Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 360 Prepare for a rainy day
Influenced by the great victory in Hanoi, the remnants of the French troops in Haiphong, Nam Dinh and other areas evacuated by boat, and the French forces in northern Annam were completely wiped out.

On April 4, the Nanyang Army successfully took over Bac Ninh and Bac Giang provinces, and the forward troops arrived in Taiyuan, Haiphong and other areas.

"Governor Mei, the Annan government has sent a letter requesting that our army withdraw from Hanoi, Haiphong, and Thai Nguyen and hand over the areas under their control to Huang Yanzuo's troops."

"Send someone to report to the Annan court that the threat from the French in the northern provinces is still there, and rebel forces are swarming everywhere. Our soldiers will temporarily take charge of Hanoi, Haiphong, and Taiyuan provinces until the situation stabilizes.
Then immediately hand over the area to Prince Consort Huang's troops."

"This is the third time the Annan court has sent people to urge us. Will this reply cause dissatisfaction among them?"

Tang Jingsong asked doubtfully.

"The French reinforcements will arrive in a few months. Our army has lost a lot of weapons, ammunition and logistical supplies in the Battle of Hanoi. If we don't take advantage of the French withdrawal to seize the French and their affiliated forces' wealth, how can we reward those meritorious soldiers?"

Mei Dongxing said directly, "Annan's survival is unclear. The news of Hanoi's defeat has been sent back to Europe, which is likely to cause revenge from the French. The 2500-man expeditionary force may only be the first batch of support troops. If the French are determined to fight a decisive battle with us in Annam, then the next batch of French reinforcements will not be just two or three thousand people. Therefore, we must be prepared for the worst. On the one hand, we must deal with the threat of the next batch of French reinforcements. On the other hand, we must do our best to gather the Chinese immigrants and young armed forces scattered throughout Beiban to Quang Ninh, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, and Haiphong, so that we can evacuate the Annam area as quickly as possible when the situation deteriorates."

"The Nanyang Corps has over 10,000 soldiers. If we implement the overall mobilization plan, we can use more than 50,000 young and strong soldiers. This force is enough to seize northern Annan. If we give up easily, won't it be a bargain for the French?"

Tang Jingsong was very puzzled. He had only been in the Nanyang Army for a month, but he was greatly surprised by the combat effectiveness and weaponry of the Nanyang Army during the war with France.

The main force of the Nanyang Corps, with more than 75 regular troops, was equipped with breech-loading rifles at a rate of over %. They were equipped with locally imitated Gatling hand-cranked machine guns, mm howitzers, and more than small mountain cannons. Their training standards were twice as strict as those of the French Cochinchina colonial army, their high fighting morale, and all these advantages combined made the first large-scale battle between the Nanyang Corps and the French army end in a decisive victory.

More than 5,500 regular main forces, more than 3,000 garrison troops, plus 5,000 militiamen who have undergone regular training.

Tang Jingsong didn't understand why the Nanyang Army, with nearly 15,000 soldiers, made preparations for evacuation without a second battle with the French army?

"Annan is indeed a good place. If the situation allows, we can occupy all of Annan and develop it slowly. We may have the opportunity to march north and recover the Central Plains. However, the situation is different now. The two provinces of Lang Son and Quang Ninh, which our army relies on as bases, and the newly controlled areas of Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Hanoi, and Haiphong, have an area of ​​less than 100,000 square kilometers. If we put them on the mainland, they are no more than a state at most.
In the Annan region, the northern part of our army-controlled area was threatened by the Qing army. From the outside, the French army was approaching, and from the inside, the Annan government was increasingly wary of our army. If we were not careful, our army would be besieged from three sides by the Qing, French, and Annan governments.
The situation was dangerous and surrounded by enemies. Our army's strategic environment did not improve because of the victory in Hanoi. On the contrary, the Battle of Hanoi exposed our army's true strength. The Qing government saw that our army was able to annihilate nearly a thousand French white troops, and I am afraid that their suspicion would be even greater than before. When our army fights the French army again in the future, we will not only face the frontal attack of the French army with naval superiority, but also face the sneak attack from behind by the Qing government and the Annan government. "

"Is there no way to remedy this? Back then, your Majesty started with only a few hundred old and weak laborers and traveled thousands of miles across South America. Now the Nanyang Corps has no shortage of military strength, weapons and equipment. Why can't they open up a new situation in Annan like your Majesty did?"

Tang Jingsong was nearly forty years old. He had spent the first half of his life in mediocrity and neglect in the Qing court. It was precisely because he was unwilling to waste his knowledge that he was willing to take the risk and join the Nanyang Corps with his family.

But what Mei Dongxing just said poured cold water on his fiery heart.

"It's not that there is no remedy, but it's very unrealistic. Unless the French give up their ambition to build a Far East colonial empire, they will not sit idly by and watch the Nanyang Corps occupy northern Annam for a long time." Liang Xing, the head of the Nanyang intelligence department, saw Tang Jingsong's disappointed expression and explained, "The Nanyang Corps' plan to withdraw from Annam is not because of the gap in combat effectiveness with the French colonial army and the Qing army, but because of the different comprehensive strengths that the two sides can exert in the Annam region.

The sea distance between Han and Annan is far greater than that between Han and France. The military supplies stored by the Nanyang Corps can only sustain one year of consumption. Nanyang is far away from the mainland. If the French send part of their main naval forces to reinforce the Annan region, then the communication channel between the mainland and Annan will be cut off and blocked by the other side, just like during the Argentine War.

At that time, without the inflow of weapons and ammunition from the mainland, the soldiers of the Nanyang Army, even if they had a strong fighting spirit, could not withstand the military attacks from three sides. "

"Things don't always go as planned. I thought I could achieve something in Annan, but I didn't expect it to end up in such a miserable way."

Tang Jingsong said dejectedly, "I am nearly 40 years old. I have been busy for half my life and have never had a chance to relax. Although I went to Annan alone because I was rejected and exiled by the Qing government, it also fulfilled my wish."

"My Lords."

Tang Jingsong's expression suddenly changed, and he said firmly, "If the Nanyang Army withdraws in the future, please forgive me for not being able to go to South America with you to visit Your Majesty. I would rather stay in Annan and fight the French to the death than let the French succeed easily. I hope you will help me!"

Tang Jingsong's violent reaction was beyond the expectations of Mei Dongxing, Liang Xing and others.

If his family had not already arrived in Annan, Liang Xing would have really thought that Tang Jingsong was a secret agent sent by the Qing government.

"Withdrawing from Annan is the worst-case scenario. Whether it will be implemented depends on the development of the situation in Annan and the results of the negotiations between the two parties. Moreover, even if our army withdraws from Annan, it does not mean giving up all areas in Southeast Asia."

After confirming once again that Tang Jingsong's expression did not seem fake, Liang Xing decided to reveal a little more information to him.

"Brother Tang should have heard of Songkhla and Lan Fang. Although the population of these two places is slightly smaller than that of the area controlled by our army in northern Annan, their area is larger than that of Lang Son and Quang Ninh. Moreover, Songkhla and Lan Fang are mainly populated by Chinese. In the areas under their jurisdiction, there are instructors and consultants sent by the local authorities to help manage local affairs. If our army withdraws from northern Annan in the future, Brother Tang will also be able to do a lot in Songkhla and Lan Fang. Why must we limit ourselves to Annan?"

The power of the Han Kingdom has infiltrated all over Southeast Asia, but as for how strong the Han Kingdom is in each place, external forces can only see a small part of what is revealed and cannot know the whole thing.

After a few words of advice from Liang Xing, Tang Jingsong gradually regained his composure. Although he did not immediately agree to follow the Nanyang Army to other areas, he no longer insisted on staying in Annan.

(End of this chapter)