The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

After the troops in Korea assembled their telegraphs and sent a report of the capture of Yizhou to Li Hu and his men, they immediately began to advance rapidly deeper into Korea, employing a destructive tactic. Meanwhile, the infantry and cavalry separated and began to march north, creating a retreat route for the cavalry in the direction of Changbai Mountain...

Li Hu had long suspected that if the invading troops caught them by surprise, they might achieve a surprising victory, similar to the raid on Port Arthur, so he had already made arrangements. However, he had not anticipated the troops' audacity and boldness, actually taking the important northern Korean city of Uiju first. This was truly remarkable. Li Hu could easily guess that if the Yalu River Army Commander Kawamura Kageaki learned of this, he would be furious and quickly dispatch troops back to Korea to eliminate this invading force. Otherwise, Japan's ten years of painstaking efforts in Korea would be destroyed.

Li Hu knew that this was a rare opportunity, a good opportunity to launch a large-scale attack to annihilate the Japanese army, an opportunity to put the Japanese army in a dilemma in Andong, and also to buy time for the troops entering North Korea!

Without hesitation, Li Hu immediately asked, "Comrades of the artillery, are you ready? The troops entering North Korea have had a smooth start and have captured Yizhou. This time, we will give the Japanese an artillery feast, so that these devils will remember this lesson and dare not set foot in China again. Perhaps this time, we really have a chance to drive the Japanese out of Northeast China..."

Just as Li Hu was asking the artillery to make arrangements for the next military operation, a signalman reported: "Report to the commander, the Japanese army suddenly launched a large-scale attack on our front line."

"A large-scale attack? How can the Japanese army still be capable of launching a large-scale attack?"

Li Hu muttered to himself and immediately realized that the Japanese army must have known the news that the troops entering North Korea had captured Yizhou. Now they were attacking instead of defending, or creating enough time for the main force behind to return to North Korea and prevent pursuit by the field army.

"Are the Japanese troops really going to run away?"

Thinking of this possibility, Li Hu's eyes immediately lit up. If he were the commander of the Japanese army, if he wanted the entire army to return to Korea, he would definitely send troops to attack first, and then quickly withdraw the entire army to buy enough time to cross the river and return to Korea. In this way, the field army could only follow behind the Japanese army and suffer.

Li Hu looked at the sky and saw that it would be dark in an hour. The Japanese might return to Korea tonight. He immediately ordered: "The entire army should defend, retreat step by step, and engage the Japanese army in a fierce battle. Be ready to counterattack at any time."

"Comrades of the special forces, after dark, go and eliminate the Japanese troops on guard outside. The artillery will quietly move to the front line to provide fire support for the soldiers' attack. There is no need to conserve ammunition for tonight's attack. We must fight a night raid tonight. Illumination flares and other supplies must be prepared. Once the opportunity arises, the entire army will attack..."

Chapter 557: Second update!

Li Hu didn't know whether the Japanese army would return to Korea, or only part of it would return to Korea, or the Japanese commander had also thought of this and had set a trap for himself, a big pocket, and was now waiting for him to deliver the meat to the door and then inflict heavy damage on our army.

The battlefield is shrouded in fog. Who can know the final answer until the end?

"Commander, the report from the front says the Japanese are defending very tightly. Furthermore, the scouts are stationed at a considerable distance, so the small artillery may be ineffective."

Li Hu was feeling immense pressure. His stern face was expressionless as he spoke calmly, "The small artillery will follow the infantry tonight and provide fire support to the attacking infantry. The large artillery will certainly not be able to keep up with the army's attack speed. They will only bombard the Japanese troops on the front lines and create a safe passage for the attacking infantry. Then they can follow behind and attack the enemy."

"Yes!"

As soon as the messenger left, a comrade said, "Commander, shouldn't we be more cautious? This is Northeast China, our territory. As long as we use the sixteen-character strategy well, no matter how powerful the enemy's troops are or how high their morale is, we will still win in the end. Regardless of whether the Japanese army intends to leave or not, we only need to wait a little longer to get the result. Isn't it a bit too much to take risks now?"

"I think we can fight, but we can't completely wipe out the Japanese army because there are Japanese warships behind us, and we can't defend against their artillery."

"It's not that we can't defend ourselves, it's that we can't defend ourselves at all. If we get hit directly, we'll be wiped out, so what's the point of defending? However, if the Japanese hold their ground with all their might, we'll suffer heavy losses. Now, if we just grind our way through, we can win. Can we not rush to attack?"

Listening to his comrades' comments, some agreeing, some disagreeing, Li Hu suddenly recalled something Chairman Zhang Yinghao had said: "A battlefield commander must possess a resolute character, a will of steel, and unyielding resolve. Before discovering new circumstances, wavering is the worst thing to do. Even giving the wrong order is better than giving no order at all, wavering, or frequently changing orders..."

Therefore, Li Hu interrupted the discussion with a wave of his hand and said: "We are not discussing whether to fight or not, but only how to fight better. If the Japanese army really retreats, this will be the last major battle with the Japanese army in a short period of time. If we don't destroy some of the Japanese army's manpower, we will not be able to live in peace here. Even if the Japanese army does not retreat and chooses to hold on, we must reduce the pressure on the troops entering North Korea. Moreover, our soldiers must also learn how to attack strongholds. Learning from books is shallow, and true understanding requires personal practice. I believe that our soldiers will only become stronger with each battle..."

At this time, the political commissar said: "Commander, we also agree to fight, but why don't we wait and see whether the Japanese army will show any signs of crossing the river or whether there is new information before attacking. If the Japanese army really waits for us to attack, the quality of our soldiers is still far behind that of the Japanese army, and the losses will indeed be heavy. The Chairman has always said that time is on our side. Even if the Japanese army really escapes, it doesn't matter. We will only become stronger and stronger. We also have the confidence that we can defeat Japan more easily in the future than now..."

In the darkness of the night, the special forces walked like ghosts across the gloomy black earth. The Japanese, with their experience from the Russo-Japanese War, were naturally more familiar with sneak attacks. Therefore, the Japanese artillery would occasionally fire a shot at a distance. This was fire reconnaissance, not intended to kill the enemy, but to expose the enemy. Sometimes, the fire would even reach several kilometers away to deter the enemy.

Behind the special forces, artillery squads appeared on the road. The horses' hooves were wrapped in black cloth, their muzzles covered in bamboo cages. Aside from the grinding of wheels against ruts, the entire procession was silent. The artillery troops advanced quietly, each moving according to the range of their artillery, stopping only when they reached their respective positions along the front line.

Then they immediately began to work furiously with their tools, digging for artillery positions, dugouts, and storage areas for shells. Once these were completed, the artillerymen immediately began loading shells and erecting their guns. Then, they all fell silent, awaiting the order or signal to fire.

All was quiet, the stars twinkling in the sky. The unpolluted sky seemed unusually beautiful, but from time to time, the roar of cannonballs shattered the tranquility of the Northeast. Who could have imagined that beneath this beautiful sky lay a murderous aura? You plotted against me, I plotted against you? Both of us racked our brains to kill as many of our own kind...

The soldiers of the field army looked extremely serious at this time, staring ahead. Although they could not see anything in front of them, they still wanted to see through the thick darkness and try to see what conspiracy was going on inside the Japanese military camp and positions.

Suddenly, bursts of noise came from the direction of the Japanese positions. These were the explosions of small cannons fired by the field army soldiers approaching the Japanese positions. Then came the sound of popping beans. Everyone knew it was indeed machine gun fire, but more often it was the sound of firecrackers in the iron barrels. This was also fire reconnaissance, determining the intensity and location of Japanese firepower, and finding targets for subsequent artillery bombardments.

The Japanese troops, however, remained unperturbed and engaged the field army in a flurry of fire. Hearing this, the field army immediately realized the Japanese were methodical and well-prepared, anticipating a surprise attack. The Japanese artillery fire became more frequent, with some shells exploding dozens of meters from the artillery, yet the field army artillery remained unmoved.

After figuring out the Japanese army's firepower points and their specific positions, the attacking front-line troops began to retreat. The Japanese army did not dare to pursue them in the dark night and could only retreat to their positions in disappointment.

This time the Japanese army was prepared, but they did not bombard the field army in large numbers. However, no one would believe that the Japanese army's artillery was unprepared. Perhaps the Japanese army's artillery was waiting for the field army's artillery to fire first. Perhaps the Japanese army would secretly send scouts to investigate the location of the field army's artillery. Perhaps the Japanese army was also going to retreat, and would not save ammunition once they opened fire...

About half an hour later, the headquarters finally drew a rough layout of the Japanese positions and sent it to the temporary artillery headquarters. Regardless of whether the Japanese artillery was prepared or not, the artillery commander explained the bombardment data, and everyone immediately went to their positions to prepare and adjust the firing parameters.

However, the artillery had not received any orders to fire, as Li Hu had not yet received any information about the Japanese crossing the Yalu River. If the Japanese had indeed not crossed the Yalu River, it goes without saying that the Japanese army was waiting for the field army to attack. Perhaps this was the Japanese officers' idea, to eliminate as many of the field army's active forces as possible before leaving, so that Korea could be more peaceful in the future.

Each side had its own calculations, and both sides were cautious. Time flew by, and the sky was now beginning to lighten. The field army's artillery units had endured the entire night in the darkness. Although it was already June, the nights were still quite cold. After returning home, many artillerymen might catch a fever or a cold. That night, the field army had repeatedly launched surprise attacks and harassment on the Japanese positions, but still had no success.

"Should we attack, or should we just let it go for now?"

Li Hu was also in a dilemma. At this time, the entire command center was silent. So far, the field army had not suffered any losses. It was equivalent to letting the infantry and artillery train for one night. Even if they really gave up, it would not be a big deal.

"Report, a scout has returned to report that at least two floating bridges have been discovered on the Yalu River. It was too dark last night, so they couldn't find them at all..."

Upon hearing this, Li Hu immediately shouted, "The main force of the Japanese army must have sneaked away at night last night. Order the artillery to open fire immediately. If the Japanese artillery fire is sparse, the entire infantry army will attack immediately. We must not let the Japanese troops left behind in the northeast escape."

"Yes."

At this time, the political commissar stood up and said: "I'm sorry, Commander, I was wrong. Yesterday I..."

Li Hu quickly waved his hands and said, "Political Commissar, you don't need to apologize. The Chairman said that this was a battlefield fog, and there is no right or wrong in seizing opportunities. Moreover, we don't know whether the Japanese army was deliberately creating confusion, so none of us is wrong. It's this era that is wrong. If the Japanese army hadn't invaded Northeast China, we wouldn't have to go to the battlefield, and there would be no sacrifices. You were also considering the soldiers yesterday. You are right, and no one is wrong."

At this time, the Chief of Staff also said: "The commander is right, and the political commissar is also right. If we want to blame someone, we should blame ourselves for being too weak. We don't have enough strength to crush the Japanese army. We must look forward. Taiwan is still in the hands of the Japanese. We will definitely fight with the Japanese army again. There is a long way to go..."

The artillery had been waiting all night. Finally, the order to fire came. The final moment had arrived. Artillery headquarters issued the order to begin the bombardment in two minutes. Then, numerous artillerymen immediately took action, warming up and carrying ammunition.

Two minutes passed in a flash. The order to fire was given, and after a burst of booming artillery fire, suddenly, a burst of fireworks rose from the Japanese position. The Japanese observation post looked at the beautiful fireworks stupidly, and suddenly missed his mother at home. Then he suddenly saw countless black spots attacking this side. He seemed to realize something, but his brain was not working well due to staying up late and being frightened. It took a long time to come back to his senses, and then he screamed "Oh my God!" and immediately shouted: "Enemy attack."

In fact, he didn't need to shout. The Japanese commander heard the sound of the artillery shells exploding and immediately realized that something was wrong. However, before he could do anything, the artillery shells had already exploded in his barracks. In an instant, the Japanese army's resting camp immediately exploded. Countless Japanese soldiers came out of the tents, their upper bodies naked, wearing only a loincloth, and ran around in the barracks, dodging the artillery shells.

This is where things get interesting. In a short period of time, the field army fired nearly three thousand artillery shells, all of which were poured into the enemy camps and positions, causing heavy losses to the Japanese army.

Commander Kawamura Kageaki, who was already in Korea, heard the distant rumble of artillery fire and sighed deeply. He said to the messenger beside him, "Order the warriors on the front lines to retreat."

Then Kawamura Jingming said to the staff officers beside him: "I didn't expect the enemy to launch an attack so quickly. If it was a little later, our warriors could have all retreated, leaving the Chinese with an empty city!"

Upon hearing this, the other officers immediately responded, "Yes, we are seriously short of ammunition and supplies. If we don't retreat and the Chinese army attacks, our warriors will suffer heavy losses. We have left so much supplies with the warriors left behind on the front lines. They will surely inflict heavy casualties on the Chinese army, and we should be able to withdraw a good number of Imperial warriors later."

Kawamura nodded, then said viciously, "Damn it! Blame the Chinese troops that entered Korea! I never thought they would have the guts to attack Korea. They're truly utterly despicable! We must completely annihilate this Chinese army and pay tribute to the heroic spirits of the Imperial Japanese Empire!"

"ocean!"

Chapter 558: Third update!

When Li Hu received the report that the Japanese army had no artillery fire back, he was certain of the answer in his heart, and he also knew that the fog of war was gone. He immediately issued the order for a general attack on all fronts.

Li Hu did feel a little resentful of the political commissar, but he also hated himself for not sticking to his guns. If he had attacked last night, perhaps there would have been a huge gain. It seems that learning is easy, and understanding the principles is easy, but applying them is not.

However, Li Hu also knew the principle of never regretting a move. Negative emotions such as blame, guilt, and regret were of no use in dealing with things and interpersonal relationships among comrades. Therefore, what he had to do now was to make every effort to eliminate all the remaining Japanese troops that had invaded Andong to reduce losses.

The Japanese Army's 16th Reserve Brigade, which had rarely seen action, was responsible for the rearguard action. Captain Yamada Ryoutama, exhausted after a night of hardship, was too exhausted to even think about plundering the people of Northeast China. Furthermore, he knew that the opposing field army was implementing a "fortified defense" policy, meaning even if he wanted to plunder, there was nowhere to go.

In fact, it is not surprising that the field army was so thorough in clearing the countryside. During the Russo-Japanese War, the people in the Liaodong area were severely harmed by the Japanese and Russian armies. Now when they heard that the Japanese army was coming again, how could they not run? Naturally, the people carried the elderly and children and began to run towards Shenyang. The people called it "running away from the old Japanese". Even the people who wanted to stay and see the situation ran away after seeing this situation.

At this point, the field army's artillery bombardment completely shattered all of Yamada Ryoutama's fantasies upon entering Northeast China. He could only hide in a shelling shelter, shivering in fear. Even more pitiful, they still didn't realize they had become abandoned pawns of the Japanese main force. Those who managed to escape and surrender were lucky, but those who couldn't were unlucky.

Of course, the reality was just as Kawamura Kageaki, commander of the Yalu River Army, had said: if the field army had engaged in low-intensity combat as usual rather than a full-scale offensive, these remaining Japanese troops could have retreated back to Korea at their leisure, effectively being considered the rearguard rather than abandoned. Even if they couldn't withdraw all of them, they could have at least withdrawn most of them. However, when the field army launched a full-scale offensive, the fate of these remaining reserve brigades was virtually certain, unless the main Japanese force could recross the river to fight, which was obviously impossible.

When Zhang Yinghao received the news of victory in Northeast China, he was incredibly happy, happier than ever before. He was so excited that he paced around the office with the telegram in his hand. He was truly overwhelmed. The Field Army had finally been able to completely eliminate Japanese influence in Northeast China. Chinese history was about to be completely rewritten. There would never be another September 18th Incident, another July 7th Incident, another nationwide war of resistance against Japan, and never again...

Zhang Yinghao put down the telegram, still laughing happily. As he laughed, tears began to flow from the corners of his eyes. He tried to wipe them with his sleeve, but they flowed more and he couldn't stop them. It was so hard. It really felt so hard.

Zhang Yinghao felt that after a long and cautious journey, as if he was on the edge of an abyss and treading on thin ice, he had finally achieved his first harvest. This was also the first passport to becoming a military power by establishing his international status through a strike against the Japanese before unifying the country.

Zhang Yinghao suddenly thought of Du Fu's "Hearing the Government Troops Retaking Henan and Hebei". This poem now seems very appropriate. People who have not experienced it really find it difficult to understand the poet's full and sincere emotions.

Zhang Yinghao immediately recited:

Suddenly, news spread from beyond the sword that Jibei had been recaptured. My clothes were soaked with tears. But I looked at my wife, who seemed to be worried. Unrolling my poetry and books, I was overjoyed. Singing and drinking during the day, I returned home with my youth as my companion. I immediately crossed the Ba Gorge and the Wu Gorge, then descended to Xiangyang and headed towards Luoyang.

After reciting it twice in a row, Zhang Yinghao finally calmed down a bit after a spiritual exchange with the ancient Du Fu across time and space. He felt a lot more relaxed, and he felt younger and more energetic.

"Sing and drink in the daytime, it's good to return home with youth as your companion." Zhang Yinghao, who was inspired, didn't have much energy to continue dealing with work at this time. He immediately found Xue'er quietly, and then quietly brought her back home. He cooked a table of delicious food to create a good atmosphere. After eating and drinking, he went to bed to take advantage of her. Sure enough, he felt more energetic and had more firepower, and laughed "hehe" from time to time.

"Ha ha ha ha...…"

When a section of the field army dared to invade Korea, and Li Hu's troops drove back the Japanese troops that had invaded Northeast China, news of these events spread like a magnitude 10 earthquake both at home and abroad. It had been ten years since Korea was lost to the Qing Dynasty, a fact the Chinese had come to accept. When had any Chinese army dared to invade Korea? When had the Chinese army actually been able to defeat the armies of the great powers and drive them off Chinese soil? Now, a white rabbit had popped out of the coal pile. How could people not be surprised, and at the same time, how could they not be happy?

The patriotic sentiments of the educated youth suddenly surged. With Northeast China's strength, there was hope for national salvation. Immediately, a large number of enthusiastic young people rushed to the Northeast to join the army. When overseas Chinese heard this news, they began to donate money and materials to the Northeast Army, contributing their own patriotic strength.

Faced with the continuous influx of young people and supplies, the Fifth Field Army Military Commission even uttered the famous saying of Emperor Wu of Han: "If the enemy can go, I can go too." This made the Chinese people who understood reason feel their blood boiling. More knowledgeable people said that this is what a great China should be like!

However, the changes in the Northeast are not good news for the great powers. Although neither the Northeast nor Sichuan recognizes the relationship between them, more intelligence has shown that this force in the Northeast is the force developed under the leadership of Sichuan. The Northeast has such strength, which means that Sichuan has such strength. How can this not make the great powers worried? After all, it is almost certain that the Qing rebel army in Sichuan will not recognize the treaty signed by the Qing government, and now they are constantly tearing up the treaty. This is a huge problem.

It's now known that the Qing rebels already have several gunboats and an army capable of occupying and fighting. Perhaps this isn't a big deal to the great powers; if they want such a large force, they can always build a stronger one. However, the problem is that with such a force in a remote place like the Far East, it might not be enough for an offensive, but it's more than enough to defend the Yangtze River and other places!

"what to do?"

This is a huge problem that needs to be solved urgently in the minds of all the powerful countries' personnel in China. This problem concerns their country's interests in China.

"What should I do?"

This is another big problem.

Chapter 559: First update!

Zhang Yinghao didn't know that the victory in the Northeast indirectly dispelled the idea of ​​the foreign powers moving up the Yangtze River. If he knew, he would definitely be very happy. Zhang Yinghao just kept waiting for intelligence from Shanghai, but there was no news of the foreign powers moving. No news is good news, so Zhang Yinghao naturally let the matter go.

Two days later, Zhang Yinghao received another victory report: the Japanese bombardment of Port Arthur had completely ceased. The field army's artillery units were trained in this artillery battle, growing rapidly, and the effectiveness of the bombardment became increasingly higher. When the Japanese army even tried to close in on the artillery, three destroyers were directly sunk, and a battleship was severely damaged, leaving the battlefield in billowing smoke, almost sinking. Faced with the failure of the army's offensive in the direction of Andong, the Japanese Navy knew that no matter how hard they attacked, it would be meaningless. They had to temporarily stop the attack and all fleets withdrew to the open sea.

After confirming the situation, Commander Du immediately sent a telegram to the Northeast Field Army Headquarters, reporting the current situation and requesting instructions. After receiving the Fifth Field Army's report, Zhang Yinghao pondered for a moment and immediately replied, "The Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission express their highest praise for Comrade Du Lisan, for all the comrades who liberated Port Arthur, and for the bloody battles fought by all the field army soldiers who drove the Japanese out of Andong." The Japanese, like wild beasts, grow increasingly frantic and dangerous the more wounded they become. They may not admit defeat for the time being. Therefore, the Japanese offensive may adjust after this setback. If the Japanese army gives up, they may not be able to complete the two-wing landing campaign to encircle Port Arthur. In other words, for the time being, the Japanese army is incapable of another landing operation like the Russo-Japanese War.

However, we must not only prevent the Japanese army from becoming desperate and forcing this campaign plan, but also consider the possibility of another major power intervening in the liberation of Northeast China. If the major powers attempt to strangle our army in Northeast China, they will inevitably send warships and land forces to attack, which will provide support for the Japanese army, and they will inevitably increase their manpower deployment and even expand the scale of the war. If the latter is the case, Port Arthur will face an even more severe situation. The Fifth Field Army, including the Military Commission, must fully prepare for a major battle and an all-out war. I hope that the comrades in Port Arthur and the entire Northeast Army will defend our homeland and never allow new invaders to set foot on Chinese soil. Finally, I pay my highest respects to all the comrades who fought so bravely to capture Northeast China.

After reading the telegram, Commander Du was a little surprised. Both China and Japan had already deployed a total of hundreds of thousands of troops into the war, which was second only to the peak strength during the Russo-Japanese War.

"Are there any other powers that want to get involved? Will this war continue or even expand in scale?" Du Lisha was completely unsure about this.

Zhang Yinghao wasn't entirely sure. He wasn't a close confidant of the imperialist powers, so he couldn't possibly know their true intentions. He could only assume the greatest malice. After all, before the Qing Dynasty entered the Western Han Dynasty, their approach to the Ming army was to attack the most capable and resilient units. Now that the Fifth Field Army in Northeast China was impeding the imperialist powers' path to profit and severing their financial resources, it was understandable that they would unite and attack Northeast China. After all, with Tsarist Russia in the north, Korea, and Japan in the north, Northeast China was under attack from three sides. The field army would inevitably be caught off guard, and victory for the imperialist forces was foreseeable.

Zhang Yinghao could only remind the Fifth Field Army that an arrogant army will be defeated, and warned them not to relax after a victory, but to be ready to fight at all times.

The next day, good news arrived on Zhang Yinghao's desk. In order to save themselves, the Qing Dynasty had come up with another bold move: it actually abolished the imperial examination system that had lasted for more than a thousand years. Zhang Yinghao laughed out loud when he saw the news.

At this point, to be honest, Zhang Yinghao himself didn't know how to save the Qing Dynasty. But Zhang Yinghao knew that the more the Qing Dynasty tried to save itself, the faster it would perish. If the Qing Dynasty could use less of its rogue tactics and more of its policies to keep the people ignorant, perhaps it could have survived longer. The more the Qing Dynasty tried to save itself, the more it struggled, the deeper it sank into the quagmire, the more it could no longer extricate itself.

Of course, this incident had a significant impact in the unliberated areas, but it didn't concern Zhang Yinghao much. He simply smiled and ignored it. The fate of the Qing Dynasty was no longer a concern for him. Just then, Zhang Yinghao received two telegrams. One was from comrades in Hunan. Huang Xing, Song Jiaoren, and others had formed the Huaxing Society in Hunan and were now trying to stop the PLA from implementing land reform.

During the liberation of Hunan, the Huaxing Society did indeed launch a series of riots across the country, which played a minor role in the liberation of Hunan. However, there were only individuals who betrayed their interests, not the class. These revolutionaries were basically children of landlords. They had no problem asking them to save China, even donating their land to save China, and supporting a bourgeois revolution. However, they were no match for the landlord class's crushing land reform.

Having overthrown the Qing Dynasty, they were now jumping out to demand power. Zhang Yinghao immediately sent a telegram in reply: "Send these people to Sichuan." "Revolutionaries" like Huang Xing and Song Jiaoren didn't have the same influence they had after the Xinhai Revolution. At most, they had some influence overseas and among some overseas students. If they left Hunan, land reform would continue. Could they still cause a rebellion?

Then Zhang Yinghao began to read the second telegram. The negotiators sent by Britain, France and other countries had already arrived in Chongqing. Zhang Yinghao immediately sent a telegram back: Send them to Chengdu.

However, these foreigners kept complaining and finally set off.

Zhang Yinghao was somewhat surprised that the British, instead of exploiting the situation when the Progressive Party launched the Liberation War, sent troops directly into Yunnan and Tibet. However, Zhang Yinghao felt that the British were now playing the same game: they were afraid of both ends. After experiencing the two Boer Wars, the failed invasion of Tibet, and the defeat at Myitkyina, the British had become much more cautious in deploying troops in underdeveloped regions.

Whether the British army could defeat the PLA wasn't a question. Even if they did, given the character of the Communist Party, it was doubtful whether Britain would sign an unequal treaty like the Qing. Furthermore, with their shaky Far East position, a protracted war would have catastrophic consequences. The British genuinely didn't dare to engage in another Boer War, so their invasions of China were typically quick, reaping the benefits and then signing an unequal treaty. If the war continued, the Indian colony might have collapsed, something Britain absolutely wouldn't tolerate.

So now, although the British are also constantly making small moves in the border areas, encroaching on Chinese territory and trying to create facts, Zhang Yinghao is now unable to spare enough energy to pay attention to those marginal corners and can only let it go for a while. Therefore, although there are still constant struggles on the border, the PLA is not as aggressive as before.

However, Yunnan now borders Siam, a testament to its territorial expansion. Furthermore, the rice trade with Siam is doing quite well, bringing significant benefits to China. As long as Britain and France don't mess around, the food problem in Yunnan and Guizhou will be greatly alleviated. Zhang Yinghao naturally had no intention of spitting out the fat he had already eaten.

Zhang Yinghao didn't know at this time that Andy, the Consul General of the Consulate in Chongqing, was having a heated conversation with British diplomat Jordan in the cabin.

"Mr. Jordan, when I went to question the Sichuan rebels about their intentions in sending troops into Guangxi, they actually told me that the PLA's advance into Guangxi was China's internal affairs and that France had no right to interfere. What kind of nonsense is that? I have never heard of such unreasonable Chinese people..."

It turns out that the delay for these consular corps was due to the Guangxi issue. A PLA advance into Guangxi would undoubtedly harm the interests of the great powers. Guangxi and southeastern Yunnan were both considered French spheres of influence. While the French had tolerated the PLA's advance into Yunnan and Guizhou, they could no longer tolerate the PLA's advance into Guangxi, where their greedy hands would meet PLA bayonets.

Andy continued loudly: "During this negotiation, the army sent by Sichuan must withdraw from Guangxi and recognize that Guangxi is our French sphere of influence. Otherwise, we should form the Eight-Nation Alliance again and beat Sichuan into submission. We must make the People's Liberation Army recognize the treaty we signed with the Qing Dynasty..."

Chapter 560: Second update!

Faced with the French's bluster, the British were indeed wavering. The PLA's actions had almost completely caught them by surprise. Initially, they had expected the PLA to remain impervious to advance beyond Sichuan, only to see them invade Shaanxi shortly thereafter. Initially, they had assumed the PLA was insufficient to intervene in Chinese affairs, but unexpectedly, the British and PLA engaged in a fierce battle in Xinjiang, ultimately resulting in a crushing defeat. The PLA then proceeded to seize Yunnan, Guizhou, and the northwestern provinces without delay.

The PLA's military operations almost never stopped for long, but it seemed that the troops had rested very well. Now several provinces had fallen into the hands of the PLA, and Sichuan's momentum was even greater. The British had originally placed their hopes on Zhang Zhidong, a senior official in Wuhan. Unexpectedly, Zhang Zhidong, a senior official of the Qing Dynasty, abandoned his loyalty and directly chose to help Sichuan stabilize the situation in Wuhan. Wuhan was easily taken by the PLA, leaving the British and all the other powers stunned and caught off guard.

Now, there is no warship from the great powers in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River, and the great powers have lost the opportunity to send warships into the middle reaches of the Yangtze River again. It can be said that the great powers are now in a complete loss to the Sichuan Forward Party.

Listening to the Frenchman's Xianglin Sao-like chatter, the British held him in deep contempt. The French hadn't relied on force to capture Annam, and now they were still wanting benefits from Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi—truly insatiable greed. The French army had been crushed by Feng Zicai at Zhennan Pass, and even their own government had collapsed. It was only under British coercion that the Qing Dynasty was forced to agree to French control of Annam. They had truly managed to obtain something they couldn't on the battlefield, miraculously, at the negotiating table. Such a thing could only happen in a government as ignorant and backward as the Qing. No government with even a shred of integrity would agree to it.

Of course, the British weren't unwilling to teach the Progressive Party a lesson. Given the opportunity, they wouldn't bat an eyelid even if it meant annihilating both the Progressive Party and the Liberation Army. But the Liberation Army was currently acting with composure, leaving several coastal provinces to the Qing. While the Western powers watched the decisive battle unfold, the Liberation Army suddenly launched another attack in the north. Furthermore, in the south, the Progressive Party was attempting to drag the French into the fray. The situation shifted so swiftly and dramatically that it completely caught all the powers by surprise.

The PLA had indeed heeded the French's advice and halted its advance into Guangxi. However, the fact that the main force didn't advance didn't mean the revolution couldn't proceed. The widespread riots shattered the Qing dynasty's fragile regime in Guangxi. Who took over these territories? Wasn't it the highly organized and disciplined Forward Party? The French forcing the PLA to halt its advance instantly became a complete joke, and it's no wonder the French were furious.

However, France was a country that did not dare to start a war against China lightly. They could not even defeat the Qing army and had suffered a great loss once. How could they dare to provoke the more elite Forward Party troops? Naturally, they knew that they had to cling to the British.

Moreover, the French knew that with the frequent conflicts on the Yunnan-Burma border, the territory controlled by the PLA now bordered Siam, which was a huge loss for the British. France and Britain now shared a common interest in containing China, and should be closely united.

The British were actually more pragmatic than the French. Now that the Russo-Japanese War was essentially over, it was time to let Japan, the dog, fight for the British. Otherwise, why would Britain keep a watchdog in the Far East? If the Japanese didn't immediately disband part of their army, they would have a million strong army. As long as they had enough bullets and artillery shells, the British believed that these troops might be enough to sweep across the entire Qing Dynasty. Unfortunately, Japan was too poor, and Britain couldn't meet all of Japan's needs. However, for the British, a hungry dog ​​is easier to drive. They don't even need meat, just a bone is enough.

By this time, Japan was already feeling an unprecedented crisis. They hadn't imagined that they could defeat the Russians in a single battle. The situation in the Qing Dynasty had changed so dramatically, and the complexity of the situation almost left the Japanese a little bewildered. In particular, the Fifth Field Army of Northeast China's sudden attack on Japan could be said to have directly pushed Japan back to the pre-liberation era, almost completely depleting the accumulation since the Meiji Restoration.

The Japanese nation began its development during the Meiji Restoration. They emerged from feudalism. The Japanese actually viewed the Qing Dynasty more clearly than any other Chinese of the era. They viewed the Qing Dynasty as they would the shogunate. Just as later generations of Chinese viewed African emirates, they certainly understood them better than the African emirates themselves.

The same was true for Tsarist Russia, which gradually felt the pressure from the field army. There were also the United States and Germany, so the diplomatic corps that collectively entered Sichuan this time all had their own purposes and demands, which could be said to be complex and contradictory. However, although their demands were different, they all had the same interests, which was to force the Progressive Party to recognize the treaties of the Qing Dynasty. Although the intensity of the demand for the Progressive Party to recognize these treaties varied, no great power did not want to continue to obtain privileges in China. Especially for a country like Japan, if the Progressive Party did not recognize the Boxer Indemnity, it would be another heavy blow to Japan. Therefore, as long as the Progressive Party recognized the treaty this time, everything else would be easy to handle.

If Zhang Yinghao knew the diplomatic corps's intentions, he would surely feel relieved. After all, he had launched the Liberation War, taking advantage of the chaos to seize several provinces, including Guangxi. Now, his troops had taken Qinzhou and even Lianzhou Prefecture in Guangdong. The Forward Party finally had its own outlet to the sea, filling the last gap in the liberated areas. If the Liberation War had been launched after the Russo-Japanese War, perhaps it would not have been so smooth...