During the Boxer Rebellion Yuan Shikai, the future first president of Republic of China and self-proclaimed Emperor of China, sided with Eight-Nation Alliance in their fight against the Boxers. He's participation helped to vindicate him to very high political position in the years between the end of the rebellion and the death of Empress dowager Cixi. This high esteem eventually lead him to becoming the compromise candidate for first President of ROC.
So, here is the question:
What could happen if Yuan Shikai was assassinated by Boxer sympathizers during the rebellion?