Chapter 049 Indecisive

Zhou Charter shook his head and said, "You'd better not go back."

"Why? Didn't you send troops to the Qing Dynasty?

"This..." Zhou Charter couldn't bear to tell the innocent little girl the painful ending: "It's really not the right time. There's still a war over there."

"But my father..."

"Your father will be fine."

"Really?"

"Really." Zhou Charter nodded solemnly, as long as he could comfort the girl. Somehow, Zhou Charter was afraid to see the disappointment on the girl's face.

Zhou Charter said and walked out of the door.

The streets were more chaotic, and the soldiers got Zhang Xun's promise of "eating and drinking well", which became more unscrupulous and noisy throughout Jiulian City.

The restaurant owner stood at the door and stared at the eight heads hanging from the door. In the restaurant, the soldiers were still drinking and guessing and didn't care about the eight bloody heads.

The First Sino-Japanese War was imminent, but the officers and soldiers of the Qing Dynasty were still drunk and dreamed to death in Jiulian City!

Zhou Charter asked, "Boss, where is Admiral Song's camp?"

Zhang Xun just said that the Yalu River has been under martial law, and no one is allowed to cross the river without Song Qing's approval. Zhou Charter didn't know Song Qing, but he had a warrant from Liu Bu toad. Liu Bu toad was also a well-known figure in the military circles of the Qing Dynasty, thinking that Song Qing would give some face.

"Exit to the east of the city, it's by the river." The boss said in a daze.

"Thank you very much." Zhou Charter arched his hand and turned to the east.

Out of Jiulian City, the noise gradually calmed down. On both sides of the road were camp tents side by side. The flags rang in the night wind, the camp lights flashed, and the moonlight was bright.

Walking three miles to the east, the sound of the waves of the river came from the front. A large camp stood tall. Through the moonlight, a huge flag in front of the camp gate was faintly visible in the wind, and a Song character could be faintly seen on the flag.

There was a shout in front of him: "Who!"

A team of soldiers flashed out at the gate of the camp, holding a rifle and hanging a big knife on his waist. The leader shouted at Zhou Charter: "Kid, you really found it!"

It was Zhang Xun who spoke. He took the patrol team around Jiulian City and returned to Song Qing's camp.

Zhou Charter made a Western-style military salute to Zhang Xun: "General Zhang, you know that I want to cross the river to find Lord Zuo precious. Please ask General Zhang to inform Admiral Song and approve me to cross the river."

Zhang Xunzheng didn't look at Zhou Charter: "Kid, play Western tricks for me. Your boy has Liu Bu toad's order, and I can't help you. You wait for me. If the Admiral doesn't see you, it depends on your creation."

Zhang Xun turned around and entered the camp gate.

Zhou Charter secretly laughed in his heart. Zhang Xun killed people without blinking, but he was also cheerful. It didn't matter if he didn't kowtow to him. He was not as sour as Feng Guozhang.

After waiting for a while, he saw Zhang Xun out of the camp and said, "Kid, you really have a lot of face. Admiral Song just fell asleep and heard that your boy was coming, but he didn't sleep. Boy, are you and Admiral Song old?"

The admiral is a general of the imperial court. Zhou Charter is now a small soldier of the Beiyang Marine Division. Song Qing heard that Zhou Charter came and didn't even sleep, which was really surprising.

Zhou Charter has never seen Song Qing. How can he talk about the old one? However, Zhang Xun's attitude eased a lot, and Zhou Charter hummed without saying anything. Who knew what medicine was sold in the Admiral's gourd, as long as he could see him.

Zhang Xun did not dare to neglect. He led the way and took Zhou Charter into the camp gate. He passed through two roads and three trenches and entered a small forest. In the depths of the forest, a military tent appeared. The military tent was surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the river, which was extremely hidden.

Zhou Charter followed Zhang Xun into the military tent. The military tent was brightly lit. On a tiger-skinned handsome chair, there sat a white-haired veteran. His face was gloomy, his eyes were bloody, and his expression was very tired.

Zhou Charter hurriedly knelt down: "Zhou Charter, a Beiyang sailor, have met the Admiral." With that, he handed over Liu Bu Toad's warrant with both hands: "The little man was ordered by Lord Liu to go to the left precious department and has important military affairs."

Song Qing is not an ordinary admiral. He used to be a subordinate of Zuo Zongtang. He followed Zuo Zongtang to make many achievements in Shaanxi and Gansu and hanged the rank of admiral of Sichuan, but his troops were stationed at Lushunkou. Four years ago, the court added the title of crown prince Taibao and received the title of minister. He was a minister of the imperial court. Therefore, Zhou Charter did not dare to neglect Song Qing.

Zhang Xun sent the order to several cases of Song Qing. Song Qing picked it up, took a look, and said, "Zhou Charter, get up and talk."

"Thank you." Zhou Charter stood up.

"Liu Bu Toad ordered you to go to Zuo's precious headquarters. Could it be that the court was determined to go to war?" Song Qing asked. Liu Bu Toad is Li Hongzhang's confidant general. At this time, Liu Bu Toad sent people to cross the river, and Song Qing will naturally think that it is related to the war in North Korea.

"Your Excellency, the villain is just a personal soldier. He is ordered to act. The major events of the court are unknown to the villain."

Song Qing nodded and let out a long sigh.

It has been half a month since Song Qing's department was ordered to rush from Lushunkou to Jiulian City.

There was violence in North Korea. After the chaos, the imperial court always hesitated between war and peace. According to the will of the imperial court, Sichuan Admiral Song Qing sat in Jiulian City and controlled all the troops along the Yalu River. Ye Zhichao, the direct governor, led his army into the court and stationed in Asan as the highest military commander of the Qing army in North Korea.

Due to the limited maritime transportation capacity of the Qing Dynasty, most of the people need to take land and enter the dynasty through Jiuliancheng. Therefore, so far, Ye Zhichao in Asan has only more than 3,000 troops, while the Japanese army in North Korea has reached 8,000.

Ye Zhichao felt the lack of troops and wrote to Song Qing many times, urging him to quickly dispatch reinforcements into North Korea. Two days ago, Song Qing ordered Zuo Baoshuai Fengjun 3* to cross the Yalu River and quickly enter the court.

However, as soon as Zuo Baogui left, Song Qing received Li Hongzhang's instructions to gather the Wei Ruguisheng Army, Ma Yukunyi Army, Fengsheng A Shengzi Training Army and other troops in Jiulian City to stop moving forward and never cross the river. He even asked Zuo Baogui's troops who had crossed the river to retreat.

Song Qing knew that this was Li Hongzhang's hope for the intervention of the great powers to avoid war with the Japanese army.

However, all signs show that the Japanese are determined to fight a war.

It is reported that since Yoshimasa Oshima led a mixed brigade to land in Incheon, Japan's wartime base camp appointed General Aritomo Yamagata as the new commander of the First Army and commander of the Third Division and the Fifth Division. He successively boarded ships from Japan to North Korea. After all of them arrived in North Korea, the Japanese army in North Korea will reach more than 20,000, and, The Japanese army was stationed near the capital and became a hostage to the North Korean court.

Ye Zhichao kept sending people to ask Song Qing to march, and the North Korean court also sent secret envoys to Jiulian City, stating that the capital was seriously threatened by the Japanese army and implored Song Qing to send troops as soon as possible. Otherwise, North Korea would have to give in to the Japanese and declare its separation from the Qing Dynasty.

The situation in North Korea is imminent, but the Qing court has been reluctant to order a march.

Song Qing did not dare to disobey the order. The only thing he could do was to use the high road as an excuse not to recover Zuo's precious troops who had crossed the river. He hoped that Zuo's precious Fengjun could meet Ye Zhichao in time and help Ye Zhichao stick to Yashan.

However, the news from the left's precious side is frustrating.

North Korea's rivers are vertical and mountains are walled. North Korea is poor, and the government never builds roads. From Jiulian City to Asan, it is thousands of miles away. After crossing the river, Zuo's precious Feng army was blocked in the vast mountains and marched less than 50 miles a day. Two days have passed. They haven't arrived at Pyongyang, and Pyongyang is still 800 miles away from Asan.

In the daytime, Ye Zhichao sent people to bring emergency documents, asking Song Qing to send troops across the river anyway and quickly reinforce Yashan.

Song Qing is in a dilemma.

Song Qing said in a low voice, "Zhou Charter, you are a member of the Beiyang Marine Division. Now, Japan's combined fleet has also sailed to the coast of North Korea. Liu Budu ordered you to meet the precious left. It must be 100,000 urgent!"

Zhou Charter wanted to see Zuo Baogui, but in fact, it was to escape for his life. Speaking of which, it was also urgent, so Zhou Charter nodded.

"I am the army, so it's not convenient to ask about your Beiyang sailors. Well, you should prepare to cross the river tomorrow morning."

"Thank you very much." Things went so smoothly that Zhou Charter breathed a sigh of relief.

Song Qing turned to Zhang Xun: "General Zhang, Liu Bu Toad's Beiyang Marine Division has a joint operation with Zuo's precious Feng army. This week's Charter has an extremely important liaison task, and there can't be any difference. Therefore, I ordered you to take a battalion of people, no, three battalions of people, a total of 1,500 people, ten cannons and ten Gatlin cannons to protect Zhou Charter from crossing the river. Remember, be sure to send Zhou Charter to Yashan safely!"

"Follow the order!" Zhang Xun bowed and said, and then looked at Zhou Charter, secretly in his heart.

1,500 people, ten cannons, 20 Gatlin cannons! Admiral Song actually used such a well-equipped force to escort Zhou Charter across the river. Needless to say, Zhou Charter and Song Qing are not only old, but also a life-threatening friendship!

Zhang Xun couldn't help but be eight points shorter in front of Zhou Charter.

Zhou Charter was first shocked, and then smiled secretly.

Now, he has finally figured out what medicine is sold in Admiral Song's gourd.

(Collection! Don't forget to collect!)