Yuan Shikai was in a good mood and was full of praise for Ye Shuangqi, so he called Yuan Keding over and asked him to accompany Ye Shuangqi to take a turn in Zhongnanhai, while Yang Du and Yang Naixiong were left by him to discuss important matters.

Ye Shuangqi originally didn't like the father and son of the Yuan family, and wanted to go back after seeing Yuan Shikai's illness, but as soon as he heard that he was arranged to take a turn in Zhongnanhai, he couldn't stand his curiosity, so he went out of the Qinzheng Palace with Yuan Keding and toured in this Zhongnanhai. Yuan Keding, because his father praised Ye Shuangqi a lot, was also courteous to Ye Shuangqi, not only accompanied the whole process, but also acted as a temporary tour guide, telling the scenery of many buildings in Zhongnanhai. Ye Shuangqi walked and looked, but saw that Zhongnanhai was lush and lush, and all kinds of royal buildings were magnificent, surrounded by Zhonghai and the South China Sea, which were scattered and scattered, hidden in the green trees, and the colors of the two seas.

Suddenly, Jiu Ling in his ear gently praised: "It's so beautiful here!" Ye Shuangqi couldn't help but look at it, only to see a small island floating in the South China Sea, surrounded by water, only a bridge in the north is connected to the shore, the island is full of pavilions, splendor, mountains, rocks, flowers and plants, like a fairyland. Ye Shuangqi not only sighed: "Good place!"

Yuan Keding said on the side: "Brother Ye, good eyesight, this place is Yingtai!" Ye Shuangqi read the anecdote about Yingtai, and blurted out: "Is that the Yingtai where Emperor Guangxu was imprisoned?" "Exactly!" Yuan Keding nodded approvingly, meaning that although Ye Shuangqi was young, he knew a lot of things.

Ye Shuangqi immediately thought of the record in the Yingtai incident: After the failure of the Wuxu Reform, the Empress Dowager Cixi imprisoned Emperor Guangxu in Yingtai. Emperor Guangxu had the heart to save the country, but he was unable to return to the sky, and he was depressed every day, remembering that Yuan Shikai betrayed the Restoration, and finally failed to change the law, so he gritted his teeth with hatred, so he drew a big turtle on the paper, wrote the word "Yuan" on the back of the turtle, and then pasted the drawing paper on the pillar, and shot it with a bow and arrow to relieve his hatred. Thinking of this, Ye Shuangqi couldn't help laughing, and suddenly thought that Yuan Shikai's son was by his side, and he didn't feel a little panicked. Yuan Keding didn't know what he was thinking, thinking that Ye Shuangqi admired Yingtai a lot and wanted to visit the island, he sighed unconsciously, subconsciously looked at his right leg, and said: "Brother Ye, Keding's leg disease is wrong, and it is inconvenient to accompany his brother to Yingtai for a tour, when it is convenient, I must let Brother Ye live in Yingtai for a few days!"

Ye Shuangqi saw Yuan Keding's lost appearance, a wave of sympathy swelled up, and asked: "Captain Yuan, how did you fall with this leg disease?" Yuan Keding was originally extremely taboo about leg disease, and he was reluctant to mention it easily, but he was grateful to Ye Shuangqi for treating his father just now, so he replied with a stunned face: "Last year, when I was riding a horse, I accidentally fell from my horse for a while, and I didn't want to fall into this disability." Listening to his answer, it was obvious that he was full of remorse, helplessness, and loss for this leg disease.

Ye Shuangqi thought to himself, Yuan Shikai is the president, his son fell off the horse and broke his leg, and he couldn't be cured, so he asked: "Commander Yuan, didn't you ask a famous doctor for treatment?" Yuan Keding sighed and said: "Not to mention the famous doctor, Keding went to Germany for medical treatment, and the imperial doctor of Germany diagnosed and treated me, but after all, there was nothing he could do, it seems that it is the will of God!"

Ye Shuangqi couldn't help but be shocked, and thought to himself: Yuan Keding actually went to Germany to treat his legs, according to this time last year, the German emperor should be Wilhelm II, isn't it the German emperor who started the First World War? Just as he was about to ask Yuan Keding again about what he had seen and heard about going to Germany, he suddenly heard a guard come over and call them: "The eldest son, the president asked you to go to lunch!"

Ye Shuangqi was about to resign, but he was already stopped by Yuan Keding and went straight to Xinfeng Building. Located in the northeast of Yingtai, between Zhongnanhai and the Forbidden City, this Xinfeng Building is one of the eight famous buildings in Beijing, and is the most famous hotel in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. Because of the convenient geographical location, some of the reception work of the presidential palace at the beginning of the Republic of China was often selected in Xinfeng Building.

When I arrived at a spacious, bright, elegant and noble private room upstairs, I saw that Yuan Shikai and the others had already sat down. Ye Shuangqi looked around and couldn't help but be shocked, in addition to Yuan Shikai, Yang Du, and Yang Naixiong, there was another person who turned out to be Cai Yi, and I don't know when he came.

Ye Shuangqi had a reverence for Cai Yisu, and he didn't want to eat with Er Yuan just now, but because of Cai Yi's arrival, he immediately disappeared without a trace, and thought: It is a great honor to be able to eat with General Cai Yi. When Yuan Shikai saw Ye Shuangqi coming, he actually got up to greet him and said, "Brother Ye, you prescribe a prescription for Yuan's illness, which can solve Yuan's big headache, and have a few drinks at noon today to express Yuan's gratitude." "As soon as I saw that the president stood up, Yang Du, Yang Naixiong and Cai Ye also stood up. Ye Shuangqi waved his hand again and again and said, "President, you are too polite." "But I thought to myself: It's so strange that my trick to fix you has been used by you as a cure. Yuan Shikai pulled Cai Yi back and introduced Ye Shuangqi to him: "Brother Ye, this is the famous General Cai Yi!" Ye Shuangqi didn't know whether to shake hands or give up, and finally chose to bow, and said with a look of reverence: "General Cai, hello!" Cai Ye saw that he was young, and he was nervous and respectful in the face of himself, so he thought that his experience was too shallow, so he said: "Brother Ye, you're polite." ”

After the greetings, the six people sat down, Yuan Shikai was in the center, Yang Du was drooping his hand, Cai Ye was hanging his hand, Yang Naixiong was sitting next to Yang Du, Ye Shuangqi was sitting next to Cai Yi, and Yuan Keding was sitting between Ye Shuangqi and Yang Naixiong. Yuan Keding ordered the food to be served, and ordered the guards to withdraw, and the banquet began.

The dishes are delicious and fragrant, and they are served to the table one after another. If it were normal, Ye Shuangqi's eyes would have to fall on the table, but none of the people present today were ordinary people, and Ye Shuangqi had no choice but to sit down solemnly. Yuan Shikai first raised his glass and said to Ye Shuangqi: "Brother Ye, thank you for your wonderful work today, Yuan's heart disease can be cured, come on, Yuan will give you a drink!" Ye Shuangqi secretly thought: This Yuan Shikai's notoriety is recorded in the annals of history, and he is very modest, and he has no big president's shelf, which is a little embarrassing. Thinking in his heart, he replied: "President, you are too polite. The two raised their wine glasses, Yuan Shikai drank it, and Ye Shuangqi also poured the wine into his mouth, which was already sucked by Jiu Ling, who was hidden in his back.

Yuan Shikai toasted Ye Shuangqi, Yang Du, Yuan Keding, Cai Yi, and Yang Naixiong also toasted Ye Shuangqi one after another, and Ye Shuangqi was suddenly a little overwhelmed. Everyone saw that although he was young, he was quite righteous when he drank a glass of wine, and they not only secretly admired him. After saluting Ye Shuangqi, Yuan Shikai picked up the wine glass again and toasted to Cai Yi: "Songpo, you came from Yunnan, and after a long delay, your family finally came to Beijing to reunite with you, but everything has been arranged?" Cai Ye said with a smile: "Thanks to the president's concern, my mother and two ladies have arranged to live in Cotton Hutong. As they spoke, the two drank each other's drinks. Ye Shuangqi thought: It turns out that this Cai Ye already has two wives, so aren't he and Xiao Fengxian ......? Then he thought: Yes, this is the Republic of China, and it is legal for a man to have three wives and four concubines.

Yang Du also got up to toast Cai Ye and said with a smile: "General Cai, the affairs of this family have also been arranged, and it is time to worry more about state affairs." Cai Ye took a drink and said with a smile: "Beijing Flower World is much better than Yunnan, and the state affairs are handled by the president and Yang participating in politics, and it is best to drink and enjoy flowers in Songpo." "The implication is that state affairs have nothing to do with me, you can dispose of them at will, and I can just play well. Ye Shuangqi also knew the meaning of his drinking and appreciating flowers, but he was not a little surprised to see him say it so boldly in front of Yuan Shikai.

Yang Du said: "Now that the Republic of China has been built, all kinds of waste are waiting to be rebuilt, and the husband should take the world as his own responsibility." How can General Cai indulge in wine when he is upright and in his prime? The president favors the general, and everyone knows that as long as the general vigorously supports this reform of the system, the president will certainly entrust him with important tasks. At that time, not only will the country be strong and prosperous, but the general will also be famous in history, so why not do it?" Yuan Shikai listened to Yang Du's words, nodded his head on the side, and looked at Cai Yi with a smile.

Cai Yi smiled indifferently and said: "Lord Yang, since Xinhai, the Qing Emperor has abdicated, and the system has been reformed into a democratic republic for a few years, I don't know what else to change?"

Yuan Keding suddenly grabbed the conversation and said: "Of course we have to innovate, the democratic republican system is far inferior to the constitutional monarchy system!" Yuan Shikai glared at him, Yuan Keding realized that he was a little reckless, and quickly raised his glass and said to Cai Yi: "General Cai, the commander of this Central Army Model Regiment, was originally your position, but you insisted on resigning, I can't temporarily replace it, the general is not strange." Ye Shuangqi was shocked again, it turned out that the head of the Central Army Model Regiment was originally to be served by Cai Yi.

How did Ye Shuangqi know that Yuan Shikai used various official positions to lure Cai Yi in order to win him over. This model regiment of the Central Army is equipped with the latest German-style equipment, and it is the trump card arm to protect the Yuan family. Yuan Shikai thought that letting Cai Ye hold the position of head of the regiment could show his great trust in Cai Ye, but he was rejected by Cai Ye. Since then, Yuan Shikai has adopted a half-pull and half-defense strategy against Cai Ng, and today he took advantage of the noon wine to persuade Cai Ye again.

Cai Yi said: "The eldest prince, you went to Germany to investigate, and you are more proficient in military affairs than me, and it is very suitable for you to serve as the head of this regiment." After that, he had a drink with Yuan Keding.

When Yuan Keding heard him mention his trip to Germany, his eyes suddenly glowed, obviously recalling the scene in Germany. It turned out that Yuan Keding went to Germany to treat his leg disease. Kaiser Wilhelm II, when he heard that the eldest son of the Chinese president had come to treat his illness, took care of him diligently, intending to form an alliance with China in the East and realize his ambition of world domination. Wilhelm II not only treated Yuan Keding as a guest, but also exerted ideological influence on him, often taking him in and out of the German court and military headquarters, and vigorously advocating constitutional monarchy and militarism. During this period of time in Germany, Yuan Keding's leg was not cured, his brain was cured, and he became an out-and-out German fan, worshipping various German systems and systems, especially the state system of constitutional monarchy. After returning to China, Yuan Keding talked about the strength of Germany and the superiority of the constitutional monarchy in front of Yuan Shikai, and he also regarded himself as the crown prince on weekdays, and started the spring and autumn dream of inheriting the throne in the future. It can be said that Yuan Shikai later ignored the opposition of the world and insisted on restoring the imperial system, which has a great relationship with Yuan Keding.

Yuan Keding continued Cai Yi's words and said: "General Cai, you only think about the benefits of the democratic republican system, but why don't you look at those great powers? The British Empire, with colonies all over the world, is it a constitutional monarchy? The German Empire, defeating France and dominating the European continent, is it a constitutional monarchy? Looking at Japan, which has risen in recent years, isn't it also a constitutional monarchy? The general has also been to Dongying, so why can't he think of the goodness of this constitutional monarchy?"

Cai Ye said a little seriously: "Eldest prince, Songpo has no intention of doing state affairs, but since I am talking about the system today, I will say a few words." Not all the great powers have a constitutional monarchy, if you look at the United States, under the democratic republican system, the national strength is growing and the people live in peace, which is what China needs. What's more, not long after the fall of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, we are all fighters for democracy and republic in the eyes of the people of the world, and if the imperial system is implemented again, it will inevitably give people a bad impression of going back on its word, and it is easier to arouse public anger and cause national turmoil.

Although Cai Yi's tone was calm, the words were like a sharp sword out of the sheath, and Yuan Keding was speechless. Yuan Shikai was also embarrassed, and scolded Yuan Keding: "I went to Germany, I don't know that the sky is thick, Germany is Germany, China is China, Germany can have an emperor, but how can China have another emperor?"

Yang Du hurriedly came out to play a round and said: "The president is angry, what the eldest prince and General Cai said has their own reasons, I think this matter needs to be discussed in the long run, and when all the generals arrive, let's discuss it together." ”

At this moment, a guard came in and whispered a few words in Yuan Shikai's ear. Yuan Shikai's face couldn't help but change, and he said hatefully: "This rabbit cub is here again......"