December 21, 1917, outside the British Concession in Xiamen.

All of a sudden, the gunshots rang out! I don't know who shot first, it was tens of thousands of unarmed Chinese people at the scene? Or what about the more than a hundred British soldiers and Indian policemen with rifles?

According to the report of Major Walter of the British Royal Marines after the fact. It was really not the British side that fired first, but the Chinese terrorists in the crowd shot at the British and Indian military police, and knocked down two Indian policemen on the spot, so he naturally ordered to fire back, and the two machine guns erected on the buildings on both sides of the street also began to spit out tongues of fire. The crowd in front of the gate of the British Concession was swept by machine gun bullets of 77 caliber, and it was suddenly a scene of flesh and blood!

And this scene of the British imperialist massacre of the Chinese people was rushed to the current French bishop DuPaul, the American journalist Moore, and their own barrister James after hearing the gunshots. Walpole and others saw it......

At this time, the British consul Fletza, although he did not know that so many prominent imperialist figures were witnessing their British performances, still felt a wave of vertigo, and his legs were almost on the ground when he went limp. In any case, this trouble is a provocation!

And Major Walter, who gave the order to open fire, is now dumbfounded. Their British Empire troops and police stationed in the colonies were trained to deal with today's situation. They should look for suitable cover, protect themselves first, and then shoot at the head of the crowd to disperse, while looking for terrorists hiding in the crowd for accurate shooting...... But the problem is that the war in Europe is so far in the way that the experienced officers and soldiers who served in the colonies have long been fighting the Germans in the French trenches! Instead, there were inexperienced middle-aged men who were overage, and even Major Walter himself was a former British Royal Navy officer who had been drafted into the army after the outbreak of war.

The overage British Royal Marines and the Indian police, although they didn't know how to deal with the situation, they were still able to shoot the 10 7.7mm caliber bullets in the magazine of the Lee Enfield rifle into the crowd as fast as they could! After the rain of bullets poured down, it didn't take long for the gate of the British Concession in Xiamen to be in mourning......

The protesters were finally dispersed. Dozens of lying corpses and screaming wounded people were left behind. However, before the British officers and soldiers and Indian policemen who had just completed a massacre could breathe a sigh of relief, they saw thousands of Fujian Army officers and soldiers wearing blue-gray military uniforms rushing over from the Huajie side of Xiamen, each holding a rifle and fully armed! There were also soldiers who, under the command of officers, occupied the commanding heights and set up machine guns!

Commanding this group of Chinese soldiers. It is Colonel Xu Tingyao, the commander of the Eighth Regiment of the Second Division of the Fujian Army, who is also a graduate of the third phase of Baoding, and a loyal member of the Iron and Blood Comrades Association, and can be regarded as the core figure of the Chang Ruiqing system. He had already received Chang Ruiqing's warrant. After he heard the gunshots in the direction of the British Concession, he immediately led his troops to expel the British and Indian military and police who had slaughtered the Chinese people, and occupied the British Concession in Xiamen.

"A battalion is spread out, in battle formation, ready to storm!" Seeing the tragic scene in front of her, Xu Tingyao took a deep breath. The battle order was loudly given.

The battalion commander of the first battalion, Peng Jinzhi, was a graduate of the fourth phase of Baoding, and was just assigned to Chang Ruiqing's team in August, and was promoted to the battalion commander in just a few months. He leaned over to Xu Tingyao and said loudly, "Regiment Leader, do you really want to attack?" They're the best team! ”

Xu Tingyao glared at him, Chang Ruiqing's warrant, as well as the orders of Bai Chongxi, the commander of the Second Division, and Zhang Zhizhong, the commander of the Fourth Brigade, were all in his pocket! After the "Great Purge" of the Fujian Army in October. Military discipline has become more and more stringent. If he dares to disobey today, the consequence will inevitably be shooting!

"Execute the order!" Xu Tingyao had no choice, stomped his feet violently, and ordered loudly: "One battalion, launch an attack in five minutes!" Regimental machine gun company, warning fire! ”

Of course, Peng Jinzhi also knew that the Fujian Army was like a mountain. At the moment, he didn't say a word, and snapped a salute. Turning around, he went to command his more than 500 officers and men to spread out into battle formation.

And at this time, the British consul on the opposite side, Freisha. and British Major Walter are watching thousands of well-trained lieutenant ** people arranging the battle line, ready to attack! The two of them only felt dizzy in front of them, and there was only one thought in their minds, it's over! The British Concession in Xiamen is about to be captured by the other side!

Major Walter looked at the consul with a pale face and said in a trembling voice, "Mr. Consul...... Should you negotiate with those Chinese? ”

"Negotiating!?" Consul Freisak glanced at the old major with hatred, his eyes full of resentment. Why didn't you think of negotiating when you just gave the order to shoot at Chinese civilians?

At this time, the gunfire rang out again, and this time it was the machine gun of the squadron firing!

"Retreat! Retreat! Consul Freisha stamped his feet and ordered hoarsely: "There is a ferry on the pier, let's hurry up and get on the boat and withdraw to the public concession of Gulangyu!" ”

Major Walter raised his head, as if remembering the naval spirit of their British Empire, and he said loudly: "Mr. Consul, this is the territory of the British Empire, and as soldiers, we can only hold on!" Can't give up! Please ask Mr. Consul to move to a safe place first! ”

Fleisha snorted lightly and shook his hand: "Mr. Major, it's not Victorian anymore!" The British Empire was already mired in a war in Europe, and London would rather give up a small concession than send troops to China...... We, as civil servants of the Empire, must understand this, the situation cannot expand any further! Now take your people and retreat to the Gulangyu Public Concession! ”

After saying that, the consul of the British Empire took his entourage and walked in the direction of the dock without looking back.

The Walter Major's insistence seemed to end there, and after looking at the hundreds of soldiers who had already spread out the stragglers, he sighed and gave the order to retreat to his more than 100 British and Indian military policemen who were almost stupid.

On December 21, 1917, at the same time as the Mawei Customs Incident in Fuzhou, a tragedy known as the "British Concession Incident" also occurred in Xiamen. More than 100 British and Indian military and police stationed in the British Concession in Xiamen opened fire on the Chinese people who were protesting in protest under the pretext of self-defense and counterattack! The officers and men of the 8th Regiment of the Fujian Army, which arrived later, were ordered to shoot at the British and Indian troops and expel them from the British Concession in Xiamen. In this clash, 31 Chinese marchers were killed and 75 wounded. Seven British and Indian military and police officers were killed and 19 wounded by unidentified armed men.

It was late that day. Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary pioneer who had long coveted the huge profits of the Guangdong Customs, finally made up his mind and ordered a battalion of French Protectors to be stationed in the Guangdong Customs Building in Nanguan, Guangzhou, announcing the recovery of the Guangdong Customs......

So far. The Sino-British conflict caused by the events of the "Sino-Russian New Testament" and the attack of the Red Brigade has further escalated to the brink of war!

……

Of course, no one slept at the British Legation in Dongjiaomin Lane, Beijing, on this night. The entire embassy was brightly lit, and the conference room was filled with the aroma of fine cigars and coffee. The British Minister, Sir Juledian, sat listlessly at the head of the conference table, sipping on coffee to refresh himself, he was already an old man. He was out there all day yesterday. First bargained with Duan Qirui in Fuxue Hutong, and then spent a long time talking with President Feng Da, who was shouting all day long about resigning, and then when he returned to the embassy, he heard the bad news of the "Xiamen British Concession Incident" and the "Guangdong Customs Incident"!

In less than a day, the British Concession in Xiamen was forcibly taken back by the Chinese! The management of Min Customs and Guangdong Customs has also returned to the hands of the Chinese! And the British Empire also had a reputation for massacring the Chinese people......

“…… Sir. In Whitehall's telegram, Mr. Buffure (British Foreign Secretary) said that he would send a mission of inquiry to China to fully ascertain the truth about the Xiamen incident and the customs incident, and until the mission arrived, he demanded that the situation not be further escalated! And he criticized your seizure of the Chinese customs customs balance for being inconsistent with the British Empire's policy on China......"

The secretary of a legation hurried into the conference room and loudly reported the latest telegram received.

"Mission! What a damn one! Zhu Erdian stood up abruptly, pacing back and forth in the conference room with his hands behind his back, looking unusually annoyed.

"Is there something wrong with that, sir?" Counsellor of the Legation, Eston, asked slowly. He was curious. Why would the Minister be angry with a mission, was he afraid that they would find out something against him?

Zhu Erdian took a deep breath and forcibly endured the anger in his heart: "Of course not! The colonies of the British Empire had just been occupied by an army of the Centropolists...... No matter what the other party's reasons are, such an act cannot be forgiven, and the British Empire must maintain her majesty, and must make those who dare to challenge her pay a heavy price! So we should immediately use the Far Eastern Fleet to blockade all the ports of Fujian and Guangdong. And shelling Xiamen! If necessary, we should also send troops to China. As long as there is an army of tens of thousands of people, it is enough to overthrow the rule of that barbarian warlord in Fujian! ”

There was silence in the conference room. After a while, I heard Eiston speak lightly: "Sir, I think that the reluctance of the London side to further escalate the conflict must have their considerations, as a diplomat, we are only tools to achieve the government's policy, not the policymakers." Sir, we should not criticize Whitehall's policies now, but should do everything we can to get the situation back on track. ”

Zhu Erdian stopped, glanced back at Aiston, and said with a bitter smile: "My Mr. Counselor, do you think I don't want to let the situation return to normal?" No! On the contrary, more than anyone else, I want the situation in China to remain stable, preferably unchanged, and preferably not to fall on the decaying Manchu dynasty......

But that's just wishful thinking on my part, China is breaking free from the shackles that we have worked so hard to tie them up! The "Sino-Russian New Testament" is their vain attempt to seize the opportunity of the weakness of the civil strife in European countries to get rid of the shackles! The Red Brigade, on the other hand, wants to use terrorist activities to intimidate civilized countries, so that we do not dare to grasp the shackles that bind China! This time, the 'Xiamen Incident' and the 'Customs Incident' were the local Chinese warlords and the Chinese people smashing the chains that bound them...... And with an unexpected success! ”

Eston frowned, he knew that Zhu Erdian's attitude towards China was actually "friendly", but his thinking was a little outdated, and he thought it was Victoria's era! He sighed softly, "Sir, we can't change what has happened, and all we can do is find a way to reinforce this chain that has begun to loosen...... Sir, it is imperative now to put the truly responsible Chinese politicians in charge of China's State Council, so that we can find the object of negotiation and pressure! We'd better let the Chinese themselves sanction that lawless warlord! ”

……

At the same time that the representatives of the British Empire in China held an emergency meeting overnight to discuss countermeasures. On the Beiyang side, Duan Qirui, Feng Guozhang, Wang Shizhen, and Xu Shichang, who is the same generation as Yuan Shikai, Xu Ju. As well as Xu Shuzheng, Cao Rulin, Liang Shiyi and several other think tanks also gathered in the conference room of Zhongnanhai Jurentang to "discuss the country's situation".

Speaking of which, the atmosphere here in the Juren Hall is a little lower than in the British Legation. Several of you here belong to the kind of Chinese who "lived in the Victorian era", and there is really no way to do it if they are not forced. I would never dare to offend the majesty of the British Empire!

Even if he was forced to provoke Britain this time, he had a good grasp of the balance and thought of countermeasures to calm Britain's anger afterwards. But no one expected that Chang Ruiqing's guy would make such a big fuss. Not to mention the recovery of the Fujian Customs, he also sent troops to openly attack the British Concession in Xiamen! Killed and wounded dozens of British and Indian military and police (in fact, it was the Red Brigade terrorists who succeeded)! Although this conflict was fired by the other side first, and it was the other side that killed more than 30 Chinese civilians, the other side is the British Empire, the number one power in the world! When encountering such things, we in China can only endure it. If you are beaten to death, you have to send someone to apologize and pay compensation, where can you fire back as soon as your mind is hot? That's too disregardful, isn't it? How can such a person be a member of the party? That's so unusual!

"Zhiquan, this Chang Ruiqing is your person, right? It's not good to discipline you on weekdays, but now it's causing trouble, right? Look, it's a mess...... They have all sent troops to attack the British Concession! This is tantamount to a declaration of war! Gengzi's national change is just around the corner, it's right in front of you! ”

It was Xu Shichang who spoke, his expression was obviously a little excited, and his white beard was trembling slightly. It seems to have moved some dry fire. This Beiyang civil official leader who has been a big president in history is Yuan Shikai's best friend. I have also done foreign affairs all my life, and I think I am very clear about the temperament and temperament of foreigners, so as soon as I heard that the British Concession in Xiamen was taken back by the squadron, I knew that something was wrong! rushed to Zhongnanhai from home overnight, and personally hung up the phone to Duan Qirui and Wang Shizhen, and invited them to discuss countermeasures together.

This one is on the country on the North Ocean. In fact, it is also a red heart.

Duan Qirui's face was gloomy and he sat there quietly. Xu Shuzheng is not qualified to sit in this scene. Standing behind Duan Qirui, listening to Xu Shichang's words. He just smiled faintly: "Elder Ju, what do you say?" You are our Beiyang old-timers, now please give us juniors to guide the maze, right? ”

"What else can I do? Of course, I tried to calm the anger of the British first! Zhiquan, Pingqing, I think you two don't have to be nervous anymore, quickly organize the cabinet, slowly negotiate the rest of the matter, or appease the British first, apologize when you should apologize, and pay compensation when you should pay compensation...... By the way, there is also that Chang Ruiqing! He's the culprit! Hurriedly issued an order to remove him from the Fujian military affairs supervision, and the division commander, brigade commander, regiment commander, and platoon commander who caused the accident were all dismissed from their posts and investigated! Oh, and the Min Customs and the British Concession in Xiamen were also immediately returned to the British! ”

Wang Shizhen sighed when she heard this: "It's difficult! Chang Ruiqing had three divisions of soldiers in his hands, and Fujian Province was also firmly controlled by him, and Fujian was adjacent to Guangdong, once he was forced to rush to Sun Yat-sen...... In that case, Fujian and Guangdong will be integrated, and maybe the entire south of the Yangtze River will be returned to Sun Cannon! ”

"What about our Beiyang Army? If the surname Chang dares to rebel, he will send troops to crusade! Xu Shichang gritted his teeth and said.

"Where's the salary?" Duan Qirui, who had never spoken, said coldly: "Guan Yu let the British deduct it, and we will lose thirty or forty million a year, where can we still have pay to fight?" What are the virtues of those old soldiers in our Beiyang, you don't know yet? If you have money, you will only listen to orders, and if you don't have money, you won't mutiny! ”

Xu Shichang sighed, and said: "Then go and negotiate with the foreigners, and tell them that as long as they give us the rest of the pass, we will send troops to pacify Chang Ruiqing!" That's all right, right? ”

"No!" This time it was Liang Shiyi Liang Caishen who spoke, and he reminded with a wry smile: "Old Ju, don't forget that the Fujian Customs and Guangdong Customs have been taken back by Chang Ruiqing and Sun Yat-sen!" Those two customs offices have more than 20 million in revenue a year...... If they refuse to return it, our Guan Yu will lose more than 20 million a year, and the sky will only be half of the original! ”

Hearing this, several voices in the room asked at the same time, "Why is there only so much?" ”

Liang Caishen folded his fingers and explained: "Of course, there are only so many, our so-called customs balance refers to the balance of customs duties after deducting various payable indemnities and loans, and now Fujian Customs and Guangdong Customs are controlled by Chang Ruiqing and Sun Yat-sen, do you still expect them to pay compensation and repayment for the central government?" So now even if the British return the balance to us, it will be 20 million at most...... If they had to deduct from it the cost of forming the International Merchant Corps, I'm afraid they wouldn't even have that figure. ”

Fastest update, please.