Although the aborted Anqing Horse Artillery Battalion Uprising preserved most of the revolutionary power for the Anqing New Army, these young and progressive officers were still no match for the cunning Zhu Jiabao.
On November 2, 1911, the avenue leading to Songyang in the east of Anqing City was filled with scattered New Crescent Army officers and soldiers. Some of these Crescent Army soldiers still had braids, but most of them had shoulder-length hair.
Scattered around the back of the head. Anqing New Army No. 61 Commander Zhuang Yi and No. 62 Battalion Commander Xue Zhe tried their best to greet and accommodate these defeated soldiers who had retreated from Jixian Pass, their faces full of resentment and loss.
.
Zhuang Yi regretted that due to his ignorance and gullibility, the Anqing Uprising in a promising situation aborted.
When news of the successful Wuchang Uprising came, the revolutionaries in Anqing were eager to try.
Zhu Jiabao, who had been in the officialdom for many years, was sensitively aware that the situation was getting out of control. While urgently deploying Anqing's city defense, he also pretended to contact the revolutionaries through the Anhui Consultative Bureau, and negotiated with them to prepare to announce the Anhui revolution.
The young and energetic revolutionaries with no fighting experience easily believed Zhu Jiabao's lies. Not only did they relax their vigilance, they also informed the feudal bureaucrat of the Anqing New Army's detailed plan to prepare for an uprising.
On October 30, the ninth day of the ninth month of the lunar calendar, it was the day when the Anqing New Army was preparing to launch an uprising. Zhu Jiabao suddenly sent patrol battalions to surround the camps of the Anqing New Army and announced the disbandment of the New Army. The Anqing New Army, which lacked ammunition, had nothing to do with it.
Unable to fight back, the officers and soldiers of the 31st Association were forced to disarm and were escorted away from the provincial capital.
The reason why everyone was able to save their lives was because the revolutionary wave was surging and various provinces announced revolutions one after another. Zhu Jiabao did not want to have grudges with the party members and left a way out for himself.
The Anqing New Army uprising carefully prepared by the comrades of the Anqing Restoration Society was declared aborted without firing a single shot.
Fortunately, Zhuang Yi remembered his teacher's teaching of "Don't panic when things change". After leaving Anqing City, he began to organize the backbone of the Guangfuhui in the New Army to gather the troops, and sent people to contact the leader of the Guangfuhui in Wuhu, the Wuhu Naval Battalion.
Li Zhiliang, the commander and head of the Wuhu Iron Works escort trade group, got in touch.
Li Zhiliang rushed to Songyang Pier in person.
Seeing Xue Zhe and hundreds of skirmishers already focused on the pier, Li Zhiliang asked, "How many people do you have in total now? How many weapons do you have? How many comrades are there in the Liberation Association?" Li Zhiliang got off the small steamer and asked Xue Zhe when he saw it.
asked.
"There are now 317 people here, but there are only 31 rifles. Everyone's weapons have been confiscated by the Anqing Patrol Camp. Some of the rifles in hand were brought out by some comrades when they escaped." Xue Zhe smiled bitterly, "Anqing New
Less than half of the army followed Yang Wangpeng and others to Wuchang, and Zhuang Huanzhang also took in 7,800 people behind, but they didn't have many weapons."
Li Zhiliang ordered people to carry down more than a dozen baskets of fried pancakes in bamboo baskets from the steamer. In order to gather the morale of the soldiers, the food was more attractive to those empty slogans, "Everyone hasn't eaten yet. Let's wait for it."
Wuhu, I will take care of everyone again."
Like most of the new troops, Xue Zhe had not eaten much for more than a day since he was disarmed in Anqing and sent out of the city. "If you say that, we are really hungry, so you are welcome."
He swallowed and said.
Lin's Yizhuang also has a warehouse in Songyang. The shopkeeper's surname is Chen. However, he took out all the grain stored in the warehouse and it was not enough for thousands of people. While shopkeeper Chen ordered people to buy food in the city, he also ordered people to buy food in the store.
All the waiters were sent out to set up several large pots and work hard to make pancakes and boil some hot vegetable soup.
In the afternoon, Zhuang Yi led more than 800 people to Songyang Pier. He looked tired, his eyes were red, and his face was depressed. When Li Zhiliang saw him, he smiled and said: "Old classmate, remember that we just returned to China, sir.
Can Shanghai speak for itself?
?'No matter how great you think you are in your brand-new military uniforms and big leather boots, you are no longer as good as those officials who wrote eight-legged essays, and you still have a lot to learn!' It's really true now
Let him get it right."
Zhuang Yi shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Don't laugh at me. What are your instructions, sir?"
"No, sir, you are far away in the northwest. Even if you have something, you can't send a telegram to explain it clearly. Now we can only rely on ourselves." Li Zhiliang said, "I have almost made preparations over there in Wuhu. As soon as you new troops arrive, we will immediately
Entered the city and occupied the street gate of Wuhu Road Department and announced the liberation."
The Anqing New Army currently housed by the Liberation Society in Songyang has about 1,200 people, but only about 100 guns. Cannons and horses have been confiscated by Zhu Jiabao. Zhuang Yi cheered up and helped the new army.
We have mobilized and told everyone that they are going to Wuhu to cause riots. Those who are willing to go and make contributions can sign up now. Those who are not willing will now be given two yuan to go home.
In fact, the well-connected New Army had already gone their separate ways. Those who followed Zhuang Yi to Songyang were all officers and soldiers who had no future but were unwilling to go home and farm. Naturally, they wanted to take advantage of the troubled times to make a name for themselves.
Most people immediately expressed their intention to follow Zhuang Biaotong to Wuhu.
The highest military and political officer in Wuhu was Wannan Daotai. With the rebellion in Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, all officials in the city were in panic. On November 5, Huining Chi Taiguang prepared troops for the road.
Zhao Shangda, who is also the supervisor of Wuhu Customs, is convening at the office on Wuhu East Street to convene the commander of the Wannan Patrol Battalion Li Baojie, Wuhu County Magistrate Zhu Xiufeng, Wuhu Patrol Battalion General Manager Ding Youlan and others to discuss how to deal with the current situation.
Zhao Shangda, who was wearing a third-grade official uniform and a goatee, glanced at the Wuhu officials present, and after half the payment, he slowly said: "Everyone here is a minister of the Qing Dynasty. The current situation is difficult. Please invite everyone today."
I came here to discuss with you how to deal with the current crisis!" After saying that, he turned to the commander of Wucai Battalion Li Bao and asked: "General Li, how is the defense in the city?"
Li Baojie thought for a while and then said slowly: "Wucai Camp has three battalions, but now there is only one battalion with less than 400 people in the city. The remaining two battalions, one in Huizhou and the other in Chizhou, need to be transferred.
It’s necessary to go back to Wuhu
It will take more than ten days. The problem is that no one can predict what will happen in these ten days. The safety in the city now mainly depends on the situation of the Third Battalion Dongjun Naval Battalion stationed in Wuhu. If they don't cause trouble, the situation will still be stable.
It’s stable.”
Ding Youlan, the commander-in-chief of the patrol battalion, said: "Isn't that your son, commander-in-chief of the naval battalion?"
Li Baojie sighed and said nothing. He knew his own affairs. Li Zhiliang dropped out of the Jiangnan Army Academy on strike, went to Shanghai, and finally went to Japan to study. He had long suspected that he had connections with the revolutionary party, but
Li Zhiliang refused to admit it, and Dongjun only listened to Lin Anhua's words. The rest of the people, including Zhang Renjun, the governor of Liangjiang, couldn't do anything. Based on intuition, something was definitely wrong here.
Wuhu County Magistrate Zhu Xiufeng stood up, cupped his hands and said: "Sir, I think...people who understand current affairs are heroes. I heard that the whole family of Lu Zhongqi, the governor of Shanxi Province in Taiyuan, was killed by the revolutionary party a few days ago, and the governor of Jiangsu Province
Cheng De has already joined the revolutionary party, and now that the imperial court is gone, why should we sacrifice our lives for the sake of the Manchus?" Zhu Xiufeng had long been in contact with the revolutionary party, so he had the courage to say these words.
Zhao Shangda lowered his head and calculated, but did not say a word. It had only been twenty days since a gunshot was fired in Wuchang, and half of China had already been owned by the revolutionary party. How could they not feel frightened? Who knows how many revolutionary parties there are in Wuhu City now?
We are all desperate people, and the official position we bought with money is definitely not worth it.
He risked his life and wealth with these desperadoes for the sake of the imperial court. After a while, he raised his head and said: "Let's see, let's all act based on Lord Futai Zhu's eyes. Zhu Futai is Lord Yuan's in-law, and the information must be well-informed. If
If there is an attack in Anqing, we will do the same. If Mr. Zhu does not move, we will stand still."
"Best regards, sir!" There was a chorus of agreement from below.
Zhao Shangda had just made up his mind when he saw a soldier suddenly burst in. His face turned pale with fright. After entering, he said with a trembling voice: "Sir, no, it's not good!"
Everyone present was shocked, "Why are you panicking? Tell me slowly if you have something to do!" Zhao Shangda tried to calm down.
"Shui, the navy battalion and the new army from Anqing have all entered the city and have surrounded the Taoist Office!"
Before he finished speaking, Zhao Shangda collapsed on the chair.
Outside the gate of the Taoist Office, the soldiers of the Wannan Taoist Office disarmed without any resistance at all. Li Zhiliang, who was dressed in military uniform, said to Zhuang Yi: "Bring the people in first, and lock up Wucai Battalion Commander Li Baoqi in the lower room.
I’ll do it again!”
Zhuang Yi said: "Why? I know your father too, so I can't do anything."
Li Zhiliang said: "You kid, you insist on forcing me to kill my relatives out of justice and become an unfilial person?"
Zhuang Yi said: "Let Xue Zhe go, he doesn't know anyone inside."
Xue Zhe led a group of recruits into the main hall of the Wuhu Road Department and saw a group of officials, big and small, who looked at each other. "Very good. Everyone is here, so we don't have to go to the Yamen to look for them. I want to ask, who among you is Li Baojie?"
." After saying that, he turned his attention to a thin, half-grown old man wearing a third-grade military uniform.
Li Baojie had no choice but to stand up, clasped his hands in fists, cupped his hands and said, "I'm just here, what are your orders from the Revolutionary Party?"
Xue Zhe waved his hand, "Here, take him to the side room and keep an eye on him!"
Li Baojie was frightened and said quickly: "Sir, I am also a revolutionary and support the revolution. I was in contact with the people you sent a few days ago..."
Several soldiers couldn't help but push and shove Li Baojie to the lower room and locked him up.
Li Zhiliang then swaggered into the main gate of the Road Department Street Gate.
Wuhu police, Zhuang Yi, Xue Zhe and others were planning how to break into Anqing and capture Zhu Jiabao alive. Unexpectedly, two days later, news came from Anqing that Zhu Jiabao, the governor of Anhui, announced that Zhu Jiabao had transformed into a revolutionary governor.
Zhuang Yi was so angry that he slapped the table: "Damn, I wish I could kill this old boy with my own hands!"
Li Zhiliang looked at the map from the side without raising his eyelids, "I am a revolutionary comrade now, so we must pay attention to unity!"
"I...poof!" Zhuang Yi stood up, picked up the water glass, and poured cold water into his mouth.
The people's army in Wuhu soon expanded to 9,000 people. At this time, the effect of Lin Shuo's organization of military training for mining road workers was reflected. The people's army was supplemented by more than 4,000 strong men drawn from iron factories and various mines.
People have received basic training. At least when they are in formation, their military appearance is neat and they look strong.
At this time, all the provinces in the south of the Yangtze River had already rebelled, and only Jiangning, a stronghold of the Qing army in the whole of the south, was still resisting. On November 15, the uprising militia from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai gathered in Zhenjiang to discuss a plan to attack Nanjing.
After arriving at the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai Allied Forces Headquarters, various civilian armies publicly recommended Xu Shaozhen, the former commander of the Ninth Town, as the commander-in-chief of the allied forces.
After receiving the telegram from the Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai coalition forces, Wuhu Governor Li Zhiliang only sent Zhuang Yi to lead a detachment of 3,000 people to reinforce the militia in Nanjing, but sent Xue Zhe to lead more than 4,000 people south to "recover" Huizhou and Huzhou.
and Jingdezhen.
Zhuang Yi was quite dissatisfied with this. Li Zhiliang told him that this was the arrangement of his husband, and Zhuang Yi had nothing to say.