Yamafu Military Affairs

Chapter 431: South Sun and North Yuan
"Yuan Xiangcheng, you did a great job! Do you know what the newspapers said these days? They said you were going to negotiate with Zhongshan Qiao!"

Listening to the angry shouts from the other end of the phone, Yuan Xiangcheng remained calm. After holding the microphone a little further away, he said slowly, "Is there such a thing? Queen Mother, these are just rumors made up by reporters. You can't believe them!"

"Is that true?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, no."

Yuan Xiangcheng spoke righteously, as if he really had a heart full of loyalty.

"Yuan Xiangcheng, I know you won't lie to me. But you have to tell me clearly, what do you want to do with the Qing Dynasty?"

"Empress Dowager, in my opinion, Honolulu wants a republic, and our Qing Dynasty wants a constitutional monarchy. This has been the way it has been for a long time."

Yuan Xiangcheng had obviously thought about how to respond to the Qing court's inquiries long ago, and he talked a lot at this time: "This republic is naturally unacceptable, so the Beiyang has been preparing for war. However, we can also talk to Honolulu about the request for a constitutional monarchy of our Qing Dynasty. If it can be resolved peacefully, it will also save lives. After all, the regent personally raided Wuchang a few days ago, but failed to do anything to Zhongshan Qiao. I am afraid that if time drags on for too long, the country will be in a long-term state of division, which will make those outsiders laugh at us."

When it comes to the regent, the current Empress Dowager Longyu sighed and tacitly agreed to the matter: "If we can really reach a conclusion through negotiation, that would be the best. However, if the regent has any objections to this in the future, then everything will be invalid."

"Don't worry, Queen Mother, Wei Ting will save you money."

"That's it. I'm tired."

"Farewell to the Queen Mother."

Yuan Xiangcheng, unable to hide his smile, hung up the phone, glanced at the clock, then said hello to Li Shuwen who was waiting on the side, got in the latest Cadillac and headed for Yonghe Garden.

boom! ! !
Hearing the deafening explosion, Qin Huai frowned, and in a flash he rushed out of the restaurant courtyard and arrived outside Yonghe Garden.

At this moment, a Beiyang Army soldier at the door shouted loudly: "There is an assassin, protect the old man!"

After this shout, a large number of people at the banquet stood up and surrounded the Governor-General of Liangjiang Zhang Shoukang and the Governor of Jiangsu Cheng Dequan, and were about to retreat. Xu Juren looked around, waved his hands, and remained motionless like a mountain.

"Dear guests, please do not panic. Jingbo is here with us. There are a few thieves and assassins, so we are nothing to worry about."

Seeing Xu Juren's calm and composed look, many gentry and celebrities calmed down their doubts, asked their guards to stand in the courtyard, and looked out with suspicion.

I saw that the busy flow of people on the long street in front of the door had been blasted into a gap by the sudden explosion. Several bloody and charred corpses and broken carriages flew all around, causing screams of pain.

Qin Huai glanced at the corpse wearing green and black and wearing a sword on his waist, and casually threw it away. Several sticky and deep balls of [Evil Without Purity] accurately found the assassin who was emitting murderous intent towards him in the [Glimpse] field of vision.

[Zongshe Party Death Soldier]: One of the death soldiers of the foreign rifle team under Liangbi, the leader of the Zongshe Party of the Qing Dynasty. He was ordered by Prince Chun Zaifeng to deliver a bomb to Prime Minister Yuan Xiangcheng, intending to remind him to always remember his identity. He came here deliberately to stir up a riot.

slap~
Qin Huai narrowed his eyes. Several assassins whose heads and faces were covered by deep black mud fainted almost at the same time and fell to the ground. The foreign rifles in their hands no longer posed a threat before they could even fire.

"Someone, tie him up."

As soon as he finished speaking, more than a dozen Beiyang soldiers wearing the same uniforms as the charred corpses filed out of the yard and tied up these daring assassins together.

"Jingbo, what's next?"

Hearing the noise, Feng Huafu hurried out and saw that Qin Huai had captured the thief, so he immediately asked.

"Brutal interrogation is Beiyang's strong point. Now that the assassin has been found, the rest should naturally be handled by Hua Fu."

Qin Huai looked at the terrified common people around him and waved his hand: "Let's go, this unprovoked disaster has nothing to do with you."

Didi~
A short horn sounded at the corner of the long street. Yuan Xiangcheng, who was sitting in the back seat of a car and witnessed the explosion of gunpowder and the flying flesh and blood, clung to the front seat with a serious expression. Seeing that Qin Huai had captured all the thieves, he came to the gate of Yonghe Garden under the protection of Li Shuwen.

"Hua Fu, interrogate him carefully. I want to see who dares to cause trouble at my brother's sixty-fifth birthday party!"

"Don't worry, Marshal. Hua Fu will definitely pry open the mouths of these scoundrels within two hours."

Feng Huafu bowed and accepted the order.

"Gong Bao, this is not the place to talk, please go in first."

Qin Huai waved his hand, turned around and left with Yuan Xiangcheng and Li Shuwen. The moist water vapor moving with the wind washed away all the smell of blood and gunpowder in the air.

"Mr. Yuan is here!"

Yuan Xiangcheng had just entered the courtyard, before he even went into the building, when a sharp-eyed gentleman exclaimed in surprise.

Before he finished speaking, countless high-ranking officials and dignitaries stood up.

Jiangsu Governor Cheng Dequan lifted the hem of his black satin gown and rushed out to greet him, followed closely by Zhang Jian, the outstanding figure of Jiangzuo.

Qin Huai led the way and inevitably became the focus of everyone's attention. Seeing the attentiveness of many gentry, he shrugged his shoulders, took a step, and sat back in his seat in the blink of an eye. However, he found that among the gentry and dignitaries who wanted to chat with Yuan Xiangcheng, there was another person who had the same attitude as him and did not seem to be keen on the tremendous power in Yuan Xiangcheng's hands.

And this person was none other than the protagonist of this birthday banquet, the Governor-General of Liangjiang, Zhang Shoukang.

"Mr. Yuan! You are here!"

Cheng Dequan went up and spoke, his expression respectful, his tone submissive, and he seemed very sincere.

"I'm sorry to have kept Xueru and everyone waiting for so long. I will drink three cups as punishment to celebrate Shoukang's birthday on behalf of the Queen Mother."

Faced with the intricate relationships in officialdom, Yuan Xiangcheng seemed to be like a fish in water. He simply put his hand on Cheng Dequan's hand and with just a few words, all the annoyance that the gentry and the upright officials had been waiting for was dispelled.

"Mr. Yuan, what was that just now?"

Cheng Dequan nodded and asked in a low voice as he walked towards the banquet with Yuan Xiangcheng.

"They are just a few clowns. Once Hua Fu finds out who is behind this, I, Bei Yang, will seek justice for Shou Kang."

Yuan Xiangcheng had a serious expression and spoke in feigned anger, and the gentry from all sides immediately agreed with him.

"I appreciate Gong Bao's kindness, but I am Zhang Shoukang, the governor-general of Liangjiang. It is my duty. If I really suffer any injustice, the Queen Mother will make the decision for me, and I will not allow others to interfere."

Zhang Shoukang's words were very cold, and Yuan Xiangcheng's words fell to the ground, but he was not embarrassed: "Hey, Brother Shoukang, today is your big day, so don't talk about injustice. Juren, order the banquet to begin, don't let the guests endure it any longer."

After these words were spoken, the atmosphere became cheerful again. Everyone returned to their seats, a few hot dishes were served, and then the banquet began.

Everyone raised their glasses to toast Zhang Shoukang. Unable to refuse the kindness, he drank the glass reluctantly. After a long while, Yuan Xiangcheng raised his glass and spoke, revealing the real purpose of hosting this birthday banquet.

"Shou Kang, ever since I said I wanted to establish a constitutional monarchy a few years ago and you jumped out to oppose it, our relationship has gradually become distant. If the Regent hadn't sent me south this time, would you have thought that this day would come?"

"Weiting, you are a minister of the Qing Dynasty. How can a minister commit treason and risk the disapproval of the world to become the emperor's master?"

Zhang Shoukang sighed and did not confront Yuan Xiangcheng directly.

"If it were in the past, I really couldn't, but just an hour ago, the Queen Mother issued an imperial decree, saying that I was appointed as the plenipotentiary minister and was entrusted to go to the south to discuss the overall situation. Shoukang, the situation has changed." "What's going on? Is what those newspapers said true?"

"Some time ago, the Niangan group attacked Wuchang at night, intending to secretly capture and kill Zhongshan Qiao, but in the end, they failed to capture Tang. I think it is for this reason that the Queen Mother and the Regent wanted to negotiate peace between the North and the South."

Yuan Xiangcheng used the tiger's skin to raise the banner and spoke in a serious manner. He quickly used clever words to raise the strength of Honolulu to a higher level out of thin air, leaving an impression in the hearts of these Jiangnan gentry who had rich family backgrounds and a lot of wealth.

The Qing government tried its best but could not do anything about Honolulu.

However, despite its powerful strength, Honolulu took the initiative to cross the river and head north to meet Yuan Shikai, who controlled the Beiyang Army, in a relatively low-key manner.

After realizing Yuan Xiangcheng's intention, Qin Huai, who was eating heartily, paused and began to murmur in his heart.

"This Yuan Datou is really good at coaxing and shouting. Now the money bag is delivered to the door, combined with the gun he already holds tightly, plus Zhongshan Qiao's pen, and the knife in my hand, it seems that there is really nothing in this world that these four things cannot do."
-
February 12, Purple Mountain.

Jinling is beautiful, with wind and rain, countless rocks and cliffs like crouching tigers, and the white waves covering the Cangjiang River like a spinning cloth, which is spectacular.

On the more than ten-zhang-wide Toudao Cliff, Zhongshan Qiao stood with his hands behind his back. All around him was drifting mist. Behind him was Yuan Xiangcheng, who was climbing to the top of the mountain breathlessly with the help of a walking stick.

"Jingbo, if you had told me earlier that Toudao Ridge was so high and dangerous, I would not have climbed it."

"Gong Bao, have you ever heard of this saying?"

"What?"

“Without the storm, how can you see the rainbow?”

Qin Huai laughed, jumped off the cliff, and helped Yuan Xiangcheng up: "You two can talk slowly, I'll go and tinker with my trick for Morrison."

"Hey, Jingbo, don't waste any more time. You can just do it here. Just think of it as warming up the place for me and Mr. Zhong."

How could Yuan Xiangcheng, who had witnessed Qin Huai's methods before, give up the opportunity to witness the appearance of the dragon with his own eyes?

He immediately took advantage of the situation and asked Qin Huai to perform the so-called sleight of hand here.

"Then you two must promise me to stay calm and don't get scared."

"Ha, first time is second time is familiar, I have been prepared for this."

Seeing that Yuan Xiangcheng was determined not to give up until he reached the Yellow River, Qin Huai turned around and asked Zhongshan Qiao again.

"Mr. Naka?"

"As long as Jingbo is willing, I can do it."

"Then I'll show my shame."

As soon as he finished speaking, dark clouds suddenly covered the Purple Gold Mountain, and a strange wave spread from Qin Huai.

Everyone looked up and heard a loud cry in the sky. A roc with spread wings, colorful all over and as beautiful as a jade palace, came from the sky. It rushed out from the yellow wind and rain and turned into a whale shining with precious light. Its fins stretched for no less than three or four miles. The surrounding mountains and forests became toys compared to it. The moment it touched the treetops, it suddenly bounced up, passed over everyone's heads in the shape of a full moon, and fell into the Lingbo Yangtze River.

Then, tens of thousands of tons of river water from the long river rushed up into the sky, and extremely thick smoke and rainbow fog filled the sky and the earth. Hundreds of colorful jellyfish as big as millstones were looming in it, with their beautiful crowns fully spread out. Countless schools of fish with different shapes and characteristics swam in the air, and the rainbow water gathered into beautiful aurora as smooth as silk, which was illuminated by the rising morning light, reflecting an incomparably gorgeous rainbow.

Yuan Xiangcheng held his cane tightly, his eyes full of scorching heat. Zhongshan Qiao next to him also took off his glasses, unable to understand what he saw.

A point of red-gold divine light suddenly exploded in the rainbow mist. The flames and the mist entangled with each other, forming a strange cloud of fire covering three thousand miles of the red wilderness. The purple-red and golden flames exploded in the air, reflecting the surging waves of the river on the ground. Hundreds of evil dragons condensed from rainbow water raised their heads, opened their bloody mouths, and countless colorful bubbles gushed out.

The sky and the earth were hazy.

A seascape is formed and a mirage appears.

A giant cyan dragon went in and out of the rainbow mist, its scales and claws reaching down, dividing the rivers and seas, its carp tail swung, causing waves to rise, and soon it was dancing around the Purple Gold Mountain and rising into the sky.

The dragon shadow disappeared and the rainbow mist settled. Yuan Xiangcheng looked at the mist that reflected golden light under the illumination of the fiery clouds. He stretched out his hand to touch it, but he couldn't grab the real object.

"Gong Bao, Mr. Zhong, the show is over. I won't disturb you two anymore. Please do as you please."

Qin Huai bowed slightly and took two steps back, leaving space for these two great men who could influence the course of history.

"What a trick. What a trick."

Yuan Xiangcheng shook his head, no longer entangled in whether Qin Huai's trick was true or false, and turned to Zhongshan Qiao and said, "Zhongshan Qiao, I agreed to meet with you this time, in fact, there is only one purpose."

"Please speak, Mr. Yuan."

"Let me see your determination."

"Mr. Yuan, as we said on the phone a few days ago, as long as you can overthrow the monarchy, you can take office as president while abiding by the Provisional Constitution."

Facing the powerful Yuan Xiangcheng, Zhongshan Qiao remained calm and composed.

"What? A law? A law that binds who?"

Yuan Xiangcheng pressed on with the topic step by step, refusing to give in.

"When the North and South are united under the banner of the Republic, whoever forms the second provisional government will be bound by this constitution. After the National Assembly is established, a formal constitution will also be drafted."

Faced with the fundamental principles, Zhongshan Qiao was extremely serious and explained them word by word.

"Is it the constitution of a constitutional monarchy or a democratic republic?"

"Of course, the Constitution of the Republic."

"Hehehe, it seems that Mr. Zhong is determined not to let go."

Yuan Xiangcheng smiled slightly, and his words were meaningful.

"We must hold on to the green mountain, but we can let the pine tree on the mountain go for now."

"That depends on what kind of mountain it is and what kind of tree it is."

"The republic is the mountain and the interim president is the tree."

As soon as he said this, Yuan Xiangcheng stared at Zhongshan Qiao with his eyes fixed. When their eyes met, he uttered three words through his teeth.

"I do not believe."

(End of this chapter)