of the mountain

Zeng Xi said happily: "It is rare that there are people like Governor Wu who value national culture at this time. Lao I and Mr. Beizong are just empty-handed. Governor Wu is willing to hire us, so we may not have the ability."

Wu Shaoting smiled and said, "Mr. Zeng, don't say that. Speaking of ability, is Wu Shaoting a person who plays a pen? If Mr. Zeng refuses to go south, Shaoting has to stay in Shanghai and not leave until Mr. Zeng and Mr. Li agree."

Zeng Xi and Li Ruiqing looked at each other, and Li Ruiqing sighed and said, "If the two old men refuse, it would be too ignorant."

Wu Shaoting said happily: "Thank you Mr. Li, thank you Mr. Zeng. You will be prepared in the near future. If you don't dislike me, you will follow the ship that you are getting off to the south and return to Guangdong in a while. If the two gentlemen are willing to go on their own, Shaoting can pay for the travel expenses."

Zeng Xi and Li Ruiqing agreed.

Wu Shaoting looked at Cen Chunxuan again. Zeng Xi and Li Ruiqing were only used to increase the cultural image of the Guangdong Governor's Office and make the Guangdong Governor's Office be more correct at any time. The most important purpose of his visit this time was to convince Cen Chunxuan to join. With Cen Chunxuan, Guangdong's strength was at least doubled. From last year, Cen Chunxuan donated 100,000 yuan to support Guangdong's construction of a police school, it can be seen that their talks last year left a deep impression on Cen Chunxuan's heart, and it can even be said that it had touched Cen Chunxuan's heart.

Wu Shaoting also knew very well that if Cen Chunxuan was really willing to go south, he would not have to wait until today. He made a special visit to Cen Chunxuan today, on the one hand, hoping to promote this big man to go south, and on the other hand, even if he was not successful, he should know what Cen Chunxuan thought.

"Yun Gong, I wonder what you mean?" he asked.

Cen Chunxuan calmly picked up the teacup and took a sip. After breathing a long sigh, he said, "I can't understand Governor Wu's kindness. It's not that I'm pretentious, but there are still some things to be handled in Shanghai. Why not do this? Please ask Governor Wu to let me think about it for a while."

Wu Shaoting was a little disappointed. Obviously, he did not answer both goals. He could neither persuade Cen Chunxuan to go south nor to find out the reason for Cen Chunxuan. However, he did not continue to persuade. Cen Chunxuan could say things to consider after seeing the Attorney General on the letter of appointment, which already shows that Cen Chunxuan understood and agreed with his feelings. He sighed regretfully and smiled bitterly: "Shaoting is not a mother-in-law. It is already Shaoting's great gain for this time. I hope that Yun Gong can give Shaoting a response no matter what the result is."

Cen Chunxuan smiled and said, "This is natural."

Back at the Shanghai Club, Wu Shaoting began to plan his second move in Shanghai. The next afternoon, he and Deng Keng came to the Shanghai Kuomintang Party Headquarters with several entourages and visited Song Jiaoren and Liao Zhongkai in their private capacity. When they arrived at the party building, they saw many propaganda flags hanging here, and even portraits of Song Jiaoren who was elected Prime Minister of the Cabinet. The political atmosphere was strong.

Even though the election has ended, Song Jiaoren is still very busy these days. The itinerary for the north is not relaxed. He also has to coordinate with various departments within the party to form a political policy and national unification plan after the formation of the cabinet. Liao Zhongkai is busier than Song Jiaoren, but he is busy working between Song Jiaoren and Sun Yat-sen. Zhou Zhenlin, Zhang Shizhao and others also came to Shanghai at the end of last year and spared no effort to assist Song Jiaoren in the election.

A clerk walked into Song Jiaoren's office. Song Jiaoren was talking on the phone. The clerk was embarrassed to disturb him, so he had to quietly walk up and put a business card in front of Song Jiaoren. Song Jiaoren nodded to the clerk and took a look. When he saw the name on it clearly, he immediately said to the phone: "That's it, I'll go to the concession to meet you later. Okay, goodbye."

He put down the phone and quickly said to the clerk: "Where are others?"

The clerk replied: "Stay in the small tea room on the first floor."

Song Jiaoren sorted out his suit, hurried out of the office, first came to a public department on the other side of the corridor, and knocked on the open door. Several clerks in the department all raised their heads.

"Xingyan, Zhongkai, guests are coming from Guangdong." Song Jiaoren stood at the door and shouted, while also waved to Zhang Shizhao and Liao Zhongkai in the department.

Zhang Shizhao and Liao Zhongkai immediately walked out. Song Jiaoren didn't say anything to them and took them downstairs. Zhang Shizhao and Liao Zhongkai heard that the guests from Guangdong were coming, but did not realize it was Wu Shaoting, and thought it was Zhu Zhixin, Mo Jipeng and others. When they came to the small tea room on the first floor, they could not help but be surprised when they saw Wu Shaoting and his group wearing suits and ties.

"Zhenzhi? Why did you come to Shanghai? You didn't inform me in advance. When did you arrive?" Liao Zhongkai asked enthusiastically.

Wu Shaoting stood up and smiled and said, "I just arrived for a day or two. Alas, it's not a business trip to Shanghai this time, I just thanked a few friends who helped me last year in private."

Song Jiaoren walked up and shook hands with Wu Shaoting, pretending to blame, saying, "Isn't you coming to see us if you are not doing anything? Let go of our respective identities, and we are still good friends."

Wu Shaoting laughed and said, "What the fisherman said is very true, my mistake. I have never made any notice before, mainly because I know that the fisherman must be very busy recently. I was still nervous on the way to visit today. Will our Prime Minister have time to meet me? If you can't see me today, it's the Lantern Festival the day after tomorrow, and I plan to come to see you again that day!"

Song Jiaoren smiled and hit Wu Shaoting on the shoulder, and said angrily: "Governor Wu, are you a joker, right?"

Everyone burst into laughter for a while.

Song Jiaoren asked everyone to sit down, and everyone talked about some recent situations. From Song Jiaoren, he learned that Huang Xing was still in Nanjing, and Sun Yat-sen returned to Shanghai last month and now lives in the Governor's Office of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau. Wu Shaoting knew that Song Jiaoren's current attention was all focused on going north to form a cabinet, so he asked about the itinerary for preparations.

"The previous work is almost done. Our party just sent a specialist to Beijing to make arrangements yesterday. It was planned to take the train to Tianjin on the 23rd. Keqiang would wait for me in Nanjing, saying that he would send me north." Song Jiaoren said.

"On the 23rd? Okay, I'll stay in Shanghai for a few more days. Then I'll take you to Nanjing, and Keqiang will take you to Beijing from Nanjing. It's very good." Wu Shaoting said solemnly.

Song Jiaoren quickly refused: "Zhenzhi, you have been away from Guangdong for so long. If something happens to Guangdong, it will be bad. After all, Guangdong is the first place of revolution, so you must be cautious. I feel it is troublesome to say that Keqiang wants to send me to Beijing. Are I a child in my thirties?"

Wu Shaoting insisted: "Father Fisherman, you are on behalf of the whole Chinese people to carry out the cause of democracy. Since the revolution last year, this has been the top priority that everyone has been looking forward to for nearly a year. Whether it is for public or private, it is the right thing for me to send you. That's it, you don't refuse. If you refuse again, I tell you that I will chase you behind the train and send you to Nanjing."

Everyone was amused. Song Jiaoren nodded gratefully and sighed: "You said so, I dare not do anything random again."

In the evening, everyone went to a restaurant near the Party Headquarters for a meal, and then went back to Song Jiaoren's apartment for a chat.

Wu Shaoting asked Song Jiaoren about the political policies after the formation of the cabinet with concern, and also put forward some of his own opinions. The whole conversation was very pleasant, everyone expressed their opinions calmly and was full of hope for China's future. After nine o'clock in the evening, everyone stood up to say goodbye one after another, and Wu Shaoting returned to the Shanghai Club with his men.

When he returned to the room, Wu Shaoting's previous happy mood disappeared. From the afternoon when he saw Song Jiaoren and to the moment when he said goodbye, he always pretended to be full of hope. Although history changed because of him, many major events also happened early, almost a replica of the aftermath of the Xinhai Revolution. He originally believed in the butterfly effect and believed that history would go to a big fork. Obviously, this idea was wrong. The fork was only a part, and "historical necessity" was still playing a leading role.

He was not sure whether Song Jiaoren would be assassinated when he went north this time, so he asked to send him to Nanjing. At that time, at the train station, he and his subordinates could take care of Song Jiaoren, and after arriving in Nanjing, Huang Xing would take over, which might prevent the tragedy. If Sun Yat-sen was assassinated, he might not be so concerned, but would be easier. However, Song Jiaoren was a rare revolutionary figure who could win over, especially after the founding of the Kuomintang, Song Jiaoren's political status suddenly rose to a new level.

Yu Gong safeguarded Song Jiaoren to obtain a political resource. Even if Yu Private does not have political resources, it is also a good thing for the regime to join this talent. Song Jiaoren has a lot of added value, not only can it attract a group of politicians, but it can also influence and call on bourgeois people at home and abroad.

On the day of the Lantern Festival, Wu Shaoting and Sun Yat-sen, Chen Qimei, Liao Zhongkai, Song Jiaoren and others had a dinner together at the Governor's Office.

In the next few days, Guangdong sent a telegram informing the first batch of German fires that had arrived in Guangzhou successfully. Five Mauser rifles could not be transported in one go, not to mention that the Germans were not fools. They made a loss-making business and would definitely not make Wu Shaoting happy. Therefore, according to the contract, these guns and cannons were delivered within two years in six batches. The first batch had a total of 6,000 rifles, 10 million bullets, and two cannons. When the telegram was sent, I believe that the goods had been unloaded.
Chapter completed!