Instalment 16 (1897)
Scene 1: In the countryside
Kang Youwei decides to retire for the moment to Canton and leaves Beijing disappointedly. Weng Tonghe, however, follows him and apologises for his earlier disregard for Kang’s accomplishments. But Kang refuses Weng’s apology since he knows very well that the double-faced Weng is partially responsible for the destruction of his „Qiangxuehui“ study society.
Scene 2: Japan; at the Zhongshan school
Sun Yatsen is lecturing to a group of Chinese students on the question: what is “minquan”, i.e. what are people’s rights? He explains in detail that they constitute the rights to vote, and the power to vote out incapable rulers. Sun’s brother Sun Mei, who is supporting the revolution, comes with money for the revolution which he has earned by selling his cows. During a talk with his brother Yatsen, whom Mei cautions to be more careful when spending money, Yatsen turns very upset: He claims that he needs the money to shake up his fellow citizens. If the money which had been taken by the secret societies had led to them being less hostile to the revolutionary cause, then, Sun claims, the money is surely not wasted! (An argument which caricatures Sun’s idealism). Then, Sun Yatsen’s brother asks him why he now carries a new (Japanese) name. Sun answers that a Japanese friends recommended this name to him to avoid being discovered by the Qing government which is searching for him.
Scene 3: Japan; negotiations between Sun Yatsen and a Japanese arms dealer in a dark room
Sun Yatsen is negotiating with a Japanese arms dealer. Sun wants to have the weapons delivered to Huizhou, a Chinese city not far from Guangzhou. When the arms dealer tries to raise the price because of this request, Sun tells him that he in fact ought to lower the price since he is now making deals with a future republic! (This again underlines Sun’s idealism.)
Yuan Shikai and the newly appointed officers are meeting in a room. They drink, laugh, chat and introduce one another. The group includes several important men who prominently figured in later Chinese history: Zhang Xun (who will later attempt a restoration); Cao Kun, Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang (who will become important warlords later in the 1920s). Zhao Bingjun (later Yuan Shikai’s premier) enters with a letter from his father addressed to Yuan Shikai. Zhao’s father once saved Yuan Shikai’s life. But Zhao Bingjun himself has no accomplishments to offer. Thus, Yuan simply commands Zhao to remain in the army and wait until Yuan has found a suitable post for him. Yuan thereby accepts the moral obligations he has to Zhao’s father. Yuan also appoints Meng Enyuan, the head of a brothel, to be the leader of a cavalry garrison.
Yuan is obliged to do this as Meng was responsible for introducing Yuan to his lover, the former prostitute Shen Yuying.
While Yuan and his officers are enjoying themselves, Ma Sanjun and his friend Qiu Simao (both of whom used to serve together in the Huai army under Li Hongzhang) are getting drunk together outside of the building. Ma complains that all the newcomers are appointed to high positions whereas he, who was personally sent by Li Hongzhang, remains at a lower level. Both go out drunk and break into a farmer’s house. When they run into the farmer and his wife, Qiu stabs them both in a fight. Then Ma goes into the room of the farmer’s
daughter and rapes her while Qiu is waiting outside for his turn. Suddenly a group of soldiers enter.
Weng has just returned and is talking to his former pupil Wen Tingshi about the murder and rape at Xiaozhan. He wants to have Yuan Shikai executed as he is the one responsible for the troop. Weng thinks of a plan to have all his three opponents eliminated in one go: to “catch three birds with one stone” (yi shi san niao). The “three birds” are Yuan Shikai, Ronglu and Li Hongzhang.
The Imperial Court has sent Ronglu to Xiaozhan to investigate the murder and the rape. Yuan Shikai is a little disquieted because of this. His advisor Xu Shi-chang thinks that this was probably Weng Tonghe’s idea since it is Weng’s goal to discredit his rivals Ronglu and Li Hongzhang (Ronglu being head of the military now, and Li being responsible for his follower Ma Sanjun). But Yuan adds that he, too, is one of Ronglu’s men, being his subordinate, and thus potentially in danger. Xu, though, believes that Ronglu does not regard Yuan Shikai as one if his men yet and therefore might even have Yuan sentenced to death in order to transfer all blame on him and secure the Empress Dowager’s trust for himself. He therefore advises Yuan to take measures to win Ronglu’s trust to prevent being made a scapegoat. Thus, they try to think of a plan.
Ma has taken full responsibility for the incident and has relieved his friend Qiu Simao since Ma believes that no-one would dare to harm a follower of Li Hong-zhang. But Yuan says that this time not even Li will be able to come to Ma’s aid. Still, Yuan promises Ma to help him and Ma believes him. Xu Shichang suggests that Ma should once more take full responsibility in front of Ronglu. Then Yuan would try everything possible to save him.
Xu Shichang welcomes Ronglu on his own since Yuan Shikai “is busy”, distributing the wages (silver coins) to the soldiers. Xu leads Ronglu and the Western military advisor to Yuan and his troop. When a piece of silver falls onto the ground, Yuan picks it up. The Western military advisor applauds Yuan and calls him an honest man. Then the parade begins. The Western military advisor congratulates Ronglu for having set up such a strong and well-trained modern army. He also tells him that Yuan praised Ronglu in front of him saying that without Ronglu there would be no Yuan Shikai and no modern army. Ronglu, though, reacts modestly and reserved.
After Ma has admitted to the crime in the farmer’s house, Ronglu orders Yuan Shikai to solve the problem. Without hesitation, Yuan has Ma taken to the place of execution. On the way, the betrayed Ma curses Yuan. Then Yuan comes up and personally shoots Ma with the pistol Li Hongzhang gave Yuan as a present. He then throws the pistol onto the grounds and reminds everyone of his inaugural speech: discipline is everything! In the evening, Ronglu praises Yuan for his successful training of the new army. But Ronglu also asks Yuan how he will explain the story with Ma to Li Hongzhang. Yuan claims that the new Grand Secretary (Ronglu) is not the old one (Li Hongzhang) in order to show himself as one of Ronglu’s men. But Ronglu replies that the new is the same as the old to reveal Yuan’s opportunism and articulate his own distrust of him.
Once again Yuan is distributing silver among the soldiers. The soldiers are then asked who provides them with clothing and food. They answer obligingly that it is all given to them by the Imperial Court. But Zhang Xun corrects them: they are now to reply: the food is provided by General Yuan, the clothing is provided by General Yuan, we work for General Yuan. Thus, the loyalty to the Imperial Court is replaced by a loyalty to Yuan.
Hong’er brings a blanket to warm Li Hongzhang. She asks him why Ma Sanjun has been executed. Instead of answering her question, Li replies sadly that at least he has Hong’er left, like Su Dongpo had Chaoyun. [1] In the end, he muses, destiny has been kind to him after all.
A eunuch brings Zhen Fei, the emperor’s favourite concubine, an expensive pearl telling her it is a gift from the Imperial Household Department. When the emperor returns, Zhen fei shows him the pearl and complains that it is much smaller than the pearl on Cixi’s crown. The emperor, though, warns her that she cannot compare herself to Cixi. But Zhen fei replies that Cixi has retired and it should be therefore her time to appear. The emperor, however, states that she is not in the position to take the place at his side since there is still his main wife, the empress. Zhen fei is enraged by his words and – hinting to Cixi’s own past – claims that there are many things in life that happen although they officially should not. She believes that the emperor should be the only one entitled to control state affairs, not Cixi. But the emperor scolds her for saying such things. If she was really to understanding his inner feelings, she would not have said such things and she would not have hurt him (since he knows his own weakness well enough). In the end, they both laugh and cry together.
[1] Chaoyun was the favourite concubine of the Song dynasty poet Su Dongpo. She was much younger than Su. When Su was sent to exile in Canton she accompanied him and stayed at his side until she died of illness.
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