Yuan Shikai knew what a "murder" meant. The army's mutiny showed to a certain extent that the army's loyalty to him was declining. Once the mutiny was about to open, the troops in other parts of the front line would also be affected. This is a terrible signal.

Yuan Shikai said with a dark face: "Is it the newly formed division?"

The officer replied submissively: "It was the newly formed division in New Jiangsu that was transferred from Tai'an, Shandong to strengthen the defense force on the Yancheng coast of Jiangsu."

Yuan Shikai grabbed his big head irritably. Due to insufficient troops, the newly formed division in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province was just formed by him from all over Shandong to capture the sturdy men. Although his combat effectiveness was not strong, it was also the force of a division. It had a population of tens of thousands of people, and it was all the new army he had used a lot of weapons to equip it.

"Where is their division commander Deng Zhigui? Haven't I reminded him repeatedly? These ordinary soldiers were all strong men captured from villages in Shandong. Unlike the Beiyang New Army that had been trained for a long time, they should pay special attention to the ideological work of the soldiers. If they are not done well, they will change. Could it be that Deng Zhigui is a busy meal? Where is his military police?" Yuan Shikai was a little crazy.

When the officer saw Yuan Shikai getting so angry, he was frightened and said a little unrestrained: "Report...Master..., Commander Deng was arrested by the soldiers of the military police and then beheaded for public display. Commander Deng's head was hung on the walls of Yancheng. The soldiers had long been in a relationship with the military police."

"Waste!" Yuan Shikai pushed Zhuo Shang's teacup to the ground, and a piece of porcelain fell to the ground. "Deng Zhigui is really useless, he deserves it if he dies! Where are these rebels now?"

"They... have passed Yangzhou and are ready to cross the defense of Commander Cao Kun, cross the border from Wuhu, which has weak guard power to the south, and surrender to the southern rebels." The officer lowered his head and did not dare to look directly at Yuan Shikai.

"What a courage!" Yuan Shikai paced around the hall and said, "Immediately order Cao Kun to let him and Wang Zhanyuan wipe out this division in Anhui!"

"But, Grand Marshal, Sun Wanling from Nanjing is now ready to move. Haven't you already ordered Commander Cao Kun to block Sun Wanling? They seem to have no extra troops. I have also heard that Sun Wanling's army is also equipped with that new armored vehicle." The officer reminded.

After being reminded by the officer, Yuan Shikai remembered the incident in Nanjing. Sun Wanling's eastern front army was not a vegetarian. The military strength of the Jiangsu Defense Force was already tight, so it was indeed impossible to mobilize at this time. Moreover, Sun Wanling's army also had this new type of armored vehicle. Then the few armies arranged in Jiangsu should not act rashly, otherwise Sun Wanling would take advantage of the opportunity to pacify and suppress the enemy at that time. If he lost Jiangsu, it would be more costly.

"Which troops are there nearby?" Yuan Shikai asked.

"In Anqing, there are more than 20,000 new troops from Duan Qirui." The officer replied truthfully.

"Then let Duan Qirui send a division and the local Beiyang New Army to annihilate this mob in Wuhu. I want everyone to know that there is no good end to betray me!" Yuan Shikai threw out this sentence viciously.

"Yes, yes, commander!" The officer nodded repeatedly.

"It's just... there is another thing, I don't know whether to talk or not?" The officer stopped talking.

"Speak quickly if you have something to do"! Yuan Shikai was a little impatient.

The officer approached Yuan Shikai's ear and whispered: "Master General, I heard that Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang have been having letters. Is this inappropriate arrangement?"

Yuan Shikai frowned: "Are you saying that Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang, who had already surrendered to the enemy, have been in contact with each other?"

The officer nodded seriously.

"Impossible?" Yuan Shikai shook his head, "I promoted Duan Qirui. He was loyal to me and would never do such a betrayal to me."

"It's better to believe that there is than to believe that there is nothing!" the officer advised.

"Okay, I understand, you go down!" Yuan Shikai waved his hand.

"Yes, the Grand Marshal!" After the officer said that, he nodded and retreated.

After the officer retreated, Yuan Shikai was alone in the hall with a sad face. Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang had letters, which made Yuan Shikai feel a little uneasy.

Duan Qirui was promoted by him, and Yuan Shikai was intimate with him. Among the three heroes of Beiyang, Duan Qirui was the most loyal to him, and his talent in using military forces was no less than Feng Guozhang.

The three heroes of Beiyang have always been Yuan Shikai's right-hand man. Now only one of the three heroes is left by his side, and that is Duan Qirui.

If Duan Qirui had a strange intention, it would be an immeasurable loss to the Beiyang New Army. Duan Qirui's troops were the right wing of Cao Kun's troops. If Duan Qirui changed, the entire Yangtze River defense line would not be able to take care of each other. Not only would the southern army take advantage, but it would also be a heavy blow to the morale of the entire army.

Yuan Shikai thought for a long time, and finally, as if he had made up his mind, threw the cigarette butt on the ground and then slammed it into pieces.

...

Jingzhou City.

"Hurry, everyone, hurry up! The Russian army is coming soon." A small officer guarding the southern army urged.

At this time, the entire Jingzhou City gate was opened, and ordinary people carrying large and small bags were constantly rushed from outside the city.

Looking at the entire Jingzhou City, it seems that all the people were mobilized at this moment, and all the streets rushed out of the city gate like they were fleeing.

At the Yangtze River Ferry in Jingzhou, countless merchant ships of all sizes have successively transported the people withdrawn from Jingzhou City to the south bank, and even the warships of the Beiyang Fleet were dispatched to help divert the people.

On the tower at the south gate of Jingzhou City, Feng Guozhang and other officers from the Western Front surrounded Nie Shicheng.

Nie Shicheng took a telescope and carefully observed the situation in the city. It was found that almost half of the people had withdrawn from Jingzhou, and many people had been properly placed in temporary residences on the south bank.

Nie Shicheng put down his telescope and asked Feng Guozhang: "Huafu, how many ordinary people are left in Jingzhou now?"

Feng Guozhang replied: "Report to General Nie that at this time, less than 40% of the people in Jingzhou were left, and 30% of the people on the south bank had moved into temporary residences."

"Are there anything sleeping during the evacuation?" Nie Shicheng asked.

Feng Guozhang looked embarrassed and said, "It's indeed very difficult. Many older people are unwilling to leave Jingzhou when they die. They say that Jingzhou is their homeland and they will die in their homeland even if they die. They will never die in a foreign land. So, Feng Yuxiang and several other regiment leaders personally took people to persuade them. At least 20% of the people who don't understand our Southern Army like this."

Nie Shicheng patted Feng Guozhang on the shoulder and said, "Hua Fu, it is difficult to get rid of his hometown. This is human nature. No matter how stubborn these ordinary people are, they cannot be rough. They should understand the reason and persuade them with emotion. The commander often teaches us that the relationship between the military and the civilians must be harmonious. Wei Zheng, the counselor of the Tang Dynasty, said it well. Water can carry boats and can also overturn the boats. You must understand this principle. You must explain it clearly to these stubborn people. We do this for their own good."

Nie Shicheng paused and continued: "The Russian army is coming in full force. In order to avoid implicating the people, this is a last resort. I hope they understand it enough."

"This is natural. The soldiers of the entire army follow the commander's teachings." Feng Guozhang nodded.

"I guess how many days will it take to completely withdraw these people from Jingzhou?" Nie Shicheng asked immediately.

"It's two days fast, and it's three days slow!" Feng Guozhang blurted out.

Nie Shicheng nodded: "It must be withdrawn before the Russian army arrives in Jingzhou!"

"At this speed, it's more than enough. The Russian infantry will have five days to meet with the Cossack cavalry." Feng Guozhang replied.

"Let's go, let's go in person to meet the common people who are stubborn and unwilling to evacuate!" Nie Shicheng smiled heartily, and then walked down the city tower with everyone's care and walked towards the city.

Somewhere in Jingzhou City, there is a wealthy family home.

"Father, you'd better retreat to the south with us. This Russian will come whenever you say it!" outside the door, a middle-aged man advised that his wife and children were next to him.

"You go, I will stay here, born here and died here, are you afraid? Besides, your mother is lying alone in the cemetery. I left, who will be his company?" said an old voice in the inner room.

"It's not that we are not coming back. General Nie of the Southern Army said that they are going to go to war with the Russians, afraid that the war will be implicated by the people. They just asked us to retreat to the south for the time being. After driving away the Russians, we will come back for only a few months." The middle-aged man refused to give up and persuaded with great sincerity.

"Crack" The door of the inner room was opened, and an old man with silver hair stood at the door: "I said I wouldn't leave, but I wouldn't leave unless you take my body to the south, I won't believe it. Is this Russian a green face or a fanged ghost or a man-eating evil spirit? I am an old man and I have no threat to them. What can they do to me?"

The middle-aged man had been persuading for half an hour, and at this time he was already dry and dry. Seeing that his father was still stubborn, he said anxiously: "Father, this Russian is a man-eating evil spirit. I have heard from relatives in the north that they burn, kill, loot every place they go. Not to mention the 70s, they don't let go of even the hungry children. If I leave you alone here, wouldn't it be unfilial?"

The old man looked at his son with contempt: "You still know how unfilial you are? You don't keep your ancestral property well, and you insist on hearing what the Southern Army said that you would retreat to the south bank. I will leave here today. If you don't leave, you won't leave!"

The father and son were arguing, and suddenly a hearty laughter came into the yard. The old man and his son turned their heads and saw an old man with a majestic and heroic look between their eyebrows and eyes, followed by a group of senior officers from all over the Southern Army, all carrying short guns on their waists.

"What's wrong, brother? Are you so angry?" Nie Shicheng walked into the gate of the courtyard and smiled.
Chapter completed!