Zhang Zuolin, courtesy name Yuting. Build railroads to fight the Japanese. Born on March 19, 1875 (February 12, the first year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty). In 1916, he served as the governor of Fengtian and relied on Japan to rule the Northeast for a long time. In 1920, he took control of the Beiyang warlord government. In 1922, he was defeated by the Zhili Clan and returned to the Northeast. In 1924, he again took control of the Beiyang government. In 1927, a military government was organized in Beijing. He was defeated by Chiang Kai-shek in 1928 and was killed by the Japanese army in Huanggutun on his way back to the Northeast. There are two main theories about its ancestry. One is about Shandong Province. "The History of General Zhang Gong of the Army and Navy of the Republic of China" writes: "The public name is Lin, whose courtesy name is Yuting. He is a native of Haicheng, Fengtian. His distant ancestors lived in Shandong, and his clan is very Tibetan. He moved to Haicheng in the early days of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty. His ancestors started farming. , called Su Feng. ""Xing Zheng" is a commemorative style used by the family members of the deceased to describe the lineage, place of origin, and deeds of the deceased. The article states that "the distant ancestors lived in Shandong", which mainly refers to Shandong Province. One is for Hebei Province. In Hebei Province, there are three theories: Hebei Dacheng, Hebei Gaoyang, and Hebei Hejian. The "Shinto Monument of Zhang Gong Yuting, Grand Marshal of the Army and Navy of the Republic of China" writes: "The official name is Lin, with the courtesy name Yuting. He was first from Zhili, and moved to Fengtianhai City in the late Qing Dynasty." This inscription was led by Zang Shiyi, Chief of Staff of the Military Governor's Office, and It was signed by 8 division chiefs and is included in the "Memories and Condolences of Marshal Zhang". The article clearly states that "he was a native of Zhili first", that is, he was a native of Hebei, and the main theory is Hebei. Judging from relevant historical records, there are many theories about Zhang Zuolin's ancestral home. Because most people claim to be from Hebei Province, Zhang Xueliang also claims that his ancestral home is Dacheng County, Hebei Province, so Zhang Zuolin's ancestral home is Dacheng County, Hebei Province. According to records in "Dacheng County Chronicle" and accounts of local elders, Zhang Zuolin's ancestral home is Fengzhuang, Nanzhaofu Town, Dacheng County, Hebei Province. During the Zhifeng War, Zhang Zuolin once returned to his hometown to recognize his ancestors. However, due to the opposition of the elders in the clan (one theory is that he was young when he was young) Being too "bearded" - a mountain bandit, is an insult to the family tradition; Zhang Zuolin has always been worried about this because he was worried that the direct line would fail (Wu Peifu moved to anger the clan) and failed to return to the clan.
Due to lack of livelihood, his ancestor Zhang Yonggui ran to the Northeast and engaged in agricultural reclamation. By the time of his grandfather Zhang Fa, he was engaged in farming and was "called Sufeng". The so-called "Su Feng" means that although he does not have an official title or title, he is as wealthy as the person who receives the title. This means that at the time of Zhang Fa, the Zhang family was wealthy. Zhang Fa had four sons, and his third son was Zhang Zuolin's father, named Zhang Youcai. "After my ancestor passed away, my father settled his property and moved to Xiaowa in Haicheng, and then set up a business in Jiazhangsi Village." After Zhang Fa's death, the family property was divided among his brothers. Zhang Youcai came to Haicheng with his share of property. His father, Zhang Youcai, was an idler. First, he opened a small grocery store with very little income. Later, the small grocery store closed down and he spent all his time gambling and smoking opium. He was killed by his enemy's creditor because he owed gambling debts. Zhang Zuolin was 13 years old that year.
Zhang Zuolin originally had no money to study, but a kind-hearted teacher helped him. The teacher's name was Yang Jingzhen, and he taught in a private school at that time. One day, he saw a child secretly listening to his lecture outside the window. When he was called in curiously and asked, the child replied: "My name is Zhang Zuolin. I want to study. My family is poor and I can't afford to go to school, so I often eavesdrop here." Mr. Yang felt that it was a good thing for the child to want to read and write, so he let him in for free. When he went to school, he was given paper and pen. At this time, Zhang Zuolin was already 13 years old. In this way, Zhang Zuolin attended a private school. Here, he laid a preliminary cultural foundation. This was very important in his life. Zhang Zuolin knew how to be grateful. He later became the commander of the 27th Division of the Army of the Republic of China. Not forgetting his old friendship, he specially invited Yang Jingzhen to come to Shenyang and opened a private school at his home. Zhang Xueliang once studied with him.
After his father's death, family life became even more difficult. With no other choice, his mother Wang had no choice but to take her four children to her parents' home in Erdaogou near Xiaoheishan in Zhen'an County (Heishan County). Zhang Zuolin has two brothers and one sister.
2.2 Blended Society
China was in chaos at that time, especially in the Northeast. The Qing government was extremely corrupt, and China's great land was at the mercy of others. Tsarist Russia forcibly cut off more than 1.5 million square kilometers of Chinese territory and still coveted the vast land of Northeast China; China was defeated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1891-1891, and Japan's claws penetrated deep into Northeast China. Officials exacted excessive taxes, and the people couldn't bear it. Suddenly, bandits swarmed into the mountains and forests, robbing homes and homes, making people's lives even more miserable.
Zhang Zuolin also loved gambling due to the negative influence of his father when he was a child.
At first, he made some money by selling sesame cakes, but he soon lost it all. His mother asked him to study carpentry instead, but he found it too tiring and didn't like it. He once lived on the streets begging. Later he wandered to Gaokan Town (today's Gaokan Village, Gaokan Town, Dashiqiao City, Yingkou), where he worked as a handyman in a big car shop. Sometimes the mules and horses were sick, and he would get some herbs to treat them, and they were really cured. He is very smart, and he became a veterinarian in a matter of seconds, a profession he quite likes. Later, he opened a veterinary store and made a living from it. Later, he had a bad fate. He was unjustly accused, beaten severely, and almost died. With the help of kind-hearted people, he survived. He seemed to have reached the lowest point in his life. He was desperate, unwilling to die, and had no way to survive. At this time, the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War broke out, so he joined the army with a glimmer of hope for survival. He joined Song Qingyi's army Ma Yucu and became a cavalryman. That year, he was 20 years old. He likes horses, "he rides and attacks with excellence, and is named the commander of the sentry". After the defeat in the Sino-Japanese War, he fled back to Liaoxi. In 1895, when he was 21 years old, he married Zhao Chungui, the second daughter of Zhao Zhanyuan, the landlord of Zhaojiamiao. Zhao Chungui is Zhang Zuolin's original wife and the biological mother of Zhang Shoufang, Zhang Xueliang, and Zhang Xueming. Zhang Zuolin is a person who is unwilling to be lonely. He didn't want to live a dull and boring life like his fellow villagers. He wanted to change his way of life.
2.3 Join the Green Forest
After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1891, western Liaoning was a three-no-things area. There are hordes of stragglers and beggars and refugees everywhere. The government is corrupt, bandits are rampant, and people's lives and safety are seriously threatened. In this case, various localities accordingly established some armed organizations for self-protection, called large groups. In 1900, with the help of his father-in-law Zhao Zhanyuan, Zhang Zuolin established a large group in Zhaojiamiao with more than 20 people. He became the small leader and was responsible for the security of several nearby villages. The area he is responsible for is called the insurance area. Zhang Zuolin is very disciplined in the insurance area. He not only abides by the rules and disciplines, but also maintains law and order. Therefore, the harassment of bandits in this area was curbed. Zhang Zuolin was also praised by the villagers, and his reputation rose from there. The scope of his jurisdiction gradually expanded to more than 20 villages.
In the northwest of Zhaojiamiao, there is a large group whose leader is Jin Shoushan. Jin Shoushan gathered a group of local ruffians and formed a large group of more than a hundred people. The headquarters of the large group is located in Zhong'an Fort, and the surrounding area is his insurance area. Jin Shoushan runs rampant in the insurance area, commits all kinds of evil, and is even more cruel than a gangster. Da Tuan was supposed to protect the people, but Jin Shoushan specifically harmed the people. The people were forced to do nothing, so they asked Zhang Zuolin, who had a better reputation, for help. Zhang Zuolin led his troops to drive away Jinshou Mountain and occupied Zhong'an Fort. His tribe increased and his power became stronger. However, Jin Shoushan attacked Zhang Zuolin at midnight on the 30th of the twelfth lunar month in 1901. Zhang Zuolin, his wife and daughter led the crowd to break out of the encirclement and fled to Jiangjiatun, and then to Bajiaotai. On the way, Zhao, who was pregnant with Liujia, gave birth to a boy on the carriage. This was Zhang Xueliang. This is June 3, 1901.
Bajiaotai (now part of Tai'an County) is a large market town with more than 50 merchants. Originally, Zhang Zuolin wanted to take the road from Bajiaotai to defect to Feng Delin (ie Feng Linge) in southern Liaoning. However, when he arrived at Bajiaotai, more than 40 people were left behind to protect the ground. This is all due to Zhang Zuolin's good reputation and not disturbing the people. Zhang Ziyun, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, has heard of Zhang Zuolin's reputation for a long time. When they met this time, they saw that Zhang Zuolin was from the north and had good looks from the south. I decided to keep them. Later it turned out that this decision was correct. It turned out that Zhang Jinghui, the leader of Bajiaotai, took the initiative to give up his talents and took the deputy position. Zhang Zuolin became the regiment leader, and the local gentry and businessmen also expressed their approval. From then on, Zhang Zuolin settled in the Octagon. This has also become his birthplace.
2.4 Acceptance points
Around 1902, social order gradually stabilized. In the past two years, Zhang Zuolin has worked hard to manage his armed forces, and his power has expanded. He performed his duties conscientiously and played a role in protecting the environment and the people. He also got along well with the local gentry and businessmen and received high praise from them. However, with the stability of social order, local autonomous armed forces have lost the value of their existence. Logically speaking, Zhang Zuolin's large regiment should be dismissed, and the regiment members would either go home to work on the farm or go to the city to do business. However, Zhang Ziyun, president of the Bajiao Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, considered disbanding this armed group and scattering the members, which might harm the local area.
At the same time, he also formed a friendship with Zhang Zuolin and wanted to find a way out for them.
For this reason, Zhang Ziyun discussed with relevant people and planned to hand over this armed force to the government. This proposal was approved by the gentry and businessmen. Therefore, they formally recommended Zhang Zuolin to Zengyun, the prefect of Xinmin Prefecture, and greatly praised Zhang Zuolin. Zengyun met Zhang Zuolin, and Zhang Zuolin kowtowed to him as a disciple and called Zengyun his teacher. Through personal meetings and conversations, Zengyun felt that Zhang Zuolin was a gentle and elegant man, which left a good impression on him. He ordered Zhang Zuolin to sort out his troops and bring them to Xinmin to wait for order. He was very happy in his heart. In fact, Zhang Zuolin had great political ambitions, and he knew that running a militia was not a long-term solution. He had long wanted to "return to righteousness" and be recruited by the government. At this time, General Zengqi of Shengjing adopted the suggestion of "turning private groups into public groups" and made the decision to "turn thieves into good". At the right time, Magistrate Zengyun's report was approved by Shengjing General Zengqi.
Zhang Zuolin hurriedly returned to the Bajiaotai and actively recruited troops to expand his team. Because he and Zeng Yun talked big words and boasted that he had a battalion of men, but in fact there were only more than a hundred people. At that time, he was allowed to form a team of 250 people. He took the opportunity to carry out organizational activities. He absorbed some small gangs in western Liaoning, such as Zhang Zuoxiang from Yixian County and Bo Zhensheng from Heishan County, who all participated. When the number of people was enough, he led the team to Xinmin Mansion to accept the recruitment, and established the Xinmin Mansion Patrol Front Road Guerrilla Horse Team, appointing Zhang Zuolin as the deputy battalion commander (deputy battalion commander). The team was still stationed at Bajiaotai①. The next year, July 1903 , Zhang Zuolin's unit and the Xinmin Street patrol team were combined into a patrol horse-mounted guerrilla unit, with a total of 500 people, including 2 cavalry posts and 3 infantry posts. Zhang Zuolin was the commander (battalion commander), Zhang Jinghui was the assistant (deputy battalion commander). The sentry officer is Zhang Zuolin concurrently, the forward sentry officer is Zhang Zuoxiang, the left sentry officer is Tang Yulin, the right sentry officer is Wang Liyou, and the rear sentry officer is Zhao Wubaoshi. The sentry officer is also the company commander. Xinmin Mansion was responsible for local security and the suppression of Hu bandits. In this way, Zhang Zuolin transformed from the leader of a militia force to an officer in the government army. From then on, relying on this armed force, he He has risen rapidly.
2.5 Skilled in Coping
Zhang Zuolin is smart and good at strategy. When he came to the unfamiliar environment of Xinmin Mansion, he also knew how to deal with it. Yun's trust comes first, he "gives money" to others, he is courteous, he obeys orders, and he obeys orders. At the same time, he wins over the gentry and merchants, works conscientiously, restrains his subordinates, and manages the government well. Zeng Yun was regarded as an indispensable right-hand man. He also used some tricks to squeeze out Wang Fengting, the patrol chief of Xinmin Mansion. Without much movement, he quietly controlled the military power of Xinmin Mansion.
This ability was also reflected in the brutal Russo-Japanese War. In February 1904, the Russo-Japanese War broke out in the northeast of our country. The government actually declared the east of the Liaohe River to be a war zone and the west to be a neutral zone. When the war started, it didn't care about the neutral zone. The Japanese and Russian bandits committed crimes, and Xinmin Mansion in western Liaoning was an important town. In addition to maintaining security within the territory, Zhang Zuolin was also thinking about how to increase his own strength. His principle was that I would help anyone who benefited from it. From the beginning, when the Russian army was strong, he accepted the Russian army's firearms and money to help him. Russian army. He was later captured by the Japanese army and almost executed. After he was released, he signed an oath with the Japanese army and "swore to assist the Japanese army." In 1906, Zhang Zuolin was promoted to the new Shengjing General Zhao Erxun due to his good political reputation. The prefect Shen Jinjian ordered that Zhang Zuolin's troops be expanded from 3 battalions to 5 battalions, and Zhang Zuolin became the commander in charge of the 5 battalions.
2.6 Plan to capture the Du bandits
Zhang Zuolin, who became an official, hated the Hu bandits who harmed the local area and tried his best to suppress them. Under his successive campaigns, the small groups of Hu bandits in western Liaoning were either recruited or wiped out. Tian Yuben, a large group of bandits, was also killed by Zhang Zuolin's troops. His followers dispersed and the people cheered.
However, there is also a treacherous and cruel bandit Du Lisan who is difficult to deal with. Du Lisan was entrenched in Qingmacan, Liaozhong County. Du Lisan's power is getting stronger and stronger, and the government and army are unable to stop him. He calls himself the Immediate Emperor. In the place where he occupies, he can appoint officials and make wishes at will, and the common people will call him Lord Du when they see him. In fact, he has created a separatist trend. Zhao Erxun, the general of Shengjing, once ordered a "strict visit" and sent troops several times to suppress the enemy, but was defeated all the time. In 1907, the Qing government established a province in Northeast China and appointed Xu Shichang as the governor of the three northeastern provinces. In order to get rid of this trouble in his heart, Xu Shichang sent the wise man Yin Hongshou, the county magistrate, to Xinmin Mansion to assist Zhang Zuolin in annihilating Du Lisan.
They discussed carefully whether Du Lisan should attack by force or outwit him. Du Lisan claimed to be the emperor of horse riding, and he was very good at horse riding skills. Able to use both hands with a gun, and the bullets are fired without missing a beat. Moreover, the city is strong, the disciples are fierce and stubborn, there are many checkpoints, and the defense is extremely tight. If we send troops to attack as before, we may be in vain and it will be difficult to achieve success. So decided to outwit. They devised a plan. Zhang Zuolin sent someone to Liaozhong County to send a letter of congratulations to Du Lisan for being recruited by Fengtian Province and becoming a high official, with a higher official position than Zhang Zuolin. Ask Du Li to come to Xinmin Mansion as soon as possible to meet with the provincial recruitment officials, so that he can go to Fengtian to express his gratitude to Governor Xu Shichang. Du Lisan was aware of it and did not dare to act rashly. Consult with his mother and brothers. They also believed that going to Xinmin was very risky, and they did not recommend that he go.
This plan failed. Zhang Zuolin did not lose heart and made another plan. He thought of Du Panlin, a scholar from Montenegro. Du Panlin is Zhang Zuolin's adoptive father. When Zhang Zuolin was the leader of the insurance team in Zhong'an Fort, he formed a friendship with the gentleman Du Panlin, and they had close contacts and a close relationship. Zhang Zuolin knew that Du Lisan worshiped Du Panlin as his uncle, so he obeyed his advice and respected him very much. Zhang Zuolin wanted to take advantage of Du Panlin. He conspired with Yin Hongshou to use Du Panlin to lure Du Lisan into taking the bait.
Zhang Zuolin personally went to Montenegro to take Du Panlin to the Xinmin Mansion, and introduced him to Yin Hongshou, the provincial official, to prove that it was indeed a recruitment by the province and not a fiction. A separate reception area was set up for Du Panlin on Xinmin Street. Du Panlin was invited to take a rest in the reception area, and when Du Lisan arrived, they went to Shanxi province together. The scholar Du Panlin was an honest man and did not know what was going on, so he wrote a personal letter to Du Lisan with sincere words and sincere feelings. There are sayings such as "Ringing as a knight-errant is not a life-long job, and Liangshan is a place where you can stay for a long time. Once you are recruited, you will not only stand out, but also honor your ancestors and your family."
Du Lisan originally had mixed doubts and hesitation. Suddenly he received a handwritten letter from his uncle, whom he had always admired, and his doubts disappeared and he decided to go. Therefore, on June 6, 1907, he led only 13 people as personal bodyguards, led by Song Qinglian, and rushed to Xinmin Mansion to accept the title of official. How did he know that there would be no return from this trip? Zhang Zuolin made careful arrangements in advance to avoid any accidents. Du Lisan went to the meeting alone and was very vigilant. When he met with committee member Yin Hongshou, he sat with his back against the wall and faced everyone. At the same time, he inserted his hands into his pockets, held the handle of the gun, and observed the movement in response to sudden changes. After the conversation, Yin shouted loudly: "See you off!" Du stood up to say goodbye, and Yin walked to the door of the back room. When Du turned around and asked Yin to "stay," he was suddenly pushed down by Tang Yulin and several other strong men and tied up tightly. . Without further ado, Du Lisan was shot outside the west gate of Xinmin Mansion that night. In fact, before this, Zhang Zuolin had already sent Zhang Jinghui to lead a large group of troops to detour to the Bajiao Terrace in Tai'an and prepare to attack Du Lisan's lair. After receiving the news of Du Lisan's execution, Zhang Jinghui and others quickly attacked Du Lisan's lair. There was no leader, and his hometown, Qingmakan, Liaozhong County, was destroyed in one fell swoop①. After getting rid of Du Lisan, a major harm was eliminated. The banditry in western Liaoning was eliminated, and people were happy.
Zhang Zuolin easily eliminated Du Lisan, a hard nut that had been unable to chew for many years. This shows Zhang Zuolin's extraordinary wisdom. After hearing this news, Governor Xu Shichang was overjoyed and reported it to the Qing court to ask for a reward for Zhang Zuolin. In addition to a reward of 5,000 taels of silver, the Qing government promoted Zhang Zuolin to the front line commander (brigade commander) of the Fengtian Patrol Battalion, overseeing the 5th Mabu Battalion. There are other 4-way commanders including the center, left, right, and back. Zhang Zuolin became one of the five important armed forces of the Northeastern Army, and his power became even stronger.
2.7 Suppression of Mongolia
In 1908, Xu Shichang transferred Zhang Zuolin, who was effective in suppressing bandits, to the Tongliao and Taonan areas in northwest Liaoning to eliminate the Mongolian rebels who had been bribed by Tsarist Russia. According to relevant records: "Taonan is a dry grassland, with grass one or two feet high, stretching as far as the eye can see. There are many mosquitoes in summer, and the big ones are like bees, which sting people very badly." "Although in summer, cotton must be used. Cover your head, otherwise it will be difficult to move. There were more wolves, and there were more than a dozen in a group. At that time, the communication personnel in the team (called running dogs at that time) were often eaten by the wolves, and the remaining horses ran back... The Mongolian army always rode alone. Two horses, one to ride and one to prepare, are powerful and can run fast. All of the above are the advantages of the Mongolian army over the Han army, so it is not an easy task for Zhang Zuolin to suppress the Mongolian bandits. ”
The Taonan area is a vast prairie and a base for Mongolian bandit activities. They are familiar with the terrain, understand the people's sentiments, are good at riding and shooting, and are unpredictable. Their whereabouts are unpredictable, they mostly use surprise attacks, hit and run, leaving no trace. Among them, there are several large groups of Mongolian bandits, such as Baiyin Dalai, Yaqian, Taoketaohu, etc., who "have harassed the border areas for several years. They have suppressed one and spread over the other, and the spread is difficult to eradicate. The country regards it as a huge threat." Kou".
Unless these "giant bandits" are eliminated, the country will not be stable and the people will not have peace. Zhang Zuolin took on this important task, but the beginning was not smooth. Later, he adopted the strategy of storming and outsmarting, sending people to penetrate into the Mongolian bandits, obtain intelligence, and gradually reverse the bad situation. In 1909, Xu Shichang saw that Zhang Zuolin's troops were insufficient, so he expanded his army to enhance his strength. The 5 battalions were expanded to 7 battalions, and Sun Liechen's department stationed in Taonan was assigned to Zhang Zuolin's department. In this way, Zhang Zuolin's troops increased to 3,500 and became a powerful force in the Northeast.
Zhang Zuolin is a very grateful person. Being so favored and valued by Xu Shichang, the governor of the three eastern provinces, he worked harder to suppress bandits. At the same time, he is constantly summarizing the experience and lessons of suppressing bandits and exploring a set of feasible rules. He himself is also hard-working and takes the lead. Therefore, after more than a year of hard fighting, Baiyin Dalai was finally killed, Yaqian was captured alive, and Taoktaohu was defeated. Later, they pursued Taoke Taohu for 800 miles and drove Taoke Taohu to Mongolia. The troubles that had plagued the northeastern frontier for many years were lifted, the arrogance of the Mongolian separatists was suppressed, and the unity of the country and the nation were safeguarded. Zhang Zuolin played an indispensable role.
2.8 Entering the Provincial City Zhizhi
In Zhang Zuolin’s political career, he entered the Provincial City of Fengtian in 1911, which was a big move. The Wuchang Uprising broke out on October 10, 1911. Each province responded one after another, breaking away from the Qing government and declaring independence. Revolutionaries Zhang Rong, Ning Wu, Shang Zhen and others in Feng Province have been active for a long time, and among the New Army there are also Wu Luzhen, Lan Tianwei and others engaged in revolutionary activities. When the news of the Wuchang Uprising came, the revolutionary party members in Northeast China were excited and prepared to respond actively. At that time, the Second Mixed Brigade of the New Army, with Lan Tianwei as its co-commander (brigade commander), was stationed in Beidaying, Fengtian. It was the only garrison in the provincial capital. Lan Tianwei is also a revolutionary. If he seizes the opportunity to mobilize in time, he can achieve immediate results. He was indeed in close consultation with revolutionary Zhang Rong and secretly brewing an uprising.
However, due to lack of experience, they failed to seize the opportunity. In May 1911, Zhao Erxun was appointed governor of the three eastern provinces. When the Revolution of 1911 broke out, he was inspecting outside. When he got the news, he hurried back to Fengtian and held a meeting overnight to study countermeasures. When he learned that Lan Tianwei and other revolutionaries who held military power were planning an uprising, he was immediately frightened and at a loss. He said that he was about to enter the border, that is to say, he was ready to escape. At this time, Yuan Jinkai, deputy chairman of the Fengtian Provincial Council, immediately begged to dissuade him and suggested reusing the old patrol battalion troops. This suggestion made Zhao Erxun feel like he had found a treasure, and he suddenly became enlightened. He thought that the generals of the local patrol battalions were all conservative soldiers who were loyal to him and had no ties with the revolutionaries. They were the military force he could use to suppress the revolutionaries. He immediately became energetic and immediately dispatched Wu Junsheng, the commander of the rear patrol battalion, to lead his troops from Tongliao to Fengtian to prevent the revolutionaries from revolting.
However, this important news was discovered by Zhang Zuolin's subordinates in Feng. This person is Zhang Huilin, director of Zhang Zuolin's office in Fengcheng. He knew that the matter was of great importance, so he secretly reported the news to Zhang Zuolin as quickly as possible.
Zhang Zuolin was a man with great political ambitions, and he was unwilling to stay in Taonan in the northwest for the rest of his life. For this reason, he has been observing the movements of Fengtian Provincial City for a long time. He secretly instructed Zhang Jinghui, Tang Yulin, Zhang Zuoxiang, etc., who were in charge of various battalions who went to Fengtian Military Academy to study, to pay attention to the military and political trends in the provincial capital and write reports in a timely manner. At the same time, he was also extremely concerned about the political situation across the country. After receiving this important news, he believed that this was a God-given opportunity that he could not miss. This is his time to show off his skills. He made a prompt decision and immediately led all the men and horses of the 7 infantry and cavalry battalions under his control, starting from Taonan and marching non-stop, day and night, straight to Fengtian. When passing by Liaoyuan (Zhengjiatun), Wu Junsheng and others went out of the city to greet him, but Zhang Zuolin was conceited and did not reveal the truth.
After arriving at the provincial capital of Fengtian, Zhang Zuolin immediately met with Zhao Erxun in order to gain the initiative. He said with sincerity and fear: "Because of the tense situation, I was afraid that the governor would be in danger, so I couldn't wait to lead his troops to serve the king. If the governor thinks that the order has not been given, He acted without permission and was willing to accept punishment. "Zhao Erxun was in urgent need of troops and felt that Zhang Zuolin came at the right time. Zhang Zuolin then vowed: "Please listen to my plan, my mentor. As long as I, Zhang Zuolin, am still breathing, I am willing to protect my mentor with my life until death." ① Zhang Zuolin's courageous statement won the praise of Zhao Erxun Commend. Therefore, Zhang Zuolin not only was not punished, but was praised. In addition to issuing a new redeployment order, Zhao Erxun also ordered Zhang Zuolin to concurrently serve as the commander of the Central Patrol Battalion to strengthen the loyal Zhang Zuolin's military strength. In this way, Zhang Zuolin commanded 15 battalions of soldiers and horses. At this point, Zhang Zuolin was essentially the leader of the largest military force in Feng Province. It is not difficult to see that Zhang Zuolin paid attention to information, studied the situation, seized the opportunity, and acted upon the news, which showed that he was different from ordinary people.
2.9 Going to the meeting with a gun
Zhao Erxun, the governor of the three eastern provinces, has Zhang Zuolin, a bodyguard with military strength, who is confident. They first forced the New Army generals to adopt Zhao Erxun's proposition of "protecting the territory and the people." The essence of this proposition is to oppose the revolution and continue to protect the emperor. Then the Fengtian National Security Association implemented Zhao Erxun's imperialist ideas and established the Fengtian National Security Association with Zhao Erxun, the former governor of the three eastern provinces, as its president. In this process, Zhang Zuolin played the role of a gangster.
Not long after the Wuchang Uprising broke out, revolutionaries from Fengtian Province gathered in the provincial capital to study how to respond to the Wuchang Uprising. After repeated debates, we finally came to the conclusion that we should adopt peaceful means to carry out the revolution in Northeast China, that is, "seeking to use political means to realize the revolution in the three northeastern provinces"①. The leaders of the revolutionaries, Lan Tianwei and Wu Jinglian, had secretly discussed in advance and used meetings to seize power in the Northeast without bloodshed. It is planned that Wu Jinglian, in the name of chairman of the Fengtian Provincial Advisory Bureau, will convene a meeting of leaders from all walks of life in the provincial capital to resolve this issue at the meeting. They studied a plan to establish the Fengtian Provincial Security Council in the name of maintaining law and order, forcing Zhao Erxun, the governor of the three eastern provinces, to leave. They then elected Lan Tianwei as the governor outside the customs and Wu Jinglian as the civil affairs chief of Fengtian Province. They broke away from the Qing court and declared independence. Complete the revolution in the three eastern provinces. If "the overall situation in the Northeast is determined, we will continue to advance into the Bingguan Pass, join forces in Yanjiao, and attack the captives' caves"①. The naive revolutionaries thought that they could seize power in the Northeast in one fell swoop by voting at a meeting.
Wu Jinglian held a security meeting in his name on November 12, 1911. More than 200 people from all walks of life attended the meeting. Zhao Erxun arrived at the meeting and he brought Zhang Zuolin. There were also his supporters at the meeting, such as Yuan Jinkai and others. Yuan Jinkai was born in Liaoyang, Fengtian Province. In 1909, he was appointed deputy speaker of the Fengtian Consultative Bureau. He was a member of Zhao Erxun's party.
The veteran Zhao Erxun has also been prepared for this meeting. He sent Zhang Zuolin to arrange troops inside and outside the venue, with guns on standby, to exert pressure. Zhang Zuolin went to the meeting with a gun and a murderous look on his face. The atmosphere at the venue was very tense and on the verge of breaking out. However, the revolutionaries were not timid, but made generous speeches, advocating breaking away from the Qing court and declaring independence. Zhao Erxun was extremely dissatisfied and expressed firm opposition. He said: "If you want to achieve autonomy, can you still discuss independence? Are you afraid of any inconvenience?" Before he could finish his words, he was rejected by the revolutionaries, who strongly demanded that Zhao Erxun declare independence.
At this time, Zhang Zuolin jumped out impatiently, slapped his pistol on the table, and shouted arrogantly: "As a soldier, I, Zhang, only obey orders to protect the commander. If there is any No, I, Zhang, am easy to make friends with, but I can’t make friends with this pistol.” This was a signal, and all his gang members around the venue immediately drew their pistols. The situation was extremely dangerous. In this case, there is no way to continue the discussion. The revolutionary-leaning congressmen left the venue angrily. But this is tantamount to giving up the initiative of this meeting to the royalists.
The meeting was temporarily suspended and then resumed. At this time, Zhao Erxun's party member Yuan Jinkai presided over the meeting as the deputy speaker, and the opinions of the meeting were naturally one-sided. Finally, the Fengtian National Security Association was established, with Zhao Erxun as the president, Wu Xiangzhen and Wu Jinglian as the vice presidents, Yuan Jinkai as the chief senator, and Jiang Fangzhen and Zhang Rong as the deputy senators. This security guild is essentially a royalist guild in disguise. His presidents are still the governor and general of the three eastern provinces and the governor of Fengtian Zhao Erxun, and the power in the Northeast is still in their hands. The revolutionaries Wu Jinglian, Jiang Fangzhen and Zhang Rong were nothing more than decorations to deceive others. Zhang Zuolin became the deputy minister of the Military and Political Department of the Security Association and gained military power. In this round, the naive revolutionaries did not fight against the sophisticated royalists. The revolution still has a long way to go.
2.10 Squeeze out Tianwei
Lan Tianwei, courtesy name Xiuhao, was born in 1878 in Huangpi, Hubei. Entered the Japanese Army Sergeant School in 1902. Joined the Tongmenghui in 1904. In 1906, he was appointed as the head of the Liaodong branch of the Tongmenghui. In 1910, he served as the commander (brigade commander) of the Second Northeast Mixed Association and was a staunch revolutionary. This meeting was originally initiated by Lan Tianwei and others, with the purpose of recommending Lan Tianwei as the governor outside the customs. But Bu Chengxiang gave Zhao Erxun the upper hand.
Zhao Erxun knew the importance of military power, and he must immediately deprive Lan Tianwei of his military power. Therefore, on November 13, 1911, the day after the establishment of the Security Association, he sent a secret message to Yuan Shikai: "This army will order Nie Ruqing to temporarily serve as the co-tender and stay on guard, so that the current public security can be maintained." ① This is It is said that the co-president of the Second Mixed Association was Nie Ruqing, who was the former leader (head) of the association. This Nie Ruqing was a stubborn and conservative soldier who firmly opposed the revolution. He was Zhao Erxun's most reliable and loyal slave. Zhao Erxun handed over the military power of the Second Association to him.
That’s not all. This old and cunning Zhao Erxun also squeezed Lan Tianwei into the pass and kept him away from the northeast to avoid trouble happening under his nose. His technique is very clever. On the third day after the establishment of the Security Association, that is, November 14, 1911, Zhao Erxun sent Lan Tianwei to the pass in the name of inspection. Zhao Erxun issued an order to Lan Tianwei: "Find out that there is a second mixed association, Lan Commander Tianwei, who is ambitious and insightful, and can be sent to the southeastern provinces to investigate the actual situation of the war, the opinions of the public, and spread the message. The purpose of the Provincial Security Council is to seek the happiness of the people. For this reason, I will go to the association to complete the matter and report it at any time."
In this way, Zhao Erxun will not waste any time. With just a little effort, Lan Tianwei was easily squeezed away. But to the outside world, it seems that Lan Tianwei has been entrusted with an important task. The candidate who was to be the governor outside the Pass was driven inside the Pass, leaving the revolution outside the Pass without a leader. Zhao Erxun's move was cruel enough. In the process of squeezing Lan Tianwei away, Zhang Zuolin had a conflict with Lan Tianwei. Zhang Zuolin wanted to drop Lan Tianwei's gun, but Zhao Erxun pretended to stop him. But this move also posed a threat to Lan Tianwei. Zhang Zuolin was the accomplice who squeezed out Lan Tianwei.