The abdication of the Qing Emperor did not make much waves, as early as after the first Northern Expedition of China, a discerning person could see that the time of the imperial court was short, and the question was when and by whom to push it down. Facts have proved that compared to the tiger and wolf-like Huaguo, Yuan Shikai, who was cultivated by the imperial court, was more impatient, and this jackal did not hesitate at all after showing its fangs.

Except for some old and young, Manchus, and imperial literati, not many people were emotionally concerned about this incident, and a larger event attracted everyone's attention.

The barracks between Beijing and Tianjin were filled with new recruits in training, and Yuan Shikai's former Beiyang Army was integrated into the First Group Army, and the newly recruited 200,000 recruits were reorganized into the Second Group Army, and the troops of the Second Group Army were trained in these barracks. The extent to which this unit can exert its combat effectiveness depends on whether or not the training can achieve results in a short period of time.

There is no shortage of military salaries, sufficient logistics, advanced weapons, and many veteran officers, but no matter how this unit is only trained for a month, it is now the end of May, the Chinese army is gathering on the front line of the Yellow River, and the Japanese and Russian troops are also entering the museum in a steady stream. In Beijing, Tianjin, Handan, Jinan, and the Yellow River, the Allied forces have already assembled 500,000 troops, and it is estimated that the troops will be assembled in mid-June and move south to the Yellow River front, and when the Allied expeditionary fleet decides the victory or defeat of the Chinese navy, a major land offensive and defensive battle will be launched.

On the south bank of the Yellow River, the Chinese army's assembly speed is several times faster than that of the allied forces, the rainy season in the north has not yet arrived, and the ground is relatively hard, which is very beneficial to the logistics department of the Chinese army with trucks and other mechanized equipment as the main means of transportation, from Hubei to Zhengzhou in Henan, from Nanjing through Anhui to Xuzhou, from Changzhou through Jiangsu to Xuzhou, one by one dirt roads allow the trucks of the logistics troops to pass slowly, but this speed is still much more efficient.

The General Staff of the Chinese Army divided the Yellow River Front into two theaters. The first is the Henan Theater, which includes the Luoyang, Zhengzhou, and Kaifeng fronts on the south bank of the Yellow River, and is under the responsibility of the Second Group Army, including the Third, Fifth, and Sixth Armies; The Second Theater was centered on Xuzhou, with Huaibei in the west and Lianyungang in the east, and was under the responsibility of the Third Group Army. Including the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Armies, of which the Eighth Army and the Ninth Army were all formed in mid-1905 and had not experienced actual combat.

In addition, there is also a Taiwan sub-theater and a Guangdong sub-theater, which are under the responsibility of the Fourth Army. The First Army, which was mainly fighting Japan, served as a general reserve, ready for reinforcements at any time. In response to the unforeseen situation, the formation of the Fourth Army also began. Everything depends on the outcome of the naval battle, and if the sea is victorious, there will be no suspense in the land battle. If the naval battle is defeated, it will fall into bitter battles, tug-of-wars, and wars of attrition on land, which is very unfavorable to the overall layout of Lüliang.

The consumption of logistical materials in the operation of a large corps is a bottomless pit, and with the current level of China, it can still cope with it without entering a wartime state, and once it enters a wartime state, it will be very unfavorable to the post-war recovery. The north is not to say that it is almost the same as being poor and white, if you want the north to reach the current level of China. It is also necessary to exert great efforts to leave some leeway for Lu Liang to spend on the construction of the north after the war.

June 1. Hua Guo sent a note to the Japanese government, declaring that Japan had torn up the San Francisco Treaty and brazenly sent troops into the territory of China and increased its garrisons in Korea and Northeast China, which was tantamount to a declaration of war, and that the two countries would enter a state of war from today. A note was sent to the Russian government, declaring that Russia's act of sending a large army into Chinese territory amounted to a declaration of war. As of today, the two countries are at war. A note was sent to the British government, announcing the abrogation of all unequal treaties signed by the Manchus and the resumption of Hong Kong.

This is already the case, and Huaguo does not have to hide and keep quiet, the enemy has already put a bayonet on his neck, what nonsense! The British government was horrified. Different mentalities determine different perspectives on the problem. The British consider themselves to be the big brother and the world's policeman, and this operation is to maintain world order and teach the disobedient little brother of the Far East a lesson, so Huaguo should pout his ass and wait, listen, and be next to it, not resist, not fight back, and be grateful for the lesson of the big brother.

In this state of mind, how could they have thought that the little brother of Huaguo would be so arrogant and not listen to the teachings! Hong Kong, known as the Pearl of the Far East, was not prepared at all, the British garrison did not increase, the A-3 police force did not increase, and even became extremely prosperous because of the war. Businessmen who came to take advantage of the war to make a fortune, agents sent by the government, and all sorts of people who waited for the victory of the war to receive the property of China gathered here, and for a time there were more blonde and blue-eyed white people than black-eyed and black-haired yellow people.

Sir Nathan, the military governor of Hong Kong, knew the news earlier than London, and while anxiously waiting for news from London, he was also actively preparing for military defense. The Chiefs of Staff Committee at Whitehall, after studying the situation in the Far East, considered Hong Kong to be in an extremely disadvantageous position, and that the Hong Kong side was incapable of stopping the Chinese offensive until the naval battle was won. Moreover, the terrain here is much more difficult to defend than Singapore, and the military strength is insufficient, so it is recommended to withdraw the garrison there and return after defeating the Chinese state.

Unfortunately, Sir Nathan was not destined to leave Hong Kong, and the British highest authorities, believing that the withdrawal of troops before the start of the war would inevitably discredit the British and demoralize the expeditionary fleet, rejected the above suggestion, emphasizing that Sir Nathan must do his best to stay in Hong Kong for a long time.

Standing in the harbor water area between the main island of Hong Kong and the Kowloon Peninsula, the commander of the garrison, Major General Moult, pointed to the fortifications and explained to Sir Nathan: "After the outbreak of the revolutionary uprising in Guangdong, Lu Liang of the Zhenguo Party showed hostility to the British Empire, so from 1902 onwards, the fortifications in Hong Kong began to be strengthened, and by the end of 1905, the Hong Kong fortress was basically completed. The land defense line on the north side of the fortress is composed of several blockhouse-type positions in the southeast direction south of the Chengmen Reservoir, as the focus of defense, the fortifications here are made of reinforced concrete, the underground fortifications are combined with the above-ground fortifications, and the material reserves are sufficient, and there are 120 cannons placed on the multi-level fortifications, and the cannons hiding in the turret can ensure the safety to the greatest extent. ”

"At sea, Hong Kong Island has built strong batteries facing the sea and is equipped with 130 shore guns of large and small calibers, of which the 280mm coastal defense guns arrived last year are sufficient to deal with any maritime threat. Various fortifications were constructed on the side facing the Kowloon Peninsula to prevent enemy troops from landing from the sea. ”

"The fortifications are strong and the supplies are sufficient, and if the army is enough, I am confident that I will hold out for more than half a year. However, the increase in the number of our garrisons was very small, and with the addition of two Canadian battalions in mid-1905 and two Indian battalions at the beginning of this year, our ground forces in Hong Kong numbered 10,095 men. Although the total number of people is quite large, there is a huge problem, Your Excellency the Governor, you know, the combat effectiveness of the native army will decline after a period of time after it arrives in the colony, this is a common phenomenon, it can also be said to be one of the unspoken rules, and the superiors cannot interfere at all. In addition, the combat effectiveness of the two Indian battalions is also questionable, so the only thing we really have in our hands is the two Canadian battalions. ”

Governor Nathan frowned quietly, a lot of saliva was splashed on his expensive suit, this Major General Moult was a real soldier, well-organized, well-arranged, and tough, and had participated in the Qing War, the Boer War, and the Burma War, and was said to have experienced a hundred battles. It's just that such people have a common problem, that is, they have forgotten the demeanor they should have as a gentleman, and they actually splatter saliva when they speak, what kind of bear looks like?

"Your Excellency, the military side will be handed over to you, I am very relieved. That's all for today's itinerary, the general is going to go about his own business, just send someone over to inquire if you have any questions. Nathan turned around and left, today's inspection was pulled by Moult to come and see, how can there be so much time, many things in the governor's palace have not been dealt with!

Sir Nathan, who has left the military for more than 20 years and has been in politics for more than 20 years, completely looks like a politician, and he can't find the slightest military demeanor. Moult could only shake his head helplessly, seeing Governor Nathan leaving in a hurry, people who don't know how important government affairs they have to deal with, in fact, who doesn't know?

After London sent an order to defend Hong Kong, the British who took the opportunity to make a fortune panicked, making a fortune is one thing, and saving one's life is another! Of course, they firmly believe that Britain will win the war, but Hong Kong has become the front line of the war, and no one can guarantee that another shell will fall on the city and on their heads!

As a result, the merchant ships bound for Manila, Indochina, Singapore, and other places were crowded with people, and even some people who had just arrived in Hong Kong had to turn around and board the merchant ships again. At this time, there were about 30,000 British residents in Hong Kong, and more than 40,000 people were attracted by the war, and now almost all of them have been scared away by the war.

More than 15 of Nathan's wives, children, grandchildren, and more than 70 of them needed to leave Hong Kong, as well as stewards, maids, gardeners, and so on. In addition, their own property, calligraphy and paintings, antiques, etc., just need a merchant ship to carry them alone. The merchant ships had already been prepared, and the Governor's family certainly didn't have to crowd with others, but it took time to move. Nathan was dealing with the matter of leaving his family away today, but he ran into a blinded Mortra who went to inspect the fortifications on the spot! His wife and children are not in Hong Kong, so don't worry, why don't you think about it from someone else's point of view?

Riding back to the Governor's Palace, Nathan almost vomited blood from his own family! There was a dance party in the garden behind the governor's palace, and hundreds of well-dressed young men and women walked leisurely in the garden with wine glasses in their hands, and they didn't feel the atmosphere of war at all! There was chaos outside, the Chinese army could attack Hong Kong at any time, war was about to come, and the Governor's Palace was still singing and dancing, and I don't know whether they were arrogant or ignorant. (To be continued.) )