"The core point of the Democratic Party's charter is actually just one sentence: we protect the interests of the propertied class," Wang Youhong said loudly, standing on the podium of the Jiangsu Provincial Assembly. "Whether we enact laws, build water conservancy projects, or aid the poor, it all serves a single ultimate purpose: Jiangsu must not descend into chaos. In the current situation, if Jiangsu falls into chaos, major trouble will ensue. We must help each other like people in the same boat to weather this storm together..."

Among the gentry below, some showed expressions of disdain or dissatisfaction, but many more watched Wang Youhong on the podium with gazes of respect and admiration. This man was the protector of Jiangsu, its leader. At a time when the gentry were bewildered and confused, only he had produced a viable plan. Whether they agreed with Wang Youhong's proposal or not, they certainly admitted that he possessed capabilities far exceeding their own.

Wang Youhong paid no mind to the attitudes of the gentry; his speech had reached its final, crucial point. "The Democratic Party I intend to establish is not my personal party. It is currently the party of the propertied class of all Jiangsu, and in the future, it will even be the party of the propertied class of all China. Our slogan is but one..."

Slowly but forcefully, Wang Youhong raised his left hand, drawing the eyes of everyone in the audience. "Propertied class of the world, unite!"

As Wang Youhong forcefully swept down his raised hand to conclude his speech, thunderous applause and cheers erupted among the excited gentry.

Yu Chen sat among the gentry in his military uniform, surrounded by a group of young officers also in uniform. The faces of these young men were filled with intense excitement. Over four months ago, Wang Youhong had begun preparing the Democratic Party. As the controller of Jiangsu's military, he naturally recruited young officers from the army.

The criteria for joining the Democratic Party were simple: first, one had to be a registered property owner; second, one had to pay party dues. These two standards were entirely public. Chinese tradition emphasized keeping one's wealth hidden, and in the turbulent late Qing, very few were willing to do otherwise. And while the party dues were not exorbitant, they still amounted to six silver dollars a year. A common soldier in the Jiangsu New Army earned eight silver dollars a month, while officers' incomes ranged from twelve to twenty. They could afford it.

The Democratic Party's organizational model was relatively loose, but its goal was clear: to actually control the authority of the local assemblies. Jiangsu's electoral system differed from the one proposed by Beiyang, which granted the vote to any male of age; Wang Youhong implemented a citizen system. That is, only citizens had the right to vote, and a citizen had to be a registered property owner.

As for the Democratic Party's administrative program, it focused on suppressing land consolidation, striking at speculation, and implementing social stability policies so that all people in Jiangsu would have clothes to wear and food to eat. In this era of upheaval, this resonated strongly with the desires of the petty bourgeoisie. Compared to the landlords and gentry, self-cultivating farmers and soldiers were more willing to register their property and join the Democratic Party.

Currently underway was the Democratic Party's final preparatory convention. After this meeting, Wang Youhong would lead the Jiangsu National Assembly delegation to Beijing to attend the first formal National Assembly. After finishing his speech, Wang Youhong left the podium and went to the lounge in the back. Unlike his spirited performance on stage, when he sat in the lounge, his face showed true exhaustion.

He knew very well that what he was currently doing had reached its limit. Born into the ranks, he had eventually become a guard for Empress Dowager Cixi, which began his path to prominence. His real grasp of power had relied entirely on learning from the insights of Chen Ke of the People's Party. But this was his limit. Playing the game of officialdom and commanding an army might be within his reach, but deeper political maneuvering was entirely beyond him.

This had become very apparent over the past year or so. Wang Youhong found that he could no longer understand what Chen Ke wrote. It wasn't that he couldn't read the words, but rather that he completely failed to grasp the ultimate purpose of what Chen Ke was expounding, and he couldn't even imagine how to implement the policies Chen Ke proposed. He couldn't even copy and modify them anymore. To outsiders, the formation of the Democratic Party was proof of Wang Youhong reaching a new height. Wang himself, however, knew it was his limit. He couldn't see clearly what the outcome would be; the only certainty was that if he couldn't gather friends under the same banner according to the most basic concept of "who are our friends and who are our enemies," all of Jiangsu would slip from his influence.

Especially the army!

After resting for a while and regaining his spirit, Wang Youhong went back out to continue meeting with those attending the preparatory convention. People from all walks of life were currently gathered under the banner of the Democratic Party, but each had their own stance. Some hoped to gain protection by joining, while others sought to realize their own ambitions or more specific goals.

By evening, the final preparatory meeting of the Democratic Party adjourned. Returning home, Wang Youhong did not rest; his home had become the meeting place. After the servants served him dinner, they began preparing snacks and night meals. Sure enough, not long after Lord Wang reached his study in the back courtyard, more than a dozen people arrived at the back door. They were the activists within the New Army and the true pillars of Wang Youhong's power.

Once the servants withdrew and Wang's personal guards took up positions at the doors and windows, the meeting formally began.

"Lord Wang, how do you plan to handle the Bannermen?" The speaker was the current commander of the New Army, Wu Yida. After the previous commander of the New Army's Ninth Division, Xu Shaozhen, had died at the hands of the People's Party, Wang Youhong's confidant Wu Yida had taken over the Jiangsu New Army.

The attendees watched Wang Youhong with looks of irrepressible excitement. Currently, the Bannermen of Jiangsu were gathered in Nanjing, and their 5,000-man force had once been one of Wang Youhong's main strengths. They had been the primary force for guarding against the People's Party, monitoring revolutionaries within the New Army, and eliminating various rebel parties. But with the situation changing so rapidly, the status of these Bannermen was also shifting fast.

"Currently, the Bannermen are emotionally unstable. They oppose the Republic and intend to cause trouble. Furthermore, ever since they received your permission to engage in commerce and farming, there have been endless incidents of forced buying and selling, swindling, and deception. They have become entirely like black sheep. Brother Yu Chen is in charge of inspections; he knows this best." Wu Yida not only expressed his meaning clearly but also brought in Wang Youhong's favorite young officer, Yu Chen.

Yu Chen knew very well that what Wu Yida said was not the truth. The Bannermen in Jiangsu were not that arrogant now. By this point, aside from shouting that the Great Qing must not fall, only a few extremists were making desperate and laughable plans. But rather than say they were preparing to do something, it would be more accurate to say they were afraid of something happening.

"The New Army is the foundation of Jiangsu. The gentry and commoners see the New Army as the government itself. If the New Army's discipline is corrupt or if it acts lawlessly, how can the gentry and commoners believe that the Jiangsu government is good?" Wang Youhong said.

Wu Yida's face lit up with joy upon hearing this. With a few casual words, Wang Youhong had confirmed one thing: the New Army must undergo a "major rectification." "You are right, my Lord. The New Army must never bring shame upon the government. However, my Lord, I fear those Bannermen will not listen to your advice."

Yu Chen clearly heard the intense murderous intent in those words, but the New Army officers at this meeting were completely unified in their attitude toward the Bannermen: when they needed to be killed, they must be killed. Yu Chen did not believe there was the slightest need for mercy.

"Heaven has the virtue of loving life; let us advise them first. However, in this National Assembly, I fear the national structure will no longer be a constitutional monarchy. With the People's Party stirring things up, other provinces won't dare maintain a constitutional monarchy. Our Jiangsu must not fall into chaos, but I am worried whether the Bannermen can realize this. Everyone, I am going to Beijing for the National Assembly; I leave the affairs of Jiangsu in your hands."

"Rest assured, my Lord. Your subordinates will never allow even the slightest disturbance in Jiangsu," Wu Yida answered decisively.

Such major matters did not need to be spelled out entirely. Wu Yida made his stance clear, and so did Wang Youhong. While they spoke of maintaining public order, they were actually deciding the fate of the Bannermen. The meeting then moved on to the reorganization of the troops based on the military academies. Wang Youhong's military was actually divided into two branches: one was the New Army, capable of going out to fight, and the other was the tax police who collected revenue. In terms of combat effectiveness, the New Army was naturally superior to the tax police. But in terms of intimacy, the tax police were clearly more important than the New Army.

Wu Yida expressed his hope to formally separate the New Army from the tax police, and Wang Youhong surprisingly agreed wholeheartedly. "Separation of duties is an inevitable path. Look at Beiyang's establishment of the police system; it's received praise throughout the north. I think we should not only establish the tax police but also build up the police system. Commander Wu, you must handle this well."

What the New Army wanted most was control over all armed forces. If they could control both the tax police and the civil police, the New Army would become an even more pivotal force in Jiangsu. Those at the meeting were all Wang Youhong's confidants, and they seemed to see a limitless bright future. Although Wu Yida tried his best to hide it, the smile on his face could not be suppressed.

"Yu Chen, you are responsible for military discipline and the security within Nanjing. Do you have any thoughts on the police?" Wang Youhong asked.

Wu Yida glanced at Yu Chen with a look of jealousy. Yu Chen was a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Army Academy and had become an officer upon returning to Nanjing. However, this youth had a strange temperament and a reputation for seeking fame. When the previous commander, Xu Shaozhen, was in charge, he had enforced military discipline strictly, and Yu Chen had served as an inspector within the New Army, offending many people.

After Xu Shaozhen died in battle and Wang Youhong seized the New Army through bribery, the men in the ranks thought they could finally indulge themselves. Unexpectedly, Yu Chen refused to change his ways, acting exactly as before. This made him a thorn in the side of many. Someone had likely schemed against him, sending him word when the tax police went to the pleasure quarters for entertainment, which resulted in a brawl between the two sides.

According to the rules of officialdom, before hitting a dog, one must look at the master. The tax police were Wang Youhong's confidants; what right did Yu Chen of the New Army have to intervene? The head of the tax police had shouted about killing Yu Chen to establish his authority. Unexpectedly, after Wang Youhong learned of the incident, he personally received Yu Chen, praised him highly, and invited him to dinner several times. At this, the men in the New Army and tax police couldn't help but marvel at Yu Chen's luck.

Now hearing Wang Youhong mention wanting Yu Chen to lead the police department, Wu Yida couldn't help but feel jealous.

"Lord Wang, the police handle civil affairs and maintain order in the marketplace; this is no small matter. In my view, the military and civilians should be separated. Including the tax police, once jurisdictions begin to interfere with each other, there will be endless trouble," Yu Chen replied.

Wang Youhong nodded. "This is indeed troublesome. Sike, I am leaving for Beijing soon. Don't leave tonight; we will discuss this in a moment."

All the New Army officers showed intense jealousy. Others used connections and paths just to get a moment of Wang Youhong's appreciation. Yet Yu Chen, a man seeking fame, actually received such favor; it truly was unjust! But they didn't dare say this to his face. After a few more words and Wang Youhong's instructions to Wu Yida to prepare quickly—Wu knew he meant the Bannermen, no easy task—Wu set aside his thoughts on Yu Chen for now. Seeing there was nothing else, he and the other officers rose to take their leave.

Once the others had left and it was quiet outside, Wang Youhong didn't mention the police. He asked instead, "Sike, what are your thoughts on the formation of the party?"

Yu Chen showed no surprise. He replied, "Lord Wang, shall the propertied class be divided by status?"

"How could they be? Propertied is propertied; there can be no division of status," Wang Youhong replied.

Hearing this, a light appeared in Yu Chen's eyes. "Lord Wang, if there is no division of status, then talent and virtue should be the criteria for selection. The Democratic Party's system must be taken seriously."

Wang Youhong smiled. "Sike, I know you are an upright man who cannot tolerate evil. But in my position, I cannot help but tolerate it. There are many things I am even powerless to change. In this regard, without the help of young men like you, selecting based on talent and virtue would be extremely difficult."

"Please rest assured, my Lord!" Yu Chen's tone was firm. "There are many youths in the New Army who see it as their mission to clarify the world, and everyone detests those who act lawlessly. Since you are forming a party, we are willing to follow your lead."

Wang Youhong laughed. "I trust you, Sike."

After Wang Youhong led the Jiangsu delegation to Beijing, the Nanjing area became "tense inside but relaxed outside." After all, Jiangsu bordered Anhui, and with the People's Party nearby and Wang Youhong and the others absent, it was impossible not to be afraid. Controls on the streets tightened, and orders were issued in the military camps: no one was to leave without military orders.

The Bannermen were not particularly sensitive to this. They had once been Wang Youhong's confidants, so they assumed these measures were merely for alert. They were not very clear on the changes in Wang Youhong. Furthermore, all their attention was focused on the National Assembly being held in Beijing, causing them to forget what was right in front of them.

After the Qing troops entered the pass, the Bannermen were distributed across the country. In important military garrisons, Eight Banner soldiers were stationed to guard them. According to Dai Yinghua's research, Nanjing had always been a major stronghold in southeast China, located at a strategic hub of land and water transport. In the second year of Shunzhi (1645), the Qing court established the Jiangning Garrison Banner Camp there. After the eighteenth year of Shunzhi (1661), its overall setup gradually emphasized the east, becoming the military center of eastern China and eventually developing into a major garrison in southeast China during the Qing Dynasty.

Although the number of troops in the Jiangning Banner Garrison changed several times, it remained largely stable for most of the Qing Dynasty. The Jiangning Garrison was set with 4,000 regular mounted soldiers, divided into eight banners, with seven subdivisions per banner. Along with the families the soldiers brought, the Banner people gradually developed into a significant and unique social group in the area.

By the late Qing, each banner had only three subdivisions, and the total number of garrison soldiers was around six or seven thousand. According to the usual calculation of five persons per soldier, the total number of Bannermen in Nanjing at the time should have been between 30,000 and 40,000.

The Banner land was also widely distributed. According to the original system, the place where the Banner troops were stationed was the Banner land. The Jiangning Garrison Banner land mainly included two parts: inside and outside the city. Inside the city, there were five locations: inside the Imperial City, Wangfu Garden, the North City, Yedong, and Yexi. Outside the city, there were six: the Great Training Ground, the Small Training Ground, Guandaxu, the Left Wing, the Right Wing, and Taiping Gate. In addition, the Jiangning Garrison owned horse grazing grounds such as Bagua Island and Wanchun Lake.

Before Wang Youhong departed, the leading figures of the Jiangning Camp and the local Bannermen sought him out to sound out his attitude. Wang's answer was very straightforward: "I was born a guard of the Empress Dowager; loyalty to the monarch is my duty. However, I am not the only one with a say in this National Assembly. The hundreds of members all have different ideas. I wish to be loyal, but I cannot control the thoughts of the other members."

This was the truth, and the Bannermen had no choice. They couldn't even grasp the attitude of the other Jiangsu delegates, let alone the National Assembly in Beijing. Some delegates spoke evasively, while others simply refused to see the Bannermen when they visited. The Bannermen were accustomed to being arrogant; in the past, they likely would have caused a huge scene. But the lesson of Fujian was not far off. Governor-General Matsuju and General Pusuju had made preparations for over a year, even forming a "Han-Killing Corps" to try to control the situation in Fujian. As a result, when the revolutionary party rose up, Matsuju committed suicide, and after Pusuju was defeated and captured, the revolutionaries cut him into pieces and threw his corpse on a mountain. The Bannermen of Fujian were slaughtered to a man. Knowing this, Bannermen all over the country were in a state of panic.

Now, although Wang Youhong repeatedly stated that he would not allow the New Army to kill one another and there was no strong anti-Bannerman sentiment in Jiangsu, those Bannermen no longer dared to be as arrogant as before.

Wu Yida understood this well. Using the excuse of guarding against the People's Party, he rectified military discipline on one hand and ordered each camp to reorganize military affairs and intensify training on the other. No one was allowed to leave their camp without permission. These orders were entirely public, with notices posted by the Military Law Department led by Yu Chen. Merchants everywhere, upon hearing the news, immediately went to the camps to collect their debts. This rectification would not be short, and if war broke out, who knew when they could get their money back? The merchants dared not bear such a loss.

Other camps were under the jurisdiction of the Military Law Department, so the soldiers didn't dare default. However, the Banner camps usually had many debts; though they didn't dare be arrogant anymore, they truly had no cash to repay. And while they didn't dare be arrogant outside the camp, inside the camp, the soldiers were the masters. Merchants who went to collect debts either returned empty-handed or were even beaten. The news that the Bannermen had money but refused to repay was immediately spread throughout Nanjing through various channels.

After Wang Youhong arrived in Beijing on April 19, 1911, he learned of this through the newspapers. Newspapers in Nanjing, Shanghai, and Beijing all mentioned it. Negative news about Bannermen, not just in Nanjing but in various places, occupied a huge amount of space in the papers. Wang Youhong said nothing on the matter. Since he had given many southern governors and generals suggestions on how to control the New Army, and they also intended to huddle together for warmth, he was busy attending various banquets after arriving in Beijing. He simply had no time.

It wasn't until April 24, when the three representatives of the People's Party observation mission arrived in Beijing, that the various negative news about the Bannermen finally yielded space on the front pages.