The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

To be more specific, Zhang Yinghao had naturally also discussed tactics like saturation artillery attacks. However, the liberated areas were still poor, with insufficient productivity. There weren't enough artillery shells, and even fewer bullets. Therefore, the troops had to be frugal in their battles, eating according to their needs and tailoring their equipment to their needs. Furthermore, China's road traffic conditions and productivity at the time were insufficient to allow the comrades to spend lavishly, and naturally, they couldn't fully utilize their strategic and tactical skills.

Learn war from war. A general who has never experienced defeat is not a true general. Neither be arrogant in victory nor discouraged in defeat. Abandon all unnecessary fantasies, proceed from reality, and face war realistically. This is why Zhang Yinghao trained his troops in the Northeast. Only when comrades understand war, can they learn about it, and make full use of all resources can they achieve final victory in the battle.

During the attack on Shenyang, Liu Wenxiu generally adopted the infantry group charge pattern, intending to use superior forces to crush the Japanese army. However, as an elite soldier trained by Zhang Yinghao, he had naturally heard Zhang Yinghao's use of the "Storm Commando" tactic during his 007 training.

To mitigate the advantages of enemy machine guns, artillery, and trenches over defensive positions, this close-range attack, involving multi-service assault teams, effectively overwhelmed fortresses, blockhouses, and firepower points, allowing troops to penetrate deep into enemy territory, thereby disrupting the enemy at every turn. "Stormtroopers" proved invaluable in countering enemy machine guns, artillery, and trench firepower points, and were a precursor to blitzkrieg. During World War I, even in defensive lines like those constructed by France, densely packed with machine guns, artillery, and blockhouse firepower points, Germany's "Stormtroopers" were still able to play a significant role, achieving numerous remarkable successes. Naturally, this tactic proved even more effective in the vast territory of China, and Zhang Yinghao naturally attached great importance to it, making it a key topic of instruction.

The elite PLA unit rapidly approached Shenyang, taking cover upon reaching their designated location. However, the first troops to be deployed were the artillery. Liu Wenxiu and his men had already learned that artillery was the god of war. Properly employed, it could inflict heavy casualties on the enemy while also significantly reducing casualties on their own side.

At this time, the artillery unit had already begun to set up the cannons step by step according to the data, adjusted all the shooting parameters at Shenyang, and prepared to fire.

Blind fire, that's right, this time the artillery unit used blind fire against the Japanese troops in Shenyang. Liu Wenxiu and his men had been in the Northeast for over two years, and during these two years they hadn't just been developing the troops and doing nothing else. On the contrary, they had much more to do...

Doing something requires a thorough understanding of its beginning and end, while victory is merely the result of an endeavor. How do you achieve victory? What preparations are needed before victory? Only after completing all the preceding steps will victory follow naturally. As for whether you will ultimately achieve victory, the only way to put it into perspective is to use Zhuge Liang's words: Man proposes, God disposes! The only way to achieve a brilliant life is through unremitting efforts!

Sun Tzu's Art of War says, "First, make yourself invincible, then wait for the enemy to be defeated." Victory can be anticipated, but it cannot be achieved. Sun Tzu's "Strategies" also says, "Those who plan for victory before the battle have calculated more, while those who plan for defeat before the battle have calculated less. Those who plan more will win, those who plan less will lose, and what about those who plan nothing at all? From this perspective, victory and defeat are clear..."

Liu Wenxiu and his men scouted the enemy situation in Northeast China, and mapping was only the simplest yet most crucial preliminary work. By this time, the Japanese position in Shenyang was well established. Relying on maps, the comrades, while artillery units engaged in blind fire, attempted to eliminate the enemy from beyond visual range. The advantages of long-range artillery fire were self-evident: it could conceal any disturbances to artillery transport, enabling the effective encirclement and surprise attack to eliminate the enemy.

From this we can see that the comrades made great progress during their time in Northeast China.

Chapter 474:

On a May night in Northeast China, all is silent, save for the occasional chirping of insects hidden in the grass. Nights in Northeast China arrive later than in the south, and the cool breeze and comfortable temperature bring an indescribable sense of comfort and ease...

However, the small units attacking the front lines, carefully lurking, felt no sense of comfort. Many comrades' foreheads and palms were covered in beads of sweat, their faces flushed. Nervousness, excitement, excitement, worry, fear, and so on emerged, and their expressions were also quite determined. The comrades were waiting for the crucial order to attack.

It was not until the artillery unit led by Comrade Li Hu received the order to start firing and heard the sharp sound of the shells cutting through the air that all the comrades' extra emotions seemed to suddenly disappear. There was no more hesitation, wandering or other distracting thoughts. All the comrades breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed.

Upon hearing the cannon fire, the comrades immediately faced reality and abandoned any illusions. The war had truly begun! Since everything was inevitable, let's fight! Death and injury were no longer important. Give it your all, and leave the rest to fate...

The piercing sound of shells piercing the air and the whistling sound naturally reached every Japanese soldier. Most of the Japanese soldiers were still confused and bewildered when they heard the whistling sound of the shells, completely unaware of what was happening. In the minds of the Japanese soldiers, Shenyang was an absolutely safe place at this time. Apart from the necessary sentries, the Japanese army had not made any combat preparations at all.

It wasn't until earth-shattering explosions were heard from everywhere that the Japanese soldiers who had been resting in their beds woke up from their dreams. Then they panicked, knowing that they had been attacked by the enemy in a shameful sneak attack. Even though the Japanese soldiers were well-trained, they immediately jumped into a panic. Many Japanese soldiers ran out shirtless, wearing only loincloths. Many Japanese soldiers were stunned by the artillery fire and ran around in panic. The scene fell into extreme chaos...

However, the Japanese army did not think that it was the Chinese army that was attacking. Instead, they thought it was a Russian army that came from afar and attacked them...

Shells exploded around the Japanese soldiers, each shell carrying several lives, hot shrapnel flying everywhere, harvesting one life after another. Faced with such a fierce bombardment, not only did the Japanese soldiers in Shenyang panic, but many cadres and soldiers of the People's Liberation Army were stunned.

At first, the comrades, fearing exposure, simply listened intently. Many soldiers simply lay on their backs, watching as black dots streaked across the night sky, flashed by, and landed in Shenyang, emitting a series of loud explosions. With each artillery shell, the comrades could even feel a gust of wind whistling overhead.

Howitzer and cannon shells rained down on Shenyang like hail. The explosions were deafening, far more deafening than the blasts of mortars. Even from a distance of seven or eight miles, the ground could be felt shaking. Many comrades' hearts raced at the sound of these explosions, and some old houses even began to shake and collapse.

After the explosions had blazed for a while, the comrades could no longer hold back and began looking for vantage points to observe. Many even climbed onto rooftops and walls to observe, watching the terrifying orange-red glow flickering in the distance against the backdrop of the night...

Clusters of orange-red flames lit up, flickering continuously, followed by the relentless roar of thunder. Many comrades paled at the sight of this. Seeing the Japanese barracks engulfed in artillery fire, putting themselves in their shoes was a terrifying experience. If they had faced such a barrage, how many would have survived? This is a question every comrade must ponder. Perhaps this lesson can prevent even greater losses in the future...

Li Hu was also observing through a telescope. Although this wasn't the first time he'd witnessed such a massive artillery bombardment, facing the out-of-sight bombardment, the only thing that came to his mind was Chairman Zhang Yinghao's words about modern warfare: "With the development of science and technology, weapons will become increasingly powerful, and their ranges will become increasingly longer. In war, there will no longer be a distinction between the front lines and the rearguard. Every position will face the enemy's attack and the enemy's long-range lethal weapons... Therefore, we must always be fully prepared for battle. The army has only two states: war and preparation for war... Offense is the best defense, because by then, it will be impossible to defend... "

If Zhang Yinghao saw these bombardments, although he would be shocked, he would still be a little skeptical. It was only because Li Hu and his men were so inexperienced that they had never witnessed the brutal artillery battles during the Franco-German War, otherwise their feelings would be even deeper.

Of course, the ferocity of the European war was due to unique factors. The two powerful industrial nations, each roughly the size of a Chinese province, were so close together that strategic maneuvers were impossible. Conquering a few strategically important points meant the demise of the nation. Consequently, the conflict was a pitched battle, gun to gun, artillery to artillery, with no escape routes. Defeat meant ceding territory and paying indemnities, making the fighting naturally brutal. Even in a large-scale war in China, the abundance of strategic maneuverability and the terrain meant that such brutal artillery battles were unlikely.

So, to be honest, the PLA's artillery fire at this time was not that fierce or dense, but in the eyes of the soldiers of that era, this was already a powerful artillery fire. Moreover, the munitions production capacity at that time was still insufficient, and the artillery shells could only be replenished slowly after they were used up. This time, the artillery shells were also the result of a long accumulation. Because the attack on Shenyang was the first battle, it was of great significance, and it also needed the effect of a sneak attack, so they were willing to use a large number of artillery shells to open the way. Otherwise, the infantry would have attacked long ago. Of course, there is gain only when there is sacrifice, and the effect of this artillery attack was also huge, and the Japanese army suffered heavy losses. In general, this artillery unit caught the Japanese devils off guard, and the results were very ideal.

Chapter 475:

The cannons roared incessantly, their shells mercilessly harvesting lives one after another. At this moment, with a few loud booms, the explosives buried beneath the city walls ignited and exploded, creating several huge gaps in Shenyang's walls and blowing open the city gates...

All plans went smoothly, and Shenyang could be said to have become an undefended city.

Li Hu knew the power of artillery, but he had never thought of engaging in an artillery battle with the Japanese army, nor had he thought that artillery alone could kill all the Japanese soldiers in the military camps inside and outside Shenyang and achieve the final victory. Now that the shells fell into the Japanese military camps that had almost no defenses and blown the Japanese soldiers to pieces, he was very satisfied.

Li Hu wouldn't rely solely on artillery for victory; he naturally had to make multiple preparations. Furthermore, he knew that ultimately, the infantry attack was the only way to defeat the enemy and achieve ultimate victory. Blowing up city walls and gates had always been the PLA's forte, a necessity in any city attack.

Seeing the city walls and gates blown open and paralyzed, Li Hu bombarded the city several more times in order to not give the Japanese any breathing space or reaction time. He narrowed his eyes as he looked at the city of Shenyang shrouded in darkness and decisively gave the order for the infantry to attack.

"Send the signal, all troops attack!"

The signal to order the attack was also very simple, just launching a firework into the sky.

Hearing the explosions from the city walls and gates, the soldiers knew the attack was imminent. Seeing the fireworks exploding in the sky, they were dazzlingly colorful, eye-catching, and exceptionally beautiful. The comrades, through training, knew that this was due to the presence of various metals and other materials in the fireworks. Under normal circumstances, the comrades would naturally stop and admire the beautiful fireworks, but at this moment, they had no desire to admire them at all; they all knew this was the signal for an attack.

As expected, before the fireworks had faded, the captains and instructors of each team had already issued the order, "Follow me!" It was now dark, and the comrades could only attack in small groups. A large-scale attack was completely useless at this moment. Under the cover of darkness, the comrades advanced rapidly, guns in hand, pouring into Shenyang through the breach like a wave...

At the same time, the special forces hidden within Shenyang also emerged. There was no need for mobilization, as everything that needed to be said had already been said, and everyone fully understood the situation. There was no need for assembly either. Teams of soldiers, without the slightest confusion, advanced in an orderly fashion towards their predetermined targets. Their only task was to quickly capture several key locations, such as warehouses, disrupt the Japanese command system, and minimize the losses of the attacking forces...

Although the Japanese suffered heavy losses in the face of the sudden artillery bombardment, they were, after all, a veteran of the Russo-Japanese War and a force that had weathered the flames of war. After the initial confusion, they quickly reacted to the sudden attack. Their well-trained and systematic training paid off. Even after dark, the Japanese army quickly took up advantageous positions, ready to face the approaching enemy.

Ogawa Ishisaburo, commander of the Japanese infantry battalion defending Shenyang, and Jiu Jing, commander of the supply regiment, were undoubtedly the highest-ranking Japanese commanders in Shenyang at the time. However, they were not in the barracks. Instead, each was hugging a captured woman, enjoying a sweet dream after finishing their work. Suddenly hearing such a violent explosion, their first reaction, half asleep and half awake, was that it was impossible, absolutely impossible for Fengtian to be attacked. However, they immediately realized that they were indeed under attack, and with a flick of their eyes, they were instantly awake.

As expected of their well-trained skills, they didn't hesitate at all and immediately rolled over and rolled under the bed. The poor woman was frightened at this time, screamed loudly, and then hid in a corner, trembling. You can see the tears on her cheeks are still clearly visible...

After hiding under the bed for a while, they soon sensed something was amiss. The shells weren't hitting them, but rather the distant military camp. They immediately realized something was wrong, their faces turning pale. Without hesitation, they scrambled out from under the bed, frantically trying to put on their pants while calling for the guards to come in. In their haste, they couldn't get their pants on and nearly fell flat on their faces.

Time was running out, so Ogawa and Jiujing only put on their pants and tied their belts as they walked, wanting to know the losses of the troops and the progress of the attack on the enemy as soon as possible.

As I walked out of the room, put on my military uniform and hurried into the command room, the PLA's artillery fire had been raging for a while and the infantry had already launched an attack.

As they entered the headquarters, an officer with a serious face reported: "Your Excellency, Commander, we have discovered that a large number of troops are attacking Fengtian. The number is impossible to count, but we have discovered at least 20,000 troops, equipped with a large number of artillery, at least 100 pieces, including cannons and howitzers. At this time, we have lost more than half of our troops defending the three city walls, and we urgently need reinforcements..."

Before he could finish his words, Jiu Jing interrupted him and asked, "Where did the enemy come from?"

"Report, from what I can tell, it's the Qing army..."

Ogawa Ishisaburo didn't even finish listening and immediately shouted: "Impossible, absolutely impossible, the Qing people dare to fight the Imperial Japanese Army? Absolutely impossible..."

Chapter 476:

If it were still the original world, such a thing would have been impossible. Who could have imagined that the Qing people, who had always been cowardly, would dare to touch the beard of the Great Japanese Empire? Not only Ogawa Ishisaburo and Jiu Jing could not believe it, but no soldier of the Great Japanese Empire would believe it. In their hearts, they knew that even if someone in the Qing Dynasty dared to resist the Great Japanese Empire, it would only be a small number of bandit armed forces, and these assembled forces were completely insignificant. They knew that the Qing imperial family and the court would never dare to challenge the Great Japanese Empire, because the soldiers of the Great Japanese Empire were confident that they had already subdued the Qing army. As for the Qing imperial family, they had been pinned to the ground and rubbed repeatedly by them...

However, they had no choice but to believe it or not. The fact was right in front of them. They had been attacked. Ogawa Ishisaburo and Jiu Jing were also people who had experienced the test of war. After calming down, they immediately thought of something.

Then I heard Jiu Jing say: "If nothing unexpected happens, the troops attacking us must have set their sights on the supplies, weapons and ammunition we have stored in Shenyang. Otherwise, this force would never have dispatched so many troops and traveled so far to attack us..."

The reason why Jiu Jing said that the army that attacked them had traveled so far was because they knew that this force could not be nearby and must have moved from a long distance. Otherwise, neither the main force of Japan nor the previous Russian force would allow this force to exist. How could they allow others to sleep soundly next to their bed?

No matter how correct Jiu Jing and Ogawa Ishisaburo's analysis was, it couldn't change the fact that they were outnumbered and Shenyang would be captured. The fierce sound of artillery explosions rang out in their ears, and all the Japanese felt like they were in a dream. The Qing army, always timid and fearful, dared to attack the army of the Empire of Japan? Faced with such a bombardment, Jiu Jing and Ogawa Ishisaburo, who were once in a dream, wondered if the Russians were coming again.

At this point, Jiu Jing and Ogawa Ishisaburo both knew the situation was bad, extremely bad. However, the problem now was that while it wasn't surprising that the Qing army had so many men, who gave them the courage to attack the Imperial Japanese Army? And how did they manage to equip so many artillery pieces? Questions like these swirled in their minds.

No matter how many problems there were, there was no time to solve them one by one. Jiu Jing and Ogawa Ishisaburo immediately believed the reports from various places and made appropriate judgments. This is also one of the qualities that the army must have. Then Ogawa Ishisaburo loudly asked: "What are our losses now?"

"Report, our units are now fighting independently, and we haven't yet counted the casualties."

There was no other way. How could one count casualties in the darkness? Moreover, information technology was only just beginning to develop in this era, and the Japanese troops were not equipped with radios, making communication very inconvenient. How could one quickly compile specific data?

But it didn't really matter, because the Imperial Japanese Army was facing the Qing army, so they heard: "Baga, order all troops to fight back resolutely and destroy all attacking Qing troops..."

"Sea." The officer answered loudly.

"All the battalions under the supply corps must also take up arms and fight until the Qing army is completely wiped out."

"Hi!"

... …….

Even in the face of such a PLA attack and such a harsh environment, the Japanese's usual arrogance remained undimmed, fully exposed. First, they believed they could still defeat the Qing army, and if they were defeated by the Qing army, they would be humiliated. Second, if they were defeated, they would have to bear the responsibility for the defeat, and the loss of Fengtian would surely lead to them being court-martialed. Therefore, for these officers, the worst that could happen was death. Of course, more importantly, even if they immediately called for help, it would be useless. After all, the battle on the front line could not afford to slack off. Now they could only rely on themselves and choose the strategy of risking their lives.

"Your Excellency, the Qing army is now overwhelming. Should we request reinforcements?" "Baga, the Qing army is not good at fighting. We can quickly destroy them. There is no need to call for reinforcements for the time being."

The Japanese soldiers grew up listening to their predecessors talk about the Sino-Japanese War. When they joined the team, they were told about the cowardice and incompetence of the Qing army. Naturally, they also hoped to carry out the glorious deeds of chasing and killing large groups of Chinese troops one team at a time.

"Hi."

These Japanese officers certainly didn't realize the immense fighting power of the Chinese people, eager for liberation. This was one of the advantages Zhang Yinghao had given Liu Wenxiu and his men, scattered across Northeast China, hiding their identities and quietly developing their forces. If the Forward Party's departure from Northeast China became public knowledge, the benefits it could gain would be at least halved, and it was even uncertain whether it could gain a foothold in Northeast China so quickly. All hostile forces would absolutely not want the Forward Party and the People's Liberation Army to take root in Northeast China, and they would certainly do everything they could to prevent it. Zhang Yinghao knew that while they could certainly establish themselves in Northeast China, the losses would undoubtedly be significant, and the combined strength of the enemy was not to be underestimated.

Now that Liu Wenxiu and his men had united their scattered forces, the resulting fighting power was beyond the enemy's wildest dreams. Comrades, you have already made so many preparations for the attack on Shenyang. How could the mere handful of Japanese troops stationed there possibly stop the PLA's massive advance? Any resistance in the PLA's path would crumble and vanish under this all-out assault.

According to Murphy's Law, the things you worry about and fear the most often happen. In other words, reality and ideals are often at odds with each other. It was naturally impossible for the Japanese army in Fengtian to defeat the People's Liberation Army.

After the PLA's vanguard troops rushed into the city and engaged the Japanese army, several flares were fired from the sky. This was necessary to reduce casualties. Otherwise, attacking the city in the dark would be too disadvantageous for the attackers, but very advantageous for the defenders.

Facing the dazzling flares, the PLA soldiers were very experienced. They closed their eyes before the flares suddenly lit up to avoid the glare. But the Japanese soldiers didn't know that. They still kept their eyes open to look for the enemy and fired in front of them. The strong white light from the flares suddenly lit up, and their eyes were immediately blinded by the strong white light, and they could not see anything. Taking advantage of this moment, the PLA seized the opportunity and suddenly attacked. Could the Japanese still resist?

This is war, seizing every favorable opportunity to kill the enemy, accumulating small victories into big ones, and ultimately achieving the final victory. Of course, this small number of Japanese troops faced an army that poured into Shenyang like a tide, and their resistance was ultimately futile.

Slowly, the PLA's cries of "Kill!" and "Charge!" could be heard everywhere throughout Shenyang. After the PLA wiped out several squadrons stationed in Shenyang, some of the Japanese officers finally realized the situation and again suggested, "Your Excellency, this Qing army seems different from the previous ones. Their artillery is sharp. Even if we all die, we won't be able to hold out for long. Fengtian is a strategic location and the matter is of great importance. Therefore, we should ask the commander-in-chief for help and try to hold out until reinforcements arrive..."

Ogawa Ishisaburo and Jiu Jing also woke up at this time. They naturally knew the importance of Shenyang. If Shenyang was occupied, the Imperial Japanese Army fighting on the front line and the troops in Tieling and other places would have to eat dirt and fight with fire sticks. So they looked at each other and immediately decided to ask for help from their superiors.

Unfortunately, it's too late!

Chapter 477:

Zhang Yinghao's military education has always taught that the military exists in only two states: war and quasi-war. Sun Tzu's Art of War states that war is a matter of great importance to a state, a matter of life and death, a matter of survival and destruction. It must be carefully considered! It also states that the dead cannot be resurrected.

Because war means a large number of casualties, reality does not give these unprepared casualties a second chance. Defeat and death are what the army must face. To avoid defeat and death, and to reduce losses, the army must always be prepared for war. This is the only way to avoid war as much as possible. Even if war does occur, it can better preserve itself and thus destroy the enemy.

In this cruel era, Zhang Yinghao simply couldn't imagine peaceful development. Warfare wasn't wrong. For industrial nations, victory guaranteed access to cheap raw materials, allowing them to demand endless benefits and profits from the defeated. Therefore, within limits, the more wars they waged, the stronger they would become. Those who forgot about war would be bullied, exploited, and oppressed, leading to national destruction and extinction.

Clearly, Jiu Jing and Ogawa Ishisaburo in Shenyang were not constantly prepared for war. Perhaps they felt safe enough in Shenyang, so they panicked when faced with the PLA's sudden attack. Clearly, the PLA's attack was completely unexpected. The consequences of this series of missteps ultimately resulted in huge losses for them, buying ample time for the PLA to liberate Shenyang and conduct subsequent operations.

Just when Jiu Jing and Ogawa Ishisaburo wanted to ask for help from their superiors, a burst of fierce gunfire suddenly rang out outside, and the gunfire was rapidly approaching the command center.

Hearing the gunshots, Jiu Jing subconsciously shouted: "What happened?" Because at this moment, he really didn't realize that the army attacking Shenyang had reached their headquarters! It was Ogawa Ishisaburo, who had truly experienced war, who reacted quickly and said immediately: "It's over, Barbie Q, there are enemies lurking in the city, they have already attacked our headquarters. If we lose Fengtian, we will be sinners of the Great Japanese Empire..."

After Ogawa Ishisaburo finished shouting, he immediately drew his command knife and rushed out, ready to fight the enemy to the death...

The attack on the Japanese Fengtian headquarters was indeed not carried out by troops from outside the city, but by special forces within. Decapitation operations were a primary training subject for the special forces. Zhang Yinghao had seen television and movies about how decapitation operations were a key role for special forces, a crucial element in determining victory or defeat, and these were the key areas Zhang Yinghao focused on in his lectures. Knowing the location of the Japanese command system, the special forces naturally seized this opportunity for practical training and meritorious service. In a surprise attack, a few pistols could create miracles on the battlefield.

In reality, there was no need for Jiu Jing and Ogawa Ishisaburo to report to the Japanese General Headquarters. Both the Japanese and Russian armies knew of the existence of an armed force in Northeast China. This was obvious. Liu Wenxiu and his men had previously fought the Russians to death. Now, who did the Russians in the Far East hate the most? Liu Wenxiu and his bandit gang would undoubtedly be on the list. And Liu Wenxiu and his men never raised the banner of the Forward Party or the People's Liberation Army. They even flirted with the Qing forces in order to unite the majority, isolate the minority, and buy enough time to develop themselves.

Before the Russo-Japanese War, when Japan dispatched numerous spies to recruit local bandit forces to fight the Russians, Liu Wenxiu and his men were particularly targeted. Of course, in the eyes of the Japanese, the weapons, ammunition, and money they bribed Liu Wenxiu and his men were merely temporary. As long as they had time, under the attack of the elite Imperial Japanese Army, they could easily wipe out Liu Wenxiu and his men with a single wave of their hands! Regardless of whether Liu Wenxiu's forces were affiliated with the Qing Dynasty or organized independently, they were like trees without roots and water without a source, vulnerable to the might of the state. Therefore, they did not believe Liu Wenxiu and his men would dare to attack the Empire of Japan.

However, Liu Wenxiu's armed forces were naturally a target of attention for both Japan and Tsarist Russia. If the Russo-Japanese War hadn't preoccupied them, slowing both Japan and Russia's response, there would have been no way Liu Wenxiu and his men would have been given such ample time to reorganize. With so many people involved in this military operation, the Japanese spies weren't blind.

News was continuously coming in. At this time, the Japanese General Headquarters had also received news of the large-scale mobilization of the Qing army through various channels. This was one of the reasons why Liu Wenxiu and his men had always maintained an unclear relationship with the Qing Dynasty. Making the enemy misunderstand that they belonged to the Qing Dynasty would make it easier for future military operations.

Who would have thought that the Forward Party, while still in Sichuan, had already begun to extend its influence to the Northeast and lay the groundwork for the Russo-Japanese War? Almost everyone assumed that this armed force was affiliated with the Qing Dynasty or was just a bandit force. Because the Qing Dynasty did not suppress Liu Wenxiu and his men, and certainly did not recruit them. After all, Liu Wenxiu and his men were the enemy of Tsarist Russia, and the Qing Dynasty would not have dared to recruit this assembled force even if it had the courage to do so!

Therefore, the Japanese officers didn't care much. They were well aware of the current situation within the Great Wall. Having experienced the Qing Dynasty's war to overthrow the Qing Dynasty, they naturally knew that the current civil war in the Qing Dynasty would not be easily quelled until one side fell. They were certain that the Qing Dynasty would not dare to provoke a war against the Japanese army at this time.

Although the Japanese General Headquarters had known about Liu Wenxiu's deployment, they remained confident that Liu Wenxiu and his men would not and would not dare to attack the Imperial Japanese Army. Ōyama Iwao and the Chief of Staff were resolute in their judgment, believing, based on the available information, that Liu Wenxiu and his men were a very rational group and would not have taken such an unwise action.

But not long after, the situation completely changed. This armed force actually attacked Fengtian. Dashanyan's first reaction was disbelief, his second reaction was shock, and his third reaction was anger...

Selling hemp pieces, the Qing Dynasty is trying to take advantage of the Great Japanese Empire. It seems that the Sino-Japanese War did not completely defeat the Qing Dynasty. However, after just a while, Oyama Iwao began to worry again...

Chapter 478:

The concerns of Oyama Iwao and others were perfectly normal and justified. The reason was that Fengtian was simply too important to the current Empire of Japan. If they lost Fengtian, all the gains they had made in the Russo-Japanese War would be plundered, and a war that had staked their national destiny would be effectively a waste.

And if Shenyang is lost, what will happen to the imperial warriors who are currently fighting the Russians? They will be in great danger, in danger of being attacked from both sides, and even annihilated at any time...

This was absolutely no exaggeration. Almost all supplies shipped to the Empire now passed through Fengtian, a crucial transportation hub and logistics base. Modern warfare was fought on logistics. Once Fengtian, a transportation hub, was cut off, the front lines would immediately face a shortage of supplies. Food and other supplies might be resupplied locally in the Northeast, but what about guns and ammunition? They could only be transported from mainland China. Without Fengtian, this transportation channel would be cut off. Would the Empire's warriors be forced to fight the Russian machine guns and artillery with bayonets in hand? The war would essentially be lost without even needing to be fought.

Moreover, a lot of supplies are now directly stored in Fengtian, and most of the supplies captured from Tsarist Russia are still in Fengtian. How long would it take the Empire of Japan to stockpile so many supplies? If these materials were used to aid the enemy, it would inevitably cultivate a powerful enemy for the Empire of Japan.

At this point, Oyama Iwao wasn't the only one filled with worry. All the Japanese high-ranking officials who understood the situation and knew of the surprise attack on Fengtian knew the situation was critical. They also knew that despite having won a series of major battles against Russia, including the Battle of Liaoyang, the Battle of the Yellow Sea, the Battle of Port Arthur, the Battle of Fengtian, and the Battle of Tsushima, they had long since realized that the Empire of Japan was no longer strong enough to fight again.

As early as March, after the Battle of Mukden, Yamagata Aritomo warned the Japanese high command: Japan's military strength is limited, and the lost officers cannot be replaced. If the war continues, the previous achievements may be wiped out.

In April, Prime Minister Katsura Taro issued another directive: "If we continue to fight now... we will end up being idiotic, like shutting out wolves at the front door and being bitten by tigers at the back door."

By early May, Japan's top brass secretly agreed that peace was the best path forward. Any further action would yield no better results. However, Russia's European strength remained intact, having dispatched an expeditionary fleet, while Japan, lacking sufficient reserves, was unable to defeat the Russian army in Manchuria. The war thus reached a stalemate, and the conditions for peace remained unresolved. The only way to break this impasse was to defeat Russia's expeditionary navy. Therefore, before the battle, Togo signaled to the entire fleet: "The fate of the Imperial Nation depends on this battle. You must exert your utmost strength."

Therefore, the original history shows that after Japan defeated the Russian navy that came from afar in the Battle of Tsushima, it immediately accepted the mediation of the United States and Britain, and finally signed the "unequal" Treaty of Portsmouth in Portsmouth.

Japan gained no advantage over Russia in this peace treaty; it merely shared with Tsarist Russia the spoils of the Qing dynasty. As for the Japanese people's fervent desire for reparations from the white devils, it was wishful thinking and unfulfilled. The Russo-Japanese War saw Japan mobilize 1.1 million troops, suffer 200,000 casualties, and spend 18 billion yen on the military, eight times Japan's fiscal revenue that year! Without additional funding, Japan's domestic economy would inevitably remain depressed, impacting the people's livelihoods. Therefore, the Japanese people attached great importance to the issue of war reparations. Given the precedent of the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, in which victory over the Qing dynasty yielded 200 million taels of silver, it was reasonable to assume that a victory over the powerful Russia would result in even greater reparations. The Japanese people held high hopes for this. Unfortunately, the greater their hopes, the greater their disappointment. Tsarist Russia steadfastly refused to pay reparations, leaving Japan with no recourse. Because Japan posed no threat to Tsarist Russia's core European territories, they naturally held their ground. It might be acceptable for Tsarist Russia to give up some of its interests, but it was absolutely impossible for them to stop the war and pay reparations. And because they could not get the reparations, the Japanese people eventually rioted...

Back to the point, after the special forces captured the Japanese headquarters in Shenyang, killed Ogawa Ishisaburo, and captured Jiu Jing, the Japanese troops, devastated by the artillery bombardment and scattered, were forced to fight on their own. Faced with the PLA's planned and targeted attacks, they became lambs to the slaughter. Stubborn resistance was meaningless. The PLA's capture of Shenyang was only a matter of time. Furthermore, the PLA prioritized destroying enemy communications before each attack. Therefore, it didn't take long for the Japanese high command to completely lose any information about Fengtian.

What to do? The Japanese commander-in-chief of Manchuria, Iwao Ōyama, was indeed a formidable figure. He was the most outstanding general of the Meiji-era Japanese Army and the foremost commander of the Russo-Japanese War. He skillfully combined German strategy and tactics with traditional Japanese bushido, playing a crucial role in Japan's rise to global power. However, for any officer, the four essential principles of marching and fighting are to know your enemy and yourself. It would be foolish to rashly attack without understanding the enemy, but the situation now necessitated the recapture of Fengtian.

Therefore, Oyama Iwao immediately made two preparations. He immediately reported the specific situation he was facing to the country and asked for an immediate investigation into where the troops attacking Fengtian came from, the number of troops in this force, the equipment situation, etc.

In fact, there was no need for Oyama Iwao to urge him. As soon as the news of the attack on Shenyang was received, Japan reacted very quickly. Not only did it order a large number of spies to investigate Liu Wenxiu and his military force at all costs, it also asked the Japanese ambassador to China, Matsui Keishiro, to immediately hold the Qing Dynasty accountable.

Meanwhile, Oyama Iwao didn't care why this unit was attacking Fengtian, but he didn't believe it was very strong. After all, he had never heard of this unit, so they lacked combat experience and were naturally not very strong. However, he knew that he couldn't give this unit too much time to equip itself and take root in Fengtian. Therefore, he subconsciously prepared to mobilize troops from the surrounding areas of Shenyang to encircle this armed force, or even completely eliminate this hostile force...

Chapter 479:

However, Oyama opened his mouth to issue an order, but just as the words were on his lips, he immediately realized that it was unrealistic for the Empire of Japan to fight on two fronts. The chaotic battle with the Russians on the front line showed no signs of stopping, and the troops facing the front had also sent reports: the Russian troops had launched artillery bombardments on the front line repeatedly and seemed ready to launch a counterattack at any time... If another battle was launched at this time, the Empire of Japan would be courting its own destruction.

Dashan Yan naturally had no idea that Zhang Yinghao, a man with a lot of tricks, was behind all of this. Zhang Yinghao himself could do very little; he simply exploited the historical developments he knew so well to maximize his own advantage. Consequently, countless coincidences played a role in each event, allowing Zhang Yinghao to progress from one victory to the next. Even Zhang Yinghao himself was unaware of the reasons behind them. What seemed accidental to others was inevitable to Zhang Yinghao.