Soon the meeting ended, and Zhao Bingjun walked out of the presidential palace. Seeing this, Secretary Cheng Jingshi hurriedly greeted him and took the briefcase in Zhao Bingjun's hand, and asked carelessly, "My lord, how is today's meeting?" ”

To say that this Cheng Jingshi is not simple, his grandfather is the famous Peking Opera master Cheng Changgeng, who is known as the "leader of the Hui class and the originator of Peking Opera". Although he was born in a family of Liyuan, he did not inherit the fine tradition of his ancestors on the stage, but learned the ability to flatter and observe words and colors, and turned to officialdom. Soon he won Zhao Bingjun's trust and became a confidant. When Cho Bingjun was prime minister, he served as the secretary of the Secretariat, following him to handle confidential matters.

In the assassination of Song Jiaoren, both he and Zhao Bingjun were involved and summoned by a temporary court set up by the Kuomintang in Shanghai. Although neither of them went south to face trial, the experience of suffering together made the relationship between him and Zhao Bingjun more intimate. Therefore, after Zhao Bingjun stepped down as prime minister, he still took him around with him.

Hearing Cheng Jingshi's question, Zhao Bingjun just replied in a low voice: "Let's talk about it in the car!" ”

At present, people with a little status and family resources in Beijing will buy a new car of General Motors as a means of transportation, and the car has also become a status symbol for the leading person. To this end, after Sun Yuanqi took charge of the cabinet, he specially set up two types of fees, vehicle purchase tax and license fee, as a new source of revenue for the government. However, the people of the Beiyang Department are still more obsessed with the splendid and well-guarded carriage. Just like Liang Shiyi, not only to take a carriage when traveling, but also to have thirteen pure white horses before and after, so that there is a nursery rhyme in the capital for a time, "Looking at thirteen white horses from afar, I know that it is the black heart always comes".

As one of the core figures of the Beiyang Department, Zhao Bingjun is of course no exception.

The two sat in the carriage, and after the carriage was moving, Zhao Bingjun said with a gloomy face: "The marshal did not agree with our plan to assassinate Sun Baixi, but instead allocated 900,000 yuan to Liang Yansun to form a political party with the Qianshe and Jiyi Society, intending to recruit the Kuomintang parliamentarians who are now leaderless and compete with the New China Party in the Congress. ”

Cheng Jingshi was shocked: "Why didn't the president leave it to the adults at this time." Instead, Liang Yansun, who was busy with affairs, came forward? You must know that the leaders of the Hidden Society, Jiyi Society and other clubs have a close relationship with Liang Yansun, and they can be regarded as Liang's private party. Now that he is in charge of forming the party, it is better to say that if things do not go well, if things go well, will he not be the prime minister in the future——? Cheng Jingshi seemed to realize that he had made a mistake, and hurriedly changed the topic: "However, the president seems to have relied on Liang Yansun very much recently, and first made him the secretary general of the presidential office." Later, he also served as the prime minister of the Bank of Communications, and also served as the acting chief financial officer for a short time. Now that he has entrusted him with the important task of forming the party, does the president intend to make him the heir of the Beiyang family? ”

Zhao Bingjun sneered: "Make him the heir? What about Young Master Yuan? Don't look at the past Uncle Yuan (Yuan Keding's nickname) who was rampant and domineering in Tianjin, but now he pretends to be a father and son in the presidential palace every day, and brothers, friends and brothers. Patiently follow the handsome man to learn to receive people and things, and handle government affairs. What is he doing this? It's not that I want to wait for the handsome man to take over the throne after a hundred years! Don't say anything else, I'm afraid that he Liang Yansun dares to have the idea of being the heir today, and Uncle Yuan will dare to bring someone to the door tomorrow! ”

"What the Lord said is very reasonable, but we also have to see the age gap between the president, Liang Yansun and Young Master Yuan." Cheng Jingshi said cautiously: "Whether it is according to the practice of Eastern and Western countries, or the constitution that is currently being revised, the term of office of the president is four to five years, and he can only be re-elected once. If the humiliation is not mistaken. The great president should be ten years older than Liang Yansun, and Liang Yansun is nearly ten years older than the young master Yuan. In other words, the age gap between the three of them is exactly what meets the requirements for job handover.

Of course, according to the current physical condition of the president, he may not be able to serve two terms, and it will be difficult for him to even complete the first term; Although Young Master Yuan is talented and intelligent, after all, he is too young and has shallow qualifications in both military and political circles, and the proud generals of Beiyang may not recognize him in the short term. In this case. It is completely reasonable to choose a suitable character to make the transition, and by the way, to help Young Master Yuan on the horse and give him a ride! I wonder if adults think this is possible? ”

Cheng Jingshi's remarks made Zhao Bingjun's expression gloomy: If you really want to choose the Beiyang heir between Liang Yansun and himself, there is no doubt that Liang Yansun is more suitable than himself. This is not only because he is the same age as Yuan Shikai and ten years older than Liang Shiyi, but also because his body is too weak, and it is difficult to shoulder such a heavy responsibility!

It turned out that Zhao Bingjun joined the army in the west when he was young. In the Gobi Desert of Xingxing Gorge, he encountered a heavy snowstorm, and even men and horses were buried in the snow for two or three days, and almost froze to death. But it also leaves the root cause of the disease. Not only can he not get close to women all his life, but he also has to rely on smoking opium cigarettes every day to boost his spirits.

In the last years of Guangxu, the Empress Dowager Cixi ordered the princes and below to abstain from opium, otherwise they would be dismissed and severely punished. Because the attitude of the Empress Dowager of the West was very resolute, countless officials inside and outside the Beijing Division died because of quitting smoking at that time. Zhao Bingjun, who was the left waiter of the Ministry of Civil Affairs at the time, had no choice but to personally state the reason for his illness to the Empress Dowager Cixi, claiming that he would definitely die if he was forced to quit, and implored to return home. The Empress Dowager Cixi took pity on him for being injured for the country, and on the other hand, she was unwilling to offend Yuan Shikai behind him, so she even issued an order to exempt him from smoking. Therefore, Zhao Bingjun's opium cigarettes have been smoked from the end of the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China.

Just imagine, who would hand over the power of the country to a frail opium ghost?

Although Zhao Bingjun had already believed seven or eight points in his heart, he was still a little indignant: "Zhao thinks that even if the handsome man finds someone to make the transition, he may not necessarily choose Liang Yansun." It is true that Liang Yansun is meticulous, good at managing complicated dramas, and is good at managing finances, but he doesn't know anything about military affairs, how to subdue the arrogant generals in the army? In my opinion, if the marshal wants to choose a transitional assistant for Master Yuan, he should choose a general in the army who is quite authoritative and loyal to the marshal, such as Duan Xiangyan (Duan Zhigui), Duan Zhiquan (Duan Qirui), Ni Danchen (Ni Sichong) and others, they are all similar in age to Liang Yansun, why choose Liang Yansun who does not understand the military formation? ”

Cheng Jingshi smiled slightly: "My lord, you are a fan of the authorities!" You have read the 21st History and "Zizhi Tongjian", you should know that throughout the ages, how many of those who have been assisted by the generals in the army have received a good death? Seven or eight times out of ten will make the monarchs and ministers turn against each other because of the struggle for power and profit, and the villain provokes, or the generals will die and the clan will be wiped out, such as Huo Guang, Dong Zhuo, Xu Xianzhi, and Ao Bai; Either the emperor was deposed and the dynasty changed, such as the king of Changyi in the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Xian of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Emperor Shao of Liu Song, Emperor Gong of the Later Zhou Dynasty, etc. In contrast, it is better to be a civilian assistant who does not understand military affairs, and a senior general who is in charge of military power. ”

Zhao Bingjun took a puff of opium on the cloisonné cigarette lamp in the carriage, and then frowned and fell into deep thought.

Cheng Jingshi was quite upset with Zhao Bingjun: "It's a bit unfair to say that you are innocent!" Do you think that if it wasn't for the adults who opened up the way and persuaded the Empress Dowager Longyu to issue the edict of abdication in time, how could there be today's Republic of China? It can be said that the establishment of the Republic of China and the realization of the republic, the adults are the first contribution, and others are just sitting back and enjoying the success, and the first prime minister of the Republic of China is none other than the adult!

"Unexpectedly, Tang Shaochuan (Tang Shaoyi) relied on the benefits of participating in the peace talks between the north and the south, and joined the alliance to the south, and claimed to be an old man from Beiyang to the north. But Tang Shaochuan also stopped there! When he was really in charge of the cabinet, he soon understood that all kinds of affairs could not be solved with his lips, so in less than three or four months, he was exhausted, so he had to defeat Maicheng and obediently enshrine the position of prime minister to you.

"Who knows that there are unforeseen circumstances in the sky, just when the rulers are getting better, first the New China Party rose in the Congress, and then Song Dunchu was assassinated in the capital, and finally let Sun Baixi gently and flickerly take away the prime minister's throne! Sun Baixi is just a teacher, he doesn't know the benefits and diseases of the people, he doesn't know the suffering of the world, he doesn't know whether officials can, he doesn't know how the country can control chaos, how can he be in a high position? I believe that in less than half a year, he will definitely repeat Tang Shaochuan's mistakes!

Unexpectedly, before Sun Baixi went to the throne, the president began to favor Liang Yansun. Who is Liang Yansun sacred? When you were training police officers in Tianjin with the rank of salt transport envoy, he was just copying and compiling military books in the Beiyang Compilation Bureau; My lord, when you took up the post of the right attendant of the patrol department, he was the candidate of the Wupin Jingtang. I didn't expect that after a few years, he would actually come from behind, which is really embarrassing! ”

"Wei Qing is undefeated by God, Li Guang has no merit!" In the smoke and light, Zhao Bingjun's voice also seemed a little erratic, "Brother Shushe, what do you think we should do next?" ”

Cheng Jingshi said: "I feel that even if I disobey the will of the president a little, I can't let Liang Yansun take over the position of prime minister!" ”

"Oh? Why? ”

Cheng Jingshi replied: "My lord, you should know Tang Shaochuan's kindness to Liang Yansun, right?" The two of them are not only fellow villagers in Guangdong, but Liang Yansun came to work in the Beiyang Editorial Bureau after he was elected to the special economic department, and it was introduced to the president by Tang Shaochuan, then Tianjin Customs Dao. Liang Yansun thus got acquainted with the president, and entered the Beiyang group and handed over to the generals of the Beiyang Army.

Subsequently, the Qing court appointed Tang Shaochuan as Minister Plenipotentiary to go to India to negotiate with the British representatives on the Tibetan issue. Later, Tang Shaochuan succeeded Sheng Xingsun as the supervisor of the National Railway Corporation, and asked Liang Yansun to help in this matter, so Liang Yansun began to gain a firm foothold in the Ministry of Communications.

"It can be said that Liang Yansun can have today's achievements, the benefactor is the president, but the person he is most grateful to is Tang Shaochuan. And my lord, you and Tang Shaochuan have a holiday, you shouldn't need to talk about it, right? If Liang Yansun takes over as prime minister, or even accepts the position of president in the future, shouldn't he repay the original Long'en and Houde with a spring? (To be continued.) If you like this work, you are welcome to come to the starting point (qidian.) to vote for recommendation, monthly pass, your support, is my biggest motivation. For mobile phone users, please go to m.qidian. )