The successive victories of the Northern Expeditionary Army finally made the great president in Beijing, Xu Shichang, unable to sit still!
During the election of the second president of the Republic of China, Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang were at loggerheads, and Xu Shichang, who had always tried to please both sides, was elected as the "ideal candidate". Xu actually asked Pu Yi, who had long since abdicated, to "get his approval." Xu here
This was intended to show the favor of the former Qing ministers, but some people still ridiculed him: "He served as a Qing Taifu in the Republic of China, and he has already been seen!"
Trying to cover everything is often counterproductive: trying to please both sides may lead to offending both sides.
Xu Shichang’s life was really tiring.
Xu Shichang's first major task as president was to seek reconciliation between the North and the South and end the civil war. To this end, he tried his best to save people, but to no avail and only delayed time.
After the Battle of Hunan, Xu Shichang unexpectedly used Zhang Zuolin's idea to serve the army. He issued an order to mobilize Zhang Zuolin to enter Beijing to protect Beijing's security, and appointed Wu Jun to be the governor of Fengtian.
How could Zhang Zuolin agree to this order?
While Zhang Zuolin was thinking there, Wu Junsheng drove a special car to Shanhaiguan to meet Zhang Zuolin. Zhang Zuolin's heart moved: "It's so fast, I'm going to take over!"
He smiled and said: "Brother, you are so fast! If you want to hand over, you have to let me prepare!"
Upon hearing this, Wu Junsheng knew that there was something in Zhang Zuolin's words, so he quickly knelt down and said with a flushed face: "Commander, aren't you scolding my eighth-generation ancestor? I relied on you to pull me into Heilongjiang, and I am where I am today. I will repay your kindness."
It's too late, how can I come forward to undermine you! Besides, whose president is he, Xu Shichang? Beijing is playing tricks, and we can no longer listen to Xu Shichang!"
"So sorry." Zhang Zuolin nodded.
"Commander, you have a big heart and can handle big things. Think about it, without you in the Northeast, if you put me in Fengtian, I will be squeezed out within a few days. These [dog] bastards in Beijing
, His heart is poisonous! The commander must not be fooled!"
"Yuan Jinkai will regret it." Zhang Zuolin is still worried.
"Commander, Lao Yuan is a learned man, what kind of tricks can't you see through?" Wu Junsheng said: "He asked me to return to the commander-in-chief and ignore Beijing's tricks. He is busy mobilizing the provincial council to see how to make the next move.
.”
"Brother." Zhang Zuolin hurriedly helped Wu Junsheng up and said, "According to what you said, the next step I should..."
"Why are you still hesitating?" Wu Junsheng said without thinking: "We guarantee you to sit in the three eastern provinces, and we will do our thing."
"Okay!" Zhang Zuolin slapped his butt and stood up: "He Xu Laowu will sit in his Forbidden City in Beijing, and I, Zhang Zuolin, will sit in my Forbidden City in Fengtian. Let's face each other!"
Zhang Zuolin returned to Fengtian, declared the independence of the three Northeastern provinces, issued the "Declaration of Independence of the Three Northeastern Provinces", and announced that he would sever ties with the Beijing government. At the same time, he announced that Zhang Zuolin had been elected as the "Commander-in-Chief of Security of the Three Northeastern Provinces." In addition, he also issued a special attack on Xu Shichang
An "Information to the All People of the Republic of China" telegraphed: "The [Central] Central Committee is trapped in an anarchic situation. Zuoshuang is far away from the customs. You can't do anything to show Shuang is ignorant and betrayed by others. Since the Republic of China, there have been many incidents, and Xu Shichang sat down
Harvesting the fishermen's profits without observing from the outside, mistakenly thinking that the old man is making peace, not knowing that he is actually a fuse."
When Xu Shichang saw this telegram, he immediately fainted. The telegram fell from his hand towards the ground. His eyes became drowsy and blurred, and he lay unconscious.
What made Xu Shichang even more upset was that Zhang Guogan, a close confidant of Cao Zuo, hurriedly came from Baoding and said that he had "extremely urgent business and wanted to see Mr. Xu." As soon as Xu Shichang said "missing", Zhang Guogan had already swaggered in front of him.
Zhang Guogan was a smart man. He asked Xu Shichang straight to the point: "Has Mr. Xu seen all the telegrams and parliamentary declarations from the governors?"
Xu Shichang said without turning his face: "I saw it...
"What are Mr. Xu's plans?"
"I have wanted to resign for a long time." Xu Shichang said with a cold smile: "I just haven't found a suitable opportunity yet. Even at the beginning, I didn't want to be the president. Cao, Wu and Zhang Yuting tried their best to persuade me.
I did it reluctantly. I think Mr. Zhang, a smart man like you, will know these things."
"Since Mr. Xu is determined to resign, when will he give up the government?"
"What do you think?"
"Of course the sooner the better!"
"It's okay to hand over a few urgent matters."
"Commander Cao ordered me, the sooner the better. If Mr. Xu hesitates and delays for too long, it may be disadvantageous."
"You can do it within a day or two, right?" "Well, I'll come back tomorrow to get a reply." Zhang Guogan left. However, the provincial governors of the direct line came to remind him one after another, and even the staff of the direct office in Beijing called several times a day to ask, "Why?"
Time to set off?"
Xu Shichang couldn't sit still anymore. He hurriedly left Zhongnanhai and came to his house in Dongsiwutiao Blacksmith Camp. When Xu Shichang was sitting in his small living room, his head suddenly roared: "I...I...
What will happen to me?"
Xu Shichang was in a state of confusion. He thought of the ups and downs of his official career for a moment, of the people who had come and gone with him over the decades, and of all the friends he had shared life and death with.
Everything was gone in an instant. At this moment, Xu Shichang suddenly regretted that he shouldn't have climbed so high. Because if he climbed too high, what would he fall like? He didn't dare to think about it, he was a little scared!
At this time, he suddenly thought of Yuan Shikai's second son Yuan Kewen: "That little guy really has some discernment, regret."
Once, Xu Shichang sat in front of Yuan Shikai, and the two discussed how to raise their children. Xu Shichang praised the most promising of Yuan's four sons, the second son Kewen. Yuan Shikai shook his head and said: "He is an emperor who cannot be supported!"
As he said this, he showed him a Qilu poem written by Ke Wen. "I want him to inherit my throne.
But he didn't do it, and he said it was windy and rainy high up in the mountains, what did he say?"
Xu Shichang took a look at Yuan Kewen's poem, but it was: "At first glance, I am weak and strong, but my eyes are not clear towards the evening. Going back to the south, the cold wild geese cover the lonely moon, and going west, the arrogant wind stirs the nine cities. I stay in the gap to fight for a moment.
, The sound of crickets blowing in my dream comes at three o'clock in the morning. It's windy and rainy in the high mountains, so don't go to the top floor of the Qiong Tower!"
Now, Xu Shichang still remembers this poem, but he said with deep feeling: "Yuan Kewen was afraid of the wind and rain on the mountain, so he was determined not to go to the top of Qiong Tower. I climbed to the top of Qiong Tower, and the storm was all over the place.
If it rushes towards me, what will happen to me? Shattered to pieces? Ruined to ruin?"
He felt that he was worse than a playboy.
When Xu Shichang was sitting in silence, he suddenly thought of Lu Zu, who believed in him all his life. He stood up slowly and couldn't help but walk towards the secret room where Lu Zu was enshrined. This time, Xu Shichang didn't bring incense and candles as offerings. It was not because he was too late, but because
It was the first time he had doubts about Lu Zu.
He stood in front of the statue of Lu Zu and looked at the face of Lu Zu painted on the paper. He felt that he was not as kind as before, and his eyes lacked the wisdom of the past, and his eyebrows seemed a bit more cunning.
Xu Shichang didn't know whether he was asking himself or to Lu Zu: "This is how I, I, I expanded my family? What will my ending bring to my ancestors? What will it bring to myself? What will happen to me tomorrow?
?”
He remembered the first time he asked for a visa in Liulichang, the Guangxu Bingzhu Examination, the Hanlin Academy, the three eastern provinces...
In front of Lu Zu, he no longer dared to reach into the lottery tube to draw lots. He was at least disappointed with Lu Zu, because in the past few years, Lu Zu never told him that the Year of the Umbrella was a "disaster year".
He took precautions. Therefore, he was surprised and unprepared for everything he faced today: "I have worshiped you religiously for most of my life. Why didn't you give me a warning or a reminder? How could you bear to watch me step by step?
Walking into trouble and heading towards the abyss step by step?"
Xu Shichang stood for a long time, with only doubts and complaints. The admiration and piety he had in the past had long disappeared. "Is it destined that I will have this day? Then you should also tell me!"
Xu Shichang wanted to draw another lot to see what kind of future there would be.
"Sixty years is a great reincarnation, maybe the day after tomorrow it will be possible!" However, he did not dare to draw this lot. He was afraid that Lu Zu would turn his face and tell him a big misfortune. "It has only been forty years since the Renwu Rural Science and Technology Examination was drawn today! But!
, forty years is the majority of my life, and indeed there is still hope the day after tomorrow, and I can’t wait any longer.” Xu Shichang was full of negativity and pessimism, and his faith became indifferent and blurred.
He slowly turned around and gently closed the door, but no longer locked it. He was not afraid of anyone breaking in or doing anything disrespectful to Lu Zu!
He was determined to forget this little house forever and ever. His fate of going to the countryside was already determined. There was no hope of staying in the house.
Xu Shichang took out his study room and wrote the telegram manuscripts one by one. It was not difficult for an old Hanlin.
However, ever since Xu Shichang went to serve as governor of the three northeastern provinces, he no longer had to write his own manuscripts. Wu Jisun almost always wrote for him. Counting on the fingers, it has been sixteen years since he became estranged from writing. When he picked up the pen again, he always felt that
So heavy.
He suddenly remembered Li Yu, the empress of the Southern Tang Dynasty, and also recalled Li Yu's famous poem "Po Zhen Zi", so he softly recited silently: "In the past forty years, our country has covered three thousand miles of mountains and rivers. Phoenix Pavilions and Dragon Towers are connected.
In the sky of Han Dynasty, the beautiful branches of Yushu are dreaming of smoke, and I have never seen fighting. Once I become a captive, I will sink my waist and wear my temples to spend time.
On the most hasty day of farewell to the temple, the temple still played farewell songs and cried to the palace ladies."
Under repeated pressure from Cao Zong and others, Xu Shichang had to reluctantly leave the Presidential Palace and move to the British Concession. This not only ended his five years as president, but also ended his more than 40 years in politics.
On September 2, 1916, Xu Shichang went out of office! (To be continued!)