"Ladies and gentlemen, Your Majesty's order has been issued, while the main force of the Northern Army is now in the Yalu River and Siberia, we must take Shanhaiguan in this battle. According to the information we have obtained, there are only more than 10,000 but less than 20,000 northern troops in Shanhaiguan, and we have 15 towns and 180,000 people, which is ten times their number! There's no reason why we can't beat them in this battle. Feng Guozhang glanced at the generals of the Beiyang Army, and then said.

The elite troops gathered around Yongping Mansion were all elite troops of the Beiyang Army, including the second and third towns. It can be seen that this time the Beiyang Army is determined to take Shanhaiguan. After the Northern Army occupied Shanhaiguan, it posed a direct threat to Yanjing City, leaving the Beiyang government in the throat. If they can take Shanhaiguan, then they will be much safer.

"Chief of Staff, the Northern Army has defeated even the little devils and the old man. Although we have many people, they have an advantageous position! Wang Zhanyuan, the commander of the second town, said.

"Yes! Oh, yes! Chief of Staff, this battle can't be reckless, you need to think about it in the long run. Otherwise, if they suffer defeat, no one will be able to pay this responsibility. Cao Kun, the commander of the third town, also said.

Wang Zhanyuan and Cao Kun can also be regarded as old men in Beiyang, and they boast that they are no worse than Feng Guozhang. When they conquered the governor of Liangjiang in the south, they also made a lot of contributions. However, only Feng Guozhang was promoted to general and served as deputy chief of general staff. The two of them are still in control, which naturally makes the two of them feel a little unhappy.

Feng Guozhang glanced at Wang Zhanyuan and Cao Kun, and was a little annoyed in his heart. However, he did a good job of suppressing his anger. This is not the time for infighting. If this battle fails to take Shanhaiguan, then he, the commander, may have to be questioned first. Even if Yuan Datou appreciates him, I'm afraid his future will be ruined.

"General Wang. General Cao, this is His Majesty's edict, and we, who are courtiers, can only abide by it. If you have any doubts, please report them to Your Majesty. However, this time, if anyone dares to disobey the order, it is disrespectful. Don't blame me Feng Huafu for turning his face and not recognizing people, and directly dealt with it by military law! Feng Guozhang said with a serious face.

Wang Zhanyuan and Cao Kun glanced at each other and had to keep silent. The two of them are not fools, if they lose the battle this time, Feng Guozhang will certainly step down. The two of them must not be able to eat and walk around.

Seeing that Wang Zhanyuan and Cao Kun were silent, Feng Guozhang nodded with satisfaction.

"Everyone, tomorrow we will launch an attack on Shanhaiguan, and we must take Shanhaiguan in one fell swoop. Think of this as the best gift to His Majesty the Emperor! Feng Guozhang said loudly.

"Long live Your Majesty!" Many generals shouted.

Early morning of November 15, Shanhaiguan. The temperature in the north in late autumn has already begun to drop. The soldiers of the Northern Army, dressed in thick winter clothes, had already entered the position. On the artillery position, the divisional artillery battalions of the 9th Infantry Division and the regimental artillery batteries of each regiment, as well as the artillery of the 6th Heavy Artillery Brigade, have begun to prepare. A cannon with a hideous muzzle has been pulled to the gun position, the cannon coat has faded, the muzzle of the cannon is pointed obliquely to the sky, and the shells are stacked next to the cannon.

"Come on, Dog's Beiyang Army, grandpa didn't go to your trouble. You dare to take the initiative to come to the door, you don't know whether you are alive or dead. "On the walls of Shanhaiguan. Major General Zhang Haipeng, commander of the 9th Infantry Division, cursed.

In the small city under the Shanhai Pass, ordinary residents have been evacuated, and the city is full of soldiers. The Northern Army built two lines of defense outside the city, and the artillery positions were set up inside the city, waiting for the Beiyang Army's offensive to begin, and then taught them a lesson.

Though. The number of enemies was almost ten times that of his own, but Major General Zhang Haipeng and all the officers and men of the entire 9th Infantry Division were not only not afraid, but excited. The combat effectiveness of the Northern Army has long been proven by previous wars. Even the Japanese and Russians were no match for the Northern Army, so how could such a third-rate force as the Beiyang Army pose a threat to them?

At eight o'clock in the morning, the Beiyang Army completed its preparations before the attack, and some soldiers, under the leadership of their commanders, began to enter the forward positions. In the rear, artillery guns were also pushed up, ready to provide artillery support for the infantry. Compared with the Northern Army, the artillery of the Beiyang Army is much less, and there are only a dozen guns of more than 10,000 people in a town. Some of the newly formed units did not even have artillery, and only such elites as the Second and Third Towns were equipped with 75-mm field guns, some German, some legal, and Japanese-style, with a wide variety.

In 15 towns, the Beiyang Army gathered a total of 96 75-mm field guns and 131 57-mm camp guns. More than 200 cannons entered the position, and the momentum was still very strong.

"Well, with so many cannons, even if it's a bombardment, it can flatten Shanhaiguan, right? I'd like to see how those guys in the Northern Army can resist. Feng Guozhang smiled. Although, he knew very well that the Northern Army attached great importance to artillery, and an infantry division had dozens of artillery pieces, which was far from being comparable to the Beiyang Army. However, now they are bullying an infantry division of the Northern Army with more than a dozen towns, and in any aspect, they should have the upper hand firmly! The 5th Heavy Artillery Brigade of the Northern Army secretly entered Shanhaiguan by train at night, and the spies of the Beiyang Army did not know about it at all.

"Yes! Even if the people of the Northern Army are iron-clad, they are definitely not the opponent of so many artillery. Take Shanhaiguan, then there must be no problem at all. Wang Zhanyuan, the commander of the second town of the Beiyang Army, said.

"Okay, who's going to attack below?" Feng Guozhang asked.

Whether it was Wang Zhanyuan or Cao Kun, or the control of other towns, they all kept silent.

"General Yang, for the next attack, there will be your fourth town, right?" Seeing that no one took the initiative to ask for help, Feng Guozhang could only give an order directly.

"Yes, Chief of Staff." Lieutenant General Yang Shande, the commander of the fourth town, said with a bitter face.

Although, the Fourth Town is also considered an elite in the Beiyang Army, and it was formed by the old foundation of Yuan Datou and Xiaozhan to train soldiers. However, this time, the opponent was the Northern Army, which made Lieutenant General Yang Shande feel uncertain.

At half past eight in the morning, the artillery of the Beiyang Army was ready. Feng Guozhang gave an order, and more than 200 artillery pieces began to bombard.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! ”

Orange-red flames shone in the muzzles, and one after another, shells whistled and flew towards the positions of the Northern Army.

Dense explosions rose, dust was thrown into the sky, and craters appeared on the positions. The trenches dug by the Northern Army, the fire points built were destroyed during the shelling. The barbed wire fence that was pulled up in front of the position was also blown up. The entire position was shrouded in gunsmoke.

"Well, that's pretty good. With such a fierce shelling, those northern troops should have been killed. Feng Guozhang nodded with satisfaction.

In fact, before the shelling of the Beiyang Army began, the officers and men of the Northern Army on the position had already drilled into the anti-artillery holes, and only a very small number of observers remained on the position. Although the artillery bombardment of the Beiyang Army was fierce, the damage inflicted on the Northern Army was very limited.

At the time when the artillery of the Northern Army began to fire, the artillery of the Northern Army was also in action. The 144 155-mm heavy howitzers of the 5th Heavy Artillery Brigade are adjusting their muzzles according to the parameters measured by the artillery staff. The 36 light howitzers of the divisional artillery battalion of the 9th Infantry Division are also adjusting the shelling parameters.

"Fire!" When the commander of the 5th Heavy Artillery Brigade gave the order to open fire, 144 155-mm heavy howitzers and 36 105-mm light howitzers from the artillery positions opened fire one after another.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! ”

The fierce shelling sound was like thunder in the sky, accompanied by the orange-red flames shining from the muzzles, and one after another the shells were already roaring towards the artillery positions of the Beiyang Army.

"Whew! Shout! Shout! ”

The cannonball quickly pierced the air with a piercing sound, as if it were about to tear through a person's eardrums.

The artillerymen of the Beiyang Army suddenly changed their faces. Controlling the artillery, they could naturally tell what it was.

"Shelling, hide!"

Countless artillerymen, abandoning the artillery they were manipulating, scattered and fled for their lives, and the entire artillery position was in a panic.

"Boom! Rumble! ”

Cannonballs fell from the sky, and black clouds of smoke rose. The shock wave formed by the explosion of the shell spread out in all directions, sweeping the artillery of the Beiyang Army into the sky, like falling leaves in the cold wind. On the ground, huge craters were left behind. The generals of the Beiyang Army, after seeing the size of the crater, all of them had drastic changes in their faces.

"Heavy artillery, definitely heavy artillery with a caliber of more than a hundred millimeters!" Cao Kun shouted in amazement. In the entire Beiyang Army, there are not many heavy artillery guns with a caliber of more than 100 mm.

"Not only that, it is almost a heavy artillery of more than 150 millimeters that can have such an effect." Wang Zhanyuan's face was serious.

The smile on Feng Guozhang's face had disappeared cleanly, replaced by a deep solemnity.

As for Lieutenant General Yang Shande, the commander of the fourth town of the Beiyang Army, his face was even greener. The artillery of the Northern Army is so ferocious, and his fourth town is attacking, isn't that self-defeating?

The artillery bombardment of the Northern Army was very fierce, and one shell after another went straight to the artillery position of the Beiyang Army as if they had eyes. Clouds of gunpowder smoke rose from the positions of the Beiyang Army, and from time to time artillery was blown up, and the barrels of the guns were directly blown into twists.

"Boom!" A lifetime of violent explosions sounded on the artillery positions of the Beiyang Army. The black smoke of gunpowder reached into the sky, and this was a place where a stack of shells was hit, and there was a martyrdom, causing huge losses to the artillery of the Beiyang Army.

The artillery of the Beiyang Army, under the heavy artillery blow of the Northern Army, suffered heavy losses, which also greatly affected the morale of the Beiyang Army. (To be continued......)

PS: The first update arrives, asking for subscriptions, monthly passes and recommended tickets! Today, I continued to practice driving, learning to add and decrease gears and drive in a straight line, I heard that it is a more difficult subject. Thank you book friends, I love Wang Yihuan, Dashi plays in the line of fire, and the data is sprinkled with rewards! Thank you book friends for giving in? , ab955011, HENRYHUANG, Bolin Shenzun, Crushed, Er's Heart, Jiangr's monthly pass!