(Thanks to book friend Lin Zhiguan for his monthly ticket!)
In 1892, the day before New Year's Eve, a year-end cocktail party was held in western Sichuan. The ministers and deputy ministers of the cabinet ministries, the governors and deputy governors of each province, the military commander and deputy commander, the division commander and deputy division commander, and the brigade commander and deputy brigade commander
Except for those who stayed behind, we all rushed to Chengdu, brought our families, and participated in the annual cocktail party. We are usually busy and it is difficult to have time to get together. Meeting at the end of the year can also promote the development of our relationship.
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Wang Xiao also appeared at the reception, but he stayed for less than half an hour, delivered a New Year's speech, toasted everyone with a glass of wine, and then left. His health is getting worse and worse now.
I don't know how long it can be delayed.
However, Wang Yuze participated in the whole cocktail party and became the center of the cocktail party. Wang Yuze also took advantage of this cocktail party to communicate with senior government officials and military bosses. Even if he is a young marshal, even if he is a young marshal,
He was able to successfully take over the power of Western Sichuan, but without the support of these people, it would still be impossible for him to manage Western Sichuan well.
"Hubei belongs to the protruding part of western Sichuan and is under pressure from the Manchu and Qing Dynasties on three sides. At the same time, if we go to war with the Manchu and Qing Dynasties again, it will also be the bridgehead for us to attack the Manchu and Qing Dynasties. Therefore, the defense of Hubei is very important. Yuze will ask the generals
That’s it!” Wang Yuze said to several soldiers, all of whom had shining gold stars on their shoulders. They were the commanders of several divisions stationed in Hubei.
"Young Marshal is serious. As soldiers, we naturally have the responsibility to defend our territory. Whether we are guarding Hubei or attacking the Manchu Qing Dynasty, our Fourth Division will never be ambiguous!" said a middle-aged major general in his forties with a rough face.
.He is none other than Major General Cheng Anguo, commander of the Fourth Division.
"Lao Cheng, what you said is wrong. Could it be that your fourth division is good, but our fifth division is a coward?" A middle-aged major general with a mustache and elegant appearance said dissatisfied. He is the fifth division.
The division commander Lu Chengzhi. Soldiers have always been competitive and aggressive. This is inevitable.
"Okay, everyone. Well done to you all. Hubei is the most important part of the Western Sichuan strategy. I hope you can work together to protect Hubei. I'd like to toast you all!" Wang Yuze saw that the two of them had a tendency to fight.
. hurriedly interjected, and then drank the wine in the glass in one gulp.
The generals were also unambiguous and drank all the wine in their glasses in one gulp.
After that, Wang Yuze got rid of these veteran gangsters and went to the place where civilian officials gathered. He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would be directly drunk by these guys. The civilian faction was relatively better, and they drank red wine, not like the military.
It's so heroic over there. Everyone talks about political affairs and chats at the same time. It's also a pleasure.
"Uncles, Yuze wishes you all a happy New Year. I wish you good health and all the best in the New Year!" Wang Yuze said to everyone with a smile.
"Haha, I also wish the young marshal a happy new year!" Everyone responded enthusiastically. Everyone can see that Wang Xiao's health is getting worse and worse, and I am afraid that it won't be long before the young marshal will become the marshal. Now and
It is also very necessary for the young marshal to have a good relationship with him.
Next, Wang Yuze had a long exchange with these governors and deputy governors. Especially the governors and deputy governors of those provinces that were poor after all. Wang Yuze asked them to come up with practical methods next year to properly improve the local people.
In Wang Yuze's view, if a country wants to be prosperous and strong, it must first let the people enjoy the benefits of the country's prosperity. Otherwise, if the country is prosperous and strong, the people will not have enough to eat? Isn't this self-deception?
Everyone attaches great importance to Wang Yuze's words. In addition, everyone is very satisfied with Wang Yuze's emphasis on the lives of ordinary people. Basically, these people have received feudal cultural education. Even after joining Western Sichuan, they have changed a lot, but there are still some changes in their minds.
There are also those who have the idea of a holy king. In their opinion, Wang Yuze's performance is undoubtedly very consistent with this. Therefore, everyone is very optimistic about Wang Yuze and Western Sichuan under his leadership.
The reception lasted until 12 o'clock in the evening. At the end, many military leaders were drunk. These soldiers rarely meet with their comrades, but now that everyone is together, they naturally want to let go.
Many of them drank. Compared with the civil servant faction, it was much better. At most, they only blushed because they drank too much, and no one fell down after drinking. Regarding the rudeness of these military men, the civil servants generally shook their heads. However, there was no
Say more. They all know the tempers of these soldiers. There are also conflicts between the civil servants and military generals in Western Sichuan, but they are much smaller. Everyone knows that the world in Western Sichuan is fought by the military generals, but governing Western Sichuan is difficult.
It is the credit of the civil servants. The two of them are interdependent and indispensable. There is no internal fighting and everyone can cooperate with each other, which makes Western Sichuan prosperous.
On New Year's Eve the next day, the tour of the ambassador's residence was very lively. Wang Yuze brought several wives to pay Wang Xiao a happy New Year. Wang Xiao was very happy. Especially after a few months, Wang Yuze's eldest wife Xiong Menghan's belly had swelled.
This made Wang Xiao's old face smile like a chrysanthemum. There is a queen in western Sichuan, and his son has performed outstandingly. He has worked hard all his life and finally has something to report. What else is there to be dissatisfied about?
During the Spring Festival, Wang Yuze couldn't help but visit relatives and friends. He must visit the Xiong family and the Yang family. The Zhou family had not returned to China for the New Year, so they couldn't go. However, Wang Yuze also sent them a telegram wishing his father-in-law and mother-in-law good health.
All the best and so on.
The Spring Festival in Western Sichuan does not end until the eighth day of the lunar month. Government departments officially start working on the ninth day of the lunar month. After that, Western Sichuan has entered a stage of rapid development. Last year, Western Sichuan made a large amount of financial investment, coupled with the stimulation of war reparations and private capital.
, Western Sichuan will definitely take off this year.
In addition, the marriage peace between Western Sichuan and the Manchu Qing Dynasty has been delayed for so long. For this reason, the cabinet specially sent a mission to the capital to discuss the matter. It is already known to the world that the Manchu Qing Dynasty married Gege to the Western Sichuan Province.
It's a matter of course. If we keep putting it off, how will the world look at it?
However, Wang Yuze did not have the leisure time to pay attention to this. Spring was coming, and the Second Cavalry Army was about to march into Xinjiang. Wang Yuze focused his energy mainly on this. After a winter's rest, the Second Cavalry Army had returned to its heyday.
In addition, the Logistics Department has given priority to replenishing them. Now the Second Cavalry Army is already strong and can launch an attack on Xinjiang after the ice and snow melt.
As time goes by slowly, all walks of life in western Sichuan have entered into a state of development. The military training has not relaxed, and everyone remains highly nervous. This year, the military plan in western Sichuan, in addition to entering Xinjiang, is to take
Off to Guangxi. The fleet will return to China by next fall at the latest. If there are no supporting facilities such as a military port and a shipyard, how can it be done? Therefore, the General Staff Headquarters has already started planning. What kind of excuse will it use to win the war?
Guangxi. The three brigades of the Western Sichuan Army, the 2nd, 5th and 6th, are also secretly preparing for war. Guangxi now only has more than 30,000 Qing troops, and they are all temporary recruits. The three brigades of the Western Sichuan Army
The army can easily wipe them out. What western Sichuan lacks now is just a reason.
In March, the delegation from Western Sichuan arrived in the capital, visited Prince Gong Yixin and the Empress Dowager Cixi, and formally discussed the marriage of Wang Yuze and Yu Yinggege. This time, the Manchu and Qing Dynasties made no excuses. Western Sichuan immediately paid a betrothal gift, and it is expected that
The wedding will be held on an auspicious day in April.
But then, Western Sichuan entered Xinjiang, and the Manchu Qing Dynasty suddenly became furious and issued an order to reprimand Western Sichuan. However, Western Sichuan stated that because the caravan was attacked by horse bandits, the purpose of sending troops into Xinjiang was just to protect the trade routes. Such a clumsy act
The reason was that the Manchus and Qing Dynasties were not fools, so naturally they would not believe it. So, the marriage that had been agreed upon happened again, and something happened, and the Manchu Qing Dynasty made excuses to delay it.
Fortunately, Wang Yuze is not in a hurry. In his opinion, the value of Xinjiang is much more important than a Manchu princess. It is up to the Manchus to marry a princess whenever they want! He has no extra money now.
time to take care of this.
After the beginning of spring, Wang Xiao's health became worse and worse, and he rarely even attended cabinet meetings. Wang Yuze took Wang Xiao's place in weekly cabinet meetings. Now, the cabinet is still nominally responsible to Wang Xiao, but in fact
At the meeting, the person who listened to the cabinet report had already become Wang Yuze. At the beginning, Wang Xiao and Liang Xingrong were still a little worried, but as Wang Yuze handled the political affairs one by one and showed his sophisticated methods, they finally let him go.
They were relieved a lot.
Originally, Wang Yuze's plan was to stay in Chengdu. On the one hand, he could pay Wang Xiao's death and fulfill his filial piety. On the other hand, he also wanted to ensure a stable transition in western Sichuan. However, God did not follow his wishes! On March 25, 1892,
Wang Yuze received an urgent telegram from the plateau. A battalion of the Eighth Brigade of the Western Sichuan Army exchanged fire with the British and Indian troops in the border area of Cona County. The specific reason is not known, but a fierce armed conflict has broken out between the two sides. However, Western Sichuan
The British and Indian troops did not suffer a loss. On the contrary, the British and Indian troops were killed and injured hundreds of people. Moreover, the British and Indian troops who suffered a loss will definitely not give up. They will definitely retaliate. This will cause a conflict between Western Sichuan and the British.
A serious conflict broke out.
"Yuze, what should we do now?" Xiong Wu asked.
"I'm going to tell my father and father-in-law that you send a report to the plateau authorities and ask them to send reinforcements immediately to prepare for a fight with the British in the border area!" Wang Yuze said firmly.
"Do you want to fight the British?" Xiong Wu hesitated. The British were not as easy to bully as the Manchus.
"Father-in-law, we have no way out now. The British have come to bully us. How can we not fight back even after being beaten?" Wang Yuze said.
"Okay, I will immediately ask the 8th and 9th brigades on the plateau to move towards Cona County. At the same time, the 7th brigade is also ready!" Xiong Wu said.
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