Beihai, Silver Beach, a small Western-style building near the sea, a frail, fifty-year-old man stood quietly on the balcony, in front of a sea lit by the sunset of the early winter in the south.

The red light on the surface of the sea quietly disappeared with the swaying of the waves, and the sky gradually dimmed, and a crescent moon faintly jumped on the sea horizon in the distance.

The door behind the balcony opened, and in the yellowish glow of a kerosene lamp, a beautiful young woman came up behind the man.

"Sir, dinner is set up, and the guests have arrived."

"I'll go."

The young woman was about to leave, but was stopped by the man.

"Xiao Ye, look at the crescent moon on the sea, isn't it beautiful?"

Nineteen-year-old maid Xiao Ye nodded happily: "It's very beautiful, just like the silver earrings that the master bought for me." ”

Wen Yi, the fifty-one-year-old former prime minister of the empire, gave her a dark smile: "No, it's like you." ”

Xiao Ye reached out and touched the crescent-shaped silver earrings in his ear, pursed his lips and lowered his head, and turned around and walked away with a happy expression that could not be hidden.

A few minutes later, Wen Yi came to the restaurant, where a young man of twenty-six or seventeen years old was waiting, his name was Huang Hao, a graduate of the history department of the Imperial University, the second son of Huang Linhong, a member of the Standing Committee of the Central Executive Committee of the Chinese People's Party and the current speaker of the House of Representatives, and now a lecturer in the history department of Beijing Normal University.

Huang Hao spoke first: "Mr. Wen, I haven't seen you for seven years, do you remember me?" ”

Wen Yi smiled: "Of course I remember, at that time, you were wearing a ponytail, turning the pen in your hand while talking, and you didn't take the professor on the side seriously at all, it's hard to imagine what you look like as a teacher now." ”

Seven years ago, Wen Yi had visited the Imperial University as the Prime Minister of the Empire, and had a brief exchange with Huang Hao, then a sophomore, and it was clear that both sides were deeply impressed by this.

The two sat down opposite each other, and the servant began to serve the main course, which was roasted loin with mushrooms and creamy lobster, accompanied by a few side dishes, and a bottle of French Bordeaux red wine from 1888 in a flower basket.

Huang Hao took a sip of red wine and said straight to the point: "My father sent me this time to find out your views on certain issues?" ”

"Oh? Some questions? I have decided to retire, and there is no need to ask me about major party and government matters. ”

Wen Yi said briskly, and carefully dissected a lobster.

"After all, Sir is a veteran of the empire and the founder of the Chinese People's Party, and now the war against Russia is still ongoing, the situation at home and abroad is chaotic and unpredictable, and the empire and the party need your wisdom and experience very much."

Wen Yi smiled slightly: "It's not that I don't want to contribute, it's just that I'm physically and mentally exhausted, but I'm afraid I can't do it." ”

"Just say a few words, it doesn't take too much effort, right?"

"You're so stubborn...... Let's eat something first, try this lobster? ”

Huang Hao had no choice but to clip a lobster first, and said while decomposing it: "Sir, why don't you listen to the question first, and then decide whether to answer it or not." ”

"Don't worry, it's not good to use your brain when you're hungry, eat first and talk about something else. I just want to recuperate now, national affairs or something, for the time being, it is not within my consideration, besides, there are many talents in the Chinese People's Party, various systems have been implemented for many years, and they are operating normally, so it doesn't matter if I have one less. ”

"But after all, these systems were created by your organization, and if you encounter any hesitant problems in the process of operating the system, you should naturally ask the founder."

"You're really good at talking—if it's a question about the system, of course I'll answer it, but if it's something else, I'm sorry for not thinking about it."

When Huang Hao heard this, he immediately put down the lobster, took a sip of wine, wiped his hands with a napkin, and began to ask questions.

Some people believe that Mr. Zhang's election was the result of Mr. Wen's deliberate arrangement, and my father does not believe in this nonsense, but he is very interested in knowing what Mr. Zhang thinks of Zhang Zhigao. Do you support him as the next prime minister? ”

Wen Yi shrugged his shoulders: "What does this question have to do with the system?" ”

Huang Hao thickened his face: "No matter what, please be sure to answer this question." ”

Wen Yi also put down his chopsticks, took the napkins and wiped his hands, picked up the wine glass and said: "I think, what Ling Zun really wants to ask is, do I support Liu Yunlai to lead the People's Party and become the next prime minister, right?" ”

"Since my husband understands in my heart, I dare not hide it, my father believes that at present, this war will be won, and since my husband has decisively decided to retire, then the current acting prime minister Liu Yun will win a huge reputation as the leader of the war in the near future, and if the party absorbs him and respects him as president, it will certainly increase the appeal of our party in the general election next year and create opportunities for the party to govern alone."

"Since Ling Zun thinks so, let's implement it."

"But Sir should also understand that most of the Standing Committee members of the Central Executive Committee have a close relationship with you, and without your promotion, this kind of plan cannot really be implemented."

Wen Yi put down the wine glass, and the candlelight was refracted in the red wine.

"Ling Zun must have made a mistake, although the Chinese People's Party was founded by me, it is not my personal party, among which all the elders have their own opinions, not all by me, when it comes to close relations, it is only limited to personal relationships, once it involves national politics, it will be considered from the overall situation of the national economy and people's livelihood, not my personal strength can promote."

Huang Hao hurriedly explained: "Mr. is too worried, my father doesn't mean this, to be honest, I just want to ask you about your views on Liu Yun's government, everyone knows that your relationship with Liu Yun is extraordinary, and when it comes to his problems, I can't help but ask for your opinion." ”

"My personal relationship with Wu Weigong is indeed deep, but it does not mean that I know everything about him. He was known for his long history of leading the military and was well known for leading wars, but I had no idea of his ability to lead a party for votes and build an empire in peace. ”

"So is the gentleman against my father's idea?"

"If you want to know what I think about Liu Yun's government, I have already told you, as for your father's thoughts, I, a retired person, can't comment on it, and ask him to make his own decisions."

Wen Yi said, picked up his chopsticks, and began to concentrate on the mushroom-roasted tenderloin served in the shiny tableware.

Huang Hao was speechless for a while, so he had to lower his head and continue to play with the lobster in the bowl.

After a while, Wen Yi opened his mouth first: "By the way, what are you mainly teaching now?" ”

"The modern history of the world, spanning from 1773 to 1898."

"Oh, what do you think of the Sino-Japanese War in the current university textbooks?"

"Destroyed the ambitious Japanese warlords, saved the Korean and Japanese people, upheld the orthodox monarchy of Asahi and promoted the development of the constitutional system of the two countries, and began the process of political and economic integration in East Asia......"

Wen Yi muttered to himself in a voice weaker than an ant: "The so-called history is just a tool for the current victors......

"What?"

Wen Yi shook his head slightly: "It's nothing, what other problems does Ling Zun bring to you?" ”

Huang Hao sighed lightly: "I think the answers to other questions can already be answered from your conversation just now, so there is no need to ask again." ”

"So let's talk about something else, if you are a lecturer now, then you must have completed your master's studies, let's talk about it, what is the topic of your dissertation?"

"On the Factors Influencing the Development of Militarism in the French Revolution" was rejected three times by the tutor, asking for the deletion and correction of the content involving allusions to reality, and it was only reluctantly passed for the fourth time."

Wen Yi stroked his chin and nodded: "Judging from the title, it's very interesting, what did you write that alludes to reality, and it was actually rejected three times?" ”

"I don't understand either, but in short, it is about Napoleon's coup d'état, the creation of the Guard, and some of my personal negative statements about militarism...... I can't figure it out, I'm just alluding to reality, so what? Is it better to defend the mouth of the people than to prevent Sichuan? I don't know what the professors of the history department of Emperor Lu Dao are thinking......"

"They, I'm afraid they're disturbed by something other than academics, I remember that there should be no such restrictions in the policy of the Ministry of Culture and Education......

Huang Hao asked a little strangely, "Sir seems to be very interested in history?" ”

"Yes, I'm interested."

Wen Yi nodded, and almost told him that he was a doctor of Chinese and modern history from Nanjing University, a degree obtained in the 10s of the 21st century in another time and space.

"Then again, what exactly do you have to say about militarism?"

"To put it simply, militarism has turned the state into a military machine, which is led by leaders to expand outward inexorably, and the military machine can only habitually wage war, and it is difficult to serve domestic construction in a timely manner...... Militarism naturally requires the expansion of the periphery by force, because at this time the state is functioning for war, and all aspects of politics, economy, and culture are in the service of war readiness under a high degree of domination...... Military personnel have a strong influence on the government, and even directly constitute the government, and the main purpose of the government is to prepare for or conduct war, rather than the prosperity of the country's economy and the actual welfare of the people...... Such a system may be able to achieve temporary success, but in the face of more than one fairly strong enemy, the empire will inevitably one day go to self-destruction, because the military power of the country cannot be indefinitely expanded, and the wider the territory conquered, the more difficult it is to rule, and in order to maintain a large army, it has to carry out a high degree of plundering of the occupied territories, causing a nationalist backlash. As a result, under internal and external pressure, the country's various resources will be consumed at a terrible rate in the occupied areas and new war zones, and the internal hollowing out of the empire will inevitably lead to internal and external difficulties and collapse. A country capable of annexing the entire world by force has never existed in the history of mankind, and I am afraid that it will not exist in the next few hundred years......"

Huang Hao spoke for about a quarter of an hour in one breath, and when he finished speaking, the dishes were cold.

Wen Yi listened carefully and asked coldly: "Do you think that there is no need to fight this battle now?" ”

Huang Hao looked at him in surprise, nodded, and shook his head: "This...... I can't say, but I have thought that this war is actually too risky, and there is no absolute certainty, especially the absolute neutrality of Britain and France, if Britain and France intervene, we will have to withdraw from the war, then the cabinet will inevitably fall, the main ruling party will be besieged by all sides, and great political turmoil will be inevitable. ”

"The crux of the matter is that we have not been able to draw Britain as an ally, Britain has been too protective of us, and they cannot accept the fact that China has become a world power, but as long as the contradictions and suspicions between the great powers are properly exploited, it is not impossible to win over Britain. In fact, the political significance of this war greatly exceeds the economic significance, and only by defeating Russia can China get rid of its status as a third-rate country and become a first-class power on an equal footing with the European and American powers. For the sake of the country's political status, it was calculated before the war to challenge Russia under the pretext of territorial issues, to try to attract the attention of the world's circles, to gain the recognition of the great powers with results that would be beneficial to the country, and to enter the circle of first-class powers. This war was inevitable, but it was just at the wrong time, and hastening into battle under a pretext disrupted the plan that had been made, according to which we should endeavour to conclude a treaty of neutrality or alliance with Great Britain by next spring, and then attack without fear. But the matter has come to this point, I have to try to make amends, everything will be hard for Ling Zun and others, please convey my concern for Ling Zun. ”

Huang Hao knew that this dinner was over.

"Thank you sir for your concern, I will definitely convey it to my father, and besides, can I ask a personal question?"

"Please."

"According to the official statement, Mr. is from Guilin, Guangxi, and this time Mr. is retiring, do you want to go back to his hometown to settle down?"

"That's what it means."

"My family has a Western-style garden house on the shore of Ronghu Lake in Guilin, which is quite suitable for Mr.

Wen Yi smiled: "It turns out that talking about business is also one of your tasks, no problem, I'll go and see it when I have time."

Dinner is over.

After sending Huang Hao away, Wen Yi was about to go back to the room to change clothes, and was about to go for a walk on the beach with Xiaoye, when he saw half a roll of newspaper exposed in the mailbox under the eaves, he took it out and took a look, and the bold black headline on the front page accounted for almost one-third of the page: "The Western Front Army counterattacked yesterday, and the Russian army of 600,000 collapsed on all fronts!" ”

Wen Yi rolled up the newspaper and held it in his hand, and walked straight to the bedroom.

The oak Western-trimmed door closed the faint moonlight behind him.

On November 22, Sherlovayagora, the town where the headquarters of the Chinese Army's Western Front was located, was shrouded in a heavy snowstorm that saw no day.

In the small church at the entrance of the village, Zhong Xiahuo, the commander of the front army, stared blankly at the infinite white outside the window, waiting for his hot coffee and telegram.

"Encirclement, annihilation, it seems that it is going to be in vain, in this kind of weather, it is difficult to find the enemy, the large army cannot run fast, and the supply is even more problematic......"

Deng Jian, chief of staff of the front army, appeared beside him with gold-rimmed glasses, and his expression was extremely serious: "Old Zhong, you also realized it last night, just the leakage of the toilet almost froze your baby, not to mention the front-line officers and soldiers who are completely in the field......"

Zhong Xiahuo coughed dryly twice: "This, about the fact that the baby almost froze, don't mention it in the future, remember, you can't mention it anywhere, otherwise it will ......"

Speaking of this, Zhong Xiahuo superimposed a hideous expression on his hideous facial muscles: "I will definitely turn my face with you!" ”

Deng Jian said with a smile: "How come, what kind of friendship do we have, how could I do such a cruel thing, in fact, I am not very familiar with tabloid reporters, and I will never be despicable enough to use this kind of thing to blackmail you, don't worry, no matter how we are old comrades-in-arms, I will never let you invite me to the Imperial Hotel to eat ten gold-medal Western meals after the war......"

"I know you're not that kind of person, hahaha...... Haha......"

Zhong Xia laughed loudly, and at the same time clenched his fists, Deng Jian saw that the situation was not good, and under the pretext of going to the toilet, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"This kid, I'm bored, use me for fun......"

Zhong Xiahuo muttered, and when he saw the orderly bringing coffee, he sat on the sofa, trying to drink coffee quietly and close his eyes to recuperate, but before he could put his ass on the leather of the sofa, the adjutant, Lieutenant Colonel Jiang Zichang, rushed out of the telegraph room next door and presented a telegram to Zhong Xiahuo: "Report to the commander, Commander Zhao of the 5th Army is calling." ”

"That kid Zhao Minhe, he must have said that the troops can't move forward or something."

Zhong Xiahuo muttered and waved his hand to Jiang Zichang: "Read." ”

The operational staff officers on the side also set up a posture around the map table, preparing to record and calibrate.

"Yes. Our headquarters is now located 20 kilometers southeast of Oloviana, the 22nd Division under my command is deployed north of the army headquarters, the 24th Division is deployed south of the army headquarters, and the 6th Cavalry Brigade is in the northwest of the army headquarters as the vanguard, less than 10 kilometers away from Oloviana, according to the cavalry report, Oloviana is still in the hands of the enemy's 2nd Army, and the pontoon bridge connecting it with the north bank still exists. Due to the violent wind and snow, it was difficult to transport artillery and baggage, and a lot of tents were swept away during the camp last night, so the troops had to dig pits and cut down trees to construct windproof barracks for the time being. 5th Army, Zhao, November 22 at 16 o'clock. ”

Zhong Xiahuo frowned: "It's less than 20 kilometers away from Oloviana, just work harder...... Forget it, since I can't stand the weather even in a big house with a fireplace, let alone those creeps nesting in the field, let's stop here......"

"So how do you call back?"

"Tell Commander Zhao to build fortifications and windproof barracks on the spot, organize logging and build sleds, ensure the smooth flow of supplies, and pay attention to the cold and warmth of the troops. Closely monitor the enemy of Oloviana and at the same time stretch out the battle line and cover each other with friendly forces on both flanks. ”

"Understood!"

Jiang Zichang turned around and was about to enter the telegraph room next door, but collided with a telegraph operator.

"Is there a new telegram again?"

"Yes, here."

The telegraph operator handed the telegram to Jiang Zichang, who turned around and reported to the four-star general on the sofa whose face was covered by a printed coffee cup: "Commander, Commander Liang of the Praetorian Guard is calling. ”

"Liang Tianhe, that kid, it seems that the situation is similar, read."

“…… Our army has stopped advancing today, our army headquarters is in Sredensk on the Shilka River, 80 km southwest from Nebuchu (Nerchensk), and the 1st Division is around the army headquarters; The forbidden 2nd Division was north of the army headquarters; The 3rd Forbidden Division was on the south bank of the Shilka River south of the army headquarters, and a detachment on its left flank had made contact with the right flank of the Fourth Army; The 4th Forbidden Division and its subordinate border and civil defense units were responsible for protecting the supply lines. Cavalry units had advanced to the vicinity of Nebuchu and engaged in skirmishes with enemy patrols. I intend to keep my troops camped in place, sheltered from the wind, snow and cold, and at the same time ensure the smooth flow of supply lines, reserve as many supplies as possible in Sredensk, and when the weather improves, use Sledensk as a base to roll along the Shilka River towards Chita, and at the same time strike at the left flank of the enemy's 5th Army......"

"That's thoughtful...... Call back, agree, but report back to me daily. ”

"Understood!"

Jiang Zichang retreated, but before the coffee in Zhong Xia's cup was annihilated by two-thirds, he jumped out again.

"Who is it this time?"

"Commander Zhao of the 1st Army."

"Zhao Feixue, you can't move forward or anything...... Nian nian looks at ......"

“…… As of yesterday, our army, in coordination with the First Korean Army, had driven the Russian 4th and 3rd armies along the line from Aksha to Oloviana across the Onen River, capturing more than 4,000 enemies in three days. Due to the sudden drop in temperature, severe wind and snow, the movement of the troops was restricted, and the supplies were affected, so they could not cross the river in time to launch the pursuit, and the troops were building fortifications and barracks on the spot, building sleighs, and stockpiling grain, grass and ammunition in anticipation of the freezing ...... of the Onen River."

"Call back, pay attention to sending a reconnaissance team to monitor the enemy on the other side of the river, keep in touch, it's over."

"There's also a call from Commander Li of the 4th Army."

Zhong Xiahuo swallowed the rest of the coffee in one gulp, smacked his lips and said, "It's all together, it's really punctual enough, Li Xuedong, I haven't met...... It seems that the theme is the same, read it. ”

“…… Our army, in cooperation with the 5th Army and the 2nd Korean Army, has driven the Russian 5th and 2nd armies on the line from Nebuchu to Oloviana across the Onen River, captured more than 7,000 enemies in three days, and the left flank of our army has made contact with the Praetorian Guard in Sredensk. However, due to the impact of the blizzard, it is difficult for the troops to move and their supplies are limited, so today I have ordered the troops to stop advancing and camp on the spot......"

"Sure enough, all fronts can't move...... Call back, pay attention to the enemy on the other side, keep in touch, it's over. ”

"Understood."

As soon as Jiang Zichang turned around, Deng Jian, who had finished going to the "toilet", took Major General Guo Zhifei, the commander of the front army's aviation floating cluster, and Colonel You Zhuan, the chief of staff, to push open the door and walk in.

"Close the door!"

", it's cold."

"What the hell is the weather ......"

The three of them took off their coats and slapped them with scarves and fur hats, and the snow piled up on the porch to ankle height.

Zhong Xiahuo asked the orderlies to prepare refreshments, and raised his chin to the three of them: "How is it?" It's cosy outside, right? ”

"Comfortable, the Elysian realm is nothing more than that."

Deng Jian responded, sinking into the sofa beside Zhong Xiahuo, while Guo Zhifei and You Zhan sat down on the square stool next to the map table.

Guo Zhifei said straight to the point: "Commander, in order to avoid the cold and wind, our troops have withdrawn to the warehouses of Manchuria and Qiqihar bases, since the troops are no longer here, there is no need for us to stay here anymore, we came today to resign from the commander, we are ready to leave early tomorrow morning to meet the troops in Manzhouli." ”

"Leaving tomorrow? Fortunately, you can eat a meal, dry a few bottles of Erguotou, warm up and sleep-you have worked hard these days, and I don't know when the weather will improve, I hope you can come back soon. ”

"We also hope to come back soon, but according to the analysis of our meteorological unit, the temperature will continue to drop in the next few days and remain below the freezing point of gasoline for a considerable period of time, if the oil solidifies, the engines of the engine will be completely inoperable - rest assured, we will be back as soon as the weather warms up."

Zhong Xiahuo nodded: "Air support is unique to our army, and it is very important for our army's operations, and without air support, our army's combat effectiveness will be greatly affected." ”

Deng Jian interjected: "Actually, it doesn't matter, it's so cold during this time, we can't move, can the enemy move?" Everyone is busy trying not to freeze to death, and they can't fight for a while, so they have to wait for the weather to get warmer, and as soon as the weather warms up, the air support will also come back, and basically it will have no effect. ”

"Makes sense......"

Zhong Xiahuo stood up and walked to the map table, and the operational staff officer had already remarked the locations of each unit on the map according to the content of the telegram reported by Jiang Zichang just now.

"Everyone, the current front has returned to the situation before the enemy launched a general offensive, because of the influence of the weather, our army's counteroffensive can probably only end here, although it failed to achieve the predetermined goal of dividing and encircling the enemy's wing or center, but in the past ten days, first the enemy advanced and I retreated, and then I advanced and retreated, the enemy's losses were not small, but nothing was done, our army's losses were slight, and the original position was regained, which can be regarded as a small victory - Staff Officer Wang, from the 12th to today, has the statistics of the enemy's losses come out?"

"It's out."

Major Wang Mang, the combat staff officer on the side, raised his head and reported.

"According to the reports of various armies since the 12th, as of yesterday, a total of 13,526 people have been killed and missing, and 31,744 wounded, including the North Korean army. So far, more than 19,000 enemy troops have been captured and about 80,000 have been killed or wounded. ”

Zhong Xiahuo raised his hand: "Zhilu said, in this way, we have lost almost 45,000, the enemy has lost 100,000, it is estimated that the enemy's combat strength is still 500,000, and the available strength of our army is about 600,000, and the most powerful Praetorian Guard is also in place, if the weather is good, they must not be able to eat and walk!" ”

At this time, the orderly brought refreshments, Deng Jian held a cup of hot tea in both hands, walked around the map table, sipped tea and said: "No way, the period of confrontation between the million armies on the Western Front has begun, in this way, the Russian army hiding in the fortress of the Eastern Front may be even more painful - hope is not completely extinguished, but it is so far away and slim, enduring the torture of the siege, struggling one step away from despair, like a mouse being played with by a cat......"

Zhong Xiahuo tilted his head: "My great poet, now is not the time to sigh for this kind of question, right?" ”

"So what should I sigh about?"

"Now is not the time to sigh at all, how to fight next is the key."

"The next key is not to fight, but to survive, and we must consider how to ensure the health of hundreds of thousands of people in extremely low temperatures of tens of degrees below zero, and as for operations, for the time being, let everyone concentrate on digging trenches and building barracks, as long as we do not relax our reconnaissance of the enemy in front of us."

Zhong Xiahuo knocked his head: "Let's keep confronting until the weather gets warmer." ”

Deng Jian nodded, and turned his eyes to the wind and snow that swept the world outside the window: "That's right, on such a cold day, even the battle line is solidified, and it takes warm sunlight to melt it, and it needs the strong morale of the soldiers......"

Zhong Xiahuo tilted his head again, and whispered to himself: "It's time to change careers to write poetry, the great writer Deng Jian ......"

Two hundred and fifty kilometers away in Chita, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Russian Empire in the Far East, Kuropatkin, did not have the leisure and elegance of Deng Jian.

Kuropatkin sat at the end of the long table in the conference room of the headquarters, in front of a group of dejected defeated generals.

The commander of the Second Army, Lieutenant General Billy Gellinger, stroked the wrinkles on his forehead and complained: "I said a long time ago that this attack could not be successful, my army group was unable to move five days ago, the shells ran out, the supplies could not keep up, as soon as the enemy counterattacked, our army collapsed, and if it were not for this blizzard, the 3rd Army would definitely have been eaten by the enemy......"

The commander of the Third Army, Lieutenant General Gripinberge, continued: "The enemy's counterattack is very powerful, our army is simply powerless to resist, many troops are in danger of being surrounded, fortunately there is this blizzard...... But the bad luck did not end there, because the warm boots were not distributed in time, and many soldiers in my army group were already frostbitten, which was a shame, just a few wagons of boots, and we lost a few regiments! ”

The commanders of the other two armies also took the opportunity to complain loudly, causing Kuropatkin's brain cells to burn.

"We didn't fail! We are only temporarily retreating, preparing for the next attack, what's wrong with you, are you cowardly? Let me tell you, the 19th Army of Moscow has arrived in Ulan-Ude, and the reinforcements of 6 regiments have also arrived in Irkutsk, and soon we will be able to start a larger offensive! ”

Billy Gerlinger shrugged: "Your Excellency, Commander, with the current weather conditions, reinforcements will not reach the front line at all, even if the troops you said can go to the front line after the weather improves, it will not be able to make up for all our losses in the previous ten days, I want to say, my group army alone has lost one-fifth of its soldiers, and now I want to ask the chief of staff, what is the total loss of our army in the past ten days?" ”

The chief of staff, Major General Sobolev, pushed the small glasses on his nose, glanced at Kuropatkin, bowed his head and said: "Regarding the total losses of our army, according to the reports of the armies, from the 12th to the 21st of this month, a total of 21,789 people were killed, 19,313 were missing, and 58,706 were wounded, totaling 99,808 people. ”

Billy Gerlinger nodded to Sobolev: "Thank you, Chief of Staff, well, Your Excellency Commander, please recognize the reality, we paid the price of 100,000 people, but gained nothing, failed to annihilate even a whole battalion of the enemy, but were driven to the left bank of the Onen River, let me ask Your Excellency the Chief of Staff again, how many people are left of our four group armies plus the reserve 18th Army?" ”

"As of yesterday, with the number of troops that have been replenished since 12 November, the total strength of the field troops under the command of this theater is 427,600."

"So have you made a new estimate of the enemy in front of our army?"

"Yes, according to the information summarized up to yesterday, 3 divisions of the enemy Janissaries have reached the Sledensk area, 80 km northeast of Nerchensk (Nebuchu), and have made contact with the enemy's 4th Army in the Balley area, which directly threatens the front of our 5th Army and the left flank of the 2nd Army; To the south of the 4th Army, a Korean Army was deployed in the Karangwe area, facing the 2nd Army; Further south was the enemy 5th Army, with two divisions, deployed 20 km southeast of Oloviana and threatening the right flank of the 2nd Army and the left flank of the 3rd Army; Then in the area of Lower Chasuchei, there was another Korean army, facing our 3rd Army; At the southernmost end of the front, the powerful enemy 1st Army faced our 4th Army and also threatened the right flank of the 3rd Army. The total strength of the enemy's forces is estimated at 600,000 according to their establishment, with a total strength estimated at 600,000, and after these 10 days of fighting, it is estimated that the actual strength is still between 54 and 560,000. ”

Billy Gerlinger turned to Kuropatkin: "So you should understand, right?" We are now in a very dangerous situation, the enemy not only has an advantage in firepower, but also has a considerable advantage in troops, and our army is undersupplied, and the divisions and regiments are seriously reduced, and it is not easy to maintain the current front, and the current task should be to take advantage of the blizzard's obstruction effect on the enemy's offensive, strengthen the defense of the line of the Onon River, and prevent the enemy from advancing to Chita. ”

Kuropatkin spat contemptuously: "General, my general, have you forgotten our mission?" Our task was to march through Manchuria to Khabarovsk (Boli) and Vladivostok (Vladivostok), to relieve friendly forces there, and at the same time to annihilate the enemy's main forces and force the enemy out of the war. Defending Chita? Why defend Chita? Chita has reached such a dangerous point? Do you have to have four armies to defend it? We have to prepare for the offensive, and the offensive is the tradition of our army, and our situation is not so bad, as soon as reinforcements arrive, we can resume the offensive immediately...... But after losing 100,000 men, soon we will be replenished with 200,000 or 300,000 men, and in a little while, maybe by the end of the year, we will have a strength of 1 million ......"

Gribin Berg elbowed Billy Gellinger beside him and whispered with a bitter face, "I'm afraid his brain is frozen." ”

"No, it should have been burned by vodka, and I don't believe it if I was killed, Your Majesty will throw half of the country's troops to the Far East, that is simply shouting to Germany and Austria and Turkey, come on, I don't have defense here, come and fight me."

"So what do we do?"

"He shouted to him, we want to spend the winter, everyone wants to spend the winter, I hope the Chinese think the same."

"God forbid, beautiful Siberia, what a blizzard!"