When it comes to Yuan Shikai, I think friends will not be strangers. People's understanding of him is really not good. Yuan Shikai was in a terrible mess by escaping from the battlefield before the Japanese invasion of Korea and showing conservative behavior in the Wushu Rebellion and the Boxer Rebellion.
But the typical case of Yuan Shikai's act against the times is that in 1916, he openly betrayed the democratic republican form of government, chose to restore the imperial system, and tried to engage in the so-called "constitutional monarchy". This move provoked opposition from most of the people of the country, and even triggered a patriotic war against Yuan Shikai's claim to the throne. Under the offensive of the Protectorate Army,
Yuan Shikai's Beiyang army was gradually defeated.
He chose to abdicate and soon fell ill and died.
Looking at the farce in which Yuan Shikai claimed to be emperor, which stirred up the national storm, Yuan Shikai's eldest son Yuan Keding played a great role. Yuan Keding was the only son born to Yuan Shikai and his wife Yu Shi, who was 12 years older than Yuan Shikai's second son, Yuan Kewen.
Although Yuan Shikai was short in stature and a mangy Warrior, Yuan Keding changed his father's dirty image, looked dignified, and was a talented man. As the eldest son, Yuan Shikai had high hopes for him. During the period of Yuan Shikai's governor of Korea, the period of xiaozhan military training, and even later to Shandong and Zhili to hold important positions, there was always a figure of Yuan Keding around him.
However, God did not care for Yuan Keding. In 1912, when he was riding a horse in his hometown, he accidentally fell on his leg, because of the poor medical level and the failure to treat it in time, Yuan Keding became a cripple.
Yuan Shikai was very distressed after learning about this incident and sent his son to Germany for treatment.
Although Germany's treatment conditions are superior, Yuan Keding's legs have not returned to their former appearance.
Germany did not go in vain, where Yuan Keding met Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Knowing that the eldest son of the President of the Republic of China had come to Germany, Wilhelm II, who had always hoped to expand his influence in the Far East, naturally attached great importance to it. He hoped that Yuan Keding would become a breakthrough.
Wilhelm II treated Yuan Keding with great care and care.
China's national conditions are not suitable for a republican system, and only by learning from Germany can the imperialist system develop. Wilhelm II continued to instill Yuan Keding. He urged Yuan Keding to influence Yuan Shikai, and said that if China wanted to restore the imperial system, Germany would definitely help. He even wrote a letter to Yuan Shikai.
There are both good food and drink, but also bitter words of persuasion, under the instigation of William II, Yuan Keding actually dreamed of an emperor.
He not only had a "German style" at home, but also began to think of himself as the "prince" of the Republic of China.
Originally, Yuan Shikai still had some concerns about claiming the title of emperor under the republican system. In order to dispel his father's concerns, Yuan Keding simply created a fake.
Not only did he often advocate the imperial system in Yuan Shikai's ear, but he also spent 30,000 yuan to hire someone to make a forged "Shuntian Times". The so-called pro-imperialism news and articles were specially published above, which made his father think that public opinion was in favor of the imperial system.
Over time, Yuan Shikai gradually began to think of becoming emperor. Seeing that there was a door, Yuan Keding continued to operate and also launched the so-called organizational preparatory committee.
At the instigation of his son, Yuan Shikai's desire burned, and he finally chose to go against the current of becoming emperor.
As a result, a patriotic war shattered the father's and son's dream of emperor together. Yuan Shikai even angrily scolded Yuan Keding for "deceiving his father and misleading the country." But in the end, everything was useless, under the offensive of the defending army, Yuan Shikai rebelled and died soon after.
After Yuan Shikai's death, Yuan Keding lost his biggest political patron, went into silence, and moved to Tianjin to live in seclusion.
Yuan Keding's early life was still relatively wealthy, because on the one hand he also held the position of superintendent of the Kailuan Mining Bureau, on the other hand, as the eldest son who presided over the division of Yuan Shikai's family property, Yuan Keding earned a lot, and there were even rumors that he had embezzled a lot of Yuan Shikai's inheritance. However, due to his later resignation as superintendent of the Mineral Directorate, and many moves, coupled with his fondness to talk about pomp and circumstance, the days went downhill.
By the early 1930s, Yuan Keding, who had almost become crown prince, had reached the point of poverty, relying on an old servant loyal to him every day to pick up some cabbage gangs on the street and steam some nests to fill his hunger. Even in such an embarrassing environment, Yuan Keding was unwilling to give up his brother's pomp and circumstance, and he must wear a napkin when eating, and he had to eat with a knife and fork, even if he ate pickles in the nest.
In his later years, Yuan Keding's life still did not get better, and he lived a very embarrassing life every day. However, due to Yuan Keding's national integrity of not wanting to be a Traitor to the Japanese during the War of Resistance Against Japan, coupled with his experience of studying in Germany and mastering German and English, his cousin Zhang Boju came to the rescue and helped him find a position in the Central Museum of Literature and History.
After liberation, Yuan Keding lived in Beijing until his death in 1955.