Volume 2: Famous all over the world Chapter 17: North and South
"Selling newspapers, selling newspapers!"
"Front-line battle report, latest news from Hubei, became commander-in-chief at the age of 22! Telegram to Yuan Shikai to withdraw from Beiyang!" Early in the morning, shouts were first heard in Wangsheng Street.
Following the beat, newsboys spread out to all parts of the city like mercury pouring down from the ground. A moment later, the same sound of selling newspapers could be heard in the concession. The largest city in the Far East gradually became bustling with the hawking and the turning of rickshaw wheels.
"Little bastard, you're looking for death!" Chen Qimei yawned as he and a few of his Green Gang brothers walked out of the Huaqing Pool Bathhouse. They were almost hit by a newspaper boy running by. After cursing a few words, he was about to go back to the International Settlement to contact the people about the uprising. Suddenly, he saw a few young men surrounding a companion holding a newspaper, with red faces and waving their arms. Looking around, he saw people reading newspapers carefully. It seemed that something big had happened.
"Did Yuan Gongbao arrive in Beijing, or did the fighting break out in Nanjing and Zhejiang? It can't be that Sun Dapao came back early, right?" Chen Qimei thought as he waved to the newsboy. He threw a coin to take the newspaper, but before he could unfold it, his eyes suddenly widened.
"Brother Yingshi, what's written on it? Read it out and let..."
"What's the use of reading? If you can't read, get out of here." An illiterate young man just opened his mouth when a man in police uniform came out from the side, with several patrolmen behind him to protect him. After seeing him, everyone was not nervous at all. Instead, they bowed their heads and kept saying hello, Chief.
Chen Qimei turned his head to take a look, and temporarily calmed down because the person who came was the chief of the Nanshi Police Department, Zeng Quande. This man used to be in the Green Gang, but later because his sister married the Zhejiang Provincial Governor as the third concubine, he became the chief of police in a flash. He immediately smiled and said, "I thought someone was blocking the door so early in the morning, it turns out it's Chief Zeng who has come to visit."
Although Shanghai is not small, it is actually the world of foreigners. The Nanshi Police Department is the only armed force in the Chinese area. However, he dared not underestimate Chen Qimei. After all, he was a legitimate gang member. In this day and age, it is better to offend anyone than this group of desperate criminals. Therefore, the two of them have always called each other brothers. He laughed and said, "Brother Yingshi, don't make fun of me. You are a shitty chief. I am just a favor from my brothers and I want to make a living."
"By the way, what was Yingshi reading so intently just now?" Zeng Quande asked, then picked up the newspaper and saw the news on the front page that Yang Qiu had been appointed as the commander-in-chief of the National Defense Army at the age of 22. Not only was there a photo of him, but also a detailed introduction of how he led the militia to defend Wusheng Pass and ambushed and killed 3,000 Beiyang elite troops in one fell swoop. In the end, it even printed a telegram he sent to Yuan Shikai to persuade him to surrender. He asked, "Yang Qiu? Why haven't I heard of this person? Is he also Yingshi's brother? He is indeed a hero at a young age !"
"Brother, what the hell! You're just a piece of shit who rolled out of his pants without holding your pants tight. Not only did he usurp the right-wing army, but now he's even forced Sun Wu out of office and made himself the commander-in-chief! Look at him, he keeps talking about the whole country! Do you think you're Sun Dapao?"
Zeng Quande was secretly surprised by his tone and asked, "Yingshi means that he is not one of yours?"
"No!" Chen Qimei snatched the newspaper fiercely, crumpled it into a pile and threw it to the corner of the street, angrily saying: "A self-righteous little red soldier, presumptuously named himself the Right Route Army, and took over the righteousness with a wave of his hand. What does he want to do? He just wants to earn a good reputation! Now that he has earned a good reputation, he turns around and attacks our party comrades! Who can touch him when he is fully grown? In the future, maybe you and I will have to depend on his face!"
"Is Yingshi worrying too much? There is Hubei and Shanghai, and no one can control the other."
How can a sparrow know the ambition of a swan! Chen Qimei has enough headaches. Not to mention that Huang Keqiang and Song Jiaoren have been suppressing him all these years, the overseas Sun Dapao is also coming back to interfere! Now with the independence of various places, Jiao Zuofeng, Yan Xishan, Ju Zheng, Li Junlie... and so on, many people have begun to emerge overnight, making him, who always thinks of himself as a senior, feel threatened. Especially this Yang Qiu, who actually brought Sun Wu down! He said angrily: "Who said that? He is fighting now , if he wins, he will be a national hero! Even if Sun Dapao comes back, he will have to give him some face. It is not known whether Huang Keqiang can get back the military power. If he can't get it back, this person will be a big trouble in the future!"
Chen Qimei said angrily: "It's all because Dunchu is soft-hearted. If I had let him do it earlier, why would I have gone through so much trouble? Once I tie up his second uncle, I don't believe he won't surrender!"
Zeng Quande's eyes turned cold and he asked, "Is his second uncle in Shanghai?"
"He opened a small company in the International Settlement, and he brought up this little guy." Chen Qimei didn't seem to want to say more, and turned his head to ask, "Brother Quande, you are also an old man in the gang, and now you are the director of the Nanshi Police Department. How do you say that brother asked you to do something?"
Zeng Quande knew what this meant. He waved his hand and asked several of his men to come closer and whispered, "Brothers are all ready. We are just waiting for your words, Yingshi. It's just that I, the director, only have three bullets. I need to ask Brother Shuping to use his brain."
Chen Qimei frowned. He and Li Shuping were the two most likely to be appointed as the governor in Shanghai, so he regarded them as stumbling blocks. But at this moment, he had to curry favor with them. After all, Li Shuping had connections in the Manufacturing Bureau. So after thinking for a long time, he gritted his teeth and said, "I'll go ask him later. He is familiar with Gaochang Temple and should be able to get some bullets."
"As long as there are bullets, I'll be fine." Zeng Quande looked around, moved closer and said, "Yingshi, you know that the brothers have been living a tight life in recent years. What do you think of what I talked about last time?"
"No..." Chen Qimei knew what Zeng Quande wanted to say. Last time, he had thought about taking over the Gaochangmiao Manufacturing Bureau (Jiangnan Factory), saying that he would put the manufacturing bureau under his jurisdiction after the uprising. But he didn't dare to touch this matter, because Gaochangmiao was too influential and valuable. There was no other factory in the country except Hanyang. If he touched it, he couldn't swallow it. So he said: "Don't think about Gaochang anymore. Neither you nor I can swallow it for the time being. The best way is to leave it in Shanghai, where it won't run away."
Chen Qimei glanced at Zeng Quande, who looked unhappy, and thought that he still needed to use this person. He smiled and said, "As for the money, there is no other way. Shanghai will definitely be in chaos after a few days. Anyway, as long as you support me to be the governor, I will turn a blind eye. Besides, if I sit in that position, won't Shanghai be your world?"
Zeng Quande could not fail to understand the hidden meaning of being the chief of the police station. He immediately smiled and said, picking up the newspaper: "Yang Qiu, it seems that he is an important person."
This sentence aroused Chen Qimei's jealousy again, and he scolded: "What kind of person is this? A little red man! Let Cao Cao worry about it!"
The living Cao Cao mentioned by Chen Qimei was naturally Yuan Shikai, the northern hero. The leader of the Beiyang government, who had been "in seclusion" for three years, was really in a headache. He really didn't expect that he would make a mistake this time! He finally waited for the position of Prime Minister he wanted, but he was hit by a club at Wusheng Pass. The elite and warlike Beiyang was defeated by an unknown junior and suffered heavy losses! Especially the last "returning gun" is now spreading all over the country. Although the figures in the newspapers are exaggerated, the nearly one thousand corpses still make him feel painful! What is Beiyang? It is his only capital to rule the world. If he consumes too much in Hubei, it may not be worth it even if he comes out.
What was even more serious was that Yang Qiu had become the commander-in-chief of the Hubei Army overnight! He had seized all the military power that had originally belonged to the party members and Li Yuanhong. With the telegram of his inauguration sent to all parts of the country, and his "heroic" performance at Wusheng Pass, he was already showing signs of being the first young marshal of the revolution. If he took another step and took the opportunity to seize military power in places like Hunan and Jiangxi, he would have become a real threat!
What should I do now?
Looking at the pond, which had crisp lotus leaves in summer but now looked extremely bleak, Yuan Shikai could not help but frown. Yang Shiqi beside him did not notice his expression and concentrated on reading: "... The Qing Dynasty was in power, incompetent and unjust. We suffered the humiliation of Shimonoseki and the regret of the Boxer Rebellion! As soldiers, we cannot bear the loss of China, so we started an uprising in Wuchang and recovered Hubei! This revolution is not a personal grudge of one family. In fact, the country has reached a moment of life and death! Only a republic and the whole country can turn the tide! Let China stand among the great powers again... The Beiyang was founded in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 and trained in Xiaozhan, which meant to avenge the humiliation! Yuan Gong had a grand plan and worked hard for several years. He exhausted all his energy and finally got tens of thousands of elite soldiers and three rare generals under his command! Such a strong army should have kept the enemy out of the country and promoted the glory of China, but it first lost its leading talent and then became a dying cannon fodder!"
"I had no choice but to personally lead the elite Flying Tigers northwards and fought bloody battles at Wusheng Pass for several days. Although I succeeded by chance, I saw corpses of both armies scattered all over the ground. They were all Han Chinese comrades. I really couldn't bear it! Now the country is in trouble and the situation is turbulent. People with lofty ideals all over the world hope that Mr. Yuan will come out and take back his weapons! Chen Huatian is a soldier and knows the hearts of soldiers very well, so I swear here! If Mr. Yuan withdraws from Beiyang as he wishes, helps the revolution and overthrows the Qing Dynasty, the soldiers and civilians of Hubei will unanimously support Mr. Yuan to serve as the Grand Marshal of the World's Army! Heaven and earth are witnesses, and the sun and the moon can bear witness!"
After he finished reading the telegram sent by Yang Qiu to persuade Yuan Shikai to turn against the government, Yang Du laughed beside him: "The Grand Marshal of the Army of the World! Haha, Gong Bao might as well consider it."
"Xizi, stop making fun of me. What a bullshit Marshal."
Seeing Yuan Shikai's crooked mouth when he spoke, Yang Du knew what he was thinking, so he changed the subject and said with a smile: "This Yang Qiu is really capable. He first blew up Wusheng Pass to delay Hua Fu's entry into the pass, then turned around and made excuses to disrupt Xiaogan, and drove away Sun Wu without fighting. He monopolized the military power, and even Li Songqing couldn't do anything to him... I also heard that he paid for this telegram himself, so it seems... he is a wealthy man!"
Even Yuan Shikai was amused by this last sentence, because the national telegram was sent in clear text to more than a thousand telegraph stations at the same time, and everyone who received it could make it public, so one trip would cost at least tens of thousands of dollars. Only a rich person could afford this trick.
Seeing him smile, Yang Shiqi said, "Bu Wu (Xu Shichang) just sent a telegram from Beijing saying that Yang Qiu's appointment as the commander-in-chief of the Hubei militia and the telegram of persuasion have caused a sensation. Tie Liang and others took the opportunity to ask the court to revoke the appointment and dispatch the imperial guards to the south to arrest the palace guards just in case. Other ministers are also worried. I heard that the empress dowager and the regent are considering going north to take refuge in Rehe."
Yuan Shikai didn't care about Tieliang's dispatching of the Imperial Guards to arrest him, but when he heard that the Emperor and the Empress Dowager were going to hunt in the north, he became anxious. If they left, what would be the point of this drama? He asked hurriedly, "Hunting in the north? That idiot's idea?"
"It was Zaitao and his people who came up with this idea. They said there are still several thousand Manchu soldiers in Rehe. Once we get there, we can summon the six tribes of Mongolia and cooperate with the Imperial Guard to ensure peace in the north. At worst, we can retreat to the outside of the Great Wall."
"Stupid!" Although Yang Du believed that Yuan Shikai was the only one who could stabilize the country, he was very dissatisfied with the Qing government's request for help from Mongolia. He cursed: "Mongolia's rebellious intentions are obvious. In recent years, it has colluded with Russia and has long wanted to extend its claws into the Northeast. It actually wants to transfer troops from there? Aren't you afraid of bringing disaster upon yourself!"
Yuan Shikai knew that he really had no other choice this time. If he didn't take action, the north would be in turmoil. But what should he do about Hubei? Should he continue to fight? Or just wait and see? And he always felt that Yang Qiu would bring him big trouble. Should he win over this person or strangle him in the bud? !
Yang Du saw through Yuan Shikai's thoughts and said, "Gong Bao thinks too much! As the saying goes, a young man is better than a strong man! Yang Qiu relied on the geographical advantage of Wusheng Pass to be aggressive, but a war cannot be won by just a few breaths. If he could really hold the pass, I'm afraid he would not abandon it and run back to Xiaogan to defend it . Hua Fu has always been an experienced general, and there will be a smooth road after entering the pass. As long as he can grasp the right measure, the chances of winning are still very high. As for Yang Qiu..."
Yang Du hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I got the news yesterday that Huang Keqiang will arrive in Wuchang in the next two days. I know his temper. He is upright and dedicated to the public. He will definitely not want to see Yang Qiu take control of the military power and gradually squeeze them out of Hubei. So it is better to let Liu Chengen speak first."
Hearing that what he said was similar to what he thought, Yuan Shikai was a little relieved. However, the war could not continue like this. What benefit would he get if Hubei was destroyed? He would not work for the Qing Dynasty with tens of thousands of Beiyang soldiers, so he turned around and asked suddenly, "Xizi, do you still remember that Mr. Wang?"
Yang Du understood what he meant and laughed, "Don't worry, Gong Bao, I will contact him right away. If possible, let Brother Ke Ding go with me to get closer to him. This way, we can get in touch with Nan Mian first."
"Please help Xingcheng send a telegram to Huafu, asking him to find a way to severely hit Yang Qiu and Hubei's momentum! Don't let people think that the Beiyang is easy to bully!" After Yuan Shikai nodded in agreement, his short and fat body suddenly straightened up, as if he had regained his former domineering momentum, and continued: "Send another letter to Beijing..."
"Three days later (November 1st), I will go to Wusheng Pass to supervise the battle in person!"
