Even if you want to kill more than 20,000 pigs, you will have to spend some effort, let alone more than 20,000 middle-aged men equipped with powerful weapons? The Korean militia did have the disadvantage of insufficient training and hastily responding to the battle, but they could not stand up to many people. The so-called heroes could not stand up to many people, not to mention that the Japanese army was not considered heroes.

After two hours of hard fighting, the Japanese army found that the Korean militia not only were not defeated, but instead fought more and more. At this time, Nozu Daoguan, who found something wrong, wanted to retreat again, and it was too late.

The Japanese army had lost more than half of the losses at this time, and they were completely in a melee with the Korean militia. Because it was dark, it was impossible to organize effectively. Even if the officers shouted loudly, the effect they could receive was minimal on the positions of shouting and killing. At this moment, the Second Brigade of the Third Division, who had been raising their strength for a night, joined the hand-to-hand combat.

The soldiers of the Guards themselves had a slightly higher level of assassination and fighting than the Japanese army. Coupled with the advantage of numbers and physical strength, the Japanese army was completely defeated in an instant.

The defeated Japanese army began to flee to the south. In the dark, Korean militia and guard soldiers followed behind and chased after him. After a while, a trace of sky light began to appear in the east, indicating that the Japanese army's doomsday had arrived completely.

The summer sun came out early, just around four o'clock, and it was already dawn. Now, the shouts of Korean militia could be heard outside Yizhou Gate. Then, the remaining troops of the Guards left the city from Yizhou Gate and Zhuque Gate and began to launch a full-scale counterattack against the Japanese army.

On June 30, the Japanese Fifth Division was wiped out outside Pyongyang City. The division commander Notsu Dokun, Chief of Staff Ueda Ayuzawa, and the brigade commander immediately met Naomoto and other generals, and all of them were killed in battle. The commander of the First Army General Yutomoto, Yama Prefecture, committed suicide by separatism.

It was also on this day that the Second Japanese Army of the invading Chinese, who was besieged by the Qing army on the Zhili Plain, was wiped out due to ammunition and food exhaustion. Commander General Dashanyan faced the east and committed suicide by separatism.

Zhang Xiluan's 11th Division and Cao Kun's 12th Division completed reinforcements to the Tangshan battlefield five days ago through railways. After being supplemented by the two divisions' new forces, Ma Jinxu's brigade retreated and returned to the capital to rest. Then, with the 11th and 12th Divisions as the main force, the Qing army launched a final general attack on the trapped Japanese remnants.

"Very good!" Zai Tian, ​​who received the war report, smiled for the first time this month. "I ordered Zhang Xiluan's division to be stationed on the spot, and Cao Kun and Nie Shicheng's troops immediately went north to Shengjing, and then entered North Korea, with Liu Shaoqing's unified command. We will launch a decisive battle with the main force of the Japanese army."

Li Hongzhang was a little confused: "Didn't the telegram sent from the frontline say that the main force of the Japanese army entering North Korea had been annihilated outside Pyongyang City?"

Zai Tian immediately said: "Yes, but this is just a mistake in entering North Korea in advance. According to the information collected before, the Japanese army equipped at least seven field infantry divisions and a guard division before launching the war, with a force of at least 120,000. Now we have annihilated only more than 40,000 troops, and it is far from the time to get hurt. Moreover, Japan can add at least five divisions in a short time. Therefore, in the next two or three months, the Japanese army should be able to send about five infantry divisions to North Korea."

Li Hongzhang said: "The emperor means that the Japanese will focus on North Korea?"

"Not bad!" Zai Tian said confidently: "In the next two or three months, the Japanese fleet will not be effectively supplemented, or they will temporarily lose their overseas delivery capabilities. Therefore, North Korea, which is only one strait from its homeland, will become the only area that can be used to send troops and occupy it. Therefore, before October, North Korea, especially the area south of the Han River, will be the focus of our army's competition with the Japanese army."

As the two were talking, a little eunuch came in and informed: "Prince Gong asked for a meeting."

Yixin's main responsibility direction is diplomacy, which is another key factor in whether this war can achieve the expected victory. Therefore, Zai Tian couldn't wait to hear good news from the great powers.

On June 13, the day after the declaration of war, the Zongli Yamen of the Qing Dynasty sent a note to the embassies of various countries to protect the merchants and priests of various countries, saying: "There is only one who has been provoking China, and in addition, all countries have made friends as usual." At the same time, both the Chinese and Japanese governments require the US government to protect the safety of the expatriates in the two countries. On the 24th, the Zongli Yamen of the Chinese government agreed to protect the Japanese citizens in China from humiliation, but in the case of intelligence, the Japanese must stay in the designated area of ​​China during the war. Subsequently, the Japanese issued the same notice.

By early July, major European and American countries, except Russia, had successively declared neutrality outside the country.

"The Russians have always been unwilling to express their attitude clearly. I am worried that the Russians will take advantage of the situation to rob them." Yi Xin said at last.

Zai Tian nodded: "Don't worry, the Russians' temper is certain to take advantage of the situation. The key is what the Russians will do."

Yi Xin thought for a while and said, "Eighty times he will use troops in the northwest."

"Yes." Li Hongzhang also agreed with King Gong's opinion, but he also added: "It may also intervene from the sea through his fleet in Vladivostok."

Zai Tian said: "That's right. Russian military intervention may come from both land and ocean. On the land side, because the Siberlujah Railway has just begun to be built, the place where the Russians are most likely to directly intervene in land is Xinjiang. Therefore, we need to strengthen the deployment of troops in the northwest immediately."

Li Hongzhang is now the Minister of Military Affairs and the Ministry of War. He is more clear about the deployment of troops in key areas than Yi Xin: "In addition to Wang Zhanyuan's unit of the 9th Division of the Guards, which was previously sent in Xinjiang, Dong Fuxiang's Gansu Army has also basically completed the reorganization. After adding some grassroots commanders, technical troops and staff, Dong Fuxiang's seven battalions were expanded into an infantry brigade. In addition, Chen Xuequan, who was originally stationed in Sumantash, joined the newly recruited recruits after rest and reorganized into a brigade. Now there are about 30,000 warable soldiers in Xinjiang. However, the military equipment is slightly worse than the divisions in the east."

"Let Wu Faxian add some machine guns and artillery to Xinjiang as much as possible, and also make Yang Changjun and Tao Mo be sure to recruit a reserve team of 20,000 people within the year to prepare for emergencies."

“Wait.”

"It's okay to say on land. After all, Xinjiang is very far away from the center. No matter how strong the Russians are, they will not affect us for a while. What I am really worried about is the sea."

"Is the emperor worried about the Russians' fleet in Vladivostok?"

Zai Tian shook his head: "It's not just this. There are two possibilities for Russian military intervention at sea. One is to assist Japan's warfare through weapons sales. In this regard, it is now certain that the Japanese are already purchasing warships from Russia. And it is very likely that they are two advanced armored cruisers that are rumored to be rumored in Europe. However, the Russians have not yet produced this armored cruiser, so it is naturally impossible to equip the Japanese in a short time, so now the Russians are likely to sell the two protective cruisers of the Pacific Fleet to Japan first. In this way, Japan can obtain two old 7,000-ton ironclad ships and several third-class light cruisers in a short time."

The warships Zai Tian mentioned are the fleet of Vladivostok as Li Hongzhang mentioned. This is the main force of the Russian Pacific Fleet.

"The Russians only have a few warships in the Pacific, so it is impossible to sell them all to the Japanese at one time, right?" Li Hongzhang hesitated.

Zai Tian said: "These warships are older, their speed and weapon systems can no longer keep up with the new military development needs. Keeping them will eventually be eliminated. It is better to sell them while the Japanese are helpless and take the opportunity to slap the Japanese."

Li Hongzhang said worriedly: "In this way, will the combat effectiveness of the Japanese Navy be restored immediately, and will even be even higher than before the war. Our army is now suffering heavy losses, and the newly purchased warships cannot be quickly established. Wouldn't the sea control power be handed over to someone?"

Zai Tian said: "Not necessarily. First, the Japanese may not be willing to spend a high price to buy old ships. They may also think of other ways, such as purchasing warships from South America or Italy. Only when they have no choice, will they pinch their noses and accept the conditions of the Russians. Therefore, the negotiations for purchasing warships take at least one month. At the same time, the Japanese still need personnel to match after receiving the warships. The Japanese had no experience in operating large warships before, and their naval personnel suffered far more losses than us now. After receiving the new warships, which soldiers can only be operated by the second-line fleet, so it takes time to be familiar with the ships. In this way, we may be able to gain a month to two months."

Li Hongzhang asked tentatively: "From what the emperor saw, how likely is it to reach a deal between the Japanese and the Russians?"

"Almost 100%!" Zai Tian said affirmatively. "Although European powers have ships that can be sold to the Japanese, they have to consider the position of the United Kingdom, and on the other hand, they also need to consider the risk of losing our largest trading partner in Asia, so it is unlikely to sell them to Japanese warships. Although South American countries may sell their warships, they may not get them for three months because the distance is too far and the negotiation time goes by. The Japanese are worried that we will add new combat ships within three months and then attack their ports, so they will definitely not be able to wait for South American ships. In this way, the only ones for them to choose from are the Russians. They will have to be beaten by this knife."

"In other words, the Japanese may make a comeback in the last two months?" Yi Xin interrupted.

"That's right, so I asked the navy's shipyard to work overtime and strive to complete the deployment of our warships in the shortest time."

"But this is just one of the things I am worried about. What makes me even more worried is that the Russians directly participate in the war." Guangxu suddenly turned around.

"Join the war directly?" Li Hongzhang and Yi Xin said in unison: "Will the Russians send a fleet?"

"This possibility is not ruled out!" Zai Tian said: "The Russians have been coveting the unfreezing port for a hundred years. The war between China and Japan will inevitably seriously damage the power of the two East Asian countries on the water. Therefore, this is the best time for Russia to seize the unfreezing port in East Asia. Once the war is finalized, the winning side will definitely support the British to better respond to the Russian threat. By that time, the Russians will face a more troublesome situation. It is better to intervene in the war when the British have not yet firmly believed, so that they may gain greater benefits after the war."

Yixin slapped her forehead: "That's why you wrote a handwritten letter to the British Minister!?"

"Yes, I hope the British can really pay attention to this war and understand the actions that the Russians may take. Even if the British are unwilling to be directly involved in the war, they can use powerful fleets to restrain the Russians' Baltic fleet on the Atlantic Ocean. At least not allow the Russians to cross the Strait of Malacca. And we also need British warships."
Chapter completed!