Chapter 8 Chapter 8 The Most Beautiful Time

By the way, when Yuan Shikai was having a headache for the cabinet, what did the three pioneers of the revolution, Mr. Sun Yat-sen, Mr. Huang Xing, and Mr. Wang Jingwei do?Haven't heard from them for a long time. Let’s explain them one by one. After Sun Yat-sen was forced to resign as the interim president, he was not in a bad mood. After all, the Nanjing interim government had no money and no guns. It was also very sad. More importantly, Mr. Sun did not think that the revolution had failed.He told the reporters: "I don't want to be a big president, it's not that I don't do things. Now that the nationalist revolution has succeeded, I will leave civil rights to Brother Yuan to try, and I will devote myself to the cause of people's livelihood. In this way Come, the Three People's Principles that I have fought for all my life will be realized smoothly!"

It has to be said that Sun Yat-sen is really a sincere patriotic idealist. On the third day after leaving office, Sun Yat-sen began to travel around the provinces, investigating the real situation in various places along the way and promoting his people's livelihood principles.Within a few months, Sun Yat-sen, Hu Hanmin and others traveled all over the country, covering almost half of China. This field trip to various parts of the country is very necessary for Sun Yat-sen and other revolutionaries.In fact, due to the revolution, most of the revolutionary parties represented by them have been wandering abroad for a long time, and they don’t know the specific national conditions of China, so they are indeed suspected of being "distant revolutionaries".

This field trip has greatly touched Mr. Sun's strategy of saving the country through industry: to get rich, build roads first. During this time, Sun Yat-sen became interested in transportation construction, especially railway construction.When he was in Wuchang, Sun Yat-sen proposed in his speech that the Yangtze River Bridge should be built to connect the three towns of Wuhan into one; later, Sun Yat-sen proposed a plan to build a national railway trunk line in Shanghai.So that wherever he goes, his road construction ideas are brought there. And Mr. Huang Xing is not as relaxed as Mr. Sun, he can pat his ass and leave.

After Yuan Shikai was elected interim president, the Nanjing interim government and the Senate then moved north to Beijing.But the problem in Nanjing was not resolved, because the nearly 300,000 revolutionary troops (civilian army) who remained near Nanjing could not go north with them. These hundreds of thousands of soldiers were of mixed quality, and their combat effectiveness was extremely poor. Most of them had no revolutionary spirit at all. They stayed in Nanjing to make a living and receive a salary along the way.But whether eating or paying wages, which item does not require money?

Naturally, the Nanjing government has no money, so it has to ask President Yuan Da for money. But President Yuan has no spare money at this time.Now the provinces are in the stage of self-government and do not pay taxes to the central government.Although he got some money from Longyu and robbed several million taels of silver through the "Beijing Mutiny", it was almost spent. Since the government can't afford the money to raise troops, the only option is to cut troops. Disarmament is the employment of soldiers.If it is not handled properly and a mutiny is triggered, the person in charge of the disarmament will lose his head.Therefore, drawing down the army is definitely a hot potato.

President Yuan Da decided to throw this hot potato to the revolutionaries themselves, to be more precise to Huang Xing. Brother Huang Xing, now that the country is in crisis, as the leader of the southern military circles, it is very suitable for you to be the left behind in Nanjing. You must not refuse. What is the purpose of staying behind in Nanjing?Specialized in cleaning up the mess.Dealing with the disbandment of the Nanjing Civil Army is naturally the top priority of his work.Although Yuan Shikai was not very kind, Huang Xing was a straightforward person, and he accepted the appointment very readily.

Don't worry, President Yuan, I will definitely do this job quickly and live up to my fellow soldiers in the military. Seeing that Huang Xing was so courageous in doing things, Yuan Shikai was also a little embarrassed, so he asked a foreign bank to loan some money (worth about two million taels of silver) to the Nanjing government, mainly for Huang Xing's disarmament.But this money is a drop in the bucket compared to the cost of disarmament, and it is not enough at all. Huang Xing is Huang Xing.He has prestige and character.He adopted the principle of "disbanding the local army on the spot, escorting the foreign army back to the place of origin and disbanding, and at the same time reducing the number of troops", and called for patriotism, encouraging the soldiers to resign voluntarily, take no or less resettlement allowances, and tide over the difficulties together. The disarmament thing is over.

Nearly half of the army was abolished, leaving only five armies and an eighth division.Among them, the First Army of Anhui Governor Bai Wenwei and the Eighth Division are the direct line forces of the Tongmenghui. Outside Nanjing, Huang Xing looked at those brothers who had returned home, especially those brothers who came to join the army in his name but were laid off, feeling guilty, uneasy, sad, and helpless, with mixed feelings for a while. I am tired, and my heart is also tired. For me, the revolution is a thing of the past, and it is time to leave. In June, 39-year-old Huang Xing left a letter of resignation and returned to his hometown of Hunan, where he had been away for many years. Soon after, he lived in seclusion in Shanghai.

As for the actions of the handsome Wang Jingwei, they are more thorough than the above two. Maybe it was because he became passive after watching the political struggle for so long, or maybe it was to fulfill his promise of "after the success of the revolution, he will not be an official or a member of parliament, and he will retire after success", Wang Jingwei politely rejected President Yuan Da. After the good intention of inviting him to be the governor of Guangdong, he finally gave an explanation to Chen Bijun who had followed him for many years: a formal wedding ceremony was held.

Next, the husband and wife went back to his hometown where he had been away for eight years to meet his brothers and sisters. The distant mountains are covered with daisies, and the flowing water is trickling. The tranquility and harmony of the landscape in his hometown strengthened Wang Jingwei's determination to stay away from the political arena. Afterwards, Wang Jingwei and Chen Bijun left to study in France. Volunteering to give up power is of course a last resort for the three revolutionary pioneers who have traveled around the world for many years and have been determined. But isn't it the luck of the country and the people that the revolutionaries finally chose a path of peaceful competition?

In July, the sun is scorching hot. Although it is the hottest season of the year in Beijing, it is also the most colorful season. But this enchanting midsummer couldn't drive away the boredom in Yuan Shikai's heart. His four-month presidency has been exhausted, and the North-South party struggle has exhausted him physically and mentally. At this time, the staff team gave him an idea, why not invite Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing, the two revolutionary fathers of the Republic of China, to Beijing to discuss national plans, be open and honest, and establish mutual trust and cooperation. Yuan Shikai instantly realized the value of it.Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing were the number one and number two leaders of the Revolutionary Party respectively, and they were political figures with great prestige. Especially in the provisional Senate, the senators of the Tongmenghui were the only ones to follow Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing.If we want to resolve the current political crisis and build a cabinet that is recognized by all parties, we must rely on the support and cooperation of Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing. Do whatever comes to mind.Yuan Shikai was full of sincerity, not only sent a special envoy to greet him, but also let the cruiser "Hai Chen" go to Shanghai to escort and greet him. Non-vegetation, ruthless Practice makes perfect.Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing could not be indifferent to Yuan Shikai's kind invitation, not to mention that Sun Yat-sen wanted to talk to President Yuan about his railway plan.Therefore, Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing jointly called Yuan Shikai, saying that they would set off northward with a little preparation. Although Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing accepted Yuan Shikai's invitation, there were different opinions within the Tongmenghui, and the Tongmenghui divided into two factions on "whether Sun and Huang should be invited to go north". The Moderate faction supported the two eldest brothers to go north to meet Yuan Shikai.They said that this meeting is a meeting of heroes and giants, which can not only play a role in stabilizing the political situation, but also a blessing for the future development of the Republic of China. Radicals believed that this was a trap set by Yuan Shikai to imprison the two revolutionary leaders. During this sensitive period, the revolutionary leaders should not go deep into the land of tigers and wolves, not to mention that there was a mutiny in Beijing. "Civil Rights News" also joined in the fun and published a very interesting cartoon called "It's Impossible, Brother!" In the painting, I saw a big net at the head of Beijing city, about to catch the ship going north. In this case, Sun Yat-sen still resisted all opinions, and he said to everyone: In any case, I must not break my promise to Yuan Shikai.Others say he is unreliable, but I have to try my own eyes. A wise person in the revolutionary party, seeing that Sun Yat-sen had made up his mind, proposed an expedient plan: Sun Yat-sen would go to Beijing to take the lead, while Huang Xing temporarily claimed that he was ill.If Sun Yat-sen finds that there is no problem in Beijing, then Huang Xing will recover from his illness and go to Beijing; if Sun Yat-sen feels that the situation is not right, then Huang Xing will continue to be ill.Prevent Yuan Shikai from sweeping up the two major revolutionary leaders. Well, let's do it. Accompanied by the welcoming envoy, Sun Yat-sen, his wife Lu Muzhen, secretary Song Ailing and more than ten people set off for the north, and the group arrived in Beijing on the afternoon of August 22. Yuan Shikai’s reception to Sun Yat-sen was of a very high standard. Although it was not as exaggerated as the entertainment expenses of some central enterprises that cost hundreds of millions, it was still very impressive: a tall and dazzling canopy, a majestic welcome song, and a large enough welcome to welcome the representative—the president. Liang Shiyi, secretary-general of the government, a spectacular pick-up team, and the only super luxurious gold-lacquered Zhulun carriage in the sky and the earth. The army and police are like a forest, and there are huge crowds of people. Everyone is rushing to see this long-awaited revolutionary leader. style. Although Sun Yat-sen was uncomfortable with such a high-level reception, he was very satisfied and moved by such a grand reception. Comrade Yuan Yuan is definitely a master in the world when it comes to being a human being. Originally, according to the arrangement, the two should have a meeting the next day.However, in order to express the importance he attached to Sun Yat-sen, Comrade Yuan strongly invited Sun Yat-sen to a banquet and interview that night after Sun Yat-sen settled down. Sun Yat-sen was moved by Yuan Shikai's sincerity, so he really went. Yuan Shikai personally greeted him in front of the hall. The atmosphere of this great man summit was very warm. At the dinner, Yuan Shikai held the lamp for Sun Yat-sen himself, showing great hospitality. In his speech, Yuan Shikai said very sincerely: "I have been looking forward to Mr. Keqiang for a long time. It is a pity that Keqiang did not go with him today and could not listen to the great lecture together. Fortunately, Mr. Keqiang is willing to come, which makes me very happy." I am very pleased. Now that the current situation is turbulent, the border police are on the rise, and I have little knowledge and limited ability. On behalf of the 40 million compatriots, Shikai would like to thank you sir, and hope that you will give me your advice and help!" Yuan Shikai's humility and flattery are quite in place, and Sun Yat-sen is extremely comfortable. During the banquet, the two clasped their wrists hand in hand, toasted and staggered, talked happily and hated seeing each other too late. After the banquet, the two continued to discuss state affairs, and accidentally talked very late.Therefore, Yuan Shikai eagerly kept the guests: "Sir, you can stay in the mansion." Yuan Shikai was not being polite, he really wanted to keep Sun Yat-sen in his residence overnight. President Yuan Da is too enthusiastic. Sun Yat-sen was very moved, so he stopped giving in and stayed immediately. Sun Yat-sen couldn't sleep at night. He felt that Yuan Shikai was not like the warlord in his impression. At this time, Sun Yat-sen had been completely influenced by Yuan Shikai's enthusiasm.Those previous doubts and precautions seemed to be far behind him. Next, Sun Yat-sen and Yuan Shikai met many times, had secret talks many times, and talked many times until late at night.As for what was discussed in detail, we will wait for Comrade Huang Xing to come. Yuan Shikai's diligence and sincerity were rewarded generously—in the eyes of most Chinese, Yuan Shikai and Sun Yat-sen had a very happy meeting this time, which was obviously a friendly signal that the North and the South had put aside their prejudices.The hearts of the people who had deviated due to the North-South faction gradually returned. The time soon came to the end of August, and the talks between the two sides finally reached their climax. Yuan Shikai held a grand banquet in the presidential palace, and invited the heads of various ministries, senior generals in Beijing, celebrities from all walks of life, and princes of Manchu and Mongolia to accompany him. At the banquet, President Yuan fully affirmed the great significance of this great summit: In the past, there was a lot of public opinion that I didn’t get along well with the southern revolutionaries. Now that Mr. Sun is here, all the previous rumors are not true. The attack is self-defeating, and the future Republic of China will be more consolidated! Having said that, Yuan Shikai saluted Sun Yat-sen with wine and shouted: "Long live Mr. Zhongshan!" Sun Yat-sen was also very excited, and hurriedly stood up and interacted: "Long live President Yuan! Long live the Republic of China! Long live the five major nations!" The two interim presidents called each other "long live", which brought the atmosphere of the banquet to a climax. The people present at the meeting saw that the two great men turned enemies into friends, and they were so sincerely united. They suddenly felt that peace and development can be expected, the country and the people are very fortunate. In an instant, the audience interacted enthusiastically, and there was a huge sale of liquidation with words of praise. Sun Yat-sen was very happy, so he proposed during the banquet: "Brother Yuan, you will be the president for another ten years, and you will train a million elite soldiers; if I will not run for the president for ten years, I will build a 200,000-mile railway. Wealthy people are not strong." Yuan Shikai said: "Okay, what you said is so good that it touched my heart." In fact, no matter what Sun Yat-sen said, Yuan Shikai always said yes. Yuan Shikai went on to say: "You will be allocated 30,000 yuan a month for office expenses, and all administrative powers will belong to you. The government will not interfere, so you can do it." Later, Yuan Shikai really sent Sun Yat-sen to build the railway and became the general manager of China Railway Corporation. Obviously, Yuan Shikai was doing what he liked, lest Sun Yat-sen continue the revolution or re-rebel. Sun Yat-sen didn't mind this, but he worked very seriously, leading a large number of unemployed revolutionaries to travel around the world in special cars.However, the results were not satisfactory. The railway was not built, but a lot of money was spent.So much so that when Yuan Shikai settled accounts later in the fall, he regarded Sun Yat-sen as a "corruptionist" and arrested him. The topic returned to the banquet. It is said that after Sun Yat-sen finished looking forward to the next ten years, Yuan Shikai talked with Mr. Zhongshan about the personal future of Comrade Zhao Bingjun- Zhao Bingjun, the acting prime minister of the cabinet, has not yet been officially appointed by the Senate. This time Yuan Shikai invited Sun Yat-sen and Huang Xing to Beijing. One of the purposes was to use their prestige to reach a consensus on the candidate for the cabinet prime minister, so as to solve the problem of forming a cabinet smoothly and maintain a relatively stable cabinet. With the support of Sun Yat-sen, Yuan Shikai's efforts finally paid off.The Provisional Senate successfully passed Zhao Bingjun's proposal to serve as the Prime Minister of the Cabinet. As a result, the crisis of cabinet formation was completely resolved, and Zhao Bingjun's cabinet became the third cabinet after the founding of the Republic of China. Under Yuan Shikai's successive sugar-coated shells, Sun Yat-sen gave Yuan Shikai a very high evaluation no matter whether he answered reporters' questions or wrote to his best friend Huang Xing. At the beginning of September, Sun Yat-sen called Huang Xing and said: "Come quickly, Yuan Shikai is a nice person. When you come, you can eliminate all kinds of rumors from the outside world and promote the reunification of the North and the South. Remember to leave quickly." When Yuan Shikai saw Sun Yat-sen behaved so generously, he was of course ashamed to be stingy.In order to create a more harmonious atmosphere, he threw out three general ranks in one go, Huang Xing was the first, and Duan Qirui and Li Yuanhong belonged to Zhanguang. Huang Xing was a sincere person, and upon hearing the call from Big Brother, he brought Chen Qimei along and quickly arrived in Beijing. Comrade Yuan Yuan's reception specifications for Huang Xing and his party were similar to those of Sun Yat-sen.However, Huang Xing was not interested in these ostentations, and he was not flattered by Yuan Shikai's "wonderful praise" like Sun Yat-sen. On the contrary, he acted calmly, which made Yuan Shikai feel that this person was not simple. What frightened Yuan Shikai the most was that while Huang Xing was having talks with him, he was also working with Song Jiaoren to form the Kuomintang. Yuan Shikai was a little angry in his heart, this guy is really out of character! After getting along for a while, Yuan Shikai, who had a unique vision, had a considerable understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of Sun and Huang's characters, so he made such a judgment.The general meaning is: Sun Yat-sen is a man with strong patriotism and great knowledge.But he is not a person who does things, and it is really hard to live up to his reputation (Sun's ambition is noble, and his insights are also outstanding, but he is not a practitioner, he is only among the initiators).But Huang Xing is different. He has an upright personality and is decisive in doing things, but he has no courage and short knowledge, so he is easy to be fooled (Huang's nature is straightforward, and he really does things, but he is inevitably timid and short-sighted, and is easily bullied by villains).What a pity what a pity! Next, Yuan Shikai, who knew himself and the enemy, based on many in-depth and pleasant discussions with Sun Yat-sen before, made comprehensive use of his own advantages and the opponent's disadvantages, and after many consultations with Sun Yat-sen, Huang Xing, and Vice President Li Yuanhong, he finally decided on how to solve the national crisis. Consensus was reached on the current issues - "Eight Major Policies of Sun, Huang, Yuan, and Li Agreements". Among the "Eight Major Policies", the most critical one is this one - the military, foreign affairs, finance, judiciary, and transportation are all centralized, and the rest are based on local conditions and decentralization. Although this clause is a wise judgment made by the four people based on the current national conditions, it is obviously more in line with Comrade Yuan Shikai's political interests. In any case, by reducing the revolutionary army, controlling the cabinet, and uniting political opponents, Yuan Shikai finally established a stable and effective government and brought the Republic of China to a stable state.