Chapter 16 Section 16

After dinner and tea, it happened that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent an urgent telegram, saying that the Russian army guarding Lushun had finally surrendered.From the end of the Liaoyang War, Japan launched three general attacks on Lushun, all of which were futile. On October 20, it continued to deploy reinforcements and launched the fourth general attack. After nine days of bloody battles, 17,000 people They went on and on, dying or being injured. After all, they broke through the predicament and captured the Laohugou called "203 Highland" on the military map.After reorganization and deployment, the important places on the east and north sides of Lushun were gradually occupied, East Jiguan Mountain, Erlong Mountain, and Songshu Mountain. The Russian commander of Lushun, Stussel, knew that he could no longer defend, so he set up a white flag to surrender, and more than 870 generals , 23,500 soldiers, all became prisoners.

The victory of the Japanese army was equivalent to Yuan Shikai's betting on a treasure. While rejoicing with each other, it happened to be a topic to talk about the future of the three eastern provinces.Yuan Shikai believed that the victory of the Japanese army was a foregone conclusion. Although Russia decided to use the ships in the Baltic Sea as the third fleet and join the war from the east, it was difficult to reverse the situation.The Russian alliance has had many twists and turns, and if Lushun is lost, Germany will inevitably take advantage of the opportunity, making it even more difficult to form an alliance.It seems that as long as there are major powers such as Britain and the United States to mediate, Japan and Russia will soon negotiate peace.

"The Empress Dowager will be very happy to take back the three eastern provinces." Yikuang said excitedly, "Let us take care of the catastrophe caused by Li Shaoquan, which is very worthy of our ancestors. " "Yes!" Yuan Shikai said, "My lord is at the Japanese envoy's place, so I need to work harder." "Of course, of course!" Yi Kuang nodded again and again, "I won't relax." "As for the proposal of the province, it's better to plan it as soon as possible." Na Tong asked, "I wonder if the higher-ups have mentioned it to the prince?"

"I mentioned it once." Yi Kuang said, "The superiors seem to have taken a fancy to Zhao Cishan." Na Tong and Yuan Shikai glanced at each other, but remained silent.Yuan Shikai had vaguely discussed with Natong that if the three eastern provinces set up provinces, with one governor and three governors, it would be best if they could all send their "own people" there.Now what Yikuang said, it seems that he can't be caught off guard for a while, so he has to look at the situation in the future to make sense. "It's still early, but there is something to do. The two of you may wish to counsel." After speaking, Yikuang took out a copy from the drawer and handed it to Yuan Shikai.

This copy is a two-pass memorial.One is that Duan Fang, the acting governor of Liangjiang, compiled Zhang Jian's statement on behalf of him, and suggested setting up a trip in Xuzhou. The Governor of Water Transport manages all the affairs of transporting grain from the Canal to the North.There is a gang of water boats, called "Cao Bang", which evolved from the "Guardian" in the Ming Dynasty.There are still guards along the canal in Zhili, Shandong, Jiangnan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Huguang. Under each guard, there are as many guards, how many guards, and how many gangs.The leader in charge is called "Palm Seal Guard" in the guard, and "Ling Yun Qian Zong" in the office and gang.

The Weisuo in the Ming Dynasty was originally a system of combining soldiers and farmers. The dictation of fields was subordinate to the Weisuo, and they worked as farmers in normal times and served as soldiers when they needed something. They were called "tunhu".In the Qing Dynasty, the guards used the guards to transport grain, and the households only focused on building boats, not fighting wars. Since Hongyang, on the one hand, the canals were silted up and all the grains were blocked. On the other hand, sea transportation was booming, and the transfer was convenient. With the payment of silver, half of them went north by sea, and the grand occasion of the tank boats connecting thousands of miles on the canal was no longer visible.Therefore, the guards in all provinces were all abolished, and the village households were no different from ordinary people.

As a result, the grain roads in various provinces have also been reduced successively. The governor of the water transport has no officials to govern and no ships to manage. It's just Zhou Shumo's various memorials. As for Zhang Jian's statement, the focus was not on cutting the governor, but on setting up the line. He wrote an article called "Xuzhou Yingjian Bank Provincial Proposal", thinking that when Liu Bang rose up and competed with Xiang Yu for the world, it was boundless and reckless. On the one hand, "controlling the throat of the Huaihai Sea, and conveniently defending the war, colonizing the products of the original land, and the resources of Fuji horses" can form a situation on its own; , Robbery and death, the disciples of Xiaojie, those who died in front of the parallel and rose up after the bell, most of them are called first by Xu."

It has long been a hidden danger of the imperial court, but "if you want to adjust measures to the current situation and change the location as the key point, there is no better way to build Xuzhou as the rest of the line". Haizhou, from Shangqiu in the west, from Sizhou in the south, to Yishui in the north, includes forty-five prefectures and counties in the intersecting area of ​​the four provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Shandong, and Henan. Zhang Jian thought that this province had "two conveniences and four essentials" ". The so-called "two conveniences" are actually only one convenience, that is, the Caodu can be dismissed, and the "Governor of Xuzhou" will also handle the "unfinished matters" left after the dismissal of the Caodu.

In addition, "one convenience" is easy to train troops.Because of the folk customs in this area, "simple and vigorous", according to Zhang Jian's estimation, recruit 10,000 people, train 6,000 foot teams, and 4,000 cavalry teams. defense force.This is impossible in Jiangnan, the land of fish and rice. The so-called "four essentials" are "training farmers, working diligently, and conducting business". When a place is prosperous, it is natural to waste all kinds of waste, but "farmers, businessmen, and soldiers all invest in learning", so "developing schools" is especially important.

"This statement looks very moving, but it's a pity that it's not easy to do it on paper." Yuan Shikai handed the two copies to Na Tong, and said lightly: "I have been with Ji Zhi for a long time, and I know him very well. If he Entering the Nanpi Shogunate, the host and guest will definitely get along well." This is a faint ridicule of Zhang Jian's unavoidable scholar's opinion.Yikuang nodded and said, "I think so too. However, Zhang Jizhi lived in the village as the No. It is really difficult to use. The Military Aircraft Department transferred the original to the Government Affairs Department, so as to gather ideas for the benefit of others. Consolation, you are ordered to join the Government Affairs Department, so you might as well express an opinion honestly, so that I can discuss it with everyone.”

Yuan Shikai was really not interested in Zhang Jian's statement, mainly because he felt that the establishment of a province in Xuzhou was simply empty talk.Don't talk about the difficulties of the "four essentials", but only talk about the demarcation of the jurisdiction, which involves the four provinces, and I don't know how many different opinions there are. However, the imperial court has great affairs, and every time he consults Beiyang, he has restored the status and power that Li Hongzhang had back then. On the other hand, it is also true that Jianghuai is vast, and Jiangning feudal officials cannot take care of it. I think it is advisable to consider a compromise between these two points, and wait until it is allowed. As for the division of four provinces and more than forty counties into one province, the change of the boundary is the most important. Disputes are prone to occur, and we should be cautious in peacetime, let alone in today's world." "Yes! It's better to be still than to move!" Yikuang said vigorously, "My goal is set." Yuan Shikai was quite pleased.But it wasn't his proposition that was realized, but Yikuang's only words were to listen.However, you have to be humble. "I also say what I think, and what I say may not be right." He said: "My lord, please listen to other people's opinions more." "You don't need to listen too much. If you listen too much, you won't be able to agree. Comforting the court," Yikuang suddenly changed the subject: "Let me discuss one more thing with you. The projects of Xiyuan and the Summer Palace are being added one after another, and there is never enough money. Can you please?" How many hundreds of thousands of silver were diverted from the Beiyang funds?" Yuan Shikai was not surprised by this request. He often thought that there might be demands in the palace, so he often paid attention to where there was surplus money that could be used. At this moment, I thought for a while and asked calmly, "How much will it cost?" "At least 300,000 silver is needed." "I'll dial half a million!" Yikuang was overjoyed, "Comfort," he asked, "Where did you dial from?" "The surplus of the railway." Yuan Shikai said: "The construction of the railway outside the customs and inside the customs was borrowed from the British..." This British loan was handled by Hu Yifen and HSBC Bank undertook it, totaling 3.3 million pounds.The contract stipulates that "all the industries in the customs, and all the funds received at the foot of the road, should be used as the guarantee of the loan first", "the funds collected from all channels should be deposited in Tianjin HSBC Bank. The bureaus will pay for the expenses. If there is any surplus, it will be used for repayment.” Therefore, any income of the Railway Bureau must be deposited in Wujin HSBC Bank without interest. More than 1.8 million taels of silver.Yuan Shikai sent people several times to negotiate for withdrawal, but HSBC refused to accommodate him on the pretext of contract restrictions. "Since you are not willing to accommodate and comfort the court, why do you say that you can raise half a million?" "If you want to find a way, you must let HSBC submit." Yuan Shikai said: "As long as I am allowed to mention it, I will definitely be able to mention it." "Is there any reason why the edict should not be allowed?" Yikuang felt annoyed when he mentioned HSBC, and said fiercely, "It should be all mentioned!" "That's something that can't be done." Na Tong said with a smile, "HSBC is unreasonable, and it's not like the prince doesn't know." Pili Yangqiu, there is something beyond the words, just because the relationship between them is too deep, so Yikuang naturally doesn't care about Tong's almost joking words, and just smiles wryly. "My lord," Yuan Shikai asked, "do you have any orders?" "I can't remember it at the moment, let's talk about it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow!" "I wanted to stay for a few more days," Yuan Shikai said. "The Japanese captured Lushun. I'm afraid the situation in the three eastern provinces will take a turn for the worse. I want to hand over the sign tomorrow morning, invite training, and rush back to Tianjin immediately." "Ah!" Yikuang was reminded, "It's not important. You can go back tomorrow! That sum of money, please do it immediately. " "Yes! The Shangyu also asks the prince to send it quickly."