C740 No path was possible, but it was difficult! (1/2)
No matter how much Yuan Shikai and Empress Dowager Long Yu had accomplished or failed in their various evaluations in history, at least in terms of the peaceful regime transfer, they had contributed greatly to history. With this abdication decree, it would not be an exaggeration to say that China had lost five million people.
More importantly, the abdication was recognized by international law, which meant that the Western countries could not deny the rationality of the abdication, and thus could not deny the rationality of the content of the abdication, thus preventing their attempt to divide China.
Look, this is the important meaning of law. Your Western Powers will be unhappy to see this edict, but there is no way you can deny it. Because if you deny the edict, then you deny the legitimacy of the Emperor and Empress Dowager Long Yu.
If you want to deny the legitimacy of these two people, then you have to deny the legitimacy of Ci Xi's rule, because these two people were both chosen by Ci Xi.
But if you rejected Ci Xi, then you rejected the treaties that Ci Xi and the both of you signed at the same time. You should know that those treaties were absolutely beneficial to the West.
The problem is, after all, Ci Xi had ruled over the Qing Dynasty for fifty years, which was recognized by all. If you want to deny Ci Xi's rule, you have to deny the Great Qing Empire's rule.
However, from the First Opium War to now, how many treaties the West has signed with the Great Qing Empire? If you deny the Great Qing Empire, you deny the legitimacy of the treaties in your hands.
Thus, Empress Dowager Long's abdication decree could not be doubted not only by the Manchu, Meng, Tibetan, Hui, and Han races, but also by the Western Powers, although they really wanted to tear down China's territory.
Thinking about this, Xiao Letian subconsciously sighed and raised his cup to drink, but when he moved his lips, he discovered that his cup was already empty.
”Master, let me pour some wine for you!” Zai Chun very dutifully poured Qing Dynasty Wine for his master. At this moment, Xiao Letian realised that Zai Chun's forehead was covered in sweat, he had actually been fanning him this whole time.
Looking at Zai Chun's filial look, Xiao Letian's heart softened. He knew that due to the relationship between master and disciple, the first option of becoming more armed and more powerful would never work. From the looks of it, he could only consider the second option Yuan Shikai and Empress Dowager Long Yu had chosen.
But is the second way really that easy? There were pros and cons to everything in the world. The peaceful handover of power could indeed save the country a lot of blood and many people less, but without the baptism of war and the elimination of a large number of factions, the final outcome would definitely be a civil war.
After dozens of years of management by the local daoyin, the provinces already had their own independent weapons. When the Qing Dynasty was still around, everyone had the same hat, but now that the Qing Dynasty was no longer here, who would submit to anyone?
Although Yuan Shikai had inherited the power of the Northern Ocean and had the strongest army, but at that time, in the eyes of the Chinese people, you, the President, was actually one of the warlords.
The Emperor takes turns... No, no, no, it's the President who's taking turns coming to my house this year, each department's warlord.
Even when President Jiang came to power, the political world of Military was still filled with factions, and those factions were all very related. The Central Army belonged to Chiang Kai-shek, the Northeast Army to Zhang Xue-liang, the Northwest Army to Feng Yu-xiang, the Jinxi Army to Yan Xishan, the Northwest Hui Army to Ma Jiajia, and Li Zongren to Bai Chongxi.