The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 143: Beating the Allied Forces
When Teng Yuzhao came to Dongjuzi, he passed behind the woods and he was familiar with the terrain there.

There were only a few places behind the grove where artillery positions could be quickly established. The artillery battalion must have chosen those locations to establish positions in such a short time.

Because field artillery positions are different from mortar positions. Mortar positions can be quickly established anywhere, as long as a slightly flat piece of land is sufficient. However, the artillery positions of an artillery battalion composed entirely of Krupp field artillery are not so simple.

For field artillery, including mountain artillery positions, the most important thing is to have a wide field of vision.

Secondly, the position must be leveled, otherwise the cannon will have an angle, which will affect the accuracy of the artillery fire.

There are several locations for setting up artillery positions behind the woods, and the nearest one is nearly three thousand meters away from the east gate. In other words, the artillery battalion's artillery fire can reach an area more than one thousand meters outside the east gate. This is the maximum shooting range of the artillery battalion's cannons.

If they do not move forward, even if the artillery fire is at the maximum range, the shells will land too close to the battlefield where both sides are fighting, and it is easy to blow up their own people.

If the artillery battalion wanted to be able to launch artillery strikes against the British troops coming to support them, their positions had to be moved forward at least one thousand meters.

But the most crucial thing is the issue of time, and time waits for no one.

It takes time for the artillery to move forward and establish positions. If the artillery waits until the new positions are established, the coalition forces coming to support will definitely have arrived on the battlefield. By then, the two armies will be in a melee, and no matter how many cannons there are, they will all be scrap metal.

"Sir, there is no need to move the artillery battalion's position forward. There are two cannons in the East Bureau, right on the open space under the south city wall." Wu Peifu, who had just finished a phone call, interrupted hurriedly.

Wu Peifu's words suddenly brightened Teng Yuzhao's heart, but then the light disappeared in a flash.

Teng Yuzhao remembered that there were indeed cannons in Dongjuzi. They were assigned by Nie Shicheng to Pan Jinshan to guard Dongjuzi. Although Teng Yuzhao was not sure what caliber of the cannons, there should be no gunners.

According to historical data, the gunners ran away when the Allied forces just broke through the south city wall.

Teng Yuzao smiled bitterly and said, "It's useless to have a cannon, we don't have a cannon operator."

"Sir, I am a graduate of the artillery course at the military academy this year. I can fire cannons. If you send me ten men as helpers, I can fire two cannons."

"Can you do it alone? Or ask the artillery battalion to send a few more people over." Wu Peifu said worriedly.

"Call your artillery battalion and ask them to send two gunners as quickly as possible. Then you and my guard squad will go over and operate the two guns immediately. Once they are ready, fire immediately and bombard the British troops that are coming to support them."

Although one person can operate a cannon as long as there is someone to cooperate, it is very troublesome to change the target of the artillery fire. This requires one person to observe and run back and forth to adjust the artillery parameters.

But it was better than nothing. After all, there were two cannons participating in the battle. Before the gunners from the artillery battalion arrived, it would be nice to have these two cannons to scare the British army.

Teng Yuzhao immediately gave orders, leaving only one bugler by his side, and handing over the entire guard squad to the staff officer.

Teng Yuzhao once again turned his attention to the battlefield outside the east gate.

The remnants of the British and Russian forces who had escaped had already joined together with the Russian troops who were still resisting outside the east gate. Their sudden joining brought great pressure to the assault brigade, the Wuwei Vanguard Army, and Wang Decheng's Boxers who were engaged in hand-to-hand combat, causing Liu Shijiu and others to become flustered.

Fortunately, the battalion of the regiment following closely behind and the two sentries rushing over from the northeast also joined the battle while shouting. This not only allowed the assault brigade to quickly stabilize its position, but also boosted its morale. After the two sides fought fiercely again, they even formed an encirclement of the two stubborn coalition forces that had merged together, and kept squeezing towards the middle.

Watching this fighting scene, Teng Yuzhao couldn't help but smile bitterly.

The current situation no longer allows us to completely encircle and annihilate the enemy. The most correct method is to surround three sides and attack one side, leaving a retreat route for these defeated coalition forces, forcing them to flee, and then taking advantage of the situation to kill them. Only in this way can we defeat these defeated coalition forces as soon as possible and free up our hands to fight against the British troops that are coming to support us.

However, his command was not smooth now, and it was impossible for him to convey the orders to Liu Shijiu and the captain in time.

Although there were 107 types of bugle music, and simple combat orders could be issued through the bugle, Teng Yuzhao had just distributed the music. Not only did the officers not understand it, even his buglers could not blow it. Teng Yuzhao could only watch the situation on the battlefield, anxiously doing nothing.

Twenty minutes, half an hour at most, if he is given some more time, he can wipe out all the coalition forces.

Teng Yuzhao raised the telescope in his hand again anxiously and looked in the direction of the British reinforcements.

This time, because the British troops coming back to support were closer, through the dust raised by the running of the British troops, the weapons and clothes carried by the British troops could be clearly seen, which made Teng Yuzao smile. In Teng Yuzao's vision, except for a few officers, the rest of these British troops were all Indian soldiers with dark skin and turbans on their heads.

Although India had been colonized by the British for more than 150 years, they should have a deep understanding of Western modern weapons and concepts and should have stronger combat capabilities. But for some reason, the Indian soldiers in the British army were always the weakest side in the war. Unless they had an absolute advantage, they could fight like an army, otherwise they would be absolutely vulnerable.

This was not only the case in World War II forty years later, but also sixty-two years later, when they were better equipped. Even more than a hundred years later, both sides used only sticks, and dozens of Chinese soldiers chased hundreds of Indian soldiers and made them flee in a panic.

Teng Yuzao was no longer worried about such a British army. He even wanted to give this group of "fake" British troops a good beating.

Now, what Teng Yuzhao needs to pay more attention to is the coalition forces in the northwest direction. This coalition force is going to block the reinforcements from Dongjuzi coming from the direction of Tianjin City. The gunfire there is no longer dense, and even seems to be gradually stopping. It seems that the reinforcements from Dongjuzi sent by Yu Lu should have retreated.

Teng Yuzhao raised the telescope and looked towards the northeast. Sure enough, he could see vague shadows. The coalition forces there had begun to gather, and even their cavalry had begun to gallop towards Dongjuzi.

Although Teng Yuzhao could not see the enemy cavalry through the telescope, the rising smoke looked like a strange wind carrying dust and rushing towards here quickly.

This is undoubtedly the effect that can only be created by a fast-moving cavalry unit.

Teng Yuzhao was just about to reach for the phone to call Liu Yuzhi and remind him to be on guard against the Allied cavalry when he heard the sound of hurried horse hooves.

The sound of horse hooves indicated that the cavalry battalion was about to arrive. This also reminded Teng Yuzhao that Liu Yuzhi's regiment had rushed to the battlefield. Liu Yuzhi would definitely not stay in the command post in the woods anymore. He should be arriving at the battlefield soon.

The dull sound of horse hooves coming from far away not only became clearer and clearer, but also suddenly became crisp and loud.

Teng Yuzhao knew that the battle situation was urgent, and the cavalry troops rushed directly into the East Bureau from the west gate.

The crisp and loud hoof sounds were caused by the bluestone paved streets in Dongjuzi. It was impossible for the shod horses to not make loud sounds when they stepped on the bluestone streets.

In a blink of an eye, a team of cavalry rushed out at lightning speed from the main entrance of Dongjuzi where Liu Shijiu was chasing the remnants of the Russian army, and reined in their horses at the east gate.

It was indeed the cavalry battalion that came, and as expected, Liu Yuzhi was also among them.

Liu Yuzhi did not dismount, but shouted loudly and furiously at the foot of the city, "Sir, I will go to the front to command, do you have any other requests?"

With Liu Yuzhi commanding from the front, Teng Yuzhao could finally rest assured. He held onto the battlements and gave orders to Liu Yuzhi below.

"The coalition forces in the northeast have begun to come back for reinforcements. The cavalry has already attacked first. Tell the two sentries you left behind not to attack, just hold off the coalition forces."

"The remaining coalition forces outside the east gate can no longer hold on. If we make a little more effort, we can defeat them and leave a gap in the south for them to escape. Then the assault team will take advantage of the situation and follow up to kill them. You take two sentries to cooperate with the assault team in pursuit, and leave a battalion to prepare to fight the coalition forces in the northeast."

Teng Yuzao warned again with concern, "Don't chase them across the river. Just drive these coalition forces to the other side of the Haihe River."

"Yes."

Liu Yuzhi answered loudly, then led his guard squad and rushed out of the east gate on horseback.

"Sir, should our cavalry battalion rush to the northeast to meet the foreign cavalry?" Xue Qian, who also did not dismount from his horse under the city, asked loudly and anxiously.

"No, you are not needed there. You lead the cavalry battalion to line up outside the east gate. Once the coalition forces outside begin to flee, immediately lead the cavalry battalion to attack the British troops coming back to support from the flank."

Teng Yuzhao also wanted to rush to the battlefield, but there had to be someone in command, or at least someone had to stay here and report the situation on the battlefield to him at any time. Teng Yuzhao couldn't help but think of Wei Jinghai again.

A loud "boom" of a cannon was heard from the south of Dongjuzi, followed by a cloud of dust rising near the official road leading to the Haihe River in the south.

Although the explosion site of the shell was still fifty or sixty meters away from the fake British troops who were rushing back along the official road to rescue, the British troops suddenly became disorganized. Not only did the relatively strict formation just now become chaotic immediately, but many fake British troops also ran away in all directions despite the scolding of the British commander.

There were even fake British soldiers who ran down the official road and hid far away in ditches and weeds.

Thanks: Sanxia Feng, Shigla Zhiyao, 2021030110413418172, Hard work does not make you rich, Xiandao Certificate, Zhulou Yuheqiu, 20220313161636348, 20200907102753168, Xiayu Kumu, 20210301104130671710, Mysterious Xiaofange, Kunqu Opera, Shenlan and other book friends for their encouragement!!!
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(End of this chapter)