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The West Siberian Plain is undoubtedly in better natural conditions than the Central Siberian Plateau and the Eastern Siberian Mountains. Although the winters are still long and cold, from May to October, crops can be grown here, and some pastures can be used for grazing, and agriculture on the West Siberian plain is relatively good.

A hundred years ago, during the reign of Catherine the Great, Russia began to focus on the development of the West Siberian Plain, and a large number of industrial cities were established east of the Ural Mountains, with Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk developing most rapidly. However, after July, the entire Western Siberian Plain went into a state of panic. The Russian expeditionary force was defeated in Eastern Siberia, 600,000 troops were wiped out, and only a few lucky ones escaped, and after these people fled back to the Western Siberian plain, they immediately brought the news of the crushing defeat of the front.

Suddenly, the Russians living on the plains of West Siberia fled their homes in large numbers. Although, in the eyes of Western countries, Russia is a representative of rudeness, in the eyes of these Russians, the Chinese Empire is also a country that kills people without blinking. Under these circumstances, a large number of Russians began to withdraw to Europe, which further increased the damage to the Russian economy and society.

At the end of July, the advance of the Imperial Army was already approaching the Ob River, because of the crushing defeat of the Russian Expeditionary Force, the Russian army east of the Ural Mountains had almost been exhausted, which made it impossible for the Russian army to stop the long advance of the Imperial* army. July 29th. The 1st and 2nd armies of the Imperial Cavalry, across the Ob River, captured Novosibirsk on the Ob River. Subsequently. The army continued to move westward, attacking Russian towns along the road. With the assistance of the 5th and 6th armies of the Imperial Cavalry, hundreds of thousands of Imperial cavalry swept westward on the Siberian Plain like locusts. One Russian town after another was destroyed, and the Russians were expelled from their homes after their grain was requisitioned. A large number of displaced people began to migrate westward.

Emperor Long Yufei knew that this time there was a war with Russia. It will be a protracted war. If the empire wants to defeat Russia, it will need not only military efforts, but also economic efforts. If you turn all the millions of Russians living on the West Siberian Plain into exiles. And then driven to the west of the Ural Mountains, it would be enough to bankrupt the Russian government simply for the purpose of resettling these displaced people.

Of course, such a ploy is very vicious. But. In order to win. It's understandable to do everything. After all, these Russians have never treated the Chinese as human beings. When they were in the Mongolian steppe, in the northeast, they also committed heinous crimes against the people of the empire. Now, it is time for these Russians to atone for their sins.

Of course, the main forces of the imperial army, after reaching the Ob River, will not continue to advance. Now the logistical supply line is thousands of kilometers long. If the westward advance continues, the logistics supply of hundreds of thousands of troops. It is possible to bring down the empire. According to the plan of the General Staff, after resisting the Ob River, the empire would rely on the Ob River to build a defense line of up to 100 kilometers and prepare for a long-term confrontation with Russia. It will become a base for the empire's war against Russia, and the cavalry of the empire will also rely on Novosibirsk to continuously attack Russia. With the Russian Cossack cavalry heavily defeated, the Russians simply had no way to deal with hundreds of thousands of imperial cavalry.

It can be said that in this battle, the empire has won an absolute victory. The next thing to do is how to further weaken Russia's power and consolidate the gains of the empire in this war.

The Imperial cavalry swept across the Western Siberian Plain like locusts, inflicting great damage on Russia. Countless Russians died under the sabers of the Imperial cavalry, and one city after another was destroyed. Large fields were destroyed before they could be harvested. Russia's foundations on the West Siberian Plain are being dug up little by little by the Empire.

"Damn, those damn yellow-skinned monkeys, they are massacring our civilians, and if this continues, the entire Siberian Plain will be slaughtered by them. Foreign Affairs Department, find a way to present our protest to the Chinese against their massacre of civilians! The new Tsar Alexander II said angrily.

Russian government officials on the Siberian Plain handed over to Alexander II's desk reports on cities that had been breached by imperial cavalry, and each report contained the number of people lost and the estimated loss of financial resources, which undoubtedly made Russia's already precarious situation even more dangerous.

"Your Majesty, we have now severed diplomatic relations with the Chinese Empire, and we are in the midst of a war, even if we want to protest, there is no way!" Foreign Minister Duke Gorchakov said with a bitter face. The former commander-in-chief of the Russian army, after becoming foreign minister, quickly adapted to his current position. However, like Tsar Alexander II, he was also very troubled by the current situation.

The former foreign minister, the current adviser to the tsar on foreign affairs, Count Neschel Rodie, opened his mouth, but in the end he said nothing. He is now a guilty person, and Tsar Alexander II does not treat him as a confidant at all, which makes his position in the new government very awkward. Of course, the Eastern strategy he proposed before was a crushing failure, and even Tsar Nicholas I lost his life, and Tsar Alexander II, who succeeded him, did not hang him, which was already a spare.

"Your Majesty, we should inform the entire Western world about the shameless behavior of the Chinese, so that the entire civilized world can condemn them, so that Russia can also gain sympathy from the Western world, which will help us to get help." In addition, the military needs to send enough troops to block the attack of the Chinese* army. Otherwise, if this continues, the West Siberian Plain will be destroyed, if not fallen, but this is the result of our efforts to build for hundreds of years, and it cannot be destroyed just like that! Said Zhukovsky, political adviser to Tsar Alexander II.

Alexander II nodded, but there was some sadness in his heart. It is a shame that Russia, which once did not take the entire Western world into account, has been reduced to winning the sympathy of the Western world! In addition, although the Russian expeditionary force was completely annihilated, the Russian army was quite numerous, so why could the army not be able to withstand the attack of the Chinese?

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to expose the Chinese to the whole West." Actively contact Britain and other civilized countries to get as much help as possible for Russia. Alexander II said.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Foreign Minister Duke Gorchakov nodded.

"Your Excellency Duke Volkonsky, how is the movement of troops? We can no longer allow the Chinese to destroy the West Siberian Plain, we must stop their evil deeds. Alexander II said firmly. Most of his energy was spent on the reform of Russia that was about to begin, and this war was a wrong war, and he did not want to continue fighting. Of course, even if you ask for peace, you have to resist the attack of the Chinese * army first.

"Your Majesty, our army is still moving. Our elite troops, all deployed in the border areas, will take a lot of time to move to the West Siberian Plain. Although there are still millions of new troops, they have never been on the battlefield at all, and if they were to fight against the powerful Chinese* army, they would be sent to their death. Therefore, only after the elite troops are returned to the defense, with them as the main force and new recruits to cooperate, then go to the West Siberian Plain to block the Chinese* army! "The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army Trusts Duke Volkonsky said.

Tsar Alexander II nodded, in military affairs he did not know much at all. However, he trusted Duke Volkonsky.

"Your Majesty, according to the information we have received, the Chinese cavalry who invaded the West Siberian Plain stopped at the Ob River. I think that the Chinese are also constrained by logistical supplies, and it is unlikely that their main forces will continue to advance. We should seize this opportunity to make peace with the Chinese Empire as much as possible to end this war. Duke Volkonsky continued.

"Your Majesty, Your Excellency the Duke is very right, your Majesty's social reform will take time, and it will take time to rearm and restore the economy, and if this war continues, it will not do Russia any good. We need to find a way to end the war and buy Russia more time. Only after Russia recovers its strength will we have the opportunity to seek revenge on the Chinese! Zhukovsky also hurriedly said.

Tsar Alexander II nodded, and then looked at the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Duke Gorchakov.

"Your Majesty, there is no point in making peace with the Chinese. However, the Chinese now have an absolute advantage, and if they talk peace, the Chinese will definitely open their mouths. I'm afraid our losses will be very large. "Duke Gorchakov was a little worried. After all, the Chinese Empire's greedy appetite in foreign negotiations can be regarded as having been understood for a long time.

"Even if it's a loss, it's worth it. We need to gain time to recuperate. Your Excellency the Foreign Secretary, send people to contact the Chinese, as long as their conditions are not too excessive, we will end this damned war! Alexander II said hatefully. (To be continued......)