Jagged Warlord

The Battle of Jinan greatly boosted the morale of the Chinese people. On March 1915, 3, the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce formed the "Association for Persuading the Use of Domestic Products", and elected Yu Qiaqing, Dong Shaoyan, and Wang Zhengting as the chairman and vice president. On the 16th, the gentry, business, and academic circles jointly convened a national assembly against the requirements of "Article 18" in Zhangyuan. Nearly 21 people attended the meeting.The conference passed resolutions such as advocating domestic products and setting up citizens' donation offices.By the 4nd, the boycott of Japanese goods in Shanghai was getting louder and louder, and all stores set up by Japanese in Fuzhou Road, Nanjing Road, etc. were closed and closed.On the grounds of "fear of crowds causing trouble", the arrest house sent more detectives to patrol and "repress with capital".At the same time, flyers boycotting Japanese goods were pasted on the walls of the streets and alleys inside and outside the city, as well as on electric poles and wooden posts.

The patriotic actions of Shanghai merchants received responses from merchants all over the country. By the end of the month, merchants all over the country refused to sell Japanese products, and everyone used domestic products.Many schools stipulate that all stationery should be domestic products.Newspapers in some big cities publish "Domestic Product Investigation Records" every day to encourage people to choose domestic products.In Shanghai, Tianjin, Guangzhou and other places, plays and songs with anti-Japanese and patriotic themes appeared.Students took to the streets, handing out leaflets, giving speeches, and agitating.

Then all over the world responded, and within ten days, chambers of commerce and other industrial and commercial groups in Guangdong, Wuxi, Songjiang, Fuzhou, Anhui, Yantai, Yingkou, Jinan, Changchun, Xiamen, Hankou, Wuhu, Datong and other places successively set off boycott days. cargo movement. After April, chambers of commerce in Changsha, Huzhou, Harbin, Kunming, Shashi, Tianjin, Fengtian, Chongqing and other places started up one after another.A nationwide boycott of Japanese goods was soon formed.

This spring, the weather in Beijing is very mild, and the garden in Zhongnanhai is full of flowers of various colors.Yuan Shikai paced back and forth in the warm pavilion.The huge pressure from Japan made him feel very cold in the Snappers, so cold that he always wanted to add more clothes and a brazier.

The ultimatum sent by Hiki Masaki has no room for maneuver in terms of content or time.Either accept it completely and lose power and humiliate the country; or go back intact and have another war with the Japanese.Yuan Shikai clenched two fists in front of him, looked at his left hand for a while, and looked at his right hand for a while, as if he was repeatedly weighing which one was heavier or lighter than which one.After comparing for a long while, he was still not sure, finally he could only let out a long sigh, and continued to walk around in the warm pavilion with his hands behind his back.

As an ordinary Chinese, Yuan Shikai would not accept the shameful "21 Articles".As the legal head of state of this country, it is even more difficult for him to accept such an emperor-like political insult.Yes, as Yuan Shikai who dreamed of being the emperor of China, he had to think more.That is whether he can sit in prison as the current president.With the yellow robe on his body, is the road to the Hall of Supreme Harmony going smoothly?

Therefore, when the Japanese just put forward the "21 Articles", Yuan Shikai clearly stated in his reply telegram to Feng Guozhang and other soldiers: "To establish a country in this turbulent world, one must have a spirit of self-reliance and perseverance. The spirit of frustration, even though people seek me, how can they kill me?"

But after the Japanese threatened with force, they immediately changed their face, and said to the warlords who jointly sent a telegram to demand resistance against Japan, "But since the general is a military officer, he should devote himself to the military. He said to the generals like an order, "There is no need to take diplomacy into account. If there are rumors and troubles, the general should cooperate with the local government to ban it. It is best not to make mistakes."

Overnight, they looked like two different people.

Tuk Tuk Tuk

Cao Rulin knocked lightly on the door a few times, and shouted, "President."

Yuan Shikai turned his head to look at Cao Rulin, only to see Cao Rulin's face was full of sadness, and his heart suddenly became agitated, "Run Tian, ​​is there something urgent?"

Cao Rulin hesitated for a moment, and walked in cautiously, "Consuls from Britain and the United States have visited my house."

"How to say?" Yuan Shikai asked hurriedly

Cao Rulin shook his head and said: "Mr. Zhu Erdian said that China is facing the most dangerous moment. I have been in China for 40 years and have been friends with the President for 30 years. Today I cannot but say a few very sincere words. Japan's ultimatum, We can only answer yes or no, and there is no room for bargaining. Now European countries have no time to look around. If China goes to war with Japan, it will be in a situation where it will never recover. There is no other way of self-sufficiency..."

"Accept all the conditions?!" Yuan Shikai's eyes widened. "He really said that?"

Cao Rulin nodded, "This is Zhu Erdian's original words. He said that the president should learn from Goujian, the king of Yue, and bear the burden of humiliation. From then on, he will organize the army and practice martial arts. He will gather together in ten years and learn lessons in ten years. In the future, he may meet Japan."

Cao Rulin also said: "U.S. Minister Rui Enshi also put forward the same advice as Britain."

Yuan Shikai was so angry that his hands began to shake, he slowly sat down on the soft chair, and said dejectedly: "It seems that there is no room left."

Don't you accept the conditions of the Japanese? A fierce battle will immediately start between the two countries.Is it possible for China to defeat Japan?

Yuan Shikai was born in the army, and he cultivated China's existing army, and he knows exactly how powerful it is.In the battle of Guoguo, the heroic spirit of the Chinese people was revealed, but China will also be wiped out by the Japanese.If China perishes, how can I be the president?At that time, even if you want to be the emperor, you will not be able to be the emperor, and decades of painstaking efforts and conspiracy calculations will all be wiped out.

Accepting Article 21 certainly loses the dignity of the Chinese people, but after all, China has only lost part of its sovereignty and has not subjugated the country.If you keep the green hills, you don't have to worry about firewood. Whether you are a president or an emperor in the future, you have to have a place to live, and you have to have a hill to be a king!As long as China does not perish, there is room for maneuver.Thinking of this, Yuan Shikai suddenly felt relieved.

Yuan Shikai asked Cao Rulin, "Run Tian, ​​what do you think?"

Cao Rulin said: "I think the opinions of the two ministers are reasonable. But what will the members of the Political Council think?"

"It can only be understood with emotion, moved with reason, and clearly stated the interests and interests, so that they can understand the government!" Yuan Shikai's tone was a little tired.

At 8:2 p.m. on August 21, a meeting of the Senate was held in Chunyizhai, Zhongnanhai.At the meeting of the Council of State held for the "5 Articles", Cao Rulin made an opening speech. After explaining the situation in China, he said: "Japan has withdrawn the fifth part of the conditions. The sense of superiority and various conditions that violated China's sovereignty have been amended after our efforts, and compared with the original case, we have recovered a lot."

Yuan Shikai also came on stage after Cao Rulin finished speaking, his face was very gloomy.He watched the silent venue for a long time before he said: "It is our responsibility to protect the country, and we must stick to our opinions externally and remain unwavering. Internally, we should caress the people and not let them disturb themselves. It will be April, and we will stick to it." Yijian. He then forced me to admit it with an ultimatum, and then the most fierce Siduan will either be wiped out or divorced from the case. Other major losses can also be reduced due to repeated discussions, and statistics have already lost quite a lot of rights. Many. Heartbroken, anger gradually mixed. The past is gone, and the future will be long. All officials outside Beijing should advise their subordinates, warn the people, bear the burden of humiliation, and ask for it. Incur damage. Please understand this intention and work hard for it.”

Finally, Yuan Shikai expressed his attitude.Yuan Shikai said: "Our strength is inferior to that of others, and we cannot fight with others. British friends care about us, and Minister Zhu Erdian cares about us. We should follow the example of Goujian and Han Xin, endure the humiliation for a while, and try our best. Maybe there will be a day in the future. Otherwise, , the disaster of subjugation is inevitable!"

The Senate was originally a group of diners in the Yuan family, and they all acted according to Yuan Shikai's face. Of course, Yuan Shikai's default "21 Articles" had to be passed unanimously and dare not make any objections.

Now, it is up to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to perform the formalities.Seven hours before the Japanese government's "ultimatum" deadline, Cao Rulin, the Chinese representative in charge of Sino-Japanese negotiations and vice-foreign minister, walked into the presidential palace again, and sent the official document acknowledging "Article 7" to be published publicly. Go to Yuan Shikai and ask him to sign it.

Yuan Shikai took the text and read it carefully, and felt that it was different from the text he read yesterday afternoon, so he asked what was going on.Cao Rulin hesitated and said: "The draft text has been reviewed by the Japanese minister, and they have objections."

"What objection?" Yuan Shikai saw it clearly, and said, "Then we must add another 5 words to the No. 6 clause and negotiate in the future?"

Cao Rulin only nodded slightly.In fact, just now the Japanese envoy had already received a lot of supercilious glances for this few words.The original manuscript only said "No. 5 is divorced from this negotiation." The Japanese were furious and said: "This palindrome is inconsistent with the original proposal, and this envoy cannot accept it."

Cao had no choice but to add the words "negotiate separately in the future".

Yuan Shikai was furious, and shouted: "You are too bold and reckless, why didn't you ask me for such a big matter? Can you be the master?"

"Yes, yes." Cao Rulin was terrified and said, "I'll go to the Japanese to negotiate."

Yuan Shikai did not let go of the hand that was holding down the text. After the anger was over, he silently lowered his head and sighed softly.Probably feeling helpless, Yuan Shikai signed his name without changing a single word, and approved the text to be published publicly.Cao Rulin delivered the ultimatum to the Japanese embassy two hours before the deadline.

On May 5, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced to the ministers of various countries the whole story of the negotiation between China and Japan on "Article 13".

On May 5, the Yuan Shikai government and the Japanese aggressors formally signed the "25 Articles" treaty of humiliating the country.