Jagged Warlord

In the south, the war in the Beiyang system continued to erode the territory of the Southwest Warlords.

Duan Qirui's passbook was selfish. He sent Cao Kun, the defeated general, as the trump card of the main combat faction. a mixed brigade.He appointed Cao Kun as the commander-in-chief of the front enemy of the Zhijun Army. Although Zhang Jingyao was the commander-in-chief of the Aid Yue Army, Cao Kun's command was far superior to Zhang Jingyao's in terms of military strength.As for the First Division Shi Congbin of the Second Route Army, Zhang Zongchang of the Sixth Mixed Brigade of Jiangsu, and Li Chuanye of the Anwu Army, they were inferior to the First Route Army in terms of quantity and quality.

Although Zhang Jingyao is known as a brave general in the Beiyang Army, but in this expedition to the south, he is good at boasting but not good at fighting.When he arrived in Hankou, he sent a telegram saying: "Jingyao survived a hundred battles, and he enjoyed the fruit of killing the enemy. What is there to fear?" The momentum was strong, and they applauded General Zhang, who had survived all battles.

However, after a few days, Cheng Qian, the commander-in-chief of the Hunan Army on the southern side, sneered at the victory telegram. He said: "After our coalition forces (referring to the French Protectorate Army) entered Yuezhou and guarded the Hunan side, no one died. I don’t know where to start with the story of the Northern Army conquering Puqi in Hubei Province.” It turned out that the Southern Army had never occupied Puqi in Hubei, and Zhang Jingyao’s Northern Army had never fired a single shot at Puqi. This victory report is just bragging good news.

It was Cao Kun who really fought the former enemy. After the Beiyang Army withdrew from Yuezhou, it retreated to Puqi to avoid contact with the Southern Army. Therefore, it is not dare to fight if the Beiyang Army retreats without fighting. Willing to defend, because Shouyuezhou should be deployed on the high ground around Yanglousi. As a result, Cao Kun's army drove south and reached Yanglousi. This is a false report of military exploits.

Zhang Jingyao, who is bragging and making mistakes, can only smoke opium and kill the people.Cao Kun, his chief officer, yelled at him, beat him and killed him.Coupled with the bad military discipline, the people are gnashing their teeth.Therefore, Cao Kun, the defeated general, gained the limelight in this war against Hunan, and finally regained a lot of face.Cao Kun's Jiedian stationed in the Yanglou Division is much more real than Zhang Jingyao's. Although the Yanglou Division was also voluntarily given up by the Southern Army, after all, Cao Kun has already contacted the forefront of the Southern Army.

Cao Kun's direct army was in charge of attacking Yuezhou. Cao Kun, as the commander of the third division, also served as the commander-in-chief of the former enemy. The command troops included Zhang Xueyan, commander of the fifth brigade, Zhang Fulai, commander of the sixth brigade, and the first mixed brigade of the direct army. Chief Wang Chengbin, Yan Xiangwen, commander of the second mixed brigade, and Xiao Yaonan, commander of the third mixed brigade.A total of 5 troops.Assisting in the battle were five warships sent by Du Xigui, commander of the Second Fleet of the Beiyang Navy, namely Chu Guan, Jiang Kun, Jiang Li, Jiang Xi, and Jiang Zhen.Yuezhou has no danger to defend, there is no navy on the river defense, and Tan Haoming, the joint commander, has no fighting spirit. Therefore, the battle of Yuezhou has not been contacted and the outcome has been determined.

On March 3, Cao Kun announced the occupation of Yanglou Division. On the 10th, they entered Yuezhou without encountering strong resistance.Cao Kun sent out three consecutive telegrams, all of which he said that the Dharma Protectors fought bravely and fought for every inch of land, while the Beiyang Army was invincible, invincible and invincible.In fact, they are all exaggerations.The most wonderful thing is that Zhang Jingyao, commander-in-chief of the Beiyang Army, led his troops to issue a victory report behind Cao Kun's army, saying: "Let's go to Yuezhou in a week, and Changsha can be conquered in ten days."

Although the Beiyang Army occupied Yuezhou on March 3, it was only the vanguard. That night, a group of troops on the front line of the French Guardian Army did not know that Yuezhou had given up, and retreated blindly into Yuezhou. The Beiyang Army who had just entered Yuezhou was suspicious. After setting up an ambush, Nai withdrew hastily, and at the same time notified the navy to bombard. The Beiyang warships that cooperated with Dongting Lake bombarded Yuezhou City indiscriminately.The French guard retreated in a hurry. On the 17th, the Beiyang Army occupied Yuezhou for the second time.

The Seventh Division of the Beiyang Army was responsible for attacking Pingjiang.The Pingjiang Dharma Army retreated on March 3, and the 17th Division of the Beiyang Army advanced along the Tongcheng Pingjiang Avenue, carrying out brutal massacres along the way.They insisted that the countrymen were the plainclothes troops of the French Guards, killing all the middle-aged people on the road, robbing, raping, and doing everything.The women fled to the caves one after another, and it was raining cats and dogs, and they were suffering from hunger and cold. In one cave, more than 300 women were found dying, and countless women committed suicide by throwing themselves into wells.

Zhang Jingyao led the army into Pingjiang on the 22nd, announcing that "swords will not be sealed for three days", and the soldiers plundered. Three days later, An Min was notified.Despite this, Duan Qirui still appointed Zhang Jingyao as the governor and governor of Hunan, and at the same time sent an order to immediately lead his troops to march to southern Hunan.

But in fact, Cao Kun contributed the most to the war in Hunan. In order to appease Cao Kun, under the instruction of Xu Shuzheng, Duan Qirui appointed Cao Kun as the tour envoy of the two lakes and the governor of Hubei, and transferred Wang Zhanyuan, the governor of Hubei, to the governor of Jiangsu. Killing Li Chun and attacking the direct lineage is really a wishful thinking of "killing two birds with one stone".He believed that Cao Kun should be satisfied when he was promoted from the governor of one province to the patrol envoy of two provinces, and he was still in charge of the governor of one province.

Duan Qirui is headstrong, but he favors Xu Shuzheng.Xiao Xu is talented but immature. Everything he does attracts people's attention. Most of Duan's political troubles are caused by Xiao Xu.During this period, Xiao Xu tried his best to reject the direct lineage, which Duan liked to see.But he can't tolerate other celebrities in Duan's family. Both Jin Yunpeng and Xiao Xu are listed as the Four King Kong under Duan's subordinates. Jin Yunpeng became the director of the Shenlu Office, and Xiao Xu was not happy, so he specifically confronted Jin , Jin had no choice but to ask for leave from work, and the military power fell into Xiao Xu's hands.Zhang Zhitan, the Secretary-General of the State Council, was originally recommended by him, but for some reason he was not satisfied with Zhang, so Zhang had to resign.Duan's civil and military aides both fell out with Xiao Xu, and he can't tolerate others, which can be seen here.The strange thing is that Duan can't tolerate others, but he tolerates Xu Shuzheng, who is domineering and domineering.

As a result of Xu Shuzheng's actions, it directly led to the contradiction between the Anhui and Zhizhi.This created a crack in the already weak alliance between Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang.At the same time, Zhang Jingyao, who was promoted by Duan Qirui, was really too muddy to support the wall, and it also gave Li Mohan, who was waiting for the battle in the north, a great opportunity to go south.

Zhang Jingyao's rampant behavior in Hunan has a deep view of the north and the south. His army killed people and set fire in Hunan, and they did everything. He took it for granted and killed the enemy.People in Hunan called him Zhang Du instead of Zhang Du, expressing their inner hatred.Also known as Zhang Dujun as Zhang Dujun.There is another saying: In the past, the people of the Xia Dynasty would "perish with Jie", but today the people of Hunan will perish with "Yao, Shun and Yu Tang".Yao Shun Yu Tang refers to the four brothers Zhang Jingyao.

Although Zhang Jingyao was known as the military governor, his influence could only reach the front lines of Changsha and Baoqing, and he had no right to intervene in areas other than the [-]th Division's garrison.Zhang Jingyao's Seventh Division was the most disciplined division in the Northern Army, and among this division the troops stationed in Changsha were the worst.Therefore, the people of Changsha suffered more than other counties.

The biggest feature of Zhang Jingyao's governance of Hunan is corruption. As long as he can make money, he dares to do no matter what is illegal. Openly transport drugs. On December 8, 12, he sent troops to transport five bags of opium, each bag weighing 25 catties, and was found by the station manager at the Wuchang Nyudao Station. Although he was released, the scandal has been exposed.He stole and sold Hunan's No. 200 Spinning Mill, and collected 500 million yuan in sports fees to steal and sell Hunan mines. He also charged passport fees for exporting rice under the pretext of purchasing military rice.

Zhang Jingyao's bloody rule in Changsha aroused the resentment of the Hunan people. Therefore, students and people from all walks of life held meetings and gave speeches, demanding peace.Zhang Jingyao believes that these activities are acts of rioters.All schools, public places, and ancestral halls and temples in Changsha are full of troops. The entire city of Changsha is like a murderous barracks. Schools cannot resume classes, and business and other normal activities are restricted.Also under the occupation of the Northern Army, the situation in Changsha is different from that in Hengyang and Changde.Hengyang and Changde have much greater freedom.

However, what is the achievements of this "Zhang Du" in governing Hunan?Since he took charge of Hunan, there have been robberies every day in the provincial capital, and rape and burning have become commonplace. The Changyue District he was stationed in was called the Nine Nether Eighteen Prisons by the Hunan people. Qin Yuan moved.The Hunan people's organization drove the petition groups to separate ways. Some went to Beijing to cry, some went to Guangzhou to ask for help, and some went to southern Hunan to cry and beg for teachers from Wu Peifu.Hunan celebrities who lived in Beijing launched a campaign to save the province in order to drive Zhang away.It can be said that at this time every Hunanese was Zhang Jingyao's enemy.Zhang himself felt serious about this situation, so he instructed Zhang Xianzan, the chairman of the chamber of commerce, to send a telegram to persuade the Hunanese who were abroad to return to their hometowns, but no Hunanese wanted to return to this hell.

Cai E is from Baoqing, Hunan, and now he is in a high position. The Hunan celebrities in the capital will naturally find Cai E, saying that you, Cai Songpo, are the confidant of the president and prime minister, and also hold an important position in the Ministry of National Defense. Don't you just ignore it?

With a heartbroken look, Cai E took the Hunan celebrities directly to the Prime Minister's Office.The guard at the gate wanted to stop him, saying that he had to report first.

Cai E stared, and shouted: "The people in Hunan are in dire straits, how can there be time to report?" So he went straight to the Prime Minister's Office.Entering the Prime Minister's Office, Cai E asked where the Prime Minister was when he caught someone?

The answer: a meeting in the war room.

Cai E immediately rushed to the war room without stopping, and before he reached the door, he saw Yang Yunlong smoking a cigarette at the door.When Yang Yunlong saw Cai E, he immediately pinched his face and saluted Cai E.

"Is the Prime Minister in there?" Cai E asked

Yang Yunlong nodded, "Here, Chief of Staff Jiang and others are all inside, waiting for you."

"Wait for me?" Cai E was taken aback, "Why are you waiting for me?"

Yang Yunlong smiled and said, "I heard that the Prime Minister is going to use troops against the south. I plan to ask Mr. Cai to lead the troops to Hunan."

"Really?" Cai E was overjoyed, adjusted his clothes and hats, then knocked on the door and entered the war room, followed by Yang Yunlong.

As soon as he entered the war room, he saw Li Mohan and the military and political officials sitting at the long table one by one, "Songpo, are you here? Sit down."

"Yes." Cai Songpo saluted Li Mohan, and then said: "The gentry and celebrities in Hunan in Beijing have come to petition, saying that Zhang Jingyao is poisoning Hunan. I hope that the Prime Minister will send troops south as soon as possible to punish the people and save them from suffering."

Tang Hualong said at the side: "Songpo is from Hunan, so I can understand his feelings. But you are also a soldier. You need to know that the actions of the three armed forces are extraordinary, and everything must be considered in the long term."

"I understand." Cai E then sat down