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to have been well founded. Sun Chuan Fang decided that the time had come for bold and vigorous action and in con- Bultation with Chi Heieh Yuan he agreed on a plan for expelling Chang Yun Ming from Lunghua and then marching on Nanking to oppose the further advance of the Fengtien Army. Chi Hsieh Yuan had been living, since December 26th, in a house in the International Settlement and had announced his final retirement from Chinese politicB. Early in January it was well known that conferences were being held daily at his home and the Anfu supporters of Lu Yung Hsiang, who are very numerous and influential in Shanghai, raised an outcry that he should be expelled in
im- It was, however, the same manner as was Little Hed, possible to obtain definite evidence that any conspiracy was being hatched and also impossible to single out Chi Hsieh Yuan for expulsion when notorious villains such as Chen Yao San were allowed full liberty of action. over Chi and Sun laid their plans with such secrecy that
About their coup came as a complete surprise to everyone.
More-
10 p.m. on the night of Saturday, January 10th, Chi Hsieh Yuan drove out of the Settlement into Chapei and was enthusiastically welcomed by the officers and men of the VIth and XIXth Divisions. Kung Pang To, Chi's nominee for the post of Defence Commissioner, while not disloyal to Chi, did not desire to embark on any military adventure, He therefore quietly laid down his command and retired into the Settlement. That same night the troops in Chapel marched along the loop line leading from the North Railway Station to Lunghua and at 4 a.m. on January 12th fighting
At broke out between Chi's army and Chang Yun Ming's. the same time Sun Chuan Fang marched a large force from
the
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