The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 171 Should We Still Defend

This sight even frightened Teng Yuzao himself.

Teng Yuzhao discovered that there were many bloodstains that had turned purple-black on the front of his cavalry uniform and on the sleeves of his arms.

The purple-black color was quite conspicuous on Yuanye's gray military uniform. It was indeed a bit rude to come to see Yu Lu wearing this uniform.

Fortunately, Dong Fuxiang said this, and Teng Yuzao hurriedly said with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, General Dong. This is the blood we got from killing the Russians and Japanese cavalrymen on the battlefield a few days ago in Dongjuzi and when we went out to stop the coalition forces this time."

Yu Lu was so shocked by Teng Yuzao's words that he tightened his grip on Teng Yuzao's hand again.

Yu Lu's voice trembled as he asked nervously, "Xingfu, you're on the battlefield yourself!"

Teng Yuzhao could feel Yulu's concern for him. Although the two were destined not to be together, this did not prevent Teng Yuzhao from being grateful and close to Yulu personally. After all, his current status was inseparable from Yulu's promotion and support for him.

"Don't worry, Master. I have personally fought in the battlefields. I have killed Japanese pirates and Russian cavalry twice, outside the west gate of Dongjuzi and when we ambushed the Russian-American coalition forces near Da'an."

Without waiting for the astonished Yu Lu to continue asking questions, Dong Fuxiang looked at Teng Yuzao, who was dressed in cavalry uniform, and asked anxiously.

"Xingfu, it is said that the cavalry of foreigners and Japanese pirates is sharp and few cavalry can defeat them. The Russian cavalry is indeed powerful. I have seen it when I followed General Ji to suppress the Yakub Beg Rebellion. However, I did not go to Liaodong during the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. I only defended Jizhou in Zhili and never fought against the cavalry of the Japanese pirates. Can you tell me what you think of the Japanese pirates?"

Dong Fuxiang had been to Xinjiang with Zuo Zongtang, fighting back against the invasion of Yakub Beg, known as the Butcher of Central Asia, who was supported by Britain and Russia. Later, he served as the governor of Yili. It was normal for him to have seen and even fought with the Cossack cavalry.

Teng Yuzao nodded and said, "General Dong, in my opinion, the Japanese pirates' cavalry is not to be feared. Not only are their horses short, but their men are also much smaller. In cavalry combat, especially in hand-to-hand combat with infantry, we are not at a disadvantage. However, the Russian cavalry not only has tall and strong horses and fast speed, but their men are also taller and more well-trained. The Cossack cavalry has more advantages than our cavalry."

Dong Fuxiang asked doubtfully, "Although the Russian cavalry is quite good and few can defeat them, didn't Xingfu also fight against their cavalry and won a great victory?"

Teng Yuzao smiled bitterly and said, "General Dong, although I annihilated nearly a thousand Russians and Japanese pirates in Da'an, I just took advantage of it. I sneaked into their camp at night and caught them off guard. They had no chance to mount their horses and fight. I just led my troops to fight on foot with the cavalry of the coalition forces."

"Oh."

Regardless of the fact that Yu Lu, who was still standing and holding Teng Yuzao's hand, Dong Fuxiang continued to question him while stroking his beard.

"Xingfu has won many battles in a row. Does this tell us the strength of the coalition forces?"

Although Dong Fuxiang's rear army fought at a disadvantage during the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance, they were among the few Qing troops who dared to fight hard with the Allied Forces. After the war, the Allied Forces even listed Dong Fuxiang as the "chief culprit" among the military generals and wanted to kill him as soon as possible. Teng Yuzhao had no disrespect for such an old general, and he naturally had to answer his words.

Besides, Teng Yuzao also needs to let these veterans have a general understanding of the combat effectiveness of the coalition forces.

"General Dong, in my opinion, although the Japanese pirates and the Russians have the largest number of people in the coalition, the strongest combat effectiveness is the German army and the British army composed of only British people, and the Russian army, followed by the Austro-Hungarian army and the American army. Among them, the most cunning are the British, the most tenacious and fierce are the Russians, and the most brutal are the Japanese pirates. If we fight the coalition head-on, our army has no chance of winning. At most, we can hold on for a while longer."

Teng Yuzao saw that his words made everyone look unhappy, so he didn't want to continue talking. He sighed secretly and changed his tone. "However, if our army fights the coalition forces in close combat, so that the foreigners can't take advantage of their guns and artillery, and seize the opportunity, it won't be difficult to defeat the enemy if we have the advantage in numbers."

Seeing that everyone looked at each other in confusion and no one spoke after hearing what Teng Yuzhao said, Yu Lu sighed and pulled Teng Yuzhao to sit down.

"Xingfu, I want you to come and discuss two matters today. The first is whether Tianjin City should continue to be defended? If so, who will be the commander?"

"Secondly, Gong Ting died for his country. Now the front army is leaderless. Where will the front army go? This needs to be decided as soon as possible."

Teng Yuzao had already thought about the two things that Yu Lu mentioned on the way here.

Regarding the defense of Tianjin, although Teng Yuzhao was not clear about who advocated defending and who advocated abandoning, the fact that there was no main general in the city to lead the fight against the coalition forces' attack was enough to explain the problem.

It should be that Yu Lu was the only one who wanted to defend, but the veteran generals present were unwilling to do so. They all believed that Tianjin City could not be defended, and no one was willing to take the responsibility for losing the city, so there was no support in the city, and it was left to the Lian Army and the Boxers.

As for the Wuwei vanguard army, its future is naturally bleak.

Since Nie Shicheng was gone, there was naturally no longer the name of the Wuwei Vanguard Army.

According to the Qing court's previous practice, the Wuwei Vanguard Army that had lost its leading general would no longer exist on its own, and they would be incorporated into a certain general.

In history, it is not known whether it was Yu Lu or Song Qing's idea, but the vanguard army was handed over to Ma Yukun. However, most of the officers and soldiers of the vanguard army were unwilling to do so. Finally, after Yu Lu committed suicide by taking poison, most of them went to Lutai to form their own faction. Later, they were incorporated into the vanguard army of the Right Army by Yuan Shikai, but they were also marginalized in the Right Army.

Teng Yuzhao only heard fragments of the argument just now. It seemed that everyone wanted to incorporate the front army, but there was no final conclusion yet.

Yu Lu held on to a glimmer of hope and asked Teng Yuzao, "Xingfu, in your opinion, can we defend Tianjin?"

Although seeing the expectant look on Yu Lu's face when he was nearly 60 years old, Teng Yuzao still had to tell the truth, even though it sounded cruel.

"Sir, there is no reinforcement from outside. We have no food or ammunition. We are doomed to die if we are trapped in this isolated city. Moreover, the coalition forces are continuously sending more troops. We will definitely not be able to hold Tianjin."

Teng Yuzhao's words made Yu Lu completely lose confidence. His face turned pale in an instant and he sighed heavily.

"Xingfu, everyone here thinks that Tianjin is undefendable, so your troops should not enter the city. Follow me and leave Tianjin tonight."

Although Teng Yuzao knew the result, he still wanted to know what arrangements Yu Lu and others had for Tianjin City.
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Zui Ma wishes all book friends good fortune in the Year of the Dragon!!!

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(End of this chapter)