Chapter 66 Two Losers

The Tumen River flows continuously on the border between North Korea and the northeast. The Tumen River, which is more than 1,100 miles long, does not appear in the history of East Asia as often as the Yalu River. Even the reason why it is widely known is that after the Russian War, in order to prevent the Japanese army from entering Russia from the Tumen River, the Russian army mobilized more to the right bank of the river. Four divisions have built a large number of fortresses.

It's just that the Russians didn't know that the reason why the second and third reserve divisions of the Japanese army on the left bank built fortifications in the north of Xianjing was just a trick of Taro to lure the enemy to divide the troops.

The defense line of the second and third reserve divisions of the Japanese army stands along the Tumen River. With Shili Cave at the mouth of the Tumen River as the point, it extends to Hepu Cave. There are many forts and fortresses on the defense line. In the relatively complex Maoshan mountain forest area, there is no defense because it is not suitable for the operation of large troops.

There is no bridge on the Tumen River. Any army that wants to cross the Tumen River must be built by engineers. A year ago, the Guangfu Army used iron engineers to build a bridge on the Yellow River for the first time. When the main force of the Korean army crossed the Yalu River, in addition to capturing the military engineering bridge, the two engineering regiments were almost under the eyes of the Japanese army. It takes several hours to build a simple engineering pontoon bridge.

It's the same in the Tumen River. The problem in front of the riding division is also the problem of the bridge. However, the width of the bridge needs to be measured first. At midnight on April 22, when the boat did not arrive according to the delivery and the raft was a waste of time, Sergeant Li Jisheng, a member of the first battalion of the three regiments of engineers with ropes, was close to In a reckless way, he resolutely jumped into the Tumen River and swam to the other side to measure the width of the bridge.

The water of the Tumen River in April flows from the ice water flowing from Changbai Mountain. The cold and piercing water of the river made Li Jisheng, who was swimming in the river tremble all over his body. When he desperately swam to the other side, the temperature was taken away by the river little by little, but the Tumen River, which was hundreds of meters, seemed to become as wide as the Yangtze River.

"Gite your teeth and hold on!"

Li Jisheng said to himself in his heart that the trees on the other side of the river in the moonlight became more and more blurred. He was so sleepy! Slowly, when the heat on his body ran out, he felt that his eyelids began to fight, and even his arms and legs could not help twitching. Every time he twitched, he would drink a few mouthfuls of cold river water.

Suddenly, the head that had been exposed on the river was buried in the water, and the people on the north bank of the river suddenly tightened their hearts. It was not until the head surfaced again that the north bank of the river suddenly took a tight breath and then loosened down. Li Zimao closely stared at Li Jisheng on the river.

"You must hold on! Yoshiko!"

Although he knew that he couldn't hear, Li Zimao couldn't help saying so. In fact, he said this because Li Jisheng couldn't hear him. He looked at his pocket watch worriedly from time to time. He watched the time walking slowly, very slowly... Finally, he saw the ripples quietly in the water. After more than ten minutes, he saw Li Jisheng climbing to the shore.

Li Jisheng climbed up on the other side of the river and pulled the rope there with all his strength. It was not until he touched the rope knot that he lay lazily towards the river and motionless. The bayonet was inserted into the bank of the river and the rope knot was buckled on the bayonet.

Five hours later, near dawn, a simple engineering bridge made of iron boats and wooden boards appeared on the bank of the Tumen River. At this time, the officers and soldiers of the cavalry division who arrived at the river did not know that a soldier paid his life for this engineering bridge. For the cavalry Now they only have one purpose, "to cross the Tumen River!"

"... From the end of the Shang Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago, King Zhou had no way. The Zhou Dynasty took the opportunity to eliminate the Shang Dynasty. The nobleman named Jizi of the Shang Dynasty, who was unwilling to be a minister of the Western Zhou Dynasty, led 500 Shang people to flee to North Korea and established the first country on the Korean Peninsula. Since then, North Korea has been a dependency of China.

In the subsequent historical period of more than 3,000 years, the countries that appeared on the Korean Peninsula have been Chinese vassals and counties have also been established as part of Chinese territory. Three thousand miles of rivers and mountains on the Korean Peninsula have been the vassals of China for 3,000 years, and all of this, until before and after the First Sino-Japanese War, everything changed. For the Manchu Qing Dynasty, which had lived in the Central Plains, the whole country for more than 200 years, it did not recognize it. In the weakness of the modern Manchu Qing Dynasty, it made North Korea have a sense of self-reliance.

When the horseshoe stepped on the board of the boat bridge, on the bank of the Jiangbei River, Yu Zhucheng, who was riding on a horse, looked at North Korea on the other side of the river and said slowly to Chief of Staff Wu Fengze.

"And at that time, it had been reduced to alien slavery, and the Manchu Qingzheng axe, which lived in the land of the Central Plains, lost all the thousands of years of Chinese families in a few decades. The vassal states were destroyed, and the face of the heavenly dynasty was lost. The Manchu Qing Dynasty could not sit back and watch the same situation appear in North Korea either on the face or in the traditional rites of vassals. For its international status and world prestige, the Qing Dynasty should also strive to keep North Korea and try its best to control this last vassal.

Twenty years of Guangxu. Dry Jiawu. The First Sino-Japanese War broke out in the Qing Dynasty. The elite of the Qing army was lost in this battle. The Beiyang sailors built with more than ten years of painstaking efforts are gone. The war ended with reparations for the defeat of the Qing Dynasty. Since then, China has lost the last one. It is also the oldest vassal state of 3,000 years. The defeated Manchu Qing Dynasty was forced to recognize North Korea's reading ability. Two years later, North Korea changed its name to "Korean Empire."

When he spoke, Yu Zhucheng's voice was slightly low, and his eyebrows frowned from time to time. This battle is extraordinary. If it is successful, China will regain the vassal state eleven years after losing its vassal state. For anyone who wants to reproduce the glory of China, the existence of the vassal state may be to fill the glory of the ancient times. The spiritual need.

The teacher's words made Wu Fengze's expression solemn. Listening to the sound of horses' hoofs in his ear, he sighed.

"The past is just the past. Since then, North Korea is North Korea and China is China. How many people can remember that the other side of the Yalu River was once a 3,000-year-old vassal of China?"

"I remember!"

Looking at the calm river, Mao Zhiheng, who had just crossed the Tumen River, said softly, why he could remember, because on the ancestral tablet of the Mao family, there was a man who had fought with the rope here.

After the ancestor Mao led more than 100 people to win the "Zhenjiang victory", Houjin was extremely shocked and sent a large army to fight back. Unfortunately, it was difficult to support the few soldiers, and they once retreated to North Korea. North Korean governors Zheng Zun and Park Ye led the Jin army to surround Mao Wenlong in the forest, but they became the name of their ancestors... "Ancestors, now your great-grandchildren have come!"

He whispered in his heart, Mao Zhiheng's eyes were sharp, and he held the Chasik cavalry knife around his waist.

In the past 260 years, he has been the first person in the direct line of the Mao family to serve as an official position. If it was full of the Qing Dynasty, he was afraid that Mao Jiayi would still have no one to join the official, but now it is China. His first war was in North Korea, where his ancestors fought bloody battles in those years. Thinking of Mao Zhiheng's face, he showed a little complacency.

The Mao family has finally returned to North Korea! It's not the cavalry of the Qing Dynasty, but the cavalry of China.

"If you can get the last honor on the battlefield, even if you die, it won't be in vain!"

When thinking about it, Mao Zhiheng, with the rank of cavalry warrant officer, had crossed the wooden railway bridge on the Yalu River with the army, which took half a year to build.

Yu Zhucheng, who was three or two years old, looked at the nearly 10,000 horsemen of the First Cavalry Division of the Guards crossing the Yalu River. The sound of horses' hoofs as the cavalry stepped on the road echoed between heaven and earth.

"A man only needs to do one big thing in his life!"

He muttered this sentence on his lips, but Yu Zhucheng found that he had not achieved any major events in his life. At least until now, he was far from achieving the major events he recognized in his life.

The second riding division recovered Cullen and restored a land equivalent to one-tenth the size of China, and what would he do then? Cut the heads of those horse teams in the northwest. Even last time, I originally wanted to anniheze the Yalu River Army, but the first cavalry division couldn't let go of my hands and feet at all. Can I let go of my hands and feet this time?

Yu Zhucheng on the horse's back muttered in his heart, gently clamping the horse's belly. ** The Don war horse worth hexa$ hexademeaned meekly carried his master towards the engineering floating bridge.

"Okay, Fengqin, let's kill the second division of the little nose!"

"It's just a preparatory division!"

In the headquarters of the Manchurian Army of the Russian Empire in Harbin, Lignevic easily said a word to General Kuropatkin. When he walked to the map, he pointed to the map of North Korea with a command pole.

"Russia is more eager for a victory than ever. I mean the army. You should know that during the Battle of Shahe last year. Because our army has gained a certain advantage, it is said that we have not published any war report on this, and in order to encourage the hearts of the people, we have won a major victory, "totally annihilated a battalion and captured 11 cannons." Newspapers from European countries are also big dentden on this news, anniling a battalion... Just such a victory is enough to make the whole Russia excited. Your Majesty needs victory, the nobles need victory, and the same people need victory!"

At this point, Lignevic raised his voice.

"In order to ensure this victory, Prince Mikhail..."

As soon as the name came out, the appearance of the prince who courted the Chinese court in Nanjing appeared in their minds at the same time. Fortunately, the prince did not forget his duties when he was romantic.

"At a high price of 260 pounds each, I bought 500 Maxim heavy machine guns from China. Now these machine guns will be strengthened for you. Dear Kuropatkin, now, my friend, the only thing you need to do is to cross the Tumen River, defeat the third reserve division of the Japanese army, and then half to the whole North Korea. The island marched!"

He sat back on the table from the wall hanging on the map, gently put the command pole in his hand, took a deep breath, and tried to get out of the previous emotion, but failed. Finally, he sighed and then looked helplessly at Kuropatkin in front of him.

"From the current battlefield situation, we are destined to lose the whole of Manchuria. For Russia, this is a reality we have to accept, so we must seize the Korean Peninsula, which can not only save the face of the Russian Empire, but also..."

When Lnevich spoke, Kuropatkin did not speak. In the Russian army, he has always been known for being extremely competent and meticulous. At this time, he combed his hair neatly as before, without any mess, and his glasses were tightly worn on the bridge of his nose, including his beard. The pruning of his heart, he nodded.

"I understand that if we control the Korean Peninsula, we will have to face pressure from Russia in the next few decades or even centuries. It is a weak country, and there is also an extreme sense of uneasiness in my surname. If we control the Korean Peninsula, we will face it directly. Since the pressure from Russia, it is bound to lead to the loss of Japan's strategic layout in this war. Perhaps, we will..."

But if he looks like he is entering North Korea, will he let the Chinese... Any country participating in the war is not afraid of the battlefield. What he is afraid of is the deal behind the battlefield.

"Maybe we will lose the war, but if we can control North Korea, we will win the whole strategy!"

After taking Kuropatkin's words, Lignevic leaned lazily on the back of the chair, and then looked around.

"Now except for His Majesty the Tsar, almost everyone understands that it is impossible for us to win the naval battle. The second fleet seems to be huge, but too many old warships will drag down the whole fleet. I pray to all the gods I know every day, praying that Roth Stevinsky's court favorite can Win the naval battle, but we always have to prepare for the worst..."

When Lnievic stopped and closed his eyes, both of them sat there in silence. Kuropatkin said after a long silence.

"Rienevich, you need to know that if we attack North Korea, the only winner in this war will be the Chinese. Russia and Japan will be the losers in this war."

Kuropatkin turned his body uneasily in the chair, waved his fingers, and said with a sad face.

"The Chinese took back Manchuria, and we withdrew from Manchuria. I said that I would also withdraw from Manchuria with our attack on North Korea. Their main force will be transferred to North Korea in the next month to stop us. In order to stop us, I will even reach an agreement with China without remembering the cost. During the war, it was fundamental. Unable to bear the loss of all the losses of the elite army, this war has exhausted its wealth, Russia is also discredited, but the winner is the Chinese with the least loss!"

While he was talking, Lignevic's eyes were swimming in the room where there were only two of them. From time to time, he looked at the map, and occasionally to the Chinese vase in the house more than a hundred years ago. After drinking the glass of vodka on the table, he looked at Kuropatkin in front of him. At this time, he became more and more indignant.

"... I died and spent money, and Russia's reputation was ruined. The war lasted for a year and two months. In the end, both us and myself lost our pants, and all the benefits were obtained by the Chinese!"

When Kuropatkin said this indignantly, he obviously forgot that in the past few hundred years, how many times did they take advantage of the Russian Empire's expansion in the east?

"That's why we want to attack North Korea!"

Lignevic shrugged his shoulders helplessly, picked up the bottle on the table with one hand, and filled a glass of wine for Kuropatkin.

"If we can't get North Korea, we will lose everything in the war. The reputation of the Russian Empire, Russia's interests in Manchuria, the East Qing Dynasty Railway, the South Manchurian Railway, extratertorial rights in China, and so on..."

Counting his fingers, Lin counted the losses of the Russian Empire, and linevich suddenly aggravated his tone.

"In this case, we need more compensation. President Witt said very clearly that the Russian Empire needs a certain amount of compensation to recover Russia's losses. Similarly, Your Majesty also said that Russia needs to use a few victories to save the previous decline. You and I both know that if there is no victory, it will decline. The national fortune will not recover. Russia needs to win!"

Kuropatkin did not answer him directly.

"Many troops are not willing to continue this war. The troops transferred from Europe even brought anti-war sentiment to the army, my friend."

"But not everyone is like that. Am I right? Have you seen those soldiers?

Lignevic pointed his finger into the air and pointed out of the window. The direction was the Russian military camp outside Harbin.

"In the past month, although some troops were unwilling to continue the war, more soldiers were unwilling to be defeated by yellow monkeys, especially after they saw the victory of the Chinese people! Instead, they are more eager to fight and to win the white people!"

Lignevic talked about his understanding of the soldiers. Although it was a little too close to reality, Kuropatkin had to smile in return.

"In a word, no matter what Chinese people make, whether they will take advantage of the North Korea's problem or not, they will reach any agreement with me, so that I can withdraw the Manchurian army from Manchuria and stop us in North Korea. We must use victory to tell myself and the world that the Russian Empire will never do this. After sinking, the Russian army will still defend Russia's dignity!"

After a magnificent speech, Lignevic suddenly said again.

"Kuropatkin, my friend, this is also the most important moment for you to restore your reputation. If you can succeed, no one will mention your defeat in the Battle of Fengtian. They will only remember your success in North Korea, and..."

After standing up again, Lignevic walked to the map and pointed to a certain position on the Korean peninsula and said.

"Please believe me, only if conditions permit, will I ask you to occupy the whole of North Korea. If the Chinese have really reached an agreement with me, then I think the rest is how we can consolidate the results of the war. You will get enough machine guns, artillery, personnel and other materials in North Korea. Rebuild a Lushun!"

"Do you wait for the Chinese to complete the transaction with Russian blood and myself in the future in "New Lushun"?"

Kuropatkin couldn't help mocking that although he was eager to restore his reputation with victory, as long as he thought that Russia had become the "chip" of the Chinese, he was unwilling.

"No! At that time, all we need to do is... wait there for the victory of the Second Fleet... or defeat!"

(to be continued)