After sending cavalry to the Tieling battlefield to try their luck, the main force of the Wu army continued to advance eastward according to the original plan, and successfully arrived at Jingyan Fort to set up camp and rest in the afternoon of the same day. At the same time, the vanguard of the Wu army, Jiang Zhongjibu, also crossed the Pu River on the same day and engaged in a battle with the Qing army in Shenyang stationed at Dashiqiao.

Experience and morale are not on the same level, in addition, Wu Junjiang Zhongji Department also has a military advantage, the result of the battle is of course the victory of Wu Jun's soldiers, successfully take the big stone bridge and open the way to Shenyang City. However, after the victory, Jiang Zhongji's army sent to Cao Yanzhong was not all good news, and there was also an important situation that the Tsarist Russian army had fully retreated to the city of Shenyang, which proved that Cao Yanzhong's biggest concern before was not groundless, but an inevitable fact.

There is also something that makes Cao Yanzhong angry, all the Tsarist Russian troops hid in the safest Shenyang city, not to mention, nearly half of the Shenyang Qing army is still stationed in various camps and fortifications outside Shenyang, which also means that if the Wu army wants to attack the Shenyang city wall, it must first take out the lives of some soldiers and fight the Shenyang Qing army outside the city, which is also black-haired and black-eyed, and then can fight with the Russian soldiers covered with curly hair and stench when the terrain is very unfavorable.

So after receiving this report, Cao Yanzhong immediately scolded angrily: "Dog minion! What is a dog minion? The chaotic court is a dog minion! It doesn't count as a dog for the Rakshasa foreign devil himself, and he also forces others to be a dog for the Rakshasa foreign devil! A natural dog mongrel! ”

"Cao Zhengtai doesn't need to be angry, although it is hateful to arrange the arrangement of the chaotic party court, it may not be a good thing for us." Wu Guanli, a staff member of the army, persuaded: "The soldiers of the rebellious party are not stupid, seeing the rebellious party court arranging it like this, they must also understand that the rebellious party court deliberately sent them to death, except for a small number of stubborn people, most of the other people will not have no ideas in their hearts, so there are definitely not a few people with different aspirations, so it can be much easier for us to recruit and persuade them to surrender." ”

"What Mr. Zi Xian said is extremely true." Cao Yanzhong nodded, and said: "But what I'm most worried about now is how to lure the Rakshasa soldiers out to fight with us, looking at this posture, the Rakshasa people are determined to use the rebel army as a shield for the dead ghosts, and then use the Shenyang city wall to resist our attack, and fight for food and grass with us, so even if we can quickly kill the rebel army outside the city, I am afraid it will only receive the opposite effect, and strengthen the determination of the Rakshasa people to defend the city to the death." ”

Wu Guanli, whom Zuo Zongtang recommended to Cao Yanzhong, is very good at money and food writing, but he is not good at military strategy, so Wu Guanli has no way to solve problems for Cao Yanzhong in this regard, so he can only comfort: "The Lord of Taiwan does not need to be in a hurry, there must be a road before the car reaches the mountain, how to lead the Rakshasa people out of the city for a decisive battle, can only wait for the army to drive to the city of Shenyang. ”

"That's all it can be." Cao Yanzhong sighed, but he was always concerned about this matter in his heart, and he was very sullen.

In the early morning of the next day, according to Cao Yanzhong's order, the Wu army's forward Jiang Zhongji's headquarters continued to advance to the city of Shenyang, looking for a suitable camp site and fire reconnaissance of the deployment of the Qing army outside the city in Shenyang.

At ten o'clock in the morning, the main force of the Wu army arrived at the Pu River, and only began to cross the river after carefully checking that the bridge was correct, but at this time, the messenger sent by Ding Ruchang to contact Cao Yanzhong also rushed back to the main force of the Wu army, and reported to Cao Yanzhong the situation encountered by the Wu cavalry in Tieling. Cao Yanzhong was overjoyed when he heard this, and hurriedly asked, "Have you confirmed it?" The two carriages trapped by you in Tieling City, are they the Empress Dowager of the Chaotic Party and the Emperor Qixiang sitting in them? ”

"Lord Huitai, I've confirmed it again and again." The messenger Ding Ruchang replied happily: "All the captives we captured confessed like this, and said that not only the two queen mothers of the rebellious party and Emperor Qixiang were trapped in Tieling City by us, but also the prince of the rebellious party, Yicheng, was also trapped in Tieling City. General Ding has already asked the people to dig up the moat bridge of the four gates of Tieling, just wait for Cao Dashuai to send someone to arrest them! ”

"Good! Well done! Although he couldn't directly catch the two queen mothers of the chaotic party, it was also a great achievement to be able to trap them in Tieling City! ”

Cao Yanzhong was overjoyed, and Qian Wei, the general of the Wu army next to him, couldn't wait, and immediately said: "Second brother Cao, let me take my headquarters to attack the city in Tieling, junior brother, I dare to guarantee that within seven days, I will definitely arrest the two rebellious queen mother and the prince of the puppet to send you back!" ”

Subconsciously, he wanted to open his mouth to agree to Qian Wei's initiative to ask for help, but when the words came to his mouth, Cao Yanzhong swallowed this decision back into his stomach, and after dragging the horsewhip and thinking for a while, Cao Yanzhong suddenly ordered: "Order the whole army, step up the river crossing, and rush to the big stone bridge as fast as possible!" In addition, give Jiang Zhongji an order to withdraw the army to Dashiqiao and join our main force! ”

"Second Brother Cao, what are you doing here?" Qian Wei listened to it for a moment, and said suspiciously: "Why don't you divide the troops immediately?" Also, what are you doing when Jiang Zhongji's team is called back to Dashiqiao? ”

"Don't worry, I have my own arrangements." Cao Yanzhong shook his head, and said to Qian Wei again: "But Brother Qian, I can't stand you this time, I can't let you stand for the great merit of capturing the Queen Mother of the Rebel Party and welcoming back Emperor Qixiang." Your headquarters are all elite, and I must stay as a precaution before I can find a way to compensate you later. ”

Knowing that Cao Yanzhong has never been a person who is jealous of the virtuous, so although he was very strange in his heart, Qian Wei still said generously: "Second brother Cao, you will see the outside world when you say this, how many old brothers like us who followed the king of Zhennan together and crawled out of the pile of dead people together?" What else is there to say to each other? Don't worry, as long as you feel that you should, let others stand for this great achievement, and I will stay with you! ”

"Good brother." Cao Yanzhong patted Qian Wei's shoulder, and then urged: "Hurry, hurry, hurry up and give the order, hurry up and cross the river, hurry up and call Jiang Zhongji back for me!" ”

According to Cao Yanzhong's request, the main force of the Wu army quickly crossed the Pu River and hurried to the Dashiqiao Marquis, and at the same time, Jiang Zhongji's army, which did not have many heavy weapons with the army, also withdrew to the Dashiqiao and the main force in a daze as required. Then, in the open space at the entrance of the village in Dashiqiao Village, Cao Yanzhong convened a meeting of important generals of the Wu army, such as Jiang Zhongji, Qian Wei, Deng Siyuan, and Wu Dayuan, and first announced the amazing good news that Ding Ruchang's army had successfully surrounded Ci'an, Cixi, and Emperor Kant in Tieling City, and then announced the adjustment of the next tactical plan.

"In view of the current situation, I have decided not to fight Shenyang for now!"

Cao Yanzhong's first sentence shocked the audience, and then Cao Yanzhong said quickly: "Qian Wei and Wu Dajiao, you lead the people of your headquarters to stay with me, and set up a temporary camp on this big stone bridge, responsible for protecting grain, grass, military supplies, ammunition and weapons. Deng Siyuan, Jiang Zhongji, the two of you each led the men and horses of your headquarters to the north of Tieling, and joined forces with Ding Ruchang to attack Tieling City, capture the Empress Dowager of the Chaos Party and the Puppet Prince Yicheng, and rescue the Emperor Qixiang we recognize! ”

Except for Li Hongzhang, who accompanied Jiang Zhongji to the meeting, none of the participants were not surprised, and Deng Siyuan, who was also a veteran of the Wu army, said first: "Second Brother Cao, is it too much to divide the troops?" Attacking Tieling Town, you don't need me to go with Jiang Junmen, right? After we leave, you only have more than 13,000 troops left, and if the Shenyang thieves and Rakshasa soldiers take the opportunity to attack, you will have a hard time? ”

"Cao Zhitai, the subordinate also feels that some of the troops are too divided." Jiang Zhongji also said: "Tieling is just a small city, there are not many garrisons, and the city defense is not as strong as Shenyang, and there are already General Ding's cavalry watching there, and General Deng and I can be sure that we can take one of our soldiers and horses, or ......." ”

Speaking of this, Jiang Zhongji, who has always been selfish, hesitated for a moment, and said unprecedentedly: "Why don't you let General Deng lead the troops to fight Tieling, and I will stay with you to guard the camp." ”

"No need." Cao Yanzhong shook his head and said: "I have made up my mind, the two of you will lead the troops to fight Tieling together, and Qian Wei and I will stay behind to guard the camp and fight against the Shenyang rebel army and the Rakshasa foreign devils." ”

I don't understand why Cao Yanzhong is so stubborn, Deng Siyuan and Jiang Zhongji are inevitably a little confused, only Li Hongzhang saw Cao Yanzhong's true intentions, and said: "Cao Zhengtai, you have to think clearly, there is no city wall to defend here in Dashiqiao, you can only rely on temporary walls and fences to resist the enemy in Shenyang, you must invest a lot of troops in the camp defense, and the army you can really use to fight the enemy in Shenyang is probably only half of the troops." ”

"Shaoquan is worthy of being the senior brother of our Zhennan King, he is really clever, and he can see my true purpose at a glance." Cao Yanzhong smiled and praised Li Hongzhang, and then said: "Don't worry, I have arranged it this way, the first is that I have to prevent the enemy from going north to reinforce Tieling, and our troops on the Tieling battlefield are insufficient to deal with, and the second is that I am not fighting an uncertain battle." ”

"I know very well the enemy situation in Shenyang, the army of the chaotic party is not to be feared, it does not play a role in the field battle, the Rakshasa foreign soldiers have more than 10,000 troops in name, in fact, most of them are scoundrels who come to the east to rob their homes and houses, there is no experience in large-scale battles, the real regular army of the Rakshasa is less than 4,000 people, and the most powerful of them is about 1,500 Cossack cavalry, if I am not sure to deal with such an army, then the army under the command of Brother Qian and I is not worthy of being the main force."

Li Hongzhang nodded, and bowed his hand to Cao Yanzhong and said: "Since the marshal has this certainty, then the lower officials will wish the marshal a victory in advance and break the Rakshasa foreign soldiers." ”

"Would you like to stay with me?" Cao Yanzhong asked with a smile, and said: "I heard that Shaoquan is witty and the best at attacking the heart, I just lack such a person around me, if you can stay, you will definitely be able to help me a lot." ”

Li Hongzhang knew the rules very well and went to see Jiang Zhongji, who had been his partner for many years, and after seeing Jiang Zhongji nodding, Li Hongzhang bowed his hand to Cao Yanzhong and said: "Since the handsome man is wrong to love, of course Li is willing to stay and see our army show its might and break the Rakshasa foreign soldiers." ”

Cao Yanzhong laughed, first thanked Jiang Zhongji for his love, and then said to Deng Siyuan: "Brother Deng, although in our army, your qualifications are older than Jiang Junmen, but you have mainly fought defensive battles over the years, and you don't have much experience in attacking fortifications, so I have to apologize to you, this time you and Jiang Junmen joined forces to go north, you have to listen to Jiang Junmen's orders and command, and give Jiang Junmen a hand." Don't blame me, I'm also thinking about the Northern Expedition of the whole army and the king of Zhennan. ”

Deng Siyuan's biggest advantage is that he has a steady personality and obeys orders, and after listening to Cao Yanzhong's arrangement, he immediately smiled and said: "Second Brother Cao just likes to say kind things, if I am the kind of person who doesn't care about the overall situation, can the King of Zhennan leave me in Shanghai to protect Boss Wu for him?" Don't worry, Jiang Junmen does have more experience in fighting tough battles than me, and I will listen to him this time. ”

Cao Yanzhong, who was forced to let his old brother be wronged again, smiled and nodded, and was about to thank Deng Siyuan, but Cao Yanzhong's heart suddenly moved, and he suddenly remembered that before he led the army to the Northern Expedition, Wu Chaoyue had a secret request to himself in private - a request related to Cixi. So after a little more careful calculation, Cao Yanzhong pulled Deng Siyuan aside, put his arms around his neck, whispered in his ear alone, and then said: "You bring Guixiang over, and if you have the opportunity, you will act to eliminate hidden dangers for our Zhennan King." But remember, we must not let our people have blood on their hands! It's better to miss this opportunity than to leave us without being able to explain to the world! ”

…………

With Cao Yanzhong's secret entrustment, Deng Siyuan and Jiang Zhongji soon led their headquarters to join forces to go north to kill Tieling, and the Wu army, which once had a total strength of more than 30,000 people, was left with only about 13,000 troops led by Cao Yanzhong and Qian Wei and several thousand people, and stayed at Dashiqiao, which was only more than 40 miles away from Shenyang City, to set up a camp, and rushed to repair various camp fortifications for long-term stationing.

In this regard, the Qing army in Shenyang, which had already been in the rumor, and the puppet Manchurian court, of course, were speechless, and they didn't understand why the Wu army retreated after turning around under the city of Shenyang, and suddenly divided so many troops to go north? But it doesn't matter, at the request of Cao Yanzhong, the soldiers of the Wu army quickly spread the good news that the Wu army cavalry had successfully surrounded Ci'an, Cixi and Emperor Kant, and helped the puppet Manchu court and the Tsarist army led by Devil Six to answer this question, and at the same time, the messenger sent by Tieling finally rushed to the city of Shenyang in the evening of the same day, confirming that the news spread by the Wu army was true, Ci'an and Cixi and others were indeed trapped and killed in Tieling City by the Wu cavalry!

This news also completely stunned the puppet Manchu court, and after confirming this situation, the devil six was so anxious that he almost fell on all fours, and immediately ran to the Russian army station to ask for help, asking the Russian ministers Zhemeni and Kazakevich to send troops to reinforce Tieling and rescue Ci'an and Cixi and others who were already under siege. However, Zhemeni and Kazakevich categorically rejected the request of the devil six, and Kazakevich also said in a tone like teaching his son: "Gong, if you don't understand military affairs, shut up for me!" Did You Know? At this time, if we send troops to Tieling, not only Shenyang will not be able to keep it, but Tieling will not be able to keep it, our army will also be in danger, and the entire Northeast Battlefield may completely collapse! ”

"Lord Gong, just now our staff officer has carefully deduced the consequences of sending troops to reinforce Tieling." Remeni also said in a big way: "Wu Chaoyue's army has already preempted the day to the north, and it will definitely be able to rush to the Tieling battlefield before us, and seize the favorable terrain to meet our reinforcements." If we send the main force, Cao Yanzhong's cunning yellow-skinned monkey will definitely send troops to chase after us, and he will arrange to attack our main force before and after joining forces with the Tieling army, and it will be difficult for us to win at that time. ”

"But what about Tieling?" Devil Six hurriedly asked, "What about our two queen mothers and the emperor?" ”

"Rest assured, we already have a plan in place to deal with it." Remeni sneered and said: "Our staff analysis found that Cao Yanzhong's yellow-skinned monkey's arrangement has a big weakness, that is, the protection of his food, ammunition and weapons is insufficient, as long as we can send troops to take his camp in Dashiqiao, capture or burn his food and ammunition, we can completely reverse the situation of the entire Northeast Battlefield and help you achieve the final victory!" ”

"Directly send troops to fight the big stone bridge?" Devil Ziliu was stunned for a moment when he heard this, and then quickly came to his senses, and said in surprise: "Good idea, sending troops to directly attack the main camp of Wu Thief's Dashiqiao will not only have the opportunity to burn Wu Thief's grain, grass and ammunition, but also force Wu Thief to retreat to save their Dashiqiao camp, and receive the effect of encircling Wei to save Zhao and relieve the pressure on Tieling." ”

After understanding that the Tsarist army was indeed a good idea, Devil Six hurriedly urged Rhemeny and Kazakevich to send troops to fight the big stone bridge quickly, but Kazakevich refused very rudely: "Can't be in a hurry!" We must wait until we find out the situation of the enemy at the big stone bridge before we can decide when to send troops to fight! ”

"But what about Tieling?" Devil Six was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead, and said: "Tieling is only a small county town, and the army in the city together with Lian Yong is only more than 3,000 people, and the equipment is still very poor, so it is impossible to block the army of Wu thieves for a long time?" ”

"Don't worry, we've already considered this." Remeni opened his mouth to comfort and said with a smile: "If Tieling City is really broken by Wu Chaoyue's army, as long as they don't kill your Empress Dowager and Emperor, we can easily rescue your Empress Dowager and Emperor again." If Wu Chaoyue's army directly kills your Empress Dowager and Emperor, or captures them to North China, we also have a plan to deal with ....... ”

Speaking of this, Remeni stretched out his hand, patted Devil Six on the shoulder a few times, and said with a smile: "Lord Gong, our contingency plan is very beneficial to you, we are ready to support you to become the emperor of Manchukuo and let you inherit the throne of your nephew, how about it?" That's a good idea for you, isn't it? ”

Devil Six opened his mouth wide, but looking at Remeni's smiling face full of yellow curly hair, Devil Six, who was in a mess in his heart, forgot to shirk and refuse, and couldn't help but say in his heart: "I'm the emperor? This ......, can it work? People in the world, will they agree? ”