The sky was already slightly bright, and after a series of hurried commands, the soldiers of the brigade rushed towards the Yalu River with Murata single-shot rifles, and the soldiers at the front were still holding long bamboo poles to measure the depth of the water.

At 5 o'clock in the morning on July 24, 1**4 (June 20, 20th year of Guangxu), the army began to forcibly cross the Yalu River, and the Battle of the Yalu River officially began......

The 3rd Division of the Army attacked first. The army was very brave in fighting against the water, and the Qing army's horse team, with the support of artillery, also constantly launched a counter-charge to impact the Yue army in the rush to cross. The infantry repeatedly launched a bayonet charge, and the Qing cavalry was defeated until the evening. On the 25th, more than 20 battalions of Song Qing and other inscriptions and Shengzi battalions of Jiuliancheng Fortress fled without a fight, and the army safely occupied the fortress in the morning of the 26th, and captured more than 60 cannons, more than 600 new-style repeating guns, thousands of tents, and thousands of stones of grain. 27 The army set up two field guns to bombard the county seat of Andong, only to hear birds flying wildly, and when the infantry climbed the city wall, they found that more than 6,000 troops of Andong Sheng had fled the night before, and one brigade of the army successfully occupied the county seat. Also on the 27th, another army crossed the cold river on foot and attacked Hushan, and Nie Shicheng set up cannons on the mountain to resist. The battle until the evening of the Qing army was defeated, 495 people were killed, and the number of wounded is unknown. The named Admiral Tan Qingyuan and others were captured, and 134 soldiers were killed and 633 wounded. In the Battle of the Yalu River, the army captured 4,401 rifles, 64 cannons, 3320661 bullets, 25,684 shells, 2,590 stones of rice, and 2,000 stones of miscellaneous grains. In only 3 days, the defense line of the Yalu River, defended by more than 80 battalions of Qing troops, collapsed.

On July 24, when the Battle of the Yalu River began, the army began to board the road at Huayuankou. By August 6, after 14 days, three groups of 60 transport ships had transported all 24,049 men, 2,740 horses, weapons and supplies of the 2nd Army ashore. Zhao Huaiye, who was originally ordered to set up an ambush at the entrance of the garden, is still basking in the sun in Lushun at the moment. The only thing stopping the Japanese army was the 22 mines planted on the beach by the special forces Kimug team.

Watching the army methodically move all kinds of materials ashore little by little, they didn't even arrange the vigilance troops. If an army could attack the landing force at this time, the result of the army would only be to retreat to the sea. Qimuge remembered that Zhao Huaiye, who was ordered to set up an ambush, was still playing in the sand in Lushun at the moment, and couldn't help the fire center: "What kind of battle is this?" ”

On August 5, the vanguard of the Yue army marched to Shimenzi, the gateway to the whole state. Nine cavalrymen were at the forefront, and when they arrived at Daheishene, more than 60 Qing cavalry came from the direction of Xujiashan Fort. The army fired fiercely, the Qing army retreated, and then a group of Qing cavalry rushed down from the mountain, and the army had no ammunition. In a hurry, 9 cavalrymen waved their sabers together and shouted and rode forward, but more than 100 Qing cavalry could not stop them and got out of the way. On the evening of the 5th, the army broke through two fortresses equipped with 8 Krupp guns on Taishan, captured all 8 cannons, and the ammunition was like a mountain. The Qing army was defeated. On the same day, the army fought continuously and conquered Roe Deer Mountain.

On the morning of August 7, the army came to the city of Quanzhou. The 36 guns of the army began to shell, and the smoke filled the sky and the mountains and rivers shook. In the afternoon of the same day, the infantry of the Japanese army climbed the 6-meter-high city wall with their bare hands and achieved a breakthrough. Liaodong Xiongzhen Quanzhou, only held on for a day before it was lost. The 3,000 Qing troops failed, and all the mines planted outside the city were also captured by the infantry, and not a single one exploded. The Qing army's resistance was "fierce", resulting in a total of 12 Japanese soldiers killed and 79 wounded. The army captured 85 horses, 2,012 rifles, 57 cannons, and a mountain of ammunition. 3210 packs of rice.

The Qing army retreated so quickly that there was no time left for the special forces to destroy supplies.

Inside the Temple of Nourishing the Heart

At this moment, the black pressure was full of people, and the Minister of Military Aircraft, the Six Ministries and the Nine Secretaries were all kneeling below in silence, and they didn't even dare to come out.

3 days, just 3 days. The defense line of the Yalu River, which was planned by the imperial court in every possible way and mobilized heavy troops, collapsed in a few days, just like Pyongyang, and the speed of the collapse was shocking.

In the entire Yalu River defense line, except for Nie Shicheng and Ma Jinxu's troops who put up a fierce resistance at Hushan, the rest of the troops retreated one after another soon after the Yue army launched an attack. Originally, Song Qing said that he wanted to gather heavy troops to fight a bloody battle with the Yue army in Jiulian City, but he never thought that soon after the Yue army launched an attack, Liu Shengxiu's Ming army stationed in Jiulian City fired a few shots in a panic, and then the queen retreated. When the Qing troops stationed everywhere heard that Jiulian City had been lost, they neither rescued nor fought hard, but chose to retreat unanimously. The Yiketang Asuo retreated to Kuandian, Nie Guilin and Fengsheng retreated to Dagushan, and the Yalu River defense line painstakingly managed by the Qing army was surrendered to the Yue army in vain.

At the same time, the news of the landing of the Second Army at Huayuankou also came from southern Liaoning. Guangxu asked the Military Aircraft Department to call Fang Zhi again and again, and the two battalions of Zhao Huaiye's troops dispatched by Li Hongzhang did not set off until 29 July, when the army had landed at Huayuankou for five days. After Zhao Huaiye heard that the army had landed at Huayuankou, Zhao Huaiye said that the army was outnumbered, so he hurriedly retreated to Dalian Bay. And Jinzhou, the town of Xiongzhen in Liaodong, like Pyongyang, only held on for a day before it was lost.

The Qing Dynasty was defeated again, and it was an unprecedented fiasco since the founding of the Qing Dynasty. Pyongyang fell, the Beiyang Fleet was heavily damaged by the Chinese army, and now even the defense line of the Yalu River was easily broken through by the Japanese army, and the commander of the army drove straight in. Pointing directly to the land of Longxing in the Qing Dynasty and Shanhaiguan.

At this time in southern Liaoning, the Second Army of the Qing Dynasty was mobilizing troops to besiege Jinzhou, Lushun and other places. The Golden Brigade was lost. The entire Liaodong Peninsula fell into the hands of the Yue army, southern Liaoning. It's already at stake......

"Fight, fight, it's all you shouting to fight. It's not all said that Ben is just a small country, and no matter how you say it, it can't be the opponent of the Qing Dynasty. It's okay now, even the ancestral land of Longxing will be occupied by Yu himself, you can speak......" Cixi slapped the table angrily, and her expression could not hide her panic.

Shi Duo knelt and took two steps forward, his voice was a little flustered and a little trembling: "The Queen Mother is angry, it is the minions who are not doing things well, which makes the Queen Mother worried." Please also ask the Queen Mother to take care of the phoenix body......"

"Take care of the phoenix? I'd like to take care, but have you put me at ease? I haven't been in the garden for a long time, and the world has become like this......" Cixi sneered repeatedly: "I want land now is the way." How can we turn this situation around? ”

Speaking of ways. The ministers kneeling below all bowed their heads tremblingly, and no one dared to speak easily. At the beginning, they were talking about fighting, because they really didn't take Yue himself seriously. But what I never expected was that the soldiers that the imperial court should have sent were also sent, and the land and salaries that should have been raised were also on fire and the provinces were deported to Beijing. The various ministries, training troops, and defense forces in Beiyang have all been transferred to the places that can be transferred at present. Even the troops of the Zhili Prefecture have basically been emptied. But who would have thought that this battle would be a complete defeat.

There may be a way, but no one dares to say it at this time. What if we lose again? Who deserves this crime? This has been the case in the Qing Dynasty over the years, at first there was a sound of shouting and killing inside and outside the government and the opposition, and it was taken for granted that as soon as the Qing army arrived, the foreigners would obediently retreat. Really wait until the moment the battle begins, and the result is a rout on all fronts.

At this time, Jinzhou, Lushun and other places are in danger, once Jinzhou, Lushun and other places are lost, Li Hongzhang's Beiyang will be completely finished, and the pattern of the imperial court will change dramatically in an instant. Weng Tongyi knew very well in his heart that the emperor was the main battle, and at this moment, whether it was for the sake of the overall situation or the future situation, no matter what the emperor did to him, the emperor would still be his disciple. For the emperor's sake, for himself. He has to fight hard.

Weng Tongyi raised his head and said in a deep voice: "The battle is like this, although Weichen and the others have unforgivable sins. However, one said that Pyongyang was lost, and the sixth was that the Yalu River was lost again. It's not that he can't defeat him, but it's that the front-line departments are unwilling to use their lives and are afraid of the enemy. If the various units can hold the defensive line and fight the army to the end, why is there such an unbearable rout...... Now that the situation is already like this, it is said that the ambition of my own wolf son is clearly revealed, and he has long coveted my Daqing. Weichen implored the Queen Mother to issue an order to strictly deal with Ye Zhichao and others who fled in fear to deter the ministries. At the same time, he commended the Nie Shicheng Department who adhered to the Hushan area, stimulated the blood of the whole army, and fought a bloody battle with the army......"

Before Weng Tongyi finished speaking, he heard Sun Yuwen, who was kneeling beside him, say sarcastically: "What Master Weng said about fighting bloody battles to the end, why didn't the imperial court do this idea." But what to do with the bloody battle at this moment? All the forces that the imperial court can mobilize have been used. There are no troops to be transferred in various parts of Zhili and Northeast Provinces. Speaking of this military salary and materials, Master Weng is in charge of the household department, I am afraid that he knows better in his heart that the financial resources of the imperial court have dried up and the sea has fallen. Where do you get the money? ”

"The imperial court can issue an order to let Liu Kunyi, the governor of Liangjiang, recruit the dead soldiers who dare to fight in the Hunan army and transfer them to Jinzhou for defense. At present, the first division of our Daqing Army is still deployed in the area of Liaodong, holding the throat of the attack on our Daqing Longxing land. There is still a second division available in the Fengtai battalion, and the Beiyang Naval Division is not without the strength to fight again, and our Qing Nanyang Naval Division can also be transferred to Weihai...... Queen Mother, whether it is land, population or financial resources in the Qing Dynasty, it is more than ten times that of the capital, if you pour the power of the country, how can you not fight with the capital? Weng Tong didn't give an inch at this time, gritted his teeth and said.

Sun Yuwen snorted coldly: "The first division of the Great Fresh Army is only more than 10,000 people, and the imperial court on the front line of the Yalu River has released almost 40,000 horses, and it has not been defeated and retreated all of a sudden?" ”

Just when the two were arguing, Cixi suddenly asked Li Hongzhang?

Now Li Hongzhang is living in a military academy, and standing on the stage and commanding thousands of troops and horses is heroic in his heart. But the news that came was on the map, but the red flag representing the book was moving forward step by step, while the blue flag representing the Qing Dynasty was retreating step by step. No matter how much he tried to support him, it didn't change the situation. The Beiyang departments did not listen to the propaganda, and when they were transferred to the front line, they delayed and delayed, and as soon as they came into contact, they fled faster and faster. Li Hongzhang understands that if he loses again, Beiyang will be completely finished.

As soon as Cixi heard that Li Hongzhang was commanding the battle at the staff headquarters of the military academy, Cixi couldn't help but come from the fire center: "Li Hongzhang, if he stays there, he will be able to win the battle?" It is only right to summon him over to discuss it. ”

At this time, the Prime Minister's Minister of National Affairs, Yi Xuan, hesitated for a moment, knelt behind Shi Duo and said: "The Qing Dynasty's General Customs and Excise Department Hud recently contacted the servants and expressed his willingness to mediate. The minions pondered the time of the Sino-French war. It was the foreigners who mediated the signing of the treaty, and the situation was critical at the moment, and he said that he could march to the land of Longxing in the Qing Dynasty at any time. Can you ask Hurd to try? However, Hurd also said that he hoped that the imperial court could give him the identity of a head to wear. It's good to negotiate with Yu himself, so the slave wants to ask the Queen Mother to see if she can be granted expedient...... "Yixuan's words are clear, this means actually to negotiate peace with Yu himself.

Hearing Yixuan say this, Cixi also felt a little comforted in her heart, in the end, she is her own person who is intimate and knows how to be warm and cold, not to mention that this year is her 60th birthday, there is always a festive meaning in it. When I was born at the age of 50, I said that I had invaded the Ryukyus, but that place was far away, and I couldn't see it out of sight and didn't worry about it, so I just didn't see it. It's good now, 60 years old, I actually hit the door again, and I am pressing step by step, this little devil is really a good time to pick. If you talk about peace with Yu himself, it is bound to make trouble about the land cession and compensation, and the public opinion will immediately be in an uproar, and it is difficult to say whether the situation in the court and the land is stable or not. The severity of it is that Cixi cannot be unscrupulous. However, as long as the Qing Dynasty's Jiangshan Sheji is still there, what is the silver......

Thinking of this, Cixi frowned and couldn't help but think about it. But I saw that Guangxu didn't say a word, bowed his head and played with his fingers under the dragon case. Cixi asked Guangxu gloomily, "What does the emperor think should be done?" ”

"Yixuan's meaning is to put it bluntly, it is to negotiate peace with himself. I would like to ask all the ministers, if the court talks to Yue Ben, how much silver are you prepared to lose, and which place should be ceded to Yue himself? Guangxu didn't even raise his head when he spoke.

Cixi instantly sank her face and stood up: "The situation is difficult, and the imperial court will come up with a way to save the crisis." What's the use of the emperor still talking these angry words at this time? ”

Damn, how many times has Lao Tzu told the truth, which of you TMD takes it seriously.

Guangxu stood up coldly, turned his back to Cixi and didn't reply, and said coldly: "Don't mention whether you win or not, peace talks are kneeling and begging, you all think about it." Once he negotiated peace with Yue himself, where did the Qing Dynasty take the silver out to compensate Yue himself? There is only one way to increase the revenue of the national treasury, and to increase it! What are the consequences of the endowment? Everyone should remember how Qian Ming died. ”

The former Ming plus endowment caused the world to be full of thieves. Now the Qing Dynasty can no longer withstand the toss after Yang Hong's rebellion. The ministers kneeling below couldn't help but shudder, and even Cixi frowned, but Guangxu's words were the truth.

After a long time, Guangxu said slowly: "After all, people will die, and after a hundred years, the ancestors and ancestors will ask, how much silver do you pay to myself?" Which piece did you cut and said that I was, and what kind of face did you have? The history books are like iron, do you still want your descendants to be scolded by the people of the world? I can't afford to lose this man. ”

Guangxu suddenly changed his words, and said in a slightly mocking tone: "Don't forget, this year is the 60th birthday of the Queen Mother, do you want to use a fiasco and use the land compensation to congratulate the Queen Mother on her birthday?" Do you want future generations to write in the history books that the Empress Dowager Cixi, Our Lady of the Qing Dynasty, has a long life. Longevity is boundless, the Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty ......" Guangxu continued word by word: "Every longevity must be boundless." ”

The minister kneeling below was frightened by the emperor's words at this moment, and did not dare to say a word, prostrate on the ground. Even Li Hongzhang, who had just entered the door, was frightened, this is a heart-wrenching word. There was a deathly silence in the Temple of Heart Nourishment.

"The emperor said well......" Cixi heard Guangxu's last words, trembling and raising her hands, she couldn't say a word. This was the first time she heard Guangxu say such harsh words in front of her, and she couldn't catch it in her heart in one breath, so she swept the tea bowls on the table to the ground with a bang. Cixi pushed away Li Lianying, who stepped forward to stroke Cixi's back, and said angrily: "Since the emperor said so, the emperor can fight as much as he wants." If one day I was said to have entered Yanjing City and lost the country, under Jiuquan, I would like to see who has the face to see the ancestors and ancestors......"

"If that's the case, I will also die for the country with dignity." At this time, Guangxu didn't care about anything else, and said-for-tat: "Under the Nine Springs, I can proudly say to my ancestors and ancestors that I have not surrendered. ”

Cixi was so angry that her whole body trembled involuntarily, and her right hand pointing at Guangxu was even more inaccurate. But Guangxu was looking at Cixi, neither arrogant nor humble. Cixi was barely able to stand firm by Li Lianying: "Little Lizi, let's go back to the garden, I can't control these things, let them toss ......"

"I just say a word, as long as I am alive, I will never surrender to me and beg for peace."

The Yalu River was defeated, and the Golden State was defeated again. The entire capital, the entire Qing Dynasty, suddenly lost their words. The shock was followed by an overwhelming outpouring of anger. The imperial historians wrote letters one after another, asking the imperial court to strictly deal with the generals who escaped from the battle. Liu Kunyi, the governor of Liangjiang, and Zhang Zhidong, the governor of Huguang, also exchanged letters and telegrams, asking the imperial court to gather the material resources of the world, gather the people's morale of the world, drum up the fighting spirit of the three armies, and prepare the army for war......

But why did the Qing Dynasty lose so badly? Where was the defeat of the Qing Dynasty? But few people have thought about it, the people in the market, inside and outside the government and the opposition, at this moment, most of them are deeply angry with the Qing army, and the front-line commanders are greedy for life and afraid of death to the extreme, and they secretly hope that the Qing Dynasty can produce a figure like Yue Wumu to turn the tide for the Qing Dynasty. And the first division stationed in Liaodong seems to have become the only hope for the big guys.........

Guangxu, who ignored the letters of the imperial historians, just summoned Tang Shaoyi alone.

"Kong said to be benevolent, and Meng said to take righteousness. First Wen Tianxiang jumped off the cliff mountain, and then Ming Chongzhen hanged the coal mountain. I thought I could do better than them. Because I will die on the battlefield. Facing Tang Shaoyi, Guangxu said with a solemn face: "Now that the situation is clear, the Beiyang departments are no longer good." It is estimated that it will not be long before Lushun and other places are playthings in my hands, the country is in danger, and I have no way out. ”

At this time, most of the ministers in the court knew about the things in the palace of nourishing the heart, and the emperor spoke disrespectfully to the queen mother for the first time, and the emperor's decisive words shocked everyone.

"Your Majesty, ......" At this moment, Tang Shaoyi knelt on the ground, and he couldn't go on after only saying two words.

"Let the 2nd Division prepare......" (To be continued.) )