asks for monthly tickets!

In April of the Jiayin year, spring was already blooming inside and outside the capital. Willows were green where there were willows, peaches were red where there were peaches, and ice had already melted and blue waves were rippling where there was water! However, the old people deep in the alleys

, but they still couldn’t bear to throw away their felt hats. They squatted in the corner of the morning sun, chatting about home affairs. As for the president or something? No one cared, not even the scattered courtyards.

Quietly.

However, Fuxue Hutong is different.

Ever since Yuan Shikai became the president last year, this alley has become lively, with groups of officials shouting in front and behind, going in and out; cars and horses, with their bells jingling, go back and forth.

The alleys are often choked with water.

Fuxue Hutong is the residence of Duan Qirui, who is the chief of the Army. In those turbulent years, Duan Qirui, who was in charge of the entire army, was an extraordinary figure, not to mention having a hat on his head.

The heroic crown of "creating the republic", who in the country can compare with him!

Duan Qirui originally lived in Xitangzi Hutong, where the courtyard houses were not much larger than other courtyard houses in Beijing. Fuxue Hutong, a courtyard house several times larger than ordinary courtyard houses, belonged to Yuan Shikai. As a private residence, Yuan Shikai spent 300,000

Dayang. As soon as the house was bought, he was sent back to his place of origin to "recuperate" by the court because he was "suffering from illness". Before leaving, Yuan Shikai called Duan Qirui and his wife Zhang Peiheng in front of him and donated the house to Duan Qi.

Rui.

Coincidentally, this house was connected to the residence of the Ministry of War. Duan Qirui became the chief of the Ministry of War. In order to facilitate work, he cut a passage in the partition wall and installed a door to connect the two places. The imperial court was divided.

At the beginning of the New Deal, the military and government officials were naturally panicked. The military leaders, local governors, governors, admirals, and "buddies" from the Beiyang Department all came to Duan Qirui to "burn incense and worship Buddha".

Fuxue Hutong naturally became lively.

However, there has been something unusual in the past few days. The courtyard of the Duan Mansion in Fuyuan Hutong suddenly became quiet. Since last year, Duan Qirui's official career has been prosperous and he has had many happy events. While he was firmly seated as the chief of the Ministry of War, last year

In May, he temporarily acted as Prime Minister; on July 17, he gave up acting Prime Minister to Zhu Qiqian. Two days later, he acted as Prime Minister again and participated in the deployment of troops to suppress the "second attack". On July 26, Duan Qirui gave up Prime Minister to Xiong Xiling again.

, he only served as Army Chief. At the end of the year, he went to Wuchang to "welcome" Vice President Li Yuanhong to Beijing. Duan Qirui, as Army Chief, temporarily took orders from the Hubei Governor.

Years ago, the President summoned Duan Qirui to return to Beijing to serve. A few days later, he also took the governorship of Henan and mobilized the troops of Henan, Hubei, Anhui and other provinces to suppress the Bailang uprising. A few days ago, Yuan Shikai recruited Duan Qirui to Beijing to assume the post of Army

Commander. But in the past few days, there have been some strange rumors, saying that the President has established the "Office of the Generalissimo of the Army and Navy" as the highest military command organ of the government, taking the power of the Army Department into his own hands.

The chief executive was demoted to a clerk in the office.

The Chinese officialdom has always been like this, and there are many people who follow the trend. At first, everyone thought that this rumor was just a rumor, but when the news came out from the mouth of the eldest son, how could everyone not take it seriously.

As a result, the Fuyuan Hutong and Duan Gongyuan became deserted. It was expected that anyone who had nothing to do would go to work as a "clerk". What's more, others could guess some information from it, and I was afraid that the President would no longer trust Duan Zhiquan.

Added

But not everyone is a follower of the crowd. Some people are naturally different. At least the one who appointed a large number of cronies when Duan Qirui became powerful once told him to be careful about "big trees attracting wind". He has the reputation of "Shaking Fan Military Advisor" and "Soul of Hefei"

Xu Shuzheng, the so-called deputy army chief, was still loyal to Duan Qirui.

"Zheng again"

Putting down the chess piece in his hand, Duan Qirui suddenly said this.

"Um?"

"I heard that Zhang Jizhi made a joke recently?"

"There is such a thing"

Xu Shuzheng nodded. Since Duan Qirui took a "semi-vacation", he almost never went out, so he had only heard about some "interesting stories about Beijing".

"Oddly enough, Zhang Jizhi believes that the current crisis in the Balkans is likely to lead to a war of unprecedented scale."

"oh"

Duan Qirui responded, then opened his eyes and looked at Xu Shuzheng.

"What do you think"

"It makes some sense"

Xu Shuzheng did not hide his opinion.

"Maybe it's just a few words, but if you analyze it carefully, you can see that this is not necessarily Zhang Jizhi's wild imagination. They think it is a joke, and I..."

After laughing a few times, Xu Shuzheng said.

"I will send a few students to Austria-Hungary and Serbia. I believe there will be news soon."

"Tell me your analysis"

Duan Qirui, who had stopped watching a few chess games, picked up his tea cup, looking like he was ready to listen to Xu Shuzheng's explanation.

"Well, according to Zhang Jizhi, the situation in Europe, because of the military alliance, is a chain of five consecutive bad events. These five consecutive chains are Germany and Austria-Hungary, as well as France, Russia and the United Kingdom. If there are five consecutive bad relationships,

If no country is involved in the war, then everything will be fine. However, if one of the two sides is involved in a war that has a stake in the other, then it is very likely to cause a war between the five countries, and even involve other countries...

…”

"Well, that's the reason. Today's five major powers, Germany, Austria, Britain, France, and Russia, are at war with each other. Naturally, there is no neutrality for other small countries. Some of them just choose to take sides. Otherwise, they will be considered by one of them.

Maybe I’ll join the other party, when the time comes…”

Taking a sip of tea, Duan Qirui's tone revealed some helplessness. In international affairs, small and weak countries can only follow the big countries, otherwise there will be no room for survival.

"And now, the Balkans are the powder keg that can detonate these five chains."

"I have heard this sentence before. It was Bismarck, the iron-blooded chancellor of Germany, who called the Balkans a powder keg that could trigger a European war."

Duan Qirui's words earned Xu Shuzheng a nod, and then a smile appeared on his face.

"Commander, it can be said that Bismarck wanted to solve this powder keg back then, but he couldn't solve it. He just lengthened the fuse of the powder keg."

It was precisely because of Zhang Jizhi's jokes that Xu Shuzheng noticed the Balkans. Then he kept looking through the information on the Balkans, and even asked diplomats and military officers in the embassies of various countries for advice. Only then did he know that the Balkans, a place he had almost never heard of in the past, actually

Can affect all European powers.

"tell me the story"

Although he was interested, Duan Qirui still looked indifferent, as if nothing in the world could arouse his interest.

"...the two Mediterranean Agreements linked the Balkans to the Near East issues, promoting mutual containment between Russia, Britain, Italy and Austria-Hungary. However, the frenzy of pan-nationalism put this complex structure in danger of collapsing at any time.

At that time, Bismarck's pragmatism, flexible means and prestige could temporarily suppress the flames, but how long could this situation last? Bismarck had predicted that once Russia and Austria went to war, no matter who was the attacker

, Germany had no choice but to join the Austro-Hungarian Empire..."

"But is it possible that a war will break out between Russia and Austria?".

"So the problem is still in the Balkans"

After spending half an hour explaining the connection between the Balkans and Russia, and the connection with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Xu Shuzheng shook his head and sighed.

"This is Ji Zhi. I'm afraid this joke is the same as the one about using luck to help Huaihe River. It was written by someone else. That person just wanted to give us a warning."

"Youzheng, what do you mean..."

"Li Zhiyuan, in all China, only Li Zhiyuan has traveled throughout Europe, and he is the only one who knows this. What kind of joke did Zhang Jizhi say? I think it came from Li Zhiyuan. Zhang Jizhi told others to seize the time to expand the factory, but he

The Dasheng Second Factory has not yet been put into production, and the equipment of the Dasheng Third Factory was provided by Li Zhiyuan. I heard that he did not pay a penny. If this is scaremongering, what can Li Zhiyuan get from selling machines? According to this sales method,

It’s not that the more he sells, the more he loses... However, if he bets like this, he really has a gambling heart. But if the bet succeeds, I think he will gain a lot."

When speaking, Xu Shuzheng deliberately emphasized the word "gamble", and his words made Duan Qirui frown. He held the chess piece in his hand and slowly thought about it. Then he glanced at Xu Shuzheng, and Xu Shuzheng also looked at him. At this moment,

Neither of them seemed to be thinking about jokes or Europe, but about another thing.

A matter of interest to two people.

"Li Zhiyuan is gambling, but he has gambling capital, but we can't afford it."

Finally, after thinking for a moment, Duan Qirui said this.

Recently, it was reported that he asked Wang Shizhen to return to Beijing and take charge of the army on his behalf, Duan Qirui, and establish an Army and Navy Generalissimo Command Office in the Presidential Palace, under the direct control of the President. He has seen all the President's actions, and he wants to set up a

The "Commanding Office of the Generalissimo of the Army and Navy" is just the first step for the president to take control of the military.

Once the command office was established, Duan Qirui became one of the six assistants under Yuan Shikai, who was in charge of the army, and the Army Department naturally existed in name only.

At this time, Xu Shuzheng took the initiative to pour tea for Duan Qirui and said:

"Drink tea, drink tea. Tea is new tea, Longjing, your favorite."

"I don't like anything anymore!"

Duan Qirui shook his head, and then smiled bitterly.

"I can't like it..."

Looking at the steaming new Longjing tea, Duan Qirui said again.

"The Ministry of War has been handed over to us, but I am not allowed to command the army. The Ministry of War has set up an office for the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy. It is not enough for the president to command the army, but he also has to be a generalissimo! Let me be a clerk in the office, which is obviously an excuse for me.

, take back my military power. I won’t do it!”

Xu Shuzheng shook his head and laughed.

"Isn't it just military power? If you want it, give it to him."

"give him!"

Xu Shuzheng's eyes opened.

"Sometimes, this is gambling. Li Zhiyuan bets his fortune on the European war, and gives him military power to bet on..."

After taking a sip of tea, Xu Shuzheng stopped talking. Sometimes some words don't need to be said clearly, while Duan Qirui closed his eyes, thought for a moment, and understood Xu Shuzheng's arrangement.
Chapter completed!