Beiyang 1917

At the end of April 1917, Wang Geng’s first division of the model army in Nanyuan had three mixed brigades with a full staff of 3 people, and the ratio of veterans to recruits was almost 1:2. The designation of the 16th mixed brigade has been canceled and replaced by the first brigade of the first division of the model army. Compared with the second and third brigades, which are mainly recruits, the proportion of veterans in the first brigade is more than half.

In addition, the military police regiment directly under the headquarters of the participating army has also reached a scale of 2500 people, and the model teaching regiment directly under the headquarters is still 3000 people!

The old people of the 16th mixed brigade don't think that their brigade's designation has been cancelled. Their pride and honor have been deeply imprinted on the entire model army participating in the war. In the compilation manual of the first division and the first brigade, the introduction is The predecessor of the first brigade was the 16th mixed brigade.

In early May, Feng Guozhang, the acting president who led the 16th and [-]th divisions rushed to Beijing to take office, suffered a blow. It is a large construction site. The original seven camps of Nanyuan Camp have been rebuilt and refurbished by Wang Geng's engineering regiment into a new barracks. There are neat rows of barracks, canteens, toilets and warehouses.

In fact, Feng Guozhang's No.16 division got off the bus at Fengtai Station and failed to leave the station. The entire Fengtai and Nanyuan were part of the militarized management of the participating army. Wang Tingzhen, the commander of the [-]th division, was surrounded by his military police Menzhen couldn't laugh or cry, he, the lieutenant general and division commander, was no different in others' eyes.

Before I had the commander of the Presidential Guard on my side, I went crazy and frightened people. My guard pistol battalion just drew out its gun and was about to throw a tantrum. When it smelled a murderous aura and the situation was not good, the lieutenant colonel and battalion commander of the opposing gendarmerie blew his whistle. Suddenly, black muzzles appeared behind the railings around the station that were originally covered by tarpaulins. The entire Maxim Heavy Machine Gun Battalion had nearly [-] heavy machine guns aiming at themselves and the Pistol Guard Battalion!

The situation is stronger than others. Although the Sixteenth Division was reorganized from the elite Imperial Guards, on the one hand, they thought that they had returned to Beijing from Nanjing with the Acting President; The strength of a regiment of the vanguard is not here to fight, so it is defenseless, and at this time, it is a pig brain to use a Mauser pistol to fight Maxim!

Just like this, Feng Guozhang's garrison [-]th Division Division and the vanguard were disarmed by Wang Geng's model army at Fengtai Station. He sent the secretary-general to Fengtai to lead the people. Wang Geng, who had escaped from Nanyuan with an excuse, did not intend to let the tiger go back to the mountain so easily.

Xu Shuzheng asked Wang Geng in front of the Prime Minister in the Duan Mansion later that night if he had been holding back for a long time to give Lao Feng and the Sixteenth Division a blow. Although you have three mixed brigades, more than half of them are digging mud in the Yongding River with bare hands. Aren't you afraid that the Sixteenth Division will turn on you and antagonize you?

"Huo Bing? I was afraid he wouldn't shoot! I found out early in the morning that Wang Tingzhen returned home with only one leading regiment, so if he dared to break into my Nanyuan barracks, that would be a door-to-door delivery! I alone The firepower of the teaching regiment is as strong as his brigade, and my first brigade was prepared to fight unprepared. If the prime minister hadn't stopped me, I would have dared to shoot! And I shot their teacher first! After beating me The first division of the German Mauser is almost able to play with the German Mauser!"

While lighting the fire, Wang Geng replied nonchalantly, now that there is no beautiful secretary by his side, he can finally smoke a cigarette!This guy evenly distributes the nights from Monday to Friday among the five concubines in the family, and spends time on weekends to spend time with the two girls, Lu Mei and Duan Hongbing. Of course, because Duan Hongbing is graduating in the summer, this will Er was hired by him to be his private secretary and translator, who had the advantage of being close to the water, and witnessed and participated in Wang Geng's negotiations with the ministers of foreign powers in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, loans and military purchases.

"Wang Geng, you are still reckless in this matter. Let the Sixteenth Division be stationed in Tongzhou again, but the matter of handing over other people's guns is a bit too much!" Strong performance, in fact, the old Duan felt as happy as eating his own fruit. Feng Guozhang, a cowardly guy, thought that bringing two divisions to Beijing to take office would scare the old man?This kick kicked Wang Geng's steel pillar and sprained his toe!

But the old Duan still wants to beat Wang Geng a few words in face, otherwise this guy might really shoot next time, but that face can't be torn off right now, not to mention, Xu Youzheng also has to balance one or two in front of him. .

"Let's get off the horse and kill Feng Guozhang's prestige. If it weren't for your generosity, Prime Minister, my participating army would be equipped with American munitions. I won't return the paid Mauser!" Wang Geng said with a smile.

"In short, when it's time to keep a low profile, keep a low profile. Loans to the U.S. are fine. Public opinion outside the borrowings to Japan is a little bit focused, saying that we sold our sovereignty over railways and mining. What do you think of this matter?" Prime Minister of the State Council He grinned, and brought the topic to Japan's loan!

"We are using the newly issued treasury bonds by the Ministry of Finance as collateral to borrow money, not the right to operate the railway. We have not sold a dime of sovereignty. I have arranged for several newspapers to publish articles to refute the rumors and set the record straight. Fight back!" Xu Shuzheng glanced at Wang Geng, and replied in a relaxed tone.

Wang Geng now has the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of China in his hands, but his Ministry of Communications and the Bank of Communications have not suffered any losses. The Bank of China is the main manager of the loan to the United States, and the loan to Japan has been placed in the hands of the Bank of Communications. In addition to Wang Geng's strong diplomatic ability in the loan negotiation, Xu Shuzheng decided to wait and see how his competitor exerted his energy, and put his energy into organizing the Anfu Club and preparing for the Congress in August. election.

"Prime Minister, Brother You Zheng, the Ministry of Finance issued 3.8 million national bonds for the war, and the Bank of China is going to underwrite 1.8 million of which, and the remaining 2 million will be underwritten by the Bank of Communications. How about that?" Wang Geng asked the old Duan with a smile. Ask Xu Shuzheng.

"Yezhen, let me say that the mess of the Bank of Communications can't continue like this. The Bank of China has performed very well recently. Their method of raising private funds to expand shares is a feasible way! 2 million public bonds are underwritten by the Bank of Communications It’s not impossible, but the internal management must be rectified first, or the money will fall into the bottomless pit again!” Duan Qirui is obviously a little worried about the Bank of Communications.

"The Bank of Communications is mainly due to its heavy historical debts. In the past few years, it has advanced nearly 4750 million yuan for the Ministry of Finance alone!" Xu Shuzheng couldn't help but argue.

"If you are not in charge, you don't know that Chai Mi is expensive. Brother You Zheng, I just learned that this year, the advances from the Bank of China to the Ministry of Finance have soared from more than 1260 million to more than 4630 million. The burden of the Bank of China is not at all. Easy!"

"The problem of Beijing banknotes must be resolved, and you don't have to argue. Since the advances of Bank of China and Bank of Communications are similar, this historical burden will be removed together this time. Specifically, let the Ministry of Finance lead Bank of China and Bank of Communications. Let's solve it together, Wang Geng, you have to be the Ministry of Finance's Beijing banknote sorting supervisor!" Duan Qirui made a decision.

Xu Shuzheng spread his hands. Obviously, Wang Geng, a bullfrog, would be happy to see the success of this mess. At least Wang Geng did not favor the Bank of China. According to Xu Shuzheng's vague understanding of Wang Geng, the so-called loyalty may be worthless in the eyes of this guy who is full of foreign ink after returning from West Point, and what he has is just utilitarianism!

"Prime Minister! Brother Youzheng, let me talk about the arrangement of Beijing banknotes. The number of Beijing banknotes that need to be recycled on the market is about 9300 million. The market price of banknotes is about 5580% off, that is to say, in theory, we only need to spend [-] million yuan to completely recover these Beijing banknotes!"

Wang Geng glanced at the Prime Minister and the Undersecretary of the Army who were staring at him intently, and continued,

"Every time Beijing banknotes are sorted and paid, there will be a wave of hoarding and speculation. I think we will do the opposite this time!" Wang Geng narrowed his eyes as he said, and there was a hint of cunning on his handsome face. .

"Do the opposite? Let's talk about it!" The Prime Minister was a little surprised, wondering what kind of moth Wang Geng was trying to mess with!Xu Shuzheng narrowed his eyes and calmly made a gesture of please continue.