The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Chapter 709: First update!

When one side is in trouble, all sides come to its aid. Mongolia suffered heavy losses from a severe snowstorm and naturally needed the help of people from all over the country in the form of donations of money and supplies. Therefore, upon receiving news of the snowstorm, Zhang Yinghao immediately instructed the newspapers to publish the news and then accept donations of money and supplies from the people.

However, places like Sichuan and Yunnan are too far away, and distant water cannot quench immediate thirst, so Zhang Yinghao emphasized the need to instruct Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi and other places to collect and transport cold-resistant materials to the north to minimize the losses caused by the snow disaster.

While the People's Liberation Army was carrying out disaster relief and the people in the liberated areas were enthusiastically donating money and supplies, Zhu Erdian in the greenhouse was carefully studying the liberated areas and the Forward Party with the collected information. At this time, the Forward Party was still quite mysterious, but if you were willing to collect information, you could still get a lot of public information.

Although Zhu Erdian was not very familiar with the specifics of the policies being implemented by the Liberated Areas and the Forward Party, such as the land reform policy, which made implementation feel difficult, Zhu Erdian and other foreign envoys had already thoroughly investigated Zhang Yinghao's past. In this era when information was not particularly backward, the actions of the Liberated Area government and the Forward Party surprised countless people.

Zhu Erdian knew that Zhang Yinghao and his men had taken advantage of the Boxer Protocol between the Qing government and the foreign powers to rapidly expand and occupy Sichuan, and that their expansion had been largely due to various fortuitous events: the anti-aggression war of the Communist Party of China, the drought in Shaanxi, the floods in the two lakes region, the typhoon in the Pearl River Delta, and so on.

What Zhu Erdian couldn't understand was the sheer speed with which the Chinese people joined the revolution. When Zhang Yinghao started out in Guang'an, Sichuan, he had only a dozen fighters under his command, but within a few years, his force had swelled to tens of millions, and the population of the liberated areas had reached nearly 300 million. Just how powerful was the Forward Party's appeal to so many Chinese people? If they could pinpoint the key, they could find a way to curb its revolution.

For Zhang Yinghao, the reason for the rapid development of the revolution was simple. The Chinese people had long suffered at the hands of the Qing Dynasty and the foreign powers; they needed to survive, to live. Consequently, the oppressed and exploited Chinese people threw themselves headlong into the revolutionary movement, fearing no loss of life. Zhang Yinghao simply responded to the call of the revolution, leading and promoting it. The combination of these two factors led to the current revolutionary cause.

How to get the people involved in the revolution? How to encourage the people to join the revolution? This is the fundamental question of the revolution. In Zhang Yinghao's view, the China Progressive Party consistently promoted and implemented policies such as land revolution and industrial development, which won the support of the people and led to its brilliant victory.

When Zhang Yinghao and the revolutionary army he initially led suddenly liberated Sichuan, many people did not believe that these rebels could resist the encirclement and suppression of the Qing court, gain a foothold and govern the area well.

However, after leading the revolutionary army to victory in its first anti-encirclement and suppression campaign, the Forward Party immediately began vigorously implementing various policies. As for people's livelihoods, Sichuan's situation improved steadily. While the army rapidly expanded, farmers' taxes not only did not increase, but actually decreased significantly. Compared to the Qing Dynasty, the lives of ordinary people gradually improved!

Zhang Yinghao even issued statements many times, not only welcoming Chinese people from all over the world to invest in the liberated areas to build factories and workshops, but also sending messages to overseas Chinese and even capitalists from powerful countries through various channels, welcoming them to do business, invest and build factories in the liberated areas.

What baffled Zhu Erdian even more was the political leadership of the Liberated Areas, which implemented a universal suffrage system at the grassroots level, a world first. The Liberated Areas also had a semi-open economy, focusing on developing imports and exports, building factories, and constructing railways.

Jordan knew that the former British Minister to China, Sir John Sawyer, had completely underestimated the Progressive Party. Jordan also knew that if the liberated areas continued to develop in this way and the policies were gradually implemented in various places, the Progressive Party would soon be able to gain the support and recognition of the lower classes, and China would soon be unified again.

This is completely contrary to the interests of the British Empire and the civilized world, even if some countries can benefit from trade. Once the Progressive Party dominates China, perhaps China's market will open to the world, but if everything remains the same as it is in the current liberated areas, it will definitely not be suitable for the great powers.

Jordan knew that the Qing Dynasty was finished, that the British Empire and all other powers had abandoned it. Now China could be said to have no central government, so the successor to the Qing Dynasty could be the Beiyang government or the government of the liberated areas.

However, the Liberated Areas had been extremely hostile to the British Empire from the moment they were established, with numerous clashes occurring. A strong and unified China was completely incompatible with the British Empire's interests in Asia and could even become a nightmare for the Empire. If that were the case, it might be tolerable, but the close relationship between the Liberated Areas and Germany was something Britain absolutely could not tolerate.

"Minister Mummer, what's wrong with you Germans? Not only did you leave Rex in Wuhan, but you're also cooperating with the Qing rebels? This is not in line with the principle of unity among the great powers towards China. I think you should give the great powers' diplomatic corps an explanation!"

When convening a meeting of ministers, Jordan did not give any face at all and directly criticized all the ministers present.

Europe was one of the core interests of the British Empire. If German technology were combined with China's resources and cheap labor, the British Empire would be the most threatened. Furthermore, the effects of this cooperation were very obvious. For example, China exported tungsten ore, tung oil, and other materials to Germany, while Germany exported machinery, even military and chemical machinery, to China. Both China and Germany directly threatened the interests of the British Empire and harmed its allies. This was absolutely unacceptable and intolerable.

This time, when dealing with the liberated areas, Zhu Erdian had to adopt a tough attitude. Even if the Germans did not support him, he could never let them oppose him. So Zhu Erdian directed the conflict towards Mumer as soon as he opened his mouth.

Mummer simply smiled. Germany was currently benefiting enormously from the liberated areas, and it was impossible for the British to convince them with just a few words. However, Mummer understood that some things could be said but not done, and some things could be done but not said.

Mummer flicked the cigar in his hand and said, "Sir Jordan, you are overthinking it. We in Germany recognize the Qing government as the central government of China and have never cooperated with the Qing rebels. At most, there was a little trade between the people."

Zhu Erdian knocked hard on the table and said, "Mr. Mumer, we are all diplomats. We should be frank with each other and adhere to the principle of the great powers' commitment to China. So let's put away the diplomatic jargon. We don't need any answers, but we must have a guarantee. What do you Germans want? Don't you know that if the Forward Party unifies China and China becomes stronger, it will inevitably be under the control of the great powers, which will be a disaster for their interests?"

A series of British diplomatic missteps, including the Anglo-Boer War, hostility from Qing rebels, the Russo-Japanese War, and the Sino-Russian War, led to the British Empire's global decline. Germany's growth and the weakening of Tsarist Russia led to a growing strain on relations between Germany and France, placing increasing pressure on the British Empire. Previously, the British Empire would have remained calm in meetings, even acting as a referee, and naturally would not have spoken so aggressively.

Mummer put out his cigar and said, "It's not just Germany that's trading with the Qing rebels. You guys, Britain, France, Italy, the United States, Belgium, and even Japan all have business dealings with them. Business is business, and it has nothing to do with politics. Why should we explain it? If we need to explain it, does that mean every country has to give an explanation? And then who should give the explanation? Who should listen to whom? Please give me an explanation, Jordan."

American Minister Rockhill immediately said, "All right, everyone, we are sitting here to discuss the current situation in China and the issue of peace in Asia. There is no need to argue. The situation in China is complicated now. The rebels have controlled most of China, the Beiyang Group controls the Tianjin-Beijing-Zhili region, and the Qing government is finished. However, how can the new central government ensure that our interests are not harmed after its establishment? This concerns the interests of all major powers. The United States of America still adheres to the open door policy and is still willing to work with other countries to resolve problems and gain more benefits from China."

By this time, China had already largely been divided up. After the Spanish-American War, the United States acquired the Philippine Islands, expanding its influence into East Asia. To share in the benefits of its invasion, it proposed the Open Door Policy and a note of equal trade opportunity. Following this policy, the United States intensified and expanded its invasion of China, but this policy did not affect the interests of the great powers, and thus did not encounter open opposition from them. Instead, it sparked a frenzy of imperialist efforts to carve up China, forming an alliance of imperialists to exploit China.

In 1899, the United States again sent notes to various countries proposing to maintain the integrity of China's territorial sovereignty, protect the treaty and public law rights of various countries, and guarantee the principle of commercial equality of all countries in China, thus temporarily avoiding the disaster of territorial division of China.

However, the Progressive Party did not recognize the unequal treaties signed between the great powers and the Qing government, which directly infringed upon the great powers' interests in China, undermined the United States' open door policy, and once again set off a frenzy of imperialism to divide up China's territory.

Tsarist Russia was the most active in partitioning China, so Pukodi was the first to speak: "The Russian Empire hopes that everyone can understand. We must make one point clear: we support the Beiyang government. Even if China is reunited, the unifying force must be the Beiyang government. The Forward Party and the liberated areas it occupies must disappear, and the losses currently suffered by the Great Russian Empire must be compensated..."

Pukodi was trembling at this time, because the envoys of Britain, France, Japan, Russia and other countries had held secret talks and reached a consensus that the great powers would unite to call the liberated areas to again demand the conclusion of a treaty. The Forward Party must recognize all treaties signed by the Qing government, otherwise the great powers would once again form a coalition to attack China.

After hearing what Di Kedi said, Mu Mo immediately said: "With the tough attitude of the Qing rebels, what they can't get on the battlefield, they will definitely not get at the negotiation table."

Rockefeller also said: "War is by no means the best solution. If it comes to resorting to force, America will reserve its opinion."

Japanese Minister Yasuya Uchida immediately retorted: "China is now the last colony large enough for the great powers to divide up. We should unite again, send more troops, completely eliminate China's resistance, weaken China, and achieve the goal of dividing up China's territory."

Pukodi immediately supported this, saying, "The Great Russian Empire can send at least 300,000 troops to attack from the north to contain the rebel forces, allowing the armies of various countries to land in Vladivostok and attack Northeast China. The navy will also send warships and transport troops to China, and advance together with other countries to completely eliminate the resistance forces in China..."

"The Empire of Japan could also dispatch at least 300,000 troops from Korea to attack Northeast China. They would allow other nations to obtain coal, food, and other supplies from Taiwan. Troop transports would also operate alongside other nations to land in places like Shanghai. Warships would also join forces with the other powers to deal with Qing rebel forces..."

French Minister Lupin also said: "The French Army will send troops from Vietnam to attack Guangxi and Yunnan. Troops from various countries can anchor in Vietnamese ports or Guangzhou Bay to obtain supplies..."

Zhu Erdian leaned back and said, "This time, we are definitely not just talking. If China is unified by the Progressive Party, it will be a nightmare for all the great powers. For this reason, I hope that all countries can put aside some of their interests, stop their unpleasant actions, act together, and take all necessary measures to divide China."

Italian Minister Barelli excitedly said: "We in Italy express our support. On the issue of China, we must support the principle of unity among the great powers."

Italy had previously sent warships to forcibly lease Sanmen. By the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance's invasion of China, a total of about 2500 Italian invading troops arrived in northern Zhili and then went to Beijing one after another. Therefore, Italy was a member of the coalition from beginning to end, and was also one of the determined powers to invade China.

Lu Ban also immediately said: "In this operation, France and the British Empire are in agreement and will take unified action."

After the powers finished speaking, Jordan looked around and said, "The British Empire will provide Yuan Shikai with the greatest financial and material support, including weapons, to support the Chinese civil war and send officers to the Beiyang Army...to ensure Yuan Shikai's military victory and safeguard the interests of the powers in China."

Mu Mo said, "Have you ever thought about this? Why didn't we divide China when we attacked the Qing Dynasty? We couldn't even enter Shanxi. Just like Li Hongzhang said, if we want to destroy China, then we will have to face the Boxers everywhere. Is the Beiyang Army a match for the People's Liberation Army? Therefore, even if we invest more, we may not be able to achieve the final victory."

"So we are advancing simultaneously from all directions, seizing Qing territory from every direction, and doing everything we can to weaken China. As long as we work together and persevere in weakening China, one day we will be able to completely destroy China."

After hearing this, Mumo was shocked and had other thoughts in his mind. If the great powers really sent troops at the same time, would Germany be able to gain more benefits in Shandong? Or even seize the entire Shandong?

Just as Mummer was about to speak, Balely said, "Although Italy doesn't have many interests in China, we are taking unified action like the other great powers. If the coalition forces attack, the Italian warriors will not hesitate at all."

Faced with Italy's unannounced backstab, Mummer immediately shut up. The Allies might disagree internally, but they absolutely couldn't let Britain and France see their flaws. It seemed the Progress Party's unanimous stance toward foreigners had made them unpopular.

Zhu Erdian said in a deep voice: "I hope that everyone will discuss this clearly with their motherland. China must integrate into the civilized world under the supervision of all countries and must not be separated from the control of all countries. This is the responsibility of each of our countries."

Uchida Yasuya immediately stood up and stated: "The Empire of Japan can guarantee that if any country needs it, we will spare no effort to provide due assistance. We will also support overseas revolutionary parties, allowing them to cooperate with other countries to incite uprisings and welcome the imperial army. At the same time, we will help forces close to the great powers and help landlords and other forces persecuted by the Progressive Party to build armies and weaken the interests of the rebels..."

If Britain was merely afraid of China's strength, then for Japan, it was a matter of survival. The fruits of victory in the Russo-Japanese War were snatched away by the People's Liberation Army, a pain that will always remain with Japan. The losses were extremely severe, and the rice riots that occurred in Japan have not yet completely subsided. Even Emperor Meiji was forced to once again call on his people to eat only one meal a day and tighten their belts.

It wasn't that Japan didn't want to invade Northeast China; it was simply too impoverished to afford another attack. Furthermore, Japan had a clear understanding of the situation in China, as evidenced by the Forward Party's policies in Northeast China. If this continued, it wouldn't be long before Japan could no longer afford to fight China. A strong China was completely against the interests of the Empire of Japan. If there was indeed someone to pay for sending troops to China, or even to plunder or exploit China, the Empire of Japan would absolutely not allow this opportunity to slip away.

After hearing this, Rockefeller simply smiled and said, "If everyone agrees to use force, then the United States will naturally participate. However, all countries must maintain an open door policy and protect America's interests."

The United States now has only a few hundred thousand troops in the army, which is a pocket-sized army. Naturally, it knows that it cannot compete with other powers and cannot seize much Chinese land. Therefore, the United States must emphasize the open door policy. Only in this way can it gain more benefits.

Then, the Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, and even Portugal all expressed their opinions. Zhu Erdian continued to stare at Mummer, who finally smiled and said, "Germany is also a member of the civilized world. We are naturally willing to work with other countries to help China integrate into the civilized world..."

Hearing what Mu Mo said, Zhu Erdian breathed a sigh of relief and said, "China must never be separated from the control of other countries. Therefore, the principle of unity among the great powers towards China is truly in everyone's interest. Okay, everyone, we must act as soon as possible, arm the Beiyang Group, arm the local forces that oppose the Revolutionary Party, provide them with money and weapons, and then prepare to divide China. As for how much interest we can get in the end, it depends on the contribution of each country. The most basic rule is that the land obtained by the army of which country will become its colony. After China is destroyed, any conflicts of interest will be resolved through negotiation."

Chapter 710:

Mummer was still very unhappy about Zhu Erdian's coercion. If Germany completely broke off relations with the liberated areas and went to war, it would lose a lot of interests. Moreover, Germany and China were too far apart. How could China's unification and rise harm Germany's interests?

At this time, trade between China and Germany was showing signs of further growth, and even some Germans were calling for the return of Qingdao to China. They stated that as long as China and Germany could trade more, Germany would be willing to give up even the small profits it had in Qingdao. This demonstrates Germany's thirst for overseas trade. After all, how could a tiny Qingdao compare to the entirety of China? A single large-scale transaction could completely eclipse the gains from Qingdao.

According to Germany's own statistics, its foreign trade volume last year reached 30 billion marks, while Britain's was only a few billion marks ahead of Germany. The vast majority of Germany's increase came from trade with the liberated areas, and trade volume is expected to continue rising. Germany is confident that if this trend continues, its foreign trade volume this year will surpass Britain's for the first time, becoming the world's largest.

German industry and banking circles believed that as long as economic and trade cooperation between the Liberated Areas and Germany continued, trade volume would continue to increase, and the German economy would have found a new growth point and breakthrough. If Germany could occupy the opened Chinese market, the German economy would reach a new level.

Of course, the Chinese were also very sensible. Whether intentionally or not, the Liberated Area government had, to this point, consistently advocated maintaining the status quo and had indeed not engaged in any negotiations with Germany regarding Qingdao. Even supplies purchased from Germany were landed in Qingdao, and cooperation between the two sides was very pleasant. Therefore, Mummer sincerely did not want to interrupt economic and trade cooperation with the Liberated Area at this time.

However, the principle of unity among the great powers towards China also bound Germany. If Germany acted independently, it would be completely suppressed by the great powers. Not to mention other things, if Britain had not tacitly allowed merchant ships to obtain logistical supplies in British colonies along the way, then trade between China and Germany would definitely be countless times more difficult. Not to mention increasing the trade volume between China and Germany, it would be impossible to maintain the current trade volume.

However, he hadn't expected that Jordan's proposal to divide China and eliminate the Forward Party would garner support from nearly every country. Even Germany's ally, Italy, sided with the British. Countries like Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire, whether voluntarily or under duress, voted in favor. This left Mummer feeling torn. Terminating cooperation with the liberated areas would be costly, but the Triple Alliance must remain unanimous; the principle of unity among the great powers could not be violated. This left Mummer feeling deeply conflicted.

After the meeting, Mummer returned to the embassy and immediately sent a telegram to Berlin to report on the day's events and request instructions. Mummer then sent a telegram to Max Hoffmann, the liaison officer responsible for military cooperation with the liberated areas, seeking his opinion. Hoffmann had traveled to the Far East as a German military observer to observe the Russo-Japanese War. After witnessing the Fifth Field Army, he developed a strong interest in it and reported back to China, ultimately being assigned to work in Wuhan.

While waiting for the report, Mummer sat by the telegraph machine, smoking a cigar with a sad look on his face.

As a German diplomat, his mission was to safeguard Germany's interests in China, and everything he did had to be done with Germany's interests in mind. How could he best serve Germany's interests? Mummer couldn't find the answer.

The two telegrams were delivered to Mummer, and what made Mummer even more upset was that the two telegrams expressed diametrically opposed attitudes toward China. Berlin's quick response stemmed from the fact that its top brass didn't truly understand China. Many still believed that China was still the same as it had been during the Qing Dynasty, or during the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance. Berlin even believed that if the liberated areas could conduct such large trade with Germany, then the inland powers would be able to do the same. Berlin even believed that once the Allied forces were formed, the division of China would be a foregone conclusion, and Germany would be able to seize the opportunity to expand its interests in Shandong and obtain huge reparations.

However, a telegram from Hoffman in Wuhan conveyed a completely different message. Hoffman explicitly told Mummer that the Beiyang New Army was no match for the PLA, even with the full support of the British. As for a direct military invasion by the great powers, Hoffman also stated that the coalition could at most rely on its massive warships and artillery to occupy portions of the coastal and riverine areas, achieving some initial success and seizing some territory, but annihilating the PLA and the Forward Party would be impossible. Hoffman stated that while the PLA might not be a match for the coalition in the short term, victory for the coalition would be far more complex than the Boxer Rebellion. Furthermore, the Forward Party was fully capable of turning China into a quagmire of war, engulfing all participating nations. This quagmire would far exceed the quagmire of the Boer War, consuming tens of billions or even more in resources and still be a bottomless pit. Ultimately, the great powers' armies would flee China in disgrace, and China would reclaim all its lost territories and privileges.

Hoffmann was even more adamantly opposed to joining the Allied forces, stating that such an action would only intensify the Chinese people's hatred of the great powers and increase their xenophobia. He argued that Germany would gain China's friendship and gain greater benefits if it did not join the Allied forces. He argued that Germany should cooperate more with the liberated areas, strengthen the People's Liberation Army, increase its weaponry, and weaken the power of Britain, France, Russia, and Japan. This would truly serve Germany's interests.

The two telegrams put Mummer in a dilemma. Berlin was the highest diplomat's directive, while Hoffman's was more reasonable. After all, Hoffman had the most understanding of the PLA's strength, had conducted the most in-depth research, and had the most say. So, should he obey Berlin or support Hoffman?

Mummer sat with the telegram for half an hour, and finally made up his mind. He immediately sent a telegram to Hoffman asking: "Can you be responsible for what you said? Will China become a quagmire of war? How does the People's Liberation Army compare to the German army?"

"I'm responsible for what I said. The Chinese and German armies have a combat strength ratio of 3 to 1 to 5 to 1. However, China now has at least four domestically produced steel arsenals. The Forward Party can arm 100,000, 200,000, or even 1 million troops at any time. The armies of the foreign powers that penetrate deep into China will be surrounded by enemies on all sides..."

Mummer looked at the telegram sent by Hoffman. After an unknown amount of time, he finally made up his mind and made the final choice. Although Berlin's instructions might be correct, he still supported Hoffman's choice. If the Allied forces really were to be caught in a protracted war, then Germany would be the best choice to wait and see, and not join immediately.

If the great powers were mired in a war with China, the benefits to Germany would be immense. Not only would they be able to weaken Britain, France, Russia, and Japan, but they would also be able to see the combat effectiveness of the armies of the great powers. Even if the great powers were to advance with unstoppable force, China's territory was vast enough that the war would not end quickly. It wouldn't be too late for Germany to join the fight to carve up China in a few months.

Mummer immediately sent another telegram to Berlin: "Your Excellency, I think your decision on the formation of a coalition army was somewhat hasty. Hoffman has a different view on this. His reply is attached. I hope Berlin will take it into consideration..."

In this era of slow and opaque information transmission, the power of foreign ministers is very great. They play a series of roles such as spies, businessmen, and missionaries. Although they need to execute domestic orders, their suggestions must be considered by the country because no one knows the local situation better than them. A pragmatic attitude is necessary at this time.

This time, the telegram arrived much later, and it took two hours to receive a reply from Berlin: "The principle of unity among the great powers regarding China must not be violated, and the diplomatic corps must act in unison. If military intervention is necessary, the German troops in Qingdao can be deployed. Cooperation and trade with the Qing rebels must continue, and the interests of the empire must be protected..."

Upon seeing this telegram about trampling on a ship, Mummer breathed a sigh of relief. National interests were paramount, and there was no question of betrayal; it was simply that national interests differed. With the Berlin telegram, Mummer knew what he should do. If the Allied offensive went smoothly, Germany could naturally expand its interests in Shandong.

At this time, Zhang Yinghao did not know that the foreign powers had united to prepare for another invasion. When the mutiny broke out in the capital, Zhang Yinghao got the news immediately, but Yuan Datou still blocked the news of the death of Cixi and Guangxu very well, and Zhang Yinghao was not sure what had happened in the capital at this time.

However, after Yuan Shikai sent troops to suppress the "mutiny," peace quickly returned to the capital. With Yuan Shikai's wealth, he embarked on a frenzied expansion of the Beiyang Army. However, this also led to a decline in the army's combat effectiveness. After all, those who joined the army at that time simply wanted to earn a living and a military title, and even many PLA soldiers were no exception. However, if the Beiyang Army went to war, these new recruits, without sufficient salary, would be unlikely to fight bravely.

Yuan Datou was aware of these developments, but he was pressed for time and didn't care. Furthermore, he couldn't sleep or eat without resolving one issue. So, during a meeting, he told Duan Qirui and the others, "Shanhai Pass is controlled by the Red Bandits. Their cavalry can reach the capital in a day or two. This poses a huge threat to us. If we want to gain sufficient training time, we must seize Shanhai Pass. What do you think?"

Duan Qirui and his men naturally knew that there were no more important passes between Shanhaiguan and the capital, and it could even be said that it was flat. Therefore, the Beiyang army had to recapture Shanhaiguan. Only by recaptured this strategic location could the capital be safer.

However, the Red Bandits have occupied this strategic location for quite some time. The Beiyang government can only recapture this location by sending troops. If this is the case, then it means a formal war with the Red Bandits. Is this really a good idea?

However, since Yuan Shikai wanted to recapture Shanhaiguan, the soldiers below had no choice but to fight tooth and nail. The Beiyang government also needed to know the military strength of the rebels outside the pass in order to prepare for future actions.

Duan Qirui immediately said: "Your Excellency is right, then let's recapture Shanhaiguan! The Red Bandits only have more than 5,000 people in Shanhaiguan. At most, we can concentrate ten times the force and we will definitely be able to recapture Shanhaiguan in one fell swoop. This way, we can easily keep the rebels outside the pass."

"Okay, Zhiquan, I'll leave this to you. I'll give you the troops from four towns. Bring plenty of cannons and naval vessels. We must take Shanhaiguan in one fell swoop. And we must move quickly and secretly to prevent the Red Bandits from being prepared."

Four towns, almost 50,000 people. Attacking Shanhaiguan with ten times the force, there is no reason why we cannot capture Shanhaiguan.

The Beiyang New Army began to secretly gather and mobilize to the foot of Shanhaiguan, preparing to recapture Shanhaiguan from the People's Liberation Army in one fell swoop. However, mobilizing the forces of four towns was not an easy task, and keeping it secret was even more difficult. So, Zhang Yinghao soon received the news, and the soldiers at Shanhaiguan also received orders and prepared to resist the enemy.

While Yuan Shikai was mobilizing his army, he also began preparing to become emperor. After Yuan Shikai sent his troops to blockade the palace, he sent Feng Guozhang, a loyal "Beiyang dog," to meet with Empress Yulong. Under the threat of bayonets, he demanded that she write a letter of abdication.

"Your Majesty, the Qing Empire is in turmoil. Emperor Guangxu was murdered by Empress Dowager Cixi, who has also passed away. The people are alienated from the Qing Dynasty. The court has lost the people's support and is unworthy of its position. The Qing Dynasty has effectively collapsed. To maintain peace in the world and for the people, Governor Yuan hopes that Your Majesty will write an edict of abdication, following the system of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and abdicate the throne to Your Majesty."

"Abdicate? Are you... planning a rebellion? Are you plotting to usurp the throne?"

"Empress, our Lord is not seeking to usurp the throne, but is obeying the will of Heaven. Heaven's will cannot be violated. Your Lordship is doing this for the common people of the world, to save Chinese civilization and traditions from being destroyed by the Red Bandits. If the Red Bandits invade this capital and seize the country, with their brutality and practice of communal wives, your fate will be unimaginable!"

Empress Dowager Longyu was no fool; she clearly understood what all this meant. While she had a premonition of the Qing's imminent demise and feared the rumors of the Red Bandits, she had never imagined the Qing would fall at the hands of Yuan Shikai. However, she was merely a woman in the inner palace. Facing heavily armed soldiers, what could she do? The situation was already settled, and she didn't even dare to struggle.

She wanted to kill Yuan Datou and the others, but it was impossible. The entire palace, and even the entire capital, was undoubtedly under Yuan Datou's control. She was just a woman, how could she possibly turn the tide and restore the country? Even her survival depended on Yuan Datou and the others' wishes, so naturally, she had no choice but to obey Yuan Datou's orders.

Under the threat of bayonets, Empress Longyu could only write the abdication edict according to Yuan Shikai's wishes while shedding tears. After writing it, Feng Guozhang stamped it with the seized jade seal.

After Feng Guozhang received the abdication edict written by Empress Longyu, he went to report to Yuan Datou. Yuan Datou knew he had reached the pinnacle of power. He was free to choose whether to support a puppet emperor or ascend the throne himself. Yuan Datou was deeply conflicted. He knew the Qing court had reached a point where it had to be overthrown, but if he directly proclaimed himself emperor, there would be more problems. Most importantly, he feared becoming like Dong Zhuo, ultimately ending up dead or even exterminated.

However, if Zhao Kuangyin was forced into the imperial throne by his subordinates, then wouldn't the Beiyang government have someone who wanted to follow the emperor's lead? Even if Yuan Shikai didn't want to be emperor, his subordinates would have pushed him to that position for further advancement. If they still supported a puppet emperor, would their status still be able to improve?

Xu Shichang looked at the edict and smiled, "Gong Bao, the abdication edict is in hand. You have the right to be righteous, and no one will challenge you for the throne. The most important thing now is to gain the support of the great powers. As long as the great powers stand up and recognize you, you can immediately ascend the throne and become emperor."

Yuan Datou nodded as he picked up the imperial edict, but he was still worried. The imperial edict was just a title; the most important thing was whether he could hold on to his throne.

"Alas, the Manchus call me a living Cao Cao, but I'm worried about becoming Dong Zhuo! If the Beiyang Army can't defeat the Red Bandits, then..."

"Sir, overthrowing the Qing court is imperative. If we don't make a final stand, we will be slowly strangled by the Red Bandits. This edict is used to silence the gossips. Now is a matter of life and death. Supporting a puppet emperor to maintain the Qing court's continued rule is no longer necessary. Instead, it will tie our hands and feet, and it will be difficult to form a joint force by bickering with each other. Therefore, in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. We should directly ascend the throne and become emperor. With legitimate authority, who dares to disobey? In the face of the brutal and inhumane Red Bandits, all the landlords and gentry in the world will support us."

“When will it be announced?”

Yuan Shiqi, Yuan's trusted advisor, immediately said, "Sir, a country cannot be without a ruler for a day, and a family cannot be without a master for a day. I think it is better to act sooner rather than later. Delaying will easily lead to changes, and the longer we delay, the more disadvantageous it will be for us. We should immediately announce the death of Cixi and Guangxu, and then ascend the throne as quickly as possible. By the time others want to oppose it, everything will have been settled."

“Will the people of the world support it?”

"Of course, the Red Bandits' land division has caused panic among the people, and their excessive killings have been unpopular. The landlords and gentry have long been complaining, and they must support us, the Beiyang government."

For the Beiyang clique that suppressed the Boxer Rebellion and other peasant uprisings, and for Yuan Shikai, the "human butcher," the concept of "people" was incomprehensible to them. They only trusted the weapons in their hands. As for the people? No matter how many people there were, they were still just a mob. How many Boxers were there? No matter how brave and fearless they were, they could still kill as many as they wanted.

People see the benefits but not the harm, just as fish see the bait but not the hook. Yuan Datou was also blinded by greed at this time. Faced with the throne within reach, he could not remain calm and instead became hot-headed. After being persuaded by his subordinates and after what he thought was a calm analysis, he also felt that these words made sense. So he immediately decided: "Let's do it this way. Announce tomorrow that Emperor Guangxu was killed by Empress Dowager Cixi and that Cixi has passed away. Then announce the abdication edict."

The next day, Yuan Datou announced the deaths of Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi. This news spread throughout China and abroad, causing an uproar. Although Yuan Datou repeatedly claimed that Emperor Guangxu was murdered by Cixi, who would believe him? Cixi was already over 70 years old, and dead was dead. But what reason did she have to kill Guangxu? The Qing Dynasty was now facing internal and external troubles. Could Cixi have wanted the Qing Dynasty to perish immediately? It made no sense.

For a time, everyone was discussing the cause of Guangxu's death, with the claim that he was murdered by Yuan Shikai becoming increasingly prevalent. After all, Yuan Shikai had not only stabbed Guangxu in the back, but his nickname, "Living Cao Cao," was well-deserved, lending weight to his claim of having killed Emperor Guangxu. Furthermore, Guangxu had indeed been poisoned, and with the Beiyang Army now blockading the imperial palace, who would believe his own defense? Even if Yuan Shikai had sought out members of the Qing imperial family or Empress Longyu to exonerate him, they would have been seen as forced to lie under the threat of his bayonet, leaving him with no defense.

If Yuan Datou had announced the news of the deaths of Guangxu and Cixi immediately when the Qing royal family blocked the news, then naturally Yuan Datou would have been in trouble. At this time, he would have been speechless. It was like yellow mud falling on his crotch. It was shit, and he couldn't wash it off even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

However, in order to avoid being branded as the person who killed the emperor, to avoid resentment from monarchies such as Britain, Japan, Russia and Germany, and to gain their support, Yuan Shikai kept arguing and trying to clear his name, and even invited diplomats from powerful countries such as Britain, France, Russia and Germany to intervene in order to prove that he did not kill Guangxu.

Zhang Yinghao was speechless when he saw what Yuan Datou did. Yuan Datou's operation was really amazing. He had never died, but he seemed to have no public relations experience at all. This way of handling things was really self-destructive and worse than garbage.

Chapter 711:

Zhang Yinghao thought for a moment. If it were him, why would he hide it? He would openly admit that he had killed Emperor Guangxu. After all, the sage said: "To bear the disgrace of the country is to be the master of the country; to bear the misfortune of the country is to be the king of the world!" How many dynasties have changed in Chinese history? How many separatist regimes have risen and fallen? How many emperors have died in history? What's the big deal about the death of an emperor now? According to traditional logic, is there a problem with killing an emperor and then becoming emperor himself? There is no problem at all!

The people's lives were so hard that they didn't care who was the emperor. The emperor didn't represent the interests of the people, and the people really didn't care when the emperor died. Yuan Shikai only needed to hype up the fact that the Qing Dynasty was a disaster for China and the people. There are countless examples like this. He said that overthrowing the Qing Dynasty was a righteous act because he couldn't bear to see the people suffer. What else could the world say? What else could they say?

As for the hostility of the great powers, that was merely a technical matter. All that was needed was to tell the diplomats of the great powers that the emperor had not been killed himself. As for the grieving of the savage, the Guangxu Emperor was already dead. At most, there would be a few empty words. Who would really avenge him?