Tian Wenlie is still entangled with Wu Peifu in Xiangyang. The fighting in Xiangyang is far less intense than that of Xiaogan, but in order to exert sufficient restraint, Tian Wenlie also made great efforts. Yuan Shikai's special envoy came to the second
After the division headquarters met with Tian Wenlie, they gradually shifted the topic to the Zhengzhou Incident that happened a few months ago. Tian Wenlie has been anxious about the war during this period. Although he has no hard targets to achieve any effect in Xiangyang, before
The tragic battle in Xiaogan affected the Second Division to some extent.
What Tian Wenlie is most worried about is that Xiaogan's side will fight too fiercely, and he will have to draw reinforcements from other troops later. Now he does not have an advantage in Xiangyang. Wu Peifu's troops and his second division are both from the Central Military System.
, the number of troops is almost the same, but each attack and defense can widen the gap between the advantages and disadvantages. If troops are to be deployed to fill the Xiaogan side at this time, the Second Division will definitely be unable to protect itself. Even if the Xiaogan defense line has been broken through, it can continue
When we come down to attack Hankou, I'm afraid the First Corps, First Division, and Fifth Division will be in trouble.
Because of these worries, Tian Wenlie had to feel very strange that Yuan Shikai's special envoy came to inquire about the Zhengzhou Incident a few months ago, and he had no intention of paying attention to it.
"The matter has passed. Commander Yuan has already reported to Beijing what should be reported. What else do you want to know?" Tian Wenlie said impatiently.
Naturally, the special envoy saw Tian Wenlie's attitude. He didn't feel like saying anything more. He just found some excuses to smooth over the matter. After only staying in Xiangyang for one day, he set off again and returned directly to Beijing.
.
After returning to Beijing, the special envoy hurried to Xinhua Palace to meet with Yuan Shikai and reported everything he saw and heard during his trip. Naturally, the first thing he reported was the serious task, including persuading
After Zhang Zhenfang met with Yuan Su, he made insinuations and inquired about the position of the state body. These reports were quite satisfactory. Although he could not get a definite answer from Yuan Su, it was good to know that Yuan Su still maintained the same attitude as before. This is not without some points.
hope.
Later, the special envoy informed Yuan Shikai of the speculations he had learned about the Zhengzhou Incident.
"Your Majesty, the adults under house arrest in Kaifeng all believed that all this was under Commander Yuan's control. They only learned later that Commander Yuan had already ordered the Zhengzhou headquarters before it was attacked.
Troops lurking near the residences of these adults carry out the operational orders for arrests."
"What do you mean?" Yuan Shikai said with a frown.
"These are what the adults said personally. Almost everything that happened in Zhengzhou was under the control of Commander Yuan. Commander Yuan deliberately used the attack on his headquarters as an excuse. His real purpose was to seize power."
"Anyway..." Yuan Shikai was silent for a long time, and finally said slowly, "Anyway, someone still attacked the headquarters. This is an unforgivable crime. Yuan Su wanted to ensure that no one would
If something like this happens, it’s understandable.”
"But Your Majesty, this may not be excusable. Including the attack on the headquarters, it is possible that Commander Yuan secretly arranged it. Mr. Zhu really shouldn't, but Your Majesty, you should know Mr. Zhu best. He is so conscientious and dedicated.
After so many years, how could it be possible to attack the headquarters without any reason? Just relying on a plan to attack Wuhan by surprise is really unconvincing."
Yuan Shikai took a deep breath, with a gloomy expression on his face. He felt very complicated. Even though he was now plagued by illness, and his body and mind were not as bright as before, his many years of political experience could confirm one thing, that is, as long as he watched
Who really benefits in the end, then the inside story will be clear.
Obviously, Yuan Su was indeed the final beneficiary. If Yuan Su started to go his own way after benefiting, and even used his own signature, then Yuan Shikai certainly knew what his nephew was thinking. But now, no matter what
Whether it was the battle against Hubei or testing whether it could support the imperial system at this moment, Yuan Su's performance not only did not disappoint, but was remarkable.
After all, the few remaining troops in Beiyang are all under Yuan Su's control. If Yuan Su wants to do anything, he no longer needs to care about the opinions of Xinhua Palace. Even if Yuan Su wants to take revenge for having his military power taken away, he doesn't even have to worry about it.
At the very least, he could be uncooperative in tone and attitude. But Yuan Sufei not only did not do this, but also handled the matter very well, and even showed respect for his uncle.
Thinking of this, he suddenly showed a wry smile and said slowly: "I should have noticed long ago that this Yuan Su has always been full of power. From Luanzhou to Zhili, from Zhili to Henan, from Henan to
In Liaodong, his every move shows that he wants to do something big. And to be able to do such a big thing smoothly, all obstacles must be removed first. The best way is to first absorb more power."
"Your Majesty, what on earth are you talking about?"
"Yuan Su is, after all, the fresh blood in our Beiyang. This blood will replace our old bones sooner or later. Their thoughts and practices are completely different from ours. They are more willing to take risks, accept and implement new things, and even
He can't stand some stubbornness, so he will do whatever it takes to realize his ideals and ambitions." Yuan Shikai squinted his eyes and said with emotion and emotion.
"But Your Majesty, this matter cannot be taken lightly. How can we not guard against the ambition of a wolf?"
"Prevent? Haha, now I have completely become a lonely old man. Beijing has to take care of Duan Zhiquan, and the south has to worry about the National Defense Army and the Revolutionary Party. How can I still think about guarding against Yuan Su at this moment? I had chosen it earlier.
Since he took command of the Guards, in fact I no longer have the ability to control the entire situation." Yuan Shikai said with a helpless smile. Although he seemed very relaxed, his eyes still showed a bit of depression and unwillingness.
"But, then..."
"That's all. That's all. If Yuan Suzhen has other intentions, we have absolutely no way to stop him from doing what he wants to do at this time. On the contrary, if he is still nostalgic, he can be our handle to lure the tiger away. It's just that
, no matter whether the tiger or the wolf is left in the end, it is nothing more than a formality. I just hope that someone can truly pity me, an old man, so that my wish will not be wiped out in ashes immediately." Yuan Shikai said deeply.
The Guards' reorganization work in the Xiaogan area was very difficult. The high-intensity battles in the previous two months caused too serious losses. Half of the Guards' troops were forced to go off the line of fire, and a total of three troops were replaced.
batches of replacement troops. Even so, many units were still seriously short of personnel after the war.
However, all this was originally expected by Yuan Su, and there was nothing to worry or be nervous about.
After he ordered Xiaogan to deal with the aftermath, he immediately mobilized the First Division from the rear. In fact, during the two-month battle in Xiaogan, the first batch of supplementary troops for the First Corps and the Fifth Division came from the
1st Division. The 1st Division was previously under the concurrent control of Tian Wenlie, but in fact the division personnel were still controlled by officers from the Luanzhou Group. Just to avoid criticism, there was no plan for arranging a three-way battle.
The first division was publicly selected.
The troops of the First Division and the Third Division were basically dismantled deliberately by Yuan Su and were used as supplementary troops to fill the front line.
Now Xiaogan is dealing with the aftermath and is continuing to deploy soldiers from the First Division and the Third Division to quickly make up for the vacancies.
The split-off First Division and Third Division had absolutely no choice. In addition to the top command being controlled, the officers at the lower levels also had no power to interfere in this matter. They could only watch helplessly as the old groups continued to fight.
The power disintegrated little by little. And the newly recruited soldiers began to receive the training and ideological influence of the Luanzhou Military Group, and slowly the entire grassroots was replaced, and the top and bottom were completely integrated into the control of Yuan Su.
During this period, in addition to considering how to complete the rectification work, Yuan Su was also thinking about how to respond to Yuan Shikai's request. From the beginning, he had already thought that he would continue to support the monarchy in exchange for Yuan Shikai's nominal support.
Support, but if you continue to support the monarchy now, you must not only be prepared to prevent a larger political turmoil in Beiyang, but also worry about whether Duan Qirui will be forced to take the stand of the group in the south.
Although according to Duan Qirui's character, he would definitely not make such a decision. But there are no absolutes in the world. Moreover, Yuan Shikai has broken Duan Qirui's heart time and time again. There is no guarantee that Duan Qirui will not make impulsive actions in anger.
matter.
Not only that, he now also needs to find a good excuse to support the monarchy.
Nowadays, the voices against the imperial system in the country are in full swing, increasing sharply every day. Even though Yuan Su can predict that after defeating Cao Kun, he can control a certain degree of opposition. But the National Protectorate Army and the Chinese Revolutionary Party in the south have always been
The biggest hidden danger is that they not only control an army that already has a certain size, but they are also fanning the flames across the country.
Since Yuan Su wants to go against the trend, he must have an excellent excuse. On the one hand, he can continue to maintain his positive political image externally, and at the same time, he can also persuade his subordinates more smoothly.
He once thought that in this world, any form can be done or not, the key is to have strong military power.
But it was precisely because after the battle in Hubei, he was not sure whether he would still have enough power to suppress the National Protectorate Army. Even if he had enough power, he could not ignore everything and throw everything in. If both sides were to lose, those everywhere would stand still.
Instead, the warlords became powerful again, and the whole country was still divided by warlords.
After a period of consideration, Yuan Su decided to delay the attack on Hankou for a while longer.
Anyway, Cao Kun's troops defeated in Xiaogan can be said to be the main force in Hankou. Now there is only an empty skin in Hankou. The remaining troops not only have no morale, but also suffer from various pressures. If they really want to attack Hankou, they will have no choice but to attack.
It's a trivial matter that can be done easily with the snap of a finger. Furthermore, for Yuan Su, the domestic momentum is now a foregone conclusion. Even if he seizes time to eliminate the Hankou rebels, it can only alleviate part of the pressure of public opinion.
In addition, Yuan Su was thinking about whether those in the north who controlled the logistics supply of the Guards would start to restrict logistics supply because of the end of the Hubei War. By then, it would be disadvantageous. Of course, he didn't care about the influence of outsiders before the war.
Based on his own estimation, he believed that the Hubei War was bound to be a lose-lose battle within Beiyang. He took the opportunity to eliminate the old forces of the older generation, thus gaining more than 100,000 military power, and after annihilating Cao Kun, he could further recruit
The soldiers who surrendered will be able to expand the army a lot when the time comes.
It is precisely with this in mind that logistics supply is key and must not be subject to any restrictions.
He knew very well that not everyone in the north cared about him. Even if those people who cared about him did not have much power, once he announced his support for the monarchy, Duan Qirui, a heavyweight official, would inevitably become his opponent. The impact of Duan Qirui
, and control of the Beiyang economy will definitely put great pressure on the Guards.
Therefore, once the war ceases at this time, it will be very disadvantageous for him. He must make adequate preparations before the war is completely over.
However, the superficial work that should be done must still be done well. The containment operation in Xiangyang cannot be taken lightly, and the operation in Wuchang must be fought vigorously. It is just that these movements are loud, but in fact there is no real progress. Even though Tian Wenlie fought in Xiangyang
It's very serious, but it's not really the main battlefield.
After Jiang Baili received Yuan Su's order, he did not understand it immediately at first. He only found out Yuan Su's true intention after talking to Yuan Su on the phone. Jiang Baili naturally supported Yuan Su's approach, as long as it involved accumulating current military strength.
, he all agreed 100%. He personally commanded the battle of Xiaogan, and he was well aware of the losses and impact caused by this battle. The enemy of the Guards was Cao Kun of Hankou. In addition, there were also guards
The National Army, as well as other provincial warlords who have been standing still. In fact, in his view, the National Protector Army is not a big problem. What matters in close combat is strength. There is no doubt that the National Protector Army is a rabble, but the Guards who won the victory in Hankou
The army has gathered strength through the war and gained momentum. Chen Huan and Tang Xiangming in Sichuan and Hunan will inevitably make some remarks.
As long as Chen Huan and Tang Xiangming are determined to deal with the National Protective Army, the National Protective Army will not succeed at all.