At a time when Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces were busy with the whole army and entering Hubei, Beijing and Central China were also in chaos.

After returning home, Hubei Senator Zhang Bolie and others received Sun Yuanqi's strong support, and immediately lifted their spirits; after returning home, they contacted other comrades in the party and, together with members of the New China Party, submitted to the Senate the "Case of Questioning the Government's Shooting of Zhang Zhenwu, the First Righteous General of Wuchang," demanding that Zhang Zhenwu's reputation be cleared and Vice President Li Yuanhong impeached, so as to safeguard the country's democracy and rule of law and set a standard for future generations.

The moderate faction represented by Sun Yat-sen and Cai Yuanpei supported the Senate to uphold democracy and defend the law through peaceful means such as consultation, mediation, and voting; On the other hand, the radical faction headed by Song Jiaoren advocated the impeachment of Yuan Shikai and Li Yuanhong, and the entire cabinet represented by Tang Shaoyi should also bear joint and several responsibility, claiming that if the Senate could not give a satisfactory answer, the possibility of resorting to force would not be ruled out.

Li Yuanhong naturally will not sit still. As the vice president of the Republic of China, the governor of Hubei, and the chairman of the Republican Party, he also has his own mouthpiece in the Senate, and seeing that the situation was wrong, he hurriedly instructed the senators who were loyal to him to make a big noise, and bitterly displayed Zhang Zhenwu's bad deeds, proving that the ruling was not only legal, but also just; In private, they used threats of force, money bribery, and official vows to solicit other senators.

At the same time, dozens of newspapers controlled by Li Yuanhong also launched a propaganda offensive to try their best to tarnish Zhang Zhenwu's image, from self-recruiting troops and robbing food and salaries to demagoguery sergeants and colluding with bandits, from embezzlement and corruption, and conspiracy to form a party to sabotage the republic and make bad remarks. In their opinion, Zhang Zhenwu is completely heinous and innocent. What's more, some lace tabloids also attacked Zhang Zhenwu for having problems with his life style, marrying a few concubines, and raising many fans in the Qinglou. There was even a matter of peeking at girls taking a bath when he was a child, in short, Zhang Zhenwu was a bad embryo that rotted from the roots.

Yuan Shikai is firmly seated in Diaoyutai, but whenever there is any inquiry, he will always put the responsibility on Li Yuanhong. Secretly, they are fanning the yin wind and lighting ghost fires everywhere, helping Li Yuanhong speak for a while, and maintaining the rule of law for a while. is very busy, the purpose is to muddy the water, he is so muddy that he fishes in the water.

As for Tang Shaoyi, who is dead and not stiff. Naturally, we can't pretend to be deaf and dumb about the murder of Zhang Zhenwu, especially the radicals of the League want to impeach him. However, the President's military order should be countersigned by the Prime Minister was not stated in the Provisional Statute, and he had to express his regret and condemnation in vague terms. Then he hid in an American hospital and pretended to be sick.

There was a lot of trouble in the capital. There is no happier than a journalist. Without having to come to the door themselves, the unattainable president, vice president, senator, etc., will take the initiative to send the statement of opinion to the newspaper. For a time, newspapers and magazines were full of all kinds of rhetoric, or high-minded talk, or attacking and arguing, which seemed to be very lively. Invisibly, it has also turned Zhang Zhenwu's case into the focus of attention of the people across the country, and even major newspapers in Europe and the United States have also noticed this incident.

On the third day after Zhang Zhenwu was killed, he was forced by the power of the deer. The Senate had no choice but to convene a meeting to discuss the motion jointly submitted by Zhang Bolie and 45 other senators.

The meeting has just begun. Zhang Bolie, the sponsor of the proposal, took the lead in speaking: "The so-called rule of law means that the law is supreme, and the government of the Republic of China should rule the country and act according to law. For the people, only the law can kill, and only the judge can enforce the law to kill, and everything else, is illegal. In the former Qing Dynasty, the rule of man was implemented, and what the emperor said was the holy decree, and the order of the officials was the law, which caused the government and officialdom to be dark, and the people were not happy. In view of this, Sun Yat-sen and Huang Keqiang threw themselves into the revolution, intending to change the empire into the Republic of China and the rule of man into the rule of law, so that the Chinese people would always be free from fire and water. After decades of running, at the end of last year, he finally got his wish, and the whole country cheered.

"Zhang Junchunshan devoted himself to the revolution in his early years, regardless of hardships and dangers, he was arrested by the Qing court, and several people died! However, Zhang Jun was unswerving, sold his property to serve as revolutionary funds, and actively contacted all parties to prepare for the uprising. After the outbreak of the Wuchang First Uprising, he served as the deputy minister of the military affairs department of the Hubei Military Government, acting as the minister to preside over military affairs and fight fiercely with the Qing army. Hanyang was in danger, he personally led his subordinates to help, was wounded in the fierce battle, fell into the water, and almost drowned. retreated to defend Wuchang, and helped Liu Zhongwenjun (Liu Gong) to defend the city until the success of the revolution and the establishment of the Republic of China. Zhang Jun performed such a meritorious service, but because he offended the authorities, he was suddenly arrested in the middle of the night, and Xun was shot in prison.

"A few months ago, the Senate enacted the Provisional Statute, which prohibits the arrest, detention, interrogation, or punishment of people except in accordance with the law. I would like to ask the Military Administration and Law Enforcement Department, which law are you relying on? I would like to ask the President, Li Songqing, and Duan Zhiquan again, in what capacity did you make such a ruling? Can you shoot people at will with the signing of an order from two or three of you? Such lawlessness and recklessness for human life is tantamount to breaking the law and overthrowing the republic, which is really a heinous crime. Therefore, 45 of us and others jointly filed a petition to impeach Vice President and Governor Li Song Qingjun. Please consider it in the Senate! ”

Without waiting for Speaker Wu Jinglian to speak, Hunan Senator Peng Yunyi stood up and said indignantly: "Is there anything more absurd in the world than the republican fathers who pursued the rule of law died at the hands of the rule of man after the success of the revolution?" If I wait for the senators to sit idly by, what is the use of the Senate? ”

As soon as the words fell, the senator of Li Yuanhong's line immediately quit, and Sun Faxu sneered: "Zhang Chunshan is an active-duty soldier, and all the crimes he committed were committed during his tenure as the director of the Military Affairs Department, and the matter is related to military secrets, and the guards around him all carry long and short guns, so it is naturally inconvenient for him to be arrested by the police department and tried by the trial hall." It is entirely reasonable and reasonable for the arrest to be carried out by the Military and Political Law Enforcement Department in accordance with military law. Speaker and members of the National Assembly, please think calmly and carefully, and do not be provoked by some people to shake the foundation of the country! ”

Zhang Bolie's eyes were cracked, and he pointed at the halberd: "What are you talking about!" Is military law greater than national law? The so-called military law in your mouth is nothing more than a telegram from Li Songqing, what kind of 'military law' is it? Killing the first hero of the Republic of China with a telegram from the vice president shows that although the Republic of China was established, the rule of man still exists, and the republic still exists despite the beginning! Zhang Chunshan, you ruined your family and went bankrupt. Trying to build a republic, I didn't think that the Republic of China was so dark, and finally died in chaos. You don't blink an eye! After saying that, I couldn't help but cry.

Seeing Zhang Bolie crying bitterly, he quickly stepped forward to comfort him, and some people reprimanded Sun Faxu, and Sun Faxu's friends helped to help him, and the scene was chaotic.

Wu Jinglian had just won the election a few months ago, and he had no prestige for the senators, so he had to slap the table and say loudly: "Everyone! Ladies and gentlemen, please calm down. We are now discussing the Zhang Chunshan case, and I would like to ask all my colleagues to exercise restraint, remain calm, and conscientiously perform their duties of participating in and discussing state affairs. ”

It's been a long time. The Senate was quiet. Sichuan Senator Li Zhaofu stood up at this time and said: "Mr. Speaker, colleagues, although there have been many times since the founding of the Republic of China, the government has flouted the Senate, but this time is the worst. Because as can be seen from this matter. The life and death of the people can be completely based on the orders of the President and the War Department. without having to rely on the law; The Senate and its laws do not guarantee the safety of people's lives at all. Therefore, it is very necessary to strictly investigate the responsibility of the main parties involved in the Zhang Zhenwu case in accordance with the law. I implore the Senate to make a reasonable ruling on the bill to question and impeach the vice president! ”

The Shaanxi senator also said: "There is a lot of enmity between the vice president and Zhang Chunshan, and this matter is well known. Both of them are the first righteous fathers, for the sake of the country and the people, and should be tolerant of each other; Even if conflicts cannot be tolerated, they should be dealt with in accordance with legal procedures, after all, the state and the law are in place, and the government and the two houses (the Grand Presidential Office, the State Council, and the Senate) will definitely give a fair and just ruling. Who knew that the vice president was lawless and sent electricity to the Grand Presidential Palace privately. He requested that Zhang Chunshan be corrected immediately. After receiving the telegram, the president was shocked by the charges that the vice president had fabricated against Zhang Chunshan in the telegram. Second, taking into account the face of the vice president and the overall situation of the reunification of the north and the south, he had no choice but to order the military and political law enforcement department to arrest and kill Zhang Chunshan, which made the first righteous father hate Jiuquan.

"This matter is related to the foundation of the country, and the primary responsibility lies with the vice president. The Vice President's urging the government to kill people with empty electricity and no real evidence is not only contrary to the spirit of the republican form of government and the rule of law, but also violates the "Provisional Statute" enacted by the Senate. If the Senate does not punish him severely, the vice president will be able to use a telegram to kill everyone in the world, including you and me. Therefore, strictly pursuing the responsibility of the main parties in the Zhang Zhenwu case in accordance with the law, this move is not for Zhang Chunshanjun alone, but for the sake of the people of the world and the future of the Republic of China! ”

Li Yuanhong's spokesperson Sun Faxu immediately retorted: "It's pure nonsense! Zhang Zhenwu's crimes such as flying and domineering, embezzling huge sums of money, plotting rebellion, and sabotaging the republic are all well documented, and the vice president has endured it for the sake of national stability. The reason why he was not sentenced in Hubei, but took advantage of his telegram to the president to ask the president to arrest and kill him was because he recruited rebels in Wuchang and had thousands of rebellious people under his command. If it is dealt with in accordance with the law, it will inevitably lead to a large-scale rebellion, which will be a disaster for Hubei Province!

Although the vice president's move was not thorough, it was also approved by the president, the War Department, the General Staff, and the Military and Political Law Enforcement Division. Judging from the effect, this move not only eliminates the chaos and chaos invisibly, but also only punishes the evil and does not punish the coercion, which can be described as good and good. Some people only focus on the flaws in it, and they attack the vice president in a big way, I really don't know what intentions! ”

Liang Xiaosu, a member of the Guangdong Senate, was a radical in the League, and he was a little impatient when he heard this: "Since this is the case, let's vote and see if everyone is in favor of Li Songqing!" ”

The result is hardly a guesswork. This motion itself has been co-signed by 45 senators from the Republican Party and the New China Party, and with the strong support of the League and the United Republican Party, it will definitely meet the condition stipulated in the "Provisional Covenant Law" that "more than three-quarters of the total number of members are present, and more than two-thirds of the total number of votes cast is full," and Li Yuanhong, vice president, will be dismissed.

As soon as they heard that they were going to "vote," the senators who supported Li Yuanhong immediately clamored. Sun Faxu loudly declared: "If we vote now, then we will withdraw immediately!" "If they withdraw, the attendance will be less than three-quarters of the total, and the vote will be invalid.

Seeing that Sun Faxu and the other senators had already gotten up, Speaker Wu Jinglian hurriedly said to the mud: "Everyone! Ladies and gentlemen, please calm down! When we discuss the motion on the Zhang Chunshan case, the vice president is involved, and if we do not listen to the vice president's justification, and if we vote on it if we do not listen to the vice president's justification, is it not also contrary to legal procedures and unfair and just? I don't think it's better to stop here today, and first send the motion of interrogation to the vice president and ask him to defend himself. After receiving the reply, how about we discuss the vote? ”

"Good!" "Yes!" Sun Faxu and the others replied nonsense.

In this way, the Senate ended its first session on the Zhang Zhenwu case. (To be continued......)