It took more than ten minutes for the group of students to gradually quiet down. No pop-up window update is fast// After a long time, two representatives were finally elected and came over to interview Sun Yuanqi.

Two young men under the age of 20 greeted each other according to the ceremony: "Students Wang Shijie and Xu Mo meet Master Sun!" ”

This is the rule of the late Qing Dynasty. No matter how happy the students are, no matter how unorthodox they are, they will still salute when they see the teacher. Unlike the revolutions in later generations, teachers had to be paraded through the streets, criticized, put on top hats, and shaved their heads. China is known as the country of etiquette, which is reflected in these details.

Sun Yuanqi asked in a harmonious voice: "This is a school, not an official office, I am a teacher here, you don't have to call me 'adult', just call me 'Mr. Sun'." Are you going to sit down in the courtyard and talk slowly? Or are you standing here and saying? ”

"Don't dare to bother sir, let's just stand here and talk!" Wang Shijie hurriedly replied.

Sun Yuan nodded: "It's okay." But I have a wound on my body, so I won't stand with you. ”

Wang Shijie and Xu Mo hurriedly said: "It's me who disturbed Mr. to recuperate, and I begged Haihan." ”

"Tell me, why are you petitioning? What is the content of the petition? Sun Yuanqi asked.

The two glanced at each other, and Wang Shijie stated: "Now the constitutional monarchy is a world trend that cannot be stopped. However, since the promulgation of the edict on the preparation of the constitution in the 32nd year of Guangxu (1906), the Qing Dynasty has been delaying in every possible way, and although it has been petitioned four times, it is still unrelenting, which has disappointed the country's farmers and businessmen. However, the grace of the Qing Dynasty has not diminished for nearly 300 years, and the people are disappointed. But there is only the loss of sincerity and then please, as for the three, as for the four.

"Gu Tinglin Youyun, 'The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of the husband'. The couplet of Donglin Academy also says. 'The sound of the wind and the rain and the sound of reading, the sound of the voice; Family affairs, national affairs, world affairs, everything is concerned'. Under the leadership of Mr. Wen Shilin, we students did not dare to forget the teachings of our predecessors, and under the leadership of Mr. Wen Shilin, we set up the 'National Assembly Petition Academic Comrades Association' and went to the Yamen of the Governor of Zhili to march and petition. It was also decided to send a telegram to the provincial consultative bureaus to the education associations and chambers of commerce in the name of the petition comrades' associations, hoping that all walks of life would once again organize delegations to Beijing to petition.

Who knew that Chen Yong'an, the governor of Zhili, was furious when he heard the news. Not only did they send the military and police to suppress it, but they also ordered the dissolution of the comrades' association. In order to make an example of others, he ordered the secret arrest of Mr. Wen Shilin and sent him to Xinjiang for the crime of disturbing the locality. After the students of Jinmen learned about it. All of them were indignant and wanted to petition again. However, Chen Yong'an's ministry was closed, and the imperial court had an order, 'If there is a boycott and invite a meeting, it will be punished severely immediately.' and punish the people who run the school as an example to the rest.'" We can imagine our grief and indignation!

"Mr. Jinwen was appointed as the secretary of the school, and the students of Tianjin were very happy. I have been reading the textbooks written by my husband since I was a child, until now. I have always admired Mr. 's demeanor and know that Mr. is not only a master of Chinese and Western learning. Moreover, the moral article is unique in the world, and he is familiar with the political system of each country. Insight is above the people of the time. So I came to petition for death! ”

Sun Yuan laughed and said, "Don't put a high hat on me, and praise me again for being ashamed and dying." How many pounds and taels do I have, and I don't know yet? Say, what is the content of your petition? ”

But he secretly said in his heart: This Chen Kuilong is really not worrying, he blocked me when he was in Hubei, and now that he is in Zhili, he still asks me to wipe his ass!

Xu Mo said: "We have three requests. First, I implore the court to acquit Mr. Wen Shilin! ”

"Wen Shilin is a school teacher?" Sun Yuanqi asked.

"It's not."

"So, Wen Shilin is a student at school?" Sun Yuanqi asked again.

"Not really."

Sun Yuanqi was a little angry: "Wen Shilin is neither a teacher nor a student, why are you asking me to petition?" I'm a scholar of the school, not a scholar of the law department! If you think he has a grievance, you can go to the Ministry of Law and the Metropolitan Procuratorate, what does it have to do with the Academy? Okay, let's move on to the second one. ”

Xu Mo was choked and rolled his eyes, and said for a long time: "Second, I implore the imperial court to open the congress quickly!" ”

Sun Yuanqi said solemnly: "Please remember this student Xu that the school department is in charge of national education. Does the speedy opening of Congress have a dime to do with education? If the next thing is this kind of request to ask the tailor to buy a kitchen knife, you can just turn around and go back! ”

Xu Mo was a little mad: "Article 3, I implore the imperial court to promulgate the constitution as soon as possible. The imperial court ordered you to draft a constitution, don't you think that this has nothing to do with you? ”

Sun Yuanqi asked rhetorically: "Do you know who the ministers who drafted the constitution are?" ”

At this time, Wang Shijie interjected: "I know, it is Shangshuze Beizi (Zai Ze) of the Du Branch, Shangshulun Beizi (Pulun) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Industry and Commerce, and you, Mr. ”

"Now that I know, I'll tell you a story!" Sun Yuanqi suddenly changed his words, "Once upon a time, there was a butcher who had to kill a lot of pigs every day. The people around him advised him: 'It is not right for you to kill pigs every day, you should repent.' When the butcher came home, he changed his normal way and said to the pig kindly: 'I have killed pigs all my life, and I am very sorry in my heart, although you are pigs, you should also have pig owners and pig rights.' Now that I respect your opinion and choice, how do you want to die? Don't be afraid, a hundred flowers bloom, a hundred schools of thought contend, speak freely! The pig hesitated for a moment, then replied: 'Actually, I don't want to die.' The butcher patted his thigh: 'Look, you see, you are off topic, right?' That's the way it is. Got it? ”

Wang Shijie bowed down and replied, "The student understands! ”

"Now that you understand, why don't you leave?" After Sun Yuanqi finished speaking, Wang Shijie really turned around and left.

Sun Yuanqi asked Xu Mo again: "Do you understand?" ”

"I don't understand!" Xu Mo shouted in a straight voice.

Sun Yuanqi was furious: "I don't even understand this, and you still come to petition?" Come on, fork him out! ”

Seeing Sun Yuanqi return to the apartment surrounded by everyone, Wang Shijie hurriedly helped up Xu Mo, who was thrown on a big horse: "Uncle Mo, let's go back too!" ”

Xu Mo was still a little annoyed, and shook off Wang Shijie with one arm: "What does he Sun Baixi mean?" I didn't agree to any of the three requests, so I told you a story to the two of us, so you want to fool us away? ”

Wang Shijie said: "Didn't Mr. Sun already make it very clear? The first two requirements are not under his control, and the latter request is that he wants to manage it, and others don't let him take care of it. ”

"By the way, Snowboat, what does that story he mean?" Xu Mo asked.

"You replace the 'death' in the story with the 'constitution', the 'butcher' as the regent or Zebeizi and Lunbeizi, and the 'pig' as Mr. Sun, you should understand!" Wang Shijie immediately shook his head, "Actually, it is not impossible to regard the 'butcher' as the Manchu government and the 'pig' as the 40,000 people of the country. ”

Listening to Wang Shijie's analysis, Xu Mo always understood, so he had to go back in frustration.

The year 1911 was eventful, and many major events took place in the following days, such as the Guangzhou Uprising that broke out on April 27. Although it failed in the end, because of Sun Yuanqi's butterfly and the role of mortars, the uprising lasted for more than 20 days, and finally under the encirclement and suppression of the Qing troops in Liangguang and Fujian, the remnants returned to Hong Kong.

Of course, there are other things that seem trivial at first, but end up with earth-shattering results, such as a letter from May 5.

The fold was written by the Metropolitan Procuratorate to Shi Chang in the matter, entitled "The Railway Urgently Determines the Trunk Road Branch Road Method Fold". In the excerpt, Shi Changxin divided the railways into two types: "trunk roads" and "branch roads", and advocated that the main lines (i.e., "trunk roads") running through the country should be state-owned and built by the government with loans; The rest of the ordinary routes (i.e., "branch roads") can be run by provincial gentry and merchants.

Sounds reasonable, right?

In fact, to answer this question, we need to understand at least two points: first, the situation of the railway at the end of the Qing Dynasty; Second, the financial situation at the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Let's start with the first point, railways are imported products, and according to property rights, they can be divided into three types: "foreign", "governmental", and "commercial". After the First Sino-Japanese War, the Qing government realized the importance of railways for national defense, and except for special circumstances, foreign countries were no longer allowed to meddle in the construction of railways, and instead did it themselves—this was one of the reasons why Zhan Tianyou was able to come forward. - But the continuous indemnity payments made the government powerless, so it had to entrust it to powerful businessmen to raise funds.

The results were significant, and in just a few years, a number of railways were built. However, there are also disadvantages of businessmen, such as the inability to raise huge amounts of money, poor technology, and independent management, which affects the interconnection between railways. Under these circumstances, many people of insight realized the necessity of "nationalizing the railways".

On the second point, the government's financial situation at the end of the Qing Dynasty was very bad, with an annual deficit of 30 to 40 million taels, which required constant borrowing from foreign banks against various customs duties, salt taxes, and centigold. In particular, in the 1910 rubber stock boom, Chinese businessmen lost more than 40 million taels at once, causing a sharp depression in the market, and the government's inability to make ends meet became more obvious. I've already paid off everything that can be mortgaged, but there are still holes to fill, what should I do?

In addition to nationalism and national interests, the reason why the construction of railways can encourage a large number of businessmen to participate in it, there is also a more important point that the profitability is very considerable. At first, the government was not under much pressure on the deficit, and although it was aware of the need for nationalized railways, it was able to negotiate with businessmen patiently. By 1911, the government was starving due to the financial crisis and extreme shortage of funds. Naturally, the eyes are aimed at the railway: the railway is good, it can make money in normal times, and in case of emergency, it can also mortgage a foreign bank with the right of way!

Shi Changxin's letter undoubtedly scratched the itch of the Qing government. After the recital was submitted, it immediately attracted the attention of the regent Zaifeng, and he praised: "It is not ignorant to the performance of the matter, and the Ministry of Posts and Communications shall properly plan and play according to the verses played." ”

Sheng Xuanhuai, the secretary of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications, immediately gave a positive response to Shi Changxin's recital. This is also understandable: the railways are state-owned, and in the final analysis, they are under the management of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. As a future manager and manager, he can reap more benefits. Why not?

On the sixth day after receiving Shi Changxin's letter, the Qing court officially issued an edict and issued a decision to the whole country on the state-owned trunk roads. (To be continued.) )