After Guan Xuqing's declaration of war was sent back to London, it immediately caused an earthquake in Britain. Just one day after the declaration of war, one regiment of the British Royal Army and two regiments of the Eighteenth Army of the Indian colonies were completely annihilated. How long has it been since the British Empire suffered such a blow, the last time probably dating back to the Crimean War.

Immediately after that, Russia issued a statement condemning Britain for interfering in the affairs of other countries, invading China's vassal Burma without authorization, and violating international legal treaties, and solemnly proposed that according to the newly signed "Sino-Russian Military Alliance Treaty," if China declares war on Britain, Russia will join the war together. And the Russian Black Sea Fleet began to mobilize and landed its most elite First Army in Turkey, where the anti-Russian forces were the strongest, and carried out successive military operations against British troops in Afghanistan, Iran and other places from Alhabat. It also proves that the statements of the Russians are not false intimidation. This has ignited a fire all over the UK.

"Is the world crazy? They thought the yellow Chinese monkeys could defeat the British Empire. Prime Minister Salisbury roared in his office, forgetting even the most important etiquette. He didn't care about the losses of the colonial troops, he cared about the series of reactions that would arise from it. His cabinet was trying to win the support of an absolute majority in the House of Commons, and this happened. Parliament even mobilized a no-confidence motion, which was temporarily suppressed by his activities, but also made his predecessor, Earl William Gladstone, the leader of the Liberal Party, very impressive.

Holden sat on the couch, frowning slightly at Salisbury's gaffe. Being a gentleman is expected to be sober and courteous at all times. He already had some premonitions about China's sudden declaration of war, but he did not expect that the Chinese fought so beautifully in this first battle, and Russia, Germany, the United States and even Austria were directly or indirectly pulled into their chariots, and they exchanged the ice-free ports of the Far East for the support of the Russians, the vast market of China for the support of the Americans, and the support of Germany and Austria with a large number of arms orders.

"We should mobilize all our forces and be as decisive as we were in '39 and '59: send troops to China itself. As long as we take some key parts of China, their internal contradictions will erupt on their own, and then we can support some forces close to us to replace the disobedient Chinese government, and turn it into the backyard of the British Empire. Horton pointed out a straightforward and effective solution.

Salisbury has not yet answered. David said: "I'm afraid it's difficult, if you want to send troops to China itself, you have to attack by sea, but China is not what it was in 59 years now." They have a fleet of more than 100,000 tons of tonnage and dozens of state-of-the-art iron ships. These ironclad ships rely on the fortresses off the coast of China, and if we want to defeat them, we must mobilize the capital ships such as Everni Siber, Giant, and Collingwood. There must also be a considerable number of cruisers to support the supply line in case China breaks the engagement. And what to do with those seven Russian battleships by then? Especially the four 'Catherine II' in the Black Sea. No one can guarantee that the Russians will choose to break through the Dardanelles defense line at this time. Once let the Russians into the Mediterranean. The power of the British Empire in West Asia and North Africa would be seriously threatened. ”

Horton was a little uncomfortable with David's overemphasis on the Chinese land navy, and he knew that the Chinese were inferior to a people. Maybe each of them has a smart brain, but as a nation they are absolutely unqualified, they talk all day long that it is Huayi Manchu and Han, Manchu people guard against Han people, Han people look down on Manchu people, even Han people are divided into relatives. The navy is the service that most needs group cooperation and pays the most attention to the spirit of cooperation, and even if they have those advanced warships, they are just empty shells. "We can contact the French, the French have just lost their land in the Far East, and we should be able to count on their support as long as we promise to help them retake Vietnam. In addition, we can also contact Japan, which is a very ambitious country, they have deep contradictions with China, and they have also purchased a lot of advanced warships over the years. Houghton continued.

"Japanese?" David smiled reservedly, but the look of disdain on his face betrayed the thoughts in his heart: "That country doesn't seem to have heard of anything commendable except that it is rich in gold. I am afraid that their cruisers of two or three thousand tons will not be able to win even the few ironclad ships that the Chinese got from France, so what trouble can they cause to the Chinese? ”

Horton was a little unhappy with David's suggestion to disdain himself: "Although Japan is weak, it can contain China. If France had promised to help the Empire defend the Dardanelles, it would have left a small number of warships behind and mobilized all the warships to attack China. ”

"I have already sent to talk to the French, who are now more worried about the German offensive on land. According to information from France, the French showed signs of contact with the Russians, presumably fearing the threat of the Triple Alliance. To our demands, they offered to share the benefits of Egypt. David said.

"It can't be." Salisbury heard David's words and said it in no uncertain terms. Egypt is the empire's lifeline to India, and even if it gives him three Burma, it will not be exchanged. However, Salisbury finally said to David and Houghton, "What other good advice do you have?" ”

David said: "I think that instead of attacking the Chinese mainland through the western Pacific with complicated sea conditions and increasing the supply difficulties of the troops, it is better to have a decisive battle with the Chinese in Burma." The entry of the Chinese Navy into the Indian Ocean can be easily prevented by using the Empire's base in Malacca, while our Navy can provide a steady supply of troops with only a small number of ships. Burma is next to India, and if necessary, we can mobilize more than 300,000 troops to fight without worrying about supplies. China, on the other hand, whose roads to Burma are steep mountains, dense primeval forests and unfathomable river valleys, how many troops can they support in Burma? ”

Salisbury was obviously moved by David's plan, and the current situation in the House of Commons did not allow him to take the slightest risk, otherwise it would be the end of the downfall, so he immediately said: "Very good, just do what you want." I will propose a plan for additional troops to Parliament and write to Lord Dafrin to start the early mobilization, and we will teach the Chinese a lesson in Burma that they will never forget. ”

While the British were still digesting the shock of China's sudden entry into the war, the Qing army swept through the mountainous areas of northern Burma and the eastern Shan State Plateau. At the same time, Guan Xuqing sent a group of officials into the area and began to help the local mountain people establish a modern management system.

After the Qing Dynasty regained this land, it distributed the land of those who fled and surrendered to the Tusi, and united with those pro-Chinese Tusi to form a provisional government, which immediately won the support of the people in these areas, and even some people in southern Burma who were plundered by the British army also fled to these places, and the Qing army finally gained a firm foothold in Burma.

In Turkey, Afghanistan and other places, with the sudden arrival of Russian troops, the British plan to increase troops in Burma has been delayed again and again, and the British troops in Burma have retreated to the vicinity of Mandalay, and even important towns such as Taunggyi have been left to surrender to their Burmese defense.

Under the leadership of Liu Yongfu, it took only three days to capture the condescending, easy-to-defend and difficult-to-attack Dongzhi. More than a dozen Tusi who were canonized by the British as Subuwa, Musha, and Waikunmu were pushed to the people for treason and punished.

The recovery of Taunggyi and Myitkyina formed a flanking attack on Mandalay from the south and the north, and the anti-British situation was very good. And Zuo Zongtang's headquarters also went to Taunggyi.