Master Yuan, start!

Liu Kunyi was about to cut the Gordian knot and cover up the matter before it escalated on a large scale: "After the local prostitutes arrive, they will spread the news that the prostitutes in the Hunan town are all from them, and they are just renting out the empty houses in the town.

At the same time, I strictly ordered the families of these Hunan Army soldiers not to reveal what they had done in Jiangnan after returning home. Only if they can live in peace in their husband's family, otherwise, if the matter is exposed, they will be thrown into the pig cage! "

Chapter 267: A dilemma

The weather in the middle of winter is extremely cold. Tomorrow is the last day of the Year of the Horse, and after tomorrow, we will usher in the Year of the Sheep, which is 1895.

This year, in China, the situation of autonomous governors and governors-general was exposed, and the situation changed rapidly;

Internationally, the fragile peace curtain between Europe and Asia maintained by Britain is also crumbling, and seems to be slowly tearing open, starting from East Asia, as the situation in China changes.

As the New Year approached, Yuan Shikai did not return to the outside of the Great Wall to reunite with his relatives, even though his "wife" and "children" had been brought to Shengjing City.

On the contrary, in order to show his determination to unify the south, he stayed at the front line in Xuzhou and brought the General Staff Headquarters with him to celebrate the New Year in the snow with tens of thousands of national defense troops.

He couldn't drink a glass of wine with everyone on the Henan, Anhui and Shandong fronts, but he could still drink with the soldiers stationed here.

Yuan Xiangcheng stood on the parade ground, his winter military uniform whistling in the cold wind, and light snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

He glanced at the Wehrmacht soldiers blowing in the cold wind and raised the wine bowl in his hand.

"Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. No one in the army is allowed to return home. I raise my glass here to toast you all!"

"Drinking with the President!"

"Okay, then I, Yuan, will make an appointment with you all today. Let's drink this glass of wine and go to the south of the Yangtze River after the New Year!"

"Let's drink this glass of wine and go to Jiangnan after the New Year!"

Surprisingly, after drinking the bowl of wine, Yuan Xiangcheng did not smash the bowl to say goodbye like in the TV series.

Along with the soldiers' roars, pots of fresh dog meat soup were served.

Since the establishment of the National Defense Force, it seems to have had an inextricable relationship with dogs.

During the Jiashen Youjun period, due to being stationed in Korea and influenced by local culture, dog meat soup was included in the army's recipe. Although it could only be eaten once a month, it was the most frequent meat that could be eaten at that time.

After arriving in southern Shandong, I was surprised that dog meat was also eaten there. There is even a saying that "no feast is complete without dog". The raw material is the prototype of Xiaotian Dog, the Shandong local fine dog.

It wasn't that Yuan Xiangcheng really wanted to eat dog meat, but he had to eat it due to the limitations of the times.

He also learned from reports that in Shandong, if one wanted to collect meat in a short period of time to feed tens of thousands of troops, it would be more cost-effective to use dog meat than pork.

As for pork, which is the main meat consumed in later generations, pork production was not high in the late Qing Dynasty because European Large White pigs had not yet been introduced, and it did not become the first choice of meat for people across the country.

The vast majority of Chinese people adapt to local conditions and eat what is produced locally.

For example, in Northeast China, Korea, and Guangxi, where there are many dogs, dog meat is eaten.

The scale of rabbit farming in Sichuan exceeded 100 million in the Qing Dynasty, and the number of rabbits scattered in the wild was even more incalculable. That is why the two provinces of Sichuan and Chongqing later loved rabbit meat so much.

As for Guangdong, due to its location on the edge of the tropics and its humid climate, it is a paradise for snakes, insects, rats, ants and other species, which has led to the local people developing a tradition of eating almost everything.

People in coastal and riverside provinces mostly choose to eat fish, such as Fujian pickled fish, which has become an intangible cultural heritage in later generations. It is because of the proximity to the sea and the convenience of obtaining fish that a rich pickled fish food culture has been formed.

Looking at the steaming dog meat soup that had just been prepared, the soldiers present unconsciously shifted their gaze away from Yuan Xiangcheng, their throats moved, they swallowed, and secretly looked at the large wooden barrel in the cook's hand.

The cook scooped a spoonful of boiling liquid, containing a large amount of cornmeal and a small amount of dog meat, into the bowl of wine he had just drunk.

The soldiers without ranks drank the hot soup first. The boiling soup was poured into porcelain bowls, and the temperature quickly increased in a moment. Some soldiers cried out because of the burns, and even spilled most of the soup.

Seeing the regretful look on this man's face, the friendly troops around him chuckled. But then, the bucket of dog meat soup was brought in front of them, and it was their turn to hold the bowl and blow on it with their mouths full of air due to the burn.

After the soldiers have finished drinking, it is the turn of the squad leaders at the tent level to drink, and then it is the turn of the platoon, team, company, and battalion levels.

When Wang San, the leader of the 2nd Section of the 1st Association of the 2nd Town, drank the dog meat soup, it had turned from boiling hot to warm.

Wang San drank it all in one gulp, his lips shaking as he chewed the dog meat that had been eaten clean repeatedly in his mouth until there was no trace of meat left on the bones.

With another "crack", he bit open the stewed soft bones and sucked the few remaining marrows with all his might.

The rake waited until all the bone marrow was sucked out, and then Wang San spat the residue onto the sand covered with snowflakes with a "Pooh" sound.

When the broth was first brought in, it was too hot and extremely inconvenient to drink. If you were not careful, you would burn your hands.

When Qi Ke put the drink into his mouth, he found it was not hot at all. He could drink it in one gulp and it went straight down his stomach.

By the time the people after the sixth drink it, it’s probably cold, right?

Looking at Cao Kun, the commander of the 9th Regiment, standing at the edge of the parade ground and still having no chance to drink the dog meat soup, Wang San felt a sense of complacency in his heart.

Wang San thought that he and Cao Kun joined the Jiashen Right Army at the same time, had the same qualifications, and also participated in the suppression of the Korean Rebellion and the overthrow of the curtain. He had always been dissatisfied with why Cao Kun was promoted to the commander of a town.

Come to think of it, I even reported the news of the Korean rebellion to Lord Yuan in person. Wang San raised his head, thinking, "This time I get to drink the hot soup, and you don't. I finally have you."

But then, Wang San looked up at Yuan Xiangcheng in the center of the parade ground, and couldn't help feeling admiration in his heart.

When it reached Cao Kun's mouth, there was only a little bit of warmth left. When it reached the chief instructor's mouth, it would probably turn into icy dog ​​meat soup!

No wonder he is the chief instructor. I am just a small captain and there is no way I can compare to him.

Yuan Xiangcheng did not notice Wang San's gaze at the parade ground. After all, in order to resist the cold wind, tens of thousands of people stood closely together, and their almost identical military uniforms made it impossible to tell who was who.

He came here with a group of senior generals, not for anything else but to win over the hearts of the people.

Nothing is more important than controlling this army, and the way to command troops since ancient times is nothing more than four words: share weal and woe.

Organizational discipline is important, but letting grassroots soldiers see the generals eating a bowl of rice and drinking a bowl of wine with them can better inspire their spirit of dedication.

During the Anti-Japanese War, whenever senior Kuomintang officials went out, they would wear a large cloak, use a cane, and wear imported leather boots, looking very energetic.

When the Japanese invaded and the Huayuankou Dam burst, people in Henan had to eat their own children, but high-ranking officials in Chongqing could enjoy a luxurious Western meal.

As for the grassroots soldiers of the Kuomintang, they wore coarse cloth leggings, domestic gray cotton fabrics, cloth shoes, and five people shared a military coat, which was often owned by the squad leader alone.

On the contrary, the Red Party, which has always taken the grassroots line, almost all of them, from top to bottom, wear coarse cloth leggings, cloth shoes, and rarely leather shoes. It is true that cotton-padded jackets are shared by many people, but whoever is on guard duty wears them, and no one wears them when not on guard.

As the chairman, he only had an extra set of cotton clothes and pants, which were specially prepared for receiving visitors.

When it comes to food, he is even less particular. It is true that the top leaders have their own special meals, but most of the time they only have one more bowl of Hunan spicy rice, because the Chairman has a strong taste and is really not used to "plain rice". He cannot eat it without spicy food.

It should be said that the victory of the dispute between the two parties was determined from the beginning of the Anti-Japanese War.

Yuan Xiangcheng looked at the soldiers who were drinking soup, but his thoughts flew elsewhere.

Xuzhou was captured, and morale was greatly boosted.

Feigong bonds were issued, raising more than 300 million taels, and the amount is still increasing.

The Jiangnan Navy launched several harassments, but was repelled by the coastal artillery batteries.

: The Wehrmacht has taken the strategic initiative.

However, just as he was making preparations, something went wrong in the rear. If this issue was not resolved, Yuan Xiangcheng would not dare to go south.

The Guangxu court had a dispute with the British.

Sad book search!

6 What Yuan Shikai did not expect was that because he fought the Battle of Xuzhou so well and so perfectly, the ministers in the Guangxu court were filled with confidence.

This is different from defeating the French. Although he captured Courbet and captured the French army under the capital, more than 3 French soldiers were killed in the Jiashen Campaign, so it is not an exaggeration to call it a tragic victory.

3 In the Battle of Xuzhou, only people died and only were injured, which can be considered a great victory.

When the people of the capital heard the news, they naturally welcomed the victory and cheered and went to the streets to congratulate each other.

Even Guangxu, at the instigation of Prince Li Shiduo, walked out of the Forbidden City and watched the drama of "The National Defense Army Conquers Xuzhou in One Battle" with the Manchu and Han people of the capital at the Eight Banners Parade Ground in the east of the city.

The script had just been written and the ink was not even dry when it was performed, just to catch this crucial moment of victory.

The atmosphere was already set, and a minister suggested that Guangxu order Yuan Shikai to attack Jiangning in one go!

Guangxu was also infected by the emotions of the people present and immediately expressed his intention to send an envoy to help.

But when he received a call back from Yuan Shikai that the offensive against the city was temporarily suspended, he suddenly woke up and realized that the National Defense Army was so short of money.

After calling the Minister of Revenue to inquire, Guangxu learned that since the construction of the Beijing-Tianjin Railway had begun, all kinds of factories had been opened and the court had run out of money.

There is no way out now. There is no money from above and no money from below.

Guangxu made another big promise in front of the people, but he was unwilling to interfere with Master Yuan. Finally, in order to raise money, at the reminder of Weng Tong, Guangxu noticed the practices of Ito Hirobumi in the neighboring country.

That is "tariff autonomy", taking back the customs money to subsidize the national treasury.

Due to Yuan Shikai's repeated victories, Guangxu felt that the Qing Dynasty Customs no longer needed foreigners.

If the Japanese can take back tariffs, why can't the Qing Dynasty?

So, Guangxu sent people to ask the British indirectly. As the Inspector General of Customs, Hart was not stupid. If he did this, it would be hard to say whether he could return to Britain alive, so he did not want to give in.

However, the Qing Dynasty's reputation as the "goalkeeper of the great powers" became more and more famous in Yuan Shikai's hands, and Hart did not dare to really become enemies with Guangxu. After all, in the eyes of outsiders, the two were as close as one and indistinguishable from each other.

In addition, Russia has already set its sights on the Far East, and the French are also ready to make moves in Taiwan. Seeing that Britain's interests in China are about to be damaged, Hart said that he would consult London on this matter, but before that, it would be best to ask the Beiyang Minister, His Excellency Yuan Xiangcheng, for his opinion.

于是最后2，此9事争4来争0去，传4到袁项城这里3，都5想让他6拿个主意。

Chapter 238: Red Confucian Conference

The Siberian cold wave moved southward, and the camp in the southern part of Mount Tai was not spared. Outside the tent, there was heavy snow and strong wind.

Inside the tent, however, there was a warm scene. The main military and political leaders of the National Defense Army and the Red Confucian Society rarely gathered together.

Ming Ye, director of the General Affairs Department, Xu Shichang, director of the Party Affairs Department, Tang Shaoyi, director of the External Relations Department, and Ma Xiangbo, the semi-retired former director of the Association Affairs Department and current director of the Education Department.

Among them, Ming Ye was not only the commander of Yuan Xiangcheng's personal guard battalion, but also assisted him in handling some miscellaneous matters within the Red Confucian Society.

Xu Shichang was one of the veterans who followed Yuan Shikai during the military training in Tianjin. After being brainwashed by Yuan Shikai using Marxism-Leninism mixed with Confucianism and Mohism, he and his brother Xu Shiguang became obsessed with reconstructing Confucianism in China and traveled back and forth for Yuan Shikai's cause.

Tang Shaoyi was a former Qing Dynasty diplomatic official stationed in Korea. After Yuan Shikai came to power in Korea, he intended to get closer to the Korean government and was eventually absorbed into the Red Confucian Society. Relying on his connections, he introduced many overseas talents to the industries and education outside the Great Wall.

As for Ma Xiangbo, he can be regarded as the first Qing Dynasty person to discuss political ideas with Yuan Shikai. It was also thanks to him that Yuan Shikai continued to improve his "great stitching" of Red Confucianism.

However, due to his advanced age, he gradually focused on education and handed over party affairs to Xu Shichang.

As for the military generals, Duan Qirui left the main forces of the First and Seventh Regiments in Shanxi and entrusted them to Wu Fengling, the commander of the Seventh Regiment, to lead them temporarily. He himself led a group of cavalry from Shanxi and arrived in southern Shandong before the New Year.

Sheng Fei of the Second Regiment, Feng Guozhang of the Third Regiment, and Cao Kun of the Ninth Regiment have been on the front line in southern Shandong.

Together with Wang Zhanyuan of the Sixth Regiment transferred from outside the Great Wall and Wu Changsuo of the Eighth Regiment, nearly one-third of the National Defense Forces gathered here.

Duan Qirui was initially praised by people all over the world as the number one general of the National Defense Army. He was also the first to receive the title of Tiger of National Defense.

However, in the war to unify the country while marching south, he did not achieve anything because he was stationed in Shanxi and guarding the flanks. Therefore, in the eyes of some people, he was slightly inferior to Sheng Fei and Feng Guozhang who were at the peak of their popularity.

But that is just the opinion of outsiders after all. The internal structure of the Red Confucian Society is not like that.

In addition to being the commander of the First Town, Duan Qirui also served as the vice chairman of the Military Committee of the Red Confucian Society.