Just four months ago, the Beiyang government specially granted thirty-six artillery pieces to the 10th Division to help it establish an artillery unit.
The Beiyang Ordnance General Administration, Tianjin Manufacturing Bureau and Anqing Ordnance Institute have all approved more than 20 logistics orders for the First Corps and the 10th Division, including the supply of various types of artillery shells, as well as reserve bullets, grenades, etc. All of a sudden, this made
The logistics reserves of the 1st Corps and the 10th Division have been fully enriched.
In the past six months, He Qigong, Jiang Baili, and Ge Jinzhang have institutionalized and improved the reserve headquarters in various places, strengthened ideological education during the training period, and added many new reserve benefits. All reserve militiamen have been provided with personal benefits.
Cultivation has been refined.
Yuan Su originally thought that nothing would involve him during this period, but he did not expect that on the last day of the month, Tianjin's governor Shang Dequan would host a suicide dinner and invite celebrities from all walks of life in Tianjin to the banquet. Among the guests invited was
Including Yuan Su. Originally Yuan Su declined, but the people who came to deliver the invitation tried to persuade him in every possible way, and even said that if Duke Zhaolie refused to show his favor, the envoy of Shang Town would personally come to invite him again.
Faced with Shang Dequan's kindness and the fact that he had frequently attended such occasions before, there was nothing wrong with it. Yuan Su finally agreed.
On the day of the banquet, Yuan Su planned to send someone to prepare a gift worth 100,000 yuan and go to the garrison office. He still had some friendship with Shang Dequan, not only during the time he lived in Tianjin, but also before Shang Dequan
When he was the governor of Jiangsu, he was ordered to go south to welcome Song Jiaoren on his way north. During this period, he had dealings with Shang Dequan. He could be regarded as an old acquaintance.
The banquet venue was very luxuriously decorated, and all kinds of guests were invited. In addition to the local gentry, officials affiliated with the garrison, and former officials like Yuan Su who lived in Tianjin, there were also some foreign envoys stationed in Tianjin. Everyone was smiling.
, drinking and drinking, playing drums and playing music, it's so lively. Only at such a banquet can people mistakenly think that the world is peaceful, the world is stable, and there is no more suffering and disaster in the world.
Even when talking about the war in Southwest China, which is currently hotly debated domestically, or the war in Europe, which is hotly debated internationally, everyone has a peaceful demeanor, and there is no trace of worry at all. This is true for Chinese people, and it is also true for foreigners.
.
At first, Yuan Su drank a few glasses of wine and ate something with Shang Dequan, and at Shang Dequan's encouragement, he went to the dance floor to dance with an American envoy's wife. By the time the banquet was over, he basically
I lost all interest, so I followed a few elderly gentlemen to the next room to play cards.
Unexpectedly, just when he was a little angry, Shang Dequan hurried over, found Yuan Su and said: "Master Yuan, uh, I'm afraid I'm going to disturb Yaxing. Mr. Zhiquan came late and had just eaten in the restaurant.
I bought something. I heard that Mr. Yuan is here, and I said that I must meet Mr. Yuan. At the moment, he is waiting in the study on the second floor."
When he heard the words "Zhiquan Gong", even Yuan Su himself was surprised. Of course he had already heard about Duan Qirui's resignation and retired to seclusion, but Duan Qirui was obviously from Hefei. After leaving the capital,
But he had no intention of returning to Anhui, so he rented a house in the Austrian Concession in Tianjin. Even the residence was managed by Xu Shichang himself.
In the past twenty days, many officials in Tianjin have diligently visited Duan Qirui in the Austrian Concession. Even though Duan Qirui is now vacant, a skinny camel is bigger than a horse. In Beiyang's political circles
Everyone here knows that Duan Qirui is a tumbler in the political arena. He has countless students under his tutelage, and everyone in the Anhui clique follows suit. Even if Duan Qirui, who is an apartment resident at this time, just stands up and says a word, everyone will respond.
There are countless.
At that time, Yuan Su did not visit Duan Qirui in person, but out of courtesy, sent his adjutant Du Yu to visit Duan Qirui with a welcome gift. When Du Yu came back, he said that the other party had not visited Duan Qirui at all.
In Rui's house, Duan Qirui's chief attendant said that there were too many guests and he could no longer receive them. However, there were not many carriages at the door at that time. Even if there were really too many guests, everyone else could enter the house and wait, except Du Yu.
It was really too much to persuade me to leave.
Yuan Su just smiled at this and didn't take it seriously. He and Duan Qirui had a business relationship. In addition, in the early years, old officials from Beiyang like Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang were very concerned about his "sudden" big deal.
The president's nephews have always had quite different opinions, and there really is no good connection between them.
However, today at Shang Dequan's birthday party, Duan Qirui suddenly appeared and asked to meet him. The abruptness was self-evident.
"Mr. Zhiquan? I haven't seen him before, why is he suddenly here now?" Yuan Su asked strangely.
"Well, Duan Hefei has always been like this. He doesn't like card games at banquets and only loves Go. Being here today is already a favor to Lord Shang." An old gentleman sitting at the same table with Yuan Su said with a smile.
"Yes, anyway, please first ask Mr. Yuan to postpone this game. Later, I will personally accompany Mr. Yuan to fight until dawn." Shang Dequan also looked a little helpless, but most of the people here understood Duan Qirui's insistent temper.
.But even if you don’t petition or be happy in your heart, you have to give me this face.
"Oh, I got it. I'll go right away." Yuan Su put down the cards in his hand, said no to the other card players, stood up, and followed Shang Dequan out of the side door to the study on the second floor.
go.
The door to the study room on the second floor was ajar. Shang Dequan stepped forward and knocked on the door. After receiving a response from the people in the study, he pushed the door open with Yuan Su and entered. Duan Qirui was standing at B1 3 looking at
In front of the net/b rack, with his back to the door, he seemed to be concentrating on inspecting b1 and 3 looking at the net/b records.
Yuan Su hesitated for a while, and then took a step forward to greet him politely: "Master Duan, you are fine. I came late, so I couldn't go to the door to greet you in person."
Duan Qirui chuckled and turned around slowly. He did not answer Yuan Su's words first, but turned to Shang Dequan and said: "Master Shang, I'm sorry, please allow me to talk to Young Master Yuan first.
Talk in a moment.”
Shang Dequan understood, nodded and said with a smile: "I understand, I understand, then I won't disturb Mr. Zhiquan and Mr. Yuan. If you have any instructions, just call out." After that, he turned around and exited the study, and
He closed the door smoothly.
Duan Qirui didn't regard this place as someone else's home at all. He pretended to be the master and said to Yuan Su: "Master Yuan, please sit down. I'll apologize for disturbing Master Yuan's Yaxing."
Yuan Su laughed for a while, and after Duan Qirui took his seat first, he sat down and said: "Master Duan's words are serious. Chess and card games are just a little trick for fun.
No problem, don’t take it seriously. I wonder if Mr. Duan can give me some advice?"
Duan Qirui's face was very calm, but his tone was full of interest, and he said: "You are quite cheerful. In this case, I am not a mother-in-law, so I will beat around the bush. I believe that Mr. Yuan's ears and eyes are now well aware of the news in the southwest.
?”
Yuan Su was slightly startled. Although the war to protect the country is not very popular in the north, it is still mainstream news. Anyone will know more or less. But Duan Qirui had to mention "eyes and ears" in his words.
The word "" obviously has another connotation. He smiled calmly and said: "You are joking, sir. All I know is what is reported in newspapers. In fact, it is just a criticism left over from the conflict between the North and the South in the early years. Who would have thought that it would suddenly explode today?
.Belief is not enough.”
Duan Qirui laughed coldly and said: "Young Master Yuan, please take it lightly. I wonder how much impact Mr. Yuan thinks this so-called criticism between the north and the south will have?"
Yuan Su said: "It depends on which aspect. If it is the imperial system promoted by my uncle, it will have some impact. Many newspapers and public opinion have been praising the imperial system, and it has received a lot of response from the people.
But I believe that this conflict between the north and the south will definitely make the people rethink the pros and cons of the imperial system."
Duan Qirui thought to himself: This young man is really good at talking, and he knows how to avoid the important and take the easy.
Anyone with some brains can understand Yuan Su's answer. The "impact" he asked naturally does not refer to this matter, but to whether the conflict between the North and the South will cause Beiyang to suffer a lot. Of course, since
At present, the Beiyang Group is tied to the imperial system, and the so-called influence is of course related to the imperial system.
"I won't beat around the bush with you. After all, you are a soldier and you know a lot about military matters. Do you think this conflict between the North and the South will put Beiyang at a disadvantage militarily?"
"Your Majesty is really looking up to this junior. Wouldn't it be better to say that this junior has now been disarmed and returned home? Moreover, the current military confrontation between the North and the South is clearly written in the newspapers. What this junior knows is only limited to these contents in the newspapers.
." Yuan Su continued to decline. He was very surprised that Duan Qirui actually asked him to discuss this issue for no reason. No matter what the purpose was, it was definitely better to remain silent at this time to avoid disaster.
Mouth out.
"Our northern newspapers will naturally only report the good side of the news. Yes, as far as the current game is concerned, your uncle has made some efforts to take precautions in key places, whether it is to build our Beiyang Army
In terms of military strength, financial strength, and civilian support, the Protectorate Military Government is naturally inferior to us. In a frontal battle, the Protectorate Military Government has no chance of winning.
." Duan Qirui wasn't interested at all at the moment. Since Yuan Su didn't want to speak, he might as well say it himself.
"As your Excellency said, this junior has no objection at all." Yuan Su said expressionlessly.
"Cai E is not an idiot, and the warlords in the south are not ignorant at all. However, they know that this battle is very dangerous. I don't believe that they dare to spend all their money to bet on this battle based on an unfounded belief." Duan Qi
Rui said with a stronger tone.
"Oh? So, your Excellency, you think those people in the National Defense Military Government have other agendas?" Yuan Su changed his face slightly and asked with a somewhat serious look.