The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Lian Cheng Jue interjected, "Haha, judging from the current situation, it's hard to say who is stronger, our army or the Japanese army. After all, we have wiped out tens of thousands of Japanese troops in this military operation. Although there was an element of sneak attack, compared to Tsarist Russia, our performance is already quite impressive. However, if this continues, I wonder if the pressure we face will increase or decrease?"

"How do you say this?"

"If the Japanese become angry and abandon Tsarist Russia and use all their national strength to attack us, the pressure on us will increase."

"Didn't the Chairman say that the Japanese army couldn't continue the war if they ran out of money?"

"The Chairman did say that, but he also said there's a worst-case scenario. That's if the powers like the US, UK, and France provide the money and weapons, and Japan provides the men. In that case, the war would inevitably be extremely brutal, prolonged, and drawn out. While the probability of this happening is very small, it can't be ruled out."

"Is it impossible for the US and Britain to fight us themselves? That would be the worst-case scenario, right?"

"No, this is a very good situation. We don't have a navy. We are worried that we can't defeat the United States, which supports the Japanese army. If they send troops here, wouldn't that be courting death?"

"If the Japanese retreat, then the pressure on us will be reduced. However, if the Japanese army defends with all their might and becomes a tortoise shell, it will be difficult to defeat them."

"They can't hide like turtles when they advance deep into the Northeast. They don't even think about where we are. The White Mountains and Black Waters are our territory. The Japanese army is not a god. They also need to eat and drink. If we cut off their railway, they won't be able to hide like turtles and eat dirt..."

Chapter 494:

Just as the comrades were relaxing and talking, an urgent telegram was delivered to Liu Wenxiu. After reading it, Liu Wenxiu frowned, patted the table and said, "Everyone, the latest situation has emerged. The Japanese army has sent two divisions of troops from Tieling, and they are now taking a train south. It seems that the Japanese army must want to retake Shenyang."

"Do the Japanese know that we have liberated Shenyang?" "Regardless of whether the Japanese know the specific situation or not, we have taken Shenyang, and the Japanese troops in the north are now isolated and deep in the enemy's territory. With so many troops gathered in one place, and we have cut off the railway transportation, the logistical pressure is very great. It will definitely not last long. We need to find a way out immediately. The longer it takes, the better it is for us, so as long as we fight this battle well, the result will be almost certain. However, the Japanese army should not know the specific news of Shenyang yet, otherwise they would not have taken the train south. At least the Japanese army should not know our specific situation at this time."

"Yes, I agree. The Japanese probably still don't understand our situation, but we know theirs very well. To use the words of Sun Tzu's Art of War, we know both ourselves and the enemy, while the Japanese know themselves but not the enemy."

"Commander, given the train's speed, it won't take long to reach Shenyang. What do you think we should do next?"

"Yes, and then there's the issue of Shenyang. The Japanese army has stockpiled so much supplies and weapons and ammunition there that it's no exaggeration to say it's piled like a mountain! Even if all of us were to go there now, it would take quite a while to transport them away. We need to come up with a plan for Shenyang and the supplies there."

“What do you think?”

"I think we should follow the Chairman's original plan and immediately send troops to block the Japanese army and delay their arrival. We should immediately go to Shenyang to remove the Japanese army's stockpiled supplies, giving priority to weapons and ammunition. We should move as much as we can, and immediately blow up what we can't. When the Japanese army arrives, we will abandon Shenyang and leave it an empty city for them. Then we will fight guerrilla warfare and mobile warfare with the Japanese. Over time, the Japanese army will eventually be driven out of the Northeast."

This was Zhang Yinghao's original plan. After all, he wasn't a prophet, and he couldn't have anticipated the rapid development of Liu Wenxiu and his men in the Northeast. Therefore, his plan for Liu Wenxiu and his men was based on historical precedent, centered around a protracted war. Of course, this was also the most conventional approach. According to the original deduction, by continuing the battle and mobilizing the people, the Forward Party and the Field Army would ultimately triumph.

The Russo-Japanese War was carried out in Liaodong and other places. The flames of war spread to the areas of Luda, Yingkou, Anshan, and Liaoyang. In particular, the Liaoyang Campaign, another important battle after the Battle of Lushunkou, was fought in the Anshan-Liaoning border area. The Japanese and Russians fought fiercely in the Anshan area.

The battle first took place along the line of Shangshiqiaozi, Xiashiqiaozi, Tanggangzi and Sifangtai in present-day Haicheng City, and then the Japanese fought westward along the line from Liuerbao, Nanshahe, Panjialu, Shihuiyao, Xiangshanzi, Sifangtai, Xiaolingzi, Liziyuan, Shizuizi to Yingshoubao.

This 19-day battle brought profound suffering to the people of Anshan and Liaoyang. Wherever the invading Japanese and Russian forces passed, these bandits burned houses, killed people, looted everything they found, robbed money, and raped women, committing a hostile act. While both the Japanese and Russians treated captured prisoners generously and released them promptly, they tortured and murdered the Chinese.

During the Russo-Japanese Battle of Liaoyang, hundreds of prosperous villages were destroyed, trees felled, pigs, chickens, cattle, and sheep looted, and over 30,000 refugees from Liaoyang and Anshan were killed, leaving them homeless and fleeing in fear. The invaders committed unforgivable crimes. Faced with this national hatred and family feud, Liu Wenxiu and his troops swelled up like balloons.

However, facing this kind of national power, Liu Wenxiu and his men, with their shallow foundations, could no longer stay in places like Anshan and were forced to move to places like Liaozhong, which was under the rule of the Qing Dynasty. Whenever Liu Wenxiu thought about the embarrassing escape he had to lead his troops from Wujiabaozi, he always felt very uncomfortable. He had betrayed the trust of the local villagers. Therefore, when he left Wujiabaozi, he vowed that such a thing would never happen again.

So, to seize every opportunity to expand their power, Liu Wenxiu and his men would wear Japanese uniforms one day to attack the Russians, or launch a surprise attack on the Japanese. The next day, they would don Russian uniforms to attack the Japanese, or launch a surprise attack on the Russians, or even plunder small Japanese and Russian transport convoys. Although they had acquired so many of their weapons from foreign sources, Liu Wenxiu and his men rarely spared a single casualty, fleeing as soon as they had achieved their goal. To this day, countless Japanese-Russian murders remain a historical mystery, the truth lost in the long river of history, and it remains unknown who committed them.

Liu Wenxiu thought back to those days, and it was truly difficult. It was like walking on a tightrope. It was just that during the Russo-Japanese War, there was no time for guerrillas like Liu Wenxiu. Instead, Liu Wenxiu and his men were collecting spoils while attacking Qing territory, consolidating rural infrastructure, actively developing production, seizing mining machinery, and rescuing miners. Otherwise, where would the field army have gotten so many artillery shells and bullets?

The liberated areas now had their own small arsenal, allowing the field army to fight the enemy without running out of ammunition. The troops, having personally experienced the Russo-Japanese War and undergoing reorganization and training, had annihilated over ten thousand Japanese troops in a single battle, demonstrating their combat effectiveness. These were all conditions they had previously claimed they lacked, and the offensive and defensive positions had shifted.

Now the field army has seized so many supplies in Shenyang. It is no exaggeration to say that the Fifth Field Army is now the most weapon-rich army in the whole of China. What is there to be afraid of? Just go ahead and fight head-on. Thinking of this, Liu Wenxiu suddenly became a little bit high-spirited.

Now that everything is ready and the conditions for victory are in place, why should we strictly adhere to the plan Chairman Zhang Yinghao wrote two years ago? Wouldn't that be what the Chairman calls dogmatism? The Chairman has always advocated seeking truth from facts, and now is the time to do so. As for the idea of ​​mobile warfare, Liu Wenxiu briefly considered it and threw it to Java, believing it was no longer necessary. However, arbitrarily changing the plan would mean taking responsibility for the defeat. However, Liu Wenxiu felt that the problem was not serious. Even if they were defeated, at most they would just have to go back to the previous plan; it wouldn't be a big deal. In ancient times, there were generals who would not obey the orders of their rulers. Liu Wenxiu didn't think Chairman Zhang Yinghao was any less capable than those ancient emperors.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Wenxiu returned to the map and examined it again. "If we can eliminate these main Japanese divisions now, the war in Northeast China will be quelled much faster. The Chairman's plan calls for taking on the Russians after Japan. There's no need to dither."

Thinking of this, Liu Wenxiu said, "Now is not the time to leave. We can't just run away without fighting. Judging from the current situation, we are fully capable of fighting Japan this time. We finally took Shenyang, but it was so easy to give it back to the Japanese army, and they even bombed some of it. What a shame, it will have a huge impact on our morale."

Hearing Liu Wenxiu's words, many comrades nodded in agreement. They had witnessed the crimes of both Japan and Russia firsthand, and had heard countless tragedies of the soldiers. The comrades were already filled with anger at the actions of both Japan and Russia, and had long wanted to have a good fight with them.

Seeing his comrades nod, Liu Wenxiu continued, "So, let's defend Shenyang City well. We also need to learn the content of trench warfare carefully. In the past, we only heard Chairman Mao's explanations and watched the battles between Japan and Russia. If we don't practice it in practice, we will suffer great losses in the future. Now that we have a ready-made position outside Shenyang City, it is a good opportunity for us to put it into practice."

"Commander-in-Chief, these two Japanese divisions are equipped with two artillery regiments and nearly a hundred cannons. These are all heavy artillery used by the Japanese to deal with the Russian army. Defending the city while exposed to Japanese artillery fire like this? Isn't that just suicide?"

"Haha, Chief of Staff, that's why they say practice makes perfect. Who says we have to defend the city walls? Defending the city walls is naturally suicide. However, there is a defensive system outside Shenyang. We should give it a deep and echeloned defense. Let the Japanese army come and gnaw on us again. Let's see if they have the courage to fight the Battle of Mukden again. However, now that the Japanese army is heading south by train, let's see if there is any chance to ambush them. Ambushes result in more spoils and fewer casualties."

Hearing this, everyone burst into laughter.

Chapter 495:

They had reached a consensus and were determined, but Liu Wenxiu wouldn't act blindly. While the odds of victory were strong, the possibility of failure wasn't completely eliminated. After Liu Wenxiu explained the situation, the comrades all agreed to give it a try, especially those in Northeast China, who had long yearned for revenge. It can only be said that the people of Northeast China had long suffered at the hands of the Japanese and Russians.

Lian Cheng Jue also supported Liu Wenxiu's decision, but he was not in the position of political commissar for nothing. He had read the military action plan written by Chairman Zhang Yinghao many times, and there was basically no error in the early development forecasts in it. Therefore, Liu Wenxiu believed that as long as the Chairman knew the current specific situation in the Northeast, he would definitely give a specific solution.

With his reminder, Liu Wenxiu immediately realized the problem. This battle might be large-scale, with far-reaching impact, and it would affect the entire body. He had to obtain future support and make comprehensive considerations.

Moreover, if we make decisions on our own without consulting the Central Committee, and the battle is not fought well, the responsibility will be too great. Even if the battle is fought well, it will be suspected of disregarding organizational discipline. Moreover, with Chairman Zhang Yinghao's far-sighted vision and genius in military layout and command, he might be able to point out some problems that some comrades are not aware of.

Time was pressing, so Liu Wenxiu and his men immediately sent a telegram in the name of the Fifth Field Army Military Commission, detailing the latest situation and conditions in the three northeastern provinces, the resounding success of the operation, and the seized supplies. Liu Wenxiu also pointed out the field army's six major advantages in this battle: First, our army's numbers far outnumbered the Japanese in some areas, allowing us to defeat the enemy with our numbers; second, our army's firepower was superior to the Japanese, who were seriously short of munitions and supplies; third, our army's strategy and tactics were superior to those of the Japanese; fourth, our officers and soldiers were highly motivated, unafraid of national vengeance and family grievances, and willing to fight to the death; fifth, the Japanese army was fighting on external fronts, while ours was fighting on internal fronts; and sixth, the Japanese troops north of Shenyang were isolated and deep inland, lacking logistics and unable to withstand a prolonged battle, giving our army the advantage.

After discussing the advantages, Liu Wenxiu added: "The disadvantages are mainly reflected in two aspects: First, the military quality of our individual soldiers, such as shooting skills, is not as good as that of the Japanese army, especially the veterans who participated in the Russo-Japanese War; second, the quality of our grassroots military commanders is not as good as that of the Japanese army..."

Taking both aspects into consideration, the Fifth Field Army had a significantly higher chance of victory than the Japanese, significantly accelerating their expulsion from Northeast China. Furthermore, offensive and defensive warfare, compared to guerrilla and mobile warfare, not only could eliminate more enemies but also better train the troops, laying a solid foundation for the future destruction of Tsarist Russia. Furthermore, the Japanese were still unfamiliar with our situation, and this opportunity was fleeting; it would have been a shame to let it slip.

Zhang Yinghao had just been contemplating the situation in Northeast China when he received a joint telegram from Liu Wenxiu and others. He was naturally overjoyed when he read the message stating that Liu Wenxiu had easily captured Shenyang and Liaoyang. He was genuinely surprised to learn that they planned to engage the Japanese in a fierce battle in Shenyang. However, after reading Liu Wenxiu's account and combining it with the previous telegram, and after studying the map repeatedly, Zhang Yinghao concluded that Liu Wenxiu's plan was indeed sound. Considering that Japan's steel production at the time was only a few tens of thousands of tons, he suddenly felt that the Japanese forces at that moment were no big deal.

Zhang Yinghao pondered for a moment, then quickly found his earlier plan and flipped open the layout page to read. After reading it, Zhang Yinghao measured the map a few times with a ruler and suddenly felt that there was great potential. He suddenly wondered if Liu Wenxiu and his men were too timid. Moreover, fighting the Japanese north of Shenyang was actually useless. Even if they eliminated the Japanese, what would it mean? They would still have to face the Russian army head-on? At most, they would only be able to fight halfway. With the field army occupying Shenyang, separating the Japanese and Russian sides, the main contradiction between them would be gone. After the contradiction was transformed, the field army would even have to face a joint attack from Japan and Russia in the north and south.

Zhang Yinghao flipped through the military deployment map sent by Liu Wenxiu and his men, comparing it with his own plan. After confirming there were no major issues, he immediately wrote, "I agree with your plan to defend Shenyang and fully guard against the Japanese advance southward. Furthermore, the Seventh Corps, originally ordered to capture Haicheng and Dashiqiao, and then defend against the enemy's northward advance, will have the Fifth Cavalry Column move south immediately. This will take the enemy by surprise and attack them where they are least prepared. They will then focus their efforts on attacking Dalian and Lushun. If this fails, they will retreat and capture the Wafangdian area, blockading the Dalian and Lushun area and preventing the Japanese advance northward. Furthermore, I order Li Hu's Sixth Corps to advance rapidly along the Anfeng Railway, aiming directly at Andong. If they encounter resistance and are unable to defeat the enemy, they can retreat and occupy the Fengcheng area to defend against Japanese forces landing in Korea or Andong, preventing the enemy from advancing into our Northeast. With both strategic objectives accomplished, this battle will be a complete victory."

Having written this, Zhang Yinghao paused, then immediately continued: "Ever since the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the Liaodong Peninsula has fallen into the hands of Japanese and Russian colonists for ten years. The people of the Liaodong Peninsula are all looking forward to the Chinese army driving out the colonists, recovering their homeland, and returning home. If our heroic field army can succeed this time, it will surely greatly shock both Japan and Russia and greatly boost the national spirit of the Chinese people..."

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Central Military Commission wish you all a successful start. We hope that the comrades of the Fifth Field Army will carry forward our army's fine traditions, fear neither hardship nor death, and maintain a fearless revolutionary spirit. Fight courageously to liberate the Liaodong Peninsula and all of Northeast China, establish unbreakable liberated areas and bases, mobilize the masses, and annihilate all invaders. Victory will surely belong to all the brave and skilled soldiers of the Fifth Field Army..."

Zhang Yinghao finished writing and read it again. He was very satisfied with the brilliant idea of ​​Dalian and Lushun. It was really a brilliant idea. Thinking of this, Zhang Yinghao couldn't help smiling, but in his heart he sneered at Japan.

Hahahaha, the Japanese devils would never have thought of this in their dreams, and would never believe it even if they were beaten to death. Now someone is so bold as to want to take away the Port of Lushun that they had just obtained after sacrificing thousands of their soldiers. This is unforgivable.

If the Fifth Field Army could succeed in this war, then Japan, having borrowed huge sums of money and spent huge sums of money on the war, would ultimately gain nothing and only a mess.

Zhang Yinghao was overjoyed at the mere thought of such an outcome, and he looked forward to it immensely. If the adventure succeeded, given Japan's current situation, they would have no choice but to swallow their anger, or rather, swallow their blood! This blow would be enough to paralyze Japan until it had to fight a war before it could recover. By then, would Japan still have a chance? Zhang Yinghao expressed deep doubts about this!

In fact, Zhang Yinghao naturally wanted to win the battle in Northeast China quickly. Zhang Yinghao knew that the original plan was only used when it was necessary to ensure victory. However, using methods such as mobile warfare to consume the Japanese army would take too long, be too inefficient, and have too many variables. If the Japanese and the Russians joined forces to deal with the field army, they would inevitably suffer heavy losses, which was also a possibility that could not be ignored. Seeing the officers and soldiers of the Fifth Field Army full of enthusiasm, how could Zhang Yinghao not support them?

After handing the telegram to the confidential clerk and sending it off, Zhang Yinghao suddenly thought of something very important. He slapped his forehead in frustration, thinking how foolish he was. He had been so busy that he had forgotten such an important thing. He immediately called Bai Guangliang from the Anti-Smoking Bureau and Bao Shilin, who was in charge of the bank, and said, "Comrades, we have started the war in Northeast China. We are off to a good start and we are confident that we can win. Now you should find a way to short the Japanese and Russian bond markets, short the yen and the ruble, in short, anything that can benefit the war. It would be best if you could bankrupt Japan and Russia's credit so that these two poor countries will have no way to fight again..."

This was something Zhang Yinghao had previously overlooked. War never exists in isolation, and the financial market is a bloodless sword. It could even be said that financial warfare is far more dangerous than actual war. A single misstep could wipe out a nation's painstakingly accumulated wealth. Countless countries have been devastated by a financial crisis, and even the Qing Dynasty itself was wiped out by an economic crisis, significantly accelerating its demise.

Zhang Yinghao didn't know what financial instruments were available in this era, but shorting the Japanese yen and ruble was a surefire way to make a killing. It was a promising strategy, and he was sure to make a killing. The Rothschild family truly built their fortune by foreseeing the outcome of the Battle of Waterloo and profiting from the financial markets to become British creditors, thus accumulating inexhaustible wealth. How could war and wealth be separated? If his comrades acted quickly, then the fall of Japan and Russo-Japanese power would surely ensure his survival.

As for why Bai Guangliang and Bao Shilin were called in, it was because the department with the most overseas assets in the Liberated Areas was probably the Anti-Opium Bureau, which was secretly selling heroin. Of course, now that the Liberated Areas were blocked, the banks had a considerable amount of gold and silver reserves, which could also be mobilized for this financial operation. And the banking system probably had the most financial talent in the Liberated Areas, so these two were called in to cooperate in this financial harvesting operation.

Bai Guangliang's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he immediately said, "Chairman, I'll contact the US right away. Since we've been blockaded, we've had nowhere to spend our money, so our comrades over there have hired a number of American economists to help us with stock trading and financial management. They'll be able to take action immediately after receiving the telegram."

Bao Shilin also said immediately: "We will also immediately assign talents to be responsible for shorting Japan and Russia and ensure the completion of the task."

"Okay, what we need is action, the sooner the better. Once the news of our defeat is exposed, our chances will be slim."

Chapter 496:

Liu Wenxiu and his team received Zhang Yinghao's telegram. After reading it, everyone knew that Chairman Zhang Yinghao's plan was far superior to Liu Wenxiu's simple defense and was highly feasible. Now that the strategic goal had been determined, the next step was to determine the specific actions.

Everyone now had a clear idea. The general plan was to defend the north and attack the south. The overall plan had changed very little, but the results were completely different. Liu Wenxiu and the others were deeply impressed by Chairman Zhang Yinghao's boldness and daring approach. He had come up with so much in such a short time. It was true that those in charge were often confused, while those on the sidelines could see more clearly. If this campaign could succeed, the Fifth Field Army would have liberated half of Northeast China. With this half of Northeast China as a base, they would have the capital to compete with Tsarist Russia in Northeast China.

Without hesitation, Liu Wenxiu forwarded the telegram to the commanders of the Sixth and Seventh Corps, who were specifically responsible for the operation. Li Hu and Du Lisan immediately began to study the telegram and quickly came to the conclusion that the key to victory in this battle lay not in anything else but speed.

Before a battle, a field army would inevitably seek to disrupt the enemy's communications system. Taking advantage of the time lag in information transmission in this era, they could catch the enemy off guard before they could react, or before they could react and prepare. This was the most cost-effective method. By the time the enemy decided to do something, everything was already decided.

Neither Li Hu nor Du Lisan paused, nor did they intend to waste any time. They both knew that time was more precious than gold, and every minute wasted increased the risk of mission failure or incomplete completion. Both of them were proud and arrogant, so they naturally wouldn't consider occupying Fengcheng and Wafangdian to stop the Japanese army. To them, that would be a mission failure, and a delicious meal would be half-cooked.

With the orders from the Central Military Commission and the Fifth Field Army Military Commission in hand, and the fact that the troops were already on the march or fighting, they naturally acted very quickly. They immediately changed their route, sent out vanguard troops to clear the way, and marched quickly towards their destination.

.a…a….

After sending the telegram, Liu Wenxiu also thought of a very important issue at this time. Even if Lushun and Andong were captured, if his side had no control over the sea, it would be at a great disadvantage in the war. The cannons on the warships were often three or four hundred millimeters in caliber, and the coastal defense forces were at a great disadvantage. Once exposed to the enemy's warships and cannons, the threat they faced would be too great.

After thinking for a while, Liu Wenxiu personally inquired about the specific details of the Japanese artillery captured in Shenyang. He learned that there were even two siege mortars that the Japanese army had obtained with great difficulty. He immediately found Comrade Yu Dehai, the chief artillery commander of the Fifth Field Army, to inquire about the situation.

Yu Dehai had been handling artillery ever since the field army captured Russian artillery, so he was naturally very familiar with it. The field army also knew that artillery was the god of war, and having witnessed the power of hundreds of cannons firing simultaneously, they naturally attached great importance to the training of artillerymen, and by this time, they had trained a large number of qualified artillery personnel.

Liu Wenxiu knew at this time that the most important thing in this war was whether these captured heavy artillery could exert their due power. If they were captured but could not be digested, it would be a waste of resources.

"Comrade Yu Dehai, you're also a veteran revolutionary. You're the one who led our field army's artillery. You should be most aware of the situation, comrades. We've captured so many cannons in Shenyang. With the current manpower and strength of our artillery, do you think we can engage the Japanese in a one-on-one artillery battle?"

"Not yet. Artillery is a technical branch, and the Japanese are all veterans. If we don't take any measures, we won't be a match for them with just artillery. If we want to fight the Japanese artillery to artillery, we need at least another six months of training until we are familiar with the various parameters of these artillery."

Liu Wenxiu didn't look disappointed. If it wasn't possible, it was. There was nothing to say. Forcing a "no" into a "yes" would only lead to major problems. So he immediately asked, "Oh, if we knew the location of the Japanese artillery and used it to launch a surprise attack, would you be able to destroy the enemy artillery positions in a short period of time and render them ineffective?"

Yu Dehai thought for a moment before saying, "Commander-in-Chief, if all the artillery teams are under my command and we fire at the Japanese at close range, our hit rate will be high and the results will naturally be good. If we attack from the rear, it will take a long time for the enemy to switch artillery positions. During this time, we will carry out a covering artillery bombardment on the Japanese. Even if the Japanese calculate our position, they will not be able to retaliate in a short time. Then, we will have enough time to fire artillery shells. Even if the hit rate is a little lower, all our artillery will have fired at least two thousand shells. With so many shells exploding in one area, even if they cannot deal a devastating blow to the Japanese artillery positions, their strength will be very little. They have basically lost their combat effectiveness, and their remaining strength will not threaten us."

Liu Wenxiu laughed when he heard this. Firing one or two cannons might not seem like a big deal, but quantitative change can lead to qualitative change. When four or five hundred cannons fire together, it's absolutely earth-shattering.

"The artillery you requested is currently in Shenyang, including two siege mortars, also known as heavy howitzers. Let's go take a look and determine the specific size and organization of the artillery. My request is simple. We don't have the ability to form a large-scale artillery unit right now, but the artillery from each regiment and company must be able to concentrate and fire at a single target when necessary, while at other times being able to disperse and coordinate with the various units in offensive and defensive operations."

"This is no problem."

"Then immediately gather all the artillery we can muster. We will immediately enter Shenyang and try to digest our captured supplies as quickly as possible to improve our combat effectiveness."

Yu Dehai had also heard about the large amount of supplies seized in Shenyang. In fact, even without Liu Wenxiu's advice, he was already preparing to go and receive the artillery inside. With the order now in place, he naturally led his artillery comrades, who had already assembled, into the city.

When the group arrived at the artillery storage site in Shenyang and saw the hundreds of artillery pieces placed in rows, especially the dozens of heavy artillery pieces and two super cannons, the artillerymen brought by Yu Dehai were as excited as if they had seen a pile of gold ingots, and their eyes suddenly lit up.

The artillery unit has always adhered to the philosophy that it would rather let the artillery wait for the artillery than let the artillery wait for the artillery. At this time, many artillerymen only have theoretical knowledge but too little practice. Usually, they just go to the troops for rotation. At this time, they are naturally as excited as seeing the lover they have been thinking about day and night.

The receptionist wasn't surprised; he'd had a similar expression the first time he saw them. Yu Dehai wasn't the wily-necked receptionist; the moment he saw these cannons, he had a rough idea of ​​their performance and power. He immediately asked about Liu Wenxiu, but perhaps out of excitement, his words were a little stammering.

"Commander-in-Chief, have all these artillery pieces, including the two 280mm siege mortars, been equipped to us now?"

"Haha, even if you give them to me, I will still give them to you to use."

"Haha, that's not what I meant. Commander-in-Chief, we've captured artillery from both Japan and Russia before, and we've basically studied them thoroughly, and we have all the parameters. There will be absolutely no problem handing these artillery to us, and we will definitely use them well. Besides, these things are meant to be used and well maintained, otherwise they will rust if not used."

Yu Dehai was excited for a while, then said: "Commander-in-Chief, there is nothing wrong with these cannons, but these two siege guns, each weighs several thousand pounds, and the shells are more than 500 pounds. When the Japanese built coastal fortresses, they deployed these heavy howitzers in key locations. Although I don't know how the Japanese transported them to Shenyang, we can't afford to use them now, because we can't maneuver them with these cannons, and can only use them as fortress guns or coastal defense guns."

The receptionist suddenly interrupted and asked, "Is there no other way? Such a large-caliber cannon, with such great power, it would be a shame if it couldn't be used."

Hearing that such a large cannon couldn't be used, it would have to lie in storage gathering dust. How could this be? Almost everyone in this era was a fan of large ships and cannons, and men had an even deeper love for large-caliber cannons. They had never seen such a large-caliber heavy artillery before, and its power must be astonishing. And now someone was telling him that this cannon was unaffordable. Was this a joke? The more he looked at this cannon, the more he liked it. He simply couldn't accept this cruel fact. It was like having the most beautiful woman in the world, but only being able to get as close as -3 centimeters was a painful thing.

Yu Dehai said helplessly: "The power of this cannon is indeed terrifying. When a shell explodes, all living things in an area as large as a small playground will be killed. The crater it explodes is at least a huge pit with a radius of six meters and a depth of two meters. If the queue is dense, a whole company will be wiped out with one shot. But this cannon is too heavy. In foreign countries, this kind of cannon is either installed on trains, warships, or used as fortress guns. It is very inconvenient to use this kind of cannon with horses. It can't be dragged at all in the slightest mud, and it is difficult to cross even a slight slope. So although these two cannons can improve the siege capability of the troops, we can't afford them now. It is very troublesome to use them, which is definitely not worth the loss."

At this time, Liu Wenxiu suddenly asked: "Can this kind of cannon be used against warships?" "Of course it can, but warships at sea are moving, and this cannon is relatively fixed. Under normal circumstances, this cannon cannot defeat warships. But no warship would be willing to engage in a duel with this cannon, right? Isn't this a mutually suicidal act? The news we have is that the Japanese used this kind of cannon to sink several Russian warships during the attack on Port Arthur."

"There's no problem transporting this kind of artillery by train. Isn't the Middle East Railway right next to us?"

Li Shan turned to look at the other cannons and said, "Old Yu, is it okay to immediately equip the troops with the other cannons with a caliber of around 100mm?"

“There’s no problem with that.”

Then he couldn't help but say, "Compared to the largest caliber 105mm howitzers we have now, although the caliber of these cannons is only one-third larger, both the weight and power of the cannons have increased by more than double. It's a pity that we can't make such large cannons ourselves..."

"Ha, you're really ignorant. Sichuan has already made it, but it requires at least six horses to move, which is not easy."

"Haha, those two cannons are indeed too difficult, but as for the others! I'd be happy even if I died of exhaustion."

"Alright, now let's not worry about the organization. You should organize it yourself. We need to deploy them to the battle right away. So, immediately start organizing these artillery comrades. Then, pull the artillery comrades to assemble outside the city. There will be people outside to meet you. You should immediately ambush at the designated location. Time is running out. Don't let your artillery fail here, otherwise our casualties will increase greatly. If the battle goes well and we finish this battle, there will be more important missions waiting for you."

"Yes."

Chapter 497:

Yu Dehai led the artillery troops that had just received the cannons and marched out of Shenyang in a mighty manner. At this time, inside the city of Shenyang, the sound of firecrackers exploding in iron barrels was endless, hoping to send the wrong message to the enemy.

Furthermore, to further suppress the news, the entire city was temporarily closed to all but the military. Outside the city, cavalry patrolled the area, searching for any escaped Japanese soldiers. If they were caught, they would mysteriously vanish from the world...

The Fifth Corps of the Field Army was now rapidly advancing north of Shenyang. After they walked out of the original Shenyang defense circle, they could only faintly hear the sound of firecrackers. They ambushed on both sides of the railway at a slight bend in the railway. After sending engineers to do some tampering on the railway tracks, they quietly waited for the Japanese army to come by train to die.

After Yu Dehai arrived with his artillery unit, he immediately began to deploy artillery positions on the pre-set battlefield. This time, the artillery was equivalent to firing at fixed targets. It could be said that this was the best opportunity to familiarize themselves with the artillery parameters and the best training opportunity. All the artillerymen immediately and excitedly deployed their positions.

The distance from Tieling to Shenyang is only 60 kilometers. The Japanese army traveled by train, and the field army needed to march here to ambush. In fact, Yu Dehai did not have much time, let alone find a place suitable for setting up artillery positions. He could only randomly choose a relatively open location to set up his positions.

The sudden situation was beyond the Japanese's comprehension. Up to this point, they still hadn't received any specific and accurate information from Fengtian, which inevitably made the two reinforcement division commanders suspicious and uneasy. But to say they were afraid was out of the question. With two divisions of elite soldiers, was there any enemy to fear in South Manchuria?

"Abe-kun, do you think Fengtian is under siege? Why is there no news at all? I'm really worried."

Abe's face darkened when he heard this, and he said solemnly, "Akita-kun, I have a bad feeling. I feel like we're in big trouble this time. The war with Russia isn't over yet, and there's a problem with our retreat. And with all the supplies in Fengtian..."

"Yes, the Russian Empire is unwilling to accept defeat and has launched another attack. Although the front line has blocked the Russian offensive, if something goes wrong in Fengtian, the consequences will be disastrous. Is this a conspiracy by the Russian Empire?"

Lieutenant General Abe shuddered and spoke directly, "Damn it! It can't be the Qing. Yeah, Russia must be unwilling to accept defeat and contacted the Qing. Damn it! What's going on with the Fengtian army? Why is there no news at all? They are all warriors who participated in the Russo-Japanese War. There is absolutely no way they could be defeated by the Qing. Could it be that they really can't get out of Fengtian? They are surrounded by the Qing army. If so, it is a real shame for the Imperial Japanese Army."

The Japanese are used to plotting, and when they think of others, they naturally plot first. During the Russo-Japanese War, both Japan and Russia tried their best to win over local armed forces in Northeast China, and Japan was particularly strong in this regard. Now they naturally have reason to believe that Russia has won over a group of local Chinese armed forces to cause trouble in their rear.

Japan has not produced any strategists or people with a broad vision since ancient times. With a height of only 1.5 meters, they can only see half a meter in front of them. Naturally, they only focus on what is in front of them and cannot see anything else.

"Abe-kun, what should we do now?"

"Akita-kun, we must speed up the reinforcement of Fengtian now, otherwise the front line will be in danger. We must ensure that logistical resources are continuously transported to the front line, otherwise we will lose this war. I also don't believe that the Qing army can defeat so many imperial warriors in Fengtian. This time we must teach these troublemakers a big lesson. Let them never dare to raise a gun against the Great Japanese Empire, otherwise they will die."

"Yoshi, but we're not sure about Fengtian's situation right now. To avoid any accidents and for safety's sake, let's get off at Liutiaohu and send out a reconnaissance team to search along the way."