact with Mr. Yuan, such as Mr. Feng, who is vice minister of national defense, who talks on the phone almost once a week. But there was no alarming activity on the part of the Feng family. At the beginning, Long Qian transferred Feng from the position of commander of the 12th Division to the Ministry of National Defense, perhaps because of something. In addition, some Beiyang civil and military officials in the opposition, such as Xu Shichang and Duan Zhigui, openly formed political parties and attempted to put forward their own presidential candidates, taking the road of open election in accordance with the constitution and relevant sub-laws. But they always can't find a suitable candidate, the Xu family is old, and Duan Zhigui has a bad reputation. In Chen Chao's opinion, there is nothing to worry about. However, in such a large country, with more than 40 officially registered political parties, who knows what capable figures are lurking underwater? Last year, it was discovered that Li Chun, who had voluntarily left the military circles and lived in the French Concession in Tianjin, had dealings with some Jianghu figures, and obtained evidence that Li Chun had financed the funds of the secret gang called the Haohan Society. The State Security Bureau immediately arrested Li Chun and the main head of the Heroes Association in Xianghe in accordance with the relevant laws, but the interrogation did not reveal Li Chun's misdeeds. General Cao Kun, who was far away in Yunnan, immediately called to excuse Li Chun, and Feng Guozhang also found Long Qian for this. In the end, Li Chun was only fined and released after 11 days in the detention center of the State Security Bureau. Then Li Chun sold his family property and went to Hong Kong to continue to be his apartment.

The down-and-out nobles of the Manchu Qing Dynasty were not worried. Although most of the people are still relatively quiet, and even some people continue to work for New China with the help of their former relatives and friends, the State Security Bureau has found some clues that confirm that Zaifeng and others have some secret contacts with the internal political forces. Some of the down-and-out bannermen in Beijing ran out of Beijing to Chengde, and they even demanded the formation of a security team composed of Manchurians to protect the summer resort. This request, of course, was denied. Just before this year's Lantern Festival, Zai Ze's second son was killed in a hotel in the Shanghai Public Concession, and the killer has not yet been caught. Jiang Yun suspects that it was an infighting among the Manchu cabal, or the punishment of Zai Ze, or the death of the deceased who had mastered some of the cabal's secrets and died in an extermination operation.

Political party activities have become the most troublesome problem for the police department. The increasing freedom of expression has brought more and more negative effects. In Chen Chao's view, the political party will not realize the role of transforming the class or strata that Long Qian hopes and destroying the power of the feudal clan, but will be used by the old forces. Kind-hearted people have no intention of doing politics, they only care about whether their lives are improved, and where they will engage in politics. The ancient adage that the people can make it and the unknowable is still correct, and in a country like China, which has a feudal history of 2,000 years, isn't it the implementation of a political system like that of Britain and the United States?

The contradictions in the center are becoming more and more manifested. Congress is always bickering over the introduction of some laws and regulations. While the local councils have more power, scandals related to election bribery continue to occur, and the Ministry of Supervision has devoted a lot of energy to investigating such cases. According to Cao Minzhong, 70 percent of the local councillors are embezzlers and villains. At least dozens of people have been shot dead in the past year for rigging local elections. Moreover, government corruption is on the rise, and proposals to disclose the assets of senior public servants have been repeatedly rejected by Parliament on a variety of grounds, with only one core being the lack of conditions. Long Qian's ideal of building a clean government is becoming a laughing stock, and although it is widely recognized that the political arena since the founding of the Republic is the most incorruptible in history, some media outlets that have been singing praises to Long Qian have begun to question the government.

Of course, the country has made great achievements in the past six years, both in domestic and foreign affairs. Needless to say, the popularity of the people has risen due to the sovereignty issue, but let's just talk about the construction of internal affairs, the implementation of compulsory education and the promotion of industrialization, and the country's economic strength has been greatly strengthened. In the words of Zhang Binglin, who constantly criticized the government, New China did what the Manchus wanted to do but failed to do for decades in six years. Thanks to the investment in water conservancy and the popularization of improved seeds, the state has basically solved the problem of food and has a surplus of grain. Look at the changes that are happening every day in every city, countless factories are being built, large numbers of people are pouring into the city, schools of all kinds are springing up, countless new and strange things are being created, and people's lives are changing happily all the time. These are the fundamentals of Long Qian's self-confidence, and after learning the details of the Boston Accords, he said to himself, "In six years' time, when my next term expires, the changes in China can be described as earth-shaking, and you can't imagine what it will look like."

Otherwise, Long Qian would not dare to organize an expeditionary force to fight thousands of miles.

However, more and more murmurs appeared. Anything else is okay, but what worries Chen Chao the most is the army. Chen Chao knew very well that the foundation of Long Qian's ruling was in the army, not in the government. The army is the foundation of his control of the country. The military is no longer a pure land in the general environment, and some senior generals deeply resented the various noises in the country that questioned the president. When Fan Deping was mayor of Shanghai, he publicly criticized the parliament and the government on many occasions, expressing bitter hatred for the weakness of the government, believing that the parliament and the government were destroying the president's foundation. This is probably the reason why Long Qian recalled Fan Deping back to the army. But what about replacing a Van der Ping?

"Everything is troubled, and I can't help myself." Chen Chao sighed and signed his name on the circulation sheet on the cover of this issue of "Military Essentials". (To be continued......)