RPAGF Chapter 114 Another Electricity Connection
Chapter 114 Another Electricity Connection
On August 16th, Beijing was in chaos. The Eight-Nation Alliance, armed with knives and guns, began looting the imperial palaces and government offices.
After the Eight-Nation Alliance entered Beijing, a fierce argument broke out. Germany and France advocated advancing westward to pursue and capture Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu.
Germany sought revenge after their envoy was killed by Qing troops. This was also a major reason for the Eight-Nation Alliance's invasion of Beijing.
France had suffered many losses at the hands of the Qing army and wanted to take this opportunity to vent its anger.
However, other countries were different; most of them had signed numerous unequal treaties with the Qing Dynasty. If the Qing Dynasty collapsed, who knew if the next government would recognize them?
Their joint military expedition is nothing more than an attempt to reap benefits. Who would willingly risk their life against the Qing Dynasty?
Although the Qing army was poorly equipped, its territory was simply too vast. The fierce resistance from the Wuwei Army and the Boxers in Tianjin and Langfang had already inflicted some losses on the various nations.
With their current troop strength, pursuing them will likely only lead to them getting bogged down!
Faced with strong opposition from the other six countries, Germany and France had no choice but to abandon their plan to pursue Empress Dowager Cixi.
Most importantly, Germany doesn't have any troops in Beijing right now. You read that right, there wasn't a single German soldier among the Eight-Nation Alliance.
France only had eight hundred men, and with such a small force, he obviously wouldn't dare to go out alone to pursue Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu.
Beginning on August 16th, the Allied forces announced a three-day ban on open looting. They first targeted the Forbidden City, the Three Seas (Zhonghai, Haimen, and Nanhai), the Summer Palace, and other imperial gardens.
While looting, they indiscriminately slaughtered civilians, committing countless atrocities of rape and plunder. For a time, the capital was filled with the sounds of weeping and flames.
The Prince Zhuang Mansion, which served as the headquarters of the Boxers in Beijing, was completely burned down, and thousands of people identified as Boxers were driven there and executed.
The onlookers finally realized the power of the Eight-Nation Alliance, but it was too late! Many women, unable to bear the humiliation, threw themselves into wells and died; the wells everywhere were filled with women's corpses.
Large numbers of officials and ordinary citizens began to flee the capital. The Eight-Nation Alliance did nothing about it, leaving the city gates open and allowing the people to leave.
While the Eight-Nation Alliance was celebrating in Beijing, Shen Lian had already deployed his entire army. He was just waiting for the opportune moment to strike with lightning speed!
"Zhiyuan, are we just going to stand by and watch those beasts burn, kill, and loot in the capital?" Nie Gongting asked, his eyes red.
As large numbers of people fled, Nie Gongting naturally learned of the situation in the capital. He eagerly approached Shen Lian, wanting to send troops immediately.
“Father-in-law, please wait a couple more days! The allied forces have only just begun looting, and this is when they are most excited. If we advance now, we will inevitably encounter strong resistance from them.”
"Why not wait a couple more days, until everyone has made a fortune? Who would still be willing to risk their lives then?"
"Only then can we eliminate them at the lowest cost! Father-in-law, rest assured, they won't be able to steal a single tael of silver. At the same time, they will pay a bloody price for the sins they have committed!" Shen Lian said grimly.
"Alright! Sigh!" Nie Gongting was a seasoned veteran, so he naturally knew when was the best time to send troops. He was just furious at seeing the capital ravaged.
"The Fifth and Sixth Regiments are responsible for the northern attack, entering the city through Deshengmen, Andingmen, and Di'anmen respectively. Your area of responsibility is the inner palace, Shuntian Prefecture, and the northern part of the imperial city north of Dongsi!"
"This place is occupied by the Japanese army, with approximately eight thousand troops. They are the largest force in the Allied forces. I'm transferring two battalions from my cavalry regiment to reinforce you. Remember, the assault must be swift and ruthless! Show no mercy to the Japanese."
"We guarantee to complete the mission!" The two regimental commanders stood up happily and saluted.
"I must emphasize that these are all important royal sites. Be careful to protect all buildings, documents, and other valuables," Shen Lian added.
"The 34th Regiment is responsible for the eastern offensive. Your area is east of Dongsi South Street, which is currently occupied by Russian troops. There are approximately 4,800 troops in total."
"The Armed Police Force has dispatched 3,000 men to assist you in the attack! Remember, the primary objective in dealing with the Russian army is to capture as many prisoners as possible. Do not execute those who are not guilty of heinous crimes, and treat the wounded as much as possible!"
"Yes! Mission accomplished!" The fourth regimental commander stood up and accepted the order.
"Brother Xianfan, please publicize our military regulations more. I will send an inspection team to you. I don't want any unpleasant things to happen!" Shen Lian said to Nie Xianfan. Because these Wuwei Army soldiers were under his command.
"I'll lead the army myself, let's see which brat dares to disobey orders!" Nie Gongting slammed his fist on the table and roared.
"Father-in-law, you're still injured. Why don't you come with me to oversee the battle from the rear?"
"Zhiyuan, don't say any more! My injuries have almost healed. Besides, I'm not one to lead from the front, but I can still command battles!" Nie Gongting waved his hand and said firmly.
Shen Lian knew that his father-in-law wanted to avenge his previous humiliation, so he didn't stop him!
"The Third Regiment is responsible for the southeast, which is British-occupied territory, with a force of about three thousand men. Two thousand of the Wuwei Army will be transferred to assist you."
"The First Regiment is responsible for the western offensive. This area is occupied by American and French troops. The force is approximately 2,000 American soldiers and 800 French soldiers! We will also transfer 2,000 members of the Wuwei Army to assist you."
"I, the commander, will personally lead the division's directly subordinate troops into the city from the south through Yongding Gate!"
"In this operation, both our new army and the armed forces must carry forward the spirit of hard fighting and fearlessness of sacrifice. We must fight decisively and advance quickly!"
"Occupy key points before the Allied forces can react, and then clear the streets one by one! Coordinate between the regiments."
"This battle concerns the fate of China, and everyone must give it their all!"
"Yes, sir!" So all the officers, including the military personnel who came to the meeting, stood up. Only Shen Lian and Nie Gongting remained seated at the head of the table.
"Alright! Set your watches! Launch the attack promptly at 1 PM!"
August 18, 1900 (the 26th year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign in the Qing Dynasty).
At 1 p.m., an explosive telegram spread throughout China.
Shen Lian telegraphed the entire nation, announcing that the First Division of the Shandong New Army had recaptured Tianjin three days prior, annihilating the Eight-Nation Alliance's Tianjin garrison.
They have now joined forces with Nie Gongting's Martial Guard Army, leading 30,000 troops to besiege Beijing. The Eight-Nation Alliance will be annihilated and Beijing recaptured soon!
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! Shen Lian's new army of several thousand men has only been trained for a few months, how could they possibly have such combat power!" Yuan Xiangcheng roared, his face flushed red.
The other governors and viceroys shared similar expressions; they all knew the power of the foreign armies. This Shen Lian was definitely exaggerating his military achievements!
However, they were quickly proven wrong! Now that the attack had been launched, Shen Lian naturally lifted control of the Tianjin telegraph office. Each governor-general had their own network of connections, and they soon received reliable information.
For a moment, the local governors and viceroys were speechless!