Chapter 27 Section 27

When he arrived in Beijing, Duan Fang first met with Zai Ze, handed over Yang Du's documents, and then proposed reforming the official system as his own observation experience. Zai Ze greatly agrees.He has no opinion on the central government system, but thinks that it is an excellent strategy to "reduce the vassal". Therefore, when the five ministers played together to investigate the political process, he and Duan Fang stood by one side.However, Duanfang focused on imitating Japan's constitutional regulations, which meant that a responsible cabinet must be set up, while Zaize tried his best to state the necessity of reforming the local official system, saying that "as it remains unchanged, the feudal towns of the Tang Dynasty and the feudal lords of Japan will be See you again today."

The Empress Dowager Cixi was originally disgusted with the establishment of the constitution, but now she is deeply surprised by Zai Ze and Duan Fang's words, and has changed her mind in the past.The establishment of a constitution will be a matter of several years later, and in the name of reforming the official system before establishing a constitution, the governor's power accumulated since Hong Yang was taken away, especially to eliminate Yuan Shikai's hidden worries that he might be in trouble because he held a military handle. If you win a bet first, why not do it? It's just that this is a big matter after all, and she felt that if she didn't think about it carefully and made a judgment hastily, she would not be relieved, so everything became popular, and there were suggestions about constitutional memorials, including Yuan Shikai's: "Constitutional preparations should be made The participation of officials of the fifth rank and above in central government affairs is the basis of the House of Lords; making the famous gentry and merchants of states and counties participate in local government affairs is the basis of local self-government."The five ministers traveled thousands of miles around the sea and returned from political investigations. If they ended up with such a "died without a disease" result, they would be unwilling to do so.Especially Zai Ze, on the one hand, he can't save face, on the other hand, he is seeking great use, and he wholeheartedly wants to use political investigation to make a direct career path, so he is even more anxious.

"Ze Gong," Duan Fang thought of a saying, but it must be someone who is very close to the Empress Dowager Cixi to speak up, and Zai Ze's Fujin is the Empress's sister and the niece of the Empress Dowager Cixi's direct relationship, so it is the most suitable A person who speaks out.So this implicit suggestion: "The empress dowager has a long life in her 70s, and she didn't have a good time. Last year, Japan and Russia did not cease fighting. The three eastern provinces are in the hands of others. The mood is not good, and there is no excitement. This year is different. The three eastern provinces are finally blessed by their ancestors, and they will definitely be able to take it back. If they do one or two more things that will win the hearts of the people, it will be icing on the cake, and Wanshou on the tenth day of October this year will be very lively."

Sure enough, Zaize sent his wife into the palace and persuaded Empress Dowager Cixi.On the second day, the military plane was handed over, and Prince Jin Zaifeng was appointed to preside over the discussion and preparation for constitutional matters.In addition to the Minister of Military Aircraft and the University Scholars, Yuan Shikai, the Minister of Beiyang, was also on the list for discussion. As soon as he received the telegram from Beijing, Yuan Shikai drove to Beijing in a special car, bringing with him two staff members, one was Zhang Yilin, and the other was Jin Bangping, who was studying law in Japan.

The special car arrived in Beijing, already in the afternoon, first went to the palace gate to say hello, then paid a visit to Wang Zaifeng, then returned to the Beiyang Office, where Duanfang was already waiting. "Fourth brother, there is a very good opportunity to drive Cen San to Yunnan." Duanfang said excitedly: "The eldest brother specially asked me to discuss with fourth brother, how should the seat of the upper and lower families be moved? " It turns out that in the far west of Yunnan, there is a place name that mainlanders have never heard of.Sure enough, when they meet each other in arms, it is natural to transfer a famous general to guard it. Yikuang wants to use this name to transfer Cen Chunxuan as the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou.

This involves the former Ding Zhenduo.If it can be reversed, there is nothing to say, but Ding Zhenduo's prestige is not enough, and Yikuang is unwilling to take advantage of Ding Zhenduo's lack of governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, so a third party has to be involved. This third party is Duanfang.He was ordered to be the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang in December last year, and immediately went abroad for inspection, but never took up the post.It is an appropriate arrangement for Ding Zhenduo to transfer Fujian and Zhejiang from Yunnan and Guizhou, and the lack of points is equal.Therefore, the fourth person, Yuan Shikai's in-law Zhou Fu, was involved.

It turns out that Duan Fangzhi is in Liangjiang, and I hope Yuan Shikai can agree to transfer Zhou Fu from Jiangdu to Guangdong.His reason was that before Li Hongzhang came to Beijing to negotiate peace, he was the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. There are many old Beiyang people in Guangdong. The place is right, the government is well-organized and the people are harmonious, nothing could be better! However," he said, "this position has to be moved in two times, so as not to leave any traces." Yuan Shikai's solution was to swap Zhou Fu and Duanfang's upper and lower families. When they moved for the second time, Duan Fang did not move, and the other three families went around in circles. Cen Chunxuan went to Yunnan and Guizhou, Ding Zhenduo to Fujian and Zhejiang, and Zhou Fu to Guangdong and Guangxi.

The meeting presided over by Zaifeng only convened twice, and it was a foregone conclusion. The two palaces were approved and the imperial edict was issued immediately.As usual, it begins with "Qin Feng Yi Zhi", describing the merits of the Empress Dowager Cixi who deeply understands the hearts of the people.The first paragraph is regulated by the ancestors. It talks about the establishment of a constitution as a way of self-improvement. It says, "Since the founding of our dynasty, the sages have been inherited from each other, and Mo Lie has been descended. All of them have been written as constitutions according to the profit and loss of the time. Now the communication between countries , political laws and regulations, all have the tendency of interdependence, and our country's government regulations have been accumulated for a long time, and they are in danger every day. There is no hope of consoling the ministers and the common people, so Jian sent ministers to various countries to investigate politics. Now Zai Ze and others return to the country to report that they are deeply convinced that the country’s situation is not strong. It is actually due to mutual estrangement, internal and external estrangement, officials do not know how to protect the people, the people I don’t know why the country is defended, but the reason why countries are rich and powerful is actually because of the implementation of the constitution, which depends on public opinion, the military and the people are one, and the breath is interlinked. Learn from others, clarify the political system, prepare finances, and plan political enemies. , make every effort to make the best use of it, and make the government work in harmony with the people, there is a reason for that!"

The second paragraph gets to the point and decides to establish a constitution, starting with reforming the official system. "In today's time, we can only analyze and verify in detail in time, imitate constitutional government, unify power in the imperial court, publicize public opinion in public affairs, and establish the foundation of the country's ten thousand years of righteousness. Do everything, but pretend to be empty words, how can you show great trust to the people? Therefore, to clarify the accumulated evils and clearly define the responsibilities, we must start with the official system. It is urgent to discuss the official system separately and change it sequentially. There are no laws, so we must carefully formulate it , and promote education, clear up finances, reorganize military equipment, and popularize patrols, so that the gentry and the people can understand the state affairs in order to prepare the foundation for the establishment of a constitution. Refer to the laws of various countries, discuss the time limit for the implementation of the constitution, and then announce it to the world. Depending on the slowness of progress, set the time limit. Write to the generals and governors of the provinces, tell the common people, etc., learn from anger, and each show the righteousness of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism. The principle of gregarious evolution, don’t use personal opinions to harm the public good, don’t use small mistakes to defeat big plans. Respect order, keep peace, and reserve the qualifications of constitutional citizens in advance, there are high hopes!”

Only one day later, the "editing" personnel for "changing the official system" were dispatched, headed by Zhen Guogong Zaize, followed by Shixu, a scholar of Dongge University, Natong, a scholar of Tirenge University, Rongqing, the co-organizer, and the business minister. Shangshu Zaizhen, Shangshu Kuijun of the Ministry of Officials, Tieliang and Zhang Baixi of the Ministry of Households, Dai Hongci of the Ministry of Rites, Dai Baohua of the Ministry of Punishment, Xu Shichang of the Ministry of Patrol, Lu Runxiang of the Ministry of Industry, and Shouqi of Zuodu Yushi.Among the officials in the Ministry, the Ministry of War is missing, but Yuan Shikai, a Beiyang minister, is added, which means that he is the Minister of the Ministry of War.

At the same time, it is also stipulated that the governors of Liangjiang, Huguang, Shaanxi-Gansu, Sichuan, Fujian and Zhejiang, and Guangdong and Guangxi should "select senior officials to come to Beijing to participate in the deliberations." Sun Jianai, a scholar of Yuange University, and Qu Hongji, a minister of military aircraft who co-organized the university. After reading this edict, Yuan Shikai couldn't help but feel depressed. Although Beiyang was powerful, he could only accompany the ministers of the ministry in the last place in Beijing. Compared with Qu Hongji, who was "approved by the general director", he felt even more dwarfed.However, he also has something to be comforted by. The first is that Duan Fang and Zhou Fu's exchange of orders has been seen, and the plan to oust the censors has been initially realized.Secondly, the promotion of the "Official Compilation Bureau", according to his nomination, sent Sun Baoqi and Yang Shiqi.His entourage Zhang Yilin, Jin Bangping, and Cao Rulin whom he admired were all assigned as "editors".