Beiyang reactionaries

It is a very important year in Duan Xun's heart, even a turning point year.If I had succeeded in 1923, then the direction of China would have been different from now on.

But if it failed in 1923, it would be a big blow to Duan Xun and China.

Because in 1923, the "Luda ​​Land Lease Treaty" expired.During the "Russian-Japanese War" that year, Japan defeated Russia, so it took away many of Russia's rights and interests in the Northeast.

The two most important of these are the South Manchuria Railway and the Kanto Prefecture.

Especially Kanto Prefecture.

The Qing Dynasty and Russia signed the "Luda ​​Land Lease Treaty", and the Kanto Prefecture was leased to Russia for 25 years, which expired in 1923.Japan took over Russia's rights and interests, so it should have expired in 1923.

However, in order to extend the time, Japan proposed "21 Articles" to Yuan Shikai.The most important of these are the rights and interests of the Northeast and Shandong.At that time, the opposition was so loud that even Duan Qirui, the chief of the Army Department, threatened to resign.

Yuan Shikai didn't want to agree to so many conditions, so he bargained with Japan, but in the end he didn't fully sign it.

Therefore, the "21 Articles" eventually became the "Four Civil Treaties", one of which was to extend the rights and interests of the South Manchuria Railway and Kanto Prefecture for 99 years.

Next year, the Chinese people will certainly be very loud, asking the cabinet to take back the rights and interests of the Kanto Prefecture and the South Manchuria Railway, but Japan has the "China-Japan Four Treaties", and it will definitely not agree.For Japan, the Kanto State and South Manchuria Railways were acquired by Japan only after countless casualties in the Russo-Japanese War.And it is their foothold in the northeast.

Japan relies on the Kanto State and Nanman Railways, as well as various mines in the Northeast, various places for reclaiming farmland, and major trading companies to form a network to control China's Northeast.

How could Japan be willing to hand over the Kanto Prefecture and Nanman Railways.

At that time, Duan Xun and the cabinet will be sandwiched between Japanese and Chinese public opinion, and they will have to deal with both ends.

"Prime Minister, what do you want to do."

"What do you mean?"

"Prime Minister, I want to know your determination. The Prime Minister wants to make concessions and abide by the 'Four People's Treaties' signed by Yuan Shikai back then. I still want to settle part of it and take back some simple rights to deal with domestic public opinion. Or do you want to follow the The 'Luda Land Lease Treaty' completely reclaims the rights and interests of the Kanto Prefecture and the South Manchuria Railway. According to the Prime Minister's thoughts, the specific measures can be decided according to the difference of the Prime Minister's determination."

Yang Wei is serious.

Because this is different from others, it is an issue related to China's sovereignty.And how Duan Xun considers the relationship with Japan.Because since Duan Qirui, the Anhui faction has always been pro-Japanese, including Duan Xun in front of him.At present, 80.00% of China's foreign debt is borrowed from Japan.Moreover, most of these Japanese debts were started by Duan Qirui, and Duan Xun, Lu Yongxiang, and other Anhui bigwigs borrowed them.

With these loans, China has built many railways and steel plants.Of course, in order to repay the money, a lot of sovereignty was mortgaged.

For Duan Xun, the public's evaluation is still good.

Duan Xun's conduct is good, and there are no personal scandals. Duan Xun's troops have good military discipline, and they are the best military discipline since the founding of the Republic of China.Moreover, in the more than two years since Duan Xun entered the cabinet, the large-scale suppression of bandits and smoking ban have been highly praised by the people.

The only criticism is that Duan Xun is a pro-Japanese faction and has a very good relationship with Japan.

From Sichuan, to Wuhan, and to Beijing, Duan Xun has always been pro-Japanese.Faced with such a situation now, Yang Wei really wanted to know how Duan Xun would choose.

Although Duan Xun kept saying in the past that he wanted to pursue national independence and national independence.But now Japan's strength in China is too great, and there is too much cooperation between Duan Xun and Japan.

Duan Xun really has the courage to fall out with Japan?

Yang Wei was not sure either.

"beat."

Duan Xun spit out a word softly.

But the expression was very serious, very serious, without the slightest hesitation.

Yang Wei nodded slightly.

Yes.

This is the Duan Xun I know.When Duan Xun was only serving as the supervisor of the southwest frontier, he bombarded a British warship in Wanxian.Later, the French businessman was shot, and even taking advantage of the civil strife in Russia, he took over Outer Mongolia, Hulunbuir, and the Zhongchang Railway, and expelled Russian institutions in the Northeast and Mongolia.

How could such Duan Xun let the Japanese go.

Duan Xun is now the prime minister of the cabinet, with a million-dollar army in his hand.Especially the reorganization of Lu Yongxiang's troops, and if there are not many expansions in Shanxi, the Ministry of the Army will control about 130 million troops by then.

Now is definitely the peak period of Duan Xun's strength.

How can I back down.

Yang Wei didn't ask Duan Xun if he could defeat Japan.Because since Duan Xun said to fight, Duan Xun must be ready to fight.And how to fight is a matter for Duan Xun and the Ministry of War.Yang Wei doesn't want to, and won't intervene in military issues.

He was just giving Duan Xun an idea.

But Yang Wei still couldn't help being curious, and said, "Prime Minister, how do you want to fight?"

"I don't want to fight in the summer. I want to fight the Japanese in August."

"why?"

"You also know. In Tohoku and northern Japan, as long as it enters October, the weather will be cold and the temperature will drop rapidly. Even compared to the north, it will snow in October, and the temperature will go below zero in November. After entering winter, for For heating, the coal demanded by Japan will rise sharply. But as long as I turn against Japan, I will stop all the coal exported from our country to Japan and not allow any coal to enter Japan. At that time, I will make the whole country of Japan without coal, Let the Japanese have a taste of no coal. See how they survive the winter and see how their factories work. Without coal, I'll see how their trains and ships run. For this, once we meet in the Northeast, If the situation is unfavorable, then I will blow up all the coal mines in the Northeast, and I will not keep them for the Japanese."

"Prime Minister, don't forget. Jingxing Coal Mine and Kailuan Coal Mine don't necessarily listen to us. The British and Germans don't care about our orders."

"If they dare to sell coal mines to Japan privately, I dare to block them with the army."

"That is to say, the Prime Minister must take back the Kanto Prefecture this time."

"Yes."

Duan Xun nodded.

Said: "Brother Xinye (Yang Wei), let me tell you the truth. I have done a detailed understanding of the major Japanese chambers of commerce in China, and the major Japanese organizations in China, including the Japanese secret service agencies. .As long as there is a conflict with Japan, I will close all these institutions first. Including the Japanese warships in the Yangtze River, none of them will escape. I have been preparing for a long time to turn against Japan. But my plan to fight Japan is August, but you also know that according to the "Land Lease Treaty", from March to June next year, the domestic public opinion will be very strong. If I ignore the public opinion at that time, then I and the cabinet will be passive. But if I follow the domestic If the public opinion goes, I may turn against Japan too early, and I may not be prepared enough."

Entering 1923, there will be pressure from the Japanese and domestic public opinion.

It gave Duan Xun a headache.

"It's not impossible."

"speak."

"The prime minister is considering two points. One is how not to conflict with Japan in advance, and the other is how to deal with domestic public opinion."

"Yes."

Duan Xun smiled bitterly.

I made a lot of noise, and Yang Wei directly summed it up into two points.

"Prime Minister, let me first talk about how to avoid a conflict with Japan in advance. Of course we want to negotiate. If we don't even respond at all, the Japanese side will suspect us instead. Therefore, we should send a delegation to negotiate with Japan." Japan is negotiating. Negotiating? It can take a long time."

"What about it?"

"At the beginning, we can directly ask Japan to return the Nanman Railway and the Kanto Prefecture to us in accordance with the 'Luda Land Lease Treaty'. Japan will definitely not agree. At that time, we will propose to change the 'China-Japan-Minist Four Treaty', and Japan will also It is also impossible to agree. Then we can propose to Japan that according to the original model of Shandong, we will spend money to buy back these places. I believe Japan will not agree. Then we can continue to make concessions, compared to when we took back Qingdao. , the conditions are even more loan. Prime Minister, as long as this kind of negotiation is carried out, it will not end in a few months. Each negotiation can be carried out several times for a month. We start the negotiation in March, one week or half a month It is normal to hold one negotiation, ten times or twenty times. As long as we continue to negotiate with Japan, with the pride of Japan, we would never have thought that the Prime Minister would really intend to take it back. Seeing our negotiation, the Japanese side will feel relieved , It can completely paralyze Japan. And as long as the negotiations continue, we can give domestic public opinion an explanation, tell them that our government has been working hard, and hope that domestic public opinion can give the government more time. In this way, we can also appease domestic public opinion.”

"kindness."