Beiyang reactionaries

On October 1917, 10, the day after Xiangtan and Zhuzhou were taken by the French defenders, Cao Kun, Governor of Zhili, Li Chun, Governor of Jiangsu, Chen Guangyuan, Governor of Jiangxi, and Wang Zhanyuan, Governor of Hubei, issued a telegram calling for an armistice and peace talks between the North and the South.

Originally, he had always been the third governor of the Yangtze River, but he suddenly became the fourth direct governor, which made Feng Guozhang's momentum soar and suppressed Duan Qirui.Cao Kun is a person who drifts between Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang. Although many people think that Cao Kun is more like a direct lineage, his relationship with Duan Qirui has always been good, and he is known as the "amphibious warlord" swaying from side to side.Cao Kun is currently serving as the governor of Zhili. He not only has the most elite third division of the Beiyang Army, but also a large number of Zhili local troops. There are many troops with numbers like the Zhili First Mixed Brigade and the Zhili Second Mixed Brigade. , the strength is very strong, and its position in the Beiyang Army is very important.But this time, Duan Qirui was very hurt when he suddenly announced the telegram with the three governors of the Yangtze River.

On this day, Feng Guozhang removed Duan Qirui from the post of Army Chief, and Wang Shizhen took over as Army Chief.

In order to fight for power and profit within the Beiyang Army, there is no time to deal with the war in Hunan.Cheng Qian, on the other hand, took advantage of this opportunity and continued northward with his troops. On October 1917, 10, Cheng Qian led a large force to besiege Changsha.Wang Ruxian and Fan Guozhang were already panic-stricken, unable to organize troops to defend at all.In less than a day of fighting, the troops of the two men were completely defeated.The two of them could only flee Changsha with the defeated generals and retreat to Yueyang.Cheng Qian, Zhao Hengti, and Liu Jianfan took advantage of the situation to enter Changsha and reoccupy Changsha.

After Cheng Qian entered Changsha, he immediately held a meeting of representatives from all walks of life in Hunan, and elected Lu Rongting as the tour envoy of Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi, Tan Haoming as the governor of Hunan, and Cheng Qian as the governor and military affairs committee.Then deploy the battle plan, leaving a small number of troops to watch the house, and the large army will take advantage of the victory and continue to go north to attack Yueyang.

It is a pity that after the troops of the Guangxi Army and the Guangdong Army entered Changsha, they stopped going north.If it's just the Hunan Army, then of course they don't have the ability to attack Yueyang.So Cheng Qian sent Tan Haoming a power, and invited Tan Haoming to come to Changsha as soon as possible to plan how to attack Yueyang.

While Cheng Qian was making military preparations in Changsha, on October 1917, 10, Feng Guozhang approved Duan Qirui's resignation, removed Duan Qirui from the position of Prime Minister, and made Wang Daxie temporarily act as Prime Minister.

At this point, Duan Qirui officially left the Central Committee.

"Shunqin (Chen Bingkun), is this battle going to continue?"

Lu Rongting, 59 years old, will soon be sixty years old.But now is also the peak moment of Lu Rongting's life.Sun Yat-sen needed to rely on him, Feng Guozhang also gave Lu Rongting three points of face, and Cheng Qian in Changsha even recommended Lu Rongting to be the tour envoy of Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi.As a warlord who made his fortune in Guangxi, being a tour envoy in Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi is really a peak in life.

Cheng Qian's urgent telegram is every few hours.

The main content is to invite Tan Haoming to enter Changsha as soon as possible to take charge of the overall situation.I hope that Lu Rongting will quickly agree that the troops of the three provinces of Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi will unite to attack Yueyang and take Yueyang down.Completely drive the Beiyang Army away from Hunan.

After all, Yueyang is the northern gate of Hunan.

The Beiyang Army relies on the Yangtze River waterway, and troops can come to Yueyang anytime and anywhere.If the Beiyang Army continues to occupy Yueyang, it will threaten Changsha all the time.But Lu Rongting was not in a hurry.

There are only three people in the room.

Lu Rongting, the inspector of Guangdong and Guangxi, Chen Bingkun, the former governor of Guangdong, and Tan Haoming, the governor of Guangxi.These three people are sworn brothers. In fact, many of Lu Rongting's senior generals are sworn brothers when Lu Rongting was a bandit and when he was in the Guangxi patrol camp.

But among these people, Lu Rongting trusted Chen Bingkun and Tan Haoming the most.

Because many of Lu Rongting's senior generals were from bandits, and all of them were illiterate.Only Chen Bingkun was born in a gentry family, although because his father divorced his wife for his concubine and drove Chen Bingkun's mother away, Chen Bingkun's childhood life became very difficult.But after all, Chen Bingkun was born in a family of gentry, so he knew that he had to study.So in between herding cattle for others, I listened in at my young master's private school.The private school teacher saw that Chen Bingkun was working so hard, so he specially allowed him to attend the class.Therefore, Chen Bingkun is a rare scholar in Lu Rongting's camp, and he is someone Lu Rongting trusts very much.

As for Tan Haoming, it goes without saying.

The friendship between the two has been going on for 40 to [-] years.Back then, Lu Rongting worked as a helper on Tan Haoming's father's boat.At that time, the two had a very good relationship, so they sworn brothers.Later, Lu Rongting married Tan Haoming's eldest sister, and the two became brother-in-law and brother-in-law again.Later Lu Rongting became a bandit, and Tan Haoming followed him up the mountain.Therefore, Tan Haoming is Lu Rongting's most trusted person.

"Brother, do you want to fight the Beiyang Army to the death?"

"Bullshit."

Lu Rongting shook his head and said: "I'm not old-fashioned, how could I fight to the death with the Beiyang Army. If Duan Hefei (Duan Qirui) hadn't insisted on fighting and killing me, I wouldn't have fought against them."

Lu Rongting, a bandit, was able to sneak into the present and control the three provinces of Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi, relying on his ability to have both sides.And being able to have both sides, depends on the judgment of the situation.It depends on having a deep understanding of one's own strength, and not doing stupid things that you know you can't do, but insist on doing.

Northern Army?

Although Lu Rongting is conceited, he also knows that at present, the strongest force in China is the Beiyang Army group.Gathering all the troops by myself is less than 10 people, but the Beiyang Army has hundreds of thousands of troops.Let yourself and the Beiyang army fight to death, unless there is something wrong with your head.

"That's right. Brother, now is a good time. Feng Hejian (Feng Guozhang) and Duan Hefei were in conflict. Feng Hejian proposed peaceful reunification in order to oppose Duan Hefei's reunification by force. Now Cao Kun, Li People from Feng Hejian like Chun and Wang Zhanyuan have come out to oppose the reunification by force, and we should respond. Don’t even make Feng Hejian angry. Once Feng Hejian and Duan Hefei unite, it will be bad for us."

Chen Bingkun gave Lu Rongting an analysis.

Analyze the current situation.Since Feng Guozhang wanted peaceful reunification and peace negotiations between the north and the south, Lu Rongting of course wanted to respond to them.

"It makes sense."

"Especially Yueyang, where Wang Jinjing, the commander of the Second Division, is stationed. Once we attack Yueyang, we will directly conflict with Wang Jinjing. Wang Jinjing is a member of the Hubei Warlord Wang Zhanyuan. We cannot conflict with Wang Zhanyuan now."

Lu Rongting nodded frequently.

An enemy of an enemy is a friend.Duan Qirui is sure to eliminate Lu Rongting, and now Lu Rongting can rely on Feng Guozhang as an ally, and the three governors of the Yangtze River who echo Feng Guozhang.At this time, I should never have clashed with the troops of the Three Governors of the Yangtze River.

"Brother, what about Cheng Qian's telegram?"

Tan Haoming asked Lu Rongting.

Although Lu Rongting married Tan Haoming's sister, Tan Haoming still called Lu Rongting his eldest brother, not his brother-in-law as he did when he was a child.

"Cheng Qian, Cheng Qian. Although this man is brave and resourceful, he is a famous general of the Hunan Army. But he is more inclined to Sun Dapao (Sun Yat-sen), not ours. Now he only wants to fight Yueyang, which is exactly what we think Not the same. He cannot be left to lead the force."

In this Hunan war, Cheng Qian's performance was qualified.

Cheng Qian seized several opportunities accurately, and whether it was defending in Hengyang or attacking Baoqing in a roundabout way, it all reflected Cheng Qian's excellent commanding ability.But Cheng Qian was closer to Sun Yat-sen and listened to Sun Yat-sen more.When Lu Rongting was fighting in the front, he relied more on Cheng Qian, a famous general of the Hunan Army.But now that Changsha has been captured, Lu Rongting feels that Cheng Qian is not easy to control and is not very obedient.

"Then, big brother means..."

"Where is Tan Zu'an (Tan Yankai)? Let Tan Zu'an go. Although Grandma Tan (Tan Yankai) is a mother-in-law and not as brave and intelligent as Cheng Qian, she is easy to talk and understands the overall situation. She will not be like Cheng Qian in attacking Yueyang in such a hurry."

"Then what about Cheng Qian? He now considers himself the governor of Hunan, and the Hunan Military Affairs Association will handle it."

"Wait."

Lu Rongting sneered and said: "The Hunan army suffered heavy losses in this war, more than half of the troops were lost, and they have no strength to maintain the situation. As long as we don't move, Cheng Qian can't stand it. When Cheng Qian can't bear to give up the post of governor, you Then go to Changsha."

"yes, Sir."

Infighting.

With the conflict of interests, there will be internal strife within the Beiyang Army, and there will also be internal strife within the law enforcement forces.Sun Yat-sen and Lu Rongting had been fighting among themselves before, and although they hadn't completely broken up, it wasn't very good either.However, there was pressure from the Beiyang Army before, so the contradiction did not completely break down.But after taking Changsha, Lu Rongting felt that Cheng Qian sent by Sun Yat-sen was in the way, and planned to let him go.

The complex interest relationship makes today's enemies can become friends, and today's friends will turn against each other.

"Shunqin (Chen Bingkun), send a telegram to Feng Hejian. Ask him to issue a ceasefire order."

"Yes."

137 Yuan Zuming

"Ming Jie, what does Commander Duan (Duan Xun, commander-in-chief of bandit suppression in Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou provinces) mean? Commander Duan's position seems to be only a temporary post during wartime, and he should have no right to interfere in the internal affairs of the provinces, let alone determine a specific position. The powers of the Provincial Overseer."

Qianxi County.

The headquarters of the Second Division of the Qian Army.

Yuan Zuming spoke to Deng Hanxiang with an uneasy face.

Yuan Zuming and Deng Hanxiang were classmates, and they studied together in Guizhou Army Primary School.After graduation, the two of them took the Wuchang Army Middle School exam together.It's just that Deng Hanxiang passed the exam, but Yuan Zuming failed.Yuan Zuming's failure in the exam was not because Yuan Zuming was not strong enough, but because Yuan Zuming was short-sighted.

After that, Deng Hanxiang directly participated in the Revolution of [-] at Wuchang Army Middle School, and joined Li Yuanhong's Hubei Governor's Mansion.Later, he followed Li Yuanhong to the north and became a staff member of the presidential palace.Then he took refuge in Duan Qirui, and then came to Duan Xun.

Yuan Zuming joined the army directly.

Go to Xingyi to help Liu Xianshi train troops, and then slowly become a famous general of the Guizhou Army.

Deng Hanxiang accepted Duan Xun's order and came to negotiate with Yuan Zuming.Duan Xun's meaning is very simple, let Yuan Zuming's troops be incorporated first.You can't let Yuan Zuming's nearly 5000 troops just drift out of his control.