This war has nothing to do with justice or morality. It is just a general outbreak when the conflicts between the great powers develop to the point of being irreconcilable.
All the major powers suffered heavy losses, and even the United States, which was the last to enter the war, also suffered losses, although they received very good rewards.
But there was one person who, from the very beginning of the European War, had made up his mind to make a fortune.
This person’s name is Wang Hengyue!
How much money he made in this war has always been a secret. Only once after drinking did he say something to his most trusted subordinate: "You can arm many, many divisions..."
Money is not the most important thing, the most important thing is the talents and equipment poached from the defeated Germany!
These cannot be exchanged for money.
At this time, Wang Hengyue was very high-spirited, holding the five southwest provinces in his hands, and looking at the world. In Beijing, you were fighting against each other, and it was a mess, but here he was gradually completing preparations for the Northern Expedition.
Holding a letter from distant Europe in his hand, Wang Hengyue smiled faintly.
It was a letter from his "good friend" Cornwell Pitt.
Pete did really well in Europe. "The Miracle of Meepans", "The Insurmountable Pete", "The Miracle Worker", all these gorgeous titles came to the young American boy.
This is very good, one step closer to my plan...
Everything always comes little by little, and there is no rush. For Peter, it is like a huge building, and the foundation has just been laid...
"Generalissimo, all the congressmen have arrived."
Wang Hengyue nodded, tidied up the room, slowly left his office, and came to the new Congress Hall.
A low voice suddenly sounded, and the congressmen stood up one after another.
The Congress at this time was already very different from when Wang Hengyue took over. Those from the Sun Literature Department, the Political Science Department, and the Yiyou Department had all been expelled by Wang Hengyue using different means.
Even the original speaker Wu Jinglan and deputy speaker Chu Fucheng resigned due to corruption cases.
The current members of Congress are all specially selected by Wang Hengyue in accordance with the extraordinary laws in extraordinary times.
From this point of view, Wang Hengyue was very grateful to Sun Wen. If he had not created an "extraordinary congress", he would not be what he was later. He always used the word "extraordinary" as the best excuse.
Since Sun Wen stepped down, he is still advocating his "ideals" and calling for the overthrow of warlords large and small, including Wang Hengyue.
But there are three things that are essential to do this kind of thing: prestige, money, and troops.
Sun Wen didn't have money or an army, but his prestige? After the series of blows in Guangzhou, Sun Wen's prestige was somewhat weakened. But Wang Hengyue took advantage of this opportunity to climb his prestige to a new peak.
In particular, the series of new policies implemented by him in the five southwestern provinces can be said to be very popular among the people in terms of education, economy, and people's livelihood.
If you do good deeds for the people, how can the people criticize you? Wang Hengyue's series of preferential policies that emphasize the economy and encourage economic development have also been supported by the business community. At a previous congress of industrial and commercial circles in the five provinces, Wang Hengyue once said
He attended the event in person and put forward the slogan of "Educating a powerful country and economically enriching it".
The exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes on the businessmen have been cancelled, and a series of policies have given them the greatest benefits. The business community is of course willing to support such a leader. The common people and the gentry have already sided with Wang Hengyue, and Beijing has come up with another
An "Anfu Congress" was established, so an idea that had been planned for a long time could finally be realized!
The applause stopped and Wang Hengyue sat down. He nodded to the new speaker Wang Qinglu, who said: "The phenomenon of two governments coexisting in the north and the south has existed for a long time. The Beijing and Anfu Congress officially elected Xu Shichang as the president of the Republic of China to succeed him.
Acting President Feng Guozhang. However, the Zhili General Wu Peifu electrified in Hengyang on September 13 and did not recognize the presidential election of the Anfu Congress. The Anfu Club secretly operated to elect Cao Zong as vice president, which was criticized by the Research Department, the Old Transportation Department and some Anfu departments.
Due to the boycott of the members, the vice-presidential election meeting was aborted due to insufficient quorum. After the Anfu Congress was born, our military government resolutely opposed it. This Congress cannot represent the government, and the elected president Xu Shichang cannot represent the country. The Beijing government is illegal.
And he is not popular among the people.
Members, the time is urgent and we must seize the time to pave the way for the Northern Expedition. I request the Congress to elect a real president as soon as possible. I hereby submit this bill and ask all members to approve it! "President!
The great president of the South!
When this proposal came out, the 220 members of Congress almost didn’t think twice and quickly responded to the proposal with applause!
In 1918, on November 18, the seventh year of the Republic of China, the extraordinary meeting of the Guangzhou Revolutionary Military Government passed Wang Qinglu's proposal and agreed to elect the president.
On November 20, the extraordinary session of the Extraordinary Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate, held a joint meeting. 220 members attended, and first voted to adopt the Organizational Outline of the Government of the Republic of China. On the 22nd, the Extraordinary Congress elected the President in accordance with Article 2 of the Outline.
Wang Hengyue, the Grand Marshal of the revolutionary military government in Guangzhou, was unanimously elected as the Extraordinary President. On the same day, the Extraordinary Congress announced to the whole country that Wang Hengyue was elected as the Extraordinary President: "With the urgent need for diplomacy and the repeated civil strife, the Beijing government has admitted that it is illegal and has canceled its pseudo-president."
Government qualifications. The Republic of China must establish a formal government both internally and externally. Today, an extraordinary session of the National Assembly will be held in Guangzhou to decide on the organizational outline of the government of the Republic of China. According to Article 2 of the outline, the president will be elected by the extraordinary session of the National Assembly.
The person who gets more than half of the total number of votes cast is elected, and Wang Hengyue is elected as the President of the Republic of China today. It is hereby announced."
President, Wang Hengyue!
Although there was only a change of title from Generalissimo to President, this title gave Wang Hengyue the most legitimate status in politics.
The education associations, farmers' associations, and chambers of commerce and industry of the five provinces jointly sent a telegram to support Wang Hengyue's election as the extraordinary president. Later, the military generals of the National Revolutionary Army also jointly sent a telegram to support the election of Congress and the leadership of the president!
On November 26, the military government was abolished and Wang Hengyue took office in Guangzhou as the very president and the general marshal of the army, navy and air force. Hundreds of thousands of people in Guangzhou held a warm and grand welcome ceremony.
At 8 o'clock in the morning, the Speaker of the National Assembly Wang Qinglu went to the Presidential Palace to present the certificate of election to Wang Hengyue. At 9:30, a sealing ceremony was held at the National Assembly Ceremony. The Speaker Wang Qinglu served as the chairperson. After Wang Hengyue was sworn in, the sealing ceremony was held.
〗The president gave it to Wang Hengyue with the presidential seal, and then gave a speech to Wang Hengyue: "Changing the track is to seek peace, achieve flexibility, and seek unification. The previous military government did not have exclusive powers, but sought to completely transform and enact the Republic of China.
Organizational Outline, elect the Duke as President, unify the Republic of China at an early date, and recreate the Republic. I would like to give the seal and ribbon of the President of the Republic of China, so that the Duke can issue orders, and this will serve as a token of trust and publicize his encouragement!"
Wang Hengyue officially took office as the very president! Later he issued an internal declaration and an external declaration.
In the internal declaration, Wang Yuyue said: "Wang Hengyue has been entrusted by the Congress to be elected as the President of the Republic of China. He is here to take office. I would like to express my heart to tell the people that he will work hard to unify the country and restore peace to the people. Maintain.
International equal status, a strong country, and a strong nation!" Wang Hengyue said in the foreign declaration: "Since the illegal dissolution of the National Congress in June 1917, Beijing no longer has a legal government. The National Congress is the only legal representative body for all provinces and districts in the country.
Because it is to organize the government and elect Wang Hengyue as the President of the Republic of China. Wang Hengyue cannot sit back and watch the critical autumn of the Republic of China, cherish his own strength and not lend a helping hand. Now he is determined to do his best to serve our people loyally."
Wang Hengyue immediately announced personnel appointments after taking office as the President of the Republic of China: Foreign Affairs Minister Wu Tingfang; Finance Minister Tang Shaoyi; Civil Affairs Minister Chen Jiongming; Navy Chief Cheng Biguang; Army Chief Jiang Baili, who also serves as Chief of Staff. On the 27th, Wang Hengyue called President Xu Shichang elected by Beijing.
, persuaded him to step down: "With the talents of the emperor, he is established in the dynasty of the ** monarch, and he can't spread it as a minister. How much more important is the Republic of China? The world's "democratic" politics is neither a monarch nor a monarch.
From what I have heard, why the [China] country implements [democratic] politics is beyond your ability to understand. You accept this important task rashly and don’t take it seriously."
The confrontation between the northern and southern governments has officially emerged!
Both sides called the other a "pseudo government" and issued orders for crusade, but such orders were only verbal.
The great powers have expressed a rare silence on this. They are waiting to see who can really defeat whom and who can really gain the rights of the entire [China] country.
However, it is obvious that the great powers are more optimistic about Wang Hengyue's southern government. In addition to Wang Hengyue and their "traditional" "friendship", what is more important is the strong military strength Wang Hengyue holds.
On different occasions, the United States, Britain and France have successively expressed to Wang Hengyue their goodwill towards the southern government and expressed their willingness to provide Wang Hengyue with necessary help when he uses force to unify China.
Of course, this is only what the United States, Britain and France mean. On the Japanese side, they continue to firmly support the Beiyang government. Therefore, the contest between the northern and southern governments is actually a contest between the European and American powers and Japan.
Whoever can win will be able to ensure the interests of his country in China and the entire Far East.
For Wang Hengyue, the opportunity for the Northern Expedition is getting closer and closer. Now, he only needs to wait for the last opportunity to arrive, and then he can shout out those two words with great dignity: Northern Expedition!!.