The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 440 Ting Yong is dead
Zhou Fu stroked his beard and sighed as he continued, "At first I didn't believe it, thinking that his words were exaggerated. It was not until I read Xingfu's masterpiece The Rise of Great Powers, which Jizhi sent back home, that I believed his statement that Xingfu was a talent that only appears once in five hundred years."

"Moreover, in my opinion, Xingfu's literary and military strategies are beyond the reach of ordinary people. To say that he only appears once every five hundred years is an understatement."

Seeing that Zhou Fu started praising himself, Teng Yuzao was about to stop him, but Zhou Fu waved his hand at him.

"Xingfu, this is what I really think. I have to say it out loud. Now let's talk about Zhili."

"I would like to ask Xingfu first. Xingfu, do you think that the Vanguard Army can eventually defeat the foreign coalition forces and drive them out of the country? When will this war end?"

Zhou Fu's next words hit the nail on the head, and this was exactly what Teng Yuzhao wanted to explain.

Afterwards, while the two drank tea, Teng Yuzao began to tell Zhou Fu about the international situation and his analysis and judgment on the trend of the war against the coalition forces of the great powers.

The main point that Teng Yuzao told Zhou Fu, in summary, was that, under the current circumstances, although the vanguard army had won victory after victory, it was temporarily unable to completely defeat the coalition forces of the great powers. The final outcome could only be to force the foreigners to take the initiative to propose peace talks and thus end the war.

Only by ending this war as soon as possible and giving the vanguard army time to breathe and grow stronger can we finally save our country from the fate of being ravaged by war again.

Otherwise, the great powers, especially Japan and Russia, would continue to covet the territory of the Qing Dynasty, and cession of territory and payment of indemnities would become a common occurrence.

Of course, there is one thing in his heart that Teng Yuzhao cannot say, and that is unless the Qing Dynasty withdraws from the stage of history.

As for when the war would end, Teng Yuzao told Zhou Fu that he thought it would be around the middle of next year, and there would be an even more brutal and fierce battle to be fought between the vanguard army and the coalition forces of the great powers.

Whether a better peace negotiation outcome could be achieved for the Qing court depended entirely on whether he could win the next war.

Teng Yuzhao originally thought that Zhou Fu would be a little disappointed after hearing what he said, but he didn't expect that as soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Fu began to sigh again.

"Xingfu is able to judge the situation and see through everything. It's really rare!"

"When I came here, I passed through Wuchang and Hankou. The Vanguard Army Support Association and the Strong Country Society there were in full swing. Every time the Vanguard Army won a great victory, the gentry and the people celebrated the victory like it was New Year's Day, with firecrackers blasting and gongs and drums beating, celebrating the victory for the Vanguard Army."

"Now, the local gentry and common people all think that as long as you are here, it will be just a matter of time before we can defeat the coalition forces that invaded Zhili and eventually drive them out of the country."

"Jizhi wrote to me saying that the situation in Shanghai is similar to that in Wuchang and Hankou."

Zhou Fu smiled bitterly and said, "Now even in the court there are many people who believe that as long as Xingfu works harder, it will be within reach to wipe out the remaining hundreds of thousands of coalition forces in Zhili."

"I am really worried that Xingfu will get carried away and think that his vanguard army is far stronger than the coalition forces of the great powers, and thus suffer a great loss, thus ruining this hard-earned good situation!"

"Now it seems that although Xingfu is young, he is not arrogant. Xingfu is truly an unparalleled national hero!"

"I was really worrying too much before. It was totally groundless."

Zhou Fu, in a good mood, couldn't help but burst into laughter after he finished speaking.

Teng Yuzao had already learned from Li Yaoting what Zhou Fu had said about the people in Wuchang, Hankou and Shanghai being enthusiastic in resisting the enemy. He even knew more details than Zhou Fu.

This was because not only were there people secretly planted by Li Yaoting in the "Vanguard Army Support Association", but he had also established connections with scholars and literati in some local "Strong Country Society".

Although "Vanguard Army Support Associations" had been established in all large and medium-sized cities, as long as the news could be received in time, and the people in all places, especially the gentry and scholars, were very excited, the anti-enemy sentiment was undoubtedly the most enthusiastic in the support associations in Wuchang, Hankou, Hanyang and other places, which were secretly cared for by Zhang Zhidong.

According to Li Yaoting's report, the "Vanguard Army Support Association" there even planned to go on strike to boycott foreign goods, but Zhang Zhidong suppressed the matter.

After Zhou Fu laughed heartily, he asked Teng Yuzao seriously, "Xingfu, I really want to rush to Baoding as soon as possible, but what do you want me to do?"

Zhou Fu's words frightened Teng Yuzao, who hurriedly said, "When I came here, Baoding was still occupied by foreigners. I'm afraid Tingyong's life is already in danger. How can you go there now!"

Zhou Fu smiled and said, "Xingfu, you don't know yet, Xiliang sent someone to deliver news to the Queen Mother last night. According to the merchants from Wutai County who came back from Fuping, the foreigners evacuated Baoding the day before yesterday."

Teng Yuzhao had indeed not heard of this news. When he was in the mountainous area, he rode at full speed all the way and had lost contact with Wei Jinghai. It was estimated that the earliest he could get news about Baoding would be today.

Zhou Fu sighed and said, "Ting Yong is stupid. The coalition army wanted to invade Baoding. It is said that you warned him to leave, but he not only refused to listen, but also refused to see your people."

Zhou Fu said in a hateful voice, "On the day when the foreigners invaded Baoding, Ting Yong had no integrity and rewarded his troops with cattle and wine. This is really absurd. How is this different from treason!"

"However, what this shameless thief didn't expect was that the foreigners arrested him the next day and detained him in the Gospel Hall on North Street along with the guard captain Kui Heng and the lieutenant Wang Zhankui."

"Afterwards, they were tried in the lobby of the Zhili Governor's Office and sentenced to death according to the Qing Dynasty Laws. They were beheaded on the Phoenix Terrace."

"Because the prefect Shen Jiaben had been protective of foreign missionaries and believers, the foreigners did not do anything to Shen Jiaben."

Teng Yuzhao had foreseen Ting Yong's death, including that he would die in Phoenix Terrace.

Because, several months ago, Tingyong killed a large number of foreign missionaries and believers here.

Teng Yuzao just smiled faintly and said, "First they hated the foreigners to the core, then they offered food and drink, kowtowed and opened the city to welcome the enemy. Such people deserve to die, so it's better not to mention them."

Teng Yuzao continued, "Even if the foreigners retreat, the capital is only 300 miles away from Baoding. Cavalry can reach there in two days. If it is by train, it will be even faster. It is too unsafe for you to stay in Baoding."

"Why not temporarily set up the governor's office in Guangping Prefecture, which is closer to Luzhou. Once there is an alarm, you can lead a group of officials into the mountainous area and quickly come to Luzhou."

"If the foreigners besiege Luzhou, you can continue to retreat westward through Luzhou into the heart of Shanxi."

"At that time, the court will either be staying in Guangping or have already moved to Xi'an. Your uncle can lead a group of Zhili officials to stay temporarily in Jiexiu or Guangping and continue to handle Zhili-related affairs. I have already discussed this with Xiliang."

Zhou Fu thought for a moment and said, "Okay, but how do we place them in Baoding?"

Teng Yuzao said, "Didn't the foreigners kill Baoding prefect Shen Jiaben? Let him temporarily maintain Baoding's local affairs."

Zhou Fu asked again, "Xingfu, from what you said just now, will the foreigners come back again?"

Teng Yuzao nodded and said with a calm smile.

"The foreigners are coming back, that's for sure. This time they came south with an army of 150,000. How could they accept being defeated by me?"

(End of this chapter)