Chapter 20 Ya Guye Zhang Biao: The Real Obstacle to the Uprising

When it comes to the Wuchang Uprising, Zhang Biao must be mentioned.Among the many memories of the Wuchang Uprising, which article did not mention Zhang Biao?rare.Everyone who participated in the uprising that night knew that their opponent was Zhang Biao.Only Zhang Biao led his army to resist.It can be said that as the commander of the Eighth Town, the old chief of the soldiers of the new army was the real obstacle to the uprising that night. Zhang Biao is a native of Shanxi. Judging from the old photos handed down, he was tall and mighty, with a naive expression on his face.In that era, anyone who grew up like this would have a good life if he entered the officialdom, because it made people feel honest and reliable.Zhang Biao was a talent discovered by Zhang Zhidong when he was the governor of Shanxi. Since then, he has followed Zhang Zhidong and made a fortune.Zhang Biao is just like the Shanxi people of that era, with a simple face, clumsy mouth, diligent legs, reliable and smart.He was originally a warrior who served as Zhang Zhidong's bodyguard—the Qing Dynasty called him Goshha, but he was actually a servant who ran errands.There are hundreds of people doing this kind of work, and there are not many who really have eyesight and win the favor of their masters.From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, as far as I know, there are only two people who made their fortunes from Ghoshha, one is Wu Peifu and the other is Zhang Biao.Zhang Biao changed from an ordinary guard to a personal guard, and then he was promoted to enter the room. He became Zhang Zhidong's inseparable right-hand man, a caring person who could directly enter the dormitory without notification.Wherever Zhang Zhidong went, he followed.He is responsible for safety, affairs are handled by him, and money is also in his hands.The big families, the real masters, are all personal maids. In the homes of the master and housewife, more than half of them are maids.Therefore, Zhang Zhidong simply rewarded Zhang Biao with his personal maid, and left all the affairs of the Zhang family to the couple.In those days, because of the unusual relationship between the personal servant girl and the master, who was more affectionate than his own daughter, of course it was a bit ambiguous, so anyone who married the lord servant girl was respected as "auntie".It's an honorific title, but I can only say it behind my back, because the young lady herself is a bit ambiguous.Of course, in the late Qing notes, there are also rumors that Zhang Biao was Zhang Zhidong's child molester. However, even if Zhang Zhidong had a habit of cutting off his sleeves, it seems unlikely that Zhang Biao's appearance was not a handsome young man.The dignitaries of that era were indeed masculine, but these people were not homosexuals in the modern sense, so what they liked were all young men who looked like girls.

Although the aunt is Zhang Zhidong's close companion, she is a warrior after all, so she must come from a military career.Therefore, when Zhang Zhidong was running the new army, Zhang Biao became the right-hand man, and it was logical that he became the leader of the new army.Since 1895, Jiangnan has been organized and trained to strengthen the army, and has been in control of the eighth town of the new army.At the peak, Zhang Biao was the head of the entire Wuhan army, military agencies, and military academy, and he was also in charge of the Jiangfang Fleet of the Chu brand.One person has dozens of titles, and they are all real jobs. I don't know how he is so busy.After Zhang Zhidong's death, Zhang Biao's status declined somewhat.Ruicheng's coming to be the governor represents part of the movement of the Manchu relatives and nobles to take over power. Although Zhang Biao's official position has not been moved, his power is greatly limited, and only one title remains.Fortunately, Zhang Biao is a sensible person and knows how to serve his boss, so he can still get along.

Speaking of which, Zhang Biao's control over his town (division) is really strict enough.The officers of the Eighth Town had almost no revolutionary party, and the revolutionary party organization among the soldiers was repeatedly destroyed.Wu Zhaolin was the only officer involved in the uprising during the Wuchang Uprising, and he was a team officer (company commander), and he was only a sympathizer of the revolution.When the engineering battalion fired the first shot, the officers kept blocking, and some even died.However, most of the soldiers in the Southern New Army were scholars. Once they accepted the propaganda of the Revolutionary Party, they would become uncontrollably radical.Therefore, the occurrence of revolution is not within Zhang Biao's control.Besides, although Zhang Biao was a warrior and had gone to Japan to inspect the military, his specialty was serving the chief, observing his words, trying to figure out his master, and running errands.It is not his strong point to command a division, train troops to fight, and select talents.Therefore, among the officers under him, there are more honest people like Li Yuanhong, and there is a relatively outstanding Lan Tianwei, but he can't keep him.These honest people are obedient, but when there is a big event, they lose their minds, and the soldiers are in chaos, and no one can control the troops.On the night of the uprising, there was only one supply battalion that Zhang Biao could control as an organized unit.At that time, Zhang Biao was recruited to the Governor's Mansion to discuss countermeasures. When the captain of the Chuyu Ship persuaded Ruicheng to escape, he also followed suit-this echoed his character and spoke according to the commander's intention.But he might not know that once Ruicheng left, people's hearts would be scattered.According to the memories of Xiong Bingkun who fired the first shot, Zhang Biao was guarding the governor's mansion. He fired his machine guns and raised a big flag at the same time. Parents and wives Yilu are watching, you should reflect on it early, return to the team and return to the camp, and never look into the past; if you are stubborn, the land and water army will destroy the nine clans as soon as they arrive, and all jade and stone will be burned. The banner with the words of persuasion written on it is probably Zhang Biao's strongest resistance.In Ruicheng's concubine's eyes, this big-armed general has always boasted that he has a good relationship with his subordinates.However, according to the soldiers of Eighth Town who later revolted, they also thought that Zhang Biao treated people well.In fact, the uprising soldiers were also very polite to Zhang Biao. The governor's mansion was burned, but they ordered that the nearby Zhang Biao's mansion should not be burned.After Zhang Biao fled, he sent soldiers to guard him against disturbance, and finally let Zhang Biao's family leave the country safely.For them, uprising and resistance is justice, Zhang Biao is good to them, has personal favors, and private favors must be taken into account.

After the Wuchang Uprising, Zhang Biao withdrew from the military and returned to the Japanese Concession in Tianjin to retire, and never intervened in political affairs.Only then did people discover that Zhang Biao, who retired as an old man, was much richer than his lord Zhang Zhidong.There, Zhang Biao built the most famous "Zhang Garden" in the city, covering an area of ​​20 mu. It is a famous entertainment place in Tianjin, and it echoes the Zhang Garden built by businessman Zhang Shuhe in Shanghai. No one knows.Famous actors of Peking Opera in Beijing who came to Tianjin to sing operas all came to Zhangyuan.Later, Emperor Puyi of the Qing Dynasty was expelled from the palace by Feng Yuxiang. After hiding in Tianjin, he lived in Zhangyuan.According to Puyi's own recollection, Zhang Biao vacated the entire garden and let him live with his servants, all expenses covered.Not only did he kneel down three times and kowtow nine times, but he also waited on him in the morning and evening, and personally cleaned and sanitized Puyi, even Puyi couldn't persuade him.This former Qing general who ruined the Qing Dynasty because of his subordinate uprising, because of this, got a posthumous title of Puyi when he died: Zhongke.

However, this loyal minister, that is, when he was serving his master, could be worthy of this posthumous title. Otherwise, the revolution might not happen, and if it did happen, it would not be a trouble.