"What? Go to Shaanxi to be the governor? ”

Everyone couldn't help but look at each other: Duan Qirui's words just now were in vain!

At this time, Wang Shizhen stood up and said: "Everyone, Wang Mou's journey is tired and his spirit is exhausted, and he can't sit for a long time, so he has to be out of company for the time being!" After resting, I will come back tomorrow to worship the marshal, and please atone for the rudeness! ”

According to the customs and habits of the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, the number of days of mourning and hanging at home is in principle taken as an odd number, and all major funerals are held for a period of "seven", such as the first seven, three seven, and five seven, and the maximum can be 7749 days. During the days of the funeral, relatives and friends have to go to the mourning on a daily basis. Yuan Shikai's funeral is now in such a big battle, and it will definitely not end in three or five days. That's why Wang Shizhen said this.

Cao Kun also got up and said goodbye: "Cao Mou just got off the plane and came here directly to condole, and he didn't care about going home to report a message, and he wanted to go home first to wash up, so as not to worry about his wife and children at home!" ”

Seeing that the two of them were indeed dusty servants, Duan Qirui, Xu Shichang and others were inconvenient to dissuade them, so they had to send them out of the house.

When he walked out of Xinhua Gate and looked around at no one on the left and right, Cao Kun asked in a low voice: "Brother Pingqing, why did you want to help Zhou Zixuan break the siege just now?" Obviously, Duan Zhiquan hopes that he can take up a post in the Grand Presidential Palace, so as to lay a nail for the future. Your move has undoubtedly ruined his wishful thinking, aren't you afraid that he will retaliate in the future? ”

"You can see that?" Wang Shizhen smiled slightly, looking unconcerned, "I didn't expect Zhou Zixuan to be a smart person, seeing that things can't be done, he immediately 'good birds choose trees to perch, and virtuous ministers choose the master to do things'." Of course, the foolish brother wants adult beauty. As for Duan Zhiquan, I think he is purely motivated by profit. Now that the handsome man's bones are not cold, he is impatient to win the hearts of the people and form a gang to establish himself as the king. But he didn't want to think about whether he had the ability to do it!

"If he really has the ability to penetrate the heavens and the earth, and can put the torn Beiyang back together and compete with Sun Baixi in the Central Plains, Wang is optimistic, and even takes the initiative to help. But I've been with him for nearly 30 years, and I've known him for a long time. Whether it is on talent and courage, or on power and fraud, he is far inferior to the handsome. The previous marshal led the people of Beiyang to compete for the world with Sun Baixi with the respect of the president, and he still died of hatred, not to mention those who waited for him? ”

Cao Kun had some contacts with Duan Qirui, and hurriedly helped to argue at the moment: "Back then, Brother Pingqing, Chief Zhiquan, and Governor Huafu were called the 'Three Heroes of Beiyang', and they were pinned on by the marshal. The entire Beiyang group also regards the three of you as leaders under the Great Commander. Now that the handsome man is gone, it should be replaced by the three of you. If you hire Brother Qing to go out of the mountain to govern, Chief Zhiquan will naturally give up a head. I have no choice but to insist on hiring Brother Qing, and Chief Zhiquan has no choice but to do it, otherwise wouldn't Beiyang be a group of dragons without a leader? ”

Wang Shizhen shook his head suddenly: "Now that the country has reached this point, why can't Brother Zhongshan see the development of the situation clearly?" The so-called 'small victory depends on wisdom.' The big victory depends on morality', and now the situation has fully proved this. In the eyes of the world, doesn't Sun Baixi just write articles, teach students, and open factories and earn silver dollars by the way? In terms of courage and talent, which of them is more handsome than him? Why did Sun Baixi win and Dashuai lose in the end? Ultimately. It is because I can't do without the word 'private' in Beiyang, cherishing selfish thoughts, exclusive private rights, using private interests, seeking personal interests, and making private wealth...... Almost selfless. Even the famous weapons of the state and the subordinates of the army are regarded as private property, and it is strictly forbidden for others to touch them. On the other hand, what about Sun Baixi?

"As we all know, Sun Baixi's family is billionaire and rivals the country, with his power and family assets, even if he buys half of the capital, why is it difficult? But he still lived in a mansion given to him by his uncle and grandfather Sun Wenzheng in the capital, and when he left Beijing, he either lived in the guest house of the New China Party or in the dormitory of Jingshi University, and his entry and exit was never even as good as that of my ordinary division and brigade commander in Beiyang! However, when he was not famous, he invested heavily in the establishment of the University of Economics, and after he became rich, he spent thousands of dollars to vigorously promote compulsory education, benefiting millions of students all over the world; It also generously exempted nearly 10 provinces in the western region from paying taxes for several years, and invested in the establishment of enterprises and the construction of roads to benefit the people. Who in our Beiyang has such courage? ”

Cao Kun couldn't help but blush: although he prides himself on being loyal and kind on weekdays, he is not immune to vulgarity in the Beiyang environment, and often does some private work for personal gain. Regardless of his shares in the company and bank deposits, his subordinates alone have many nepotistic figures such as his fourth brother Cao Rui, seventh brother Cao Ying, and nephew Cao Shijie.

Wang Shizhen continued: "As early as the end of the Qing Dynasty, students all over the world respected him as a 'saint of the day'. The people of the western provinces are even more grateful to him and regard him as the savior of the world and the king of sages. Brother Yu often gossiped with the old farmers in the countryside in his hometown in Zhengding, and heard a lot of rumors about Sun Baixi before and after, so he could choose a few to briefly tell Brother Zhongshan to listen to.

"The first is that when I just returned to my hometown at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, my relatives and friends came to meet and catch up, and one of the old farmers suddenly asked me: 'After Emperor Xuantong abdicated, did he pass the throne to Emperor Sun?' At that time, I thought he was talking about Sun Yat-sen, who was the interim president at the time, but I didn't expect him to take out a silver dollar from his arms, point to the portrait of Sun Baixi on it and say: 'Don't you see that there are portraits of others printed on the ocean?' ’

"The second is that in the winter of the first year of the Republic of China, I heard a few old farmers basking in the sun in the corner of the wall and chatting, and someone suddenly said indignantly: 'I heard that all the prefectures and counties in Shanxi Province next door have reduced money and grain, why is the tax paid by our Zhili heavier than usual?' Someone immediately added: 'I heard the gentlemen say that Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu and other places don't even need to pay grain now!' Everyone discussed for a long time, and finally unanimously sighed: When will Sun Shengren, who has reduced money and grain, be able to manage our Zhili?

"The third happened a few days ago when your third division drove to Zhengding to prepare to meet the enemy from Shanxi. Originally, once a war broke out, people should be panicked everywhere, and they should pack up their gold and silver and prepare to take refuge in all directions. I don't know how someone said that Sun Baixi's troops were going to fight Zhili, and the atmosphere in the countryside suddenly changed, and they were frightened and actually had some expectations, and the old farmers celebrated in private: 'It's okay now, Sun Shengren is finally coming!' ’

Although Wang's experience is just a glimpse of the leopard. But it can also be seen. If the people all have such thoughts, do you think we can still have a chance of winning in Beiyang? ”

Cao Kun couldn't help but sigh: "Could it be that this is the 'Eastern Expedition and Western Resentment' contained in the book? Sure enough, the benevolent are invincible. It seems that Cao Mou is not resentful at all when he loses! ”

Wang Shizhen continued: "Duan Zhiquan doesn't know the people's will. I only thought that the defeat in this war was due to low morale, insufficient food, and ammunition shortages, and I tried in vain to clean up the rest and make a comeback. The reason why he instigated Zhou Zixuan to ask Sun Baixi for the positions of chief of staff and secretary general of the presidential palace was nothing more than to drive a wedge between Sun Baixi and Li Songqing. As everyone knows, now Li Songqing has no money, no soldiers, no name, and is not Sun Baixi's enemy at all, how can he go against Sun Baixi's wishes? Even if Sun Baixi really acted like this, Li Songqing was at most complaining in his stomach, did he dare to blatantly challenge Sun Baixi?

Duan Zhiquan thought that his current move was to unite Beiyang and save Beiyang, but in fact? It's just to satisfy his own selfish desires. But it will push the entire Beiyang group into the abyss of no return. Of course, Wang didn't expect Zhou Zihui to be so alert and see through Duan Zhiquan's intentions at a glance. Don't say that Zhou Zixuan himself saw through his tricks, even if Zhou Zixuan didn't see through it, how could Wang make him get his wish! ”

Cao Kun frowned and asked, "Brother Pingqing, is my Beiyang so unbearable now, can I only sit back and wait for others to slaughter?" Cao felt that there was still a glimmer of life in Beiyang! ”

"Oh? May I hear it! ”

Cao Kun said carefully: "Sun Baixi is ready to gather the elite under his command to fight to the death with Japan in Shandong. Cao admired his courage in challenging the great powers and his patriotic loyalty, and sincerely wished him success in defeating the invading Japanese invaders and the shame of China for nearly a hundred years. However, as the old saying goes, 'Before you win, you lose first.'" And the Japanese army was so strong. You and I have experienced it firsthand. If Japan finally wins the victory, and Sun Baixi's elite is lost in Shandong, is it possible for my Beiyang to take the opportunity to rise? ”

Wang Shizhen didn't answer and asked: "What does Brother Zhongshan think?" ”

Cao Kun said: "Cao thinks it's very possible! Why? Because once Sun Baixi's elite is lost, his reputation will inevitably plummet, his prestige will be greatly damaged, and he is likely to return to the northwest to recuperate. Influence on the southern provinces will also decline sharply. And our Beiyang strength has not been greatly damaged, and it is impossible for the Japanese army to swallow our whole country now. All that is sought is the cession of Shandong and the payment of compensation. At that time, we can, on the one hand, start peace talks with the Japanese side in the name of the Great Presidential Palace, and try to suppress the development of the provinces under Sun Baixi; On the other hand, in the name of the central government, the southern provinces should at least be kept neutral, so as to slow down the recovery of Sun Baixi's ministries. In time, it may not be impossible to compete with Sun Baixi! ”

Wang Shizhen laughed and said, "I'm afraid Duan Zhiquan thinks the same thing in his heart, right?" In Wang's opinion, you are too whimsical! First of all, whether it is due to terrain restrictions or for security reasons, it is impossible for Sun Baixi to gather all the elites under his command to Shandong. If he had been so stupid, he wouldn't have survived to this day.

"Secondly, the three provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Zhili and Northeast China, which are now occupied by Beiyang, may become the direction of the Japanese army's assistance, and they are also Sun Baixi's natural barriers. If he wins, there is no need to say anything else. If he loses the battle and retreats to the northwest, can the Japanese army still cross these provinces and attack the northwest?

"Third, as Sun Baixi said, the various units under his command may have some difficulty dealing with the Japanese army, but it is definitely not a problem to deal with several divisions of the Beiyang Army. Even if he loses the battle in Shandong, will the Beiyang Army, which is short of pay and guns, dare to risk the condemnation of the world and immediately send troops to attack the righteous army that resists the invasion of foreign invaders? Beiyang didn't dare, and the governors of other provinces didn't dare! ”

Cao Kun couldn't help but be silent when he heard this.

Wang Shizhen asked at this time: "Brother Zhongshan, you have a relationship with Sun Baixi, how do you feel about him?" In less than ten years, he has risen from a scholar to a cabinet member, and now he is the general manager of the country. Wang is curious about him! ”

Cao Kun was stunned: "What, Brother Pingqing wants to visit him?" ”

Wang Shizhen asked indifferently: "Isn't it okay?" ”

Only then did Cao Kun understand that Wang Shizhen, the "Dragon of the Beiyang", was not the divine dragon that swept through the Liuhe Qi and swallowed the eight wildernesses like Qin Shi Huang, but the Sleeping Dragon of Zhuge Liang who also chose the king to move when the time came! (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. )