Since Long Qian entered Beijing on October 6, Chinese and foreign attention to Beijing has surpassed that of the southeastern war. Everyone knew that Long Qian's entry into Beijing must have announced the establishment of his central government. It was not until the name of the General Headquarters of the Mengshan Army that the formation of the seven major military regions in the country, the list of commanders, and the plan for the reorganization of the military throughout the country were announced. The discussion instead focused on Feng Guozhang and Cao Kun as division commanders, which marked the complete integration of the Beiyang Army into the Mengshan Army system, and of course, the death sentence of the Republic of China. What is surprising is that the Shanghai newspapers controlled by the KMT, such as the "Declaration", only devoted a small amount of space to the second page to the news of the military reorganization. On the front page of the same day, an article signed by Hu Hanmin was published, which ridiculed Beiyang and made Yuan Shikai very unbearable.

On 13 October, the Military Committee of the Mengshan Army was formally established, with Long Qian as chairman, Lu Shan, Wang Mingyuan, Yuan Shikai, and Ning Shijun as vice chairmen, Situ Jun, Feng Guozhu, Ye Yanbing, Fang Shengyuan, Chen Chao, Hong Yuecheng, Lan Xinzhi, Shi Dashou, Deng Qinghua, Hu Zongyu, Duan Qirui, Fan Deping, Wu Nian, and Jiang Yun as members.

The shock of this power at home and abroad is much smaller than that of the original "survey power". In fact, since the abdication of the Qing court and the loss of sincerity in Beiyang, all people at home and abroad who are concerned about the situation in China have understood that Long Qian's establishment of a new regime dominated by the Mengshan army is unstoppable, but Long Qian's "step-by-step" strategy has surprised many people. So, after the telegram on the formation of the military committee of the Mengshan Army was sent. People don't care about the list of the composition of the Military Commission, except for Yuan Shikai and Duan Qirui, the rest of the list are logical, the chief and deputy commanders of the Mengshan Army, the commanders of the major military regions that have been announced, the chief of the general staff of the Mengshan Army, the heavy general who served as the commander of the main division, and the intelligence chief of Long Qian...... Except for Yuan Shikai and Duan Qirui, there is nothing to dispute about this list. However, the five bureaus under the Military Commission have caused controversy, and there is no need to talk about the Military Affairs Bureau. However, the establishment of the four bureaus of government affairs, economy, propaganda, and foreign affairs has profound implications. It shows that this body that replaced the General Headquarters of the Mengshan Army is not only a military command body. In addition to Situ Jun, the four bureau chiefs have also aroused widespread speculation. The Beijing Daily, which is very influential in Beijing, devoted a large amount of space to introducing the origins of the five bureau chiefs, focusing on the analysis of Hong Yuecheng and Tang Shaoyi, whose origins are more mysterious than Tang Shaoyi. This cannot but attract media attention. The article of "Beijing Daily" analyzed. The Military Commission has set up four bureaus of government affairs, economy, propaganda, and foreign affairs. It was clearly an organizational preparation for the formation of a new government.

The conjecture was soon revealed. On 14 October, the Central Military Commission held a press conference at the Yi Nian Hall in Xiyuan, officially announcing the basic program and steps for the founding of the Mengshan Army. It's a mystery solved.

The press conference was presided over by Hong Yuecheng, and more than 30 Chinese and foreign reporters from Beijing Division were invited to attend the press conference. Long Qian, Fang Shengyuan, Hong Yuecheng, Tang Shaoyi, and others attended the press conference and answered reporters' questions, which began at 3 p.m. and ended at 7 p.m. Although Hong Yuecheng focused on the three bureau chiefs who shouldered heavy responsibilities, including himself, the reporters' questions inevitably focused on Long Qian, and the questions covered people's current concerns: When will the Mengshan Army establish the central government? How will the new government of the future handle foreign affairs? Will the large number of treaties signed by the Manchus with the Great Powers be recognized by the new government? What will be done with the abdicated Manchu royal family? What will be the future of the new government? What departments will be set up by the central government? What to do with the already militarily defeated Republic of China? Will the new government face the de facto independence of Outer Mongolia? Will Mr. Yuan Shikai take up key positions in the new government? Has the future new government identified Beijing as the capital? What is the relationship between the hub and the locality? In addition to these important questions that people desperately want answers, some foreign journalists also asked Long Qian with great interest a whole host of personal questions, such as Long Qian's origins, family and personal interests......

There is no way, most of the questions can only be answered by Long Qian. Long Qian once again demonstrated his ability to deal with reporters, answering questions in succinct, clear and slightly humorous language, some of which he admitted could not be answered now because they would not be determined until the Diet and the central government were formed.

Just when the press conference was held, news came from the Southeast Military Region that Jiangning was occupied by the Fengguo Pillar Department. However, Zhejiang changed, Wang Jinfa, Tang Shouqian and other Zhejiang officials fell to the Mengshan Army, announcing that Zhejiang would break away from the Republic of China and accept the leadership of the Mengshan Army, and Wang Mingyuan's Eighth Brigade had entered Hangzhou.

Shanghai is dead, and all journalists understand this. Although Long Qian had just expounded on the basic policy of the Central Military Commission toward the KMT, Long Qian still made a speech on this subject, and with the help of a journalist friend, he once again appealed to the KMT center to immediately stop its senseless military resistance and immediately dissolve the government of the Republic of China by telegram. We will work together to build a democratic, civilized and progressive new China. But Long Qian set a time, that is, October 18th! After that, if the KMT continues to adopt its existing position of hostility to the Mong Son Army, it will declare its leader treason and will be resolutely arrested.

"The reason why we do not declare the formal founding of the People's Republic of China now is because we respect all patriots at home and abroad, because we believe that the future of New China belongs to the people of the whole country, not to the Mengshan Army," Long Qian told reporters. We will invite all patriots to discuss the determination of the country's state, its form of government, its capital, and its government institutions. In the past, whether it was the League that had always advocated armed opposition to the Qing Dynasty, or those who advocated constitutional salvation, or the members of the Manchu government who had abdicated, as long as they were willing to cooperate with the Mengshan Army, we sincerely welcomed it. All countries that are willing to recognize the new government should establish diplomatic relations with them on the basis of equality, mutual assistance, and mutual respect for territorial sovereignty, and carry out economic and cultural cooperation. A brand-new China has stood in the east of the world. This is something that no one can stop, and the new government led by Mengshan Jun not only respects history, but also creates history. Foreign journalists, please see this clearly. ”

Long Qian hosted a banquet to entertain the reporters. During the dinner, Long Qian specially invited the foreign journalists to dine at the same table with him, and exchanged their interests with them again in English.

On October 15~16, Chinese and foreign newspapers in Beijing and Tianjin, including the British-run "The Times" and the Japanese-run "Suncheon Shibao", all devoted a large space to the news of the establishment of a military committee by the Mengshan Army to prepare for the establishment of a new central government. The amount of information given at the press conference was enormous, covering the policy trends of the new country in many aspects of politics, military affairs, and diplomacy. While the Chinese people are only concerned about when the new government will be formed, foreign newspapers pay more attention to Long Qian's statement on foreign policy.

Our old friend, Australian Morrison, who we have already met, was given three opportunities to ask questions at the press conference. At the dinner, his seat happened to be next to Long Qian. He also had a full exchange with Long Qian in English, and after he returned, he did not rest, and spent the night drafting a report to the British minister, "...... Be sure. General Long Qian already had a comprehensive consideration for the establishment of a new government. Rejoice. He was clearly influenced by his origins. It is reassuring, at least in terms of the form of government, that it is reassuring to refer to the political structure of democracies. As far as I am concerned, General Long Qian is by no means a rude and dictatorial warlord as previously described. I was surprised by the breadth of his vision and his profound understanding of the political and diplomatic landscape of the Western powers. It must be admitted that he was extremely clever in his handling of Beiyang and the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and that the north was already stable, and that there was basically no force in the whole country that could threaten the formation of a new government, except for the Kuomintang government in the southeast, which was still resisting...... As for the issue of Outer Mongolia, although he cunningly pushed the issue of independence from Outer Mongolia to the new government to solve, I basically conclude that he will not sit idly by and watch the independence of Outer Mongolia. This can be proved by the establishment of the Northern Military Region, the appointment of General Lu Shan, who had rich experience in warfare outside the Guanguan, as the commander of the Northern Military Region, and the fact that the Northern Military Region was equipped with the most abundant troops. According to credible sources, the troops of the Ninth Division, which has been assigned to the Northern Military District, have already begun to be dispatched, which seems to mean that military operations against Outer Mongolia will begin in the near future. It seems that this will provoke contradictions and even wars with the Russians. The Japanese are optimistic about this. On the diplomatic front, General Long Qian seems to be placing more emphasis on relations with the United States, with unconfirmed sources saying that Mr. President's close friend George Brown. Mr. Freeman has already made an investigation in Shandong, because the Rockefeller consortium has drilled oil wells in northern Shandong. If the Americans take the lead in establishing formal diplomatic relations with the new regime of the Mengshan Army, it will break the existing diplomatic pattern and put us at a disadvantage...... It is no longer a military problem that is plaguing the new government of Long Qian, but a terrible economic problem, and I believe that it will be difficult for anyone to change this by anyone who takes over China, and we must make full use of it......"

Aoki Nobu-sumi, who has been serving as a military attache at the Japanese Legation in China, did not attend the news conference, but after listening to a report by a reporter from Japan's "Suncheon Shio" newspaper, he submitted a report to the cabinet and the military department that focused more on military and political aspects. Among them, the 1st, 7th, 9th, and 10th Divisions were all units of the Mengshan Army that played an important role in the civil war, and Feng Guozhu and Lu Shan, who served as commanders of the Northwest and Northern Military Regions, were both highly valued generals by Long Qian. Combined with the situation in Outer Mongolia, this arrangement would inevitably lead to a conflict with Russia, and for the Japanese Empire, it was necessary to seize this opportunity to promote a military conflict between the Mengshan Army and the Russians, which would be extremely beneficial to the interests of the Empire in Manchuria......

Finally, Aoki suggested that the Japanese government engage in direct contact with the Longqian Group.

After the press conference, Long Qian's pace of founding the country accelerated.

On October 15, Zhou Xuexi entered Beijing as the director of the Economic Bureau of the Military Commission. Freeman, a personal friend of the President of the United States, came to China a month to witness the dizzying results of the Chinese Civil War, went to Shandong to see the construction of Standard Oil's oil fields in the Jiyang area, visited the Yizhou Iron and Steel Company, the Huayuan Industrial Company, Shandong University, and Shandong University of Technology, and had several private exchanges with the Shandong authorities.

Long Qian received George at his residence. Freeman. Zhou Xuexi and Tang Shaoyi accompanied. George conveyed the President of the United States' respect for Long Qian, especially for His Excellency the General's abolition of the imperial system and the establishment of a republic. He expressed his admiration for the achievements made by Shandong Province in steel, petroleum, machinery manufacturing and other aspects. He frankly raised a series of questions to Long Qian about the many aspects of the founding of the Mengshan Army. Long Qian answered his questions one by one. He pointed out that in recent decades, the Chinese people have suffered great harm from the Western powers (including Japan), greatly harming the interests of the Chinese people and planting the seeds of hatred. However, the United States is the country that has done the least harm to the Chinese people, and apart from the few concessions and the war of 1900, the Americans did not do too much, at least, the Americans did not occupy an inch of China's territory. Moreover, the U.S. government used Gengzi indemnity to establish cultural institutions such as Tsinghua University. Especially when the Mengshan Army was in charge of Shandong. The extremely fruitful cooperation between the US economic circles and Shandong has demonstrated the friendship between the Chinese and American peoples. Cooperation is mutually beneficial, win-win, I personally think. Such cooperation is not enough. It is necessary to intensify all-round political, military, and cultural exchanges between the two sides. Long Qian said with certainty. He personally expressed support for the open-door policy advocated by the United States, and that all countries should carry out all-round exchanges on the basis of equality and self-ownership.

Because of his birth and upbringing, Long Qian confessed that he has a deep affection for the United States. He thinks. The history of the United States has many things in common with China, and the US government was also obstructed and interfered with by other countries in the early days of its establishment. China and the United States are located on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, and there is no fundamental conflict of interest between the two sides, which is the basis for the friendship between China and the United States. Long Qian admitted that he personally appreciated the values advocated by the United States, and frankly admitted that he had taken the United States into account in the formation of the new government. It is hoped that the US Government will take the lead in acknowledging the new government it is about to form and will make sincere moves in dealing with issues left over from history. Long Qian pointed out that the emergence of a new civilized and democratic country in Asia is beneficial to the United States, and after the two countries conclude formal diplomatic relations, the Chinese Government will further open its market to the United States and promote economic and cultural exchanges between the two sides.

George. Freeman thanked Long for his candor and promised to report truthfully to the president. However, George. Freeman also admits that the Western powers still have misgivings about the foreign policy of the new Chinese government, especially about the succession of a series of treaties from the Manchu government. As far as he knows, the British minister has invited the envoys of various countries to study this issue on several occasions, and it is impossible for the US Government to ignore the stance of various countries.

"Mr. Freeman, there is an old Chinese saying that 'charcoal in the snow is always better than icing on the cake', and the Chinese government will never forget the friends who helped us in difficult times. In addition, China is a large country, and the self-sufficient small-scale peasant economy is the status quo that will be difficult to change at present and for a long time. This economic structure is fundamentally different from that of some countries that are based on trade, such as the United Kingdom. I believe that if the British had cut off trade with the world, he might not have been able to hold out for even three months! But we can. Even if it does not have relations with foreign countries for three years, China can still hold on, and it will be better off with the establishment of a strong central government. The United States needs China's market and resources, and China needs American technology and capital, and this is the basis for our friendship. Even without the United States, other countries, such as Germany, would have made a wise choice, and the Germans are more hungry for markets and raw materials than the United States, and Germany's industrial base is not much worse than that of the United States. Isn't it? As for the negative assets that the Manchus left me, we should take a more long-term view and be flexible, rather than dwelling on the past. The United States is a great country with great promises, and so is China! I believe that perhaps in just five years, the world will find that they need the United States and, more importantly, China. At that point, it will be a little sour to seek friendship with us again......"

Freeman was deeply interested in Long Qian's assertion for five years, "Dear General Long, perhaps I should address you as Your Excellency the President." What do you mean by five years? Forgive me for not getting it. ”

"Well, forgive me for not being able to explain in detail. If you are interested, please take a closer look at the situation in Europe. Now that the United States is being encircled and suppressed by the old powers led by the United Kingdom, they ignore the strength of the United States and I am not, and I hope that the United States will not only be an economic power but also a political and military power, and that the United States will play a leading role in the future political structure of the world. Going back to the question just now, what are the Americans' concerns? Tariff? Gengzi indemnity? As far as I know, both of these aspects are insignificant to the United States. I believe that politicians led by the president can clearly settle this account, which is more important, building friendship with China or paying millions of reparations? How many jobs will China create in the United States if it imports an additional $30 million in machinery or technology every year? How much tax will be brought to the United States? ”

"Then, what specific suggestions does Your Excellency General have?"

"Tariff autonomy is a symbol of national sovereignty. Even if the Great Powers do not agree, the new government will take back tariff autonomy in due course. If the U.S. government were to take the lead in showing good faith and I promised to give special concessions on American goods, we could sign an agreement. As for the war reparations of 1900, your government has made a very forward-looking choice, but, to be honest, I don't care too much. I can even repay my debt to your country in advance. If your country forgoes this small amount of reparations and continues to expand its investment in our culture and public health, we will remember the friendship of the American people. Which one do you think is more cost-effective? ”

"It is impossible not to admit that the advice of His Excellency the General is very constructive," said George. Freeman smiled, "Personally, I fully agree with His Excellency General's suggestion. However, I said that it doesn't count. ”

"I understand. I think, after this time, you are my friend. We hope you enjoy your stay in China. ”

"Finally, in my own name, I hope that His Excellency the General will visit the United States at an appropriate time. What I'm telling you is that the American people are very interested in your experience of living in the United States, can you tell me about that? ”

"I'm sorry, I can't. As I said, I have a deep affection for the United States. But who I am now, I should completely forget about the past. I want to dedicate all my energy to my nation and my country, and I don't want my people to see more of the American imprint on me. Thank you for your understanding. (To be continued......)