"Most of the soldiers of the Abyssinian army will go to Axum in the near future...... Celebrating Christmas? "The news brought by Captain Gutuso was incredulous to Baratieri. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 infoAt this time, let most of his subordinates go to a place far from the battlefield to celebrate the holiday, Menelik and his dukes would make such a low-level mistake? "Are you sure, Captain?"

He feared that it might be a trap prepared for him by the Abyssinians.

But Captain Gutuso had too little information to prove anything definitively. "Your Excellency the Governor, our spies did see some Abyssinian soldiers leaving Adua."

"Where did they go?"

"From the direction, it's Axum."

"But they could also change direction and quietly return to Adua." Baratieri stood up and slowly stamped his steps in the tent, musing himself, "Maybe the Abyssinians are going to Axum for Christmas, but it could also be a trap for Menelik. He wanted me to believe that his power had been weakened, so as to lure me into attacking Adwa, and then he would use all his strength to launch a counterattack. However......"

"Let our spies keep a close eye on Adwa and the road to Axum to determine the true intentions of the Abyssinians." Finally, he gave the order to the adjutant who was listening intently. "Be as careful as possible, never get their attention, I want to get the most reliable information."

When Captain Guttuso left, Baratieri turned his gaze to a piece of paper on the table. It was an urgent telegram from Rome, and the fourth such telegram he had received. Prime Minister Christopy seemed to be under so much political pressure that he was in danger of falling, so much so that he repeatedly urged Baratieri to attack as soon as reinforcements arrived, without delay, let alone failure.

Pressure. Although Baratieri has long felt it, now it is getting heavier and heavier. "The whole of Italy is watching you, waiting for you to bring Menelik back to Rome in a cage", which is by no means a good thing, except to make people nervous, useless.

Of course, Balatieri doesn't think he's nervous, he just wants to be pretty; He needed a perfect win.

The best news is true.

For the next few days, Baratieri waited patiently in his tent for the spies' report. News kept coming that a large number of Abyssinian soldiers were leaving Adwa every day and embarking on a journey to Axum, and that no one had changed direction along the way—but they could also turn back farther away, out of sight of the spies. Other reports, however, indicate that the smoke in the Aduwa camp is decreasing every day and shows no signs of increasing.

"This means that the Abyssinians have indeed left Adua," said Captain Gutuso, in a certain tone, "and if they return, the amount of cooking smoke will surely increase." ”

"Even the Abyssinians, they have to eat, otherwise they can't fight." "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to attack, and we can definitely win. ”

"So, how many enemies will remain in Adwa in the end?" Brigadier General Alberto asked.

Captain Gutuso turned to him. "Thirty thousand, or thirty-five thousand. And then there's that white mercenary army. ”

"Yay!" Not only Alberto, but several other brigadier generals were also happy, "We've got Menelik and that damn mercenary army, and this time, they'll have to pay for their previous actions." ”

"Yes, gentlemen, the time for revenge has come. We're going to attack tomorrow to get rid of those damn guys once and for all, and wash away the shame on the kingdom and the army. Then, with satisfaction, Baratiye added, "Tomorrow is the 22nd of December, tell the soldiers that I will lead them to win this war and celebrate Christmas in Adua." ”

"As you wish, Your Excellency the Governor." The brigadier generals flattered, and then, at the same time, they all stood up and walked out of the tent.

……

"What a tiresome job."

Butz sighed and looked back at the half-dug trench. For the past two months or so, the only thing he and the other mercenaries have to do every day is to build fortifications, and by now they have dug six trenches and set up full firing points, and the seventh trench that is being dug will be completed the day after tomorrow if everything is in order.

But what's the point of doing it other than killing time? Rokujo ...... No, seven trenches, as spectacular as they look, they don't need so many trenches at all - just one trench will fit all three brigades of mercenaries into it, and the rest are all unnecessary. The Abyssinian soldiers wouldn't be fighting in the trenches anyway, and they didn't understand why their white allies were fighting in a deep ditch.

They even despised it, for it seemed like the act of cowardly and vile cowards, who were valiant warriors who of course had to fight their enemies with dignity - although Butz thought that the Abyssinians were all brains, he admitted that he did not have much courage to stand as straight as a stake and fire at the Italian bullets.

He was not willing to die in Abyssinia, either at any time or in any place, but Butz was just as dissatisfied if he were to waste all his time digging unnecessary trenches.

"Why can't we do something else?" He muttered to himself, "We are a reconnaissance unit, and we should go to the vicinity of the Italians to observe their movements." He looked down at the shovel in his hand and frowned, "But now I have to dig a trench here with a shovel." ”

"Since you have time to complain, why don't you come and do me a favor?" Zhang Biao laboriously piled a shovel of earth onto the outside of the trench, slapped it solidly, and then stopped and said to Butz, "Whether you want it or not, we will have to dig a trench here before the Italians can take action." ”

"I don't understand why we have to wait for the Italians to call, it's disgusting." Butz shook his head in disgust and jumped back into the trench, digging hard.

But his mouth still didn't stop. "The Italians are completely vulnerable, and the Abyssinians have an absolute superiority in their forces, and we can take Sauria and even fight all the way to Asmara...... I really don't understand what His Majesty the Emperor is thinking. ”

"Whatever he's thinking, William." Zhang Biao looked up, "One thing is clear, he wants to win more than we do. ”

"If he wants to win, why would he send his soldiers somewhere else to celebrate Christmas?" Butz asked rhetorically.

"I don't know." Zhang Biao shrugged, "Maybe he has a plan that we don't know about." ”

"Really? I'm skeptical. ”

However, Menelik's plan was close to success. The Emperor had a feeling that Baratieri would soon be unable to resist Crispi's urging and the temptation to destroy himself in one fell swoop, and lead his troops on the attack; Soon...... Maybe tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, the Italians will fall into the trap he has set for them.

Menelik let himself be satisfied for a moment, then looked at O'Connor to the side. "Mr. O'Connor, are the fortifications of your troops complete?"

According to the plan, O'Connor's mercenaries would form the first line of defense for Adwa, and the remaining 30,000 elite Guards soldiers would be the second line of defense, and in order to ensure that his army would not suffer heavy losses, the emperor hoped that the mercenaries he had hired would inflict maximum damage on the Italians; Of course, O'Connor also assured that mercenaries could do this.

It's just that Menelik is a little worried.

"My men are strengthening those fortifications." O'Connor laughed. He was satisfied with the deployment he had made - of course these were the means that Qin Lang had mentioned - trenches, machine guns, mortars, and although there was still a lack of barbed wire, it would still be a disaster for the Italians.

They had no chance of breaking through this line of defense, and the battle could be over without even the Emperor's Guards in battle.

Of course, he would never say that. O'Connor intended to give Menelik a small surprise that would help in future business.

Menelik didn't know what he was thinking. The Emperor just nodded faintly, and set his eyes on Duke Nkada on the other side. "Duke, are the rest of our troops ready?"

In the plan, a frontal battle is only part of the story. All soldiers who left Adwa would quietly return after being monitored by Italian spies, but instead of entering Adua, they set up an ambush near the battlefield. As soon as the battle began, they would attack the Italian army from both sides, encircle them, completely destroy them, and end the war once and for all.

And the plan went just as well.

"Most of the troops have entered the starting position, my majesty." Nkada replied.

"I have seen the dawn of victory." Menelik burst out laughing. Everything is ready, all that remains is to wait for Baratieri to attack, and it doesn't have to wait too long......

A samurai walked into the tent and knelt down in front of him. "Your Majesty, our cavalry has brought back news that the Italian army is advancing here."

"When will they arrive?"

"Tomorrow morning, Your Majesty."

"Great!" Menelik suddenly rose from his throne, "Tomorrow, it will be a great day. ”

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

If you don't count the number of words, the new station system is simply speechless, and often can't enter the author area, too annoying (to be continued, if you want to know what will happen next, please log in to the WWW.QIDIAN.COM, more chapters, support the author, support genuine reading! (To be continued.) )