PS: The first update arrives, asking for subscriptions, monthly passes and recommended tickets! Thank you for the monthly pass of Eagle, Markleu, and DOCC1!

"Those Manchu guys are not stupid, they naturally know that it is impossible to resist the attack of the Empire. The reason why they want to fight is simply because the Russians are backing them up. The 600,000 Russian expeditionary force, which had already begun to march to the Far East, probably became the last straw for the Manchu Qing Dynasty! However, if they want to escape to the Mongolian steppe, it is impossible! Long Yufei said. In order to prevent this, the empire has long been prepared. Not only did they rebel against the Mongols, the Manchus' hardcore allies, but they also formed two cavalry armies, which were specially used to fight in the steppe. In addition, the 14th Infantry Corps, one of the two infantry corps originally stationed in Shengjing City, also began to move in advance, in order to block the passage of the Qing army to the Mongolian steppe.

"Your Majesty, according to the information we have obtained, the princes and nobles of the Manchu Qing Dynasty have carried all the money they can take with them into the carriage! It is estimated that those gold and silver treasures are worth more than 500 million Chinese dollars if they are converted into Chinese dollars! They must be intercepted, and the empire will still count on this money for large-scale construction in the north in the future! Prime Minister Li Decheng specially advised. It can be said that these are all leftovers after the squandering of the people's fat and ointment collected by the Manchus in the past two hundred years, and if the princes and nobles of the Manchu Qing Dynasty are allowed to take away these gold and silver treasures, it will be a complete blow to the empire.

"Haha! Chief of Staff, General Sun. You've all heard what the Prime Minister said. If you let those Manchu princes and nobles run away, I see how you can explain to the Prime Minister! Long Yufei said with a smile.

"Prime Minister, don't worry. I assure you, those princes and nobles of the Manchu Dynasty will never be able to escape. If they let them run, I'll make reparations. Chief of Staff General Niu Meng said with a smile.

"Humph! That's a fortune of at least 500 million Chinese dollars, and even if I sell you, you can't afford to lose it. Prime Minister Li Decheng said disdainfully. 500 million Chinese dollars, which is already equivalent to twice the annual revenue of the empire now!

"Uh......" Admiral Niu Meng was very speechless, and had to look at Lieutenant General Sun Hao, the head of operations.

"Your Excellency, Prime Minister. We're fully prepared. The Mongols have taken refuge in us, and two cavalry corps have been deployed outside the mouth. In addition, the 14th Infantry Corps of the Imperial Army has also arrived. The retreat of the Manchus has been blocked, and it is difficult for them to fly even if they have wings. Lieutenant General Sun Hao assured. The two cavalry corps of the Imperial Army, plus the 14th Infantry Corps, had a total strength of more than 85,000 men. Deal with more than 80,000 Qing troops and Russian Cossack cavalry corps. There shouldn't be much of a problem. Of course. They only need to entangle the Qing army and create time for the follow-up troops.

"Humph! I see, it's better to be careful in everything. lest the boat capsize in the gutter, and then it will be up to you to explain to Your Majesty. Even with the assurances of Lieutenant General Sun Hao, Prime Minister Li Decheng is still not at ease.

"Hmmm! The Prime Minister is right, you must be fully prepared. Send a telegram to Seng Lingqin and Qiao Moyan and Kang Rui, telling them to block the Manchu retreat, if they let go of the Manchu princes and nobles. I'm the only one who asks. Long Yufei said.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" The Chief of the General Staff, General Niu Meng, nodded. Although the forces of both sides are similar. The cavalry units of the Imperial Army were also much better equipped than the cavalry of the Qing army and the Russian Cossack cavalry. However, the steppe is vast, and once the Qing army and the Russian Cossack cavalry break out of the encirclement, it will not be so easy to intercept them again.

"In addition, send a telegram to the landing troops, telling them to land from Tianjin as much as possible, and after taking Tianjin, they will march to Beijing, and then pursue the Manchu nobles who have fled to relieve the pressure on the other troops." Long Yufei said. In the plan submitted by the War Department, this attack on the Manchus also included a large landing force.

Originally, the Imperial Army planned to land in Bohai Bay during the decisive battle in the Central Plains. However, the sudden cold caused the Imperial Army to abandon military operations, allowing the Manchus to escape the catastrophe. In addition, this landing operation has a large number of troops, which is also a rehearsal for a future landing in North America. When the time comes, after the empire declares war on the United States, it will definitely send a large number of troops across the Pacific to fight against the United States.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Yesterday the landing force had already sent a telegram that they had entered the Bohai Bay, and it was expected that they would be able to carry out a landing operation on Tianjin tomorrow morning. Lieutenant General Sun Hao reported.

Long Yufei nodded, under the full attack of the Imperial Army, the Manchu Qing Dynasty would not have any chance now. The only variable is whether it can block the way for the Qing army to retreat and reap a perfect victory.

On the morning of March 16, 1847, the fog gradually dissipated under the light of the rising sun on the Bohai Bay. A huge fleet is sailing on the Bohai Sea. The tall bow of the ship broke through the waves and sailed forward with its head held high.

In the North Sea in March, the ice has melted. However, the temperature is also very low. Because of the war between the empire and the Manchus, there were hardly any ships on the Bohai Sea. Compared with the empire, the Manchus focused all their energy on military expansion and warfare, and were not at all active in commerce. As a result, there are hardly any merchant ships to be seen on the northern coastline.

This huge fleet was the landing fleet sent by the Imperial Army. Escorted by 4 'Western Zhou-class' warships and 9 'Shang-class' warships of the 1st Fleet of the Imperial Army, a total of more than 200 transport ships and merchant ships were included. A total of two infantry corps, one heavy artillery brigade and two marine brigades of the Imperial Army were carried on these transports and merchant ships. The total strength is more than 90,000 people.

Their mission was to land at Tianjinwei and defeat the Qing 5th Army, which was defending here, and then quickly advance the battle line to the city of Beijing. After taking Beijing, he pursued the fleeing Qing army north. Although the Imperial Army had already launched an offensive from Henan and Shandong, it was hundreds of kilometers from Henan and Shandong to Beijing. Even if you don't fight, just march, it will take more than ten days. From Tianjin to Beijing, it is only more than 100 kilometers. If you march quickly, it will only take three to four days. It can be said that this force that landed from Tianjin was the main force that destroyed the Manchu Qing Dynasty. The rest of the troops, on the other hand, were mainly preparing to go to the Mongolian steppe and advance the front to Eastern Siberia.

Vice Admiral Wei Yong, commander of the Imperial Navy's 1st Fleet, was standing on the bow deck of the ship, looking out at the place where the sea and the sky met in the distance. The 'Western Zhou-class' battleship was definitely one of the most powerful warships in the world. Of course, this will soon be replaced by the 'Eastern Zhou-class' warships that entered service at the end of the year. The 1st Fleet of the Imperial Navy has 4 'Western Zhou-class' warships, and their firepower is very strong. Of course, in this war, the role of the navy is not much, mainly to escort the landing of marines and lands, at most it is to provide cannon fodder support for the landing troops and clear the obstacles to their landing.

In the current 1st Fleet, three 'Shang-class' cruisers are included in the expeditionary fleet. This left the 1st Fleet with 3 less capital ships. However, this is not much of a loss in combat power for the 1st Fleet. What's more, Emperor Long Yufei has promised that after the 'Eastern Zhou-class' battleships are commissioned at the end of the year, they will first be allocated to the 1st Fleet. As for the 5th Fleet, it will not be able to receive the other three 'Eastern Zhou-class' warships until the first half of next year. As for the expeditionary fleet, and the Pacific Fleet, which will be established in the future, warships will be allocated to the Pacific Fleet according to the situation. After all, on the eastern coast of the Pacific Ocean, the Imperial Navy had few enemies. The main force of the U.S. Navy is on the east coast, and if you want to send it to the west coast, you have to go south and bypass the entire South American continent.

"Commander, General Zhang sent a telegram to ask, when will we be able to arrive in Tianjin?" A communications officer said to Lieutenant General Wei Yong.

"Tell him, we'll be in Tientsin in two hours, so that the Marines and infantry can be ready for battle." Lieutenant General Wei Yong said. General Zhang in the mouth of the communications officer is Major General Zhang Wei, commander of the 1st Army of the Imperial Army. In addition, the troops that landed in Tianjin this time included the 10th Infantry Corps, the 3rd Heavy Artillery Brigade and the 1st and 2nd Brigades of the Marine Corps.

"Yes, General!" The communications officer nodded, and hurriedly went to send a telegram.

After all units were equipped with wireless telegraphy on a large scale, the command of the Empire* army was much smoother. Now, the Imperial Army has equipped radio stations to the battalion level, and the Navy has equipped every warship with radio stations. Large warships such as the 'Western Zhou-class' battleships are even equipped with long-wave radios. In this way, even if the warship is operating in the open sea, it will be able to make contact with the land. It can be said that in terms of communication technology, the Imperial Army and Navy have once again come to the forefront of the world.

The huge fleet rode the wind and waves and sailed towards Tianjin. Billowing smoke from the thick chimneys gathered in the sky like a large dark cloud.

As time passed, the Imperial landing fleet also got closer and closer to Tianjin. The officers and men of the Imperial Army and Marine Corps, which operated on transport ships and merchant ships, were also in action. Compared to the Marines, many of the infantry are landlubbers. Some people even experienced symptoms of seasickness, which made them suffer a lot. Everyone is eager to arrive in Tianjin earlier, even if it is to charge in the face of the Qing army's bullets and bullets, it is better than taking a boat!

At 9:20 a.m. on March 16, the Imperial Landing Fleet arrived in Tianjin. (To be continued......)