Insufficient balance

  From this deployment of Yuan Shikai, it can be seen that the main military deployment of the Beiyang Army is based on the Jinghan Line and the Jinpu Line. Among them, the Jinpu Line is the most obvious. In the front line of Xuzhou direction, there is only one town and Zhang Xun's Jiangfang Army. However, through the Jinpu Line, the Beiyang Army can dispatch the Third Town stationed in Shandong to reinforce Xuzhou at any time. Even if the situation deteriorates, it can also let the Second Town stationed in Tianjin quickly reinforce the front line through the Jinpu Line.

  Even if the above three towns were defeated, Yuan Shikai could still mobilize the First Town responsible for defending the capital, the Imperial Guard, the Zhili Mixed Brigade, and even the 20th and 23rd Towns in Northeast China to reinforce the front line through railways. From this perspective, the strategic advantage of the Beiyang Army far surpasses that of the Southern Allied Army.

  It can be seen from here that the importance of railways for military mobilization, through several major railway arteries in northern China, Yuan Shikai can concentrate large-scale forces in a short period of time, thereby gaining an advantage in terms of force. If Beiyang did not have the Tianjin-Pukou Railway and the Beijing-Hankou Railway, the Beiyang Army would need to add at least six more towns to form its current military advantage.

  The Beiyang Army took advantage of the temporary ceasefire in Hubei to make another large-scale adjustment, conducting a strategic integration. In contrast, the military actions of the southern provinces were far behind. After occupying Nanjing, almost all the provinces in the south focused on Nanjing, and representatives from various provinces went to Nanjing from Hankou's British concession to prepare for the founding conference. At this time, representatives from the southern provinces, especially those from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, proposed moving the temporary government's location to Nanjing. Although Li Yuanhong in Wuchang had a mind to oppose it, he couldn't do anything since Nanjing was already occupied, and the importance of Wuchang rapidly declined in the minds of the revolutionaries, making it impossible to stop.

  "Governor, someone from Shanghai has come to ask about our attitude towards the fixed date!" Zheng Zu-yin asked Chen Jingyun.

  After the Southern Allied Army took Nanjing, many people said that they wanted to set up a provisional government in Nanjing. This proposal almost got the unanimous support of revolutionaries such as Sun Wen and Huang Xing, as well as powerful figures from Jiangsu and Zhejiang. As a member of the Southern Allied Army, although Chen Jingyun's First Division was still stationed in Shaoxing, no one ignored Chen Jingyun. The representatives of various governors who stayed in Shanghai specially met with Lin Changming to ask what Fujian meant by this.

  The representatives of the governors in Shanghai and those from various provinces on their way to Nanjing were different. The representatives of the provinces were official, while the representatives who stayed in Shanghai were private representatives of the actual power holders of the Southern League Army, such as Chen Qimei, Governor of Shanghai, Tang Shoubo, Governor of Zhejiang, Cheng Dequan, Governor of Jiangsu, Lin Shuqing, Governor of Zhenjiang, Li Xie, Commander-in-Chief of the Wu Song Restoration Army, and Chen Jingyun, Governor of Fujian, as well as Xu Shaozhen. It can be said that this representative meeting could truly decide the future direction of the Southern League Army.

  So far, all the governors of this Southern League have been unanimous in deciding to build their capital in Nanjing.

  Chen Jingyun also holds this view. Currently, there are only two cities in China that are suitable to be the capital, one is Beijing and the other is Nanjing. Except for these two, all other cities have more or less defects, which is also why the Southern League Army was eager to capture Nanjing at the beginning, attaching great importance to its political significance.

  "Nanjing is after all the ancient capital of six dynasties, choosing that side is better than Wuchang!" Chen Jingyun said: "I think Mr. Zheng also has this view, right?"

  Zheng Zu Yin smiled and nodded: "I think so too, the pattern of Nanjing is also unique in southern China!"

  It wasn't long before the Shanghai Governor's Representative Conference unanimously decided to support Nanjing as the capital, and at this point Li Yuanhong in Wuchang could only acquiesce.

  When all parties were in a state of confusion, Chen Jingyun issued another telegram in the name of Fujian Governor, requesting Yuan Shikai to agree on republicanism and reiterating his willingness to support Yuan as the President.

  This move didn't have much practical significance. Since Huang Xing and Chen Jingyun had successively issued telegrams urging Yuan Shikai to protect the Republic, governors of various provinces in the south had also issued similar telegrams. Therefore, the impact of Chen Jingyun's telegram was far less significant than the first one. However, Chen Jingyun didn't mind. To put it bluntly, Chen Jingyun's move was entirely for show, to gain some prestige and let his name appear in major newspapers, reminding people not to forget that he, Chen Jingyun, led the second liberation of Fujian, and that he, Chen Jingyun, was the first to support Yuan Shikai as the President. In this era, prestige is a strange thing - sometimes it's worthless, but sometimes you really can't do without it.

  For example, Xu Shaozhen was the commander-in-chief of the Southern Allied Army and a key figure in the eyes of the governors of various provinces in Southeast China. However, when representatives from various provinces gathered in Nanjing to elect the Grand Marshal to prepare for the provisional government, no one voted for him. As for Chen Jingyun, Tang Shouqian, Cheng Dequan and others, they were even less likely to be elected. Instead, Huang Xing, who had no troops under his command, was elected as the Grand Marshal, while Li Yuanhong, who was struggling to maintain control in Hubei, was elected as the Vice Marshal. The reason for this was that Huang Xing's prestige could rival Sun Yat-sen's, and Li Yuanhong was the first governor to be restored.

  While deciding on Nanjing as the capital and promoting Huang Xing as the Grand Marshal to prepare a provisional government, representatives from various provinces also discussed preliminary terms for peace talks, with Wu Yanfang representing them in negotiations with Yuan Shikai.

  Facing the chaos in the south, the Forbidden City was a day of mourning, with Empress Longyu holding Puyi and crying all day, while many Manchu officials and nobles were also filled with worry and anxiety.

  "Regent, can't the south really hold on?" Longyu finally stopped crying and asked Zaifeng while wiping away her tears.

  Zai Ze didn't know how to respond, although he was young, but he also knew the military situation on the front lines of Hubei and Nanjing, it wasn't that the Beiyang Army couldn't fight, but rather they were unwilling to fight.

  After a moment of contemplation, he said: "The other day, Duan Qirui from Hubei and many generals of the First Army jointly petitioned for republicanism."

  Puyun said on the other hand: "This is still something that Yuan Shikai has come up with, if he hadn't spoken out, Duan Qirui wouldn't have dared to do this!"

  At this time, Xu Shichang stepped forward and said: "Now the Ministry of Revenue can't take out any more silver. The war for these two months has exhausted the last remaining silver in the Ministry of Revenue. Even if we want to continue fighting, we can't get military expenses!"

  What he said was half true and half false. The truth is that the Qing government really couldn't afford to pay for military expenses, not only had they spent all the money from the Ministry of Revenue, but even Empress Longyu had taken out millions of taels of silver from her private savings. However, with over a million troops in the Beiyang Army, the cost of war was no small sum, and since the Qing government couldn't come up with the funds, they had to rely on Yuan Shikai's own resources. During this time, Old Yuan was extremely anxious about military expenses, and even dug into the savings accumulated by the Beiyang government since Li Hongzhang's era, spending a considerable amount. If they were to continue fighting, it's possible that Old Yuan would have to pawn his underwear!

  But on the other hand, did the Manchu nobles really not have any money? No, everyone knows that Yixin is rich enough to rival a country, but in this war that concerns the fate of the Qing dynasty, he didn't contribute a single penny. It's not just Yixin, among the wealthy and powerful officials present, which one of them isn't swimming in wealth? But asking them to take out money for military expenses is like killing them directly.

  So, the Beiyang government wants to negotiate with the south, apart from Yuan Shikai's desire to become the president, it is also related to economics. The imperial court and a large group of Manchu nobles did not provide money for military expenses, do they really want to empty the Beiyang's family fortune? Li Hongzhang had done this before, as a result, the Beiyang Navy was lost, and the Beiyang system's family fortune was also severely damaged. In the end, Li Hongzhang stepped down. Yuan Shikai, who took over from Li Hongzhang, worked hard to maintain the Beiyang for more than ten years, step by step developing it again, and naturally did not want to repeat Li Hongzhang's past mistakes.

  Just as he was about to say that there were still tens of thousands of taels of gold in his inner treasury, he remembered that the officials below him were all rich but not willing to contribute a single penny. The queen's temper had also risen. With Nanjing lost and peace talks between north and south underway, it seemed that the emperor would have to abdicate. Fearing the worst-case scenario, what if the emperor really had to step down? Wouldn't they need some silver in reserve for when the time came, rather than having to beg for food? So he decided not to mention the matter after all.

  Then a group of people were discussing and debating again, no one mentioned military expenses anymore, but instead discussed the topic of peace talks.

  "The southerners want to negotiate, and if they want to establish a constitution, it's not impossible. However, if the emperor is asked to abdicate, that's absolutely out of the question!" Zaifeng's words represented the views of the vast majority of Manchu nobles, who felt that negotiation and republicanism were also acceptable, but their bottom line was constitutional monarchy, preserving the emperor's title.

  "I'm afraid it's because the southerners are unwilling!"

  Xu Shichang sighed in his heart, if the imperial court had accepted constitutionalism a few years earlier instead of coming up with an imperial clan cabinet, there would not have been the Wuchang Uprising. Now, the gentry and governors in the south do not hope for constitutionalism either, but unite with the revolutionary party to demand republicanism.

  After Xū Shìchāng left the palace, on his way to Yuán Fǔ, Yìxī called out to him: "You see, is it really impossible to salvage this situation in the south?"

  Xu Shichang said: "The situation in the south is clear to you, Your Highness. The trend of the Republic is unstoppable! Not only the south but the whole country is eagerly waiting for a decision from the palace. Are you not aware of this?"

  Yi Xie also sighed, others are not stupid to understand the situation clearly, knowing that Beiyang can fight, but also know that Beiyang does not want to fight. As for whether he can keep his position in the Aixinjueluo family, he has no confidence. The only worry is how the republic will treat the royal family and these nobles after the fall of the Qing dynasty. If it's going to be a thorough elimination, Yi Xie said that he would immediately take the bank draft and rent a place to hide.

  "Alas, the times have changed!" Yi Xue sighed as he followed Xu Shichang to Yuan's residence. After a brief secret conversation with Yuan Shikai, Yi Xue left.

  "What did he say?" Xu Shichang immediately asked Yuan Shikai.

  Yuan Shikai shook his head and smiled lightly: "Qingqin Wang is also old, in those years he and Li Daren were both inside and outside, what a mighty wind, now only thinking about the family property at home."

  Xu Shichang also sighed after listening: "The court's luck has indeed been exhausted!"

  Just as Xu Shichang said, the Qing court was indeed exhausted. In the face of the chaos in the south, few of the Manchu officials were concerned about the future of the imperial court, but rather worried about their own lives and family fortunes. For several days, these officials avoided discussing the southern rebel army, and even Yi Xuan did not enter the palace.

  In the Forbidden City, a sense of despair pervaded, and under this atmosphere, Empress Longyu finally could not hold on. Facing the overt or covert pressure from Yuan Shikai and other powerful Beiyang officials, she eventually issued an order two days later in desperation, appointing Yuan Shikai as the plenipotentiary minister to send representatives to negotiate with the South.