The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 60 Pre-meeting trivia
Although sitting between Nie Shicheng and He Yongsheng was still a bit disrespectful to He Yongsheng, Teng Yuzao's arrangement was a compromise between Yu Lu and Teng Yuzao's own plans, so as to avoid a stalemate. Yu Lu nodded in agreement without hesitation.

Seeing that Teng Yuzao still had some energy, He Yongsheng stood up with a smile and walked quickly to Teng Yuzao's side, holding Teng Yuzao and saying, "Brother Xingfu, come and take a seat with me."

Nie Shicheng was already 66 years old, and He Yongsheng was nearly 60. With senior generals of such age coming forward to invite him personally, Teng Yuzao could no longer be pretentious and had to follow He Yongsheng to the front of the seat. However, Teng Yuzao still did not sit down immediately. Instead, he helped He Yongsheng sit steadily, then turned around and bowed deeply to Yu Lu.

Then he bowed to Nie Shicheng and He Yongsheng respectively, "Thank you, two old generals!"

Nie Shicheng was slightly plump, with a round face, and had two neatly trimmed slightly gray moustaches, which made him look kind and benevolent. If he were not wearing official uniform, he would look like a wealthy man. He Yongsheng was a little thin, but he was energetic and had a kind face.

Although these two men now look like kind old men, unfortunately they have fought on the battlefield every day, and they are both decisive and ruthless. Especially Nie Shicheng, he is still a powerful figure in the imperial army. However, He Yongsheng seems to have lost his former ambition due to his age. Now he doesn't care much about the training of his three battalions. He has an attitude of ruling by doing nothing, and his personality has become much kinder.

Teng Yuzao's behavior made Yu Lu, Nie Shicheng, He Yongsheng, and the generals behind them very satisfied.

Yu Lu saw that although Teng Yuzao had just ascended to a high position and had made many outstanding achievements, he was becoming more and more fair to him and was obviously not an ungrateful person. This naturally made him satisfied.

Although Nie Shicheng and He Yongsheng did not attach much importance to this seat, they could see that Teng Yuzao was very respectful to them, so they naturally had a better impression of Teng Yuzao.

The generals behind the two men, although somewhat dissatisfied with the fact that Teng Yuzao was favored by Yu Lu and became the chief military officer, could see that Teng Yuzao did not become arrogant and conceited just because he had won one or two lucky victories over the foreigners. He was respectful to their superiors, which made their hostility towards Teng Yuzao disappear for the most part.

Yu Lu seemed to be about to speak, but unexpectedly, a man who looked like a clerk walked into the hall from the back hall, came directly behind Yu Lu, and handed him a letter.

Seemingly a little surprised by the arrival of the letter, Yu Lu hurriedly opened it and read it carefully.

Taking this opportunity, Teng Yuzhao looked around the hall and took in the situation. The black-faced man at the top seat opposite him had been glaring at him, and the dozen or so leaders behind the man had the same look, as if they wanted to tear him into pieces.

Teng Yuzhao thought to himself that except for the No. 1 Boxer Regiment in the World, he had not offended any other Boxer leaders. He thought that this person should be Zhang Decheng, the eldest brother of the Boxer Regiment who was known as the No. 1 Boxer Regiment in the World.

Teng Yuzhao did not take the hostility of Zhang Decheng and his men to heart. He just needed to avoid cooperating with them in battle and not leave the rear of the vanguard army to the world's number one regiment, otherwise he would probably become the second Nie Shicheng.

However, except for Zhang Decheng and other people like him who were the best in the world, other Boxer leaders had no prejudice against Teng Yuzao. Many of them even smiled at him. When Teng Yuzao's eyes met Liu Jiujiu not far away, Liu Jiujiu even gave him a thumbs up, as if praising Teng Yuzao's attitude on the seating issue.

Looking at the Boxer leaders sitting opposite him, Teng Yuzhao couldn't help feeling emotional.

Just a month ago, Yu Lu was still commanding Zhili officers and soldiers to suppress the Boxers, and he continued to do so even when the court had tacitly approved it. Just half a month ago, the court had ordered a temporary suspension of the suppression of the Boxers, and Yu Lu was still writing a letter to lament the harm of tolerating the Boxers. But today, there are so many big leaders of the Boxers sitting in Yu Lu's Zhili Governor's Mansion, and they are treated like guests of honor. However, Teng Yuzao was a little surprised by the officers and soldiers, because he did not see Zhili Admiral Lu Benyuan and Wuwei Left Army Assistant Ma Yukun.

Logically, the most handy position on the government army side should be held by Zhili Admiral Lu Benyuan, and the position he is holding now should be Ma Yukun's position. Although Ma Yukun is the assistant commander of the Wuwei Left Army, he once served as the admiral of Zhejiang. Although he is only the assistant commander of the Wuwei Left Army now, his rank is still there. And everyone knows that Ma Yukun is waiting to take over from Wuwei Left Army President Song Qing, because Song Qing is already 81 years old this year.

Ma Yukun was ordered to come to Tianjin this time, and he only brought three battalions of the Wuwei Left Army. They were the ones guarding the Laolongtou Railway Station.

Logically speaking, Ma Yukun and Lu Benyuan, both veteran generals with great experience, how could they be absent from a military meeting like today.

Seeing that Teng Yuzhao was slightly surprised, He Yongsheng seemed to have guessed what Teng Yuzhao was thinking, and he turned his head and whispered.

"Brother Xingfu, are you surprised that Admiral Lu and Ma Bangban didn't come to the military meeting?"

Teng Yuzao nodded slightly, indicating that was the case.

He Yongsheng smiled slyly and lowered his voice, "Lü Daosheng is ill, and Ma Jingshan rushed back to Shanhaiguan overnight to mobilize troops."

Teng Yuzhao knew that Lü Benyuan's courtesy name was Daosheng and Ma Yukun's courtesy name was Jingshan.

Seeing that Teng Yuzao still seemed puzzled, He Yongsheng sighed, "Although the court condoned the Boxers to attack foreigners, it did not say that they would go to war with foreigners. That's why Lu Daosheng fell ill."

"As for Ma Jingshan rushing back to Shanghai Customs, it was because the Laolongtou Railway Station was lost today, and the three battalions of the Wuwei Left Army suffered heavy losses."

Teng Yuzhao, who had the memories of his past life, was not surprised by the fall of Laolongtou Railway Station. The Wuwei Left Army was reorganized from the Yi Army. Most of the generals in the Yi Army were old and did not attach importance to Western-style training methods. They still used the tactics of the cold weapon era. In addition, his troops' weapons were not as sophisticated as Nie Shicheng's Wuwei Front Army. It would be strange that he could defend the Laolongtou Railway Station which was attacked by thousands of Tsarist Russian troops.

Furthermore, faced with the Eight-Nation Alliance that had already invaded the country and entered the city, especially the tens of thousands of Russians outside the Great Wall who had already attacked and were about to occupy the entire Liaodong region, the imperial court was still taking the trouble to besiege and attack the foreign diplomatic missions in the capital instead of actively preparing for and declaring war!

Even when Langfang and Tianjin had actually declared war on the Allied Forces, the court was still hesitant about whether to fight or make peace. It would be strange if this court was not overthrown.

An almost inaudible sigh reached Teng Yuzhao's ears. It came from Yu Lu who had just finished reading the letter.

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(End of this chapter)