Reborn as King of South America

Chapter 354 Contempt
On February 1881, 2, the main force of the Nanyang Army arrived in Bac Ninh Province, and the vanguard troops marched to Shangqingfang, less than 27 kilometers away from Hanoi.

"Commander, our soldiers have spotted Chinese scouts outside the city. They must have been recruited by the Annan government to come and support Hanoi Province."

In the military camp outside the city, Marine Corps commander Major Kogaradek reported the latest military intelligence to Li Weiye.

"How many troops do they have?"

"The vanguard had about 200 people, most of whom were equipped with matchlocks, and only about 40 were equipped with old-fashioned Dreyse rifles."

But Galadek added, "I guess this unit should be the main force of the Chinese army. In the Annan region, the ordinary Annan army and Chinese armed forces do not have such a high proportion of breech-loading rifles."

"Your Excellency the Governor sent a telegram yesterday that more than 3000 armed personnel from Quang Ninh and Lang Son provinces have been dispatched to support the Hanoi garrison. The provinces of Hexi and Xing'an in northern Annam close to Hanoi have also sent varying numbers of troops to Hanoi under the order of the Annam central government. The guard troops we left outside the city have already engaged in a battle with seven Annam local armed forces, but these seven Annam local armed forces are no match for the Republic's soldiers. I only sent out soldiers and wiped out of them. The Annamites who survived by chance did not dare to continue fighting the Republic's army and have already evacuated Hanoi."

Since the march into northern Annan, Li Weiye has led only less than 500 white soldiers and more than 1000 Annan native soldiers, but he treats the Annan official army of up to to as grass and trees.

During the march to Hanoi, whenever he encountered obstructions from the Annan army, he never failed. He always won every battle and captured every city he encountered. His military accomplishment was mediocre. He relied on his seniority to work step by step, and because other French naval officers looked down on the position of commander of the Cochinchina naval squadron, Li Weiye was able to serve as the highest French military commander in northern Annan. Because the French army had easily won the battles with the local Annan army in the early stage, his military accomplishment was originally mediocre.

The not very tall Li Weiye gradually developed a mood of pride and underestimation of the enemy, and soon abandoned the cautious approach he had taken when he first entered the northern region.

He believed that the intelligence about the bravery and fighting skills of the Chinese army did not match the facts. The Nanyang Corps was stationed in Quang Ninh and Lang Son provinces for ten years, during which time there was no battle with the French white army. According to Li Weiye's speculation, if the overall combat effectiveness of the Nanyang Corps was really as strong as the French intelligence personnel boasted, how could they endure and retreat under the relentless pressure of the Republic's army? This is simply not in line with common sense.

Indulged in the self-confidence built up by the victory of the Annan army, Li Weiye was not worried that the reinforcements of the Chinese army would hinder the military operations into northern Annan.

"Gentlemen, I am very disappointed with the Republic's intelligence work in the Annam region. The Republican government allocates a large amount of funds every year to invest in intelligence investigation in Cochinchina, but you see, what kind of intelligence agents are recruited by the Governor-General's Office of Cochinchina? Those Annamite natives and Chinese refugees who can be recruited for a few francs, they know nothing, but based on rumors they heard halfway, they reported to the Governor-General of Cochinchina that the Chinese army has advanced rifles and artillery, their fighting power and will are very tenacious, and they are a powerful armed force. The colonial government should not easily provoke them...

But in reality?

According to what we observed during the march, those Annan troops and Chinese refugee armed forces, who looked similar to the garrisons in Quang Ninh and Lang Son, only had a few or dozens of old matchlock guns and rusty iron cannons. They were just a mob of hooligans and were not an army at all! "

"Yes, Commander, I think the Chinese army actually only has a few dozen smooth small cannons with casting technology that remains at the level of the 18th century, and seven or eight hundred old-fashioned Dreyse rifles secretly purchased from overseas. Their cannons and rifles were all purchased from overseas. They are short of cannon shells and rifle bullets, and it is impossible to support the ammunition consumption of a modern war. As proud soldiers of the French Republic, we don't need to worry too much about the threat of a backward refugee army."

Koragadek stayed in Annan longer than Li Weiye. His three years of service in Annan made him look down upon the combat effectiveness of the Eastern countries' armies even more than Li Weiye.

"Commander, please give the order. I am willing to lead 300 brave French men to advance towards Bac Ninh Province and destroy the Chinese troops supporting Hanoi!"

"Major, wait patiently for a while. After we occupy Hanoi City, we will have the opportunity to fight the Chinese army." Li Weiye did not agree with the other party's reckless suggestion and explained, "Although the Chinese army is not as powerful as exaggerated outside, the South American Han country can occupy the La Plata area, so the second-rate Chinese army they control in northern Annan should be more powerful than the Annan government army.

The total number of Chinese troops supporting Hanoi Province is more than 3,000. If we only bring 300 Marines to fight them, we will probably lose dozens of brave French men after winning. For us, the price we pay is more than the reward we get from defeating the Chinese army. It is not worth our risk. "…………

After pacifying Major Kolajadek, who was also ambitious and wanted to establish meritorious service in Annan, Li Weiye was about to return to his room to rest and gather his strength to wait for the final reply from Hanoi City tomorrow. At this time, his soldiers reported an important piece of information to him.

"Report to the Commander, Father Edmont wants to see you."

"Please come in, Father."...

"Colonel, the barbaric Annan people are arresting believers who are loyal to the Lord in Hanoi. Please, for the grace of God, save those poor believers!"

"Hasn't the citizens of the French Republic already evacuated to the church outside the city? Is there anyone in Hanoi who hasn't received the evacuation notice?"

"No, the citizens of the Republic have all evacuated to the church, but the baptized Annan believers are still in the city. They are the ones who have been persecuted by the Annan army!"

"I'm sorry, Father, they are not citizens of the Republic, and our army has no obligation to provide them with protection."

"Those people are also the Lord's people. They have made great contributions to the French Republic's cause in Annam. When their lives are threatened, the Republic's army should not stand by and watch the tragedy happen."

The priest said anxiously, "Protecting them is protecting the interests of France in Annam. A believer who has escaped has told me that the Governor of Hanoi is determined to reject your ultimatum. The Annamite troops in the city are searching for and arresting intelligence personnel working for the Republic. You should not be deceived by the cunning of the Annamites and waste a precious day outside Hanoi!"

"Are you sure that what you just said came from a reliable source?"

"Yes, I personally held a baptism ceremony for the believer who reported the news, and he has been secretly providing intelligence to the Governor-General's Office of Cochinchina."

"Father Edmont, I believe you. In one hour, the Republic's army will launch an attack on Hanoi City on schedule. Before that, please contact the believers stranded in the city and ask them to cooperate with our attack when the Republic's army attacks the city."

"God bless you, I will tell them what the colonel said."

(End of this chapter)