Chapter 2 1. Unsuccessful talents rely not only on luck

Several years after Zhangde’s autumn operation, the sound of rumbling guns has long since disappeared, and the training ground where people shouted and screamed has gradually faded from the memory of the villagers.The mountains, rivers and wilderness that were trampled by tens of thousands of soldiers in the past have now restored the tranquility of the past, as if the Taihang is silent, still spring flowers and autumn fruits; Talking about Mid-Autumn Festival, at the foot of Taihang Mountain and beside the Huanshui River, a high-rise courtyard suddenly heard the rare noise in the local area. I saw a high-built stage in the courtyard, and the sound of gongs and drums. Although the banquet was already full of dignitaries, but There was still an endless stream of guests coming and going on the avenue in front of the house, which was a very lively scene.This day is also like the weather in the autumn of that year. Although the sun is shining, it is already a little chilly. Fortunately, the host treats the guests well. The guests from all sides are drinking and drinking and greeting each other. can be compared.

Just as the banquet was lined up in the garden and the opera troupe was singing gongs and singing, suddenly a fast horse came galloping from the avenue in the distance.It seemed that this knight did not come to a banquet, but to report an urgent and important event.While everyone stopped drinking in astonishment, the messenger had already reined in the reins and flew off his horse. He pushed aside the crowd, rushed forward in three steps at a time, and took out a telegram from his pocket to one of the short ones. The fat old man is also the central figure in the banquet who is admired by all the stars.

At this time, the playing and singing on the stage stopped in a sensible way, and all the guests held their breath, trying to see some clues from the face of the person involved.The short and fat old man was not flustered when he was shocked. He held the glass in one hand and took the telegram in the other, but when he finished reading the telegram, his face suddenly changed. The moment the glass fell to his feet, he lost his voice and said: "The big thing is not good. ! This chaos is not comparable to Hong Yang, so don't take it lightly!" Who do you think this short and fat old man is?It was Yuan Shikai who had been out of work in the countryside three years ago and was well-known both inside and outside the government and the public.

This year is the Year of Xinhai; this day is October 11, 1911, which is also Yuan Shikai's 52nd birthday. Yuan Shikai was born in Xiangcheng, Henan. For hundreds of years, the old Yuan's family was originally unknown, but the family was relatively well-off, and there was still plenty of energy while avoiding the worry of famine.Later, I don't know whether it was the pole on his family's ancestral grave, or Wen Quxing happened to pass by his house. The Yuan family suddenly went crazy...Father and son Jinshi, brother Juren, one family, two generations and four nobles... Be good, It's amazing, so the Yuan family in Xiangcheng became a local prominent family.

Father and son Jinshi, brother Juren, this has nothing to do with Yuan Shikai directly.The so-called "father and son Jinshi" refers to Yuan Shikai's great-uncle Yuan Jiasan and his cousin Yuan Baoheng (Yuan Jiasan's eldest son). In 1850, one class later than Li Hongzhang), the so-called "brother Juren" refers to Yuan Baoling, the second son of Yuan Jiasan, and Yuan Baoqing, the uncle of Yuan Shikai (the second son of Yuan Shusan and nephew of Yuan Jiasan), respectively. The ancients often said that the imperial examination is "one destiny, two luck, three Fengshui, four accumulation of yin skills and five studies".That is to say, if one wants to succeed in the imperial examinations, one depends on fate, the other depends on luck, the third depends on the feng shui of the ancestral graves, the fourth depends on the accumulation of yin skills of the ancestors, and the fifth is the turn of studying.If you don't believe it, just look at those old boy students who have passed the exam.

Everyone thinks, how difficult the imperial examination was back then. Which one of the Juren and the Jinshi is not a great man who passed the fifteenth test and cut sixteen generals, who was selected in a thousand or even one in a thousand (or how to say that Comrade Fan Jin won the imperial examination after the examination) Go crazy with excitement?).At that time, there were as many scholars who took the scientific examination as stars. It was normal to fail the examination, but it was rare to pass the examination.You think that the Yuan family has only two generations, and there are two Jinshi and two Juren all at once, which is really, really amazing.

However, God is fair. Although the Yuan family is prominent, most of the officials in the family will not live long.For example, Yuan Shikai’s great-uncle, Yuan Jiasan, was also a civilian officer and soldier like Zeng Guofan, and fought with the Taiping Army and the Nian Army on the battlefield. The top son on the top... probably too murderous, Yuan Jiasan only lived to be 57 years old and met the king of Hades.Yuan Jiasan's two sons, Yuan Baoheng and Yuan Baoling, had shorter life spans, passing away at the age of 52 and 48 respectively. After talking about Yuan Jia's family, let's talk about Yuan Shikai's family.Yuan Shikai's grandfather, Yuan Shusan, was Yuan Jiasan's eldest brother. Compared with his younger brother Yuan Jiasan, his literary talent was far behind, but he was a scholar (and he was donated).Fortunately, Yuan Shusan's son, Yuan Baoqing, was quite up-to-date. Anyway, he won a Juren, and it was a bit of face for Yuan Shusan.However, Yuan Baoqing had one regret, that is, he was nearly forty years old but still had no children, so after discussing with his father, he adopted a son from his elder brother Yuan Baozhong.Yuan Shusan's eldest son, Yuan Baozhong, was also a scholar. Although he was not as good as his younger brother Yuan Baoqing in terms of fame, he was better at having children than his younger brother, and he gave birth to six sons in one go. The fourth son was adopted to Yuan Baoqing.

Who is the fourth child? Not to mention, everyone has guessed it. This is the famous Yuan Shikai. Yuan Laosi's luck is really not bad. When he was seven years old, he left his hometown to live with his stepfather Yuan Baoqing in a big city outside, and saw a lot of things in the world.Although Yuan Baoqing was only a juren, his official career was prosperous under the protection of his family. He used to be an official in Jinan and Nanjing, and he let go of such a fat job as Yan Fadao.It is a pity that the curse of the Yuan family was even more cruel to this great man. Yuan Baoqing had a shorter life than his uncle Yuan Jiasan and his two cousins. He abandoned his wife and son at the age of 44 and passed away.In desperation, Yuan Baoqing's widow Niu had no choice but to take his fourteen-year-old heir Yuan Shikai back to his hometown in Xiangcheng, but in the second year, Yuan Shikai's biological father Yuan Baozhong also died of illness, and he was still short of the threshold of sixty years old. far away.

The Yuan family was a family of officials at that time, so they did not have to worry about food and clothing, but at this time, Yuan Shikai's mother and son were orphans and widows after all, so it was quite pitiful.At this time, Yuan Shikai's luck came again. His cousin Yuan Baoheng, a senior Jinshi who worked as an editor in the Imperial Academy, saw their mother and child pitiful when he returned home to visit his relatives. Although Yuan Shikai was young, he looked Talented and intelligent, it seems that talents can be made, so he took this nephew to Beijing, intending to let Yuan Shikai study with him, and take the imperial examination in the future.So, 15-year-old Yuan Shikai went to Beijing with his cousin Yuan Baoheng.

It is a pity that although Yuan Baoheng himself was a well-learned academician, Yuan Shikai failed in the two provincial examinations under his strict guidance. Even Yuan Baoling, another cousin who was an official in Beijing at that time, said that Yuan Shikai was talented in learning. Not high, little future.It is said that Yuan Shikai burned all the poems and essays he had written before in shame and anger, saying: "A man should serve the battlefield, keep the inside and fight the outside, and Wu Neng will spend a long time in the pen and inkstone to entertain himself?" Yuan Shikai's words are quite interesting. Back then, Hong Xiuquan tore up the sage's book because he failed to pass the examination for scholars: "I will never take the Qing Dynasty exam again, and I will never wear Qing Dynasty uniforms again. I will start my own examination to obtain scholars in the future!"...So Hong Tianwang So they set up another door and rebelled.But having said that, it was very normal to fail the Juren examination at that time. Kang Youwei, who was one year older than Yuan Shikai, was considered talented. !From this point of view, those who succeeded in the imperial examination, such as Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, were mostly ministers of success, while those who had a rough road to the imperial examination, such as Kang Youwei and Yuan Shikai, were more rebellious, or had more needs and desires for reform. This is also reasonable things.

Yuan Shikai was born in a family of officials and eunuchs, so naturally he has not yet reached the point of rebellion.But maybe it was a fate, the curse of the Yuan family came to the door later, Yuan Baoheng died of illness in Kaifeng in 1878 due to the epidemic, and Yuan Shikai had to return to his hometown in Xiangcheng again, when he was just 20 years old.Fortunately, the four generations of the Yuan family just separated in this year, and Yuan Shikai, as the only heir of Yuan Baoqing, got a generous share of the family property. Since Yuan Shikai was used to living in a big city, he didn't stay in his hometown for long.After the separation, he soon moved to live in Chenzhou. Since most of the elders in the family passed away, the young Yuan Shikai was left unattended. His favorite activity at that time was drinking and making friends. He gallops wildly and behaves wildly.Wu Chongxi, the prefect of Chenzhou Mansion, was a family friend of the Yuan family. Seeing that Yuan Shikai refused to study and take the exam, he often advised Yuan Shikai, but Yuan Shikai did not wake up. There is a reason why Yuan Shikai didn't like reading. He studied the imperial examination system but didn't stick to the ropes and ink, and he didn't want to be bound by it.For example, he likes to read Zhou Dushan's articles, but he only extracts the bold and uninhibited sentences in the article and never refuses to read them, nor seeks to understand them.Once, Yuan Shikai's teacher Wang Yanchen asked him to write an eight-legged essay with the title "Under the whole world, is it the king's land; on the shore of the land, is it the king's ministers".After Yuan Shikai handed in the paper, Wang Yanchen found that his essays had traces of imitating the superficial features of Zhou Wen, but the logic of the essays was unreasonable, wild and unruly, and the words and sentences before and after were not smooth.In the text, there is a passage that is the most ridiculous, saying: "East and West, Europe and Asia, two continents, holding it with one hand is not important. I will lift up the land of the world and sweep it under my seat. Those who are hairless will still go deep. Yao and Shun Hypocritical benevolence, Tang Wu hypocritical righteousness, such a thin heart will not do it; I will strengthen the people of the world, worship Ji Shou under the gate, and those who do not follow will be killed without mercy!" Yuan Shikai once had a teacher named Qu Nuo, who was quite good at martial arts. He once taught Yuan Shikai boxing. Later, Yuan Shikai liked to ride horses and try swords, which is probably related to this.When he was young, Yuan Shikai liked to ride horses, and he was good at riding Hummers. When he returned home to defend the system, he loved reading military books. Although he couldn't understand the meaning of them, he liked to talk and show off in front of guests.At that time, his study room was full of military books such as Six Secrets and Three Strategies, which were available in various editions. At that time, people nicknamed him "Yuan Shudai". Yuan Shikai disapproved of this nickname. He once said to others: "In the past, I was very brave. Now that I have learned the book of fighting against ten thousand people, I realize that it is actually useless to be brave and fierce. The three armies cannot win the commander. With 100,000 elite soldiers, you can run rampant in the world." It is said that in front of the Town God's Temple in Chenzhou Prefecture, there was a well-known fortune-telling gentleman named "Qu Ran Jingshen Suan". Once Yuan Shikai asked him to look at the fortune teller. Said: "My son has a vast heaven, he comes from a rich and honored family, he was young and outstanding, and he became a public official in his middle age. He had a slight setback in his fifties, but he used retreat as his advancement and misfortune as his blessing. After that, he had seven years of great luck. It is precious." After Yuan Shikai left, Mr. Qu Ran looked at his back and added: "This son is different from ordinary people. If it is fate, he must be a hero in troubled times." At that time, there was a man named Duan Qingchuan in Chenzhou. Hanlin scholars claim to know people and discuss the world, and they are quite unique. Anyone who has been tested by him has become famous.Yuan Shikai also went to have an audience with him, and Duan Hanlin also believed that Yuan Shikai's future achievements were likely to surpass that of his uncle Yuan Jiasan, but he had more talent than craftsmanship. Although Yuan Shikai had established his own family after the separation, his family still hoped that he would take the imperial examination path of his father's generation, but Yuan Shikai was still clear-headed. way out. In May 1881, Yuan Shikai went to Dengzhou, Shandong to join Wu Changqing, the elder brother of his stepfather Yuan Baoqing. Wu Changqing and Yuan Baoqing were life-and-death friends. When Yuan Baoqing died suddenly of illness, Wu Changqing personally took care of the funeral.At that time, Wu Changqing was an important member of the Huai Clan. He led the Sixth Battalion of the Qing Army to garrison Dengzhou and supervised the defense of Shandong. He was deeply trusted and reused by Li Hongzhang.As Yuan Shikai's only heir, Wu Changqing naturally took special care of him. After Yuan Shikai left, he worked as a post in the Qing Military Camp Affairs Office. During his days in the military camp, Yuan Shikai was ordered by Wu Changqing to study under Zhang Jian, his shogunate and later the number one scholar. However, Yuan Shikai's articles were "dirty and filthy, and could not be completed", which made Zhang Jian unable to delete and edit, and felt bitter.However, although Yuan Shikai's articles were poorly written, he handled military affairs like a duck to water and was well organized, as if he was born to do practical things. History has proved that most talents in troubled times started their careers with military exploits, such as Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, Yuan Shikai's ancestors, Yuan Jiasan, Yuan Baoheng, Yuan Baoling, Yuan Baoqing and even Wu Changqing.At the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, when the situation was changing, it was a wise choice for Yuan Shikai to join the army. In August 1882, the "Imwu Mutiny" broke out in North Korea. At the request of the King of North Korea, the Qing government sent Qing troops into the North to suppress it.Yuan Shikai also entered North Korea.During his stay in North Korea, Yuan Shikai came to prominence. When he assisted in military affairs, he made great contributions to rectifying military discipline and suppressing mutiny. According to the "Records of Disciples of Rong'an", after arriving in North Korea, Yuan Shikai and Ding Ruchang, the commander of the Beiyang Navy, disembarked to investigate the landing place of the soldiers. miles away.When he landed, both of Yuan Shikai's feet were broken. Ding Ruchang half teased and half praised Xiao Yuan and said to Xiao Yuan: "Can a dude be like that?" After the Qing army entered North Korea, military discipline was loose, and incidents of disturbing the people often occurred. Wu Changqing handed over the matter of rectifying military discipline to Yuan Shikai.After Yuan Shikai obtained Wu Changqing's full power, he immediately killed anyone who violated the order to establish his own prestige.Once the local gentry accused the soldiers of the Qing army of raping and murdering a Korean woman. After Yuan Shikai got the report, he immediately went to investigate on foot, and led his troops to search for a whole day and night without eating a meal.Yuan Shikai hated Qing soldiers who smoked opium the most, and they would be killed without mercy if they were caught. Even Wu Bian, who had followed Wu Changqing for many years, was killed by Yuan Shikai.Not only that, Yuan Shikai also helped the king of North Korea train a new German-style army of 5,000 people, which greatly awed North Korea and fully demonstrated Yuan Shikai's military talents.Later, this new army played an important role in the coup d'état of the "Kaihua Party Members" in North Korea. Yuan Shikai assisted the king in controlling the situation and suppressed the pro-Japanese "Kaihua Party Members". As a result, Japan's power in Korea was greatly frustrated. Yuan Shikai's outstanding performance in these incidents left a deep impression on Li Hongzhang and other court officials.Coincidentally, Yuan Shikai's uncle Yuan Baoling was in the shadow of Li Hongzhang at that time and relied heavily on him, which was of great help to Yuan Shikai.Whenever there is any trouble in the country, Yuan Baoling will inform Yuan Shikai in advance and advise his nephew; and in front of Li Hongzhang, Yuan Baoling will naturally beat the drums for Yuan Shikai and give him some good words at the right time.Soon after Wu Changqing's death, Yuan Shikai was appointed by the Qing court as the plenipotentiary representative of the "Prime Minister stationed in North Korea to negotiate business matters" under the recommendation of Li Hongzhang, and became the "supervisor" of the Qing court in North Korea. At this time, Yuan Shikai was only two years old. sixteen years old. Choosing the right path and following the right people can often get twice the result with half the effort.It took only four years for Yuan Shikai to join the army to become a third-rank member of the imperial court. This was a miracle in the officialdom at the time, and it was beyond the reach of Yuan Shikai's old friend Xu Shichang, who had a smooth sailing in the imperial examination.When Kang Youwei was still struggling for the exam, Yuan Shikai had already passed the ten thousand mountains in a light boat. Who said that the only way to success is the single-plank bridge of the imperial examination? However, the position of Yuan Shikai was not easy to do. At that time, North Korea was troubled internally and externally. There were many conflicts among the pro-China and pro-Japanese factions inside. In North Korea's Westernization and military affairs, they dealt with it calmly and with ease, which is much better than ordinary scholars. In the last ten years of the 19th century, the situation in Northeast Asia was changing. Although Yuan Shikai was powerful, the power of imperialism was greater, especially Japan, which was deliberately expanding, was bound to win against Korea.One year before the Sino-Japanese War broke out, Yuan Shikai was promoted to Zhejiang Wen Chudao (a nominal official title), but remained in North Korea.In the second year, the Korean Donghak Party rebelled, and the Japanese army also entered Korea after the Qing army was invited to enter Korea. Due to the repeated mistakes of the Qing government on the Korean issue, the situation was finally irreversible. Yuan Shikai was quite a smart man. On the eve of the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War of 1899-1895, he saw that the situation was not good, and finally managed to find an excuse to "cure the disease" and fled back to Tianjin.