Rongmi 容密 telegrams, Tokyo and Shanghai (June 1916)

At a glanceCiphertext-only break · complete

The telegrams: Fourteen telegrams of June 1916 (N02, N08, N11, N12, N14, N19a, N19b, N21, N24, N25, N28, N36 and, from volume 4, V4B and V4D), 1,306 four-digit groups: eight from Tokyo to Shanghai (Huang Xing, Zhang Xiaozhun), six from the Shanghai group to Tokyo. Most are dated 8 to 16 June.
Where: Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, via JACAR: B03050089200, B03050089300, B03050089400, B03050089500 and, for V4B and V4D, B03050089900. Telegraph-office forms copied by the police.
The cipher: Chinese telegraph code numbers in four-digit groups, each digit replaced through a table for its place, then 0901 added. The first two groups of a form are in clear: 1369 1378 = 容密.
How it was deciphered: The key was found by annealing and a single anomaly (借甸 for 借款), with no crib. Ten telegrams read with a key fitted on four, the day code of N14 matches its date, and two telegrams never used in the search read unchanged.
Credit: Brice Dudout, with Claude (mainly Opus 5.5): digits re-read on the scans, the key (published 19 October 2026), translations and context. Satoshi Tomokiyo, Cryptiana: the identification of the key as a renumbered 明密 code book, with the page-80 numbering; his section credits the formula to Dudout. This project checked the key with its own decoder.
What it says: About ten thousand rifles and some mountain guns bought through a Japanese intermediary for Zhejiang, a loan of a million, and Huang Xing’s warning that a legal solution needs armed force behind it.
Still open: 48 characters are kept as decoded but not understood, mostly in N36 and V4B, and 6 groups are illegible; 55 more are probable readings. Only 4 of the 22 sheets of V4B were re-read blind. No copy of the 容密 book has been found.

01 The forms

When Yuan Shikai died on 6 June 1916, Huang Xing was in Tokyo, living at Aoyama Minami-machi 3-53, and his allies were in Shanghai. The Japanese police copied the telegrams that passed between them onto the telegraph office’s own forms, and the copies survive in a Foreign Ministry series of mail and telegrams of watched persons. Each form holds a grid of digits written as kanji numerals. Brice Dudout reads the grid in columns, right to left, each column from the top, and cuts the stream into four-digit groups.

A Japanese telegraph form of June 1916 with the date 6 month 9 day in the header, a grid of digits in kanji numerals at lower left and the katakana address on the right — N14, first sheet, sent from Tokyo on 9 June 1916 (六月九日 in the header). The grid at lower left holds the digits; read as Dudout transcribes them, the groups after the clear prefix 1369 1378 begin 5669 8813 5879 3308 6105, which the key turns into 轉呂都督鑒, “pass on to Governor Lü”. Image: Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, JACAR B03050089300, N14 first sheet (PDF p. 7, left), via Brice Dudout’s wenmi repository.

The first two groups are in clear and name the code. Hsueh Chun-tu’s edition of Huang Xing’s 1916 drafts notes a code name at the head of each telegram, one per correspondent. On that evidence 容密 is a code book issued to particular correspondents, and it needed its own key. The same files hold telegrams in two other numeric keys with their own pages: 共密 and 辰密.

telegram	date, 1916	direction	groups
N11, N12, N14	8, 8, 9 June	Tokyo → Shanghai	58, 82, 47
N19b, N28	11, 14 June	Tokyo → Shanghai	143, 18
N02, N08, N19a	June (day not read)	Tokyo → Shanghai	93, 46, 17
N21, N36	13, 16 June	Shanghai → Tokyo	107, 58
N24, N25, V4D	June (day not read)	Shanghai → Tokyo	200, 113, 59
V4B	25 June ?	Shanghai → Tokyo	265
all 14			1,306

Group counts measured on the transcription. Of the 1,306, 1,198 read without doubt, 55 are probable readings, 48 are unresolved and 6 illegible (Daniel’s rule, counted on reading.md). These four figures add to 1,307, one more than the 1,306 groups, so one group is counted in two classes there. By status in decryption.txt the 1,306 split 1,198 ok, 103 doubtful (55 + 48) and 5 illegible; reading.md marks 6 illegible groups.

02 The 容密 key

Each digit is replaced according to its place, and 0901 is added with ordinary carrying:

digit	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
thousands	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	9	0
hundreds	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
tens	0	1	9	8	2	7	6	5	4	3
units	9	8	0	1	7	2	3	4	5	6

Example. 2081: the thousands 2 and hundreds 0 stay, the tens 8 becomes 4, the units 1 becomes 8, giving 2048; 2048 + 0901 = 2949, 款, “funds”. No group in the corpus begins with 00: the encipherer wrote 90 instead, which is why the thousands 9 stands for 0. So 9084 becomes 0047, and 0047 + 0901 = 0948, 國.

How it was found. The first sheets alone, ninety groups, were too few. Once about 590 groups from the continuation sheets were in hand, annealing four digit tables, scored with a language model of telegraph-code characters, gave readable text. The addition showed itself through one word: 借款, “loan”, sometimes came out 借甸, a thousand too high, exactly when no carry came up from the hundreds. The exact key was computed on four telegrams (N02, N08, N11, N12); the rule 90 = 00 was added from the groups beginning 90.

As a renumbered book. Satoshi Tomokiyo, in the Cryptiana section on the mingmi (明密) format codes, reads this key as a standard 明密 code book with its pages, columns and rows rewritten by hand: pages numbered cyclically from page 10, the tens digit a column number and the units a row. The two descriptions give the same table over all 10,000 values; the repository file key.md states the key both ways. They differ in one cell: written page 80 is page 89 in his numbering and 99 by the formula. The one group concerned, 8012 in N25, reads in neither case; swapping two digits gives 8102, 一, and N25 then ends 一切到乞賜教, “please advise him on everything when he arrives” (of Wu Zhaolian, sent by the Zhejiang governor to meet Huang Xing in Japan). Cryptiana credits the finding that 8012 is an enciphering error for 8102 to Dudout, and Wenmi credits Tomokiyo’s note that it reads in neither version; both are credited here.

Dating. Dudout published the 容密 page, key and eleven telegrams on 19 October 2026 (GitHub commit of the Wenmi repository, 10:11 UTC). Tomokiyo’s section is undated, the page was last modified on 24 October 2026, and Wenmi cites it as of 23 October. The section credits the formula to Dudout (“The formula found by Dudout is to first convert each of the four digits according to a separate respective table; add 901”) and adds the renumbered-book reading.

03 The checks

His checks. The key computed on four telegrams decodes the other ten without refitting; refitted on all of them it returns the same tables. N14 ends 佳, the day code for the 9th, the date on its form. Two telegrams from volume 4 (V4B, V4D) were never used to find the key and decode with it unchanged. The names that come out belong to people holding the right offices in June 1916: Zhang Guogan, Gu Zhongxiu, Tang Xiangming, Tang Hualong. Every digit was re-read blind on the scans by Brice Dudout, without seeing the decipherment, except that only 4 of the 22 sheets of V4B have been re-read so far.

The check made here (20 October 2026). His verify.py reproduces the published raw texts from his digits and scores the 容密 text at 3.18 against 200 random keys of the same form (best −1.67) and 200 shufflings of the digits (best −1.46). His search_rongmi.py, rerun from scratch, finds the hundreds and tens tables exactly and the units up to one carry, but not the 90-for-00 rule; he describes that last step as made by hand. A decoder written here from the key statement alone, using the Unihan telegraph-code table already in this repository, gives the same character as his published text for all 1,306 groups (five groups carry an illegible digit). This confirms that the key as stated turns his digits into his text; it does not re-read the scans.

04 What they say

Hsueh Chun-tu’s edition of Huang Xing’s 1916 drafts has nothing between the pieces of 8 and 20 June, and these telegrams are mostly dated in between. Translations below are Dudout’s, shortened.

Arms and loans

On 9 June Huang Xing wires Governor Lü Gongwang of Zhejiang, through Shanghai (N14):

轉呂都督鑒：袁死，大局益艱，非切實預備，不足以申張國法、奠定國基。感佩藎籌，當効棉力。械先運，款百萬亦可卽成。興佳

“Yuan is dead and the situation is harder; without real preparation we cannot uphold the law of the State. The arms will be shipped first; the loan of one million can also be concluded at once. Xing, the 9th.” Zhang Xiaozhun’s telegrams give the order: about ten thousand rifles, ten or so mountain guns, machine guns (N02, N12), with a Japanese intermediary willing to lend a million for the purchase. Lü asks for exact models and rounds per weapon (N21), offers Zhejiang’s tobacco taxes as security (N25), and promises payment before 30 June (N36).

Law and armed force

On 11 June (N19b) Huang Xing answers a proposal from Shanghai to restore the old Constitution and Parliament and form a new cabinet: he warns that “a legal solution, without sufficient armed force behind it, will have no effect”, and asks that Zhejiang be the pillar of the South-East. From Shanghai, Yin Ruli, Ge Jing’en and Huang Fu report the meeting at Tang’s house: Tang Shaoyi and Tang Hualong will not go to Beijing until Yuan’s laws are annulled and the 1912 Constitution is restored (N24). In late June (V4B) the Shanghai group reports that Duan Qirui is back to the plan of three delegates per province.

05 What is open

48 characters are kept as decoded but not understood (〔x〕), mostly in N36 and V4B, and 6 groups (N12, N21, V4B) have an illegible digit. 55 more are probable readings, shown in braces in reading.md. Most come from uncertain digits on the police copies (the clerk’s 一, 二 and 三 are hard to tell apart). A few codes recur with an unexpected character (繒 for 生, 盻 for 盼); they are marked, not corrected.
V4B, 265 groups over 22 sheets, has been re-read blind on only 4 sheets. In V4B and V4D the digit file includes framing repairs (a digit missing or extra) inferred from the decoding, still to be checked on the scans.
In an earlier reading made here under the old combined page, one group in N24 (2530, kept as 〔滠〕 in Dudout’s edition) was taken as 2520, 灰, “the 10th”, on the sense alone (“on the 10th a meeting at Tang’s house”, after “the 9th” in the same sentence). The edition and the text here keep 〔滠〕.
No copy of the 容密 book has been found, and the 1916 edition of the telegraph code is not identified. The texts have not been found in the 黃興集 or in Li Yuanhong’s correspondence, which are still to be searched. The translations are proposals.

Full texts

The transcription and the decryption of every document on this page, so that the reading can be used and checked. Short files are shown here; all are in the repository.

容密 (Rongmi), 14 telegrams, 8 June - c. 30 June 1916

Zhang Xiaozhun and Huang Xing in Tokyo, the Yin Ruli-Huang Fu-Ge Jing'en group in Shanghai: about 10,000 rifles, mountain guns and machine guns bought in Japan for Zhejiang (Governor Lü Gongwang), payment before 30 June, a one-million loan and tobacco taxes as security; Japan will not lend to Beijing before North and South are unified; "no legal solution without armed force"; the meeting at Tang's house; late June, Duan back to three delegates per province.

Transcription

transcription.txt

# 容密 (Rongmi), June-July 1916: cipher groups as re-read by Brice Dudout on the JACAR police copies.
# The forms carry the digits in kanji numerals in a grid, read in columns right to left, top to bottom, sheet after sheet,
# cut into groups of four. One telegram per line: label, then its groups. The clear prefix 1369 1378 (= 容密) is left out.
# "?" = illegible digit. Sheets and dates: decryption.txt.
N11 5669 2409 8585 8482 3093 6105 6225 0937 0517 5117 0427 3656 8102 5104 3223 0994 2084 2032 2499 4209 1505 1011 3983 1139 8179 8217 0546 1709 0593 3953 1684 6232 8620 5520 0253 1200 5499 1505 1119 6272 1616 0454 6225 3477 3381 0819 8520 1158 4256 8786 3032 3289 3182 2796 8199 0442 2326 0781
N12 8119 5669 8118 5879 3308 6105 2057 6079 8470 4651 9?26 6079 8463 0652 2326 8352 5765 5745 3983 1139 8138 4466 0679 6481 8396 2081 3203 4603 5478 1880 2011 0513 8252 8715 3087 8468 8143 1121 5805 1209 3032 8878 8200 8281 4156 2796 8265 8189 1486 8171 8217 5218 3824 6225 3477 8200 8231 1486 8102 4350 8199 8156 2227 5826 8462 5486 0519 1578 3203 4603 0510 2081 8294 8104 8754 3717 3263 5785 5100 0442 2326 0781
N14 5669 8813 5879 3308 6105 5015 2036 0241 0586 3297 4441 6398 8596 0427 6417 8352 8104 5424 8200 3089 0844 9084 2249 0278 0475 9084 0117 1081 8270 4770 3725 3032 8601 1874 8520 1880 8482 5765 2081 3203 4603 8158 8764 8715 1173 4332 8265
N19b 6952 6277 6225 0937 8494 3635 8192 0844 0965 0834 4335 3868 3249 8786 9084 1637 8119 3801 4040 1580 8477 6182 1158 5117 5754 0241 4439 4256 5638 8572 8200 0210 8827 6486 4362 5702 8593 4151 5185 0819 0652 6225 9029 6737 8479 8494 0593 2499 8784 8759 1577 8732 1083 3121 5005 5868 5117 8200 1702 8102 4364 1011 2162 3249 0856 8108 8199 5185 2133 6398 1631 8491 0427 2058 8520 2796 8199 0857 1368 0902 2682 8601 1776 8127 1624 2232 3266 3550 1919 5772 4939 8277 1791 8631 8199 3353 1722 0102 6390 8595 6225 0792 8717 8306 6908 5785 8549 5871 5455 0253 2056 0771 1631 8897 0749 8199 1624 2056 6197 0652 4350 3032 0586 1396 2256 6398 8305 8631 8676 3949 8102 1104 0851 8396 2081 1578 1324 1424 0780 8119 4215 4332 3258
N21 2232 3089 044? 5669 4364 8494 6225 1541 1656 0844 2439 5625 8482 3093 6105 2232 3094 2057 5925 0553 3358 1926 6160 5925 3528 8230 8281 0744 0801 8468 1543 8759 4439 0748 3358 0896 2110 6146 5925 0896 8786 1926 6160 5925 0896 2110 1237 8759 4439 0748 5915 6128 6387 8469 3358 8108 6138 0568 8878 6562 6346 9052 0488 8352 8726 8569 8252 8759 6225 8170 8878 3569 1643 5973 9052 1709 5218 0937 8112 5638 2249 0571 1528 1543 8158 6272 3058 5275 8715 5218 3824 3417 0427 6225 5100 4369 3252 8813 8462 1624 1541 2758 4215 6699 5886 0961 8499
N28 5669 3203 5981 8494 8252 6225 8104 1526 0652 6225 5203 8404 3725 8107 3203 8156 8494 2326
N36 6908 8486 0840 8482 4094 0844 2448 5625 8482 4094 9052 6105 8805 8490 4652 8741 5170 0656 1609 1791 1880 1924 5785 5765 0253 8496 6081 8104 1174 8204 8407 8503 8170 1826 0744 8463 1634 8107 8659 1550 8200 8569 3087 2232 8352 6081 8203 6399 8104 0934 3252 6521 5785 5772 4939 8462 1624 5929
V4B 6908 8486 0840 8482 3393 0844 2439 5625 8494 2232 1880 8179 1476 6346 1708 5178 0546 1631 1239 9093 0637 1624 8645 0637 3680 8520 5150 2249 3868 2249 8179 6903 2084 5797 8200 8840 8201 3121 5005 2104 6255 6298 1919 3672 8788 0519 2686 9098 8781 0625 6947 2299 0856 0469 8199 2661 1000 2084 5721 2058 1572 2255 7409 8352 9083 0115 0902 6413 3983 8102 3569 1139 4074 1577 8764 5118 0839 1422 1631 8759 3266 2257 8204 5005 8107 8138 8199 5392 1569 8783 ?427 2796 8759 3166 0593 5392 8867 8143 5725 2257 8107 8138 8985 3983 2333 2586 2058 5150 2249 5669 9074 0225 1463 3087 2104 820? 3546 8138 5449 1808 6225 5206 2499 9084 1637 5392 8867 8764 8726 0965 0839 4335 3868 2349 8715 3087 5392 8867 8278 6677 4103 8733 8104 3094 5392 8867 9079 8733 4140 0839 6225 8192 0844 0965 0839 2204 8457 8802 6913 3121 8?01 8482 2257 8103 8115 0683 4714 1618 1999 8252 3089 3030 5791 1083 5117 2686 0857 3087 2104 3121 6225 8252 5206 8105 1550 8103 4714 0651 8570 8715 4369 5392 8868 1637 0193 8809 0243 1543 5465 1173 8715 3087 8103 4714 7225 3333 5752 2104 2666 5638 1011 8103 4714 8549 8151 0857 2333 2586 2058 8786 4616 2359 8238 8152 6225 5233 3868 2249 8179 3788 5392 8783 4166 2104 8783 0119 0115 8759 2257 8107 8138 8299 5282 8520 5185 8104 1111 8162 3528 3686 3258 3262 0253 8381 1709 4356 6417 1598 0478 1393 1526 4074 0193 5669 9256
N02 5669 8813 5879 3308 2057 6079 3868 4603 1777 0553 3358 8764 1624 8659 6512 6146 1926 6079 2055 5150 3249 6226 2081 9062 8165 8659 4663 8200 8477 2317 2164 8396 2081 0546 2682 6495 3953 6226 1616 3044 8198 4244 1039 8396 2081 8165 3203 4603 8104 1550 8764 1273 3032 0586 1083 4256 8482 3087 2056 8165 3203 4663 8477 1444 8549 5478 8203 8715 1155 0864 8200 5438 5765 1119 8715 6225 8826 5612 8645 6204 8119 3252 5100 5826 8462 5486 3687 3575 8189 5877 0458 0442 2326
N08 6225 0937 5478 1180 2081 0652 0571 3443 8826 0857 8156 0241 3868 8764 5638 8572 2796 8303 3596 0454 2056 9068 8104 2016 1738 0412 0896 1543 0652 0571 8156 2227 1476 8162 6272 0857 8764 5638 8396 2081 2055 8603 5785 5772 4939 2326
N19a 5669 3203 5981 8494 8104 4256 0994 3263 0472 8731 8252 1791 8102 8826 6225 5100 2326
N24 5669 6908 8486 0840 8482 3093 6105 8265 1550 6913 6225 3333 9044 2231 8108 0667 8462 8476 8151 5465 8606 2530 1550 8832 0482 6140 1637 8585 5392 8462 5275 2586 2058 8188 0528 2403 2245 6396 3093 9096 8138 8200 8343 8138 8733 4140 8476 8151 8192 1260 8468 8192 0844 8732 8265 6225 1158 6217 0857 3983 8457 8107 3333 3528 2133 0475 8482 3087 8832 2333 8799 6225 3060 5233 3282 1083 4369 1081 8282 6398 8109 8201 8784 2226 5015 5749 8324 2249 0427 4939 5730 2666 8499 0744 3868 2249 1684 8104 8476 8151 8162 8162 8125 1540 0844 9084 2349 3087 8151 6225 1895 3333 5233 3868 2249 0834 4335 4489 0652 5465 5785 6225 5734 5638 3252 5785 1396 2256 6225 8572 8715 8764 0479 8283 0480 0444 0286 8499 6587 2257 5436 0450 8119 8764 6390 6217 8102 8596 8631 1577 2889 3691 8759 3266 8189 5791 6225 8161 5250 3949 8102 1926 8104 8764 0298 0454 6225 0652 0818 3422 8266 4215 8162 8162 2333 1427 0475 1578 8125 1611 5436 8151 2758 4215 9029 6737 8479 8494 0705 1646 2101 2169 6699 4616 1519 0961 6908 5886 8762 1422
N25 6404 0851 8813 3307 8252 6225 1656 2695 1228 8478 0744 2146 5647 1543 3868 8171 8659 8470 4603 2695 5826 2776 1228 3572 8478 0744 0777 1423 3868 8659 9096 4603 8200 8108 8171 6401 1463 8764 2796 8102 3569 1309 1292 8878 4369 5826 1228 8478 0744 1423 8476 3868 8188 8659 4603 8294 5140 8104 0477 9052 0637 4350 8569 5796 5822 5638 8200 8108 8759 6401 9052 9063 3826 5826 8462 5486 5481 0210 2758 4218 1526 8119 3252 5100 8162 8162 2758 4215 8783 2232 3307 0652 2257 8803 8490 4652 8731 5436 1550 4350 8462 1396 2256 8012 8596 8572 8189 5499 1505 6699 5886 0961 1423
V4D 1880 8179 6340 1408 6671 8342 3207 8498 3289 8520 8457 4350 8790 5873 3443 8826 1179 0546 1631 1624 5275 9044 8803 8731 1684 3068 2169 6699 0652 1578 1608 0211 8365 0844 4420 2861 5374 8786 1678 9029 7494 8476 8151 5886 0546 1709 2032 1056 6197 8179 3087 2237 8204 2900 0741 4215 0844 2231 0674

Decryption: decryption.txt

Reading

reading.md

# 容密 (Rongmi): reading

Chinese text with punctuation, as published in the Wenmi edition (Brice Dudout with Claude). {x}: a probable reading replacing an
anomalous decoded character (a one-digit variant of the group or the context; the decryption keeps the figure's
own value). 〔x〕: the decoded character kept, not understood. □ / 〔…〕: illegible group. Translations in translation.md.

## N11 — 8 June 1916, Tokyo → Shanghai

轉溯初先生鑒：電悉。尊見實第一要着，急欲歸滬聆教，惟經手事件尚未就緒，暫難{抽}身。如承賜教，懇隨時密電示知，弟力所能及，當盡瘁爲之。孝準庚

## N12 — 8 June 1916, Tokyo → Shanghai

並轉{呂}都督鑒：步鎗八〔蔆〕，{機}鎗六〔…〕，已準備運送。經手人芳川願借款百萬購械，〔檳〕將來卽由其中扣還。抵當品以何者爲佳？乞擇二件詳細電示，以便擇一與之交涉。酒公賣對於百萬小款似不合算，盼速覆。孝準庚

## N14 — 9 June 1916, Tokyo → Shanghai

轉呂都督鑒：袁死，大局益艱，非切實預備，不足以申張國法、奠定國基。感佩藎籌，當効棉力。械先運，款百萬亦可卽成。興佳

## N19b — 11 June 1916, Tokyo → Shanghai

齊、{佳}電悉。兄等主張恢復舊約{法}及國會，並{組}織新內閣，所見遠大。若能辦到，以外問題自迎刃而解。弟已電垣、鳳兩兄就滬取各方同意，發表鄙見，以期一致。惟求{法}律上之解決，非有充實武力爲之後援，必無効果。仍望浙省積極進行，作東南之砥柱。{一}面分電幹卿、俠黃速出鄂、贛，如此庶有和平之望。此間已與當局接洽，非俟南北統一，〔憯〕得借款於{北}政府。並聞。興真

## N21 — 13 June 1916, Shanghai → Tokyo

〔浙申□〕轉致兄電文曰：張潤農先生鑒：浙用步銃、山砲、機關銃究係何年式？其數各若干？砲彈每門、銃彈及機關銃彈每挺各若干？〔醅〕附革具、砲上{附}屬品、馱〔靄〕均完備否？前來各電于品種、{數}量均未詳悉，且辦法屢易，數亦隨異。請卽詳細確實電覆，至{盼}。呂公望 文特聞。驪郛恩元

## N28 — 14 June 1916, Tokyo → Shanghai

轉百里兄：來電不明。已電詠儀籌三百交兄。準

## N36 — 16 June 1916, Shanghai → Tokyo

黃克強先{生}、張{潤}農先{生}均鑒：{吳}兆蓮{君}〔計巷昭〕東械〔樨〕速運，〔如儿〕{款}〔不戚〕代價准于〔椰〕年六月三十日以前由浙備{款}付，〔靠〕不悞。{盼}〔騙〕速進行。公望銑

## V4B — 25 June 1916 ?, Shanghai → Tokyo

黃克強先{生}、張潤農兄：浙械事據{青}木言，尚有挽回希望，務希竭力設法。約法事〔麻〕欲逕以命令發表，段雖〔隗〕極端反對，然因受帝黨{法}律家之煽惑，欲避武斷〔洼□備〕固執必須經一種手續方可〔規〕{復}，{故}有各省派代表三人之議，旋又〔□〕爲各{省}就議員中選派三人。嗣經湯濟武設法轉圜，始擬由段〔□〕私人資格電詢滬國會議員可否恢{復}舊約{法}，卽由議員{全}體署名，不用議員團名義，{復}電主張恢{復}，〔沱〕再呈黎發〔□〕。先派丁世嶧、蕭晉榮來申疏通意見，然後由段發電來詢。七日丁、蕭〔市〕{到}，卽至議{員}會報告，多數贊成，卽由丁、蕭{電}〔硏〕達段照辦。惟丁、蕭出京後，湯濟武及葛湛侯{來}電謂約法事〔篠〕議又翻，段又堅執各派三人{之}説，力解不應云。究竟真相如{何}，未{能}預料，〔客〕探明續報。〔轉妄〕

## N02 — June 1916 (day not read), Tokyo → Shanghai

轉呂都督：步鎗約萬枝，山砲可望十餘門，機鎗正設{法}，需款在五十{萬}以內。{浙}江借款尚無頭緒，需時甚久。肇慶借款五百萬，不日可{成}。當局意能先由此五百{萬}內撥出購付，卽〔戸徂〕以起運。懇卽電商軍務院，並{盼}覆。酒公賣章程乞郵寄。孝準

## N08 — June 1916 (day not read), Tokyo → Shanghai

電悉。購{械}款已屢磋商，後交大約可辦到。爲保秘密，此地不檢查。子彈數已屢交涉，據云隨後可辦。借款正加速進行。準

## N19a — June 1916 (day not read), Tokyo → Shanghai

轉百里兄：不能急，盼官君來東一商。電覆。準

## N24 — June 1916 (day not read), Shanghai → Tokyo

轉黃克強先生鑒：佳日黎電〔硏〕囑海上巨公入京贊助。〔滠〕日唐宅開會，初議公請濟武、九峯、溥泉、靜生四人以個人名義入京主持，其主張同佳電所陳。後經再三硏究，決定先由唐、湯去電，略謂：盛意至感，但非下令取消袁逆僞法，實行遵照元年約法，暫不入京云云。今〔斌〕張國淦由京電梁〔硏〕，謂約法復舊，芝已贊，速電遲辦，{盼}速接洽。電到卽可宣佈。〔宗孰〕奉元首派赴寧，並可面陳一切。南方獨立各省乞通電亟謀統一，機不可失。密電已弛禁。併聞云云。湯改定於今晚赴京。特聞。垣、鳳兩兄常晤。殷汝驪、葛敬恩、黃郛叩〔攴〕

## N25 — June 1916 (day not read), Shanghai → Tokyo

頃得呂{督}來電曰：烟捐全年比較數約二十八萬；烟酒牌捐税全年庫收約十四萬以上；二項擬可爲一種{抵}押品。至酒捐全年收入約九十萬，似覺不宜。均希與前途酌辦。以上各項均〔圩紩〕酒公賣〔賟〕外，特聲明，並{盼}覆云云。特聞。又浙{督}已派吳兆蓮君赴日與公接洽，{一}切到乞賜教。驪郛恩〔收〕

## V4D — June 1916 (day not read), Shanghai → Tokyo

械事青{木}、高倉皆允盡力，再與{參}部磋商，或尚有望。請囑吳君暫留。汝驪已於昨夕{偕}張、范、王〔豆〕及曉垣〔岊〕入京，郛尚未歸。{此}間事由浩代理。幷聞。〔張海州〕

Translation

translation.md

# 容密 (Rongmi): English translation

Working translations from the Wenmi page (https://bdudout.github.io/wenmi/en/rongmi.html, Brice Dudout with Claude, CC BY 4.0).
Identifications of people are candidates; uncertain passages are marked as on the site.

## N11 — 8 June 1916

To be passed to Mr Suchu: telegram received. Your view is indeed the key point; I would like to return to Shanghai at once to hear your advice, but the business in my hands is not settled and I cannot get away for now. If you wish to advise me, please send secret telegrams at any time; whatever is in my power I will do with all my strength. — Xiaozhun. The 8th.

Note: 溯初 = Huang Qun. Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N12 — 8 June 1916

Also to be passed to Governor Lü: rifles, eight […]; machine guns, six […]: ready for shipment. The intermediary Yoshikawa is willing to lend one million to buy arms, to be repaid later out of that sum. Which security is best? Please choose two and wire details, so that I can pick one and negotiate. Pledging the wine monopoly for a small loan of one million does not seem worthwhile. Reply soon. — Xiaozhun. The 8th.

Note: Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N14 — 9 June 1916

To be passed to Governor Lü: Yuan is dead and the general situation is harder. Without serious preparation we cannot uphold the law of the State and lay its foundations. Grateful for your devoted plans, I shall give my modest strength. The arms will be shipped first; the one-million loan can also be concluded at once. — Xing. The 9th.

Note: Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N19b — 11 June 1916

Your telegrams of the 8th and 9th received. You advocate restoring the old Provisional Constitution and Parliament and forming a new cabinet: far-sighted. If it can be done, the other questions will solve themselves. I have wired our friends Yuan and Feng to gather everyone’s agreement in Shanghai and publish my view, so that we speak with one voice. But a legal solution will have no effect without sufficient armed force behind it. I still hope Zhejiang will press ahead and be the pillar of the South-East, and at the same time wire Ganqing and Xiahuang separately to march quickly on Hubei and Jiangxi: only then can we hope for peace. Here I have reached an understanding with the authorities: no loan to the Northern government before North and South are unified. For information. — Xing. The 11th.

Note: 垣 = Li Shucheng, 鳳 = Chen Jiahui, 幹卿 = Lu Rongting, 俠黃 = Li Liejun (identifications from the 黃興等電稿 edition). Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N21 — 13 June 1916

[…] Text of the telegram to be passed on: To Mr Zhang Runnong: the rifles, mountain guns and machine guns for Zhejiang — of what model exactly, and how many of each? How many shells per gun, cartridges per rifle and per machine gun? Are the leather equipment, gun accessories and pack gear all complete? Earlier telegrams did not give types and quantities, and the arrangements changed often, the numbers with them. Please wire full and exact details at once. — Lü Gongwang, the 12th. For information. — Li, Fu, En. The 13th.

Note: 張潤農 = Zhang Xiaozhun himself; 驪郛恩 = Yin Ruli, Huang Fu, Ge Jing’en. Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N28 — 14 June 1916

To be passed to our friend Baili: your telegram was unclear. I have already wired Yongyi to raise three hundred for you. — Zhun.

Note: Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N36 — 16 June 1916

To Mr Huang Keqiang and Mr Zhang Runnong: Mr Wu Zhaolian […] the arms from Japan […] to be shipped quickly […] funds […]. The price will be paid by Zhejiang before 30 June of this year, without fail. We hope it moves quickly. — Gongwang. The 16th.

Note: Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## V4B — 25 June 1916 ?

To Mr Huang Keqiang and brother Zhang Runnong: on the Zhejiang arms, according to Aoki, there is still hope of saving the deal; please do your utmost. On the Constitution, [Li] wanted to promulgate it directly by decree; Duan, though not utterly opposed, swayed by the legal advisers of the monarchist party and wishing to avoid [the charge of] arbitrariness, insists that some procedure be followed before restoration — hence the idea of three delegates per province, then of three chosen by each province from its parliamentarians. Tang Jiwu (Tang Hualong) then found a compromise: Duan would ask the parliamentarians in Shanghai, in a personal capacity, whether to restore the old Constitution; all would sign, not in the name of the parliamentary group, a reply calling for restoration, to be presented to Li for promulgation. Ding Shiyi and Xiao Jinrong would first come to Shanghai to smooth the way, then Duan would cable his question. On the 7th Ding and Xiao arrived and reported to the parliamentarians’ meeting; the majority agreed, and Ding and Xiao cabled Duan to proceed. But after they left Beijing, Tang Jiwu and Ge Zhanhou (Ge Jing’en) cabled that the agreement on the Constitution had been overturned again: Duan again insists on three delegates per province and refuses. What the truth is cannot be foreseen; we will find out and report further. […]

Note: Digits re-read by Brice Dudout on only 4 of 22 sheets (first and last).

## N02 — June 1916 (day not read)

To be passed to Governor Lü: rifles, about ten thousand; mountain guns, one may hope for ten or more; machine guns being arranged […]. Funds needed within 500,000. The Zhejiang loan has no lead yet and will take long. The Zhaoqing loan of five million will soon be concluded; the authorities intend first to set aside from these five million the payment for the purchase, then […] ship. Please wire the Military Affairs Council at once to consult, and reply. Please post the regulations of the wine monopoly. — Xiaozhun.

Note: Signature 孝準 = Zhang Xiaozhun (courtesy name 潤農), in Tokyo with Huang Xing; 呂 = Lü Gongwang, Zhejiang governor. Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N08 — June 1916 (day not read)

Telegram received. The funds for buying arms have been discussed several times; deferred delivery can probably be arranged. To keep it secret, there will be no inspection here. The quantity of ammunition has been negotiated several times; they say it can be done afterwards. The loan is being speeded up. — Zhun.

Note: Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N19a — June 1916 (day not read)

To be passed to our friend Baili: we cannot hurry; I hope Mr Guan will come to Japan to discuss. Reply by wire. — Zhun.

Note: 百里 = Jiang Fangzhen. Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N24 — June 1916 (day not read)

To be passed to Mr Huang Keqiang: on the 9th President Li wired asking the eminent men of Shanghai to come to Beijing and help. On the […] a meeting was held at Tang’s house. It was first proposed to ask four men, Jiwu, Jiufeng, Puquan and Jingsheng, to go to Beijing in their personal capacity and take charge, their position being that of the telegram of the 9th. After much study it was decided that Tang and Tang would first wire, saying in substance: “We are deeply grateful, but unless an order abolishes the traitor Yuan’s illegitimate laws and restores the Provisional Constitution of the first year, we will not come to Beijing for now.” Today Zhang Guogan wired Liang from Beijing that the return to the old Constitution has Zhi’s approval; […]; we hope for quick contact. Once the telegram arrives it can be announced. […], sent by the head of State to Nanjing, can explain everything in person. Let the independent southern provinces issue a circular telegram and seek unification at once: the chance must not be lost. The ban on cipher telegrams has been lifted. For your information, etc. Tang has decided to leave for Beijing tonight. For information. We often see our two friends Yuan and Feng. — Yin Ruli, Ge Jing’en, Huang Fu. […]

Note: 濟武 = Tang Hualong, 九峯 = Gu Zhongxiu, 溥泉 = Zhang Ji, 靜生 = Fan Yuanlian, Zhang Guogan = presidential secretary-general; 芝 = Duan Qirui (candidate). Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## N25 — June 1916 (day not read)

We have just received from Governor Lü a telegram saying: the tobacco tax yields about 280,000 a year; the tobacco and wine licence taxes bring the treasury more than 140,000 a year; these two items could serve as security. The wine tax, about 900,000 a year, does not seem suitable; please settle with the other party. The items above […] apart from the wine monopoly; we state this expressly and await a reply, etc. For information. Also, the Zhejiang governor has sent Mr Wu Zhaolian to Japan to meet you; please advise him on everything when he arrives. — Li, Fu, En. […]

Note: Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

## V4D — June 1916 (day not read)

As to the arms, Aoki and Takakura have both promised to do their best; negotiating again with the General Staff, there may still be hope. Please ask Mr Wu to stay for now. [Yin] Ruli left for Beijing last night with Zhang, Fan, Wang […] and Xiaoyuan […]; [Huang] Fu is not yet back. Business here is handled by Hao. For your information. […]

Note: Digits re-read by Brice Dudout.

Key: key.md

06 Sources

Japan Center for Asian Historical Records (JACAR), Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, series 特定人ノ発受郵便物取調: B03050089200, B03050089300, B03050089400, B03050089500, B03050089900.
Brice Dudout, Wenmi (October 2026, CC BY 4.0): 容密 and “June 1916: what Huang Xing’s telegrams say”; github.com/bdudout/wenmi, solver/numeric1916; pull request #266 to this repository.
Satoshi Tomokiyo, Cryptiana, section “Mingmi (明密) Format Code: Gongmi, Rongmi, Chenmi”.
Hsueh Chun-tu (薛君度), ed., 黃興等電稿, as cited by Brice Dudout.
Related pages, each a different key or system: 共密 (Gongmi), 辰密 (Chenmi), Sun Yat-sen’s intercepted telegrams, 1916–17 (code condensers) and Huang Xing to Lin Hu and Li Genyuan, 25 May 1916 (romanised kana).

The digit transcription, decryption, reading, translation and key file are in the repository under targets/rongmi1916/; the independent check made on 20 October 2026 is in targets/numeric1916/. The JACAR scans stay in Brice Dudout’s repository.

Cite this page

Brice Dudout, Satoshi Tomokiyo and Daniel Bourdeau, “Huang Xing’s 容密 telegrams, June 1916”, Cyphersolver, posted 5 November 2026, updated 7 November 2026, https://cyphersolver.com/rongmi1916.html.