Although the Hubei battlefield began to attack one day earlier, it did not have any impact on the offensive in the direction of Shaanxi and Yunnan-Guizhou. On 18 June, the two cavalry corps of the Western Sichuan Army had already crossed the dividing line between Gansu and Shaanxi and entered the territory of Shaanxi. Almost at the same time, the troops of the southern front also launched an offensive against the provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou.

According to the previous division, Liu Zhiye, commander of the First Cavalry Army, had already led two brigades of the First Cavalry Army and troops directly under the army to attack Hanzhong, and cooperated with the troops from Sichuan to the north to open up the communication lines between Gansu and Qinghai provinces and Sichuan in one fell swoop. The main forces of the two cavalry armies, under the leadership of Wang Yuze and Cai Yun, went straight to Baoji, the western gateway of Xi'an.

"Young marshal, there is Baoji in front. The Qing army did not attach much importance to the defense here, and there were only 20,000 green battalions in Baoji City. Wu Huiyao, a staff officer in charge of intelligence, introduced to Wang Yuze. The agents of the Military Intelligence Bureau distributed in Baoji have already passed on all the information in Baoji City.

"It's only 20,000 green battalions, and it's vulnerable. What about heavy firepower? Is there a cannon and heavy machine gun in Baoji City? Wang Yuze asked. It is inevitable to take Baoji, but how many casualties to take, this has to be carefully considered. The Western Sichuan Army was much smaller than the Qing Army in terms of troops, and the lives of every soldier of the Western Sichuan Army were very precious.

"There are only ten 05mm light howitzers in Baoji City, all of which are produced by the Jinling Manufacturing Bureau, and their power and range are not very good, and they cannot be compared with ours at all. With our Type 2 infantry guns were able to suppress them. There were no heavy machine guns, not a single one. In addition, less than one-tenth of the 20,000 green battalions are equipped with new rifles, most of them are equipped with old-fashioned muskets, and even many people still use broadswords and spears! Wu Huiyao said. For this battle, he is also very optimistic, no matter what, Baoji is not like a hard bone, it should be easy to win.

"Who is the general of Baoji City?" Cai Yun asked. Although weapons and equipment play a very important role in warfare, it is people who really play a decisive role. If Baoji's guards' ability is outstanding, it may cause them a little trouble.

"Chief of Staff, Baoji's guard general is a general named Hu Weilong, who is about thirty years old, and he can be regarded as young and promising. However, it seems that he was not liked by Wei Guangtao, the governor of Shaanxi, so he was sent to Baoji. Wu Huiyao replied.

"Oh? And what's going on? Didn't Wei Guangtao deliberately send this man named Hu Weilong to die? Is it possible to plot against him? Wang Yuze asked. If you can win without a fight and take Baoji, it will be a very big incentive for the whole army. Now the intention of the Qing army is obviously to abandon the rest of Shaanxi and hold on to Xi'an. They also seem to realize that although their forces are large, they are no match for the Western Sichuan Army. It is undoubtedly the best way to defend Xi'an, wait for the changes in the situation on the entire battlefield, and finally decide what to do next. Therefore, Hu Weilong was obviously regarded as an outcast. Such a person should be very good at rebelling.

Wu Huiyao shook his head: "The people from the Military Intelligence Bureau have already tried, but Hu Weilong is full of feudal ideas of loyalty and patriotism. He was a Wuju man in the second year of Guangxu, he was born poor, and he was able to have his current status, which can be said to be deeply favored by the emperor, so he was extremely hostile to my western Sichuan. Two days ago, the Military Intelligence Agency sent someone to plot against him, but instead lost an excellent agent! ”

"In that case, there's nothing to say. Since he is a foolish loyalist of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and his hands are still stained with the blood of my western Sichuan soldiers. Then you can't keep him. Order the troops to move forward at full speed and strive to take Baoji today! Wang Yuze said with a stern face. Since the Manchu Qing Dynasty entered the customs, it has ruled for more than 200 years, so that many Han people have forgotten their ancestors. For this kind of person, Wang Yuze has always been untolerant. It's okay if you don't jump out and go against Sichuanxi, but once you go against Sichuanxi, you will inevitably be ruthlessly exterminated by Sichuanxi!

After the order was delivered, the black river, formed by the gathering of more than 50,000 horses, rolled eastward.

Baoji City, General's Mansion. At this moment, the prefect of Baoji and other civil officials, as well as the wealthy families in the city, have already fled. After the Qing court ordered the encirclement and suppression of western Sichuan, Baoji City jumped with chickens and dogs. Connected and capable people have fled the place, and now all that remains in the city are some old, weak, sick and disabled people who have nowhere to go. The other is Hu Weilong and his subordinates who were also regarded as outcasts.

"My lord, I just found out the news, the Western Sichuan Army is less than fifty miles away from Baoji, and it will be able to arrive in Baoji in half an hour!" A Green Battalion general reported to Hu Weilong.

"Order the divisions to be ready for battle. We are bathed in the emperor's grace, and now is the time to be loyal to the emperor and the court! Hu Weilong said loudly. Although Hu Weilong is only in his thirties, he is very old, with a full beard and a standard military general.

"Obey your orders!" All the generals replied one after another. However, most people are still a little unwilling to the fate of the abandoned son. Live well, who wants to die! When they came, fighting with western Sichuan, they were simply looking for death. However, everyone knows Hu Weilong's temper, even if he is dissatisfied, he does not dare to express it.

"Excellent! Today we will face the rebels in Baoji, and if we don't succeed, we will become benevolent! Your family is small, and the court will take care of it for you! Hu Weilong nodded and said with great satisfaction.

"Yes! My lord! All the generals replied, and then left the general's palace and returned to the camp to prepare for the departure.

Looking at the backs of his subordinates, Hu Weilong's heart also sighed slightly. These people are all the pillars of the imperial court, and now they are going to be damaged here, which makes him feel very uncomfortable. At the military conference held in Xi'an, he advocated defending Baoji to the death, and hoped that Baoji could be used as a decisive battle place with the western Sichuan army. However, his mention was vetoed by Zhu Hongzhang, the general of the Northern Front. The reason is that under the city of Baoji, it cannot accommodate 200,000 troops at all, and it cannot resist the attack of the Western Sichuan Army. The high walls of Xi'an City can effectively resist the superiority of the Western Sichuan Army in artillery, and it is more convenient to defend.

Hu Weilong had no choice, although he tried his best, but in the end he only got an order to lead the people of his headquarters to defend Baoji. There is no doubt that he was regarded as an outcast, and he was used as a pawn to test the strength of the Western Sichuan Army. However, Hu Weilong was not dissatisfied, and for him, perhaps the horse leather shroud was the best way to serve the imperial court.

"Boom!" To the west of Baoji City, there was a sound like thunder. The Qing troops stationed at the head of the city poked their heads out and looked around, only to see a black line appear in the distant sky, and then, getting closer and closer, it turned into a black sea composed of cavalry.

"My mother, there are so many cavalry of the Western Sichuan Army!" The Qing troops at the head of Baoji City exclaimed one after another, their faces were already pale. They have not seen the strength of the Western Sichuan Army with their own eyes, but under the false rumors, the Western Sichuan Army has become a heavenly general who can be a hundred. Now that the Western Sichuan Army has dispatched so many troops, how can they hold it with their little men? If it weren't for Hu Weilong's strict management of the army, I'm afraid that some soldiers would have fled for their lives on the spot!

"Order the artillery to prepare, first deal with the artillery of the Qing army, and then provide cover for the sappers, blow up Baoji City, and rush directly into it!" After Wang Yuze put down the telescope in his hand, he gave the order.

In this regard, Cai Yun did not object, and seemed to be deliberately cultivating Wang Yuze, and Wang Yuze was in charge of commanding many times, which made Wang Yuze's ability to lead the army to fight a lot again. Of course, leading troops to fight is not the most important thing for Wang Yuze, but as the future leader of the Western Sichuan Army, he must understand a little bit about these things. Otherwise, how to subdue those fierce generals of the Western Sichuan Army?

Soon, the artillery of the Western Sichuan Army was pulled out, and a cannon with a hideous muzzle on the door pointed to the head of Baoji City.