"Your Excellency, I do not wish to go to Beijing," Pushou said to Songshou.

This was late August 1909. Yuan Shikai had already issued a call to the provinces to summon councilors to discuss state affairs. The gentry across Fujian were restless and eager to move. Songshou had no choice but to lead a delegation to Beijing. When he asked the General of Fujian, Pushou, about it, Pushou firmly rejected the suggestion.

"Are you planning to stay in Fujian and continue training the troops?" Songshou asked.

"Precisely. Since a fight is inevitable sooner or later, I will stay in Fujian," Pushou said calmly. Ever since Yuan Shikai seized central power in early 1909, Pushou had argued with Songshou countless times, urging him to raise an army to oppose Yuan. Although Songshou was the Viceroy of Min-Zhe (Fujian and Zhejiang), he knew he stood no chance against the Beiyang New Army's 3rd Division in Zhejiang.

Pushou, however, was a man of action. Knowing he couldn't persuade Songshou to rebel, he turned to demanding weapons and ammunition. He issued a foreign rifle and three hundred rounds of ammunition to every male bannerman in Fujian over the age of thirteen, drilling them daily. Songshou knew Pushou was preparing for a fight to the death and didn't have the heart to stop him.

With the Manchu Qing Dynasty in such dire straits, facing imminent collapse, as a bannerman, watching the situation deteriorate to this point without doing anything was unconscionable. Moreover, the revolutionaries were now high on morale, shouting everywhere about killing all Manchus, and the Manchus themselves were in a state of panic. Although Songshou didn't believe Yuan Shikai would go that far, he hoped to have a strong force in hand, if only as a bargaining chip.

In the six months since Beiyang took power, Pushou had done nothing but train troops and curse Yuan Shikai's wolfish ambition. It was only in the last two months that he had quieted down. This wasn't because Pushou had learned to face reality. As far as Songshou knew, Pushou had begun promoting radicals among the Manchus, organizing a "Kill Han Regiment," and plotting a massive purge in Fujian. Or rather, a massacre.

Pushou's "Kill Han Regiment" began scouting the whereabouts of revolutionaries, preparing to suppress the rebel party as soon as the troops were ready. It was said that the regiment's preliminary plan was to "kill three hundred thousand Han people to secure peace in Fujian."

Thinking of this, Songshou said, "General Pushou, do not act rashly."

Songshou had never really fought a war, so he felt that such a crazy plan might actually succeed. Not in completely eliminating the revolutionaries, but in massacring three hundred thousand Han people. To deny the legitimacy of the Qing, the revolutionaries publicized the "Ten Days of Yangzhou" everywhere. This was a blow to the Qing's image, but conversely, it gradually planted an idea in the minds of the Manchus: "Since the empire was seized by massacre back then, perhaps it can be held by massacre now."

The only problem was that the New Army's 10th Division was still present, and this military force was extremely disloyal. Revolutionaries had infiltrated it, spreading revolutionary propaganda widely. Songshou knew Yuan Shikai's method of training troops: guaranteeing high income for the Beiyang New Army while strictly enforcing military discipline—publicly executing anyone who disobeyed orders. One hand held the sword, the other held the money. This kept the Beiyang New Army submissive.

Fujian simply didn't have Yuan Shikai's financial resources. Without enough silver to feed them, enforcing harsh military law would be suicide. So Songshou could only place his hopes on the Manchu New Army, maintained by blood ties.

Pushou answered crisply, "Manchus number less than ten thousand; but ten thousand united are invincible! Your Excellency, please rest assured. As long as we can raise enough military pay, this new army will surely be unstoppable."

Seeing Pushou's determined stance, Songshou had no choice but to believe him.

"Your Excellency, the meal is ready," a personal guard pushed open the door and said.

"Bring it in," Songshou ordered.

"Should we invite others?" the guard continued to ask.

Songshou had wanted to have one last meal with his whole family. As he was about to speak, he saw the small bottle of poison. His heart trembled. What would they say if they met again? His family, along with the families of other bannermen, were all inside the Viceroy's residence. The women, the elderly, and the children each had a dose of poison. His own death was one thing; death ends all troubles, and he would no longer have to live in fear. It would be a release.

But to watch his loved ones die together—Songshou simply didn't have the courage.

"Just leave a dish for me. Tell the kitchen to continue cooking and send it to everyone else," Songshou finally decided.

"Yes." The guard left a portion of pork elbow for Songshou and went out wiping tears.

The gunfire had thinned out a bit at this moment. A hope suddenly rose in Songshou's heart that perhaps the rebels couldn't fight anymore. Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard the violent explosion of artillery shells. The impact was very close to the Viceroy's Yamen, and dust from the roof beams was shaken loose, falling in a shower.

The shot was accurate. Songshou's trembling hand picked up a piece of the pork elbow, now dusted with gray. He wanted to take a bite, but couldn't swallow. He wondered if the gunner was from the New Army or from the Guangfu Society that had come to assist.

If only there were no Guangfu Society! If only there were no Guangfu Society!

Songshou felt dead inside; even the feeling of anger was gone.

The real battle had started ten days ago, but effectively, it had begun when Songshou returned to Fujian in January 1909. The path to establishing a parliament in Fujian had been extremely arduous. Especially in the selection of councilors, the struggle was fierce.

The councilors for this term in Fujian were mainly officials. To prevent the New Army from causing trouble, Songshou had specifically brought along Sun Daoren, the commander of the 10th Division of the New Army. This move turned out to be too clever for his own good. After participating in the National Assembly, Sun Daoren thoroughly saw the inevitability of the Qing's demise. Originally, this man had been fence-sitting, his attitude wavering. Since returning from Beijing, Sun Daoren knew the Great Qing was doomed and acted without any scruples.

Courting the gentry, colluding with revolutionaries—Sun Daoren no longer held back. He participated in the provincial assembly, and the gentry were naturally willing to believe his words. Listening to Sun Daoren speak about establishing a parliament in Fujian and implementing a federation of autonomous provinces where Fujian people would manage Fujian affairs, the gentry immediately felt there was an opportunity and no longer regarded the Manchus with respect. Because Sun Daoren had made it clear: "Councilors are elected by population. One national councilor is elected for every hundred thousand people. The total Manchu population in Fujian is less than ten thousand; electing even one councilor would be the absolute limit."

With the words of the New Army commander, the local gentry naturally had confidence. The Manchus, however, completely opposed the parliament. At a Manchu meeting, Pushou's eyes glared round with rage. "Your Excellency, our Great Qing has always held Manchus as noble and Han as base. The court tolerates Han people, but that means Manchu and Han officials are half and half. This election nonsense, voting by population—isn't this bullshit?"

Songshou was quite surprised that Pushou could still maintain some reason. Proposing the ancestral system of "half Manchu, half Han officials" showed that Pushou didn't intend to control the situation completely. Could it be that Pushou, who had sworn to protect the Qing empire, was also feeling timid?

"In this Fujian, Your Excellency must have the final say. Manchu councilors must occupy half the seats," Pushou added his stance.

If that could be done, it would naturally be best. But what would the locals in Fujian think? Songshou wasn't sure. Shang Yuan, the representative of the People's Party, had a very firm attitude: the Qing must perish. If the assembly didn't pass a resolution declaring the end of the Qing, the People's Party would absolutely not let the matter rest with other provinces. Jiangxi Province wasn't actually that royalist. The People's Party's attack on Jiangxi, directly bordering Fujian, was preparation for the next war.

While the Viceroy was hesitating, he heard Pushou say, "Your Excellency, since that Sun Daoren has already developed disloyalty, why don't we let him guard the border between Jiangxi and Fujian, and let the People's Party deal with the New Army?"

"Impossible," Songshou said hurriedly. "The lesson of Yuan Shikai is right before us."

Empress Dowager Cixi had sent Yuan Shikai to fight the People's Party, giving him the opportunity to act freely. The result was that the People's Party and Yuan Shikai played a double act; the People's Party went south, Yuan Shikai went north. The situation of the world changed instantly. If the New Army's 10th Division were allowed to act freely, wouldn't that be seeking their own death?

"If Your Excellency doesn't trust the New Army, then let me deal with Sun Daoren," Pushou began to request orders.

This time Songshou didn't answer directly; he started to calculate. Since Sun Daoren dared to act this way, he likely had a plan. If they really fought, the New Army had been established longer and was better trained. Moreover, Mawei had people from the Nanyang Navy, and the Nanyang Navy had good relations with Yuan Shikai. At this point, there was no hope that the Nanyang Navy would stand on his side.

On the other hand, Zhejiang had Duan Qirui's Beiyang 3rd Division. If the battle could be decided quickly, it would be fine. But if it dragged into a stalemate, there was no guarantee Yuan Shikai wouldn't intervene in Fujian. That would be "fending off a wolf at the front gate only to have a tiger enter through the back." Yuan Shikai would certainly take the opportunity to seize Fujian.

Thinking it over and over, Viceroy Songshou couldn't come up with a way to ensure Manchu dominance in Fujian while also establishing a small Fujian court for himself.

"Let's wait for now," Songshou said helplessly.

This wait lasted half a year. By July, the "Kill Han Regiment" organized by Pushou had mobilized all the Manchus. During this time, Pushou spread the news everywhere that half of the national councilors must be Manchu. The Fujian gentry didn't say much for the time being, only asking when the election would be held and what method would be used.

As far as Songshou knew, General Pushou simply told the gentry, "Vote however Viceroy Songshou says to vote. Just sign up first."

Quite a few gentry did sign up. Everything seemed to be running peacefully. But once August arrived, a rumor suddenly spread. It claimed that General Pushou was planning to catch all the registered councilors in one net. The story was told with vivid details. The "Kill Han Regiment" was originally just an organization for Manchus to embolden themselves; regardless of what Pushou said, Songshou didn't really believe Pushou intended to carry out a massacre.

But these rumors spread as if they were alive, claiming Pushou would first kill Han men without queues, then those with queues, killing until only Manchus were left in Fujian.

Pushou had indeed killed Han men without queues. That was during the People's Party's second counter-encirclement campaign, when every province was in a panic, and anyone without a queue was treated as a revolutionary. Pushou had arrested many people back then and killed a few. But that was two years ago. Now, although Pushou was searching for revolutionaries, he was only arresting people, not killing them for the time being.

As the Viceroy, Songshou actually couldn't get accurate information. In fact, to this day, he still didn't understand how things had escalated to this degree. General Pushou had originally tried to explain, but his explanation only backfired. In the current situation, arresting revolutionaries was seen as the Manchus' last desperate counterattack. Pushou's explanation admitted to arresting revolutionaries again, but no one listened to the rest.

From August 15th, the rumors grew louder and louder. Sun Daoren, commander of the New Army 10th Division, formally proposed in an official letter that the newly formed Manchu Army be temporarily placed under the command of the 10th Division to prevent the conflict from widening.

Songshou knew things were bad. Sun Daoren had seen Songshou less and less over the past six months. Starting three months ago, no matter how Songshou invited him to discuss official business, Sun Daoren refused to attend, claiming ill health. Now, suddenly issuing such a proposal, his intentions needed no guessing.

Pushou immediately used the Manchu Army to blockade Fuzhou City, and the "Kill Han Regiment" went out everywhere, arresting and killing any queue-less person they encountered. They also began arresting gentry everywhere. This was the last resort; Songshou knew it was too late. Sun Daoren had been preparing for a long time. When the rumors started spreading, Sun Daoren had actually already begun his moves.

Songshou felt he had been too stupid. When rumors were flying, he hadn't seen through the problem but instead called Pushou in for questioning. At that time, veins had popped out on Pushou's forehead as he tried his best to explain that he was being framed. Because Songshou knew about the "Kill Han Regiment," he was skeptical of Pushou's words. It wasn't until he saw Sun Daoren's letter that Songshou realized he had fallen into someone else's trap.

No matter what General Pushou and his men did now, it would only confirm "the truth of the rumors." No matter how Songshou explained that this was only to suppress revolutionaries and restore order, no one would believe it.

But without suppressing the revolutionaries and taking the gentry hostage, how could the situation be restored to what it was a year ago? The current plan was to stabilize Fuzhou City first. Pushou had to eliminate all opposing forces in Fuzhou as quickly as possible.

Rumors of further terror began to be born. Manchus claimed that Han people wanted to kill all Manchus in Fujian. Meanwhile, among the Han in Fuzhou, rumors spread that Manchus wanted to kill all Han in Fuzhou. In mutual suspicion and fear, the use of violence gradually exceeded boundaries. Unknown when it started, Pushou's subordinates went from arresting revolutionaries to arresting suspicious elements. From bringing them back for questioning to summary execution on the spot.

This brutal yet somewhat orderly approach didn't last long. Once the looting of shops began under various pretexts, the control of the Manchu New Army completely collapsed. These were just general reports, but Songshou could imagine the scene perfectly. Inside Fuzhou City, although the Manchus weren't wealthy, they were a group with stable income. But after Yuan Shikai dissolved the Clan Court and stopped issuing stipends to bannermen, life for Fuzhou bannermen became extremely difficult. Pushou was able to gather over ten thousand men because Songshou provided food and pay for this army. Every bannerman over thirteen had a new livelihood.

After enduring the bitter days of training, they finally had access to wealth. Coupled with the rumor circulating among bannermen that Han people wanted to kill them all, and the incitement of Pushou's "Kill Han Regiment," how could these bannermen maintain any military discipline? Once the looting started, it couldn't be controlled. Fuzhou was the provincial capital, full of shops. Besides money, there was grain. Every bannerman soldier felt that taking a little something home wasn't a big deal. But this was an army of over ten thousand, not just one person.

When Han people were looted, they naturally resisted. Resistance led to conflict, and conflict caused casualties. Casualties turned into mutual slaughter.

Ten days ago, when Sun Daoren demanded Songshou hand over all power in Fujian, Fuzhou City had already turned into a slaughterhouse. At that same moment, Pushou sent intelligence that besides the 10th Division participating in this "rebellion," the Guangfu Society had also sent a force to assist.

Songshou didn't know whether to believe this news. It didn't matter anymore; in a Fuzhou City filled with corpses, there was nothing believable or unbelievable. The only thing Viceroy Songshou could be sure of was that, regardless of the initial intentions, in the eyes of the outside world, the Fuzhou bannermen had started the slaughter. The 10th Division's attack wasn't a rebellion, but a restoration of order.

The only method left was to thoroughly defeat the 10th Division and use military force to crush the opposition in Fujian. Other than this, Songshou had no other way.

At the beginning of the battle, Pushou's Manchu New Army didn't fall behind. Songshou had tried his best over the past year to weaken the 10th Division. Not only did he provide no weapons supply, but he also stripped the 10th Division of their arms and ammunition as much as possible.

The Manchu New Army, on the other hand, received maximum supplies and armament. The New Army attacked the city several times over consecutive days without much effect. It wasn't until a certain unit joined the battle that the situation began to change. They had no uniforms, just uniform coarse cloth clothes, but their combat skills and fighting will were definitely not comparable to the bannermen army.

Songshou naturally couldn't go to the front line. The reports sent back were optimistic at first, but then became increasingly critical. The bannermen had looted Fuzhou, and the civilians inside the city had fled as much as possible. The pressure of defending the city fell entirely on the bannermen. After several days of continuous fighting, the bannermen's initial sharp spirit was worn down. With such an elite force suddenly joining the battle, the bannermen suffered heavy losses.

Moreover, this unit didn't fight recklessly; they fought with great method. When attacking frontally, there were always flank and rear sneak attacks. Several attacks nearly succeeded. The bannermen troops relied entirely on their ample ammunition to suppress with firepower, barely managing to keep the city from falling. After holding out for a few days, the bannermen's ammunition was running low, but this army still maintained vigorous fighting will and stamina.

After a night of harassment, just at dawn, this army suddenly launched a fierce attack regardless of casualties. The bannermen were sleepy and exhausted, plus they were low on ammo; unexpectedly, the city wall was breached, and the city gate opened. The New Army immediately charged in. Reports of positions falling came one after another. The bannermen knew what they had done; they knew exactly what the slogan "Kill all the Tartars, avenge the elders of Fuzhou!" shouted from the other side referred to. That wasn't a blood debt from two hundred years ago, but the sins the Manchus had committed ten days ago.

The Fuzhou civilians who had been hiding in their homes, refusing to help when the bannermen forced them, now came out to help the New Army. They carried supplies and transported the wounded. The bannermen managed to temporarily hold off the New Army's attack relying on street barricades and terrain. But after the civilians helped the New Army drag cannons into Fuzhou City, the situation was irretrievable. The barricades were blasted open by cannons, and the Guangfu Society people led the New Army into hand-to-hand combat with the bannermen. The bannermen might have been okay at shooting, but in melee, they no longer had the prowess of two hundred years ago.

By this time, reporting the situation no longer required official documents; Songshou's personal guards told him what they saw with their own eyes. The Guangfu Society troops were extremely skilled at close combat. In particular, there was a unit of female soldiers acting as the vanguard. They all wielded a long sword in one hand and a revolver in the other, slashing and shooting; the bannermen were no match for them. The New Army had no women, so these female soldiers were definitely Guangfu Society people. Only now could Songshou confirm this matter.

After the street barricades were breached, the bannermen's battle still didn't end. They now began their final resistance centered around the Viceroy's Yamen. The families of these bannermen were all in this area. If the Guangfu Society and New Army broke in, the fate of these women and children didn't need imagining. The looted pharmacies had poisons. Arsenic, sulfur, even square gold bars—all could be used for suicide.

At this moment, Songshou heard the cannon fire pause, but the gunfire, which had paused for a moment, became intense again. And the shots were getting closer; the screams of bannermen being hit were clearly audible. Just then, a guard rushed into the room. "Your Excellency..." The guard cried out only once before he couldn't go on, falling to the ground and weeping bitterly.

"I know." Viceroy Songshou knew the final moment had arrived. He picked up another piece of pork elbow. This time he didn't pause; Songshou put the pork elbow into his mouth. The cook's skill was still good to the end. The elbow was delicious, the meat tender, the skin chewy.

Sighing, Songshou opened the bottle of poison and drank it in one gulp. Unknowingly, tears were already streaming down his face. Not caring about anything else, Songshou poured himself another cup of Fen wine, then smashed the wine jar on the furniture, shattering it.

"Bring a torch," Songshou shouted to the guard.

"Your... Your Excellency!" The guard didn't understand what he meant.

"Burn me with a fire, so those people don't chop off my head to display to the public," Songshou laughed tragically.

The guard understood Songshou's meaning and hurriedly ran out crying to find fire. Watching the guard's retreating back, Songshou raised his cup again and drank the last cup of wine. Just as he wanted to shout something, Songshou felt a sharp pain start in his abdomen.

Duan Qirui received the results of the Battle of Fuzhou five days later. The Manchu women, children, and elderly had all taken poison and committed suicide. The Manchu men were wiped out by the New Army. Viceroy Songshou self-immolated; due to the excessive number of corpses in the Viceroy's residence, he was never found in the end.

Flicking the paper, Duan Qirui gave a cold laugh. This wasn't just a change in Fujian; after the Manchus pulled such a stunt in Fujian, it was hard to predict how other provinces would view the Manchus. And after this incident, how would more forces think to use the existence of the Manchus?

Beiyang finally had a chance to flex its muscles in this chaos. Duan Qirui could at least be certain of this.