"Are you, Lin Run'e?" Even though a few months have passed, Zhang Cheng can still remember this girl who has only met once in the port of Hamburg. It's not how good Zhang Cheng's memory is, but that men always have a deep memory of beautiful girls.

"Hello, Mr. Zhang." A flush flew up on her fair cheeks, and Lin Run'e, who had left Zhang Cheng's arms, saluted respectfully and shouted softly. The girl who looks beautiful also remembers Zhang Cheng.

"Oh." Zhang Cheng realized at this time that it was a little inappropriate to hold others before. Raised his hand and touched his nose, "Is your father okay?" I also want to say thank you to him. Lin Yun'e's father, Lin Zheng, introduced Zhang Cheng to Fitzhaber of Heidelberg University. Professor Ettel enabled Zhang Cheng to successfully complete the verification of sulfonamides. This really helps.

"Yes." Lin Run'e lowered her head and answered softly, "Father has found an errand in the Governor's Palace. A few days ago, I kept mentioning Mr. Zhang. ”

"Oh." Zhang Cheng raised his hand a little embarrassed and swept his eyebrows, "Trouble to tell Mr. Lin, when I come back this time, I will visit him to express my gratitude." After a pause, he glanced at the stairs and hurriedly changed the subject, "Are you a student here?" ”

"Yes." Lin Run'e hung her head slightly, raised her hand and brushed the cloud-like hair around her ears, and answered softly.

"Alright." Zhang Cheng pursed the corners of his mouth, "Don't bother you to go to school, I'll go first, goodbye." ”

Watching Zhang Cheng, who was dressed in a dark windbreaker, stride out of the teaching building, Lin Run'e's smart eyes were full of doubts. Then, as if he remembered something, he hurried upstairs, "Oops, it's late." ”

Time passed in a hurry, and the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was originally in a dilemma, suddenly felt that its waist hardened after realizing that the Ming Empire did not mean to send an expeditionary force from the mainland.

After receiving covert support and hints from many European powers, Emmanuel III gritted his teeth and sent an ultimatum to the Ming Empire. The Ming Empire was required to return all cessed Italian lands by January 31, and all rights and interests, including customs, were recovered. This has touched the bottom line of the Ming Empire.

Zhang Yue, the first assistant of the empire, signed a formal order document, appointing Liu Yue, commander of the garrison in the London concession, as commander to command the expeditionary force to conquer the Kingdom of Sardinia.

The London Concession dispatched a standard regiment and a regular army of command, in addition to five mercenary regiments, with a total strength of more than 18,000 troops. Except for the third regiment commanded by Zhang Cheng, the other four mercenary regiments were not yet formed.

The Ming Empire's garrisons in several other colonies in Europa, including Gibraltar, The Hague, Azores, Athens, and Alexandria, also sent a number of regular troops and mercenary units. Combined with the garrisons and mercenaries of the Doge of Milan and other parts of Italy, the total strength has exceeded 70,000!

The regular army of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was launched by the countries of Europa for experiments, had three infantry divisions. A few solitary. Regimental units, including artillery regiments, mountain infantry regiments, cavalry regiments, and so on. In addition, there are armed forces such as the Royal Guard, Border Guards, Police, etc. The total strength of the army is about 80,000. If you add in the local militia and the forces that were urgently called up after the mobilization order was issued, then it was a sea of people.

However, the Ming Royal Navy acted quickly, and the navy's fleet had blocked the coastline of the Kingdom of Sardinia before New Year's Day. Cutting off the connection between the mainland and Sardinia, the island's troops and supplies will certainly not be able to survive.

The Kingdom of Sardinia had been receiving French support for many years, and their army was filled with a large number of French instructors. Although they lack heavy weapons, they are very effective after a long period of rigorous training. And they fought for the unification of the country, and their morale was very strong.

Look at the Ming Empire in reverse. None of the troops that were originally stationed in the colonies could have been strong forces. And because of financial and other reasons, the number of garrisons has been reduced. The garrison under the Viceroy of Milan consisted of only one regiment and a number of logistical and police forces, with a total strength of less than 5,000 men.

The real strength comparison between the two sides should be that the Sardinians have a slight advantage, but the Ming Empire can't see this. The plan they made was to capture Turin before the Spring Festival and put an end to this easy battle.

When Zhang Cheng brought his third regiment of the London Concession Volunteer Corps, which far exceeded the regimental level in terms of numbers and weapons and equipment, to the ** port. He was greeted by an old acquaintance, Captain Du Feng. No, it's a major now. Although the Royal Army could not send a large army to help, it was possible to raise the ranks of officers in wartime.

"You kid, good job!" After Zhang Cheng walked to the gangway, Major Du Feng greeted him with a big smile and gave him a big hug!

"Sir." Zhang Cheng chuckled and stood up and saluted Du Feng.

"Don't." Du Feng raised his hand with a smile and patted Zhang Cheng's shoulder, laughed and said, "You are a colonel now, I should salute you." ”

"Sir!" On the side, following Zhang Cheng down the transport ship, Liu Kuaizui and others stepped forward to salute and say hello, and the scene was full of laughter.

"How's it going?" After greeting, Zhang Cheng asked softly. After all, this is a war, and Zhang Chengke attaches great importance to it.

"The situation is not promising." Du Feng's face froze, and he said in a deep voice: "The Sardinians have no intention of retreating. During this time, many volunteers from Europa countries and various supplies were sent to Turin, and their confidence was very strong. ”

"Didn't the Navy block the shipping lanes?" Zhang Cheng looked at Du Feng suspiciously.

"Don't mention it." Du Feng shook his head helplessly: "All of them came by land from France." ”

"France." Zhang Cheng narrowed his eyes.

France, a special presence on the continent of Europa. After the Second Global War, defeated France was in disarray. Warlords in various places have divided their territories, and the people are struggling to make a living. In the midst of this desperate chaos, a small soldier from Corsica rises to the flames of war like lightning. It only took a few years to defeat many competitors and successfully calm the chaotic situation.

After a few years of resting and recuperating, this small soldier brazenly challenged the Ming Empire, which was in full swing at that time. And after more than ten years of repeated entanglement, it successfully forced the Ming Empire to return the occupied colonies, and its prestige shocked the whole world!

This small soldier with the name of Napoleon. Bonaparte.

At that time, the Ming Empire was in the midst of a rapid decline after its peak. And it coincided with the death of the emperor and the ascension of the new emperor to the throne. The power of capital in the country and the royal family fought for power. In addition, the colonies of the New World that had been snatched from the countries of Europa also broke out. Stand up for war. The Ming Empire was unable to concentrate its forces against France.

Even so, Napoleon was able to use the devastated France to fight against the expeditionary force of the Ming Empire for more than ten years. And in the end, the Ming Empire, which was unwilling to continue to invest in the huge quagmire of war for a few colonies, was an extremely remarkable achievement in itself!

France was able to become the first Europa country to be freed from the Ming Empire, and to be able to re-emerge and open up colonies. All the credit goes to Napoleon. He successfully repelled the expeditionary forces of the Ming Empire in three decisive battles!

To commemorate the achievements of the great Frenchman, after the official armistice was signed. Almost all the French people donated money to build a huge and magnificent triumphal arch for Napoleon on the Champs-Élysées in Paris!

Although Napoleon's empire collapsed after his death, France became a republic. But the immense prestige he left behind has never faded.

Over the years, France has regarded itself as the liberator of the continent of Europa, and they have constantly provided assistance to various countries in the fight against the Ming Empire. A few days ago, the German Empire took back the Shihe Domain, and there were French people behind it.

"Is there anything special about them?" Zhang Cheng asked in a low voice.

Zhang Cheng always felt a trace of uneasiness in his heart. The tactics of trenches with huge consumption have been invented for a long time. And after the baptism of the second industrial revolution, with technological breakthroughs in internal combustion engines, armor, suspension devices, etc. Tanks capable of destroying trench tactics should have been born long ago. Zhang Cheng was very worried about whether France, which had been fighting against the Ming Empire, had secretly built this kind of thing and put it into the battlefield in this war!

Against tanks, a special long-barreled direct-fire cannon is required, and special armor-piercing shells are also required. Zhang Cheng neither has the major nor the time to get these out. The only precaution he could take was to get a large number of steel-core bullets from Zhang Yao.

"Among other things, these Europa people are doing a good job of secrecy. The people we bought didn't get any useful information, but instead got a lot of hanging. Du Feng shrugged helplessly.

This is true of any country and nation. There will always be people who choose to betray for various reasons. The Ming Empire has ruled the world for so many years, and there are naturally many natives on the continent of Europa who are willing to work for the Ming Empire.

"I can't help it." Zhang Cheng turned to look at the dock that was busy unloading, "I can only go to the battlefield like this." ”

"How many people did you kid bring this time?" Looking at the busy dock, Du Feng raised his hand and patted Zhang Cheng's shoulder with some excitement: "I have long heard that you kid has expanded and expanded the army at his own expense." Tell me, how much money do you have? ”

It seems that Zhang Cheng's mercenary army, which is similar to that of a private arm, was not uncommon in the history of the Ming Empire. In the early days of colony, most of the armed forces were of this nature.

The Ming Empire didn't care how powerful a person like Zhang Cheng was. Now, after all, it's a time of war, and it's easy to say anything. As long as the war is over, no matter how strong the power in Zhang Cheng's hands is, it will be disbanded.

"Not much." Zhang Cheng raised his chin and said with a smile, "I asked people to recruit a group of veterans, and the total strength of the entire Third Regiment is about 5,000 people. More than 20 artillery pieces were bought, and dozens of heavy machine guns were just stopped. ”

'Hiss~~~'

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