Dong Fuxiang led a group of Qing troops, and after breaking off the Gan army with a heavy machine gun battalion, he hurriedly retreated towards the Desheng 'gate'. --

It was not until entering the Desheng 'gate' and the 'gate' of Beijing City was closed that the Russian military stopped.

Now the city of Beijing has become a pot of porridge, from Zhangjiakou to the arrival of the Russian army at the Desheng 'gate', the news of defeat all the way has continued to reach the ears of Cixi and a number of ministers.

Today's Cixi is so frightened that she has no pulse, and the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty are all expressing their own opinions, and they don't know who to listen to.

Above the court, Gangyi, Ronglu and Xu Yongyi and other manpower advised the empress dowager to move to Baoding Mansion, take refuge in the south, and wait for the arrival of the army of King Qin from all over the country, repel the Russian army and then return to Beijing.

Li Hongzhang refused, advocating that the queen mother and the emperor should stick to the city of Beijing, the city wall of Beijing is tall, even if it is held for half a year, the Russian army may not be able to attack it, a Baoding, once pursued by the Russian army, it is really a catastrophe, after all, the wall of Baoding Mansion is far less tall and generous than Beijing City.

Resolute replied: "Lord Li, if you want the Empress Dowager Lafayette and the emperor to stick to it, then you have some confidence that you can repel the Russian army, once the city of Beijing is broken, where do you put the imperial family, do you want to follow the disaster of Jingkang?" ”

Li Hongzhang's face was flushed, and he argued: "Lord Fortitude, if you let Lafayette and the emperor move to Baoding Mansion, is it safe, from Beijing to Baoding Mansion, the cavalry can arrive in just two days, if the Russian army catches up, how can you ensure the safety of the holy driver?" ”

Cixi looked at the quarrelsome courtiers, constantly 'rubbing' her temples with her hands, these people have no other skills, and the ability to quarrel is first-class.

Cixi shouted: "What are you arguing about, I asked you to come up with a feasible opinion for me, what about your opinion, is there anything else besides running away and sticking to it?" ”

Li Hongzhang said: "Queen Mother, now Song Qing's military guard army is already on the way, at most three or four days away can reach Beijing City, as long as Song Qing's army arrives, we defend the city, the Russian army can't help us at all, if we give up Beijing City like this, will we be able to hold Baoding Mansion?" ”

Rong Lu replied: "Lafayette, the slave thinks that although Li Zhongtang is reasonable, but we can't rule out the possibility of the Russian army breaking through Beijing City, Lafayette, the safety of the holy car is the most important, we can first escort the Queen Mother and the emperor to move to Baoding Mansion, and then defend Beijing City to the death, which is more safe." ”

Cixi nodded and asked again, "Do you have any other opinions?" ”

Li Hongzhang said in his heart, move to Baoding Mansion, the 'elite' soldiers have been brought to Baoding Mansion by you, so how can Beijing City be defended? Still a fart?

Li Hongzhang said: "Lafayette, Beijing City is very important, it is the foundation of the Qing Dynasty, and it cannot be easily discarded. ”

Cixi hesitated and said: "Such a young Quan, it is better for you to stay and preside over the defense of Beijing, Dong Fuxiang, Song Qing and others are all under your control, and the mourning family will take the emperor and the Wuwei Zhongjun and Wuwei Qianjun to escort them, move to Baoding Mansion, and take refuge temporarily, so that you can also let go of your hands and feet and carry out the war of resistance, otherwise you will ......"

Li Hongzhang was helpless, and that was the only way.

In this way, Cixi led a group of courtiers, under the escort of the Wuwei Central Army and the Wuwei Front Army, hurriedly left Beijing, fled to Baoding Mansion, and took refuge.

Li Hongzhang stayed in Beijing and continued to rectify Beijing's defense, and now in Beijing City, there are only less than 2,000 cavalry from Dong Fuxiang, and then there is a green battalion and the Beijing Division Forbidden Army, the strength is very limited, if Song Qing can't arrive in a short time, it will be difficult to resist the attack of the Russian army.

Li Hongzhang rushed all the soldiers of the whole process, regardless of the old, the young, the sick or the disabled, to the head of the city for military defense.

At this time, the Russian army did not take advantage of the situation to attack.

Linevich is also deeply aware of the horror of Beijing City, which is not comparable to a small Hohhot and Zhangjiakou, the city is strong, and there are many heavy weapons to defend, if you want to take Beijing City, it is definitely not so easy.

Ninevich sat on a chair and pondered how to take the city of Beijing as quickly as possible, and capture the old 'woman' and the emperor all, this is a difficult problem.

While Linevich was pondering, the commander of the 6th Cavalry Brigade, Tymoshenko, rushed in and shouted: "Commander, Your Excellency, Commander, great news." ”

Linevich's heart perked and he hurriedly asked: "Tymoshenko, what's wrong?" ”

Tymoshenko said with a smile: "Commander, I just got the news that now the old empress dowager and the emperor of the Qing State have fled from Beijing City, and only the scholar Li Hongzhang and the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu Dong Fuxiang are left in Beijing to guard them, and the city air defense is weak, if we attack now, I am afraid that it will not take long to take Beijing City!" ”

Linevich was overjoyed and laughed: "Tymoshenko, this is really good news, but since the Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu have already fled from Beijing City, then Beijing City, where we are still fart, is a thankless thing, with that Li Hongzhang and Dong Fuxiang in Beijing, if we storm Beijing City, we will definitely lose a lot, as long as we capture the Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu, then we are afraid that we will not get benefits?" Tell me which way they fled! ”

Tymoshenko suddenly realized and nodded again and again, yes, as long as we catch the two palaces, then we don't want what we want.

Tymoshenko hurriedly said: "The information I got shows that now the Empress Dowager and the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, under the escort of the Wuwei Zhongjun and the Wuwei Qianjun, are rushing to Baoding Mansion for temporary refuge, and almost all the important ministers of the Qing State are going with them. ”

Ninevich laughed and shouted: "God help me, this is the opportunity God has given me, we must seize it!" Immediately issued an order, ordering the first brigade and the second brigade to contain Li Hongzhang in Beijing, and the third brigade, the fourth, fifth, and sixth brigades marched at full speed and rushed to Baoding Mansion, their marching speed must not be fast, as long as we seize the time to speed up the march, we will definitely be able to intercept them, and when the time comes, we will defeat the Qing army in one fell swoop and capture the emperor of the Qing Dynasty alive, at that time, the entire Qing country will be ours! ”

Tymoshenko hurriedly went down to spread her strength and gather a large army.

In this way, more than 20,000 people from the four brigades rushed to Baoding City. The distance between Baoding City and Beijing is only more than 300 miles, two days, the cavalry can rush to Baoding Mansion, but the Wuwei army protects the two palaces and a group of ministers, the speed is too slow, a day at most 50 miles away, these adults have to complain for days, to the third day, the two palaces are still dozens of miles away from Baoding, and the army of Tsarist Russia has caught up. 20,000 Cossack cavalry were overwhelming, and the Wuwei army was surrounded with great momentum, and now, Cixi and others were really stupid!