The Southern Army's battle to capture Wuchang was not fierce, but there was a short fierce battle at Hankou, where the troops of Gu Xiaolin's 7th Brigade crossed the Yangtze River and exchanged fire with the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Division (formerly Li Yuanhong Mixed Association 42nd Standard) defending Hankou. A part of the troops controlled by officers loyal to the government of the Republic of China exchanged fire with the troops of the 19th Regiment and the 21st Regiment of the 7th Brigade crossing the river near Liujiamiao and the Russian Concession, and several mortar shells fell into the concession, which later triggered protests from the Russian consul. The resistance of the Nationalists was quickly crushed, and the Nationalist troops either disarmed and surrendered, or took off their uniforms and abandoned their guns and fled. In the Hanyang direction, the 20th Regiment of the 7th Brigade and the 8th Regiment of the 3rd Brigade of the Southern Army basically did not encounter resistance, and the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Division (formerly the 41st Standard of the 21st Mixed Association), which was re-mastered by Li Yuanhong, gave up resistance and surrendered to the Mengshan Army as a whole. The Hanyang Steel Mill and the Munitions Factory basically fell into the hands of the Mengshan Army.

Huang Xing escaped again. It is estimated that he sneaked to Jiangning by land. But Song Jiaoren, Tan Renfeng, Sun Wu and others all fell into the hands of the Mengshan army, maybe they didn't want to leave.

By September 27, the three towns of Wuhan were basically under the control of the Mengshan Army.

Long Qian learned that Wuchang had been occupied and Hong Yuecheng had been safe, and ordered Hong Yuecheng to be responsible for the formation of the Wuchang Military Government.

At the same time as the telegram was sent, the headquarters of the Mengshan Army stationed in Changsha set out in batches and moved to Wuchang.

Before leaving Changsha, Long Qian had a discussion with the main commanders of the Shandong Army and the Northern Army on the formation of a national provisional government and the selection of the capital. Ning Shijun, Chen Chao, Lu Shan, and Shi Dashou all suggested that Long Qian immediately go north and take Beijing as the seat of the central government. Because the Luhan Line has been controlled by the Mengshan Army, the traffic problem has been solved. From Wuhan to the north, the headquarters can take the train.

Fang Shengyuan, who successfully completed the mission of contacting Yuan Shikai, also held the same position. Fang Sheng looked farther away than Lu, Ning, Chen, Shi and others. Fang Shengyuan thought that the places where the capital was built, except Beijing, Xi'an and Jiangning, because the center of gravity of the country's political, military and economic affairs had shifted eastward, Xi'an had lost the basic conditions for building a capital - it was too far away from the core area of military and politics! Compared with Beijing and Jiangning, the conditions in Beijing are better - there are ready-made office spaces, foreign envoys in China are in Beijing, and more importantly. Beijing was the capital of the Manchu Qing Dynasty for more than 200 years. The banner people and the forces supporting the Manchu Qing Dynasty were relatively strong, and it was also the base camp of Beiyang, and the headquarters of the Mengshan Army and the central government were stationed in Beijing, using it as the capital. It can deter rebellion. Elipazepam.

Ye Yanbing and Feng Guozhu suggested that the capital should be set in Jinan. It is believed that Shandong is the base camp of the Mengshan Army. The people's will has long been attached, and the industrial base is good, and. The construction of the capital of Jinan can appease the people of Shandong who have made great sacrifices to seize power in the country.

Wang Mingyuan and Hong Yuecheng suggested that the capital be set in Wuchang. Wuchang is located at the hub of north-south transportation, Huguang is the granary of the world, and there is an industrial foundation built by Zhang Zhidong for decades, which has the basic conditions for building a capital. The two of them unanimously put forward another important reason, that is, the formation of a central government requires a process, and it is impossible to learn from Sun Wen's method - that is a joke. Wang Mingyuan believes that it is necessary to implement military control for a period of time, and when the situation in the whole country is basically stable and the open opposition is basically eliminated, then the central power organs can be calmly established. Wang Mingyuan thinks it will take at least two years, while Hong Yuecheng thinks it will take one year. Wuchang can be used as the headquarters of the Mengshan Army, and when the conditions are met, the location of the capital will be calmly agreed.

Of course, Long Qian also asked Situ Jun's opinion. Situ Jun has always considered it militarily. Therefore, Situ Jun agreed that the capital should be set in Beijing. In addition to the reasons stated by Fang Shengyuan, Lu Shan and others, Situ Jun believed that the military threat facing the country was not in the north rather than in the south, and that setting the political center in Beijing was conducive to stabilizing the situation in the north. To this end, Situ Jun elaborated on his military deployment in the northeast, northwest and Mongolia, believing that the Mengshan army must transfer a large number of troops to the north, and the establishment of the capital Beijing would be more conducive to the solution of military problems. Situ Jun even believed that a division of the Northern Army should be immediately transferred back to the northeast and spread out on the line between Jilin and Heilongjiang.

Long Qian didn't say anything, although he had his own opinions, he still needed to think about it.

Long Qian said to Situ Jun, "Take two steps. The first step is to go to Wuchang, the headquarters is temporarily set up in Wuchang, and the second division is marching to the southwest and the third and first divisions marching to the southeast.

Mingyuan is right to consider military control for a period of time, and this method must be adopted at present. But the time has come to start forming a central government. Of course, we can temporarily let the Mengshan Army Headquarters assume the functions and powers of the central government. When the central government first takes shape, the military command organs will be separated from the civil affairs organs. With regard to the formation of military command organs, you have to think more about the fact that wartime institutions are not the same in peacetime.

At present, the problem is still military first, and Song Jinguo will be transferred to Wuchang to preside over the joint logistics headquarters business, and after the arrival of the old Song Dynasty, Lian Shupeng will be sent back to Guangdong to stay behind, and ensure the logistics support of the third division of Mingyuan. I consider that in order to carry out nationwide military control, it is necessary to set up several large military regions at present, including Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Jiangxi provinces, with Wang Mingyuan as commander and Feng Guozhu as deputy. The task was to pacify the southeast and promote the collapse and transformation of the regime of the Republic of China. Under the present circumstances, it is appropriate for the headquarters of the Southeast Military Region to be located in Hangzhou. The Southwest Military Region, which includes Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Tibet, has Lan Xinzhi as its commander, and its headquarters is located in Chengdu. The Northwest Military Region, including the provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Xinjiang, temporarily has Wu Nian as its commander, and when the southeast is pacified, Feng Guozhu can be appointed as the commander, and Wu Nian is his deputy, to complete the march to the northwest. The Seventh Division, which had stopped in Henan, was immediately transferred westward and stationed in Xi'an, where the headquarters of the Northwest Military Region was located. The Northern Military Region, with Lu Shan as its commander, has jurisdiction over the three provinces of Kwantung and the two provinces of Zhili and Shanxi. The headquarters is temporarily located in Beijing. The Central Military Region is located in Jinan and is the general reserve of the whole army, and it is responsible for several directions at the same time. The commander is Ye Yanbing. What do you think? ”

"The commander is very thoughtful. The establishment of the major military regions is very necessary, and the candidates are appropriate. The Central Military District except Shandong. It seems that Henan and Anhui should be included? The two Guangzhous and the two lakes are extremely important, is it necessary to set up a southern military region? ”

"Well, there will be no war in these provinces for the time being. Yes, but I can't think of anyone who will lead the way in the south? ”

"The northern army is full of talents, is it Shi Dashou or Fan Deping coming?"

"They are familiar with the climate and topography of the north, and you're right. The north is the weakest, especially the northeast, and I intend to set up an advance command structure of the Northern Military Region in Mukden, with Shi Dashou as the commander. At the same time, he also served as the deputy commander of the Northern Military District. ”

"Lian Shupeng is good at logistics. But he had never fought a war and had no experience in commanding operations, and the second division marched westward, and a general in the south was required to defend it. It makes sense that the commander does not transfer people from the Northern Army. It seems that there is still a lack of talent. ”

"See what we're asking, right? Not to mention the shortage of civil affairs talents. It's a military general. It's also stretched. The Southern Military Region can consider Hu Zongyu as the leader, who is relatively familiar with the situation in Guangdong. You must know the way of the people, and formalize the military command structure of the headquarters. It is also necessary to draw people from various units, such as Deng Qinghua, such as Shang Fengchun......"

"Well, both of them are good."

"In this case, let's talk about the army. You must have succeeded, the national army is deployed, how many divisions do you need to form? ”

Situ Jun understood that Long Qian would consider the allocation of troops in each military region before deciding on the commander of the Southern Military Region, "Yes, we have made calculations, let's talk about the southwest first. The second division was basically sufficient, but their troop development was not ideal, and a force should be sent west from Wuchang to Sichuan. Therefore, I suggest that Guo Haichang's Third Brigade be sent into Sichuan, and that the Sixth Brigade (a newly formed unit) be transferred back from Guangxi and attached to the Central Military Region or to the Northwest Military Region. ”

"No. The Sixth Brigade is basically a child of Guangxi, and it is inappropriate to enter the northwest. Long Qian interrupted Situ Jun's words, "Well, I'm sorry, you finish your plan first." ”

"In the northwest direction, it is not enough for a two-brigade seventh division to pass through the northwest. At least two regiments of cavalry should be transferred from the Northern Army and one brigade from the 6th Division to the 7th Division, which could barely undertake the task of advancing to the northwest. The place is large, so a little scattering of troops is not enough. ”

"Well, move on."

"To the southeast, two divisions and four brigades are enough. When the war is over, the 1st Division can be transferred to the Central Military Region, or it can be transferred back to the Southern Military Region, leaving Commander Wang's 3rd Division to guard the southeast. ”

"Hmm. Go on. ”

"The next step is to rectify the Beiyang and the People's Army. The Hengshui Beiyang Army can be organized into two divisions, one division to the northwest and the other to the Northern Military Region. The Ninth Brigade and the Li Yuanhong Uprising Force were reorganized into another division and transferred to the Northern Military Region. The Henan and Shanxi troops are basically in the Beiyang system, and they can be organized into another division and subordinate to the Central Military Region. After Commander Wang pacified the southeast, he could form a new division by surrendering troops and stay in Jiangsu or Anhui. In this way, there were four divisions of the Northern Army, two divisions of the Northwest Army, one division of the Southwest Army, one division of the Southern Army, two divisions in the Southeast, and two divisions in the center, making a total of 13 divisions in the whole army. ”

"Good. To meet the task of garrisoning the whole country, thirteen divisions are not enough. But for now, this can only be done, otherwise the finances will not be able to bear it at all. In my opinion, we can distinguish between the divisions and divide them into two types: A and B, with Division A having three brigades and nine regiments, and Division B having two brigades and six regiments. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th divisions are Division A, and the rest are Division B. You can rearrange the number. There are three divisions in the Beiyang system and two divisions in the civilian army system, and the proportion is not low. It is necessary to make overall plans to solve the problem of staffing officers, and if necessary, it is possible to mix regiments and battalions. In addition, it is necessary to expand the scale of the Shandong Military Academy and the Huangpu Military Academy, set up a military academy of a higher level, and return to study officers at all levels, including those of the Mengshan military system, in phases and batches. Do it right away. ”

"Understood." Situ Jun paused, "The commander didn't mention Commander Ning's arrangement just now, is he going to transfer him to the government department?" ”

"No, I plan to let Shi Jun take the lead in forming the naval organ." Long Qian smiled, "However, I am going to transfer a large number of officers from the military system to politics. Don't be reluctant when the time comes. Situ, we are about to win, and my basic attitude towards the army is not to get involved in politics, and it is better to be pure. The military and political departments should also be separated from the military and political and military order systems, and the military and political departments should establish a national defense department to oversee the personnel and funding of the troops, and the military order system will be dominated by the General Staff Department, which will be in charge of fighting wars and training, and must study the establishment and equipment of the troops, and the Joint Logistics Department will be responsible for logistics and belong to the military order system. The functions of the General Political Department were transferred to the Ministry of Defence. Situ, you are the first chief of the general staff of our army, and you are my main military assistant. But the General Staff doesn't care about staffing, do you know what I mean? ”

"Totally agree. The commander's foresight is a blessing to the country. ”

"The establishment of troops is a big issue, and the current large-scale divisions are not necessarily suitable for each theater of operations, and they should be treated differently. As you said just now, there should be more cavalry in the northwest, and I completely agree with it. The General Staff Department will also set up departments of various arms, such as communications, military intelligence, artillery, cavalry, and engineering troops; if conditions permit, I also want to set up a railway corps; after the founding of the People's Republic of China, we must vigorously rectify and build railways; without a perfect railway network, it is unthinkable to use troops in the northwest and northeast in the future. In addition, it is also necessary to set up a foreign military department and strengthen the study of foreign armed forces. You, chief of the General Staff, have a lot going on. ”

"The commander thinks very far." Situ Jun chuckled, "Some questions should be raised by me, the chief of the General Staff, and the commander wants to be ahead." ”

"I can't help it. Soon, I will not care about the military. You say, who will be the secretary of defense? ”

"I think Commander Wang is the best candidate."

"Well, but he can't leave at the moment, I'll leave the southeast to him. You first issued an order, in the name of the General Staff, to accept the command of Wang Mingyuan. In the southeastern battlefield, it is better to have unified command. ”

"Yes. I'll do it right away. Situ Jun thought that if it was someone else, Feng Guozhu might not be convinced, but he would not violate Wang Mingyuan's order. For a long time, Feng Guozhu has been Wang's deputy, and the two have a close personal relationship.

"Commander, I think about solving the southeast, and I still need all the way to the army."

"You mean Zhang Xun who is entrenched in Lianghuai?"

"Yes. I think it is still necessary to use the Sixth Division. The Sixth Division went down from the southeast of the mountain to solve the two Huai, and threatened Jiangning from the north road, which was foolproof. ”

"But then Shandong is empty. If Beiyang does not solve it, the Sixth Division seems to be unable to move. ”

"Yuan Shikai sent a telegram, Beiyang will not be chaotic. Moreover, I suggest that the commander go to Beijing as soon as possible, if you don't go, the Beiyang issue will not really be solved. ”

"Yes, you're right. You can send an order to Shandong. What is being discussed today is kept secret for the time being. When we arrive in Wuchang, we will consider issuing orders for the formation of major military regions. ”

"Yes, please take a break, Commander, and you don't care about the trivial matters. When you arrive in Wuchang, you should be busy. ”

"Ha Luha, you cried when I heard I was sick? But, Situ, I understand what you're sorry for. This is our biggest drawback at present, and we must solve this problem in the future from the institutional perspective. You don't want to get involved in politics, I know that. However, military and politics have always been closely linked, and a soldier who does not understand politics will not become a great military strategist. I hope you can help me think about how to determine a rational and scientific military management system? It is also necessary to avoid military interference in politics, and to let soldiers care about national affairs and understand why they are fighting? ”

"This is stumped for me."

"No, everyone has to use their brains. How can I be alone? Okay, there's no urgency in this matter, you can be busy, move the headquarters to Wuchang as soon as possible! (To be continued......)