Yuan Shikai no longer felt the ease he had a month ago when he first learned of the People's Party's land reform manifesto. Everything was completely different from what he had imagined. First, the landlords and gentry everywhere did not stand up to oppose Chen Ke. This was because the landlords and gentry in most places, due to information blockage, simply did not know that the People's Party had issued such a political manifesto. As for the local councilors who had learned of this manifesto, they did not feel too terrified either. Their attitude was quite simple: if the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up. As long as President Yuan Shikai did not engage in land reform in the Beiyang territory, and the People's Party engaged in land reform in the People's Party's territory, what was there to be afraid of?

This way of thinking precisely hit Yuan Shikai's fatal weakness, because Yuan Shikai's original intention was to strengthen his control, increase tax revenue, and improve military power by intimidating the local gentry. What the local gentry pursued was lowering taxes, or at least shifting the tax burden. Although they saw Yuan Shikai writing articles in various newspapers vigorously opposing the People's Party, when the gentry talked about this matter, they would just say, "Can't the Great President defeat the People's Party which only has four provinces?" The supporters of Beiyang were left speechless.

Indeed, Beiyang was nominally the central government and occupied more than ten provinces in the entire North. The People's Party only had four provinces up to now. In terms of territory, manpower, and material resources, Beiyang should not be afraid of the People's Party no matter how you looked at it. If Yuan Shikai was not afraid, what did the local gentry have to fear? Of course, Yuan Shikai could not say that he was afraid of the People's Party, let alone that he could not defeat the People's Party. So the gentry treated the People's Party's propaganda as gossip for after tea and meals.

As for the intellectual class in the cities, the reaction was even more subtle. Those who truly knew that Beiyang was no match for the People's Party kept silent about this. At least half of them cursed the People's Party loudly, and another part who thought they were "serving the country and the people," while cursing the People's Party, proposed "lightening levies and reducing taxes" because of their relationship with the gentry. Their view was, "The People's Party is a heinous villain, and even the villain knows to reduce taxes. Can the Beiyang Central Government, which represents justice, be inferior to the villainous People's Party?"

There was also a part of the intellectuals whose attitude made Yuan Shikai even more furious. They actually beat around the bush and thought that the People's Party doing this was not such an outrageous political idea. After all, equalizing land ownership was also the ideal political measure in the minds of some intellectuals.

Overall, at a time when the People's Party had not directly moved against the North, Beiyang not only failed to unite against the enemy but instead triggered internal strife due to Yuan Shikai's rash propaganda operations.

"Juren, what are the reactions in the other provinces?" Yuan Shikai asked Xu Shichang.

"President, the other provinces have no reaction for the time being," Xu Shichang said helplessly. He had originally thought that the provinces would immediately express strong opposition to the People's Party, but apart from the Beiyang provinces, although some people in other provinces wrote articles in newspapers attacking the People's Party, the provincial governments all remained silent. Now Xu Shichang finally determined the mentality of the provincial governments: they were waiting and watching. Since Beiyang had made it clear that it wanted to take the lead in dealing with the People's Party, even if the provinces had something to say, they would not publicly state it at this time. After all, in the current rumors, there was a secret agreement between the People's Party and Yuan Shikai of Beiyang. The provinces all believed that Beiyang and the People's Party were, in a sense, wearing the same pair of pants. Even if they fell out, it would be infighting. When dealing with the provinces, these two families would probably still join hands.

Yuan Shikai knew this clearly in his heart. He had once thought that the People's Party was afraid of his strength and political influence, and that Chen Ke lacked confidence in his own abilities and had to support Yuan Shikai. Now he realized that Chen Ke had harbored bad intentions from the very beginning; Yuan Shikai had actually been pitted by Chen Ke. Under the system of federal autonomy, Yuan Shikai certainly gained status, but his hands and feet were bound. As the Great President, he had to shoulder the responsibility of the world. Chen Ke, on the other hand, was light and relaxed, burying his head in his own development. Thinking of this, the two eyebrows on Yuan Shikai's oily fat face frowned tightly.

"President, I want to visit someone," Xu Shichang said tentatively.

"Who?" Yuan Shikai asked casually.

"I have a friend from when I was a Hanlin named Li Hongqi. Although he never tried to be an official, his insight is indeed extraordinary."

"Li Hongqi? How come I seem to have heard this name?" Yuan Shikai asked.

"He is Shang Yuan's teacher. It is said that Chen Ke also respects him quite a bit," Xu Shichang explained.

Hearing this resume, Yuan Shikai just said calmly, "Of course, Juren can go see whoever he wants. Telling me this kind of thing, doesn't it delay your time, Juren?"

"I just want this person to analyze the current situation for me," Xu Shichang explained hurriedly.

"Current situation?" Yuan Shikai just repeated the phrase but did not continue. The difficulty of the current situation was far beyond Yuan Shikai's imagination. Since Chen Ke and Shang Yuan both respected Li Hongqi so much, presumably this old gentleman should have some skills. It was just that, would this Li Hongqi sincerely serve Beiyang and deal with his own disciple? Thinking of this, Yuan Shikai said, "Juren can treat this Li Hongqi however he wants. You are currently the Prime Minister. If you want to ask him to be an official, it is just a matter of a sentence. You can make the decision on these matters yourself."

Xu Shichang was afraid that someone would gossip behind his back. Seeing Yuan Shikai say this, he also felt relieved.

Preparing the carriage and gifts, Xu Shichang did not make a big display but went to Li Hongqi's place in plain clothes like visiting an old friend. After Xu Shichang passed the Jinshi examination that year, he sat on a cold bench in the Hanlin Academy for ten years. If he said there was no suffering in his heart at that time, it would just be a joke. After meeting Li Hongqi during those difficult days, Xu Shichang felt he had found a friend he could truly talk to. Later, Xu Shichang rose all the way up and did not live in Beijing. No matter how prosperous Xu Shichang became, Li Hongqi never took the initiative to look for him. This steadfastness and self-restraint also made Xu Shichang admire him.

Except for having more white hair, Li Hongqi didn't look like he had changed much. His attitude towards Xu Shichang showed no sign of the estrangement or surprise of not having seen each other for more than ten years; instead, it was as kind and simple as if Xu Shichang had just visited yesterday.

Arriving at the main hall and sitting down, Xu Shichang smiled and said, "Brother Li, twenty years ago when I was sitting on the cold bench in the Hanlin Academy, you enlightened me, saying that life is about doing things first, and then there will be results. So since I was sitting on this bench in the Hanlin Academy, I had to have the thought of sitting through the bench. Sitting on this cold bench itself was my proper business at that time. Since receiving Brother Li's enlightenment, I read patiently in the Hanlin Academy and finally got an opportunity later. Every time I think of Brother Li's guidance, I am endlessly grateful."

Li Hongqi also smiled and said, "If you can sit on this cold bench, you will naturally sit. If you can't sit on this cold bench, you will naturally not sit. That was because Brother Xu could sit still himself. What does it have to do with me?"

Seeing that Li Hongqi had no intention of getting close, Xu Shichang simply said with a straight face, "Brother Li, I could sit still back then, but now I can't sit still anymore. I also hope that Brother Li can enlighten me for the sake of our friendship back then. Brother, I am indeed at my wit's end."

Li Hongqi paused for a while before saying apologetically, "Brother Xu, I have never been an official in my life, and I do not intend to be an official. I am just a scholar who teaches to make a living. I haven't done your government's work, so I don't understand it. I really can't help you, Brother Xu."

Xu Shichang waved his hand hurriedly and said, "Hey! Brother Li doesn't know how to be an official, but he knows how to teach people to do things. What I came to ask Brother Li for this time is the method of doing things, which has nothing to do with being an official. Brother Li is good at teaching the younger generation, but inevitably favors one over the other with his peers."

Li Hongqi could certainly hear the flavor of threat in these words. He pondered for a moment before saying, "My mentor liked the teachings of Huang-Lao. When he taught me, he only talked about one thing: every cause must have a result, so this result cannot be begged for. When Brother Xu felt that his talents were unrecognized in the Hanlin Academy, you were a Jinshi. Entering the Hanlin Academy was originally a matter for Jinshi. A person like me without an academic degree couldn't get in even if I wanted to. Brother Xu, you just did what a Hanlin should do in the Hanlin Academy. Now that you are the Prime Minister, just do what a Prime Minister should do, isn't that enough? What else is there to say about this?"

"But right now, I happen not to know what to do. None of the things I envisioned can be done, let alone done well. For this matter, I am almost sleepless every night. I hope Brother Li can point out a clear path for me," Xu Shichang replied.

"Of course a Prime Minister is sleepless at night. With so many things in the world for you to decide, if you were drunk on the knees of beauties every day and woke up to control the affairs of the world, that is what storytellers tell the common people in the market; it cannot be taken as true. I have never been an official, so naturally I don't know the rules of being an official. However, I think that going all out and working day and night is still insufficient; this should be the normal state of a Prime Minister."

Hearing Li Hongqi's enlightening words, Xu Shichang was somewhat speechless. He certainly understood these words, and they really made sense, but these happened to be what Xu Shichang wanted to hear the least. Seeing that Li Hongqi consistently refused to speak the key point, Xu Shichang simply made it clear, "Brother Li, the disciples you taught are currently acting like tyrants and behaving unlawfully in the south, but I wonder how Brother Li views how they do things?"

Li Hongqi smiled helplessly, "Brother Xu, they are working hard in the south. The results of these actions seem to you like acting like tyrants and behaving unlawfully. Those children never thought so in their hearts; they are just doing things, doing things every day..."

Xu Shichang could no longer endure it. He interrupted Li Hongqi, "Brother Li, don't say anymore about me doing what a Prime Minister should do. I know I should do things, I just don't know specifically what things to do. I came here this time to sincerely ask for advice. Brother Li, please absolutely do not brush me off again."

Li Hongqi knew that if he still wanted to stay in Beijing, he had to make Xu Shichang relatively satisfied. Having no choice, he could only tell the truth, "Brother Xu, what the children in the south are doing is actually just two things: Rich Country, Strong Army. In my opinion, Beiyang also wants a Rich Country and Strong Army, but what it is doing is raking in money and raising soldiers. The old system of the Manchu Qing for more than two hundred years could never achieve a Rich Country and Strong Army. That set of things is useless in the present, so it perished. If Beiyang uses the Manchu Qing's methods all day long and still thinks it can achieve a Rich Country and Strong Army, isn't that deceiving oneself?"

Xu Shichang nodded slightly. These words directly pointed out the key point of the present. "We are constantly sending people abroad to investigate, learning from Germany, Japan, France, and the United States. Attempting to take the foreigners as teachers to revive China. But the current situation is really difficult."

"Brother Xu, you don't want to learn from the foreign barbarians, but to learn from the foreign barbarians' success. That is just the art of dragon slaying. People say killing a pig, chopping off the head, or stabbing the butt, each has its own method of killing. Whenever one does something, there must be pros and cons. If the pros outweigh the cons, it is already commendable. If one only thinks about the fruit of success, isn't that marking the boat to find the sword?"

Hearing this, Xu Shichang couldn't help but be moved in his heart, "Could it be that the People's Party's current practices in the south were taught by Brother Li?"

"I am a teacher, how could I understand being an official? Those practices were all thought up by the children themselves," Li Hongqi replied. "But Brother Xu, the children's virtue lies in persistence. What did they have when they started? Just a few broken boats and a dozen broken guns. But they were doing things for a Rich Country and Strong Army every day. The ancients said, without accumulating steps, one cannot reach a thousand miles; without accumulating small streams, one cannot form a river or sea. Therefore, he who has no dark and obscure determination will have no shining brilliance; he who has no dull and silent deeds will have no glorious merit. If one only thinks about the fruit of a Rich Country and Strong Army every day, but does not create the cause for a Rich Country and Strong Army, this is just wishful thinking."

Xu Shichang was silent for a long time this time before saying, "Brother Li, if military orders and government decrees cannot be unified, how can the policy of Rich Country and Strong Army be implemented?"

"Brother Xu, you think that the unification of military orders and government decrees is the cause of a Rich Country and Strong Army. In my view, the unification of military orders and government decrees is the result of a Rich Country and Strong Army," Li Hongqi replied.

Xu Shichang retorted, "Not so. The People's Party has had unified military orders and government decrees since the beginning of its uprising. A while ago, they carried out some elimination of counter-revolutionaries. As far as we know, dozens of high officials in their party were forced away, and even more people below left. Up to now, the People's Party has not only had not the slightest turmoil but has become doubly aggressive. So I cannot agree with what Brother Li said."

"Rich Country and Strong Army is a matter. Whether or not one is willing to follow the People's Party is everyone's own choice. Those children are willing to do the things for a Rich Country and Strong Army, so they willingly accept the unification of government decrees and military orders. Even if they left, it was only because they felt they couldn't accept the price required to do things for a Rich Country and Strong Army, or they thought the People's Party's current method for a Rich Country and Strong Army was wrong. No matter what, this is about doing things, not seeking results. Brother Xu, you reap what you sow. This principle has remained unchanged for thousands of years."

Listening to Li Hongqi's serious tone, Xu Shichang felt a wave of disappointment. He originally sought Li Hongqi firstly to resolve his doubts and secondly to ask for some strategies. Resolving doubts was achieved, but he didn't have the mind to ask for any strategies. According to what Li Hongqi said, the best way for Beiyang to solve the current problem and achieve the goal of being stronger than the People's Party was to directly learn from the People's Party.

Just on the point of equality for everyone, Yuan Shikai would be the first to disagree, and the upper echelons of Beiyang would definitely not agree either. Including Xu Shichang himself, who would not agree. As for land reform, all the landlords and gentry under Beiyang's rule would oppose it. The People's Party dared to kill the gentry, but soldiers and officers from landlord and gentry families were everywhere in the Beiyang Army. If Beiyang did this, it would be tantamount to seeking its own destruction. Therefore, the war to decide the victor between Beiyang and the People's Party was only a matter of time. It didn't even need to wait too long; the People's Party was starting to move against Henan right now. Henan was located in the Central Plains key area, connecting Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, and Shaanxi. After the People's Party seized Henan, it was even more impossible for them to stop there.

Xu Shichang suddenly found it a bit strange. How exactly did Chen Ke fool Yuan Shikai into falling for it back then? On second thought, Xu Shichang was relieved again. Not to mention Yuan Shikai, even if he, Xu Shichang, were in Yuan Shikai's position back then, facing the central power within easy reach and a situation where fighting to the death with the People's Party might not necessarily result in victory, how to choose was obvious without asking.

"Brother Li, thank you for your advice," Xu Shichang stood up and said.

"I still say the same thing. What Brother Xu does is what Brother Xu wants to do and can do. I didn't help at all," Li Hongqi replied.

Without polite remarks, Xu Shichang left Li Hongqi's house in low spirits. Instead of returning to his own home, Xu Shichang went to see Yuan Shikai. Upon meeting, Xu Shichang said, "President, regarding the Reorganization Loan proposed by the British a while ago, I think we might as well talk to them again."

Yuan Shikai's face changed at that moment. The conditions of the Reorganization Loan were really too harsh. The total loan amount was 25 million pounds, with an annual interest of 5%, paid at 84% of the face value, to be repaid in 47 years. The principal and interest totaled 67,893,597 pounds, secured by salt tax and customs duties. The interest rate was formally 5%, but since it was paid at 84% real value, it was actually close to 6%; before the issuance payment period, payments were made using advances at 7% or 6% annual interest, so the banking consortium obtained double interest, and also grabbed exchange rate profits during the payment and receipt of funds utilizing the fluctuation of gold and silver exchange rates.

What made Yuan Shikai most unable to accept was that according to the contract, the principal and interest of various foreign debts and indemnities of the central and provincial governments due for repayment in the annex must be deducted from the loan amount. These deductions exceeded half of the loan amount. Borrowing 25 million pounds, he could actually only get 12 million. 12 million pounds was only 100 million taels of silver. It seemed like a lot, but if really used, the 600,000 troops in Beiyang's plan would spend this money in two years.

The muscles on Yuan Shikai's oily fat face twitched slightly a few times. "Juren, do you mean we must go to war with the People's Party?"

"Is there any other way besides this?" Xu Shichang asked.

Yuan Shikai walked back and forth in the office with his hands behind his back. After a good while, he said, "Let me think about it again."

In the following days, Yuan Shikai held secret talks successively with the Ministry of Army, the Ministry of Navy, and even high-ranking Beiyang officials. The content of the discussion was only one thing: did Beiyang have the ability to defeat the People's Party?

The recent plan came from Duan Qirui, who was naturally full of confidence. "President, it's not that the provinces don't want to fight the People's Party now, but that they can't beat the People's Party. It's been almost seven years, and the People's Party wins every battle. The other provinces have been scared out of their wits. As long as our Beiyang can draw a clear line with the People's Party, as long as the provinces see that we can win, they will definitely not stand on the side of the People's Party. No matter how arrogant the People's Party is, it's only the territory of four provinces. Under siege by the surrounding provinces, they will definitely lose."

Although Wang Shizhen's view was not so optimistic, Wang Shizhen also supported the war. "The People's Party started with the army. As long as they lose once, they will lose the whole game. If we wait any longer and let the People's Party continue to grow, then there will really be no chance."

Feng Guozhang was now the Beiyang heavyweight in the Southeast. Being called back to Beijing from Zhejiang by Yuan Shikai, hearing that they were going to go to war with the People's Party, Feng Guozhang immediately became excited. "President, the gentry in the southeast provinces all fear and hate the People's Party. It is only because our Beiyang has not come out to lead. If war starts, the southeast provinces will definitely support our Beiyang."

However, what gave Yuan Shikai the final determination was the telegram from Duan Zhigui, the commander of the 2nd Division. These days, Duan Zhigui had been begging the Beiyang government to send troops to Henan in his telegrams. And on December 30, 1912, Duan Zhigui's telegram was unprecedentedly intense. "Henan Governor Zhang Zhenfang connived at the tax police forces embezzling provisions and funds. My humble subordinate's 2nd Division has been out of pay for more than two months. The day before yesterday, a small number of officers and soldiers rioted for pay, nearly causing a mutiny. If provisions and funds cannot be transported to Kaifeng within three days, your humble subordinate can only lead the troops back to Beijing to preserve the Beiyang Army's 2nd Division. I hope the Great President will give orders to your humble subordinate quickly."

Not long ago, there was a mutiny in Beijing. Seeing Duan Zhigui's telegram mentioning rioting for pay, Yuan Shikai knew there was no other way. Looking at Henan's position on the map, Yuan Shikai made up his mind. If Henan was lost, the entire North's gateway would be wide open. The torrent of the People's Party's 600,000 troops could easily rush into Hebei from Henan. At that time, if the People's Party's troops in Shandong also moved out together, the Beiyang Army would be surrounded and annihilated in Hebei.

Turning his gaze away from the map, Yuan Shikai issued an order, "Telegraph Duan Zhigui to lead the New Army 2nd Division along the railway to gather in Anyang. Order Minister of Foreign Affairs Tang Shaoyi to come see me."