Instalment 46 (1912)
Scene 1: Beijing; at the Imperial Palace
Yuan Shikai is discussing the expenditures of the Qing with Empress Dowager Longyu. He says that the Republican government plans to grant the Qing three million Liang silver per annum but Longyu believes that this will not suffice. She is asking for four million per annum to pay for clothing, jewellery, hats, and nourishments of the three thousand eunuchs. Yuan counters that the eunuchs have become obsolete now. If one were to dismiss them from office, great sums of money could be saved. When the eunuch Xiao Dezi who is just playing with the emperor Puyi, hears Yuan say this, he smashes the wood logs he had just built together with Puyi. Puyi, greatly angered, thereupon hits him. Finally, Yuan agrees with Longyu to keep the eunuchs. Following the abdication of the Qing, all the parks and lakes (Nanhai, Beihai, und Zhongnanhai) will become property of the Chinese Republic; the Summer Palace and the Imperial Palace will be property of the Qing. Without Longyu’s permission, no one will be allowed to enter the Forbidden City. Yuan has Puyi seated on the Imperial Throne and falls on his knees in front of the emperor for one last time. In the name of the emperor, the abdication is proclaimed, to be followed by the establishment of the Republic. Yuan excitedly roams through the palace, but he is attacked by angry eunuchs who throw lettuce and eggs at him.
Scene 2: Beijing; at the Imperial Palace
The Forbidden City is already decaying; it rains through the roofs. Puyi is playing with the eunuchs. During the Imperial audience (which is still being held), solely the eunuch Xiao Dezi arrives; he reports news from the newspapers and some other trivialities, such as, what will be served for lunch, and that the emperor has risen late today.
Scene 3: Beijing; at Yuan Shikai’s residence
Yuan Shikai’s inauguration as Provisional President has just commenced. He is being called China’s George Washington. When he is just about to raise the new national flag, a telegram from the provisional parliament in Nanjing arrives. It says that: 1. the provisional government is to be stationed in Nanjing; 2. the new President is to be inaugurated in Nanjing, and only then will Sun Yatsen resign from office; 3. the provisional constitution will be drafted by the provisional parliament and the President is bound to it. Yuan is very annoyed about the telegram and has the Dragon Flag of the Qing government raised again instead!
Yuan Shikai’s subordinates contend that Sun should have already abdicated but failed to do so. Moreover, Nanjing is the capital of the revolutionaries after all. They believe that Sun wants to have Yuan transferred to Nanjing in order to restrict his power. Yuan, however, is more concerned by the provisional constitution. He does not understand what it is all about.
Sun Yatsen is debating with his friends about where the capital should be located: Nanjing symbolises revolution, but Beijing rather symbolises feudalism. The journalist Tian Mo arrives for an interview with Sun. She asks Sun about his opinions regarding the relocation of the capital and how he thinks about Yuan Shikai. Sun asks her in return and she replies that if Yuan was to accept that he is a President and not an emperor, then he would be bound to the decisions of the parliament. Sun agrees with her and cautions that there is still the danger of a restoration of the old system.
Sun Yatsen’s young assistant, Luo Wen, wants to invite Tian Mo for a drink. But Tian has to return to the newspaper publishing house. Luo gallantly ties Tian’s unbound shoe laces and she is very touched by this kind gesture. In that moment, Huang Xing and Song Jiaoren are just coming out of the pub. They see the romantic scene and start teasing the two. Sun wants to send two special emissaries to Beijing to meet and accompany Yuan. Then, he states, Yuan could take up his office in Nanjing.
Yuan is reading the newspaper to get an overview of the public opinion regarding the relocation of the capital. Evidently, he seems to intend to at least pretend that he consents to the demands made by the revolutionaries in Nanjing. His old companion Xu Shichang warns him not to “play with fire”. He reminds Yuan that he is now leading a state, not a small place like Xiaozhan. When Yuan, ever the tactician, tries to lie to Xu and obviously attempts to play a double faced game, Xu gets very upset. Xu believes Yuan lacks a sense of responsibility.
Yuan Shikai has ordered his follower Cao Kun to stage a mutiny in Beijing. Such a mutiny will provide Yuan with an excuse not to travel to Nanjing, since he would be “needed” in Beijing. Cao Kun, who is just sitting in a car with Yuan’s eldest son, Yuan Keding, argues that Yuan Shikai could just as well immediately make himself emperor. Keding replies that a constitutional monarchy would be a good solution, but that Sun is insisting on a republic. They suddenly think of a possible accomplice: the expert for constitutional monarchies, Yang Du. Immediately, they order the cab to drive up to Yang’s residence to sound out Yang’s inclinations and opinions.
Yang Du accuses Cao Kun and Yuan Keding of wanting to make him an accomplice in their schemes. Although he supports the idea of a constitutional monarchy, he is opposed to their dirty ways.
Sun Yatsen’s five special emissaries arrive in Beijing. Yuan Shikai welcomes them and tells them at length about his “plans” to travel to Nanjing. According to these, he is first to go to Tianjin by train, then to Wuhan to visit Li Yuan-hong, now Vice President. Then he is planning to go to Shanghai, since Sun arrived in Shanghai when he returned to China during the revolution. From there, he will travel to Nanjing, following Sun’s footprints!
Zhao Bingjun, who is in charge of the capital city police corps, informs the five special emissaries that a mutiny has erupted and that the hotel is burning. He explains that the soldiers oppose Yuan’s departure. The five special emissaries are scared and hide on some nearby trees.
The mutiny, which has been plotted by Yuan Shikai, is suddenly out of control. Yuan thus scolds Cao Kun for his inability.
The foreign ambassadors congratulate and thank Yuan Shikai for his decisive “crack down” on the mutiny. They announce that if the capital were to be relocated, they would not recognise the Republic of China. Now, the five special emissaries believe that the capital should not be relocated after all. But Yuan still pretends to insist on travelling to Nanjing. Slyly he says that for him, the decision of the provisional parliament equals an Imperial edict. The five are flattered and reply that they will explain the entire matter to the provisional parliament. After they have departed, Yuan quietly smiles to himself.
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