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Under Shengjing City, the Russian army surrounded Shengjing City, and it was almost impassable. However, the Russian army no longer dared to launch an attack lightly. The previous fiasco is still vivid. In the face of the powerful firepower of the Imperial Army, launching an attack on Shengjing City is like looking for death no matter how you look at it. Not only the Russian soldiers at the bottom were scared, but even the Russian generals at the top thought that attacking now was simply going to die. For a time, the commander of the Russian army, Governor Muravyov of the Far East, had to order a siege but not an attack.

With the current strength of the Russian army, even if it has lost a lot before. But the remaining troops still have more than 200,000. Of these, 80,000 Cossack cavalry had almost no losses. If the strong forces, if the Imperial Army left the protection of the strong city defenses of Shengjing City, and fought in the field, it would not be an opponent of the Russian army at all. Therefore, the 14th and 17th armies of the Imperial Army were only able to defend the city. Trying to fight back, at least with their current capabilities, is impossible.

On November 16, Ivan, the Russian minister to the Manchus, came to the front and personally brought orders from Tsar Nicholas I.

"Your Excellency the Governor, His Majesty the Tsar is very dissatisfied with the defeat of our army at Shengjing. His Majesty the Tsar hopes that you will be able to capture Shengjing City within a week and kill all the Chinese troops inside. In addition, something similar to the kind of thing that drove the civilians to attack the city, His Majesty the Tsar did not want to happen again! Ivan, the Russian minister to the Manchus, said.

Governor Muravyov's face was pale, and he was very concerned about the defeat of the Russian army. Tsar Nicholas I not only rebuked him harshly, but also gave an ultimatum. Governor Muravyov knew that if he could not take Shengjing within the stipulated time. His post as governor of the Far East may belong to someone else. Although, the post of Governor-General of the Far East is not too much in Russia. Cold and backward and barren Eastern Siberia did not interest the Russian aristocracy. However, it was a bridgehead for Russia's eastward expansion. For those Russians who aspired to higher positions, the Viceroy of the Far East was undoubtedly a good springboard. As long as it is possible to grab benefits for the empire in the Far East. Then you can get promoted. Governor Muravyov defeated many competitors before he succeeded in becoming the Governor of the Far East.

"Your Excellency, I see. I will do my best to conquer Shengjing City! Governor Muravyov said.

"Hmm. Your Excellency the Governor, I am relieved of this. Minister Ivan said. However, he said so, but he was not optimistic about the Russian army. The ins and outs. The Russian army has lost more than 50,000 troops under Shengjing. This was for the mighty Russian Empire. It's a huge loss. Moreover, as the weather gets colder and colder, it is more difficult for the Russian army to conquer Shengjing City in an icy and snowy environment.

"Your Excellency, how is the battle in Kannai? Will the Qing still be able to withstand the attacks of the Chinese Empire? Governor Muravyov asked.

"Your Excellency the Governor, the decisive battle in the Central Plains has almost been decided. The Chinese Empire was victorious on several battlefields, and the Qing army suffered heavy losses. According to the information I received, the Qing army has lost at least half a million troops. The remnants of the army. There are only two or three hundred thousand. The Chinese Empire had already achieved a decisive advantage. I guess they will hit Beijing soon! Minister Ivan said with a wry smile. He was the Russian minister to the Manchus, once the Manchus were destroyed. His position was abolished. It is estimated that the Russian envoy to China will be selected between him and Putiyatin, the envoy to the Chinese Empire. However, compared to him, Putiyatin has a greater advantage. Although Putiyatin was now expelled, he was more familiar with the Chinese Empire. Once the Chinese Empire unified China, it was undoubtedly more appropriate for Putiyatin to serve as minister to China.

"Hell! I knew that those Qing people were unreliable. They listened to the words of the British and went to war against the Chinese Empire alone, which was simply impossible. They are no match for the Chinese Empire at all, and without our help, they will be defeated! Governor Muravyov said angrily. If it weren't for the Qing State's intention to avoid Russia's involvement in the war in Guannai, perhaps the Russian army would have entered the south of the Great Wall by now. And the result of the decisive battle in the Central Plains will not be like this! In addition, the Chinese Empire won the decisive battle in the Central Plains, and the fall of the Manchus was already certain. After the unification of China by the Chinese Empire, Russia will become a neighbor of a powerful and powerful country. This is not a good thing for Russia and the Governor-General of the Far East. A unified China supported by a strong industry is difficult to defeat. At least judging from the military strength of the Chinese Empire seen on the battlefield at present, it is not at all below Russia, but more powerful than Russia. In this case, Russia will have a bad time in the future.

"Yes, Your Excellency the Governor. The demise of the Qing State was inevitable. Worse still, we and the Chinese Empire will engage in an all-out war. At the same time, because of the-for-tat statements of the Chinese Emperor and His Majesty the Tsar, there is no possibility of reconciliation between our two countries. It is foreseeable that in the future there will be a protracted war between our two countries. Minister Ivan said. This was very disadvantageous for Russia, which did not have much advantage in fighting in the Far East. Their troops and supplies need to cross the entire Eurasian continent. In addition, Russia's industrial base was undoubtedly the weakest among the great powers, much weaker than that of the Chinese Empire. The current war is fought against industry. Weakened Russia, it is estimated that it is no match for the Chinese Empire at all. If Russia is defeated, one can imagine what the consequences will be.

The Governor of the Far East, Muravyov, had apparently thought of this, and was so worried. This time, Tsar Nicholas I managed to launch a strategy of expansion to the east. A crushing defeat would have far-reaching consequences for Russia's foreign expansion policy. Perhaps, Russia will return to its policy of expansion to the south. This is not a good thing for the Far Eastern Governor's Palace.

"Your Excellency the Governor, at present, the most important thing is to break through Shengjing City. Only after the capture of Shengjing City will we have more room for maneuver. Only by choosing to continue to unite with the Manchus or to negotiate peace with the Chinese Empire will we be able to seize the initiative. Minister Ivan said.

"Well, Your Excellency, I know. From tomorrow, the attack on Shengjing City will resume. No matter what the cost, we will conquer Shengjing City! Governor Muravyov said.

"Yes, Your Excellency the Governor. Don't know if there's anything I can do to help? Minister Ivan asked.

"Your Excellency, Minister Minister, we are now severely short of food and winter clothing. Winter has arrived, and it will soon get colder and colder. We need a lot of winter supplies! Governor Muravyov said. When they set out from Irkutsk, they did not prepare much supplies. Originally, I thought that I could defeat the Imperial Chinese Army lightly, and then enter the Guannai. In this way, the logistics supply can come to the Manchu Qing Dynasty. However, now they are being dragged under Shengjing City. Their logistical supply lines were also attacked by the Mongols on the steppe and were almost cut off. This is a completely heavy blow to the Russian army.

Minister Ivan frowned, and then said: "Your Excellency the Governor, the Qing Kingdom is also relatively short of supplies for winter. I'm afraid it's hard to get it from them! ”

"Your Excellency, no matter what method you use, you must get us as much winter supplies as possible. Otherwise, we will pay a heavy price! Governor Muravyov said.

"Well, Your Excellency the Governor, I'll do my best!" Minister Ivan said.

After that, Governor Muravyov once again summoned the generals of the Russian army to discuss the battle against Shengjing. When the generals heard that they were about to launch an attack on Shengjing City again, their faces changed dramatically. The failure of the previous attack seemed to be imminent, and they privately believed that if there was not enough artillery and an absolute advantage in artillery fire, it would be difficult for the Russian army to conquer Shengjing, even if it was filled with human lives, it would be difficult to succeed. Launching an attack on Shengjing City is no different from looking for death!

However, Governor Muravyov had no choice either, and Tsar Nicholas I had already given an ultimatum. He had no other way but to obey. Even if it is a heavy loss, it will have to conquer Shengjing City.

However, what Governor Muravyov did not expect was that after one night, everything had changed. Powerful cold air swept through northern China overnight. The Mongolian steppe and the northeast are the strictest areas. It snowed heavily all night, and when I woke up the next morning, the snow had already spread a thick layer on the ground. The temperature has plummeted by more than ten degrees, and it has dropped to about ten degrees. The thinly dressed Russian soldiers froze to death in their sleep. Even if the Russians are more hardy, almost all of these Russian troops are still wearing thin autumn clothes, and they can't adapt to the cold winter all of a sudden.

Although the Imperial Army had to temporarily stop its military operations against the Manchus, it also made the troops under Shengjing pay a heavy price. There are not enough winter clothes, coupled with a shortage of food, and countless people in these Russian troops have frozen to death. On the first day alone, more than 20,000 people froze to death, and tens of thousands of horses froze to death. As the snow continues to fall, the temperature will continue to drop, and it is conceivable that even more Russians will freeze to death! (To be continued......)