Because war is about to break out, all the coal mines in Standton have been suspended, and all merchants, workers, and residents have been evacuated.

It was dinner time, Yi Zhengxing had no appetite for a table of sumptuous dishes, I have to say, the food was really good, beef stewed potatoes, braised whale meat, and a plate of pickles, a plate of preserved eggs, this is already a rare abundance on the battlefield.

In the face of these dishes, Yi Zhengxing tasted the same as chewing wax, since he got on the boat and went to sea, he has always eaten these things, all of which are canned products, and after filling a few bites, he put down the bowl and got up to take a walk in the yard.

The situation in the Transvaal is worrying, he is naturally anxious as the commander-in-chief, he knows very well that every decision and every order he makes is related to the life and death of many people, which he has never experienced before, not to mention that he clearly knows how important the Transvaal gold mine is to Yuanqi, he even has some doubts, let him be the commander-in-chief, is the old man a little too hasty.

Soon, his mind turned to Johannesburg, what was the intention of the old man to insist on not allowing Johannesburg to carry out a large-scale evacuation? Don't you see that the situation at John's Fort is dangerous? Is it blind confidence in the power of the Boers? Or are there other intentions? What happens if Fort John is lost?

"Your Highness——。 Feng Zicai quickly chased after him, "The sentry came to report that the enemy's sentry was found thirty kilometers away....... ”

"It's coming so fast." Yi Zhengxing frowned, "The enemy has accelerated the speed of the march?" ”

Feng Zicai nodded, "It should be to cooperate with the actions of the Kimberley's side." ”

"Has the speed of the march changed over there in the Kimberley?"

"No, it's still 25 kilometers a day."

Twenty-five kilometers a day, it will take at least half a month to reach Fort John at this speed, and by then, the reinforcements should have arrived long ago, Yi Zhengxing secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, and groaned slightly, before he said: "In General Feng's opinion, is it necessary to slow down the march of the German army?" ”

Feng Zicai said slowly: "It's not necessary. One fast and one slow, is conducive to our respective ....... Seeing that he looked like he wanted to speak and stopped, Yi Zhengxing smiled and said, "General Feng has something to say, but it doesn't hurt to say it." ”

"Your Highness——。 Feng Zicai hesitated, but he still couldn't help but say: "The German army's forward 6,000 people will speed up the march, and the distance between them and the main force will inevitably increase by ........ ”

Yi Zhixiang glanced at him, "General Feng wants to swallow the six thousand strikers of the German army in one bite?" Can you be sure? ”

"The 6,000 strikers of the German army were two days away from the main force, and they were considered to be alone in depth, and they did not carry heavy artillery." Feng Zicai said slowly: "If it is properly deployed, it is completely possible to concentrate superior forces and swallow it in one bite." ”

If he really wants to be able to swallow the six thousand strikers of the German army in one bite, not only can he give the German army a dismount, but also reduce the gap between the forces of the two sides, how can Yi Zhengxing not be moved, besides, Feng Zicai dared to make this suggestion, he should be very sure, he immediately turned around and said: "Go back to the headquarters." ”

The cavalry brigade was divided into two directions along the railway line from Kimberley to Cape Town, the railway was difficult to repair in a short time, but the cable telegraph could be repaired quickly, the British army and the Italian army dispatched a large number of cavalry to patrol along the way, and the cable telegraph maintenance workers were divided into four roads to make every effort to repair, and in just two days, the cable telegraph from Cape Town to Kimberley resumed communication and communication.

In the summer, it was early in the morning, not yet six o'clock, and the sky was already bright, and hundreds of German sentry scouts in sky-blue military uniforms galloped out of the temporary camp in a fan-shaped shape, and they had to take a step to find out if there was an enemy ambush in the direction of the army before the army started, after all, it was less than forty kilometers away from Sanderton, and they could not be careless.

An hour later, when it was reported that there was no sign of the enemy twenty kilometers ahead, the cavalry and infantry of the brigade having eaten breakfast began to move forward, and the six thousand forward men advanced quickly in two directions, for the forward must see Standton before sunset to-day.

At 11 o'clock in the morning, the army stopped advancing and rested in place, the division commander Hasler rode on an earthy yellow horse and held a telescope to observe slowly, and the chief of staff Frank urged the horse to follow, "It is less than twenty kilometers away from Sanderton, and the sentry should have approached within ten kilometers of Stedton, but the enemy sentry has not been found, which is a bit strange." ”

Hasler was well aware of the current situation, his troops were already more than seventy kilometers away from the main force, and he had to be cautious, and it was precisely when he discovered this anomaly that he ordered to stop his advance.

Hasler ordered in a slow voice: "Let the sentry continue to advance towards Standton, and the reconnaissance range on the left and right sides will be expanded to twenty kilometers." ”

The cautiously advancing German sentry cavalry encountered a small group of patrolling cavalry as they approached a five-kilometer range of Standton, and the dull and messy sound of gunfire instantly broke the silence on the plateau, and after a short exchange of fire, the German sentry dropped five or six corpses and quickly withdrew from the battle, and the Boer cavalry only stopped after a slight pursuit.

Encountering enemy sentinels, Hasler was relieved and inquired about the situation, and then he ordered to advance five kilometers and then set up camp. As a striker, he must find out the situation of the Qing army stationed in Standton before the arrival of the main force, and the distance of 15 kilometers is not far or close, which is quite suitable, and if it is closer, it may be driven away by the other side.

Qing army battalion, headquarters.

Feng Zicai pointed to the sand table with his hand, "The German army is camped at fifteen kilometers, and the sentinel reconnaissance range is ten kilometers. ”

It is indeed bold, Yi Zhishu nodded slightly, fifteen kilometers is nothing for the cavalry, it can be arrived in a quarter of an hour, for the infantry, it only takes an hour and a half to march quickly, if the two armies face each other, it is normal, as a lone forward in depth, it is really a little bold.

After a slight groan, he spoke: "If you are so bold, you must have something to rely on, and if you want to swallow it in one bite, I'm afraid it's a little tricky." ”

"It's nothing more than weapons." Feng Zicai said in a deep voice: "The marching speed is so fast, it is impossible to carry a large number of artillery, it is nothing more than mortars or machine guns, which can be completely annihilated!" ”

Yi Zhengxing knew very well that he had no actual combat experience, and Feng Zicai, who saw it, insisted, and he no longer hesitated, and said, "Then act according to the plan." ”

Seeing that he agreed, Feng Zicai immediately ordered, "Order the hot air balloon to take off." ”