What is history: it is the echo of the past to the future, the reflection of the future on the past. - Hugo
Puyi was only a few years old, and the abdication was agreed by Empress Dowager Longyu.
To tell the truth, the abdication of the Qing Dynasty is a win-win situation, and if the Qing Chamber insists on not abdicating, then the situation may be corrupt beyond measure, and even the early division of the North and the South may be possible.
Some people said that the Janissaries, which were mainly based on the Eight Banners, had already gone south at that time, which was not correct, because the Janissaries did not go south at that time, and were completely in the hands of Feng Guozhang. The Janissaries were much better equipped than the six towns of Beiyang.
The biggest difference between Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui is that he has real feelings for the Qing Dynasty, and although he is grateful for Yuan Shikai's favor, he also resents Zaifeng's dismissal of Yuan Shikai and is willing to contribute to Yuan Shikai's comeback, but he does not approve of the republic.
When Feng Guozhang read at the Janissary Commander's office that Duan Qirui and 47 Beiyang generals had jointly petitioned the Qing Emperor to abdicate, he was furious, claiming that he wanted to send a telegram to question Duan Qirui, and he suspected that the telegram was not sent by Duan Qirui.
In addition, when he learned that Longyu had approved the abdication edict, Feng Guozhang also said sadly, "The imperial family is willing to abdicate, who will we call today?" In this way, the country of the Great Qing Dynasty is finished! ”
Therefore, if Longyu insisted on not abdicating on behalf of the Qing court, if he really broke with Yuan Shikai, I think Feng Guozhang would probably side with the Qing court.
Not only Feng Guozhang, but also his direct lineage Cao Kun and Qi Xieyuan may choose to side with the Qing court. Don't doubt that if it weren't for Zhang Xun's stinginess, he would only be willing to seal Cao Kun's direct subordinate inspector and not be willing to be directly subordinate to the governor, and Cao Kun would have been electrified to support the restoration.
At that time, Feng Guozhang's Janissaries controlled the Beijing Division with more than 10,000 people, and Cao Kun's third town was in Shanxi, which was already a big force, not to mention that the third town was notoriously strong in combat effectiveness.
Coupled with Zhang Zuolin, who had also prepared to enter the Guanqin King in the Xinhai year, yes, there is no doubt that Zhang Zuolin really intended to enter the Guanqin King; and in the northwest, the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, Chang Geng, the governor of Shaanxi, and the shaanxi governor Shengyun were besieging Qianzhou, the gateway to Xi'an, with their elite army and the Zhaowu army (the predecessor of the Majia Army in the northwest of the Republic of China), and if it were not for the timely arrival of the Edict of the Qing Emperor's abdication, I am afraid that Xi'an would have been slaughtered by Shengyun with the elite army and the Zhaowu army.
Therefore, if the real Qing court resolutely does not abdicate and must fight the revolutionary party and Yuan Shikai to the end, then the situation in Xinhai is likely to change that no one can imagine.
It is possible that Duan Qirui took part of the Beiyang Army to merge with the revolutionary army, while Feng Guozhang took another part of the Beiyang Army and merged with zhang Zuolin, Chang Geng, and the northwest elite army and the Zhaowu army under the command of Sheng Yun, and a fierce battle broke out on both sides.
Of course, whether it is for Beiyang, for the revolutionaries, for the Qing court, or for Yuan Shikai, it is a "lose-lose situation."