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Long Yufei stood in front of the large map of China hanging on the wall, silently pondering. In his hand was the operational plan submitted by Colonel Liu Zhongming, deputy director of the Operations Department of the General Staff Headquarters. Now, it has only been one day since Colonel Liu Zhongming proposed a new operational plan. However, it can be seen from Colonel Liu Zhongming's red eyes that he must have been busy all night last night.

The operational plan makes it very clear that after the 20 new infantry brigades of the Xinhua Army have completed their training, 10 of the infantry brigades will be dispatched to cooperate with the two infantry brigades drawn from the South Seas, and under the escort of the navy, they will go straight to the mouth of the Yangtze River. Subsequently, with the fire support of the navy, it marched west along the Yangtze River, conquered Nanjing, Anqing, Jiujiang and Wuchang and other important cities along the Yangtze River, and completely severed the connection between the Manchus and the south of the Yangtze River. In this operation, a total of 12 infantry brigades, the 2nd Heavy Artillery Brigade, and the 2nd Marine Brigade were used, plus the two fleets of the Navy, for a total strength of about 100,000 troops. Although such a force is not much, considering that the combat strength of the Xinhua Army is several levels higher than that of the Qing Army, if it is necessary to accomplish the combat goal, it is not large. At this time, there was only more than half a month left before the 20 cutting-edge infantry brigades of the Xinhua Army completed their training.

At present, the battles between the Xinhua army and the Qing army are mainly concentrated around Guangdong. These areas are all mountainous areas, and the roads are difficult to navigate, which is not conducive to logistics and supply. The offensive of the Xinhua Army was greatly affected. If a second battlefield can be opened along the Yangtze River. Undoubtedly, it was able to catch the Manchu Qing by surprise. Moreover, relying on Xinhua's strong maritime strength, it is enough to ensure the smooth flow of supplies. Even the pressure of supplies is far lower than that of the troops fighting around Guangdong.

"I've already seen the plan, and there's no problem at all. A second battlefield can be opened along the Yangtze River. In this way, we can accelerate our seizure of territory south of the Yangtze River. However, the hundreds of thousands of Qing troops around Guangdong must also be wiped out as soon as possible. Long Yufei said.

Lieutenant General Niu Meng, chief of the General Staff, and Colonel Liu Zhongming, deputy director of the Operations Department, were very happy, especially Colonel Liu Zhongming. It's even more joyful. This battle plan, however, he proposed, if he could achieve victory in the end. Then he will definitely be able to make a great contribution. This will be of great help to him in the future, and even to a higher position.

"Your Majesty, ten infantry brigades in the troops that have completed their training. It will cooperate with the counterattack of the Guangdong side. After more than a month of fierce fighting. The vigor of the Qing army has been exhausted by us. At that time, with the addition of ten brigades of fresh troops, we are fully capable of defeating the Qing army. Lieutenant General Niu Meng, Chief of the General Staff, said. In the past half month, the Qing army has suffered heavy losses. If this continues, after the new recruits training of the Xinhua Army is completed, the losses of the Qing army will be further expanded. When the time comes, it will be easier for the Xinhua army to counterattack.

Long Yufei nodded, and then said, "I think." Before opening up the second battlefield, you can take this place first! Long Yufei's hand. All sorts of dots are on the map. The place he pointed to was an island across the sea from Fujian.

"Taiwan?" Lieutenant General Niu Meng and Colonel Liu Zhongming both said.

"That's right, take it here first. You can use this as a stopover for us. From the South China Sea to the mouth of the Yangtze River, or even to northern China, it is too far away, and it would undoubtedly be more advantageous if there was a transit station. The warships of the Navy can also be stationed there to protect the security of our maritime logistics lines. Long Yufei said. Taiwan is a treasure island rich in resources, and its strategic location is also very important. After taking Taiwan, Xinhua will have an additional sea barrier and material transfer station.

Today's Taiwan is nothing more than a province under the rule of Fujian Province. The Qing army was in Taiwan and only stationed a small number of troops. There are not many Han Chinese in Taiwan, and the locals are an ethnic minority living in the mountains. For the current Xinhua Army, it is as easy as a finger to take Taiwan.

"Your Majesty, the 2nd Marine Brigade is on its way to Canton and is expected to arrive in two days. When the time comes, Taiwan can be captured with the 2nd Marine Brigade. The 4th Fleet of the Navy will provide protection for the 2nd Brigade of the Marine Corps. Lieutenant General Niu Meng, Chief of the General Staff, said. Attacking Taiwan with more than 6,000 people from the 2nd Marine Brigade is completely a knife to kill chickens.

"Well, the specific combat arrangements, you can see what to do." Long Yufei said. He only looks at the results, not the process. There will be no meddle in specific matters, just let the generals play freely. Anyway, he is not a person from the army, so he doesn't know much about this aspect in the first place. His favorite thing is still mechanical and metallurgical. It's just that now he is the king of Xinhua, and after overthrowing the Manchu Dynasty, he will also become the emperor of this huge empire. This made Long Yufei very boring.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" After Lieutenant General Niu Meng and Colonel Liu Zhongming saluted, they prepared to leave.

"By the way, the General Staff will submit a report and promote Colonel Liu Zhongming to brigadier general, and I will sign the promotion appointment immediately." Long Yufei said. With the talent shown by Colonel Liu Zhongming, it is not too much to be promoted to brigadier general. Besides, Niu Meng is not young, and he was originally only a pirate, although he has been stepping up his studies over the years, but as the scale of the Xinhua Army is getting bigger and bigger, he is gradually unable to do it. For this reason, Long Yufei must prepare a successor for Niu Meng as soon as possible. Colonel Liu Zhongming is undoubtedly a very good candidate.

"Ah, thank you, Lord Longen!" Colonel Liu Zhongming said excitedly. The brigadier general, although he is the lowest rank among the generals, is very different from the school officer. That's a real general, not like a colonel, just an officer.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Lieutenant General Niu Meng also nodded, he could understand what Long Yufei meant, and knew that Long Yufei wanted to focus on cultivating Liu Zhongming. The Xinhua Army is very strict about the promotion of military ranks. Even after taking Vietnam, the senior generals were not promoted. It can be seen that Long Yufei deliberately promoted Colonel Liu Zhongming to brigadier general this time, and how much he valued him.

On January 26, 1843, more than 30 transport ships transporting the 2nd Marine Brigade of the Xinhua Army arrived at the mouth of the Pearl River. However, when they joined up with the 1st Fleet of the Navy, they were told that Guangzhou would no longer be the destination of their trip. The 1st Fleet will escort them to the north.

"Brigade Commander Peng, this is a new order issued by the General Staff, the 1st Fleet will escort you through the Taiwan Strait, land in the north of Taiwan, and take Taiwan in one fell swoop." Rear Admiral Wei Yong, commander of the 1st Fleet, handed an order from the General Staff to Brigadier General Peng Mingqiang, commander of the 2nd Marine Brigade. Because the strength of the Qing army's sailors was weak, the Guangdong navy was easily disabled, and the other sailors of the Qing army did not dare to come to fight with the navy of the Xinhua army, which made the navy of the new country very boring for a period of time. They can only watch the army continue to eat meat, they can only watch. Fortunately, this time I escorted the 2nd Brigade of the Marine Corps to Taiwan, and maybe I would fight with the Fujian Naval Division. The strength of the Fujian Navy Division is weak, but there are thousands of people, and annihilating them is also a great achievement.

Brigadier General Peng Mingqiang, commander of the 2nd Marine Corps Brigade, took the order and looked at it, and then said to Major General Wei Yong: "Commander Wei, then there will be labor on the way." ”

"Ha Luha, why are you so polite, we are a family!" Major General Wei Yong said with a smile.

Neither Major General Wei Yong nor Brigadier General Peng Mingqiang took the next enemy into account. Taiwan is just an overseas island, which has not been developed so far, except for the ethnic minorities living in the mountains, there are very few Han Chinese, and the Qing troops stationed there are even rarer. The 2nd Marine Brigade only needs to send a battalion of troops ashore to easily wipe out the Qing army on the island of Taiwan.

On January 28, the 1st Fleet of the Xinhua Navy escorted the 2nd Brigade of the Marine Corps into the Taiwan Strait. When the huge fleet of the Xinhua Army entered the strait, it was immediately discovered by the Fujian sailors cruising there. Facing the huge warship of the Xinhua Navy, the Fujian Navy Division immediately fled. The results of the previous battle between the Guangdong Navy Division and the Xinhua Navy had already made them understand that with their backward warships and tactics, they could not be compared with the Xinhua Navy at all. Fujian Navy Admiral Sai Zhenbiao was the first to ask for help from the front line. If the Xinhua Army was going to land in Fujian, it would not be able to resist it at all with just a few thousand sailors.

As a result, the Qing army, which was attacking northeastern Guangdong from the direction of Fujian, had to suspend the offensive and send troops back for reinforcements. Otherwise, once the back road is copied, then they will be in danger.

In the afternoon of the same day, 12 'Shark-class' cruisers of the 1st Fleet of the Xinhua Navy sailed to Xiamen and launched a fierce artillery bombardment on the Fujian Navy Division. The Fujian Navy Division used shore defense artillery on Xiamen Island to return fire. It's just that the old coastal defense artillery was no match for the naval guns of the Xinhua Army at all, and was quickly destroyed by the Xinhua Navy.

The 1st Fleet of the Xinhua Navy did not leave with a swagger until it destroyed the camp of the Fujian Navy Division and destroyed all the warships tethered on the dock. The Fujian Navy Division suffered heavy losses, with more than 1,000 casualties, and most of the warships were destroyed, so the Fujian Navy Division had lost its combat effectiveness. However, Sai Zhenbiao, the commander of the Fujian Navy Division, was very glad that the Xinhua Army did not land in Xiamen. Otherwise, he is dead.

On the morning of January 30, the 1st Fleet of the Xinhua Navy escorted the 2nd Brigade of the Marine Corps to land in Keelung, northern Taiwan. The Qing army's military strength in Taiwan was very weak, and it could not resist the attack of the Xinhua army at all. (To be continued......)