Commander Yang is really not at ease with Huang Daxia. War is a strange thing, sometimes it's not your enemies who defeat you, it's your allies. For example, if their ally, the Japanese, had not been in a hurry to go south when the German army attacked the Soviet Union, and had cooperated with the footsteps of the Germans, perhaps the entire history of World War II would have been different.

For example, in the just-concluded war between the Volunteers and the Japanese, if the Russians cooperated a little and restrained the strength of the Volunteers, the Japanese army would not be so miserable at least, and the situation Yang Xiaolin is facing now may be very difficult.

A pig-like teammate is really more terrifying than a god-like opponent. This is not to say that Huang Daxia is a pig, just an analogy. At the beginning, Yang Xiaolin's battle in Wuchang was carefully studied, and when Huang Xing faced Feng Guozhang in Wuchang, Commander Yang had already commented on him: "It is absolutely suitable to be a battalion commander!" ”

After knowing that Commander-in-Chief Huang personally led the troops north, Commander Yang did not dare to have the idea of cooperation.

"Let's talk about it depending on their situation, let's cooperate with him when necessary, but we can't bet on Huang Xing to make a battle plan."

Mafang Town, Beijing.

Jiang Baili arranged three outlying strongholds on the defense of the defense of Beijing, Miyun, Pinggu, and Sanhe. This practice really bought the Beiyang Army a lot of time, and when the Russian troops broke through the Pinggu and rushed over, they were faced with more complete fortifications and more stubborn resistance from the Beiyang Army.

Responsible for defending here is the most elite unit under Lao Yuan, the New Army of the Fifth Town of Beiyang, and their commander Zhang Huaizhi has a similar status in Beiyang as Duan Qirui and Feng Guozhang. It's just that because Zhang Huaizhi is low-key, he doesn't have the reputation of the Beiyang Sanjie.

There are many generals in Beiyang who are from poor families, such as Lei Zhenchun, Jin Yunpeng, and this Zhang Huaizhi. The most bitter is Zhang Huaizhi. Jin Yunpeng can be regarded as a descendant of workers, and Lei Zhenchun can also be regarded as a poor peasant, and there is still a cow at home.

And Zhang Huaizhi was born as a slave and is really poor and white. In him is a Chinese version of the reality of going from slave to general.

It is precisely because of his background that he is more grateful to Yuan Shikai and cherishes the present even more! When Lao Yuan put him in this place, Zhang Huaizhi's heart knew very well that this time was his chance to repay Yuan Shikai's kindness.

The Russian artillery bombardment was no longer as ferocious as the previous few days, after all, Lao Maozi was fighting away, and with their attack on Beijing, and the Beiyang Army was unexpectedly tenacious. More and more troops were harassing their rear, and supplies were frequently attacked. Some of the scattered stragglers of the Beiyang Army, some of the volunteers from the northeast, and some ordinary people also spontaneously formed armed forces to support the fighting in Beijing in their own way.

Even so, Zhang Huaizhi fought very hard here, more than half of the troops had suffered casualties, and he fought hand-to-hand battles with the Russians several times, and he even fought with his own knife at the age of almost 50. In a bloody battle that had just ended, his deputy, Jiang Chaozong, was wounded in the arm. The wound was being bandaged at this time.

Jiang Chaozong's courage seemed to have been gradually lost by the Russians, especially the bayonet just now, which almost killed him, and the fear of death became even stronger after escaping death.

"Lao Zhang. The president told us to hold on for seven days, and this is the eleventh day, can we withdraw? ”

Zhang Huaizhi's eyes looked at the Russian formation, which was being adjusted in front, and he knew that Lao Maozi's next round of charge might be coming again.

"How many people are there in the Eighth Association of the Right Wing?"

"Less than two thousand."

Zhang Huaizhi paused. Then he said in a non-negotiable tone: "Tell Zhang Fulai to hold the position!" ”

Jiang Chaozong was really depressed: "You're crazy!" I think you're crazy! ”

Zhang Huaizhi didn't explain anything to him, just said: "I have decided to die here." If it's a normal battle, you should go back. But the significance of this battle is not trivial, as an officer, if you leave, it will inevitably move the hearts of our army, so let's talk ugly in front, if you dare to retreat from the battle, don't blame me for not thinking about many years of friendship. ”

Jiang Chaozong raised his head and sighed, knowing that this matter was not discussed, in fact, he also knew that even if Zhang Huaizhi let him go, he might not be able to spare him when he went back. At the moment, he said: "Even if we don't withdraw, do we want reinforcements?" The brothers really couldn't hold on. ”

Zhang Huaizhi shook his head: "There are a lot of recruits in the capital, but they are learning how to shoot, and letting them come up at this time is no different from sending them to death!" Practice for a few more days, after Lao Tzu dies, it will be up to them to defend Beijing. ”

As soon as the words fell, a Beiyang soldier on the front line let out a throat-tearing shout: "Old Maozi is here!" ”

Zhang Huaizhi was no longer verbose: "All departments enter the combat position!" Hit me hard! ”

The sound of machine guns immediately exploded on the ground like firecrackers, and the battlefield is really a place where soldiers grow the fastest! Tactics that you may not be able to comprehend after a year of training on weekdays, you will understand them all with just one bullet in this place, of course, provided that you can live.

The Russians' repeated shocks and the baptism of artillery fire made them learn to cooperate with their comrades, let them know how to flexibly use cross-fire to stop the enemy's attack, and even did not want to be handed over, they understood that the best way to block the Russians was to use artillery fire to cut off the Russians' attack wave. They may not have felt the change themselves, but their opponents clearly found that the battle was getting harder and harder.

This time, the attackers and defenders fought for an hour, and when the Russians withdrew from the positions of the Beiyang Army, the trenches seemed to be filled with corpses.

Zhang Huaizhi didn't count the results of the battle, and organized the soldiers to clean up the position, and all the corpses of the soldiers of the Beiyang Army were moved out and put away, and some ordinary people would come over to help them carry them away. As for the corpses of the Russians, Zhang Huaizhi did not return them to Lao Maozi according to the rules, and dragged them out and placed them in front of his position, which could not only increase the height of the trenches, but also play a role in making Lao Maozi unable to settle down when the Russians rushed over.

In the past few days, there are seven or eight thousand old Maozi who have fallen in their position, and the wall of corpses is getting wider and wider.

"Report to the General! The positions of the Right Wing Eight Associations were occupied by the Russians! ”

A soldier of the Beiyang Army hurriedly ran over, Zhang Huaizhi's face was not much surprised, he just looked up at his right flank, and then asked in a deep voice: "Where is Zhang Fulai?" ”

The soldier's voice was a little choked: "Zhang Xietong has died in battle, and the Russians are now hanging his body on the flagpole......."

Zhang Huaizhi's chest obviously had a big ups and downs, and he looked up at the sky: "It's getting dark, form a death squad and recapture the position at night." ”

"Yes!"

Jiang Chaozong didn't want to say anything more, but he couldn't bear it anymore after hearing this: "Lao Zhang! Isn't it okay to ask for reinforcements?! ”

Zhang Huaizhi glared at him fiercely: "If you want reinforcements, you can ask for them after I die." Now, if I say any more, I will kill you. ”

Zhang Huaizhi didn't want reinforcements, he thought that Yuan Shikai put himself here and looked up to himself, and the position would be captured by the Russians sooner or later, but as long as he held on for one more day, he could let the Russian troops consume a cent of their sharpness. Kill one more Russian yourself, and Lao Yuan's life will be a little better. If you hold on for one more minute, there will be more hope for Beijing.

The ancients said that a scholar dies for a confidant, Zhang Huaizhi knows that his background may have nothing to do with a scholar, but he is really willing to die to defend Beijing City and Yuan Shikai! He knew that he was a soldier, and dying on the battlefield was the glory of a soldier, and dying for the country was even more supreme.

Yuan Shikai has a lot of experience in employing people. When he put Zhang Huaizhi on the front line, he knew that he could have at least seven days, as long as Zhang Huaizhi still had a breath, he would be safe.

In the past seven days, Yuan Shikai has done a lot of things, negotiating with such foreigners one by one, and at the same time vigorously calming the emotions of the ordinary people in Beijing internally.

When the Russians first called, many ordinary people were very panicked, and they were afraid that Lao Yuan would leave Beijing and flee like Cixi at the beginning. These days, Yuan Shikai has appeared on the streets every day, and he always shows up in the most crowded places, so that the people can see that he is still there.

Slowly, the common people were no longer afraid, although the artillery fire was flying above their heads, and some shells were smashed on their heads from time to time, but the whole of Beijing was relatively stable, and there was no large-scale chaos.

Fortifications were being built in many parts of the city, and the Beiyang Army was prepared for the worst, in case the Russians broke into the city of Beijing, they would also resort to street battles and the Russians would fight to the death. Yuan Shikai himself is also very calm, he completely lets go of military matters to Jiang Baili and Duan Qirui, and can report the information to him every day.

And he himself did something he thought he should do.

"Zhenchun, did they respond to the plan we sent to Minister Sa Daoyi yesterday?"

Lei Zhenchun had already waited outside the door, and when he heard Lao Yuan shouting, he came in from outside: "President, Minister Sadaoyi did not give us any answer, and when I sent the document, Zhu Erdian also said that if we are really too close to the Northeast, Britain will consider severing diplomatic relations with us and sanctioning us economically." ”

Lao Yuan's hand was tying his bow tie, and he shook a little at this time. The British Empire sanctioned Russia during the Russo-Japanese War, which directly led to the inability to sell many Russian goods, which is one of the reasons why Lao Maozi could not fight in the end.

He really didn't expect the British to give him such a ruthless trick! Not only sanctions, but also the severance of diplomatic relations. And if this era is not recognized by the British Empire, the status of New China in the international community really cannot be raised.

Lao Yuan was a little angry in his heart, and the beard at the corner of his mouth shook a few times: "Arrange a time in the afternoon, and I will personally go to see Sa Daoyi and Zhu Erdian." (To be continued......)