Super Dictator

When Li Hongzhang heard Weng Tonghe's heart-wrenching remarks, he couldn't help but kowtowed on the ground several times, and said in panic: "I am loyal to the emperor, and I dare not have the slightest intention to preserve my strength. If the emperor thinks that I have I sincerely ask the emperor to allow me to remove my armor and return to my fields as a token of my loyalty."

Although Weng Tonghe knew that Li Hongzhang was retreating in order to advance, he had no choice. Li Hongzhang was the only one who could control the Huai army now. Once Li Hongzhang also gave up, the war would only become more corrupt.

Sure enough, Guangxu comforted him seriously: "I love you and you can learn from the sun and the moon. Now the war between China and Japan is in full swing, and we need loyal people like you to do their best. Alas! I just didn't expect that my Qing army would actually Even the Japanese can’t win.”

Guangxu was indeed a little disheartened. Before the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894, everyone in the imperial court held a conceited mentality, believing that the Japanese country was just a small country and not enough to support.

At that time, Guangxu was also ambitious, hoping to defeat Japan and restore national prestige.

However, as the Chinese army suffered defeat after defeat, he now only hoped to repel the Japanese.

"Does the Qing Dynasty have no more generals to fight against?" Guangxu sighed sadly.

Another military minister, Sun Yuwen, heard Guangxu's sigh and persuaded him loudly: "Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. Mr. Liu and General Feng are on their way to the capital. In addition, the old general Liu Mingchuan also has some thoughts."

General Feng mentioned by Sun Yuwen refers to the famous anti-French general Feng Zicai, and Master Liu refers to the famous Hunan Army Liu Kunyi. After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894, Feng Zicai strongly requested to lead the army from Guangdong and Guangxi to fight against the Japanese army.

However, since the war was not urgent at that time, Guangxu did not agree. After all, no one knew whether the French would come from Vietnam and take advantage of the situation.

Now that the Japanese army has entered China, Guangxu had to consider his request. However, he felt sad to let a veteran of seventy or eighty years old go to the battlefield again. Since when did the Qing Dynasty begin to become depressed?

Liu Mingchuan is the founder of the Ming Army and a veteran of the Huai Army. He has great prestige. If this person is willing to come out again, not to mention whether he will fight again, at least the generals on the front line will not be dissatisfied.

After Liu Mingchuan stepped down from the position of governor of Taiwan, he has been living in seclusion at home to take care of his old age. He has always been brooding about his dismissal. After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1894, the imperial court and Li Hongzhang both intended to let him come back to work, but he thought he was ill. He pushed it for a reason, obviously expressing his dissatisfaction with the court for neglecting him all these years.

But as the Japanese army entered the country, Liu Mingchuan finally relaxed.

However, the Japanese army successfully landed at Huayuankou, which directly endangered Lushun, Dalian and the entire Liaodong Peninsula. It caught the Qing army by surprise. The war was urgent and it was too late for the two men to take office.

Li Hongzhang was well aware of Guangxu's concerns and reported: "Your Majesty, I think we can dispatch the Eastern Route Army's Sichuan Admiral Song Qing to rush to Lushun to control the troops. Before that, Gong Zhaoyu, the former general manager of the enemy's camp affairs office, can temporarily control the situation." ”

Song Qing is now the commander of the Yalu River Defense Line. If Song Qing is transferred, the Yalu River Defense Line will definitely have to appoint another person.

Li Hongzhang continued: "As for the Eastern Route Army, it can be controlled by Nie Shicheng. Nie Shicheng has command and control, and he is worthy of a big task."

Guangxu rubbed his brows helplessly and said: "Just do as Aiqing said, Sun Qing, you will urge Master Liu after you retreat."

Sun Yuwen replied solemnly: "Cha!"

Guangxu glanced at the courtiers again, and then said: "Do you have anything else to report to your family?"

The courtiers looked at me, and I looked at you, and finally they all stared at the ants at their feet, but no one said a word.

Weng Tonghe wanted to express his views on the war, but he could only talk about persisting in the war of resistance, but he could only know everything about specific combat matters. This was why Li Hongzhang had just appointed two generals to take charge. , he had no reason to object.

"Retreat if nothing happens!" Guangxu waved his hands helplessly.

When a group of courtiers heard that the court was about to disperse, especially the princes of the Qing Dynasty, their eyes flashed, thinking about where to go to have fun later.

As soon as he walked out of the gate of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Minister of Military Aircraft Weng Tonghe sneered at Li Hongzhang and said: "Master Li, the war on the front line is corrupt. The emperor is very dissatisfied with your Huai army. I heard that the imperial court is training new soldiers."

What Sun Yuwen meant was, Li Hongzhang, your good days are coming to an end.

Li Hongzhang's beard trembled angrily, and he said in a trembling voice: "The soldiers on the front line fought bloody battles, but Mr. Weng is here with cold words, and he is not afraid of chilling the hearts of the soldiers on the front line."

"Fighting in blood?" Weng Tonghe snorted coldly, and then said: "Why didn't I see it? The news I got was that our soldiers were defeated."

"The two armies fought with each other winning and losing. The Japanese came well prepared. It is not unforgivable that our army was defeated by being caught off guard." Li Hongzhang made excuses for his army.

Weng Tonghe swung his sleeves, turned around and left. Before leaving, he said coldly: "I would like to see when your army can win the battle."

After Weng Tonghe left, Li Hongzhang showed concern. War is the best way to measure an army. With the Sino-Japanese War going on now, he knows better than anyone else that the Huai Army today is no longer the one he personally commanded in the past. The army is gone.

Do your best and depend on destiny.

Li Hongzhang had already made two preparations at this time, one for war and one for peace. If the Liaodong battle was defeated again, peace would be the only way to go.

Dakaoling blocks the only passage from Phoenix City to Liaoyang. The terrain is dangerous and the mountains are stacked, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack.

After the Chinese army withdrew from Phoenix City, they stationed themselves in this dangerous place.

When Song Qing, the commander of the Eastern Route Army, received the telegram from the court, one day had passed.

In the commander's tent, Song Qing handed over the seal representing command power to Nie Shicheng.

Liu Shengxiu, the general of the Ming Army, Lu Benyuan, the general of the Sheng Army, Feng Sheng'a, the general of the Feng Army, etc. all looked at him with burning eyes, and their expressions were obviously extremely envious.

In addition, Liu Shengxiu was still a little angry, thinking that the army in his hands was only much larger than that of Nie Shicheng. He did not expect that after Song Qing left, the new commander would be Nie Shicheng.

"Gongting, the East Route Army depends on you." Song Qing held Nie Shicheng's hand and said with a wry smile.

The war was about to begin, but the imperial court was on both sides of the fence and actually transferred troops from the front line to another place, which made him feel a little incredible.

Nie Shicheng said solemnly: "Admiral Song, please rest assured that Gongting will live up to his trust."

"Oh, on the battlefield, everyone takes care of themselves!" The military situation was urgent. Song Qing clasped his fists and hurried away with his two subordinates, Ma Yukun and Song Desheng.

"Everyone! I, Nie Shicheng, have been given the favor of the imperial court to serve as the temporary commander of the Eastern Route Army. I hope you can work together with me to fight against the Japanese." Nie Shicheng glanced at several generals, especially Liu Shengxiu, and saw Liu Shengxiu in the Battle of Hushan. If he refuses to save him, he obviously has a grudge.

No matter what they thought in their hearts, several generals replied with smiles on their faces: "That's natural."

Nie Shicheng didn't waste any time and walked directly to the map to give his first command.

"Everyone, we are taking advantage of the natural dangers of Dakaoling to fight against the Japanese army, and prevent the Japanese army from attacking Fengtian from the east. General Shengjing Yiketang'a led his troops to garrison at Saimaji, to contain the Japanese army in Phoenix City from the side, and to support our frontal defense of Dakaoling. ”

After talking about his own situation, Nie Shicheng continued: "The enemy's First Army Commander Shanxian Youpeng has arrived in Phoenix City. Please look here. Shanxian Youpeng's intention is very obvious. He divided the army into two groups. One is composed of The Fifth Division led by the Japanese Lieutenant General Nozu Michizuki, passing through Liaoyang from Phoenix City, will inevitably pass through our Dakaoling and will fight with us soon. I have fought against the Fifth Division on the Korean battlefield. We know how ferocious the Japanese are, so we have to be prepared for a hard battle. The other way is the third division led by the Japanese general Katsura Taro, which bypasses Xiuyan and Haicheng and goes out to the west of Liaoyang. The enemy is stationed on this road. Nie Guilin of Xiuyan resisted, but Nie Guilin's army was outnumbered, so I plan to send an army to support him. "

After Nie Shicheng finished speaking, his eyes turned to several generals a few times, and then he said slowly: "General Feng, your troops will go to support Xiuyan."

Feng Sheng'a was stunned for a moment, and then said reluctantly: "I will obey Commander Nie's order!"