In 1870, the ninth year of Tongzhi, the envoy of Fuso, Yanagihara Maemitsu, arrived in Tianjin and asked for a contract with the Qing government, with a letter from the Fuso Foreign Secretary to the Qing Premier Yamen:

It is to the effect that Fusang has traded with Tang, Britain, France, the United States and other countries, and Huaxia is a close neighbor of Fusang, and has been friendly for thousands of years, and asked for a trade treaty with the Manchu Qing Dynasty.

And Prime Minister Yamen replied:

As in the past, trade was sufficient, and there was no need to conclude a trade treaty, and Fuso was directly rejected.

In fact, this kind of ending is not difficult to predict, according to the tradition that more of the Yamen of the Qing Dynasty is better than less, I want to be the upper country of the Heavenly Dynasty, and the treasure of the heavens, who is impatient to trade with you and the Japanese Kingdom?

At this time, Li Hongzhang was appointed as the governor of Zhili, and the envoy of Fusang, Yanagihara, came to visit him, and his attitude was extremely respectful;

Fusang was forced to trade with the Tang Dynasty, Britain, France, the United States of America and the United States allies. Considering that the Fusang Islands are the closest to the mainland and that the two sides have a tradition of friendship for thousands of years, Fuso hopes to be able to trade with the mainland and make concerted efforts to resist foreign aggression ...... "Yunyun."

This conversation touched Li Hongzhang's mind of "uniting and subduing the country", and he accepted a generous gift from Fusang.

Therefore, Li Hongzhang said to Prime Minister Yamen; It is possible to conclude a trade contract with Fuso.

The reason is that "Fusang admires Chinese culture and is proficient in Chinese writing, so he should unite with Fuso to resist the Western powers, and not make Fusang fall to the great powers and become their accomplices."

But Li Hongzhang emphasized; "Trade with Fuso was different from that of the Western powers. In particular, treaties should be negotiated and decided on separately. It is not possible to conclude unequal trade treaties like Britain, France and Russia......

When the news reached the center of the Tang Empire, His Majesty the Emperor only approved one sentence; "The Japanese are far from being the masters of peace, and they will make decisions based on their words and deeds."

Seeing that the Fuso people had just resolved their internal troubles, the shogunate abandoned its traditional rule and adopted a new concept of elected government, and introduced a series of innovative measures to alleviate domestic conflicts to a considerable extent.

It's not ...... Less than a year after the shutdown, he began to tinker with foreign policy again.

The Fuso reformists aimed the spearhead of future colonization on the Korean Peninsula, made frequent small moves, and began to continuously send spies to the Korean Peninsula to recruit pro-Japanese people in preparation for the next colonization of the Korean Peninsula.

There's really no one left, and there's no time for a few days to stop.

Considering the increasingly obvious tendency to contain Tsarist Russia's eastward invasion, Emperor Richard also acquiesced to the impatient expansion of the Fuso people and maintained a wait-and-see attitude for the time being.

In his opinion

I don't have a good impression of Han Bangzi, Fuso's colonization of the Korean Peninsula is dog eat dog, this is the original historical trajectory, just let him go!

The Qing government's garrison on the Korean Peninsula is just a spectacle, and the real Russian old Maozi will be broken as soon as he kills it, and he can't count on Yuan Shikai and these people to guard the North Korean Gate, so it is better for the Fusang people to be able to eat and live.

The situation in East Asia is becoming clearer and clearer, and if the Fuso people do not occupy the Korean Peninsula, there is no doubt that the old Maozi of Tsarist Russia will take advantage of the situation to occupy the Korean Peninsula.

Whether it is the three eastern provinces or the Korean Peninsula, the Qing government inside and outside the country cannot withstand the pressure.

Rather than taking the risk of meddling in the situation in East Asia, it may be the best choice to let the situation in East Asia develop according to its original historical appearance.

The Tang Empire's meddling in East Asia had three disadvantages;

The first is a strong attempt to resist the southern invasion of Tsarist Russia to the north, and the second is to lead to the extreme dissatisfaction of Fusang, because the Tang Empire has blocked the only direction in which Fusang's expansion can be expanded, and it will inevitably complain, leading to the deterioration of relations.

The third is the overall deterioration of relations with the Qing Dynasty and with Britain, France and other world powers, which will lead to the unpredictable development of the world situation.

The former is because the Tang Empire and the Manchu Empire are of the same culture, the same species and the same blood, and more importantly, the Chinese control the imperial power, which is a great threat to the Manchu Dynasty, far greater than foreign insults.

The so-called "Rather to a Gentile than a domestic slave".

The Manchu Dynasty will inevitably regard the Tang Empire as the No. 1 enemy of Tianzi, and completely cut off relations from immigration and commerce, which will inevitably have a significant impact.

Without a large-scale war between the two countries, it would be difficult to resolve this hidden danger.

The latter is because of its direct involvement in the situation in East Asia, and the Tang Empire has touched the cake of Britain, France and other world powers, which will inevitably attract strong strategic hostility, just like it did with the Tsarist Russian Empire.

So

The best response is to respond to all changes with the same.

In the heart of Emperor Richard

Nowadays, the economic development of the Tang Empire is the top priority, and on the basis of digesting the fruits of the early expansion and colonization, the economic strength has reached a new level, and it is the most priority policy to build the imperial economy well.

Early September

Just when the international situation was disturbing, there was another exciting news from Europe;

France was defeated, Napoleon III was captured and surrendered, and he offered his sword to pray for peace.

The date is September 1, 1870

The besieged French Marshal Bazin led the French army in the fortress of Metz to break through and fought a bloody battle with the Prussian army, which lasted for two whole days, and tens of thousands of French troops fell on the way to break out, still blocked back by the tough Prussian army.

meanwhile

The main force of the 3rd Corps of the Prussian army, 210,000 people, launched a large-scale attack on Sedan and launched a comprehensive artillery bombardment of the 120,000 French troops of the Charon Corps entrenched here, and more than 700 artillery pieces bombarded the French camp, and the shells fell like dense raindrops, and the whole city of Sedan was in flames......

"Boom, boom, boom...... Boom Boom Boom ......"

More than 20 artillery positions of the Prussian army roared in unison, throwing off their arms to deliver heavy artillery fire, and the empty shell shells were piled up like a hill.

His Royal Highness Don Li Kun stood not far away, and he couldn't help but feel his scalp tingle when he saw this ruthless pair of vows to tear the old French man to pieces.

What a big hatred is this, is it really going to die?

Thinking of the grievances and grievances of the Franco-Prussian people for hundreds of years, the German nation is now divided and backward, and the French are one of its main hostile forces, they can only shake their heads and smile bitterly.

The main reason for the excitement of the Prussian officers and soldiers was that the French Emperor Napoleon III was in the city of Sedan and the opportunity to establish immortal feats was in front of him.

More than 200,000 Prussian troops were impenetrable to the siege of the city, and the faces of the officers and soldiers from top to bottom were full of high-spirited fighting spirit.

King Wilhelm I of Prussia, Prime Minister Bismarck, Chief of Staff General Moltke and other top Putin officials were all present to personally command this crucial Armageddon and prepare to settle the matter in one fell swoop.

His Royal Highness Don Lee Kun raised his hand to look at the exquisite Swiss watch, it was about 10:10 a.m., and the continuous shelling of the city of Sedang had been going on for an hour and a half, and the solid stone buildings in the city had collapsed, stone chips were flying, and countless French officers and soldiers were killed in the heavy artillery bombardment.

Putting down his hand, His Royal Highness Don Lee Kun asked General Mace, the head of the British delegation standing beside him; "General Metz, do you think the French still have a chance?"

"Unless there is a miracle, or Joan of Arc leads a surprise army to break through the siege, ......," General Metz spread his hands with a look of regret, expressing great disbelief in the prospect of the French Emperor being able to get out of trouble.

His Royal Highness Don-Li Kun sighed lightly and said; "It's no wonder that no one else, His Majesty Napoleon III has been involved in the Chalond Army!"

"I very much agree with you, Your Highness." General Mace responded.

The French Emperor Napoleon III, who had left the front line, received a telegram from the Regency Council in Paris, urging him not to return to Paris, which would lead to a collapse of popular confidence and jeopardize the rule of the Second French Empire.

There was no choice

Napoleon III turned directly to the city of Sedan and joined up with the 120,000 main forces of the Charlons corps, who had been ordered to relieve the siege of the French at the fortress of Metz.

This move

The main force of the Prussian army that heard the news gathered like sharks smelling blood, and soon cut off the access to the area around Sedan, forming a large encirclement.

On the morning of September 1, the Prussian army occupied Vrizi, Dongsheli and other places, successfully cut off the road for the French army to retreat westward, and blocked the French army's retreat from behind.

The battle began at 4 a.m., and the Prussian heavy army group, surrounded from all sides, took the lead in capturing more than 10 French towns around Sedan before dawn.

The battle first broke out in the town of Basalis, a key area of French defense, where fortified barricades, artillery positions, and several machine-gun positions were established, and a large number of troops were stationed to defend the town.

The attack on the town of Na-Monsal was carried out by the Prussian Sixth Army Corps under the command of Prince George of Saxony, while the friendly general von da Dunn was responsible for the attack on the right flank of the town of Basalis, and the units were in operation from 3 a.m. onwards.

At 4 a.m., when it was dark

When a brigade of soldiers under General Dunn crossed the river near the town of Basalis on a pontoon bridge erected overnight, they encountered fierce resistance from the French.

For a time, the gunfire was loud, and the dragged gunfire was like an intertwined fire net, hitting trees and bushes with branches and leaves, and the screams were endless.

The soldiers on both sides could not feel each other's movements, nor could they see each other's figures, but just covered their heads and fired desperately, and the battle was quite fierce.

The battle by the river attracted more troops to participate, and soon ...... Reinforcements from several brigades of the 1st, 5th, and 13th French Corps arrived, and the Prussian army threw in more troops, and a fierce battle broke out in the woods by the river in the early morning.

It was past seven o'clock, when it was getting dark

The Prussian 8th Division, which was fully armed, arrived, launched a fierce offensive with superior forces, breaking through the French defenses in the groves on the edge of the town, and the battle moved to the town of Barsalis.

This time

Fierce fighting has broken out in more than 10 villages and towns around the city of Sedang, and the fast-moving Prussian troops have broken through the outer defense line of the French army and strode towards the city of Sedang.

General von Da Dunn was on the first line of the battle, and after carefully observing the strong defenses of the French town, he ordered the follow-up artillery to approach and set up positions, determined to break the French will to resist with heavy artillery fire.

More than 20 minutes later

The Prussian artillery began to bombard the town of Basalis, and the Prussian soldiers on the other side poured into the town in a tidal wave, engaged the French army in a fierce house-by-house battle, and soon established a victory and occupied the French town.

Before he could catch his breath, the 8th Prussian Division received an order to support the Bavarian army attacking the town of Na Monsall.

The French army entrenched in the town resisted stubbornly, constantly throwing in reinforcements and fighting with the Bavarians repeatedly, and a building changed hands several times and still did not give up, and the battle was unprecedentedly bloody and cruel.

The 8th Division, which received the order, immediately ran forward and soon reached the town of Nay Monsall, which was only about ten kilometers away, and then rushed and beat the French to the ground with the Bavarian army......

When more than ten towns around Sedan City were not fully controlled, King Wilhelm I of Prussia issued an order for a general attack, and more than 700 artillery pieces bombarded Sedan City into a sea of fire at any cost.

In just over two hours, more than 460,000 shells were fired.

Such an attack density made His Royal Highness Don Li Kun feel astonished, and he had a new understanding of the cruelty of the war in Europe, which was really inhumane!

460,000 rounds of artillery shells is more than 6 million Tang Yuan, plus the rifled gun barrels of more than 700 artillery pieces, 7 million Tang Yuan is lost like this, it really costs money!

However, considering that there is the French Emperor in the city of Sedan, the 120,000 elite officers and soldiers of the French main force Charon Legion, and the strength and glory that the German nation dreams of, I feel that all this effort is worth it.

11 a.m

The bombardment, which lasted for more than two hours, finally stopped, and the Prussian army launched an all-out assault on the city from all sides.

William I ordered;

All the troops launched an all-out attack, there was no main attack direction, there was no main attacking force, and all Prussian troops were the main attacking force until the French Emperor Napoleon III was captured alive or killed.

As soon as this murderous order was given, the more than 200,000 Prussian troops were all boiling, and their morale was as high as if they had been beaten with chicken blood, and they rushed to the city of Sedang with their rifles.

It was at this moment that the most tragic scene appeared.

The haughty French cavalry, led by General Magrieti, rushed out from the southwest of the city of Sedan like a furious hurry, and launched a tragic and desperate charge against the Prussian army, vowing to tear a breakthrough for His Majesty the Emperor.

Tens of thousands of French cavalrymen charged with sabers held high, and the hooves of their horses trembled on the earthquake, converging into an unstoppable torrent and catharsis...... There is no then.

The scene that once happened at Bali Bridge happened again under the city of Sedang, and this time the protagonist of the tragedy was the French cavalry.

The hot summer breeze mixed with blood and gunpowder smoke blew, and the thick smoke and dust gradually drifted away, revealing a terrible killing field in front of everyone, with the corpses of war horses and cavalry mixed together for several kilometers in a radius.

The battle flag was broken, and the men and horses died......

The charge of modern cavalry in the face of a dense array of infantry is tantamount to suicide, and history has once again confirmed this.

(End of chapter)