286, then go down to Xiangyang to Luoyang (middle)

Li Yuanhong scolded in a false voice: "Monk Hugh is talking nonsense!" ”

Sun Yuanqi waved his hand very casually: "Brother Li doesn't have to care, there are only two or three people waiting for you and me here, out of his mouth and into my ears, what else is there to worry about?" Besides, Mi Seng is also thinking about the elders of Hubei, why is it wrong? ”

Seeing that Sun Yuanqi did not strongly object, the two couldn't help but secretly rejoice. Fastest update 78 //

Rao Hanxiang put on an expression of humbly admitting his mistakes: "President, Chief Sun, I was reckless just now, please forgive me!" However, as Chief Sun said, his heart is indeed for the sake of Hubei's fathers and elders, and he wants to let the land of Jingchu Sangzi avoid the disaster of war. In today's confrontation between the north and the south, the slightest carelessness will ignite the flames of war and cause human suffering. For now, it is best for the center to be controlled by a powerful person to resist foreign aggression; All provinces maintain a high degree of autonomy and develop people's livelihood. To each his own duty, to each his best. In this way, we can not only calm down the hostilities, but also unify the country and benefit the people of Li. ”

Provinces maintain a high degree of autonomy? Sun Yuanqi understood their true intentions in an instant.

Since the Wuchang Uprising, nearly 20 provinces across the country have declared independence, and many of those elected as governors are leaders in the army, such as Yunnan Governor Cai Yi is the 37th Association of the 19th Town, Hubei Governor Li Yuanhong is the 21st Mixed Association Commander, Jiangxi Governor Li Liejun is the general office of the Yunnan Army Primary School, not to mention Yan Xishan and Zhao Jingxing. There are also a small number of middle- and lower-class people similar to Song Jiang and Chao Gai, who can't get on the stage at all, such as Chen Qimei, the governor of the Shanghai Army, who is just a hooligan leader in Shanghai.

If the fate of these people had not changed dramatically because of **, they would have no hope of becoming governors in this life! Now that these people have tasted power, it's like biting fat into their mouths, and who wants to spit it out again?

Even people like Zhu Jiabao, the governor of Anhu, Cheng Dequan, the governor of Jiangsu, and Shen Bingkun, the governor of Guangxi, who were originally governors of the Qing government, have now become the governors of the Republic of China, and they will covet the "high degree of autonomy" in the future! After all, autonomy means that you can be free from the central control to the greatest extent, and you are the local emperor under your jurisdiction, doing whatever you want, and even passing on the governor to future generations. Who wouldn't want this kind of good thing?

Before the crossing, Sun Yuanqi, who believed in the supremacy of the country and the nation, would definitely scold Zhang Xueliang, Han Fuyu, Yan Xishan and other warlords for passively resisting Japan in order to preserve their strength; During the Gengzi State Change, although Sun Yuanqi was not very interested in the Qing government, he also slandered Liu Kunyi, Zhang Zhidong, Li Hongzhang and other governors for the southeast mutual protection.

However, it is only now that I have discovered that the vast majority of people will love the power in their hands, even themselves. To give a vivid example: If Sun Yat-sen had been dismissed from his post as governor of Sichuan in the name of the central government and appointed to Nanjing as the chief of education, would he have obediently complied?

Sun Yuanqi pondered for a moment before saying, "Mi Seng wants China to adopt the federal system of the United States?" ”

"Exactly!" Rao Hanxiang nodded, "My China is vast, due to the limitations of mountains and rivers, ten miles of different winds, five miles of different customs, the south of the sun is like fire and the north is frozen and snowy, the east is overflowing and the west is thousands of miles of red land, if the central government is unified and ruled, it is inevitable that there will be the disadvantages of cutting enough to fit the country." If the provinces are autonomous, they can adapt measures to local conditions and avoid rigid practices. I wonder what Mr. Sun thinks? ”

Selfishly speaking, Sun Yuanqi was still very much in favor of the autonomy of the provinces, but this was very contrary to the unified education he had received in the previous twenty years, which made it difficult for him to make a decision for a while. So he replied vaguely according to the principle of "not allowing people lightly, not rejecting people" instructed by Yang Du: "What Mi Seng said is very reasonable, and I think the central government will also listen carefully to our opinions and suggestions, carefully weigh and consider, and give everyone a satisfactory answer." We might as well be patient and wait and see what happens. ”

Seeing that Sun Yuanqi did not give a clear answer, Rao Hanxiang was obviously a little disappointed: "Now that the north and the south are like enemies, each wants to annex the other, how can there be spare time to listen to our opinions and suggestions?" ”

Li Yuanhong frowned: "The reunification of the north and the south is certainly a major event at present, isn't the national political system?" Brother Bai Xixian went east and north this time, and when he met Mr. Zhongshan and Yuan Xiangcheng, you might as well tell them, you are a cabinet minister, the chief of education, admired at home and abroad, and they will definitely listen carefully to what they say! ”

"Brother Li praised it falsely, the little brother is really ashamed! To tell the truth, the younger brother is a teacher, and he doesn't know anything else, and he doesn't know anything about politics. Brother Li, you are different, you are the vice president and the governor of Hubei, shouldering both central and local positions. If you make a statement to Mr. Zhongshan and Yuan Xiangcheng, you will definitely get twice the result with half the effort, far better than the little brother! Sun Yuanqi replied neither softly nor hard, but in fact, he was resentful in his heart: Sun Tzu, do you think that the master's IQ is in the single digits? I want the master to be a gun for you, but there is no door! If you have the ability, you can plug the gun hole yourself!

Li Yuanhong saw that Sun Yuan was not fooled, and his eyes rolled: "Brother Xian, I heard that after you entered Sichuan, you formed a new army, and in just a few dozen days, you wiped out all the chaotic parties in the province, and returned the people of Bashu to a bright and prosperous situation, and your combat power is really not to be underestimated." It's just that I heard that Sichuan is planning to recruit a new army for the debate association recently, but I don't know what I want? ”

Sun Yuan said in his heart: Why did you, the governor of Hubei, who was pulled out from under the bed, ask me about Sichuan military affairs? Do you really think that if you put on the top hat of the vice president, you can dictate to me in Sichuan? At the moment, he just glanced at him and did not answer.

Li Yuanhong hurriedly explained: "Don't misunderstand, Brother Fool, Brother Fool is just a little curious. You also know that Sichuan and Hubei provinces have always been dependent on auxiliary vehicles, if there is any movement in your province, it will inevitably affect Hubei, so I want to verify it with you. ”

Sun Yuanqi said: "Brother Li, don't worry, my Sichuan training of the new army is not aimed at the military governments of the surrounding provinces, (Sun Yuanqi secretly thought in his heart: Tibet is not a military government, so it is naturally not included.) It's just that the mountains and forests in the province are vast, and there are many Li Shu, so it is inevitable that there will be gangsters as traitors. It was my negligence that I did not explain it to the central government in advance, which aroused the suspicion of fraternal provinces! ”

Li Yuanhong said: "It is also excellent for the virtuous brother to train new soldiers and organize armaments!" Since the first uprising in Wuchang, Hubei, the prefectures and counties have swarmed up, disturbing the place in the name of **, and reaching out to the provincial government from time to time to ask for the payment of military salaries. A few days ago, Mi Seng counted the troops in the province who paid food and salary, and it turned out to be 8 towns and 2 associations, totaling 110,000 people!

"I only have a total of 24 million in Hubei Shinong Industry and Commerce, and now the northern half of the Yangtze River is still under the control of Yuan Xiangcheng's department, and most of the money and grain in various prefectures and counties have been withheld by the local government, how can the treasury and the feudal bank support the food and clothing of these 110,000 people? Therefore, Brother Yu also wants to take the time to dismantle and reorganize the army in the province, and when the time comes, he will ask Brother Xian to support him strongly. ”

What is the dismantling of the integrated units? It's just a means to exclude dissent!

Sun Yuanqi complained bitterly: "The Sichuan Road Protection Movement was earlier and longer than the Wuchang Shouyi, and the scope spread to all parts of the province, causing the land to be barren, the shops to close, the city to be dilapidated, the people to be displaced, the government treasury to be empty, and it was impossible to recover in three or five years, which strength could support Hubei?" The little brother really has more than enough heart and not enough strength! ”

Li Yuanhong said: "Li empathizes with the suffering suffered by Sichuan, so naturally he doesn't dare to bother the people of Bashu, the foolish brother just wants to ask the virtuous brother for help." ”

Can I help? Sun Yuanqi was a little surprised: "I'm a teacher, what can I do to help Brother Li?" ”

"The first thing is to ask the virtuous brother to come forward and borrow 1 million yuan from Bloomage Bank as the training and severance expenses of the troops." Saying that, Li Yuanhong took out a piece of Sun Datou issued by Bloomage Bank from his body and put it on the table, "Brother Yu knows that Brother Xian has a bad relationship with Bloomage Bank, as long as you come forward, you will definitely succeed immediately." Of course, we will not let you take the risk, the Hubei provincial government is willing to use part of the Hanyang Iron Works plant and mines as a guarantee! ”

Hearing about borrowing money, Sun Yuanqi was originally ready to refuse: In these years, it is the grandson when he borrows money, and he becomes an uncle when he pays back. But when he heard that Hubei was willing to use the Hanyang Iron Works as a guarantee, Sun Yuanqi was a little hesitant.

Hanyang Iron Works is the earliest government-run iron and steel enterprise in modern China, seven years earlier than Japan's first modern iron and steel complex, Yawata Iron and Steel Works, and its scale was second to none in Asia at that time, with an initial investment of 5 million taels of silver! Although the iron works are not operating well and the quality of steel is not good due to various reasons, it is believed that there is still a lot to be done after rectification.

Sun Yuanqi hesitated for a moment and said: "Regarding the matter of borrowing money, I will not be able to give you a letter until I go to Shanghai to meet with the directors of Bloomage Bank." ”

Li Yuanhong nodded, and said: "As for the second thing, I want to ask Brother Xian to come forward and buy a batch of firearms and ammunition from the Beiping Iron Factory. ”

If you have money to make, why not? What's more, now that Sun Yuanqi is short of money, he will naturally not refuse this door-to-door business: "Okay, after I arrive in Beijing, I will definitely let Beiping Iron Works give you a preferential price!" By the way, how much are you going to buy? ”

Rao Hanxiang replied on behalf of Li Yuanhong: "We in Hubei are expected to purchase 200 mortars of various calibers, 5,000 medium-sized rifles, 10,000 artillery shells, 100,000 grenades, and 1 million bullets. ”

Sun Yuanqi gasped: This is also a big stroke, right? Mortars, medium-sized rifles, and so on, just one million bullets are worth at least 40,000 taels of silver! But he immediately thought of another question: "Brother Li, can you Hubei get so much money?" ”。 Shouldn't you borrow money from my Bloomage Bank with your left hand, buy a gun from my Beiping Iron Works with your right hand, and then hold a gun and not pay it back?

Li Yuanhong said: "If Brother Xian can help us borrow more from Bloomage Bank, we can naturally pay in full." In case the Hubei treasury is not enough silver, we can take part of the factory buildings and mines of the Hanyang Iron Works as collateral, and then pay in installments. ”

I'll go! It's Hanyang Iron Works again.

Sun Yuanqi couldn't help but ask, "Brother Li, how much is your Hanyang Iron Works worth?" ”