On the eve of the fall of Liaodong, he led his troops in a remonstrance against the young marshal.

The area where the International Settlement and the French Concession met in Hucheng, Nanjing Road, was packed with demonstrators early in the morning.

Hucheng was more unique than Nanjing. It had concessions, foreigners, consulates of various countries, and even the Japanese concession.

The students held up signs with the following messages written in both Chinese and English:

"Traitor! Unforgivable!"

"Get out of China, Bhikkhu Kingdom!"

"Abolish all unequal treaties!"

As the march passed the entrance to the Japanese concession, several students rushed forward, pasted a photocopy of the treaty contract magnified dozens of times onto the iron fence at the entrance of the Japanese concession, and then drew a huge X on it with red paint.

Plainclothes police officers from the Japanese consulate tried to stop them, but were surrounded by dozens of workers. The leader of the workers smashed the light at the entrance to the Japanese concession with a hammer, shards of glass flying everywhere.

"What are you doing?!" the plainclothes policeman shouted in broken Chinese.

The worker hoisted the hammer onto his shoulder and looked at him with a sneer:

"Go back and tell your master that we won't give him a single copper coin!"

"The Northeast Army could kill 120,000 livestock, and we people of Hucheng are no cowards either!"

The plainclothes policeman turned pale. He retreated step by step, finally turning and jogging into the Japanese concession. Behind him, a burst of laughter erupted from the crowd.

Before the laughter had even subsided, new slogans rang out:

"Organize military tribunals! Try traitors! Execute traitors!"

The words "execution" echoed throughout Nanjing Road in Hucheng for an entire day.

...........

At that moment, in the study on the second floor of the Jinling official residence, the Chairman was standing behind the curtains.

The curtains were drawn open a crack, just enough for him to see the view outside.

The long line of torches stretched from Huangpu Road all the way to Zhongshan Avenue, with no end in sight.

Those angry faces were distorted in the firelight, like a painting scorched by flames.

He heard the words "traitor" over and over again, each time feeling like a needle piercing his eardrum.

He lowered the curtains and turned around.

The lights in the study were off, but he had already gotten used to the darkness.

His hand rested on the desk, his fingers slowly closing, his nails leaving faint marks on the surface.

The overwhelming public opinion terrified him; at that moment, he felt a chill run through his body and a sense that he might collapse at any moment.

But after fighting for half his life, is he really going to just collapse like this?

No! It can't be!

I can't fall here.

He still had his own army, his own loyal followers, and the generals he had personally promoted from the Whampoa Military Academy.

As long as he can still mobilize a single soldier, he has not lost.

The chairman recalled a section of shogunate history he had read when he was studying in Bhikkhu.

Before the Battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu was forced to the brink of seppuku, but he endured it and ultimately won the battle at Sekigahara.

What he lacks now is not strength, but time.

"Knock knock knock!"

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

He Yingqin and Gu Zhutong walked in one after the other, both of them looking very grim.

Gu Zhutong was clutching a newspaper in his hand, while He Yingqin's forehead was covered in sweat.

They had just quietly entered through the back door, their clothes creased from being jostled by the crowd, and Gu Zhutong's tie was askew.

"Chairman."

Gu Zhutong placed the newspaper on the table and spread it out.

Today's Shen Bao newspaper has a photocopy of the treaty contract on its front page, facing the Chairman.

The chairman glanced at it but did not pick it up.

He didn't need to see it; he knew the contents of the treaty better than anyone else because he had personally drafted those terms.

"What's the situation outside?" he asked.

Gu Zhutong and He Yingqin exchanged a glance, neither wanting to be the first to speak.

In the end, Gu Zhutong gritted his teeth and said:

"Chairman, the situation is... extremely serious."

"The whole of Nanjing knows about it, and the situation is even more serious in Hucheng. Some people have suggested that you be sent to a military court and executed on the spot. The Municipal Council of the Concession has notified foreign nationals to minimize going out."

"The student union in Beiping has sent an ultimatum, demanding that you step down within 24 hours, or the entire student body across the country will launch a general strike."

The chairman did not answer.

His gaze fell on the open newspaper, and the editorial headline, "The rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every citizen," felt like a huge irony, weighing heavily on his heart.

He Yingqin took a step forward.

He stood to the side of the chairman and cautiously began to speak:

"Chairman, I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should."

"explain."

He Yingqin took a deep breath: "In my opinion, given the current situation, it is advisable for the Chairman to... temporarily step down."

The moment the words left his mouth, the air in the study seemed to freeze.

The Chairman slowly turned his head and stared at He Yingqin.

His gaze was like that of a wild beast cornered in a corner, his eyes bloodshot, with two burning pupils in the center.

"What did you say?"

Sweat rolled down He Yingqin's forehead and temples, but he did not back down.

He forced himself to continue, speaking much faster than before:

"Chairman, please calm down! Allow me to explain!"

"You've seen what's happening outside. There are protests all over the city, the whole country is in an uproar, students, workers, businessmen—everyone is cursing you."

"After the treaty was exposed, public sentiment was outraged; the people have gone mad."

"If we resist now, not only will we not be able to hold out, but we will also give those with ulterior motives an excuse to accuse you of being a dictator and clinging to power."

"If the surging crowds really storm the parliament and the official residence, the situation will be completely out of control!"

He took a breath and then uttered his last words:

"It would be better to take a break for now; a step back can open up a whole new world."

"Chairman, by voluntarily stepping down, you can demonstrate to the nation that you are a politician who can admit and correct his mistakes and is willing to take responsibility for the consequences of his decisions."

"Secondly, it can temporarily quell public opinion."

"In the current situation, China is beset by internal and external troubles. The warlords in the Northeast are growing in power, and Zhang Xueming's prestige is at its zenith. Sooner or later, he will clash with the parliament."

"When that day comes and a mess that no one can solve appears, the council will naturally remember you, and they will beg you to come out of retirement."

"As long as you firmly grasp military power, China will ultimately be in your hands."

After saying this, He Yingqin's lips were dry.

He licked his lips, looked at the chairman, his eyes filled with both pleading and fear.

Gu Zhutong chimed in from the side.

"Chairman, Jingzhi is right."

"Taking a step back opens up a vast expanse; this is not running away, but a strategic retreat."

"The wind and waves are too strong right now; if we try to sail, the boat will capsize."

"Why don't we put down the helm first and wait for the storm to pass before setting sail again?"

The Chairman stood there, motionless.

His fist clenched and unclenched repeatedly. He wanted to curse.

He knew that every word He Yingqin said was correct, but it was precisely because it was correct that it sounded so jarring.

The person he had personally promoted, his most trusted confidant, stood before him and advised him to step down.

He knew that what He Yingqin said was true; it was the only way out at the moment.

But sometimes, survival and humiliation are the same path.

He turned around and faced the window.

The shouts of the crowd continued outside through the gap in the curtains.

Amidst the rising and falling cries of "Shoot the traitors!", the clearest slogan was sharp and hoarse:

"We will not disperse until the Chairman steps down!"

His hands gripped the curtains tightly, his knuckles cracking, and the veins on the back of his hands bulging like writhing earthworms.

After a long while, the hands slowly loosened and fell to the sides of the body, as if they had unloaded something heavy.

His shoulders slumped, and he looked ten years older in the morning light.

He turned around, his voice hoarse, as if he had used up his last bit of strength:

"Draft".

That afternoon, major newspapers in Nanjing simultaneously received a brief statement issued by the Secretariat of the Executive Yuan.

The statement consisted of only a few lines, written in illegible handwriting, clearly drafted in a very rushed manner.

"Due to my health reasons, after careful consideration, I have decided to resign from the position of Premier of the Executive Yuan, effective immediately."

"During my tenure, I have received your assistance and am deeply grateful."

"The nation is facing a difficult situation. I urge you all to continue your efforts and overcome these challenges together."

The statement was printed as an extra edition and spit out of the printing press, and the procession in Nanjing erupted in deafening cheers.

The students held the extra edition high and ran through the streets, shouting:

"The Chairman has stepped down! We've won!"

Someone tore the photocopy of the treaty contract to shreds, and the scraps of paper flew through the air.

But the cheers only lasted for a short while.

Because everyone knows that the Chairman has only resigned as Premier of the Executive Yuan. He still has the Whampoa Military Academy-affiliated army, a group of loyal and loyal generals, and an invisible force that can influence the political situation.

He simply furled the sails when the wind and waves were at their strongest, but the boat did not sink.

Meanwhile, in the Executive Yuan building, the parliament held an emergency plenary session.

According to the provisions of the National Government Organization Law, when the position of Premier of the Executive Yuan becomes vacant, the parliament shall elect a successor by vote.

All members of parliament have the right to nominate candidates, and they may also nominate themselves.

The meeting started at 3 p.m. and lasted until late at night.

The protesters had dispersed from the streets outside the parliament building, replaced by small groups of citizens waiting for news under the streetlights.

They are waiting for someone, someone who can clean up this mess.

The parliament hall was filled with smoke as members of parliament argued heatedly, some nominating Wang Jingwei, some nominating Hu Hanmin, some nominating Sun Ke, and others nominating Li Zongren.

Every name that was brought up sparked a heated debate, which then reached a stalemate.

Because everyone knows that whoever takes over this position will have to face a mess left by the Chairman, as well as Zhang Xueming, who commands a large army in the Northeast and enjoys immense prestige.

Just as the debate was reaching its most intense point, a member of parliament who had come from Fengtian City in Northeast China stood up in a corner of the meeting hall.

His name was Zhang Biao. He had a dark, thin face, a large beard, and wore a faded blue cotton long gown, making him stand out among the suited-up members of parliament.

"Gentlemen."

Zhang Biao's voice wasn't loud, but the conference room miraculously fell silent.

It wasn't because of how loud his voice was, but because he uttered a name, a name powerful enough to intimidate even the most ruthless and powerful.