The Qing Dynasty

Chapter 75: Sudden Changes in Military Situation
Master Qian came to give money to Teng Yuzhao.

This was the money that Teng Yuzao asked Yu Lu for. As Teng Yuzao had won battle after battle, Yu Lu was not only greatly relieved, but also his pressure was relieved a lot. Therefore, Yu Lu was not stingy in giving the money to the vanguard army.

This is especially true this time. Generally speaking, in order to stabilize the newly incorporated troops, some expression must be made. Giving appropriate rewards or making up the wages owed to new personnel are all ways to quickly stabilize the morale of the army.

Yu Lu knew very well that the officers and soldiers of the Green Camp were owed three months' salary.

Yu Lu was anxious for Teng Yuzhao to quickly form combat effectiveness for the vanguard army to defend Tianjin, and he was also counting on Teng Yuzhao to make more efforts.

In order to save the city of Tianjin, Yu Lu was really ruthless. In the past, he dared not touch a single cent of the canal transport tax. But this time, he could not care so much, as he had already collected all the canal transport tax.

Although Yu Lu has no shortage of money now, he dare not spend it lavishly and without reason. He still uses the money and grain in his hands very sparingly. He has just started to pay the overdue military salaries of various armies, and also ensure the use of the newly established Teng Yuzhao's vanguard army. Yu Lu is very generous to the vanguard army. This time he sent Teng Yuzhao another 250,000 taels of silver.

In addition to delivering the money that Teng Yuzhao urgently needed, Yu Lu also instructed Master Qian to pass on relevant military intelligence to Teng Yuzhao. According to what Master Qian relayed, the military situation changed dramatically in just one night and half a day.

First of all, it should be that they learned that the coalition forces in Zizhulin Concession and Laolongtou Railway Station had suffered serious losses. The first batch of coalition forces that had just landed at Dagukou had urgently formed a force of 2800 people. Despite the obstruction of the Boxers and the defeated Green Camp along the way, they came from Dagu to provide assistance regardless of casualties. They should have been eager to relieve the crisis in Zizhulin Concession.

The commander of the Wuwei Vanguard Army, Zhou Dingchen, has rushed to the line from Chenjiagou to Junliangcheng in an effort to block the coalition reinforcements. Now the two sides have engaged in a fierce battle.

The more than 2,000 coalition troops led by Seymour, who were blocked in Langfang, have crossed the Ziya River and are expected to reach Tianjin City before evening this day.

Probably in order to support Seymour, the Tsarist Russian troops that occupied Laolongtou Railway Station had dragged two cannons onto the overpass of Laolongtou Station and bombarded the Cao Futian Boxers and Ma Yukun's Wuwei Left Army Third Battalion troops in the west. They also sent small troops out of the station several times to launch attacks on the Left Army and Boxer positions.

Yu Lu has mobilized Hu Dianjia's troops to go to Laolongtou Railway Station to cooperate with the Boxers and the Third Battalion of the Left Army to block the attacking Russian troops. Now Hu Dianjia's artillery battalion is firing at the Russian artillery on the overpass.

Yu Lu asked Master Qian to tell Teng Yuzao that he, Nie Shicheng, He Yongsheng and others estimated that Seymour would take the Laolongtou Railway Station and then withdraw to the concession, so Hu Dianjia's troops would not come again. Just in case, Liu Shijiu's Boxer Group, who was preparing to attack the concession, would be sent to him before dusk.

Master Qian also told Teng Yuzao that he was worried that the two coalition forces from Seymour and Dagukou would rush to the concession and greatly increase the strength of the coalition forces in the concession, and then there would be no chance to take over the concession. Therefore, Yu Lu had decided that tonight, Zhang Decheng and other Boxers would cooperate with Nie Shicheng to attack the concession, and asked him to defend Xigu tightly and try his best to block Seymour's retreating troops.

In short, in one sentence, Hu Dianjia's troops cannot arrive, and Xigu can only rely on himself.

Master Qian also secretly told Teng Yuzhao that Yu Lu had something to say, asking Teng Yuzhao not to fight Seymour head-on, and if it failed, he should lead his troops back to the city.

After giving all this instruction, Master Qian did not eat at the vanguard army but hurried back to report to Yu Lu.

Teng Yuzao, who was familiar with this period of history, knew that what Master Qian said was what had happened in history. Tonight, Ma Yukun took several battalions of the Wuwei Left Army and rushed back to Tianjin from Shanhaiguan by train, and then joined Cao Futian to attack the Laolongtou Railway Station. In order to prevent the coalition forces from cutting off the railway transportation from Tianjin to Shanhaiguan, the Wuwei Front Army troops in Lutai were not withdrawn for the time being.

Seymour, who was anxious to get back to the concession, was afraid of being entangled by the Qing army and the Boxers at Laolongtou Railway Station, so he did not go to Laolongtou Railway Station, but chose to take the shortcut through Xigu back to the concession, and fought a battle with the Lian army here. Hu Dianjia led his troops to the rescue and entangled Seymour. They fought for most of the night. Finally, with the cooperation of the coalition forces in the concession, Seymour withdrew to the concession.

Nie Shicheng's vanguard army led by Zhou Dingchen, whose strength was almost the same as that of the coalition forces coming to support, failed to take advantage of the defense and block the nearly 3,000 coalition troops rushing to the concession from Dagukou to reinforce them, allowing this coalition force to reach Dongjuzi by the next morning.

It would be fine if the concession could be taken as promised, but if not, Dongjuzi would be caught in a pincer attack from both the reinforcements and the concession. Even if Pan Jinshan adopted his trench tactics, the pressure would be enormous. Once Dongjuzi was lost, the coalition forces in Dagukou would open up traffic with the coalition forces in the concession, and a steady stream of coalition forces would rush to the city of Tianjin.

Teng Yuzhao couldn't help but sigh secretly, his power was still too weak, so that the two great victories could not have much impact on the Battle of Tianjin.

"Master Qian."

Teng Yuzhao called out to Master Qian who was about to leave, took a small package from Li Yulin and stuffed it into Master Qian's hand, then spoke in a low voice.

"Master Qian, please tell Yu Zhongtang that Xigu is too close to the concession. I'm worried that the Wuwei Front Army can't stop the coalition forces coming from Dagukou. Once they enter the concession, Xigu will most likely be their target, as a large amount of munitions are stored here."

"If these arms are here, I will definitely be held back and dare not move rashly, so I want to transfer the arms here to Xianghe, then I can let go and fight the foreigners. Master Qian will have to take care of this matter."

"Besides, I'm recruiting new soldiers. I can't just keep a large group of them here for training. If something urgent happens, they will all be dispersed."

Since Teng Yuzhao cannot change the powerful inertia of history for the time being, he can only make long-term considerations, transfer the weapons and equipment from Xigu, and set up his temporary base in Xianghe, so that he will have no worries.

Seeing that Teng Yuzao was going to transfer the military supplies from Xigu, Master Qian knew that Teng Yuzao had no confidence in keeping Tianjin City. He sighed and whispered, "Xingfu, I don't think this matter will be a big problem. You can start preparing now."

"Ever since he heard what you said last night, Yu Zhongtang has been worried about Dongjuzi and moved the things here. He will be very happy to see you free up."

Master Qian asked worriedly, "Xingfu, tell me the truth, can these Green Camp soldiers assigned to you help?"

Teng Yuzao smiled bitterly and said, "Master Qian, I have only been given these Green Camp soldiers for a short time. How can you expect too much from them?"

Your support is the driving force of Zuima!



(End of this chapter)