In the fourth year of the Ming Dynasty, in late August 1795.

At this time, it was already autumn.

Under the blue sky like blue jade, on the endless prairie, the pasture grass has begun to wither, but it can still make the autumn cattle and sheep stick to the fat.

The sun was shining, and the sky and the ground in the distance were in a line, on a flat ground like a carpet.

A huge team is rolling forward.

At the forefront were squads of cavalry.

They were wearing red military uniforms, and the only difference between them and the Ming Army was the arm scarf on their arms, and even the muskets they were carrying on their shoulders were all replaced with rifled guns in the second year of the Ming Dynasty!

They are the four dragoon brigades formed in advance of the westward battalion of the Ming Expedition!

In March this year, the Generalissimo's Office of the Ming Dynasty began to transfer a large number of officers of the former Qing Army to the Ming Army Military Academy for "further study", and at the same time, it also eliminated a large number of old veterans, and promoted Zhuang Yong from the original Manchurian and Mongolian Eight Banners, including the Mongolian departments, absorbed some of the Eight Banners officers in the original Qing Army, and at the same time supplemented some of the officers transferred from various departments of the Ming Army.

The four dragoon brigades of the westward battalion of the Ming Expedition were thus established.

Due to the full reference to the treatment of the Ming Army, after receiving meritorious service awards, they can complete the promotion in the Ming Army, and at the same time, the main source of soldiers also comes from the lower bannermen and herdsmen of the original Manchurian and Mongolian Eight Banners, and they actually did not get too much benefit from the rule of the Qing Dynasty.

Therefore, in terms of loyalty, it is very guaranteed.

In addition, a part of the officers of the Ming Army and the establishment of a perfect staff system were established.

After more than three months of training near Naturalization City, this army already had some appearance.

They set off in early June and spent two months all the way north – not at a fast pace.

But for a reason.

The reason lies in the huge "nomadic regiment" behind this army!

The expedition to the west recruited thousands of Mongolian herdsmen, drove more than 100,000 cattle and sheep purchased from various departments, and went north through nomadic herding.

This is complete preparation for a protracted war around Irkutsk.

The herdsmen drove the cattle and sheep all the way to the north, and the dense cattle and sheep were like black, white and white dotted on the earth, spreading to the north.

At this time, it is next to the route of a field of cattle and sheep.

Two strong men wearing the uniforms of the Ming military attachés and wearing the steel helmets of the Ming army rode war horses all the way north with cattle and sheep.

You can only see it when you get closer.

It turned out that these two people were the Qing army generals Fukangan and Erle Dengbao.

Oh, now it should be called Fukangan and Guan Dengbao - Fukangan is Fucha, and it is really a blessing to change his surname to Fu. Eredeng Baoben is the Guarjia clan, and now he has changed his surname to Guan, and Guan Erye has the same surname, among the children of the Eight Banners who are mostly fans of the Three Kingdoms, this surname is envied by many Eight Banners.

"Emperor Zhu's abacus is also too fine, while grazing and fighting with the Russians, not even sending supplies, 20,000 troops from the north of the city of Guihua thousands of miles to drink Ma Hanhai, this Central Plains Dynasty of all dynasties, which one wants to drink Ma Hanhai, seal the wolf or something, must not empty the treasury to support logistics."

Fukangan sat on horseback, and opened his mouth to complain about Emperor Zhu's words.

"Third master, what do you say Emperor Zhu has in mind? What about the recruits who have only been trained for less than half a year by 20,000 soldiers, he doesn't want our Manmeng children to die, right? ”

Guan Dengbao said.

Fukangan shook his head: "It's not enough to send us to death, if he wants us to die, can't he just do it directly in Naturalization City, and still need to borrow the hands of the Russians?" What's more, it is another recruiting and training of soldiers, and so many academy officers have been replenished, and rifled guns have been replaced, and the cost is so large, how can they not be sent to death. And even if you die? Most of us are in Naturalization City. ”

Guan Dengbao nodded: "That's right, this Emperor Zhu doesn't need to do this thing of borrowing a knife to kill people, but his abacus is really fine, in ancient and modern times, at home and abroad, drinking Ma Hanhai is something that can only be done by sending elite soldiers and strong generals, Emperor Zhu is good, and we will drive ducks to the shelves after picking up the remnants of our previous dynasties a little, he is really picky, and he is worthy of doing business." ”

The two of you complained about Emperor Zhu with a word.

Anyway, they don't really want to make progress right now.

Now in the army, they don't lead soldiers, but work under Dong He's hands, and become a "civil official", in fact, he is responsible for managing herdsmen, and to put it bluntly, he is responsible for raising cattle and sheep.

But the treatment is not bad.

The treatment of the military attache of the first rank was still retained.

And after this battle, in terms of meritorious deeds, the two of them should also be able to get a marquis.

Fukangan has already thought about it.

After the war was over, he went to Zhongdu to buy land and build a few shops to collect rent.

The north is too dry, although Fukangan is a northerner, but he doesn't like the climate in the north very much, how good is Jiangnan, Jiangnan water and soil raise people, and women are all water and water.

Fukangan, who shrunk his neck, squinted his eyes and endured the wind with wind and sand outside, and began to think about how to lie flat in his heart.

Oh, by the way, he likes to watch theaters, and he can invest in a theater garden.

Maybe in the future, it will be able to form a Manchurian Beijing circle.

Guan Dengbao didn't have anything else to think about now, he was actually ordered by Dong He to follow the army north.

Although the commander of the capital division of the current expedition to the west is Jin Sanxin, the docile king, Jin Sanxin is now enjoying happiness in the northern capital, and the capital is in charge of Dong He and Chen Dewang.

Dong He is in charge of the people.

Chief of the General Staff Tran Duc Wang is in charge of the army.

In short, the war has nothing to do with the two of them, and their current task is to raise sheep.

And most of these sheep will be slaughtered after the first snow of the winter falls, frozen for food, and a second batch of cattle, sheep and grain will arrive next spring.

The two talked and talked about Lebao.

"Le Bao has left the Western Regions with his troops, and I don't know which direction to go." Guan Dengbao sighed and said, "It's good to leave some incense, although the soul of this Qing Dynasty is gone, there is still a little shadow."

Right now.

A ride came from the north.

"The two governors, both of them have military orders, please go north immediately to participate in the military discussion!"

The two glanced at each other when they heard this, what kind of military conference did they need to participate in?

Before the sun goes down.

Dotted tents have been spread out across the grasslands.

Inside the big tent in the middle.

A huge map of Irkutsk and the nearby terrain hangs at one end of the conference table.

When Fukangan and Guan Dengbao came in, they found that many military officers and civil affairs officials at all levels had already arrived.

And after the two of them sat down, officials summoned from all over the world came one after another.

As the door of the big tent closed, Chen Dewang and Dong Huan, who had been talking in a low voice, stood up.

Dong He nodded to Chen Dewang first, then looked at everyone and said: "There is a new situation, the Russian crown prince has personally arrived in Irkutsk, and there is also Russian Army General Lepnin who came before. ”

"According to the news sent back by the scouts, now that the Russian army is leaving Irkutsk and heading south, it seems that they do not intend to rely on the fortress of Irkutsk to defend, but are seeking a decisive battle!"

After Dong Huan finished speaking.

Chen Dewang stood up and said: "Although Tsarist Russia's actions were beyond our expectations, since they took the initiative to seek war, we also categorically avoided the reason not to fight!" ”

Chen Dewang's face was serious, and he smiled in his heart.

He really didn't expect it.

The Russians are so big.

Dare to leave Irkutsk in search of a field battle!

Without the fortress group, the possibility of crushing the Russian military presence in Siberia before the winter of this year is greatly increased!

But

What to do after the capture of Irkutsk .

You have to ask the imperial court first, but for the Ming Dynasty, if you get Irkuzk, where the two major rivers meet, you can use it as an outpost to attack Tsarist Russia in the future - Irkutsk has abundant water, and in the summer it can grow a season's wheat, sweet potatoes, and potatoes.

Fukangan and Guan Dengbao looked at each other.

There was incredulity on their faces.

Russians are crazy?

They actually sent a crown prince and an army general to the East.

They even took the initiative when there were only 20,000 troops?

Are all Russians so stupid?

How can this feeling be so familiar?

Fukangan suddenly remembered his battle in Guangzhou.

At that time, I was probably full of confidence, and I felt that it was just idle to defeat the Ming army

I really didn't expect it.

After so many years have passed, there are still people who dare to underestimate the Ming army, although the main body of this army is the children of Manchu and Mongolia.

But the training mode, the command system, and even the equipment.

It's all completely "Damingization".

Even if the combat effectiveness does not reach 100 percent of the combat effectiveness of the Ming Army, it is still 70 or 80 percent.

So what are the Russians capable of.

How dare you take the initiative when the forces are almost equal?

(End of chapter)