The Heroic Age of the Late Qing Dynasty

Because it was night, despite the illumination of flares, visibility was poor, so more Vietnamese soldiers jumped off the boats and rushed forward one by one to their deaths. There was a small road in front of the city gate, and the Vietnamese soldiers rushed forward quickly. However, the People's Liberation Army had already arranged crossfire, blocking the road for 200 meters, making it difficult for the Vietnamese to advance. Finally, after realizing that they had suffered heavy casualties and had made no progress, the French officers had no choice but to halt the attack and temporarily retreat, choosing to return to the north gate and join the ranks of the street fighting.

If nothing unexpected happens, the French army will completely occupy Dongxing City in the near future. If the People's Liberation Army refuses to withdraw, it will eventually be divided and surrounded by the French army, and an entire regiment of soldiers will be completely wiped out.

Zhang Yinghao didn't know Dongxing City had been conquered, but he had been closely following developments in Indochina since his time travel. He knew that the French had begun encroaching on the peninsula in 1858, occupying Saigon in 1861. During the Sino-French War of 1883-1885, French forces occupied Vietnam and parts of Cambodia, establishing French Cochinchina. With the signing of the Sino-French Treaty in 1885, the Qing dynasty renounced its suzerainty over Vietnam, and Vietnam fell under French occupation. In 1887, the French government authorized the formal establishment of the French Indochina Federation, combining Annam, Tonkin, Cambodia, and French Cochinchina. Following the Franco-Siamese War of 1893, Siam ceded Laos to France, and Laos was incorporated into the federation. In 1900, Guangzhou Bay joined. From 1904 to 1907, King Rama V of Siam ceded the territory east of the Mekong River to France twice in order to maintain his country's independence, thus forming the prototype of French Indochina and the three countries of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Zhang Yinghao gestured at the map and smiled faintly, saying, "Now that the geographical divisions of Indochina have basically stabilized, it makes sense for us to seize land from the French."

"Chairman, what do you mean?"

Zhang Yinghao didn't respond to Cai E's question. Instead, he patted the map and said, "The French consul in Haiphong once said: France must occupy Beichang, which is now the Protectorate of Tokyo. This French consul said: Haiphong is an ideal military base. With this base, if the European powers rise up to divide the Qing Dynasty, France will be the first to reach the heartland of the Qing Dynasty. Now looking at this situation, it is indeed true!"

"The French are really ambitious and wishful thinking!"

Zhang Yinghao just smiled and said nothing.

Zhang Yinghao thought that the French still dared to attack China at this time. It was a fool's errand. While France was certainly at its peak in the Far East, that was nothing. Zhang Yinghao recalled a quote from Zuo Zongtang: "The French are by nature bullies of the weak and fears the strong. Although they boast and enjoy success, they are actually impatient and afraid of difficulties. They are slow to initiate and slow to persevere."

I am reminded of a saying by Zeng Guofan's son, Zeng Jize, a famous diplomat in the late Qing Dynasty: "If you fail in one battle, plan for another; if you fail in the second battle, plan for more battles."

Zhang Yinghao admitted that France was an industrial nation and its overall strength was indeed much greater than that of China today, but the French were powerless in the Far East. Given the French's current strength, even if they could transport 100,000 soldiers without British help, they would be defeated.

Zhang Yinghao frowned suddenly and said, "There's no way the French would just attack Dongxing. What about Zhennan Pass? Any news?"

"No news yet, I'll contact them right away!"

Just when Zhang Yinghao realized that Zhennan Pass was in danger, the French army had already begun to attack Pingxiang. The People's Liberation Army also had only one regiment of soldiers in Pingxiang. The regiment commander Wang Defa arranged one battalion in Pingxiang County and two battalions in Zhennan Pass.

The French troops coming from Lang Son had been marching secretly, taking a detour and quietly approaching the Pingxiang city wall, preparing to launch a surprise attack to capture the county town in one fell swoop, and then attack from both inside and outside to capture Zhennan Pass.

The French vanguard, operating in small groups, was conducting lurking and reconnaissance, clearing obstacles set up by the PLA. Fortunately, the PLA had a system of visible and invisible sentries. When the French jumped out to kill the visible sentry, the invisible sentry decisively opened fire, not only avenging the French soldier who had killed the sentry but also sending word of the enemy's surprise attack back to the city.

The French, realizing they had been exposed, immediately launched an attack on Pingxiang City. The sentry, stunned by the sudden appearance of countless French soldiers, immediately continued firing at the enemy, fighting while retreating, and even fired a signal gun into the air. Unfortunately, the soldier was shot in the thigh and was quickly overwhelmed by the swarming French troops.

The soldiers of the Sixth Battalion had also been awakened by this time and quickly reacted and headed towards the city wall. On the city wall, the moment the mortar fired the flare, the soldiers were horrified to find that countless French troops were already rushing towards the city wall.

As flares flew, gunfire rang out. However, the PLA was too thinly outnumbered to stop the French attack. Furthermore, Pingxiang City hadn't sealed its gates like Dongxing City had. A French 75mm infantry gun fired at the gates, sending them crashing down. The French, fearing no one, rushed towards the gates.

The PLA reinforcements had not yet reached the front, and the defending troops were at an absolute disadvantage compared to the French. The French army was in the early stages of the war, morale was high, and they were deep in enemy territory in a dangerous situation, so they erupted in amazing fighting power.

The PLA soldiers on the city walls, despite French machine gun fire, fired relentlessly from the walls and continuously dropped grenades. However, the French, with their numerical superiority and the advantage of the first move, quickly entered the city. The soldiers on the walls were forced to split up to deal with the French troops behind them, avoiding a double attack. However, they were outnumbered and ultimately retreated along the city walls, with 28 of their men killed.

After entering the city, the French continued their assault, encountering the PLA troops who had arrived to support them. Without further ado, the two sides engaged in a brutal hand-to-hand combat. However, the French were numerous and tall, surpassing the PLA in terms of individual physical fitness. Although the PLA employed a three-man bayonet-fighting tactic, equipped with Mitsubishi bayonets, and while they could still hold their own in the short term, facing the enemy's overwhelming numerical advantage, Wang Defa knew Pingxiang City was untenable. To preserve his own manpower against the French, and to ensure that the soldiers guarding Zhennan Pass would not be isolated, he resolutely ordered the arsenal to be blown up, then abandoned the city with his remaining soldiers, preparing for a protracted struggle with the French.

Wang Defa's negligence, his underestimation of the enemy, and his failure to properly deploy his forces led to the loss of troops and territory, and he should have been executed. However, considering the French army's superior numbers and their use of surprise attacks, he was ultimately criticized and given a major offense. He was also demoted from regimental commander to acting commander. If he didn't achieve sufficient success, Wang Defa's military career might have been over.

Chapter 759: More!

Facing the French's surprise attack, Zhang Yinghao was not in a hurry. Now there were no tanks and not enough transport vehicles. Even if the French tried their best to transport troops to the Far East, Zhang Yinghao believed that the French would not be able to invade the inland core areas of Yunnan and Guangxi provinces.

Therefore, after learning that the French army had invaded Dongxing City, Zhang Yinghao immediately sent someone to tell Bai Guangliang the news, asking him to pay close attention to the situation in France and the price fluctuations of the franc.

At this time, Zhang Yinghao did not know that the fiercest battle would not be fought in Pingxiang and Dongxing, but in Hekou. Construction of the Vietnamese section of the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway began in 1901 and was completed and opened to traffic in 1903, providing great convenience for the transportation of French troops and logistics.

While the French were building the railway, the liberated areas naturally began constructing their own. Yunnan Hekou, a port on the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway, quickly transformed from a small, unknown village into a substantial city. Merchants, craftsmen, and adventurers from all over the country flocked here to trade with the Vietnamese and French, making it a renowned trading port. It also became the earliest bridgehead connecting the southwestern liberated areas with the outside world. Faced with such a booming trade, the French were already salivating, eager to seize it for themselves.

The French army sneaked across the Red River and crossed the border to attack Hekou. The PLA was forced to immediately launch a counterattack and quickly evacuate the people. Although Hekou had some intelligence about the French reinforcements, the suddenness of the war still allowed the French to quickly attack the Hekou city wall.

Because of the prosperous commercial activities at the river mouth, the PLA never considered blocking the city gates. The river mouth area was defended by a brigade of troops, so the French knew that they had to attack quickly and seize the river mouth quickly, otherwise they might be trapped in a long war.

By this time, the gate at Hekou City was no longer in existence, having been dismantled to facilitate trade. The French, along with their Vietnamese vassal troops, attacked. PLA soldiers risked their lives firing from the city walls, while grenades rained down. Due to the narrowness of the gate and the firepower points along its perimeter, the first wave of French soldiers, a battalion, stalled at the gate.

In the flash of the exploding grenade, the blood-stained earth was visible. The steel balls inside the grenade, propelled by the explosives, scattered in all directions, easily penetrating human bodies and harvesting enemy lives. Soon, more than half of the attacking French battalion had been killed or wounded, and they were forced to retreat.

Faced with the French's powerful attack, the PLA's main force had yet to arrive, leaving them stretched thin. To prevent the French from quickly gaining a foothold within the city, the company commander on the front lines realized the need for street fighting. He immediately deployed two machine gun crews to either side of the city gate, creating a crossfire and ensuring the destruction of the French.

More than 500 French soldiers, along with over 2,000 Vietnamese vassal troops, launched another attack. The PLA fought back desperately, firing two shots on the city wall before switching positions. The sharpshooters, in particular, inflicted heavy casualties on the attacking troops. However, the French army, under orders from the Vietnamese vassal troops, continued to recklessly rush towards the city gate.

The mortars continuously fired shells, creating brilliant sparks in the enemy camp, but still could not stop the enemy's attack.

With a target, there is basically no mission that cannot be completed. Due to the French artillery bombardment, the PLA guarding the city wall also caused huge casualties. Soon, the PLA machine gun positions on the city wall were destroyed and silenced, and the firepower immediately dropped by more than one level.

Seeing that the PLA machine guns had gone silent, the Vietnamese vassal army shouted excitedly and immediately rushed into the city gate in an untidy formation.

Seeing the army rushing into the city gate, all the French troops and their vassal troops cheered. However, before their cheers stopped, the sound of machine gun fire was heard from inside the city gate.

The soldiers who rushed in ran into the heavy firepower that had been arranged in advance. Two machine guns completely blocked the city gate. Those inside the gate rushed forward, and those in front tried to retreat, and immediately a chaotic situation broke out.

The enemy was in disarray, but the machine guns showed no sign of refraining, continuing to fire deadly rounds into the city gate. Soldiers on the city walls immediately rushed to the gate tower and threw grenades into the gate. The grenades exploded where the enemy troops were gathered, killing and wounding countless people and causing great panic among the French. French artillery immediately extended its guns into the city, attempting to destroy the PLA machine gun positions. However, due to the obstruction of the city wall, their efforts were thwarted.

Seeing the heavy casualties, the French officers immediately ordered all the artillery to be concentrated and the fire to blow up a section of the city wall so that they could quickly attack the city.

Seeing the dense artillery shells coming from the French army, the soldiers knew what the French were planning. The company commander immediately ordered all the soldiers on the city wall to withdraw, retreat to the barricades or houses behind the wall, and prepare to start street fighting with the invading enemy.

Instantly, the sky above the river mouth was filled with thunder! Each shell lifted countless bricks and stones, and in just a few minutes, the city walls were covered in poisonous yellow smoke. Large chunks of the wall were pierced by shells, and debris kept rolling and flying. Shrapnel whistled past, throwing some unsuspecting soldiers away. The roar of the explosions drowned out the shouts of the soldiers in the city, even the sharp whistles pale in comparison. For the first time, the PLA understood what a truly powerful army was!

Soon, under the French artillery fire, the lower part of the city gate collapsed. Then there were several loud noises, and bricks and stones on the city wall were suddenly thrown up, and the wall of more than 20 meters collapsed in an instant.

Before the smoke and dust had cleared, the French army and their vassal troops emerged from the collapsed city wall. The French army had at least one regiment of soldiers in this charge, and they quickly entered the city by stepping on the ruins of the city wall.

When the PLA soldiers saw the French troops appear, they immediately opened fire. The bullets flew into the enemy's bodies, and they fell to the ground without a sound.

The French infantry artillery also began to extend its fire, clearing a path for the infantry to advance. The PLA, at this time, fired continuously at the French army from houses and barricades on both sides, taking advantage of the favorable terrain to inflict heavy casualties on the enemy.

The French army continued to enter the city, expanding the occupied area. Under the cover of artillery, they advanced cautiously and slowly into the city.

The PLA also poured into the city from all directions, engaging in fierce street fighting with the enemy. The sound of gunfire and explosions cut through the air. Seeing that they were not only unable to capture the river mouth but were also suffering heavy casualties, the French officers immediately set fires everywhere, hoping to force the PLA out of their ambush. Thick smoke quickly enveloped the entire city.

The foreign powers were extremely cruel to their enemies. With the PLA defending their positions in the alleys, the foreign powers moved their artillery to bombard the alleys where civilians might be hiding, resulting in countless deaths! Furthermore, in the ensuing battle, to avoid massive casualties in the street fighting, the French commander ordered the city to be set ablaze, burning down nearly half of the city. This demonstrates the French army's viciousness and brutality.

The PLA's squad and platoon street fighting did indeed cause heavy casualties to the French army. Just one hour after the city was captured, another 500 enemy soldiers were killed.

A French lieutenant colonel led his troops around a civilian house, exchanging long gunfire with the PLA soldiers inside until the soldiers lay bloodied and lying on the ground. The French rushed into the house, attempting to persuade them to surrender, when they suddenly saw the PLA soldier gently pull out several smoking grenades. A hint of mockery crossed his face...

The fierce battle continued, just as Zhang Yinghao had predicted. The French army, like a few erections, possessed immense explosive power and combat effectiveness. However, Zhang Yinghao believed that once the French army's "spirit" was exhausted, their weapons would inevitably become limp, and their combat effectiveness would be drastically reduced.

However, what puzzled Zhang Yinghao was that the French army had penetrated multiple locations in Yunnan and Guangxi provinces from multiple points, leaving him completely confused about the French's strategic intentions. He wondered if the French wanted to occupy more territory or force the liberated areas to surrender and cede more interests to France. What significance did such an attack have for France now? It seemed that it would achieve no strategic purpose at all!

The next day, Zhang Yinghao received news again that Siam had actually mobilized its troops northward, attacking the liberated areas of Mengdong, Mengta, and Wanbai. Furthermore, Siam had issued an international announcement, claiming that these areas were Siamese territory and that this was only to recover its territory.

Zhang Yinghao knew that Siam had bordered China before 1893, and that the territories seized by the PLA during its southward advance were indeed territories ceded from Siam by Britain or France. Zhang Yinghao also knew that Siam must have been deceived and even threatened by Britain and France. Zhang Yinghao could understand Siam's desire to reclaim these territories. However, Zhang Yinghao would never accept the loss of territory once again, which the PLA soldiers had recovered from Britain and France with their blood, sweat, and countless sacrifices.

What Zhang Yinghao hated most was countries like Siam that took advantage of others' misfortunes. They were truly despicable. Zhang Yinghao would remember this kind of behavior for a long time, and even write it into history.

Zhang Yinghao wanted to ask, does Siam think the Liberated Areas are still like the Qing Dynasty? How dare they launch an attack on the Liberated Areas? Have they lost their respect for the Celestial Empire? Zhang Yinghao never wanted to invade other countries, but if any country dared to invade the Liberated Areas, they would have to pay the price. Of course, attacking Britain, France, and Russia and liberating the people in the colonies certainly didn't count as aggression in Zhang Yinghao's mind.

However, since both the French and Siam have attacked the Liberated Areas, the British should also attack Yunnan and Tibet! Now the Liberated Areas are under attack from all sides. Should we solve the problem of Southern Xinjiang first or the Beiyang issue first? This is a question that Zhang Yinghao pondered while looking at the map...

After receiving the message from Zhang Yinghao, Comrade Bai Guangliang immediately sent a telegram asking his French comrades to stop shorting the franc and choose to hold the franc.

Sure enough, by noon the next day, news of the French capture of Pingxiang and Dongxing reached France. The French government was very shrewd. Upon receiving the victory news, they immediately notified all major media outlets. Soon, all French newspapers, big and small, published the news that the French army had occupied two Chinese cities.

For France now, this is rare good news, which caused a huge sensation and even caused the French franc, which had been depressed for a long time, to appreciate a lot. France is facing huge pressure from Germany and now needs a victory to boost morale.

The team led by Bai Guangliang made a fortune again with tears in their eyes. The impact of war on the economy is huge. Didn't the American consortiums in the past rely on war and influence on oil prices to control the world economy and reap the whole world? This also shows the fragility of the economy of small countries. As long as there are other countries for the United States to reap, then the United States' position as the world hegemon will continue.

In other words, the PLA wasn't strong enough, and transportation wasn't developed enough. Otherwise, they could easily control the war's progress, firmly seize the initiative, and reap the rewards as they wished. To increase the franc's value, they deliberately suffered a few defeats. To weaken the franc, they staged a few victories. In this way, the French economy was manipulated at their will.

The rejoicing French now had no idea where Pingxiang and Dongxing were. Perhaps they still thought that, just like in history, the French army had won a great victory, had penetrated deep into the Chinese interior, and occupied large areas. However, they did not know that the French army was only engaged in a bitter battle in the border areas and liberated areas.

It was this misunderstanding that made France believe that the attacking French army had wiped out a large number of the People's Liberation Army, and that the combat effectiveness of the People's Liberation Army was still the same as that in the Qing Dynasty. It even believed that the French army was making smooth progress and that the war would end with a great victory for the French army and the signing of a humiliating treaty with the barbaric and backward Chinese.

Zhang Yinghao didn't care about the situation of the French far away in Europe. After thinking for half a day, Zhang Yinghao finally decided on the policy of "pacifying the country before resisting foreign aggression".

Zhang Yinghao felt that if he wanted to resolve the issue between southern Xinjiang and the great powers, it would be absolutely impossible in a short period of time. The reason was that Britain and France still had huge war potential and difficulties in supplying logistical materials. The harsh environment and backward transportation in southern Xinjiang meant that resolving the issue in southern Xinjiang was not something that could be accomplished in a short period of time.

Moreover, the more intense the fighting between the People's Liberation Army and the great powers, the greater the support the great powers would give to Beiyang, the stronger Beiyang would become, the more People's Liberation Army would be tied up, and more energy, manpower and material resources of the liberated areas would be tied up.

It was impossible for the Western powers to raise a large number of Chinese vassal armies at the moment, but as long as the Beiyang government had money, it could raise more armies. Moreover, as long as the Beiyang government was eliminated, China would only have the Liberated Areas as its own regime. Whether the powers recognized it or not, this was a fact. As long as the powers needed China, they could effectively divide and disintegrate the principle of unity among the powers towards China.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao felt that only by getting rid of the Beiyang first could everything get better quickly. Only by getting rid of the Beiyang and then fighting against the powers wholeheartedly could he gain more benefits in the future.

Zhang Yinghao recalled the Xinhai Revolution in his previous life. When revolutions broke out in Wuhan, Shanghai and other places, in order to prevent the great powers from interfering in the revolution, the revolutionaries unilaterally recognized the unequal treaties signed between the Qing Dynasty and the great powers without holding meetings or negotiating with the great powers. They did not even dare to negotiate with the great powers. Why? Because they were afraid that the great powers would make more excessive demands, which they could not meet but did not dare to refuse. Therefore, for those revolutionaries, stabilizing the great powers was the best option.

However, since I started from Sichuan and hold heavy military and financial power, why should I care about the faces of the great powers? I have liberated the whole country, and those great powers should pray that China will not bear a grudge. How can I have the qualifications to negotiate with the great powers? As long as I liberate the whole country, I can be on an equal footing with the great powers. Will the great powers dare to continue fighting with China? This is a question.

Zhang Yinghao knew that the Chinese were kindhearted, and that over time, once their anger faded, they would forgive their enemies. He also knew that the people were content and disliked war. However, the claim that the people needed a peaceful life and the country needed rest and recuperation was merely an excuse and a false proposition.

Zhang Yinghao knew very well that without sufficient territory and power, and with underdeveloped heavy industry, what was the point of all the people supporting and wanting peace? This was just a plea for peace. Could kneeling bring true peace? The Qing Dynasty never wanted to fight a war with the foreign powers, but what was the result? Wasn't the war forced upon the Qing Dynasty?

Chinese people possess no other abilities, but they are undeniably the best in the world at disparaging their own people. This isn't some sage's rhetoric, it's simply ancient moral principles. Often, before even doing anything, they've already tied their own hands and feet. If you're not afraid of suffering, you'll suffer endless losses; if you're not afraid of hardship, you'll always suffer endless hardships. The result is a loss of both face and substance.

Zhang Yinghao is now thinking about his generation fighting three generations of war, occupying enough territory, and then he can develop peacefully. No one dares to touch China's tiger whiskers again!

Chapter 760: More

Zhang Yinghao hated sending his soldiers into street fighting, even if it meant attacking enemy trenches. Street fighting was completely uncontrollable, with soldiers being shot without even knowing where the enemy was, and it was also incredibly easy to cause casualties among innocent civilians.

Beiyang is now surrounded on three sides, and the domestic situation is also favorable to the liberated areas. Moreover, Shanxi, Mongolia, and the Northeast have been liberated. In fact, there are not enough soldiers and lands to defend the capital of Beiyang!

After understanding the Beiyang's troop deployment, Zhang Yinghao issued a general strategy of defending the south and attacking the north. After reviewing the General Staff's plan for attacking the Beiyang, he said, "We can proactively attack the Beiyang-controlled areas, but we must mobilize all Beiyang troops from their strongholds. It is best to engage the Beiyang in open battles rather than attacking Beiyang-held cities. Since the Beiyang army is afraid that we will attack from the flank or rear, we should mobilize the Beiyang troops to attack."

"Chairman, what if the Beiyang government retreats?"

Zhang Yinghao sneered and said, "Haha, you're hiding? Then we'll surround them and eliminate all the Beiyang troops in other places. Without the support of the vast rural areas and without logistical supplies, how long can the trapped Beiyang troops hold out? Even if other places are liberated, can the besieged Beiyang troops still fly or flee abroad? Add to that our political offensive, and can those Beiyang officers really completely control their soldiers? Everyone must remember that the Beiyang army is also full of oppression, and there is a gap between superiors and subordinates. Moreover, the Beiyang are also Chinese. Once they are pushed to a certain point and have no way out, they will naturally choose to surrender. Even if there are a few officers who are blindly loyal to Yuan Shikai, what trouble can they cause? If we choose to siege, we can also choose to surround a point and attack the reinforcements. Besides, our war with the Beiyang can only be considered a low-intensity war at best. The losses of defense are always much less than those of offense."

Zhang Yinghao looked at the map and said, "Our war of liberation against the Beiyang regime is actually quite easy to win, and we must fight on a large scale. We shouldn't just focus on attacking cities, nor should we focus on annihilating the Beiyang army. We must advance from Mongolia, Shanxi, the Northeast, Hubei, Anhui, and Huaihai Province. This time, we'll target the entire Beiyang-controlled territory of Henan, Zhili, Shandong, Jiangsu, Tianjin, and the capital as our battlefields. We'll fight the Beiyang army wherever we encounter them, attacking wherever there's a way to attack. We'll mobilize the soldiers' initiative, bravely infiltrate, attack fiercely, charge hard, and pursue fiercely. We'll carry forward the PLA's fine tradition of fighting large, tough, and difficult battles. We must attack from all directions and annihilate the Beiyang's effective forces. Comrades, imagine this: even if we can't capture the cities where the main Beiyang forces are entrenched in the short term, if we liberate all the rural areas, what will the Beiyang troops in those cities be able to do? Even if they put up a desperate resistance, without food and ammunition, how long can they hold out?"

Zhang Yinghao patted the map and continued, "Although this is a chaotic battle, we are playing a coordinated game. We will divide and encircle the Beiyang Army and engage in a massive battle with them over this vast area, involving millions of men. This will test our ability to command large armies and fight major battles, and also help eliminate some unqualified and incompetent military commanders..."

Zhang Yinghao knew full well that this was a radical move, for a nation is made up of its people. As long as the people could be mobilized, nothing was impossible; overthrowing a feudal dynasty was a simple matter. It was ridiculous that both the Qing Dynasty and the Beiyang government viewed the people as a scourge, blindly obscurantizing them and alienating themselves from the people. They would inevitably be abandoned by the people. Without the support of the people, could the Beiyang government continue to exist? Could Yuan Shikai continue to be emperor? The answer was no.

Just as Zhang Yinghao was planning a major battle, another telegram arrived from Xinjiang: The People's Liberation Army had liberated the Altai region, and a large area of ​​northern Xinjiang had been liberated. However, troops sent by Tsarist Russia had already entered Xinjiang, and Tsarist Russian officers appeared among the remnants of the Beiyang and Qing armies... The British were active in southern Xinjiang north of the Karakoram Mountains.

The telegram wasn't long, but it contained a lot of meaning. Zhang Yinghao took the telegram and silently closed his eyes. He felt a mixture of emotions, an indescribable feeling rising in his heart. Now the liberated areas are really surrounded by enemies. It's really quite interesting.

Zhang Yinghao didn't know that the PLA's land reform in Hami had completely frightened the local landlords and aristocrats in Xinjiang. However, they also knew they were no match for the PLA, so they had no choice but to bring in Tsarist Russia, hoping to drive out the wolf and devour the tiger, defeat the PLA, and maintain their feudal rule. As for whether they were selling out their country or not, it no longer mattered; protecting their own interests was the real concern.

Zhang Yinghao was well aware that after Tsarist Russia completed the Central Asian Railway, Xinjiang faced a situation not dissimilar to that of Mongolia. The benefits Tsarist Russia brought to Xinjiang and Mongolia completely outweighed those accrued by the Qing court. Under the instigation of those who sought to instigate this, before Mongolia and Xinjiang had formed modern nation-states, the local landlord aristocracy, the ruling class, focused solely on their own personal interests, not those of the nation or the state. Zhang Yinghao could understand this, but he refused to accept it.

Considering Xinjiang's vast territory and sparse population, Zhang Yinghao immediately telegraphed the Northwest Bureau, stating: "There are no Tsarist Russian troops, only rebel forces. Those who refuse to surrender will be eliminated. Vigorously mobilize the local masses, carry out land revolution, and gain their support... We must liberate most of Xinjiang within the year."

Zhang Yinghao once again thanked Zuo Zongtang for the countless lives he had taken against the rebels when he recaptured Xinjiang. It had only been thirty years, and Xinjiang had yet to fully recover. A year should be enough to recapture most of Xinjiang.

Zhang Yinghao thought again and continued: "If the enemy goes there, I can go there too. Send cavalry into Central Asia, vigorously mobilize the local people, and use the cavalry's mobility to completely disrupt Central Asia. Blow up the railways, destroy bridges and roads, and contain the Russian army!"

Now the liberated area is still a local government. The meaning of local actions and national actions is different. If the Forward Party unifies the country, then actions against Russia will be national actions. The rules of the game will be completely different. It can declare war, but in many cases it will be restricted.

However, the liberated areas are still local governments. Sending troops to Central Asia is not a national act, but rather a patriotic one. Furthermore, the war between the liberated areas and Tsarist Russia has never stopped. It makes no sense that Russia can send troops into Xinjiang, but we cannot send troops into Central Asia. You fight yours, I fight mine, it's that simple.

As for Britain's small moves, Zhang Yinghao glanced at the map and decided to ignore them for now. Britain might be the world's hegemon, but with so many colonies, it was actually a fat sheep. He wasn't strong enough, his forces weren't concentrated enough. Zhang Yinghao's attitude toward Britain was either to not fight or to slaughter the fat sheep. How could he not cut off enough fat? Zhang Yinghao wanted the British to give up all the profits they had gained from China, and he would also charge a sufficient interest...

Thinking of destroying the Central Asian railway and bridges, Zhang Yinghao remembered the Yellow River Bridge. This bridge was very important. Once destroyed, it would take a long time to rebuild it, delaying the PLA's advance.

"It seems we need to send a surprise force to capture the Yellow River Bridge. If this bridge is captured, the Beiyang Army in Henan, south of the Yellow River, will be isolated..."

Just as Zhang Yingjia was pondering this, he received another telegram: "Chairman, an artillery battle broke out between the defenders of Jiangyin Fortress and the warships of the foreign powers. Facing an obstacle in front and pursuers behind, the foreign warships, completely disregarding the situation, desperately fired their guns while rushing towards Shanghai. Our army destroyed four warships, stranded two, and the rest fled with damage."

Zhang Yinghao nodded and said, "Very good. This is a significant victory. Now it's all about Shanghai. Keep a close eye on the situation in Shanghai. Order the army to continue advancing, liberate Shanghai as soon as possible, and force the foreign powers' warships to leave."

"Chairman, this time we can easily enter Shanghai. Using the foreigners in Shanghai to threaten the warships of the foreign powers and making them afraid to fire is indeed a good option at the moment."

Zhang Yinghao was silent for a moment before saying, "Take the foreigners hostage as a last resort, a mere stopgap measure. Ultimately, we're too weak. However, it would be best if the warships of the great powers leave obediently. Otherwise, we'll have to capture the foreigners in Shanghai to block their cannons and use them as cannon fodder. This is a means of struggle, but mutual destruction isn't the best option."

"The warships of the great powers haven't bombarded Shanghai yet, and they probably won't. If we liberate Tianjin and have union comrades to support us in Beijing, then our war with the Beiyang government might be over quickly. Right now, it seems like forming a union and a farmers' association is a good idea."

However, Zhang Yinghao never thought of using trade unions and farmers' associations to do these things. Faced with the army armed to the teeth, the trade unions and farmers' associations still ended up being massacred.

Therefore, Zhang Yinghao shook his head and said, "Don't have too many expectations. The comrades from the trade unions and farmers' associations may have no problem dealing with the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty, but don't think of using them to attack cities and strongholds. Once the army really opens fire, there will be rivers of blood. The trade unions and farmers' associations are not armed forces; they are tools for us to achieve communism. The trade unions and farmers' associations are only tools to protect the interests of workers and farmers, to help regulate production relations, and to promote the development of productivity..."

Are you kidding? If they use the labor union and the farmers' association to fight, who knows how many people will die. At this time, in order to prevent the foreign powers from bombarding Shanghai, Zhang Yinghao could only use the foreigners in the Shanghai Concession to make trouble. This was also the only feasible solution Zhang Yinghao could think of. I think the foreign powers should not be so cruel as to even dare to bomb their own people. If the news of the death of their own people spread, people would be afraid of rumors. Those who fired the bombs would inevitably be condemned at home and even face military courts.

Just as Zhang Yinghao set his sights on Shanghai, Feng Guozhang finally launched his offensive in Henan. He ordered two Beiyang regiments, two Henan patrol battalions, and a mixed brigade of reactionary troops to march from Dengzhou via the southeastern route southward to attack Xiangyang. To dampen the Beiyang's morale, Xiangyang's garrison commander, Peng Wei, fully implemented the strategy of defending the south and attacking the north, employing a strategy of fortifying the city walls and clearing the countryside. He relocated the civilians of surrounding cities and counties to the county seat or Yicheng, relying on Xiangyang's high and thick walls to prepare for a fierce battle with the Beiyang. Despite the Beiyang's humiliations and insults, he remained locked up, sending cavalry to harass the Beiyang's rear and supply camps.

However, it is obvious that with the full deployment of the Beiyang army in Nanyang, the PLA's military advantage has been seriously eroded. Xiangyang can only rely on the city defense to hold on to the important town in northern Hubei. In order to avoid the situation of the city being broken, the Military Commission has approved the request of the front line, allowing the forced conscription of civilians to build city defense fortifications during wartime. All compensation will be paid by the government after the war. It is imperative to ensure that Xiangyang will not be broken within half a month.

Because it had just rained, the road southward was not easy to travel, and the baggage wagons had difficulty moving and were often stuck in the mud. Therefore, after a day's delay, the reactionary army finally made a move.

Soon, Zhang Yinghao received news again that Xinyang, where tens of thousands of troops had already gathered, had finally begun to move. Intelligence indicated that the Beiyang forces had split into two groups. One group headed straight for Pingjing Pass, while the troops under Assistant Commander Zhang Huaizhi were assigned as the vanguard and were heading straight for Wusheng Pass. The route from Xinyang to Wusheng Pass could be transported by train, and this group was the main Beiyang attacking force.

The soldiers on the front lines were well prepared for the Beiyang attack on the liberated areas. A scout rode his horse straight to Zhao Zhengyang, dismounted, and immediately reported: "Report, the Beiyang's Zhang Huaizhi's troops are 15 kilometers away."

Zhao Zhengyang waved his hand and said to the engineers who were burying explosives: "With so much explosives buried here, this feast should be enough to satisfy the Beiyang Army."

Political Commissar Zhao Xihui replied, "With so many explosive packs exploding, any Beiyang troops who entered the ambush should be wiped out in one fell swoop. Even if they survive, they will definitely be stunned and lose their combat effectiveness."

It turned out that the comrades guarding Wusheng Pass had no intention of defending the city. Instead, they destroyed the railway and buried a large number of explosive packs on the road that Beiyang had to pass through, intending to eliminate all the invading enemies in one fell swoop by surprise.

"Pass the order down, all units must be vigilant and careful! No one is allowed to fire without permission!"

"Yes!"

The messenger saluted and mounted his horse to rush to the various locations where the ambushes were hidden to inform them!

Sun Guozhu asked, "Brigade Commander, should we obey the Central Committee's instructions and hold Wusheng Pass? The reactionary forces advancing south are so powerful. We only need to close the city gates and hold on. Why risk an ambush against the Beiyang? If the explosives are discovered, the Beiyang Army will be prepared and all our efforts will be wasted."