After the Battle of Shahe, the Japanese army and the Russian army formed a continuous front south of Mukden. By January 1905, the three armies of the Russian Far Eastern Army and the three armies of the Japanese Manchurian Army were deployed on both sides of the front. From the direction of the Russian army, from east to west, the east is the First Army under the command of General Linevich: the 1st Army, the 2nd Siberian Army, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Armies, the 71st Infantry Division, and two cavalry divisions. Facing the First Army (under the command of the 2nd and 12th Divisions and the Guards Reserve Brigade) and the newly formed Fifth Army (Yalu River Army) under the command of General Kuroki Zhen, the Central Front was the Third Army under the command of General Kaulibars: the 16th and 17th Armies, the 5th and 6th Siberian Armies, two independent brigades, and one cavalry division. Against the Fourth Army under the command of General Nozu Michikani (under the jurisdiction of the 10th Division, the 3rd, 10th, and 11th Reserve Brigades, the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, and the 1st Division of the 5th Division). To the west (right flank) was the 2nd Army of General Grypinberg: the 8th and 10th armies, the 1st Siberian army, the newly formed mixed army (3 brigades) and the Mishuchenko Cavalry Corps (2 cavalry divisions). Against the Second Army under the command of General Okugunho (under the jurisdiction of the 3rd, 4th, and 6th Divisions, the Akiyama Brigade, and the garrison of the military station). In the Liaoyang area of the rear of the Japanese army, there were also the 5th and 8th divisions that served as general reserves. Farther south, the Third Army under the command of General Nogi Noshinori after the Battle of Arthur was approaching the Mukden front.

The Russian Governor-General of the Far East, Alekseev, was removed by the Tsar last October after successive defeats, and the new Supreme Commander of the Far Eastern Army was General Parokutkin. He estimated that his forces in the southern part of Mukden had gained the upper hand, and he feared that the Japanese Third Army in Lushun would move south to join the battle. Determined to seize the opportunity to launch an offensive and break the Japanese army. According to reconnaissance, Commander Kuropatkin chose Shendan Fort as a breakthrough. He believes that this village, which is 40 kilometers away from Mukden, is the pivot of the entire front and is extremely crucial. General Kuropatkin planned to use the 2nd Army (126 infantry battalions in 5 armies, 162 cavalry companies and 439 artillery pieces) to launch an offensive, with the task of capturing Shendan Fort first. The commander-in-chief of the Russian army believes that Shendanbao is the hub of the Japanese position, and the Japanese army in this direction only has 8,000 people from the 1st Cavalry Brigade (Akiyama Yoshiko) to guard the wide front, and the strength is obviously seriously insufficient.

When the South Manchurian Independent Regiment set out from its station, it was already the 22nd of January. The main reason is that the materials that Lu Shan asked for from the Russian General Headquarters arrived late. Although the Russian army withdrew to Mukden. However, logistical replenishment remains extremely chaotic and inefficient. Despite the constant threats and urging of the newly arrived Russian liaison officer, Major Marinin, Lu Shan still insisted that he could only act after the supplies arrived, and Marinin had no choice but to constantly send people to urge logistics. Until the machine guns, artillery, ammunition, and doctors demanded by Lushan arrived. Only then did he command the departure of the independent regiment. According to the route designated by the Russian army, they arrived at a village north of Heigou on the morning of January 24.

The separate regiment was tasked with serving as a reserve for the Russian army in the Heigoutai direction.

All kinds of news came in one after another, and the reconnaissance units of the independent regiment also kept sending back the detected enemy situation. Lu Shan analyzed the situation with several key assistants. Without waiting for them to draw their own conclusions, the Russian army notified Lushan to participate in the military meeting.

Before the independent regiment entered the battle line, Kuropatkin's offensive had already been launched on the right flank (west flank), and the Russian army first crushed the Japanese 2nd Cavalry Brigade stationed in Heigoutai, and the banner was victorious, wedged a nail in the Japanese battle line, forming a three-sided encirclement of Shendan Fort. The 1st Cavalry Brigade of the Japanese Army commanded by Yoshiko Akiyama had already shrunk the battle line and shrunk its forces back to Shendan Fort. This point cannot be given up by the Japanese army, if Shendan Fort is lost, the Russian Second Army will pass through the western flank of the battle line, and the superior forces of the honor guard will roll up the middle road and break the Japanese army in one fell swoop. This is exactly Kuropatkin's plan.

The occupation of Heigoutai can be regarded as a good start.

The military meeting on the 24th was presided over by General Grypinberg. Against the large military map, the staff officer of the Second Army described the operation that was about to begin tomorrow. According to the plan of Commander-in-Chief Kuropatkin, the Russian army will be led by the Mishuchenko cavalry corps as the main force to launch a surprise attack on Shendanbao, and the task of the South Manchurian Independent Regiment is to launch a surprise attack on the right flank of the Mishuchenko cavalry corps, enter Zhuangzi, and wipe out the remnants of the Japanese army.

The attacking forces were not only Cossack cavalry corps and Chinese, according to the Russian army's plan, the Russian army that launched a general attack on Shendanbao on the 25th included 2 divisions (32 infantry battalions) in the direction of Heigoutai and one division (16 infantry battalions) in front of Shendanbao, and the Mishuchenko cavalry corps (72 cavalry companies) inserted from the left flank of the Japanese army. Together with the South Manchurian Independent Regiment, the total strength exceeded 55,000 people, occupying an absolute advantage.

It was the first time for Lu Shan to participate in such a high-level military conference. An independent regiment that temporarily recruited and reorganized Chinese was allowed to participate in the military conference, which shows that the Russian army attaches great importance to the independent regiment. This is the treatment in exchange for the annihilation of the Naganuma detachment. The Japanese death squad, which caused great trouble to the Russians, was completely annihilated by the Chinese, proving the strong combat power of the independent regiment. Therefore, Major General Artemiev, who supplemented the speech, specially introduced Colonel Lushan to the commander of the Second Army, Colonel-General Gripinberg, and the Russian generals attending the meeting, and specially explained that the independent regiment was required to carry forward the brave spirit of annihilating the Naganuma detachment and take the lead in breaking through the Japanese defenses in the offensive launched tomorrow.

Lushan noticed the contemptuous look of the commander of the Cossack cavalry corps, General Mishuchenko, and made a request that he must be given time to conduct reconnaissance on the battlefield. This was a reasonable request, and Major General Artemiev immediately agreed, but demanded that the Separate Regiment be sure to reach the offensive line at 11 o'clock tonight.

The meeting ended without delay, about an hour. In the midst of the spurs, the Russian generals, dressed in gorgeous military uniforms and various medals, walked out of the headquarters conference room and rushed back to their respective units. Lu Shan declined Major General Artemyev's request to stay for lunch, and went directly to the front line of Shendanbao with a platoon of guards (all cavalry) and Major Mariinin, who was with him.

Leaving the soldiers, Lu Shan changed into white camouflage clothes, and Xu Gongzhi and a few others crossed the Russian battle line, crawled forward, and reached a bush about 400 meters away from the Japanese army. Can't go any further. ”

In the Chen family's shack, Lu Shan suffered a big loss from the mines laid by the Yongnuma detachment. He nodded to Xu Gongzhi, raised his body, took the binoculars handed by the guards and carefully observed the Japanese defense line.

It was the coldest season of the year, the last heavy snow could not melt, and in the white expanse, the machine gun positions built by the Japanese army were clearly seen in the Lushan telescope.

"Fuck, at least seven machine guns!" He muttered.

"More than that, look over there," Xu Gong pointed to his left. "It seems to be more dense over there."

Major Marinin was also observing.

"Dog-day little devils. Cavalry with so many heavy machine guns? Is this still cavalry? Lu Shan noticed the movement on the opponent's position, "They have seen us, let's withdraw." As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding bushes were blown by the wind. Branches fell to the ground. Immediately, there was a unique "smack" whistle sound of Makqin.

Climb down a gentle slope. Fortunately, there were no casualties.

"You need stronger artillery cover, otherwise it's very troublesome."

"No, it won't work." Lu Shan said coldly to Marinin, who was looking at him. "This is to send my soldiers to death! The enemy has already built a very complete defensive position. Artillery fire may not destroy all machine guns, God, the cavalry braved the rain of bullets from Maxim? You can't fight like this! ”

"It's an order!" Marinin seemed to understand Lu Shan's dissatisfaction.

"The order is to destroy the enemy army in Shendan Fort, not to send the soldiers to death! Go, go to General Artemyev. ”

On the way to the headquarters, Lu Shan had a plan.

"General, I don't think it's wise to storm Shendan Fort now." Lushan said to Major General Artemeyev, "Especially for cavalrymen with obvious targets!" Now that the enemy is encircled, why not retreat? They must be waiting for reinforcements! It must be so! We should first thwart the Japanese reinforcements, and then calmly attack Shendan Fort. "Lu Shan and Major General Artemiev are very familiar, this is a smart man," I firmly oppose the storming of Shendan Fort. In the event that the main forces of our army fall into an offensive and cannot be quickly captured, and Japanese reinforcements arrive, our army will be very dangerous. ”

General Mishuchenko also inspected the terrain and immediately expressed support for Lu Shan's opinion, "The cavalry must not attack with machine-gun fire!" "The Cossack cavalry was almost the ultimate weapon of the Russian army, but he had already learned the power of the Japanese machine guns in the Battle of Sand River.

"Dear Lu, the order has been given and cannot be changed. Moreover, the Japanese army immediately saw that Shangwen's Eighth Division had come up, and it was necessary to capture Shendan Fort first. Major General Artemiev said, "We must not allow the troops of the 8th Division to enter Shendanbao, then we will be passive in the whole situation." ”

"General, this will make it even more impossible to attack Shendan Fort." Lu Shan walked to the map, "If the Japanese break the siege of Shendanbao, they must occupy Heigoutai!" Otherwise, they will be blocked by machine guns and artillery fire from our troops in Heigoutai. The Japanese are not stupid, they are a division, not a small force of several hundred people, and they cannot carry out rescue without obtaining the supporting positions for the attack. Therefore, Heigoutai is the key. I propose to strengthen the defense of Heigoutai and thwart this eighth division first. He carefully looked at the map for a while, "Yes, if our army stands firm in Heigoutai, the battle situation will be very favorable to us." ”

"What should the Japanese do if they break through?"

"First, they won't give up Shen Danbao easily. Second, keep Heigoutai in the hands of our army, and the Japanese did not dare to break through. ”

"However, there is only one division left in Heigoutai now, and the other division has already left there and entered the attack position on Shendanbao." Artemiev studied the map and suddenly found that there was a rational element to Lushan's opinion.

"Go back! You must not leave Heigoutai. Lu Shan shouted, "If it were me, if I wanted to relieve the siege of Shendan Fort, I would attack Heigoutai!" Now Shendanbao is not the key, even if they slip out of the encirclement and Shendanbao falls into the hands of our army, the Japanese army's front will be cut off. They had no choice but to retreat. ”

Heigou Terrace is adjacent to the Hunhe River in the west, and there is a small river called Heigou River in the south wing, and the terrain of Heigou Terrace is higher than the surrounding area, which is a prominent platform. In the plain area of the southern part of Mukden, it is a place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack. After a cursory glance at the map, Artemiev understood the importance of this place.

"I agree with him," cried General Mishuchenko, "if it is better for them to leave their positions, my brave lads will slash their buttocks with their sabers." That's the right tactic for cavalry. ”

"Okay, Lu, you go back first, wait for orders, and act at any time." Major General Artemiev nodded to Lushan.

The Russians have not yet discussed the results of Lushan's opinion again, and the battle in the direction of Heigoutai has already begun. Lieutenant General Tatsumi Naofumi's 8th Division, which received Marshal Oyamaiwa's order to rescue the Akiyama Brigade, acted extremely quickly, and had already reached the southern flank of Heigoutai at dusk on the 24th, and had an encounter with the Russian 10th Infantry Division that had left Heigoutai. Major General Artemyev, who was ordered by General Kuropatkin to coordinate the actions of the Second Army, urgently ordered the South Manchurian Infantry Regiment to cancel the previous order to attack Shendanbao, and the whole regiment moved south to Heigoutai to assist the 4th Siberian Infantry Division in holding Heigoutai and thwarting the attack of the Japanese 8th Division. (To be continued......)