"Good!"

Zhao Erfeng was overjoyed and looked around at the generals under his command: "Zhao Duxian, the governor of Sichuan, has sent troops, and the 33rd mixed association is coming in the starry night!" ”

This rebellion in Tibetan Province was actually in Zhao Erfeng's plan.

Two years ago, after the incident of the minister stationed in Tibet, the Qing government axe immediately transferred Zhao Erfeng to quell the rebellion.

After Zhao Erfeng was instructed, he immediately raised men and horses to take Batang directly. Zhao Erfeng successfully suppressed the seven village ditches in Batang, and his reputation was shocked. Seeing that he was so capable of fighting, the imperial court immediately appointed him as the Sichuan-Yunnan Frontier Minister to handle the affairs of Tibet and the Sichuan-Yunnan region.

At that time, the political and military situation in the Sichuan-Yunnan border region and the Tibetan province was very tense. In 1888 and 1904, the British invaded Tibet twice, and the Qing government misappropriated personnel, which added fuel to the tension.

After Zhao Erfeng took office, he immediately vigorously promoted the reform of the land and the establishment of culture and education, which greatly improved the local economic and living conditions.

The so-called "changing the land and returning to the stream" refers to the fact that the local area originally implemented the Tusi system, and the local traditional Tusi managed the place. Because these toasts were not controlled by the imperial court and could not be replaced, they gradually became the emperor of the soil. And the power has caused **, because the mountain is high and the emperor is far away, the Tusi in many places is self-righteous in the local area, and the local residents are oppressed, and they are no longer supported. The "change of land and return to the stream" means that the original Tusi system is changed to the Liuguan system, and officials are sent by the imperial court to manage the localities and move regularly, so as to avoid the problem that the original Tusi system is a country of its own and is not controlled.

In the 34th year of Guangxu, because of his meritorious service in handling Sichuan-Yunnan affairs, Zhao Erfeng was appointed as the minister in Tibet, with full authority to handle Tibetan affairs. At that time, the pro-British forces in Tibet Province were shocked when they heard that Zhao Erfeng, who was vigorously promoting the reform of the land and returning to the river, was going to enter Tibet. On the one hand, they mobilized troops and prepared to resist Zhao Erfeng, and on the other hand, they went to the imperial court to sue Zhao Erfeng for the situation, and asked the Qing government to set aside the "Great Treasury Province" according to the old territory of Tubo in the Tang Dynasty and put it under its management.

After the deaths of Guangxu and Cixi, these pro-British forces in Tibetan Province believed that now that the imperial court was unstable, the opportunity for rebellion had come! And instigating the attack of the King of Bomi Tu on Batang was a temptation!

"In the past, if you want to beat them, the court may not be willing to allow it, but now they themselves start a rebellion, but it's no wonder to me!" Zhao Erfeng said with a smile.

"My lord, how this battle should be fought still needs to be carefully considered."

"Not bad." Zhao Erfeng nodded, and muttered there for a while: "Order Cui Tingjie in Batang that once the rebels attack, they are not allowed to take the initiative to attack, only defend." Hold on to Batang and don't let the rebels move forward! ”

"What do you mean?"

Zhao Erfeng said with a smile: "The more fierce they beat, the more reason I will have to beat them in the future, and the court can't blame me." ”

When all the subordinates heard this, they all smiled, and one guerrilla was slightly worried: "My lord, I only have more than 100 people in Batang, and the weapons are not sophisticated, I am afraid that Cui Tingjie will not be able to hold it." ”

Zhao Erfeng was slightly silent: "If you can't keep it, you have to keep it." If Cui Tingjie is loyal to the country, then the minister will naturally ask the court for merit for him! ”

The subordinates instantly understood what Zhao Erfeng meant.

Even if Batang is lost, it will be a matter of time before it is recovered. The death of Cui Tingjie is equivalent to giving Lord Zhao an excuse to kill and completely pacify Tibetan Province.

The death of Cui Tingjie and more than 100 defenders in Batang can be exchanged for peace in Tibetan Province and the eternal reputation of Lord Zhao, and they can also be called "worthy of death"

"Team Officer Cui, Team Officer Cui, the rebels are coming up!"

"Brothers, get into your positions and get ready for battle!" Cui Tingjie's voice sounded in the ears of the brothers: "No matter what, we must defend Batang, and we are not allowed to let the rebels go forward, and those who violate it will be killed!" ”

Shots rang out in an instant.

The front was densely packed with rebels, and a tide of weapons of all kinds poured up!

The defenders' gunfire rang out, and the rebels fell, but those behind continued to rush over with the corpses of their comrades.

"Hit, hit!" Cui Tingjie roared exhaustedly: "I have sent someone to ask for help, brothers, hold on, reinforcements will arrive soon!" ”

The hundreds of brothers gritted their teeth and lifted their spirits.

This is the first line of the rebel attack, and it can't be lost no matter what!

Gunfire erupted everywhere, and gunsmoke filled the air.

The defenders had only one hundred and two brothers, and the rebels looked like four or five hundred men at a glance, and it was likely to continue to increase.

In fact, these rebellions are not a secret, today they are peaceful, tomorrow they are again, and they are just a matter of saying that they will be peaceful tomorrow. The only thing that Cui Tingjie didn't understand was that there had been many sporadic conflicts before, and he asked Shangfeng to increase his troops in Batang one after another, but why did Shangfeng never make any moves?

Cui Tingjie actually didn't know that these brothers in Kebatang were just pawns in Zhao Erfeng's overall plan that could be sacrificed at any time.

Cui Tingjie wouldn't have thought of this, and he wouldn't think too much about it, anyway, since Shangfeng ordered him to stay here, he couldn't retreat a step before the reinforcements arrived!

"Wang Chongxian, take ten brothers to the left, where the rebels are attacking fiercely!" Cui Tingjie shouted at the top of his voice.

"Yes!" The third shed, Wang Chongxian, also responded loudly.

The first attack was repulsed, but soon, without any adjustments, the rebels came up again.

The brothers kept firing bullets, and the corpses in front of them fell layer after layer, but the rebels had no intention of flinching.

With a bang, one of the defenders fell, blood "bursting" out of his chest, and he struggled with all his might, but could not stand up anyway. His body squirmed in a pool of blood for a few moments, and then finally stopped moving

"Turtle son, Lao Tzu fought with you!"

His companion's eyes were red, and he stood up desperately, and fired a shot with a "bang", knocking down one of the most fierce-looking rebels, but then, a bullet also penetrated his body.

He shook a few times and fell limply

Casualties are mounting, and the rebels are killing and wounding the defenders with weapons they have received from the British.

Cui Tingjie's roar has not stopped since the first gunshot, and he is trying his best to encourage his brothers, trying his best to command the defense of every inch of land.

The rebels' offensive is also gradually intensifying, they are repulsed again and again, and they rush forward again and again, without caring about any casualties.

"Officer Cui, the casualties are too big, the casualties are too big!" Wang Chongxian rushed over in the rain of bullets: "Why haven't the reinforcements arrived yet?" You can't fight like this! ”

"If you can't do it, you have to go down, and if you don't have reinforcements, you have to go down!" Cui Tingjie's eyes were red, and then he let out a long sigh:

"Batang can't be lost, no matter how difficult it is, let the brothers go down, Batang is lost, you and I, all the people here will become sinners, I can't afford this infamy!"