"The east, west, and north sides are fighting on three sides, and the military strength invested by both sides is estimated to be no less than five or six thousand; Our army seems to be training, but the Japanese army is not strange, and it is not like before, when they come up to attack Chongcheng. ”

Shi Weicheng took a sip of hot tea and began to tell what he saw.

"The food we bring can last for three days at most, and if we don't defeat the Japanese or rush into the three cities, we can only starve to death outside this icy and snowy pass;"

Wang Liansan said in a deep voice: "Once the snow stops, the smoke here can easily expose our existence, if we just rush into the three cities, this snowy day is the best opportunity." ”

"Rushing in is not the best choice, according to Deputy Company Commander Shi's words, if the army in the city continues to attack tomorrow morning, it is the best policy for us to defeat the Japanese soldiers in the eastern battalion in one fell swoop."

Mei Dongyi, as a veteran of the Huai Army who fought in the Taiping Army and suppressed bandits for several years, although he has not led troops for many years, he still has military qualities.

"Yes, once the Japanese army in Dongdaying is annihilated, the Japanese army's siege of the three cities outside the Guanwai will naturally collapse."

"According to me, after defeating the East Battalion, our 4,000 troops will not enter the city, but take advantage of the situation to destroy their strongholds on the east and west sides, and it is estimated that the Japanese army will retreat and defend Shanhaiguan at that time; The following is to raise enough strength, and one or two thousand troops will go down the mountain customs in one fell swoop! ”

"It's extreme, it's extreme!"

Mei Dongyi's words made the room suddenly lively, and a group of generals of the Qing Dynasty began to talk excitedly and lively.

"Battalion Commander Luo, how is it?"

Wang Liansan was also very moved when he heard this, looked at Luo Minglei and asked.

"It's done!"

Luo Minglei was also excited by the excitement in the room, and nodded loudly.

Night, quietly coming.

And the heavy snow is still falling.

Tri-City Joint Command.

"In this battle, 176 soldiers were killed, 31 were seriously wounded, and 6 soldiers who were afraid of the enemy were found and captured by the inspection team."

"Punished according to military orders."

He Changying listened to Qi Jiacai's report, turned his head and said to Angus: "The General Staff will formulate a similar plan tonight and continue to train troops tomorrow; At the same time, pay attention to the Japanese army's surprise attack from the south breastwork, the Green artillery sentry, the cavalry battalion, are still on standby in the inner city, and the two battalion artillery battalions continue to carry out basic training! ”

In the Shanhaiguan City Tower, the charcoal fire was raging, and a group of Japanese generals were discussing in the military.

"In today's battle, 119 Imperial soldiers were killed and 26 were seriously wounded, and it is estimated that the losses of the Qing army will be greater than that of the Imperial army; However, even with the rotation, long snow battles, and the return to the camp without a lot of firewood for heating, the frostbite of the Imperial soldiers increased significantly. ”

There was a whisper of muttering in the conference room.

Compared with the Qing army's withdrawal to the city to warm up and rest, especially the Japanese soldiers who retreated to the temporary strongholds of the eastern and western defense lines in rotation, it was much more difficult.

Yamaguchi Suchen listened to Hayashi Yoshitaro's report and pondered for a while before ordering: "Tonight transport grain and timber from the main city to the three camps outside the Kansai; Tomorrow, the troops outside the pass will shrink on all fronts, form three heavy strongholds, and open up all defensive lines. ”

"Hum—"

The house suddenly became lively, which was equivalent to the imperial army, which took the initiative to stop the strict siege of the three cities outside the gate.

"The order of the commander of the county is aimed at the outside of the pass where there is no blizzard; If there is no heavy snowfall, this kind of formation of the empire, the Qing army in the three cities is very likely to take the opportunity to escape. However, now this heavy snow makes it difficult for them to fly outside the gate! ”

Yamaguchi Suchen said undoubtedly: "Today's battle clearly proves that in this kind of heavy snow, the Qing army will never leave the three cities; Then all the army outside the Imperial Pass has to do is to hold the camp, don't let the Qing army find a chance to break through, and wait for the arrival of the Imperial fleet! ”

Tang River East, Xima Village.

After four days of rapid marching, the main force of the Japanese First Army finally arrived at Dongjin and Xima villages in the east of Tangshan City before nightfall.

And the price of arriving here is that, driven by bayonets and leather whips, nearly 200 slaves of the Qing Dynasty and North Korea were exhausted or killed on this snowy road.

At the home of a wealthy man in Dongma Village, Youpeng of Shan County was reading a telegram intercepted by the outer patrol soldiers and delivered to the defenders of Tangshan by the Daqingjinmen Customs Road to the Kaiping Coal Mine.

"Telex, yesterday the Japanese troop transport fleet tried to enter the Bohai Sea, but was stopped by the British fleet, and is now anchored off the coast of Weihaiwei; Britain intervened in the war, coupled with heavy snowfall, and the Japanese were already at the end of their strong crossbows; The generals need to fight bravely to stop the enemy and make great achievements. ”

The telegram was spun around, and a room full of generals had gloomy faces and unusually heavy.

"Send a herald to Shanhaiguan to tell Shankou Suchen that there are no reinforcements at Shanhaiguan, and that the three cities outside the pass will be defended by strongholds, and if the Qing army attacks, they will defend it, and if the Qing army abandons the city—"

Youpeng in Shanxian hesitated for a moment, and said to himself: "On this kind of day, they are looking for death when they go out of the city, and the reinforcement army will not be so stupid?" - Remember! As long as the Shanhaiguan Pass and Dongdaying were held, this Qing army would only be trapped and die in the three cities until the ice and snow melted. At that time—"

Youpeng in Shanxian looked to the west and said, "The emperor of the Qing Dynasty has already surrendered!" ”

"This heavy snow is difficult for the empire, although the road is difficult to walk, but it also trapped the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the old empress dowager, in Beijing, and did not dare to go out of Beijing easily; In this way, it is a good thing. ”

Xiao Chuan, the chief of staff of the First Army, said to Youpeng in Shan County again: "As long as Yanjing is surrounded and their emperor is trapped, all these problems will naturally be solved!" ”

Seeing that there was no way to retreat, the deputy chief of staff of the First Army, Tamura Jardine, also began to actively make suggestions: "And the heavy snow is difficult to walk, for the Qing troops everywhere, they are far from the iron and bloody will of the imperial army, and the action will be greatly delayed, which is another benefit to the First Army!" ”

"Yo Xi, long live the Empire!"

"Long live the Emperor!"

Suddenly, the Japanese generals in the house seemed to see the bright road again, and they became happy one by one.

"The General Staff immediately formulated a battle plan, I want to set foot in Tangshan City tonight, and this battle can capture the Qing army as a soldier;" Youpeng in Shan County roared and said, "Tomorrow morning, set off for the west!" ”

Tangshan City (Qiaotou Town).

Luo Rongguang's more than 2,500 Dagu artillery and Cao Kezhong's nearly Wanjin Sheng battalion were stationed in Tangshan City; Hu Liao, Hannagan's 4,000 Dingwu Army, was stationed in the Kaiping Coal Mine.

The heavy snow closed the city, Luo Rongguang and Cao Kezhong sat in the house while drinking a glass of wine to keep warm, and discussed the military situation over and over again.

"This heavy snow, but there is no New Year's flavor; Yesterday there were sporadic cannon shots in the village outside in the middle of the night, but today it is quiet. ”

As Cao Kezhong spoke, he sandwiched a piece of fat braised pork with chopsticks, and the corners of his mouth were oily when he ate it.

"It's a hundred times better than fast forward all the way to the Japanese without a New Year's flavor, and it's best to freeze this group of grandsons alive on this snowy day!"

"Bang, bang—"

Luo Rongguang was talking, when suddenly he heard a banging sound in his ears, and said with a smile: "This is not a cannon-"

Luo Rongguang couldn't say the following words, the expression on his face was first hesitant, then confused, and then turned to shock.

"It's an enemy attack!"

Luo Rongguang stood up suddenly, and yelled with his beard stretched: "What a gut! Wait for the old man to kill you all cleanly! ”

"Attack! Attack! ”

"Woyi is coming, Wayi is coming!"

"Shoot, shoot!"

Suddenly, in all directions of the small city of Tangshan, there was a loud roar, and the gunfire rang out like a storm.

Taking advantage of the paralysis of the Qing defenders on a snowy day, the Japanese army surrounded Tangshan City in the night and snow, and then launched an attack on all fronts.