The difficult negotiations between China and Japan are still continuing. In order to ensure the smooth recovery of Shandong, Xiao Yimin tried his best to meet the various orders issued by Duan Qirui and the various requirements put forward, and maintained a rare restraint on the differences in major policies.

In November, Duan Qirui called Xiao Yimin again, informing Xu Shuzheng that he wanted to evacuate Kulun in the spring next year and move south to Pingjin. He also asked the Nanjing camp to obey the orders of the central government and carry out necessary repairs and restoration of the Russian Consulate in Nanjing as soon as possible and hand over to Russian diplomatic officials who are about to go to Ningbo to start their work.

After repeated analysis by Xiao Yimin and his think tanks, they finally saw the shadow of the Japanese hidden behind Duan Qirui's series of decisions through many appearances.

Although Xiao Yimin was quite at ease with Duan Qirui's national stance and character, Yang Du and the generals did not trust the many pro-Japanese generals and officials of the Duan Qirui Group. They agreed that even if they paid a greater price, they could not give up the large amount of Mongolia land that they had finally settled. Otherwise, not only would all their previous efforts be wasted, but they would also increase Japan's long-planned ambition to invade China and then dismember China.

According to the readjustment of the overall action plan, Xiao Yimin, the commander of the Chengdu headquarters, ordered Bao Jiqing, to take action immediately, and take the First Corps of the Engineer Corps stationed in Chengdu and the Military Recruitment and Logistics Transportation Force of the Headquarters stationed in Chengdu, and to do his best to transport weapons, ammunition and other military supplies to the Yulin Military Base and the various military stations in northern Shaanxi to ensure that the two infantry divisions of the Yulin Group Army and the two cavalry brigades successfully completed the task of heading north to defend the Kulun area in February next year.

At the same time, Xiao Yimin, in the name of Commander-in-Chief, generals such as Deng Xihou, commander of the Yulin Army, said: First, immediately mobilize 50,000 soldiers and newly recruited Ganzhou and Shaanxi recruit divisions to overcome the severe cold, fearing difficulties, and vigorously carry out winter training; Second, the Yulin Army Command should collect as many war horses as possible, form two cavalry brigades and carry out training; Third, it is recommended that the Yulin Army Army military supplies logistics troops leave all the rubber-wheeled heavy-duty carriages transporting supplies from Sichuan and Hanzhong to the various military stations of the Yulin Base, and form two baggage battalions directly under the Group Army Command; Fourth, the Yulin Military Base and the various military stations should be ordered to exchange the 8,000 pack horses and 15,000 plowing oxen from Mongolian tribes for several months with salt, tea, daily industrial products and replacement and elimination weapons, and hand over to the military logistics transport troops to take back to the rear of Sichuan.

The order was issued, and everything was going on quietly. Xiao Yimin calmly sent a reply to Duan Qirui, saying that after repeated discussions by the Nanjing Camp Military Committee, it was decided to send Deng Xihou Group Army to two infantry divisions and a cavalry regiment in the Jiuyuan area before April next year, and go north to Kulun to take over the defense of Xu Shuzheng's troops.

Duan Qirui finally breathed a sigh of relief when he received a call from Xiao Yimin. Although Xiao Yimin's response to the hidden needle in Jinli was a potential threat to direct control of the Chahar and Rehe areas, it was definitely the only effective way to preserve the large tract of Mongolia that had finally recovered.

Therefore, no matter how civil and military officials accuse Xiao Yimin's group of bad ambitions, they repeatedly reminded Duan Qirui not to be deceived by Xiao Yimin's so-called "righteousness". Several pro-Japanese think tanks even shouted that they would rather give up Kulun than allow Xiao Yimin's group to become popular.

Duan Qirui still used a patient persuasion method and conveyed to everyone three calls from Xu Shuzheng and the 20,000 soldiers northwards must not give up a single inch of land, saying that they must never create a strong enemy at this time of internal and external troubles. They should open their minds and strive to maintain good relations with Nanjing. Then they explained in detail that since Xiao Yimin is willing to take over Kulun, it is equivalent to taking the initiative to bear the pressure that Japan and Russia have continuously put on the central government due to Mongolia's interests. As well as the huge troubles that may be brought about, the current financial and manpower of the central government and the headquarters are really beyond the reach, and those who should give up must be given up.

After Duan Qirui's clear position and repeated explanations, he finally struggled to withstand all the pressure from inside and outside, and then put the Kulun issue aside. He turned all his energy to North China and Central Plains.

The military confrontation between Zhi-Anhui and Fengtian factions is still continuing. The negotiations between the two sides are intermittent and quarrels. Xiao Yimin, who was unable to participate, attached great importance to this. He secretly used all means that can be mobilized and used a large amount of funds to bribe and win over and divide people at all levels of Zhi-Feng factions. Through the many intelligence secretly sent back by the Beijing Station of the Military Intelligence Bureau, he closely paid attention to the mobilization, supply, civilian recruitment and internal mobilization of Fengtian troops in Chenyang, Jinzhou and other places. Finally, he came to an important conclusion: Zhang Zuolin, who was supported by the Japanese army, would never withdraw his troops and return to the camp without getting anything. From the current analysis of the amount of military supplies transferred to the front line of Shanhaiguan in Chenyang, Lushun, Jinzhou and other places, a war is inevitable and it is likely to suddenly break out around the Spring Festival.

What's ridiculous is that Duan Qirui and others still believe that Zhang Zuolin was bluffing and threatening 100,000 soldiers to exchange for his political interests through nonsense negotiations. However, with the strong mediation of the Japanese and the League of Nations investigation team, the 100,000 Fengtian troops on the front line of Shanhaiguan will sooner or later withdraw from the pass.

Therefore, after discussing with Cao Kun and other generals, Duan Qirui turned most of his energy to the Sino-Japanese negotiations in Beijing and Henan, which he was determined to win.

Faced with the ever-changing situation in the north and the huge decision-making mistakes of Duan Qirui Group in the political and military fields, Xiao Yimin keenly saw the huge opportunities contained in it and decided to accelerate his actions.

In early November, Xiao Yimin changed his previous tolerant and low-key style and frequently met with the envoys, financial consortiums in Europe and the United States to China, and the United States, France and Italy. From November 10 to 12, he held long talks with members of the League of Nations investigation team and the plenipotent representatives of the British, American, French and Italy banking group respectively.

On November 13, Wang Zhengting, director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Nanjing Camp and the newly appointed deputy director of the Nanjing Camp Military Committee of the Central Military and Political Department, led a delegation of more than 30 people to set off from Shanghai and visited the United States and European countries. More than 20 officials from European and American countries in China were accompanied by more than 20 officials from European and American countries in China.

On November 15, the annual meeting of the Chinese Democratic Party was grandly held in Nanjing. The enlarged military and political meeting of the Nanjing camp was held at the same time. Political elites from all provinces across the country, military governors, governors and guard commanders from all provinces in the south gathered in Nanjing.

On November 18, the Democratic National Conference successfully concluded, and the three important economic development proposals proposed by Xiao Yimin were unanimously approved by all representatives of the Party.

The enlarged military and political meeting of the Nanjing camp ended as well. After repeatedly weighing the pros and cons and estimating their own gains and losses, the governors of various provinces reached a series of secret agreements with Xiao Yimin.

In late November, eight groups of large-horsepower locomotives imported from the United States were transported to Pukou Locomotive Factory, and the capacity of the Jinpu Railway suddenly tripled.

The Nanjing camp immediately carried out large-scale material transportation to the garrisons in Jinan, Yanzhou, Tai'an, Dezhou and other places in Shandong through the Jinpu Railway. Within 20 days, there were more than 300 120mm heavy artillery, 600 battalion company-level 75mm light infantry artillery, 2,000 mortars of various calibers, hundreds of millions of bullets of various types and 200,000 shells, more than 2,000 new light and heavy machine guns, 100,000 tons of grain, and 150,000 sets of quilts passed through the Jinpu Line and sent to the soldiers of Wu Peifu and Zeng Chaoran.

The Nanjing camp's move terrified the Japanese government and Duan Qirui Group. The Japanese immediately terminated the Sino-Japanese negotiations and severely questioned the purpose of Nanjing's large-scale replenishment of weapons and ammunition; Duan Qirui and the Army Headquarters repeatedly called Xiao Yimin and the Nanjing camp, first asking about the specific situation, and then strictly ordered Xiao Yimin to stop all actions that could provoke disputes and war.

Xiao Yimin didn't care about this. He first announced through a regular press conference of the Nanjing camp that this move was purely a normal supply of military supplies and was necessary to provide the people in the disaster area to help millions of victims survive the cold winter and make all preparations for spring farming production. There was no military targeting.

Immediately afterwards, all newspapers and magazines under the Democratic Party and all public opinion media controlled by the Nanjing Camp began to set off a huge public opinion war, and conducted comprehensive reports on the details of the Sino-Japanese negotiations, directly pointing out the major policy errors of the central government controlled by Duan Qirui Group on the Shandong issue, the North China issue, the Zhifeng dispute, etc., and launched a nationwide discussion with reasonable and evidence, and encouraged all patriotic people to participate in politics and make decisions.

For a time, there were loud calls from north to south of China, and there were endless criticisms of the Duan Qirui government. The heated discussion caused by the large-scale military preparations of the Nanjing camp was forgotten by the vast majority of citizens.

On December 28, heavy snow covered the entire territory of Shandong, and the North China region was filled with snow and the cold wind was howling. Just when everyone thought that 1919 could finally be passed safely, Zhang Zuolin, who had already completed military preparations, finally launched a full-scale attack.

The 120,000 troops of Zhi'an, which were scattered and unprepared, were about to collapse at once, and the two lines of defense, which lasted 170 kilometers, were all broken within one day.

On January 1st, the Fengtian Army left-wing troops that attacked Tangshan in one breath were running unstoppable and forced to Ninghe north of Tianjin. The right-wing troops of the central army commanded by Zhang Zuolin completely occupied Yutian County and began to regroup and threaten the capital. Only the right-wing troops commanded by Yang Yuting encountered the stubborn obstacles of the Fifth Division of the Beiyang Army and the 14th Division on the Zunhua front line.

When the news came out, the whole country was shocked. Only the Japanese army, which had succeeded in the conspiracy, cheered and evacuated three brigades of Japanese troops from Jinan, Yantai, Weihai and other places under the supervision of the League of Nations investigation team and the Sino-Japanese negotiation team. They actually turned to Lushun to "land and rest" despite any opposition.

On January 10, more than 1,500 Japanese Marine Corps officers and soldiers who finally evacuated Qingdao also forced their docking while passing through the Lushun Sea, and then drove away a brigade and Feng army in the Dalian military camp and stationed in a noble place.

On January 15, after fierce discussions and approval from their governments, the ministers of European and American countries to China officially announced that they would give up their armed intervention in Vladivostok and other regions in the Far East. The four countries of Britain, the United States, France and Italy simultaneously announced their progress and withdrew their teams stationed in Vladivostok to Tianjin to protect the lives and property of the expatriates from various countries.

At this point, Red Russia finally got rid of the heavy pressure from European and American powers in the Far East and began to have secret contact with the angry Japanese government.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ps: Thank you for the great reward for the 70-children! Thank you for your subscription, recommendations and monthly tickets, brothers!

Continue to ask for subscription and other support!
Chapter completed!