Sun Yuanqi said: "Please rest assured that Premier Tang will definitely put the interests of the country and the nation first, do everything possible to safeguard the authority of President Yuan Da, the cabinet and the "Provisional Covenant", strive to restrain all kinds of disputes in the cabinet and parliament, avoid resorting to force, and ensure that the Republic of China can move forward peacefully and steadily!" ”

Tang Shaoyi nodded: "It is really a blessing for the cabinet and the country to be so selfless and loyal to the country by all my colleagues of the New China Party. Free e-book download // Tang thanked you in advance! With that, he got up and bowed deeply to Sun Yuanqi and the others.

Sun Yuanqi, Zhang Jian and others hurriedly stepped forward to support Tang Shaoyi: "Premier Tang is too polite!" ”

After sitting down again, Tang Shaoyi continued: "Since becoming prime minister, Tang has been selfish, lest he will be killed. Especially when the two presidents of the League were reluctant to go north, they were even more worried, for fear that the first responsible cabinet of the Republic of China would be stillborn. Although General Song and General Wang have now gone north, the gap between the north and the south is difficult to eliminate in a short period of time, and it will even increase at any time due to some problems. Now with the strong support of the three commanders of the New China Party, Tang can finally feel at ease! ”

Sun Yuanqi said: "Premier Tang, this is a matter of concern!" In fact, at the beginning of the Republic of China, both President Yuan Da and Mr. Zhongshan hoped that the country would restore peace as soon as possible and achieve prosperity and strength as soon as possible through popularization of education, the establishment of industries, the formation and training of new armies, and the laying of railways. In this general direction, the two people's ideas are the same. If there is any gap between the North and the South, it is only a matter of disagreement on how to achieve this and who will lead it, and these can be resolved through dialogue and peace talks. What we need to do is to avoid intensifying conflicts, build a platform for exchanges, and create an atmosphere for peace talks. ”

As Sun Yuanqi said, Yuan Shikai, like Sun Yat-sen, was a strong nationalist, and both had a strong desire for China to become rich and strong at an early date. Although Yuan Shikai has taken the wrong direction politically, this cannot deny his great efforts for the country and the people, nor can he denigrate his patriotic feelings as a Chinese. In traditional textbooks, Yuan Shikai is usually denounced as a traitor for signing the Twenty-One Articles. Actually, in the aggressive situation in Japan. Yuan Shikai has done his best to safeguard national interests, and Hu Shi believes that the negotiation of the "21 Articles" is a victory for the diplomacy of a weak country.

In contrast, it is also a "traitor", Sun Yat-sen not only dared to sell, but also dared to sell cheaply. Dare to sell pork at the price of cabbage! For him. Anyway, the revolution was not successful, and those things had nothing to do with me. As for success? Let's talk about success after success. For example, in February 1915, the so-called "Sino-Japanese Covenant" signed by two important figures of the Manchurian Iron Company, Inuzuka Shintaro and Junzaburo Yamada, the degree of betrayal was even greater than that of the "Twenty-one Articles"!

No matter what Yuan Shikai and Sun Yat-sen have done, they are all in the same way in revitalizing the country. It is only because of the differences in knowledge background, career experience, international vision, etc., which are mixed with the conflict of personal interests, factional interests and national interests, that this leads to the situation that they will never stop fighting each other.

When personal interests, factional interests and national interests conflict, those who can really put national interests above personal interests are saints who are rarely seen in a century. Moreover, it is usually difficult for such a saint who does not eat the fireworks of the world to hold power in the turbulent political arena. And those who put their personal interests and factional interests entirely above the interests of the state often find it difficult to succeed. Under normal circumstances, politicians or bureaucrats are looking for a balance between personal interests, factional interests, and national interests, and the key is which side has the majority. Even the Empress Dowager Cixi, who said that "measure China's material resources and form a friendship with the country", did not completely ignore the interests of the country when she embezzled funds to build the Summer Palace.

Comparing the life parallels of Yuan Shikai and Sun Yat-sen, it will be found that Yuan Shikai was a traditional Chinese scholar, born in a family of eunuchs, and once guarded the vassal country of Korea. Born and raised in Sri Lanka, and has been at the top of the ruling hierarchy since his youth, he is relatively more nationalist and nationalist, and tends to pay more attention to national interests when interests conflict. Also more cautious.

Sun Yat-sen, on the other hand, was influenced by the atmosphere of the two Guangzhous, admired the rebellion of Hong Yang when he was a teenager, and later wandered overseas for decades, often under threat from the domestic government (Qing government, Beiyang government). Coupled with poverty, wandering, and cold reception, the desire to succeed in the heart can sometimes even overwhelm everything; And he was at the bottom of society most of the time. There is not much intuitive feeling about national interests, including territory, minerals, etc., so they are very bold, very generous, and even unscrupulous when there is a conflict of interest.

Young people who have traveled through the past under the current political system and education system, and fully understand the political situation at home and abroad at the beginning of the 20th century, will tend to favor Yuan Shikai rather than the "great pioneer" Sun Yat-sen.

This is the case with Sun Yuanqi.

A few people gossiped for a while, and Xu Baoxing, secretary of the State Council, came in and said: "Your Excellency, the three chiefs, the president, and the presidents Lu, Zhao, Xiong, Duan, and Liu are almost at the door, do you want to go out to greet them?" ”

Everyone hurriedly stood up, and Tang Shaoyi asked with some surprise: "What, the president is here?" "It stands to reason that the State Council is the territory of the prime minister, especially the responsible cabinet, and the president should not be able to step in casually. It's like the State Council is holding a meeting now, who has ever seen the president attend the meeting? Although Tang Shaoyi had politely invited Yuan Shikai before, he didn't expect him to agree.

Tang Shaoyi thought about it: This afternoon we will not only convene the first state meeting

Before that, the establishment of the State Council will be announced, and it is understandable that the president will attend the inauguration ceremony. Without waiting for Xu Baoxin to reply, he asked himself and replied: "Tang invited the president to attend the ceremony a few days ago, and he didn't have much hope, but he didn't expect the president to be able to give in, which shows the president's trust and love for the cabinet!" Three chiefs, how about we go out together to greet the president? ”

Sun Yuanqi and the others hurriedly replied: "The courtesy should be like this!" ”

Soon after the four of them arrived at the door, they saw several carriages approaching under heavy guards. Tang Shaoyi walked a few steps quickly, rushed forward to open the car door, and respectfully helped Yuan Shikai, who was dressed as a president, from inside: "Welcome to the State Council!" ”

Yuan Shikai said with a smile: "What do you mean by 'coming'? You're welcome! The old man just came over to have a casual look and have a good time. Shaochuan, you shouldn't blame the old man for being troublesome, right? ”

Tang Shaoyi hurriedly replied: "The president is laughing!" It is an honor for the State Council that you can come to guide the work, and it is too late for us to welcome it. ”

Yuan Shikai caught his eyes and saw Zhang Jian, Tang Shouqian and Sun Yuanqi behind Tang Shaoyi, and greeted with a smile: "Ji Zhi, Yu Xian, Bai Xi." Are the three of you okay? It's freezing cold, and it's really Yuan's fault to let you wait outside. Please forgive the three of you! ”

Zhang Jian arched his hand casually, and jokingly said: "The president hasn't seen you for a long time!" Thinking back to thirty years ago, the contemptible people and the president were in Xiaogong (referring to Wu Changqing, the general of the Huai Army. The word Xiaoxuan) is in the camp. Later, after the president was promoted to the minister of Beiyang, he changed his name to 'Brother Ren' when there was a correspondence; now the president is in charge of the eight directions and rules Kyushu, and when he meets the contemptible people, he is called 'Ji Zhi'. It can be seen that the higher the official position of the president, the smaller the contemptible title. Fortunately, the post of president has been promoted. Otherwise, the contemptible person should be reduced to a nephew! ”

The thirty years mentioned by Zhang Jian actually happened in the seventh year of Guangxu (1881), when Zhang Jian was not a champion, and he was not even a person - since the sixteen-year-old Zhang Jian was admitted to Xiucai in the eighth year of Tongzhi (1869), he went to Jiangning every two years to take the township examination. failed to pass the exam 5 times, so he had to serve as a clerk under the curtain of Wu Changqing, the general of the Huai Army, and chatted to get by. And Yuan Shikai was not a governor of Zhili at that time, the minister of Beiyang, but a second ancestor who was not literate, and he did not make much progress until he was twenty years old, and he failed to win the township examination twice in 1876 and 1879, so he had to gather dozens of servants at home to go to Dengzhou to seek refuge with his adoptive father Yuan Baoqing's best friend Wu Changqing.

Wu Changqing was very unimpressed with Yuan Shikai and dozens of people who took the liberty to join the army, except for leaving Yuan Shikai to study in the camp, all the others were sent home with money. It is said that Wu Changqing is really good to Yuan Shikai of his son and nephew. Not only did he pay him every month, but he also invited famous teachers to give him lessons. Among them, the teacher who taught Baguwen was Zhang Jian.

Although Zhang Jian and Yuan Shikai were both showmen when they met, there was a world of difference between the Xiucai in Jiangsu and the Xiucai in Henan, the Xiucai who was admitted to the poor family and the Xiucai who was mixed up by the second ancestor. - Now that we look at Yuan Shikai's poems and couplets, they are useless except for the domineering spirit of Taizu's poems. and the crooked poems of King Hong are carved out of a mold. If this kind of person is allowed to pass the examination, it is unreasonable! ——Zhang Jian was ordered to teach Yuan Shikai to write an eight-strand essay, but Yuan Shikai couldn't even write a decent article, so Zhang Jianjiao had nothing to teach and could not change.

I met this kind of student with a family background and no brains. Ordinary teachers can be regarded as having poured blood mold for a lifetime. But Yuan Shikai is not an ordinary person after all! Late one night, Zhang Jian and Yuan Shikai had a long talk. When it comes to their respective plans for the future, Yuan Shikai pointed out the country and had the ambition to clarify the world. Zhang Jian was quite moved when he heard this, so he was impressed, and solemnly recommended Yuan Shikai to Wu Changqing. In the eyes of Wu Changqing, Yuan Shikai changed from the son of the old man to a manufacturable material, and gradually soared. Because of this, during that time in Wu Changqing's camp, Yuan Shikai has always been a disciple of Zhang Jian and respected him as "Master Master".

Yuan Shikai was quite embarrassed when he heard this, so he had to look left and right and talk to him: "Baixi, you came very early today?" ”

Sun Yuanqi said: "The people in the capital are rubbing shoulders, I thought there would be a traffic jam, so I went out an hour in advance with the two chiefs of Si Weng and Yu Weng, but I didn't expect the road to be extremely smooth, and it didn't take long to rush here from outside the front door." But it's not too early, just in time to welcome the president. ”

Yuan Shikai did not investigate the true meaning of "traffic jam", and turned his head to look at the car on the side of the door: "You are sitting in this car, right?" Baixi, you gave me the car, the old man has sat on it a few times, and it can indeed be regarded as a lightning speed! It's a pity that the old man rarely goes out, and the guards around him don't dare to let the old man ride this kind of machine when he occasionally goes out, for fear that it will not be safe. In this way, it can only be placed in the yard as an ornament, and occasionally driven out to play by Kewen and Keding, which is overkill! ”

Sun Yuan said with a smile: "In addition to being used as a means of transportation, the car was originally for people to have fun. Since Ling Gongzi likes to drive out, it is the right place, how can it be called overkill? ”

Waiting for Tang Shaoyi and Yuan Shikai to greet each other, they came over and asked, "President, let's go in!" ”

Yuan Shikai looked left and right: "All the cabinet members have arrived?" ”

Tang Shaoyi was a little hesitant: "Only Wang Liangchou and Song Dunchu are left, and the two chiefs have not come over." But there's still ten minutes to go, and they're almost there, so let's go in and wait! ”

Yuan Shikai's expression did not move: "Since they will arrive soon, then the old man will accompany Shaochuan and you to wait for them here for a while, so as not to come out later." (To be continued.)