With the assassination of Li Hongzhang, the entire Qing-Japan peace talks accelerated abruptly.

On the 12th, Oriental Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito angrily pointed out that the reason why Koyama committed the assassination was because he wanted to undermine peace in East Asia.

He stated that the witty Westerners, the Great Qing Kingdom, would never fall for the tricks of these war-torn elements and ruin peace in East Asia.

That night, Hirobumi Ito and Mutsu Munemitsu visited Li Hongzhang's temporary resting temple to 'offer condolences'.

After that, the two discussed secretly at Ito's residence and decided to take the initiative to armistice in order to win the favor of the Western powers.

The discussion was settled, and Mutsu Munemitsu sent a telegram to Emperor Meiji, the base camp of Hiroshima, fearing that Li Hongzhang would take advantage of this to return to China and break off negotiations, or that the Western powers would take the opportunity to intervene in the Qing-Japanese War.

It is suggested that an armistice be declared on the initiative so that the Qing-Japanese peace talks can continue, and at the same time, the intervention of the Western powers can be avoided for the time being.

Mutsu Munemitsu's telegram immediately caused an uproar among the Hiroshima cabinet members and the important ministers of the base camp.

Minister of Finance Masayoshi Matsukata, Minister of the Navy Saigo Norimichi, Minister of Agriculture and Commerce Takehiro Kamoto, Minister of the Navy Military Command Department Shikinori Kayama, and Deputy Chief of Staff Kawakami Koroku jointly replied:

"The current truce is not good for our country, please consider it again."

On the 13th, Emperor Meiji issued an edict expressing his deep sorrow and regret over Li Hongzhang's assassination and saying that he would never tolerate the criminals, and sent his attendant military attache Nakamura Daisa as a special envoy, together with Ishiguro Tadae and Sato Susumu to go to Shimonoseki to "express condolences to Li's illness."

Muren's woman, Empress Ichijomiko, with the 'imperial bandage' and twelve Oriental female nurses, also came to Maguan Yinjie Temple to 'condole' Li Hongzhang.

And left the female nurse in the temple to serve.

On the same day, Ito Hirobumi left Shimonoseki and went to Hiroshima in an attempt to convince Muhito and the Oriental ministers.

At this time, the Minister of War Aritomo Yamaguchi, who got the news, uncharacteristically proposed to support Ito Hirobumi's armistice message.

However, before that, he and his army have a battle to fight!

The goal is Langfang.

Yanjing suburbs.

On the morning of March 13 in the Western calendar, Aritomo Yamaguchi received a telegram from Mutsu Munemitsu forwarded by the Hiroshima base camp about the proposed armistice, and immediately ordered all the generals in Tongzhou to go to Zhangjiawan for an operational meeting.

At the same time, the general staff of the 1st Army was ordered to make a 'Tiger Fighting Rabbit', 'Mount Tai Pressing the Top', and 'One Hit Must Kill!' 's combat plan.

Yama Prefecture Youpeng wanted to annihilate He Changying and his Langfang army before Ito Hirobumi officially announced a voluntary truce against the Qing Dynasty.

"Yaga! Are the police in Shimonoseki all idiots, and are the governors of Yamaguchi Prefecture and the chief inspector blind? Why let a ronin stab Li Hongzhang, an outdated dead old man and the empire's century-old plan, which is more important and which is more important? ”

At this time, in the interval waiting for the arrival of the Tongzhou generals, Youpeng in Shanxian was full of anger and couldn't help but scold angrily.

Because of this reckless and humiliating assassination, the Oriental Empire became extremely passive, and the dream of Youpeng in Shanxian County to extract more benefits from the Qing royal family through the Battle of Langfang also came to naught.

And what makes Youpeng in Shan County even more depressed now is that no matter whether he wants to fight this battle of Langfang or not, and whether he is fully prepared at this time.

He must now have to fight this war immediately!

And it must be a quick decision, within three days, and before noon on the 15th at the latest, this battle must be completely ended!

This thing seems to be very forgiving.

The assassination undoubtedly angered the Qing Dynasty.

And the upcoming Battle of Langfang by the 1st Army will greatly alleviate the anger from the Qing royal family.

However, as soon as Li Hongzhang was assassinated, the 1st Army started a war again, and it would definitely be dissatisfied and severely reprimanded by Western countries.

Even the Qing royal family would pretend to be angry with joy, expressing their extreme dissatisfaction with the Imperial Army's attack on He Changying's troops, and seriously protested.

However, if the 1st Army did not attack Langfang, the Qing royal family, knowing that they understood their intentions, would still not move, and perhaps they would be ashamed and angry.

- Of course, the Qing Imperial Family is now the fat on the board of the Oriental Army, and Shan County Youpeng doesn't really care if they are ashamed or not.

It can be caused by a deep fear but hovering in the heart of Yama Prefecture Aritomo, Ito Hirobumi, and Meiji Mujin.

In the past, the Oriental armistice conditions were extremely harsh, in fact, it was explicitly referring to Taiwan, and secretly to the main force of the remnants of the anti-Japanese army in Zhili, southern Liaoning, and the Beiyang Naval Division.

Before leaving Shimonoseki for Hiroshima today, Hirobumi Ito sent a clear telegram to Aritomo Yamaguchi:

'Immediately attack Langfang and kill He Changying!' ’

- Yes! That is, you can let go of the anti-Japanese army first, and let go of the main force of the remnants of the Beiyang Naval Division in Port Arthur, but this He Changying must die!

Since the summer and autumn of last year, since the rise of this young general of the Qing Kingdom step by step, the mentality of the Oriental Empire towards him has been changing step by step and attaching importance to him step by step.

First appreciation, then annoyance with a hint of admiration, wanting to be accepted as a lackey of the East.

Then he and his army began to inflict a large number of casualties on the Oriental Army step by step, until in southern Liaoning, the rapid expansion of military power actually blocked the inevitable offensive of the Imperial 2nd Army on Port Arthur.

Then there is Shanhaiguan, the mouth of the Tang River.

Inside and out, tens of thousands of Oriental soldiers died under his butcher's knife!

To this day, He Changying and his emerging young Zhuang Qing ** forces have become a big problem for the Oriental Empire's future expansion in East Asia!

You must know that this He Changying is only in his early twenties, once the Qing-Japanese War is over, if He Changying and his forces are extremely weakened in the Qing Dynasty, they will rise against the trend and dominate the Qing Dynasty.

Well, with a population of 400 million, a vast land area of tens of millions of square kilometers, and huge economic strength.

For the future of the Empire, it may well be a nightmare!

So in any case, in this battle of Langfang, Youpeng in Shan County must be fought, and He Changying must also die!

At 11 o'clock in the afternoon, all the generals of the Japanese 1st Army arrived and gathered in the 1st Army War Room.

"It's time to go!"

Yama County Youpeng signaled to Major General Ogawa, chief of staff, to assign combat missions.

"Order, in this battle of Langfang, the 3rd Division, the 5th Division, the 1st Heavy Artillery Wing, and the 3rd and 5th Artillery Wings will be dispatched, with a total of 24,000 troops, and the 4th and 5th Brigades of the 18th Wing will be stationed in Tongzhou and Zhangjiawan respectively, and the 1st Cavalry Wing will besiege Yanjing City."

"Appointed, Kuroki as Commander Zhen as Commander of Yenching, Jardine Tamura, Komura Shotaro, and Mitsutomi Kamio to assist in properly dealing with Yenching matters; Appointed Zairen Shaozo as the commander of the 1st Cavalry Wing, responsible for controlling the gates of Yanjing. ”

"All combat units are immediately ready to set off at 3 p.m. today, and must arrive at Caiyu Town before the early morning of this night, camp on the spot for a while, and begin to march to encircle Langfang City at 4 a.m."

"Hey!"

As Ogawa gave orders one after another, the Japanese 1st Army War Room was excited.

For the anti-Japanese army that was close at hand, all the generals of the 1st Army had been patient for a long time.

Now that he is finally able to attack, in order to avenge the many blood feuds, which one is not extraordinarily excited, excited?

The horn of war sounded again.