Chapter 61 Yuan Shikai: Assassination and Reign

On January 16, 1912, Yuan Shikai, who had just come out of the Donghua Gate, was assassinated. According to Hu Egong, a member of the Northern Revolutionary Party who participated in the planning, the assassination group was divided into four groups, two groups dropped bombs, one group sniped, and the other group responded.Due to the strict organization, Yuan Shikai's law of action has long been figured out, and the action plan is quite thorough.At 11:30 a.m. on that day, Yuan Shikai's convoy came out of Donghuamen and passed the corner of Donghuamen Street and Wangfujing Street. The first group threw a bomb from the second floor of the Sanyi Tea Shop, which missed the carriage. .Then the second group threw two bombs, "Shikai's chariot was hit by the bomb, the chariot was overturned by the bomb, Shikai's chariot and horse were dead, the guard was led by Yuan Jin's bodyguard, the guard platoon leader was 1, the guards were 2, the horse scouts were 2, passers-by were 2, Another cavalryman, Ma San." With the help of his guards, Yuan Shikai escaped on horseback and immediately ordered the arrest of the assassins.Hu Egong's recollection also mentioned that the assassins had a gun battle with the military and police.As for the assassination incident, according to the report of the British reporter unearthed by Mr. Shen Hong at that time, it is different.The assassins did drop three bombs, but one missed.The bombs, which were the size of a can of condensed milk, were filled with powerful explosives. About 20 people were injured, and several people were dying.However, if you recall what happened later, there will inevitably be gaps, and the records at that time should be more accurate.Therefore, Yuan Shikai's carriage should not have been bombed.Judging from the old photos at that time, the window panes of the tea shop where the incident happened were all shattered. It can be seen that the bomb was powerful (it was all thanks to Mr. Tonobel). It is absolutely difficult to be self-sufficient, and you will be injured if you don't die.Mr. Shen Hong also verified that according to the photos taken by the British reporter at the time, the assassination took place not at the Sanyi Tea Shop, but at the Sanshun Tea House.However, according to the eight characters of the font size on the photo, "Sanshun Font, Old Tea Store", it seems that it should be a tea shop more appropriate.

After the incident, ten people were arrested, but all but three were released for lack of evidence, except for three who had bombs on them. These three were executed very quickly.Since then, according to Yuan Shikai's confidant Tang Zaili, Yuan Shikai has been hiding for a long time because of this, refusing to go out. The early court on January 16 was actually the moment when Yuan Shikai finally reached an agreement with the Revolutionary Party and formally tore the Empress Dowager Longyu to force her into the palace.In Puyi's memory, that day, Longyu was sitting on the kang by the south window, wiping his tears with a handkerchief, while a fat old man was kneeling on the red felt mat with tears on his face.The monarch and his ministers cried to each other, but it was the ministers who came to force the emperor, and they won the first battle of forcing the palace.Yuan Shikai's weeping forced palace drama had just ended, and he almost died.What do the revolutionaries want to do with such a cruel hand?Could it be that they didn't want to complete the revolution by instigating Yuan Shikai's rebellion?

of course not.Although the revolutionary party headed by Sun Yat-sen established a provisional government, it seemed that more than a dozen provinces were under control.However, a large proportion of the Constitutionalists in Manshuo had more expectations for Yuan Shikai, and gradually drifted away from the Revolutionary Party.Even among the revolutionaries, there were constant disputes. The original internal strife between the three parts of the Tongmenghui was not over, and new contradictions came again.If one of our own people is strangled, it is still life and death. The killing of Tao Chengzhang is a clear proof.The contradiction between the revolutionary party and the congress party has gradually become clear.Although the Northern Expeditionary Army organized a lot, but not many were able to fight.No one knows what to use to defeat the Beiyang Army.Even the funds for the Nanjing Provisional Government were not given by the independent provinces.Nanjing, where more than 100,000 Northern Expeditionary troops were gathered, was in chaos, and at every turn, the army mutinied and looted under the pretext of not paying their wages.Therefore, it is impossible for the revolutionaries not to pin their hopes on Yuan Shikai, because as long as Yuan Shikai agrees anyway, everything will be OK.Killing Yuan Shikai would make things even more troublesome. If the conservative Beiyang army were to rely on the Qing government for revenge, it would be hard to say when the revolution would succeed.

However, according to the saying at the time, when the revolutionary army rises, the revolutionary party disappears.The Tongmenghui was originally a loose organization. Since the beginning of the revolution, the revolutionary party has become even more disorganized.The collapse of the regime in various places in the Qing Dynasty was not because the revolutionary party was so powerful, but because the local government of the Qing Dynasty itself was already decayed, and the gentry in the Advisory Bureau did not stand by the government to help.In some places, local ruffians and bandits who talk about the revolutionary party, or even have no origin, can take down the political power if they gather a few people.The Revolutionary Party in the South has achieved brilliant results, and the Revolutionary Party in the North also had great hope.Shanxi took the lead in becoming independent, and the three non-commissioned officers Wu Luzhen, Zhang Shaozeng, and Lan Tianwei held heavy troops, and there were many revolutionaries in Beijing.However, since Yuan Shikai came out, the Revolutionary Party suffered setbacks one after another.Once the three heroes died, transferred, and left, the Luanzhou Uprising launched by Zhang Shaozeng's old troops was also suppressed, and Shanxi was gained and lost.The revolutionaries in the north, who had seen their successes on the verge of failure, suddenly fell into the water because of Yuan Shikai. How can they swallow this breath?In fact, while assassinating Yuan Shikai, the Northern Revolutionary Party also had a huge plan. Once the assassination was successful, they would use some of their surrounding troops, such as the Yi Army, and even some of the Imperial Guards, to launch several attacks on Beijing. .Therefore, even though the top leaders of the Revolutionary Party were negotiating with Yuan Shikai, the negotiations were completed, and Yuan Shikai's eldest son Yuan Keding also had a fierce fight with Wang Jingwei.But it was difficult to restrain everyone. Although some northern revolutionaries were more obedient and cooperated well with Yuan Keding, another group of people had the intention to start a new stove and do their own work.If Yuan Shikai can really be killed, take Beijing, and make a great contribution, how will power be distributed within the party?

However, the assassination of the revolutionaries gave Yuan Shikai a particularly good opportunity.Previously, the government and the public had rumored that he had colluded with the Revolutionary Party and betrayed the court. Now that he has also been assassinated by the Revolutionary Party, his reputation has improved a bit.In addition, it is also of great benefit to forcing Longyu to surrender power.After all, there are many things that are hard to say when you come forward to force the palace.Once the assassination comes, you can use the excuse of danger not to go to court.All disgusting things and words are left to Zhao Bingjun and Hu Weide.Needless to say, this is more convenient.These two people also tried their best, bluffing, intimidating, and flickering, and soon after the revolutionaries assassinated the only capable minister of the Manchus, Liangbi, it was impossible for the orphans and widows of the Qing Dynasty to surrender their power.

Yuan Shikai is essentially a martial artist.He also encountered several dangers in his life, and each time brought a turning point in his fate. In 1884, the Gapsin Coup in North Korea, he narrowly escaped death, but since then he has emerged as a well-known figure. In 1909, it was rumored in the court that the regent Zaifeng wanted to kill him. It was said that he had secretly mobilized dead soldiers from the sixth town to defend himself, but he just lost his official title and retired to Zhangde.The assassination this time was the most dangerous, and it opened the opportunity for him to rule the country.

Things in the world, good and bad, have always been difficult to say.It is even more difficult to say about Yuan Shikai, the traitor in troubled times.