In Shengjing City, in the study room of Wu Xingquan, the northeast tour envoy, Wu Xingquan, Wu Haoxuan and Yang Du were discussing the current situation. The death of the Manchu Emperor Guangxu and the Empress Dowager Cixi, the half-step Zen edict of Empress Yulong, and the enthronement of Yuan Datou to the heavens and the emperor, all this happened so fast that Wu Haoxuan was a little unconvinced.

"History has already begun to deviate, and perhaps by the time I appeared in this world, history had already taken a different path." Wu Haoxuan thought secretly.

"Marshal, young marshal. Yuan Datou couldn't wait to ascend the throne and become emperor in Yanjing City, which was obviously a thief with a weak heart and wanted to cook raw rice and mature rice. Yang Du did not expect that the situation would become so complicated. The northern government and the northern army have become China's veritable number one power. However, now he has been preempted by Yuan Datou.

"Brother Wanzi, Yuan Datou is just a monkey and a crown. His ascension to the throne as emperor was nothing more than a farce. All of China, except for the areas controlled by the Beiyang Army, all other provinces have clearly opposed his ascension to the throne and proclaimed emperor. Even among the foreigners, only the British, the Japanese, and the Russians supported Yuan Datou as emperor. If he wants to sit firmly, it is simply impossible. Wu Haoxuan said very firmly.

"Young Marshal, are we going to make a move?" Yang Du said with some excitement. As the secretary general of the political affairs committee of the northern government, he has a deep understanding of the strength of the northern army. Although, the main forces of the Northern Army were held back by the Russians and Japanese. But that's only part of the story. Now, the expansion of the Northern Army has been completed. Of the 40 infantry divisions, 15 cavalry brigades, and 6 heavy artillery brigades, most of them could be thrown into the attack on the Beiyang Army. Although the Beiyang Army is also expanding its army frantically, how can those rabbles compare with the Northern Army?

"The reason why Yuan Datou dared to seek to usurp the throne at this time was just that he thought that our main force was held back by the Russians and Japanese. If only he knew. If we were only held back by a small part of the army, perhaps he would not dare to do so. Since Yuan Datou dared to risk the world's condemnation, of course we couldn't give up this opportunity. Although the seven northern provinces are vast and rich in resources, their populations are too small after all. We need the population of Kannai. Wu Haoxuan said.

The vast majority of China's 400 million people live south of the Great Wall. This is despite the fact that the northern government continues to attract immigrants from Kannai. But the population under the northern government is only one-tenth of the total population. This seriously constrained the industrial development of the northern government and the enhancement of the strength of the northern army. With the population now controlled by the government in the north, there are only two or three million armed at most. But if it is possible to rule the whole of China, then, 30 million bayonets, it is enough to scare all countries.

"Haoxuan, if we start a war with the Beiyang Army, can we be sure of victory? The British, the Japanese, and the Russians made it clear that they supported Yuan Datou. Will they directly send troops to interfere with us? Wu Xingquan asked.

"Dad, don't worry. Those foreign devils are just putting on a show. It is impossible for them to send troops to interfere with us. In particular, we are not without the support of foreigners, both Germans and Americans support us. This makes those foreign devils dare not persecute us too much. After our army defeats the Beiyang Army, even if the foreign devils oppose it, it will not pose a threat to us. Wu Haoxuan said.

In the current international situation, even if the British support Yuan Datou, they will not openly send troops. After all, the British Navy, although the first in the world. But the Army is relatively at a pocket-sized level. Even the Japanese Army and the Russian Army were successively defeated by the Northern Army, the British pocket army. Don't be ashamed. Besides, the Central Powers, led by Germany, were Britain's greatest enemy, and it would be very disadvantageous to Britain if the Northern Army was forced to fall to the Allies. Therefore, Wu Haoxuan believes that the British can only sit back and watch the rule of China fall into the hands of the northern government.

Heard Wu Haoxuan say this. Wu Xingquan was relieved. He was a little excited, a few years ago he was just a backup general soldier of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. In the blink of an eye, he has become a prince, and he is still the most powerful faction among the various factions in China. Soon, he will overthrow Yuan Datou. Become the ruler of this country.

"Perhaps, my old Wu will also become an emperor one day?" Wu Xingquan thought secretly. Even though he is a person with no ambitions, the thought of this result still makes his heart burn.

"Young marshal, we will defeat the Beiyang Army, that is certain. But what are we going to do with the Manchus after we defeat them? Yang Du asked.

Wu Haoxuan hesitated slightly: "Since they have issued the edict of the Zen throne, let the country out." Then, there is absolutely no possibility of returning it to them. It's our turn to sit down. After we defeat Yuan Datou, this emperor can completely let my father do it. The prince and general Xiangning have a kind of thing, Yuan Datou can sit on the throne, why can't my father sit on it? ”

"Let me be emperor? Haoxuan, I can't be this emperor. We have this day because of you. If you want me to see, you still be the emperor, I will be the emperor, and enjoy the blessings. Wu Xingquan hurriedly excused himself. Although, Wu Xingquan also has a trace of desire for the throne. Still, he is self-aware.

"Dad, who said that the emperor has to bow down to everything? When the time comes, we will implement a cabinet system. The Prime Minister's cabinet is responsible for ordinary affairs, and we only need to take care of the big things. Wu Haoxuan continued.

Wu Xingquan nodded, although the power was to be distributed to the cabinet, even if it was just an empty name of the emperor, it had already made him very satisfied. A few years ago, this would have been unthinkable.

"Then this emperor will be the father first. You will be the prince, and after your father has passed the addiction of being an emperor, he will replace you with you. Wu Xingquan laughed.

Wu Haoxuan also laughed.

Yang Du was also full of smiles, originally he was still a little worried, after conquering the world, Wu Xingquan and Wu Haoxuan, father and son, would they be at odds because of the throne, but now it seems that he is too worried. As the secretary general of the Political Affairs Committee, he knew that the reason why the northern government and the northern army were able to develop so strong was inseparable from Wu Haoxuan's efforts. Wu Xingquan is just able to sit back and enjoy his success because he has a good son. Of course, in fact, the entire northern government and the northern army are basically Wu Haoxuan's people. If Wu Haoxuan was unwilling to let Wu Xingquan ascend to the throne, Wu Xingquan would have no choice.

Now it seems that Wu Haoxuan doesn't want conflicts in his family, so he is willing to let Wu Xingquan ascend the throne and become emperor. After all, Wu Xingquan only has such a son as him, and once Wu Xingquan is a hundred years later, the position of emperor is still his.

"Dad, Brother Huizi, the war between us and the Beiyang Army is probably about to start soon. The Beiyang Army has begun to mobilize troops to the front line of Shanhaiguan. Shanhaiguan is in our hands and has always been a threat to Yuan Datou. Only after recapturing Shanhaiguan can he feel at ease. Wu Haoxuan said.

"Then can we hold the Shanhaiguan? We only have one 9th Infantry Division and the 5th Heavy Artillery Brigade at Shanhaiguan. Wu Xingquan asked.

"With the strength of the 9th Infantry Division and the 5th Heavy Artillery Brigade, it is not a big problem to hold Shanhaiguan. Plus, we're not defenseless. The main forces of the Eastern Front Command, which had gathered in Manchuria, had already begun to board the vehicles and were ready to transport them south. General Shi Deshan's 1st Infantry Division will go to the Yalu River defense line to replace General Shi Tianhan's 3rd Infantry Division. General Shi Tianhan will be the commander of the operation against the Beiyang Army. Wu Haoxuan said.

Although the Northern Army is currently confronting the Russian army and the Japanese, there are only a few hundred thousand people gathered on the front line of the Yalu River. On the Irkutsk front, too, there are only a hundred thousand people. The rest of the main forces have secretly withdrawn south, just waiting for the Beiyang Army to collide with itself. Now, the Beiyang Army is actually trying to preemptively attack, so the Northern Army can take advantage of the situation to launch an attack on Yanjing City, so that Yuan Datou, the new emperor, will be overthrown soon.

Wu Xingquan and Yang Du nodded, Wu Haoxuan has always been in charge of military affairs. Since Wu Haoxuan is full of confidence, then they have no problem.

On the Shanhaiguan front, Major General Zhang Haipeng, commander of the 9th Infantry Division of the Northern Army, was ready. More than 18,000 officers and men of the 9th Infantry Division, plus the 5th Heavy Artillery Brigade, have reached the highest state of combat readiness.

After the Northern Army captured Shanhaiguan, in order to protect Yanjing City, the Beiyang Army deployed heavy troops south of Shanhaiguan. Now, in order to recapture Shanhaiguan, the Beiyang Army is constantly mobilizing troops to appear in Shanhaiguan. There is no doubt that all this indicates that the Beiyang Army is going to make a move.

Yongping Mansion, the original prefect's yamen, has now been requisitioned by the Beiyang Army. Feng Guozhang, deputy chief of the general staff of the Beiyang Army, personally served as the commander and led 15 towns to march against Shanhaiguan, where the Northern Army was entrenched. Although Feng Guozhang was not able to participate in Yuan Datou's enthronement ceremony in Yanjing City, if he could take Shanhaiguan, this would undoubtedly be Yuan Datou's first big victory after he ascended the throne and became emperor. As the commander, Feng Guozhang will inevitably be rewarded for this.

Although the combat effectiveness of the Northern Army was extremely strong, Feng Guozhang had fifteen towns under his command, with a total of 180,000 people. He believed that the final victory would definitely be his.

On November 15, 1908, the third day of Yuan Datou's ascension to the throne as emperor, the Beiyang Army launched an attack on Shanhaiguan, which opened the prelude to the Battle of Shanhaiguan. (To be continued......)

PS: The third update is here, asking for subscriptions, monthly passes and recommended tickets! Thank you for the book friend Xiaoyao 88 Xian, I love Wang Yihuan, and the dawn of the moment for the reward! Thank you for the book friend's fierce river, Wei Cheng, and miss Dora's monthly pass!