The meeting with Yuan Shikai was originally scheduled for the afternoon, but was postponed until the evening due to some unexpected state affairs.
After Yuan Su had dinner at Huairen Hall, his attendants took him to Yuan Shikai's private study on the second floor in the backyard. When he just arrived at the stairs, he saw Foreign Minister Lu Zhengxiang, Presidential Palace Foreign Affairs Advisor Gu Jianzhang, and Foreign Affairs Staff Gu Bingjun.
As they were walking down the stairs, the three of them nodded slightly when they saw Yuan Su, and Yuan Su returned the courtesy politely.
Lu Zhengxiang and Gu Jianzhang left first, but Gu Bingjun deliberately took a step slowly behind. When Yuan Su was about to go upstairs, Gu Bingjun suddenly turned around and shouted to Yuan Su: "Young Master Yuan."
Yuan Su stopped and turned to look at Gu Bingjun. As the foreign affairs staff of the Presidential Palace, he would naturally frequent Huairen Hall. Yuan Su would go to the Presidential Palace every time he came to Beijing. Although he did not have a deep relationship with Gu Bingjun
Friendship, but occasionally we can drink a glass of wine together and chat for a few words, so it is not considered a friendship.
"Brother Gu, is something wrong?"
"Delay Young Master Yuan for a little while, and take a step to speak." Gu Bingjun's face was a little heavy, and his tone also revealed a bit of anxiety. After he finished speaking, he ducked to the back of the porch.
Yuan Su asked the attendant who was leading the way to wait for a moment, and then he walked to the porch by himself.
"Brother Gu, did you just meet my uncle? What happened?" He asked Gu Bingjun speculatively.
"I don't know why, but the president seems to have some knots that he can't let go of. Alas, it's really embarrassing. Mr. Yuan must have heard about the secret negotiations between China and Japan in recent days, right? It's about Qingdao.
Question." Gu Bingjun sighed first, then lowered his voice and said.
At present, the secret talks between China and Japan are still being carefully kept secret. Even if Yuan Shikai deliberately leaks the "Twenty-One" secret agreement, it will take some time for it to gradually spread, so we still have to be cautious when talking about this matter.
"I've heard a little about it, but I don't know the details." The reason why Gu Bingjun dared to say this directly to Yuan Su was naturally because of Yuan Su's current status. He was not only the highest military commander of Kinki Zhili, but also the central military officer.
The spokesperson is the president's only relative in the military community, so he may have a source of information anyway.
"Alas, we intellectuals are really powerless in diplomacy. Japan himself proposed extremely harsh conditions, but it seems to have given the President extra benefits, so that the President has been hesitant now. In fact, I have already discussed with General Director Lu
However, those conditions of the Japanese people are absolutely unacceptable. With the current situation at home and abroad, the Qingdao issue is enough to fight." Gu Bingjun said matter-of-factly, and when he said the last sentence, although he lowered his voice again
There were some voices, but the demeanor when speaking was even more decisive.
Yuan Su's face immediately changed, and he could not hide his surprise.
It was already strange that Gu Bingjun suddenly came to him to whisper. He still hadn't figured out why Gu Bingjun said these words to him. But just now the other party actually said "the Qingdao problem is enough to fight", which showed even more
This was unexpected and shocking. Since the Opium War to the present, China has suffered successive failures in foreign wars. The entire nation has lost its self-confidence. Not to mention that it dares not easily start wars with foreign countries, it even has to show off when encountering foreigners on its own territory.
A flattering look.
Regarding the issue of Qingdao, there have been many calls from the outside world. Of course, passionate young people and patriots are chanting slogans to take back Qingdao’s sovereignty, but even so, no one dares to openly say "not willing to fight". Because China
The country's poverty and weakness are well known to all the people. Not to mention the aggressive powers of Britain, France, the United States and Russia, even Japan, a small country in the past, has to be afraid of it now.
People who are self-aware will only shout "regain sovereignty". Only those who are not self-aware and have a sense of stupidity will shout "war" without any constructive intention. They only know "start war" but not
Knowing how to fight, apart from temporary loyalty and happiness, what kind of construction can it do for the country and the people?
But the situation before us at this moment is very different. Gu Bingjun is not a soldier, nor is he a stupid and enthusiastic young man, but a civilian employee engaged in diplomatic work. Not to mention that civilian personnel are very rational, especially those engaged in
In diplomatic work, we should be as careful as walking on thin ice at every step, and never say any unrealistic words from our mouths.
But now Gu Bingjun has said that it is "enough to fight", which shows that Japan's threat to Qingdao is not as serious as the outside world has spread, nor is it as difficult and dangerous as described in history.
"Gu Shaochuan, what do you mean?"
"I know that Young Master Yuan is a man who understands righteousness deeply and is now the President's most trusted subordinate. I also ask Young Master Yuan to convince the President that he should not hesitate any longer when he meets with the President later. If he wants to fight,
, we need to prepare for war as soon as possible." Gu Bingjun said in a very solemn tone.
"Brother Shaochuan, what happened when you went to see my uncle before?" Yuan Su asked again with a solemn expression.
Gu Bingjun briefly talked about what happened just now. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Foreign Affairs Advisory Office received an emergency telegram, informing Japan that it had mobilized two army divisions from North Korea and the mainland without China's permission. At three o'clock this afternoon
Zhong Xu marched from various ministries to gather in North Korea and Lushun. News has also come from Taiwan that Japan has recruited a large number of civilians from Taiwan to provide labor for the attack on Qingdao at any time.
After discussion in the afternoon, they went to the President's study for a secret meeting. However, the President ignored the proposal of the Ministry of War to send troops to take over Qingdao from Germany. Instead, he asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately draft diplomatic instructions for the Qingdao theater.
"What, the president actually wants to set up Qingdao as a neutral war zone? How is this possible? In the past Russian-Russian war, the Qing government humiliated the country and designated the Liaodong neutral theater, which was a great shame for the Chinese nation. The president is doing the same thing today
If you do it again, wouldn't you be committing injustice?" Yuan Su exclaimed, pretending to be surprised.
"That's exactly it. We have tried to persuade you again and again just now, but the president has made up his mind and refuses to listen. It is really disappointing. In short, now we can only place our hope on young Master Yuan. In any case, young master Yuan
Mr. Yuan will meet with the President later, and he must persuade the President to take back his orders. Now is a great time for the Japanese military to disperse. The Japanese aggressors have nothing to fear, and the battle in Qingdao is almost certain." Gu Bingjun said earnestly.
"Brother Shaochuan, don't worry, I will try to persuade my uncle with heart-breaking words." Yuan Su did not say too much nonsense, but made such a promise loudly, and then turned around and walked to the stairs with heavy steps.