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Forty miles north of Runing City, there is a small river called the Ru River. The river is not wide, only a few tens of meters. Because the flood season has passed, the river is not deep. However, as the weather gets colder, the river also becomes icy cold. A stone bridge spans across the two ends of the River Joux, connecting the two banks. However, the stone bridge is now occupied by the 3rd Army of the Imperial Army. After a long march, the 3rd Army of the Imperial Army made a detour behind the Qing army, captured the stone bridge, and deployed heavy troops north of the Joux River. If the Qing army wanted to cross the Ru River, it was almost impossible.

The 4th Cavalry Corps of the Qing Army, which was ordered to go north, did not know it. The cavalry was very fast, and after an hour their vanguard reached the Joux. However, when they walked up to the stone bridge, they were hit by heavy fire from the other side of the river. At least more than ten heavy machine guns opened fire on them. The unsuspecting cavalry of the Qing army fell to the ground and suffered heavy losses. The rest of the cavalry were also frightened, and they hurriedly fled backwards. However, under the fierce blows of the Imperial Army, this thousand-man team that served as the vanguard lost more than half.

The heavy gunfire also attracted the attention of the commander of the 4th Cavalry Corps, Lieutenant General Zenroku. He knew exactly what the heavy gunfire was coming from the north. This means that the back road of the Qing army has been cut off! Thinking of this, Lieutenant General Shanroku's face had turned pale.

"General, it's not a good thing. The rebels occupied the north of the Joux River, and it is estimated that there are tens of thousands of them! We can't cross the river! A commander of the 4th Cavalry Corps of the Qing Army reported to Lieutenant General Shanlu in despair. It was his troops that served as the vanguard, originally a thousand people. Now only four or five hundred have returned.

"How so? Someone, hurry up and go to Runing and report to the prince! Shanlu hurriedly said. No doubt. For the Qing army, this was already in a desperate situation. The Ru River fell into the control of the Imperial Chinese Army, and the Qing army would face the encirclement and interception of the Imperial Chinese Army. If not, the Qing army is now surrounded by the Imperial Chinese Army.

Subsequently, Shanlu personally rushed to the Joux River to investigate the enemy's situation. Through the binoculars, he saw clearly. The Imperial Chinese Army was north of the Joux River. Fortifications have been erected. The River Joux is north of Runing and flows eastward. To the east of Runing is Suyahu Lake, and to the west is the mountainous area. Plus the Imperial Chinese Army from the west and south. Obviously, the Qing army, which is now besieging Runing, has fallen into encirclement.

After finding out the enemy's situation, Shanlu sent someone to report urgently to Seng Lingqin. On the other hand, they launched a tentative attack on the Joux. The current Ru River is not deep. Cavalry can slip through. However, the Imperial Chinese Army, which was stationed on the north bank of the Ru River, would not allow the Qing army to cross the river so lightly. As soon as the Qing army crossed the river, it was fiercely attacked by the imperial army, and many Qing soldiers were shot and killed, and fell into the river, blood flowing from their bodies, almost dyeing the river red.

Outside the city of Runing, the commander of the Qing army, Seng Lingqin, was ordering the whole army to prepare to retreat north. Obviously. The plan to attack Runing and defeat the Imperial Chinese Army had failed. The next step is to withdraw to Xuchang. Then, depending on the development of the battle situation, the next plan will be determined. However, because the attack was frustrated, the current battle situation was already very unfavorable for the Qing army. In this battle, Monk Lingqin concentrated 5 cavalry corps and 2 infantry corps, a total of 225,000 men. But in the end, more than 100,000 troops were killed or wounded. Among them, the casualties of infantry reached 50,000 or 60,000, and the casualties of cavalry also reached 40,000. Such a loss was already a scarlet for the Qing army. You must know that in order to counterattack the Chinese Empire, the total number of troops invested by the Qing army on the battlefield in Henan this time was only 400,000.

"Lord Wang, the 4th Cavalry Army is urgent!" At this time, a junior officer said to Monk Greenqin.

"What's wrong? Where has Shanlu gone? Monk Lingqin asked. He sent the remaining units of the 4th Cavalry Corps to withdraw first, in order to clear the way for the whole army. Why is it only a moment ago, and Shanlu has another emergency military intelligence report.

"Lord Wang, General Shanlu reported that a large number of rebel bandits have been found in the Ru River to the north. The rebels had already occupied the north of the Joux River and had built fortifications to the north. Now General Shanlu is leading his army to attack the defense line of the rebels, trying to break through the defense line of the rebels. "The junior officer reported for duty.

"What? How could it be like this? Monk Greenqin's face turned pale, his body shook, and he almost didn't fall to the ground. He never imagined that the Imperial Chinese Army would move so quickly, and now it had reached the north of the Joux River. In this case, doesn't it show that the Qing army's rear road has been cut off. The Ru River was the only way for the Qing army to go north. If the Imperial Chinese Army's defensive line to the north of the Joux River could not be broken, the Qing army would not be able to evacuate. The drastic change in the situation made it a little hard for Monk Grinqin to believe.

"Your Excellency, what's going on? Did something go wrong? Major General Jallison also sensed that something was wrong, and hurriedly asked.

However, when Major General Jerrison learned what had happened, he also screamed.

"Oh God! How could it be like this? How could the speed of the Chinese army be so fast? Major General Jeffrey Jackson came to the front of the map and began to chatter: "The Ru River in the north has fallen under the control of the Chinese army, and the east is Suyahu Lake, and we can't cross it without a large number of boats." To the west is the high mountains, and there are two armies of the Chinese army. To the south is Runing City, as well as the 3 armies of the Chinese army. God, we are already surrounded by Chinese troops! ”

Monk Lingqin's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and they were actually surrounded by the Imperial Chinese Army. This is something he has never thought about, originally he thought that even if the attack failed, it would not be a big deal, and he could return to Xuchang or even Kaifeng, and then slowly think of a way. But now it seems that the Imperial Chinese Army didn't give them this chance at all, and actually wanted to eat them in one bite!

"Those rebels have too much appetite, right? Anyway, we still have 100,000 troops in our hands. And most of them are cavalry, do they still want to use 200,000 infantry to encircle and annihilate 100,000 cavalry? Monk Lingqin said angrily.

"Your Excellency, it seems that this is indeed the case. The Chinese army is currently hoping to encircle and annihilate us with 200,000 infantry. Major General Jerrison said helplessly.

"Your Excellency, what should we do now?" Monk Lingqin asked.

"Your Excellency, there is only one way in front of us now, and that is to break through. Break out from the north! The Ru River is our only way to live, and in the other directions, we don't need to think about it in the east, we can't cross Suyahu Lake. The mountainous area to the west was not suitable for cavalry movements, and there were two armies of the Chinese army in that direction. As for the south, there was not only the fortified city of Runing, but also the three armies of the Chinese army. So, we can only break through to the north. Your Excellency, you need to give orders to the 3rd Infantry Corps and the 6th Infantry Corps to speed up and join us in flanking the Chinese army occupying the Joux. Otherwise, when the main forces of the Chinese army arrive, we will have no chance! Major General Jerrison said quickly.

Monk Grinqin nodded, he agreed with Major General Jeffreyson's analysis. Now for them, it has come to the moment of life and death. If it doesn't work out, maybe it will really be surrounded and annihilated by the Imperial Chinese Army.

"Pass my orders! The 3rd Cavalry Corps and the 5th Cavalry Corps immediately went north, and with the 4th Cavalry Corps, they must break through the defensive line of those rebels. Tell the brothers, now we have no other way, the way back has been cut off, if you don't work hard, we will die. As long as we break the blockade of the rebels, we will be able to retreat and return to the grassland! Monk Grinqin ordered.

"Yes, Lord Wang!" Monk Greenqin's order was quickly passed on to all troops. When it was learned that the back road had been cut off, the Qing army suddenly had turmoil. Those Mongolian cavalry and the Eight Banners Iron Cavalry were also worried. If they were surrounded by the Imperial Chinese Army, they would definitely not end well. As for those infantry, they have suffered heavy losses, and they no longer have any fighting spirit. After learning of the siege, some even thought it would be better to simply surrender to the Imperial Chinese Army. Although it would be enslaved by the Chinese Imperial Army, it was better than dead!

The remnants of the 3rd Cavalry Corps and the 5th Cavalry Corps of the Qing Army, which received the order, quickly moved north, preparing to break through the interception of the Imperial Army and open the passage for retreat to the north.

However, these two cavalry corps also suffered heavy losses when attacking Runing. The entire army lost almost 40 percent of its strength.

The Qing army concentrated three corps, and nearly 40,000 cavalry stormed the 3rd Army of the Imperial Army. However, because of the interception of the Ru River, the cavalry of the Qing army was very slow when crossing the river. At this time, they were hit by heavy fire from the Imperial Army. Many Qing cavalry companies were killed with men and horses. The corpses of war horses and men fell into the river, almost blocking the river.

The Qing army also realized that if they wanted to flee for their lives, they had to break through the blockade of the 3rd Army of the Imperial Army. For this reason, these Qing cavalry are desperate. However, although the 3rd Army of the Imperial Army marched all the way, their morale was at a high time. Although the Qing cavalry was strong, under the dense firepower, they were firmly suppressed on the south bank of the Ru River.

At this time, the 1st and 19th armies of the Imperial Army had already launched an attack on the Qing army from the west. The 5th, 2nd, and 20th armies of the Imperial Army were also pressing on from the south. The Qing army began to come under tremendous pressure, and the situation became more and more difficult. (To be continued......)