Although Liu Yongfu and others were worried that the French army would take advantage of the situation to attack, in fact, the French army here was also worried.

Using the tactics of flank assault, Guba successfully outflanked the Black Flag Army, captured Huaide Province, and almost surrounded and annihilated the opponent, and from this point of view, the campaign was a success.

However, the casualties were greater than the French had originally estimated, with 273 French soldiers killed in the battles at Huai Duc and Wangcun, 85 killed by the Zuaf and Yellow Banner combined, and hundreds more wounded of varying severity. The total number of casualties was close to a quarter, a proportion far higher than the French could bear.

In his report to Paris, Guba admitted: "The enemy's combat effectiveness has now been confirmed, and they hold their positions until they are killed in a desperate stab." The fortifications they built were exemplary, and the only thing they lacked was quality artillery, but it was not difficult to predict that sooner or later they would have them. ”

Guba also wrote in the report: "A victory with so many casualties is really not pleasant, not even a victory. ”

Analyzing the information he had received, he believed that there were thousands of enemy troops in Shanxi City, and it could not be ruled out that the other side would launch a threatening counteroffensive and retake Huaide Province, and in view of this, the focus of the French army would temporarily turn to defense to wait for the arrival of more new troops

Therefore, the continuous attacks that the Chinese are worried about are just worries for the time being. They may not have expected that although the Black Flag Army failed to hold on to Huaide until November, it was their heroic fighting that made the French army dare not easily attack north before the reinforcement of the large army, which was equivalent to indirectly completing the task.

After Guba's report reached China, the general opinion of the military was that in view of the seriousness of the current situation, Guba should be given full-time command of the navy and prepare to strike at China's coastal areas. At the same time, the army general will be in charge of the ground battle on a full-time basis. and demanded that the government increase funding for the war.

On October 11, 1880, Guba ended his command of the ground battle and would lead the fleet to begin the blockade of the Chinese coast, while the Tokyo Squadron and the China-Japan Sea Squadron were merged into the French Far East Fleet.

Soon after, Lieutenant General Millet, who led his native troops to Vietnam, became the supreme commander of the French Army in Vietnam.

On October 23, after Joufferi's hard work, the French parliament finally approved a huge budget of 230 million francs for French military operations in Vietnam, "to ensure victory in the war" (French newspaper phrase).

By early November, a large number of reinforcements arrived, bringing the total strength to a staggering 20,000 troops. Considering that France would have to travel thousands of miles across the ocean and pay a huge price to provide logistical support for these troops, the size of such an army was almost the limit.

Lieutenant General Millet reorganized the troops, dividing the French army into five brigades:

The 1st and 2nd Brigades will be the main force of the offensive, with three infantry regiments, four artillery squadrons, an engineer battalion, an Algerian infantry battalion, a Vietnamese indigenous infantry battalion, a signal corps company, a field hospital platoon, plus some gendarmes and a small number of cavalry. Each brigade will have a strength of more than 5,000 troops. The commanders of the two brigades were Major General Porier and Major General Nigrí.

The 3rd Brigade has two infantry regiments, two artillery squadrons, two indigenous infantry battalions, etc., with a strength of 3,000 men, under the command of Colonel Hisho, and is responsible for the defense of the Tokyo area.

The 4th and 5th Brigades, each with two infantry regiments, three artillery squadrons, and an Aboriginal infantry battalion, with a strength of 3,300 and 3,500 men, were commanded by Colonel Johnny Neli and Lieutenant General Miller himself, respectively, as a reserve for the campaign.

At the same time, Moleboyo commanded the Tokyo detachment, a gunboat unit, as fire support for the army.

By mid-November, Miller believed that the French army was basically ready, and asked for instructions from home, asking for sufficient authorization to fight all the way to China.

At the same time, Guba, who was wandering the sea with the fleet, also demanded "action zuihou".

On the morning of 17 November, the French minister to China, Bao Hai, officially issued an ultimatum to Beijing: The French army will completely eliminate foreign armed personnel from Vietnamese territory and demand that China withdraw all its troops from northern Vietnam, otherwise France will formally declare war on China and give China a reply within three days.

At the same time, Baohai also received prior authorization from the French government: three days later, on November 20, if he did not receive a satisfactory answer, he thought that he would not have to ask for instructions to declare war directly at home. On the same day, he closed the French Legation in China and left Beijing.

On the same day, Gu Ba, who had always emphasized a "quick victory," received an order: "The French Far East Fleet will be free to take all actions from three days, on the afternoon of November 20." ”

Guba immediately split the fleet into two ways:

One route was commanded by Rear Admiral Lisby, and there were 10 warships, namely:

the wooden-hulled cruiser Amirin (flagship);

the wooden-hulled cruiser La Perlouse;

the wooden-hulled cruiser Niele;

the wooden-hulled cruiser Dusafford;

the wooden-hulled cruiser Kaisheng;

the wooden-hulled cruiser Reconnaissance;

the wooden-hulled cruiser Chamberlain;

cruiser USS Duwell 1st class;

the wooden-hulled cruiser Le'a;

The gunboat Rutin

The goal is to blockade Taiwan and prepare for the next step in seizing the Keelung coal mines, or even occupying Taiwan.

On the other hand, there are 13 warships led by Guba himself, namely:

the wooden-hulled cruiser USS Volda (flagship);

the ironclad USS Atarante;

the ironclad USS Galizonia;

the Victory ironclad;

the ironclad ship Triumph;

the cruiser Dujusluin;

the wooden-hulled cruiser Fellers;

the wooden-hulled cruiser USS Destair;

the wooden-hulled cruiser Fort Reno;

the wooden-hulled cruiser Soni;

the gunboat Wildcat;

the gunboat Yishibi;

the gunboat Belly Snake;

In addition, No. 45 and No. 46 pole mineboats were also carried.

The goal was to destroy the Chinese Navy anchored in the port of Mawei. On the afternoon of the 17th, he arrived at the mouth of the Minjiang River and sent someone to request the customs to enter the port and rest at anchorage.

The telegram requesting instructions was quickly sent to Beijing, and at this time Ding Yuntong was reading through the memoirs of Ding Richang and Liu Mingchuan, and reported on the preparations for war in the coastal areas and in Taiwan.

It is only a matter of time before France wants to declare war, and there is no need to be surprised, although the war is complicated, but the most critical places are nothing more than Mawei, Taiwan and Beiqi, whether or not the French can calm their heads, depends on these places.

Seeing Mawei's telegram of request and the intelligence of the navy, Ding Yuntong was there.

That's not right, how is the lonely fleet lineup different from the memories of the previous life?

Why are there so many ironclads?

In the previous life, the French fleet was indeed the same, anchored in the port of the war, and then wiped out the Fujian naval division in one fell swoop.

This life is also this routine, since the French want to enter the port, it means that the other party has sent spies to reconnoitre, and they have not seen anything famous, maybe the French were arrogant in the past, and they did not know that there was a future traveler who could understand history and predict their tricks. Fortunately, two years ago, he hired a French expert, Riyige, with a high salary, to work as a teacher in Tianjin, or there are many French eyes and ears in Hong Kong.

But now there is a serious problem, that is, compared with the previous life, although the lonely fleet is missing the armored cruiser Baya (because this ship was only commissioned in 1882), there are unexpectedly more three ironclad ships such as the Atarant.

Ding Yuntong couldn't help but think of the word butterfly effect, he originally bought three British warships, this change was not in the previous life, and the corresponding French actually made a different choice from the previous life, in order to ensure victory, they pulled all the powerful warships over.

What to do?

The opponent's combat power has been greatly improved, can the original Jihua still succeed?

Ding Yuntong pinched his chin, feeling in a dilemma, Zuihou still made up his mind:

If you put it in, with the original arrangement, there is a hope of success, at least it can cause heavy damage to the other party.

If you don't let it in, the other side has a powerful Far Eastern Fleet, looking for opportunities to harass you everywhere, and it is not ruled out that you will directly attack Dagukou in the future, and you will regret it when the time comes.

Thinking of this, Ding Yuntong ordered to allow French warships to enter the port!

In addition, Ding Richang of Mawei Harbor, and Song Qing, commander of the Fifth Division, opened fire directly at the French army at noon on November 19, according to the scheduled battle, and did not have to wait for any orders.

For the rest, Ding Yuntong can only pray for God's blessing.

On the morning of November 19, 1880, the day before the deadline for Zuihou's ultimatum, Zeng Jize, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, summoned the French Minister Baohai.

When Baohai came to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was almost 100% sure that the Chinese were ready to compromise, and all that remained was to discuss the specific terms, and he held his head high, thinking in his heart whether the 80 million francs indemnity originally from Jihua in China would be too cheap for China.

However, Zeng Jize announced with a blank face: "In view of the fact that the French Republic has repeatedly violated China's sovereignty on the Vietnam issue, and it is unrepentant." The Chinese government was compelled to take decisive measures, officially declaring a state of war with the French Republic at about 10 o'clock on November 19, 1880, and severing all diplomatic relations with France with immediate effect, closing the French embassy in China, and expelling the French minister. ”

At this moment, Baohai was almost petrified, and before the Zuihou ultimatum expired, China preemptively declared war, and directly drove itself away, which made him feel very humiliated.

Depressed back to the embassy, Baohai was not yet breathing, someone came to report, there were Chinese government personnel outside to urge, saying that the French should leave quickly, and also claimed that after the embassy was closed, it was in a hurry to redecorate and rent.

Baohai turned around and saw a copy of the "Global Times" just published today on the table, and the content on the front page was a line of eye-catching big black letters: In the face of the shameless behavior of the French, we have endured it again and again, and we can't bear it, which is unbearable! No matter how the world turns upside down, Zuihou's victory will belong to the Chinese people. Today will become a witness to history, and the people of Chinese are counted......

Looking at this righteous tone, Baohai suddenly remembered the Lone Pull fleet far away in Mawei Port, and hurriedly ordered: Send an urgent telegram to the French Consulate in Fuzhou, and immediately inform Gu Ba to be careful, the Chinese have declared war in advance.

Not long after, his men reported: "The embassy's telegraph line has been cut." ”

Baohai only felt that the sky was spinning for a while: "My God, these Chinese, they are so shameless!" ”