Chapter 11: Discussing Fortune in the Presidential Palace Yuan gives up power to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Please give me your monthly vote!)

"...Recently, generals from various provinces and division commanders have frequently come to Beijing to report on their duties. Such a large-scale "report on their duties" is believed to be related to "China's participation in the war." It is said that the First Division of the Jiangsu Army is ready to go to war.

!”

"Sunchon Times"

This is the first time since the Republic of China that a general has conducted a large-scale debriefing event. Yuan Shikai, as the host, naturally treats such a large-scale "duty debriefing" activity as a top priority: in terms of form, it first creates an unusual situation

The atmosphere adopts the etiquette of Xinjiang officials meeting the president, setting up the table and etiquette. Yuan Shikai wears a white tassel military cap and a blue uniform of the generalissimo with gold epaulettes. He sits majestically on the throne of the president.

When you come in and go out, you always take a goose-like step.

However, the content of his "duty report" is bizarre and ridiculous: Duty report, as the name suggests, people sent by Wei Chu to foreign countries or places to perform special missions will report on the performance of their duties after being recalled. But Yuan Shikai did not, when the general debriefing came in

However, he changed his usual greetings and asked about household affairs, the security of the province, and the people's sentiments. After waiting for everyone to answer one by one, he hurriedly changed the topic and asked:

"Now that the National Assembly has reopened and the State Council has been separated, tell me, how are state affairs being handled now?"

This kind of questioning made some generals very frightened:

"What is this thing called? Why would the president ask this question?"

Therefore, when they are confused, there are always some people who are dumbfounded by questions. But Yuan Shikai doesn't care. For him, he just wants to test the tone of these people and tell them through this "debriefing",

He, Yuan Shikai, is their biggest backer.

Of course, the development of things was always somewhat unsatisfactory, especially when he tried to ask the provincial generals about their attitude towards participating in the war. Both the provincial generals and the division commanders all became ambiguous in their attitudes and sharpened their words.

For the generals and division commanders of the private army, they have no leisure to take their belongings to Europe and work for the French. Although what they sacrifice their lives for is the dignity of the country, in any case, it will be shattered by then.

Own belongings.

Under such circumstances, naturally no one is willing to send troops, so of course there are no straightforward answers, but only equivocal attitudes.

Naturally, Yuan Shikai was very disappointed with their answers. It could even be said that he was extremely disappointed. However, he could not reveal his intentions. Knowing the thoughts of those people, he certainly knew that sometimes the more you push, the more counterproductive it will be. Therefore, no matter what

No matter how the other party remembered his disappointment, he would still chat with the other party cheerfully, and even stay with them for dinner at Zhongnanhai when last minute.

After entering Zhongnanhai, under the guidance of Lei Zhenchun, Li Zicheng came to Jurentang. It was well known in the capital that Yuan Shikai was very particular about hierarchy when meeting others: those with the best connections and higher status had a small meeting downstairs in Jurentang.

We meet in the guest room; those with ordinary relationships, especially those with prominent status, only meet "in the big round mirror".

According to Li Zicheng's identity, as before, Yuan Shikai still chose to receive guests at a small reception. This surprised even Lei Zhenchun, the director of the Military and Political Law Enforcement Division. But now he has become accustomed to it. Li Zicheng came to the Presidential Palace without any notification.

, usually come directly to the small reception room of Jurentang,

As soon as he saw Li Zicheng coming, Yuan Shikai hurriedly took a few steps to greet him, then shook hands and greeted him. After a while in the living room, he pointed to the sofa and said.

"Zhiyuan, sit down quickly. If anything happens, just send someone over here. There is no need for you to come here yourself!"

As in the past, Yuan Shikai seemed very close to him. In the past two months, he had seen everything Li Zicheng had done. When he saw that he had a dispute with the local government over the "counterfeit currency" issue, he was even more secretly worried.

I snickered in my heart, after all, he is so young and energetic! Then I learned from those generals about the parliamentary offensive launched by the National Socialist Party in the local areas, and I laughed even more in my heart. This man is really too young, and he is simply too young.

I don't know what to do first and foremost.

In this regard, Yuan Shikai would not only not remind him, but would be happy to see the outcome. Well, he would be happy to see the stalemate between the State Council and local governments continue. If this stalemate continues, within two years, his State Council will

The Prime Minister is afraid that this will be the end of his career.

"The etiquette cannot be abolished!"

Li Zicheng seemed a little stubborn at this moment. Seeing that Yuan Shikai did not look at the official document he had just handed over to him, he spoke.

"President, the time has come!"

Is the time ripe?

Yuan Shikai was stunned. He looked at Li Zicheng blankly. What was he talking about? Following Li Zicheng's gaze, he saw the submission he had just received. Could it be...

Opening the document, Yuan Shikai immediately understood what Li Zicheng meant when he said the time was ripe. On the day Li Zicheng came to Beijing, before the welcome banquet, he had already expressed his attitude, but now, he brought such a

The "Revised New Testament" submission, this...

With his eyes half closed, Yuan Shikai recalled the plan he had made when discussing this matter with his staff after Li Zicheng took office. Only Li Zicheng would not deviate from the track and let him make trouble. In China, nothing can be done without foreigners.

At least for now, we cannot do without the support of foreigners.

"Zhiyuan, do you know that if this is implemented, the great powers will only need to detain Guan Yu, and when the government is in financial distress, it will cause financial difficulties for the government. By then..."

Yuan Shikai, who looked solemn, gave a kind reminder.

"The US$30 million bond we issued in the United States has been subscribed, and the US$10 million public bond issued in Nanyang and China has also been subscribed by 60%!"

When answering, Li Zicheng's tone and expression were calm. In fact, whether it was the US$30 million or the 10 million yuan in public bonds, the titles issued were all national construction bonds, such as the infrastructure construction of Tianjin Dagang Industrial Park.

The 30 million yuan needed for funding came from the sale of bonds to the United States.

"Although the bonds are generated for the national industrial construction, if necessary, they can be temporarily diverted, eh! I believe that the government can embezzle the portion of the sales to Nanyang and China that the citizens and expatriates can understand!"

When Li Zicheng said this, Yuan Shikai could only nod his head. In fact, he had never thought of objecting to this matter in the past. Li Zicheng was doing it for his reputation or for his country. For him, this matter was

Regardless of success or failure, he will benefit from it in the end. In this way, there is no need to consider any objections!

"Zhiyuan, should this matter be put on hold for the time being? Over there, Yifu is talking to Kant about sending troops. The French have agreed to provide weapons for the expeditionary force, and..."

Looking at Li Zicheng, Yuan Shikai said somewhat seriously.

"We have to purchase those weapons from China. The French will pay us directly in real money. When the time comes, the ** company will be indispensable for you!"

When Yuan Shikai said this, Li Zicheng shook his head, looked at him and said.

"President, if we delay it any longer, we will have little leverage. The French are now asking for something from us, and this negotiation will not delay the participation in war negotiations. The more the French want from us, the more "revised the New Treaty" will become.

We can get a breakthrough from the French, otherwise, with the temper of the French, how could they agree to our request!"

On the matter of participating in the war, Li Zicheng colluded with Yuan Shikai and put forward as many as a dozen conditions, but only a few conditions actually involved the expeditionary force, while there were more than ten conditions involving Chinese industry, such as France's promise

, when purchasing materials from abroad, China will be given priority under the same conditions.

Thanks to this, China exported as much as 8.64 million yuan of canned food to France last month. In addition to the canned beef that the French needed, it also provided the latest canned lunch meat. The huge demand for the war was far beyond the imagination of outsiders.

What's more, the special needs of the war are not only the military, but also the needs of the people.

"This opportunity is rare, President, I'm afraid this matter cannot be delayed!"

"That……"

Looking at Li Zicheng, Yuan Shikai pondered for a moment, seeming to be thinking. After a while, he said with some difficulty.

"Zhiyuan, tell me! If you need any cooperation from the Presidential Office, I will give you whatever you need!"

Yuan Shikai now showed the magnanimity of a great president. Regarding this matter, Yuan Shikai had a supportive attitude from beginning to end, but this support was based on what was beneficial to him. This matter

If it succeeds, it will be with "the full support of the president." If it fails, "the president will have to step in to clean up the situation."

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Council need the full cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs!"

"Okay, I'm just going to ask Lu Zici to come over!"

While waiting for Lu Zici to arrive and drinking from his tea cup, Yuan Shikai spoke.

"Zhiyuan, the matter of sending troops is a done deal, but..."

With a long sigh, Yuan Shikai said again.

"The local government is unwilling to send troops!"

Listening to Yuan Shikai's sigh, Li Zicheng said after a moment of silence.

"For this kind of thing, if you force them hard, it will be counterproductive. Even if you want to force them, you must use the "general trend" to "force" them."

"General trend?"

Li Zicheng's words made Yuan Shikai slightly stunned. What kind of momentum was used to "force" those people?

"It is the general trend. If we want to send troops smoothly, the central government must create a general trend and tell everyone clearly that our country must send troops in this European War. For the country, this is the only way! As long as this kind of general trend is created, by then

At this time, even if they don’t want to send troops anymore, they can’t!”

As he said that, Li Zicheng smiled. During the "Jiao'ao Incident", wasn't it exactly this general trend that he took advantage of? The general trend was irresistible, just like in history, after Yuan Shikai became emperor, in the end,

Aren’t you being forced down by the general trend?

When Li Zicheng said these words, Yuan Shikai looked at Li Zicheng for a long time and was unable to speak. When Li Zicheng mentioned this general trend, he was thinking about his own situation during the "Jiao'ao Incident" last year.

As well as the whole country, aren't they kidnapped by his general trend?

"Good at taking advantage of opportunities and good at management!"

Thinking about Yang Du's evaluation of Li Zicheng, Yuan Shikai finally agreed with this evaluation. At the same time, he reminded himself in his heart not to be fooled by this guy who seemed to have no hair on his mouth.

, lest he use "power" to involve himself in the future, he must be careful!

With this feeling in his heart, Yuan Shikai stopped talking and just drank tea quietly. Although the new tea from Wuyi Mountain had a pleasant aroma, he only felt a bitter taste when he drank it.

Trend, take advantage of the trend, luck!

Yuan Shikai, who had been unable to calm down in his mind for a long time, now thought of Li Zicheng's "power" in the "Jiao'ao Incident", and then combined that "power" with the current dispatch of troops, Yuan Shikai discovered that if this power really works

, can this "power" really be used to one's own advantage?

Li Zicheng's trend is very simple. It is nothing more than "patriotism in the name of patriotism". After the "Jiao'ao Incident", the voice of patriotism in the country has become even louder. For a while, it seems that the word "patriotism"
To be continued...