On New Year's Day 1915, the enthronement ceremony of the Taihe Hall in the Forbidden City in Beijing marked the beginning of a new era for China. Behind the brilliance of this ceremony, Yuan Shikai wore a gorgeous dragon robe and a golden phoenix crown, accepting the worship of hundreds of civil and military officials, as if turning back time and returning to the era of feudal monarchy.
At this moment, Yuan Shikai demonstrated his desire for imperial power and the gradual consolidation of the foundation of his rule. He quickly rewarded three princes and six dukes, and these figures were highly successful and powerful, closely related to Yuan Shikai's imperial dream.
Li Yuanhong, Kong Lingyi, and Long Jiguang were respectively named princes, and they represented different political and military forces. Li Yuanhong, as a temporary deputy, was second only to Yuan Shikai, who listed him as the first of the rewardees, aiming to strengthen the political ties between them and ensure the stability of the regime.
However, as the wheels of history rolled forward, Yuan Shikai's dream of restoration was finally shattered. His abdication not only put an end to his personal ambitions for power, but also brought unprecedented variables to the former recipient of the reward.
In this political storm, Li Yuanhong's refusal to award the reward became a symbol of political significance. He expressed his firm support for the republic and his resolute opposition to Yuan Shikai's restoration through telegrams. This action caused widespread repercussions inside and outside the political circle, and became an important factor in the rift in the foundation of Yuan Shikai's rule.
After Yuan Shikai's abdication, Li Yuanhong took over as the big ** and revoked the reward of Yuan Shikai's period. This decision not only negates Yuan Shikai's restoration, but also reaffirms the political principle. However, the political reckoning inevitably triggers a series of political fluctuations and a twist in personal fortunes.
Among the six dukes who were rewarded, Long Jiguang's situation was particularly unique. He was made both a prince and a duke, and became a representative of the embarrassing situation faced by Yuan Shikai's regime. With the change of regime, his former glory and power are in jeopardy.
Zhang Xun, as a supporter of the restoration, had fundamental differences with Yuan Shikai on the idea of the imperial system. He had tried to plot a restoration, to try to revive the monarchy, but that made him an isolated figure in the political turmoil.
Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang, as Yuan Shikai's cronies, chose to oppose Yuan Shikai's act of proclaiming himself emperor. Their rebellion eventually turned into armed resistance, a choice in the face of power and principle.
The fate of Ni Sichong and Duan Zhigui is even more bleak. Despite being made dukes and enjoying a moment of glory and power, their way of life and behavior made them the object of reckoning. After losing their political asylum, they were not only dismissed from their posts, but also faced widespread condemnation from society.
Yuan Shikai's abdication and political liquidation not only ended a history of feudal restoration, but also opened a new chapter in political development. The political changes in this period profoundly show how the fate of individuals and political ideas are intertwined in this pluralistic and complex political environment, and jointly affect the direction and progress of China's modernization process.