115 Collapse (3)

On the morning of August 10, 1915, Wang Shizhen met with a dejected Duan Qirui outside Yuan Shikai's residence. Just looking at Duan Qirui's expression, one could guess that the efforts of Duan Qirui and Xu Shichang to beg the foreign ministers had completely failed.

Seeing Wang Shizhen, Duan Qirui stepped forward despondently and asked, "Brother, how is the President?"

"When the President woke up yesterday, Premier Xu recommended his own younger brother to treat the President's illness, but the President sternly refused," Wang Shizhen replied in a flat tone.

Duan Qirui did not have Wang Shizhen's self-restraint, and his expression became even uglier. Before Duan Qirui could flare up, Wang Shizhen continued, "I heard that within the Yuan family, some want to use Western medicine and some want to use Traditional Chinese Medicine. They have been arguing for days."

Duan Qirui had heard a bit about these two pieces of news, but he had originally thought they were hearsay. It wasn't until Wang Shizhen personally confirmed these two pieces of intelligence that Duan Qirui's face turned ashen. In these past few days, he had humbly gone to contact the foreign ministers. Before Duan Qirui could ask for help, the foreign ministers had sternly reprimanded the Beiyang government for its incompetence, and then demanded that the Beiyang Army do its utmost to first protect the safety of the Legation Quarter. When Duan Qirui finally managed to bring up the matter of asking the foreign powers for help, the ministers' faces, which were already extremely ugly, became even worse. They immediately and mercilessly rejected Duan Qirui's request.

Wang Shizhen saw Duan Qirui unable to hold back from muttering something. He vaguely heard the general idea; Duan Qirui seemed to have said the four words "a group of dragons without a head" (leaderless).

Seeing that Duan Qirui did not curse the Yuan family descendants for their uselessness, Wang Shizhen had an idea in his heart. He said to Duan Qirui, "Zhiquan, I want you to handle something."

"What instructions do you have, Brother?" Duan Qirui had always respected Wang Shizhen, especially at this time; Wang Shizhen must have important matters to entrust.

Wang Shizhen actually hesitated for a moment. Duan Qirui was no fool; some words only needed to be spoken for Duan Qirui to absolutely understand the meaning within. So Wang Shizhen had to weigh his words before saying, "Zhiquan, the city is in such chaos. I want you to send reliable troops to properly guard the National Library, the National Museum, the National Archives, and the Imperial Palace. No one is allowed to take advantage of the fire to rob. Especially the cultural relics and classics, absolutely nothing must happen to them."

Duan Qirui, just as Wang Shizhen had expected, was initially surprised by this order. Soon, Duan Qirui's brows furrowed. He looked left and right, then simply pulled Wang Shizhen into his own carriage. Determining that no one outside could hear, Duan Qirui said anxiously, "Brother, do you feel that Beijing can't be held?"

"Does Zhiquan have any method to hold Beijing?" Wang Shizhen asked back calmly.

Perhaps because he had been captured by the People's Party before, Duan Qirui was surprisingly not as agitated as Wang Shizhen had thought. "We and the People's Party have fought so many battles. Brother, you are the Minister of the Army."

Wang Shizhen sneered. He looked at the outside of Yuan Shikai's residence. "Currently guarding the outside is Yuan Kewen's Model Regiment. This kid doesn't think the President is the Beiyang's President at all; he just thinks the President is a member of his Yuan family. Premier Xu dared to let his brother be this doctor, yet the President actually didn't believe it. The Yuan family would rather quarrel loudly than decide how to treat the illness. what does this look like?"

Duan Qirui looked at those soldiers of the Model Regiment outside the Yuan residence with a gaze full of great malice. After pausing for a long while, he said viciously, "Brother, since the President is unwell, and the Yuan family won't let us escort the President away, then let's break out. Jundu Pass is in our hands. Let's take the troops to Shanxi. Xu Shuzheng is now stationed in Inner and Outer Mongolia, and Shaanxi is currently also our people. As long as we order the troops in Xingtai and Handan not to return to Beijing and go directly to Shanxi. If we occupy the Northwest, there will definitely be a time for a comeback."

Wang Shizhen looked at Duan Qirui with a hint of gratification. This was the best choice the Beiyang Army could take. This younger brother Duan Qirui was utilitarian and had a heavy desire for power, and whenever a major event occurred that he couldn't solve, he would come to trouble Wang Shizhen to think of a way, often making Wang Shizhen feel very impatient. However, in terms of military cultivation, he was indeed an outstanding figure within the Beiyang. In the days when Duan Qirui was not in the Ministry of the Army, the Ministry had also discussed the situation many times. Various plans for stubborn defense or sneak attacks emerged one after another. But there wasn't a single one who could decisively formulate a strategic transfer based on the current situation.

However, amidst this gratification, Wang Shizhen thought of another matter. Since when did Duan Qirui start formulating this plan?

"Then what does Zhiquan plan to do about the grain?" Wang Shizhen asked.

Hearing Wang Shizhen's question, Duan Qirui was overjoyed. "Brother, you come with me. Wherever you point, Brother, I will fight. With you here, Brother, the grain matter will definitely be no problem, and our Beiyang brothers will also have a backbone."

This was something Duan Qirui would say every time he encountered a major difficulty. Although Duan Qirui's intentions were extremely sincere, and he indeed did what he said, for Wang Shizhen, who always had to rack his brains to solve problems, this being trusted and having to undertake things that were fundamentally not Wang Shizhen's duty absolutely did not make him feel good.

"Zhiquan, you go. I am old. This Beijing is my burial place." Wang Shizhen replied faintly. He raised his hand to stop Duan Qirui's attempt to persuade him. "This Beijing has already reached such a state. If you take the soldiers and leave, it will be even greater chaos. Thanks to the brothers thinking highly of me, I cannot leave even more. If we cannot leave a basically orderly situation for the People's Party, heaven knows how Chen Ke will vent his anger on the brothers remaining in Beijing."

Clearly, Duan Qirui did not agree with Wang Shizhen's thinking. He said, "Brother, if Beijing is in great chaos, the People's Party will also have to spend quite a bit of time to clean up the mess. This is advantageous to us!"

"If it were another city, it would be fine. But if this Beijing is in great chaos, it won't be an ordinary mess. If the People's Party simply lets Beijing continue to be chaotic and they send troops to pursue, it won't be easy for you to handle. Conversely, if Beijing is not chaotic, for the sake of face, the People's Party will conversely not pursue. Not to mention that the legations of various countries are all in Beijing. Firstly, they fear the foreign garrisons in Beijing will take action. Secondly, they don't want the foreign ministers to look down on them. They will certainly leave a large army to garrison Beijing. It will also be easier for you to withdraw to Shanxi."

Hearing Wang Shizhen's explanation, Duan Qirui fell silent. What he wanted most was British support. If he turned Beijing into complete chaos, what impression would Duan Qirui leave on the British? If one day he could make a comeback, it would inevitably be too difficult to get British support at that time.

Thinking of this, Duan Qirui felt suddenly enlightened as usual. Wang Shizhen was always able to let the inevitably somewhat reckless Duan Qirui see the most suitable choice. "Brother, you should still come with me. Our Beiyang Army cannot lack you!"

Wang Shizhen shook his head slightly. "Zhiquan, I still say the same thing. Beijing is my burial place; I am not going anywhere. I am already 64 years old this year, with not many days left to live. Leaving these old bones in Beijing can at least protect some of the Beiyang brothers. Zhiquan, you are only 50 years old this year, still a time when you can fight. The million Beiyang brothers following you will have to rely entirely on you. Moreover, I have already started gathering grain, but this grain can at most allow the Beiyang Army to withdraw to Shanxi. I must stay in Beijing to hold down the People's Party."

Every time Duan Qirui encountered a major matter he couldn't handle, he would beg Wang Shizhen. So hearing Wang Shizhen's tone, Duan Qirui knew that this time, no matter what, he could not persuade Wang Shizhen to change his mind. Moreover, with Wang Shizhen presiding over the situation in Beijing, Duan Qirui actually really felt relieved.

After deciding his thoughts, Duan Qirui looked at Yuan Shikai's residence again, then turned back to look at Wang Shizhen. "This kind of matter, I'm afraid, still needs the President to make the decision."

Wang Shizhen replied calmly, "Fighting wars is the Ministry of the Army's responsibility. Since the President currently cannot attend to affairs, I will first shoulder this matter. If the President can recover, I will naturally explain this to the President."

Duan Qirui naturally understood that Wang Shizhen was shouldering all the responsibility. If there were no Wang Shizhen presiding over the overall situation, relying solely on Duan Qirui, he could at most pull away his own trusted aides. Now with Wang Shizhen's help, most of the armies would obey orders.

"Then who among the civil officials should we take?" Since Wang Shizhen resolutely refused to leave, Duan Qirui was the Commander-in-Chief of the Beiyang Army withdrawing west. He didn't want civil officials to ride on his head. However, if there were no civil officials to keep up appearances, Duan Qirui alone would lack sufficient rallying power.

As soon as these words fell, a carriage stopped at the entrance of the Yuan residence, and Xu Shichang got down from it. However, the people guarding the Yuan residence actually didn't let Xu Shichang in to visit. Xu Shichang negotiated with the Yuan family members at the door for a while, and finally actually returned to the carriage resentfully and left.

Duan Qirui and Wang Shizhen looked at each other. The candidate for civil official was only the current Premier, Xu Shichang. However, Duan Qirui was somewhat worried. Xu Shichang possessed enormous influence in the Northeast. Xu Shichang might not necessarily disagree with retreating now, but where Xu Shichang hoped to ultimately retreat to was hard to say.

However, this issue didn't have much room for discussion. Currently, the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway had been cut off by the People's Party. The directions available for retreat, apart from Shanxi, offered basically no other choice.

"Then Brother, when should the withdrawal time be set?" Duan Qirui asked.

"The sooner the better. If the President passes away and we are still staying inside Beijing city, even without the People's Party outside attacking the city, our own people will probably fall into great chaos first." Speaking of this, Wang Shizhen, who had remained quite calm all along, finally couldn't help but sigh. The Beiyang was entirely kneaded together by Yuan Shikai single-handedly. No matter who took over political power, it was impossible to make the majority submit. The People's Party would not leave Beiyang time for internal rectification. This time, the People's Party had almost staked everything on a desperate rush to the walls of Beijing. It seemed like a huge risk, but they happened to seize the opportunity of Yuan Shikai falling ill.

Wang Shizhen was not superstitious, but he couldn't help but suspect: was there the will of heaven manipulating this matter in the unseen world?

Duan Qirui was an extremely decisive person. The situation had reached such a pass; if Yuan Shikai passed away, they wouldn't be able to leave even if they wanted to. Not to mention that Duan Qirui saw an opportunity, an opportunity for Duan Qirui himself to ascend as the Beiyang leader. This opportunity was almost fleeting. Needless to say, if Beiyang retreated after Yuan Shikai's death, it would be extremely difficult for Duan Qirui to want to wield the supreme command power. Only now could Duan Qirui select his own people and take away the majority of the Beiyang Army as well as the wealth that could be taken away now.

Displaying resolute and decisive methods, with Wang Shizhen's assistance, Duan Qirui consolidated the cadre officials of the Duan Qirui faction currently in Beijing city at a frantic speed. The Commander of the First Army was Duan Qirui's brother-in-law, Wu Guangxin; Duan Qirui was naturally extremely assured about the First Army.

On the morning of August 11, 1915, two divisions of the First Army, under the name of suppressing chaotic parties within the city, took over the defense of the National Treasury and the banks. Then the troops loaded up all the gold and silver that could be moved.

On the 12th, the First Army, using the People's Party's attack on the Jundu Pass in Changping as a reason, carried a large amount of equipment, ammunition, and grain to advance into Changping, and began to secretly advance towards Shanxi. The remnants of Lu Jin's Second Army and the police were ordered to take over Beijing's city defense.

At 2:00 AM on August 13, 1913 [sic - text says 1913, likely typo for 1915], Yuan Shikai woke up for the last time from his coma. At this time, even the Yuan family understood that this was Yuan Shikai's terminal lucidity. Yuan Shikai simply asked about the situation, then ordered the family members guarding him to invite all the Beiyang ministers. Surrounded by a group of pale-faced Beiyang ministers, Yuan Shikai calmly announced that the next President would be succeeded by Xu Shichang. At the same time, he ordered the Beiyang northern units to return with full force to aid Beijing, and the southern units to strive to attack the People's Party to hold down the People's Party to the maximum extent. Yuan Shikai also instructed Xu Shichang to do his utmost to facilitate the Allied Powers sending troops to strike the People's Party.

After saying these things, Yuan Shikai quickly fell into a coma. By 4:00 AM, Yuan Shikai stopped breathing in his coma.

Duan Qirui, who had already received the news, only after receiving the order that Xu Shichang succeeded as President, abandoned the plan to take Xu Shichang west with him. At 3:00 AM, he ordered the final rearguard troops of the First Army to break camp and set out for Shanxi.

Xu Shichang had not expected that Wang Shizhen and Duan Qirui were actually playing such tricks behind his back. It wasn't until the afternoon of the 13th that Xu Shichang learned that Duan Qirui's main force had already left Jundu Pass and gone to Shanxi. Xu Shichang, pale with shock, immediately sent people to issue orders to Duan Qirui in the name of the "President," ordering the entire First Army to return to Beijing. He himself stormed into the Ministry of the Army like the wind to find Wang Shizhen.

Wang Shizhen calmly listened to Xu Shichang's narration mixed with shock and rage, as well as his curses, before slowly saying, "If we don't go to Shanxi, where else can we go? Even if Brother Juren gathers the northern Beiyang armies, what will everyone eat?"

Xu Shichang was stunned right then. He subconsciously pointed at Wang Shizhen, and only after a long while could he speak. "Pinqing, you knew about this! You... you knew about this all along!"

"Brother Juren, our Beiyang can only survive by doing this. Apart from this, there is no other way." Wang Shizhen answered this question coldly.

Xu Shichang had not completely sobered up from the shock. Like a broken gramophone, he stammered, "You knew about this all along! You... you knew about this all along!"

Seeing this "current President," who could perhaps be called the number two figure in Beiyang, behaving so unseemly, the final burden in Wang Shizhen's heart was finally unloaded. If Xu Shichang really took over power, Beiyang would definitely first have to face a cruel internal strife. Such internal strife would only have one result: dragging Beiyang into the abyss of complete destruction.

Wang Shizhen felt completely relaxed in his heart. Regardless of what evaluation later generations would have of Wang Shizhen, in this life he was loyal to Yuan Shikai and loyal to Beiyang. Towards these two objects of loyalty, Wang Shizhen had a completely clear conscience. Regardless of how Xu Shichang performed, Wang Shizhen stood up and strode out of the office. The things to be done next were piled up like a mountain; he didn't have time to waste this precious time with Xu Shichang.

The remnants of Lu Jin's Second Army numbered less than thirty thousand, and adding the police force, it was insufficient to strictly defend Beijing city. Although the police didn't dare say anything loudly, they invariably recalled a few years ago when horse bandits rampaged; the police force had also been sent to defend the city. Not long after that city defense, the Qing dynasty perished. The current situation was worse than that time. In the police force's whispers, there was no talk holding any illusion of victory.

At 12:00 noon on August 13, 1915, the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army began to attack Beijing city. Loudspeakers shouted to the inside of Beijing city with a resonant voice, "Yuan Shikai is already dead. Beiyang brothers, lay down your weapons and surrender! The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army treats captives preferentially." The leaflets urgently used by the Air Force were all handwritten by the soldiers. The fluttering papers had contents of various sizes and styles, but the content was exactly the same: "Yuan Shikai is already dead. Beiyang brothers, lay down your weapons and surrender! The Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army treats captives preferentially."

Most of the Beiyang Army were hearing this news for the first time. Although half-believing and half-doubting, they still resisted tenaciously. By around 4:00 PM, the news that the First Army in Changping had already run to Shanxi finally reached the city defense troops. The morale of the city defense troops completely collapsed. First, the police force took to their heels and ran to their homes inside Beijing city. And the soldiers whose homes were in Beijing also followed suit and deserted. The collapse of morale directly triggered a military collapse. Some ran away with these deserters in a daze. Some just stood foolishly on the battlefield in a daze.

First the South Gate, then the East Gate and North Gate; the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army basically encountered no major resistance and killed their way into Beijing city.

Important sites like the "Presidential Palace," "Premier's Palace," and "Ministry of the Army" fell one after another. And Wang Shizhen fulfilled his promise; the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army smoothly took over the defense of the National Library, the National Museum, the National Archives, and the Imperial Palace. Pu Guanshui, who had been on tenterhooks all along, let out a long sigh of relief after receiving this news. If Beijing city couldn't be taken in one day, it could be taken in two. But once these precious materials, documents, and cultural relics were destroyed, they could truly never be salvaged.

By August 14, the main force of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army had tightly surrounded the Dongjiaomin Lane (Legation Quarter) and the foreign garrison areas. The cannons captured from the Beiyang city defense troops were also gathered together. The dark muzzles were fully open, and all firing data was set on the coordinates of the foreign garrisons. Other troops were nervously gathering the defeated Beiyang soldiers, arresting Beiyang officials, and pacifying the Beijing populace.

The destroyed telegraph lines could not be restored in a short while. Reports were transmitted to the rear by the Air Force taking off urgently.

On August 15, the Party Central Committee in Wuhan finally received this long-awaited news.