Twentieth Century Chronicle

Page 86

After the military conference, Yuan Shikai rested briefly before heading to Shanhaiguan and Shihe for inspection. While observing the Russian positions from the Shanhaiguan city wall, he suddenly noticed that the city's residents were beginning to line up in an orderly fashion and walk towards the interior of the pass. He was quite surprised and asked Wang Yingkai beside him, "Zhang Nanxian is truly a talent. It's only past noon, not even three hours have passed? And he's already managed to get those Manchus to obey orders?"

Wang Yingkai glanced around, then whispered to Yuan Shikai, "That Zhang Nanxian said that all Manchu men have received military pay since childhood, so military law should be enforced, and any family members who cause trouble should have their men conscripted. This guy is ruthless; he's killed more than a dozen Manchus and twenty or thirty thugs in less than an hour since entering the city. I think he doesn't plan to go back alive, does he?"

Yuan Shikai's face twitched slightly, then he sighed and said, "If he's alive, who would dare to punish him? How many Manchus were killed in Wuhan?"

Wang Yingkai was speechless. Indeed, the Southern Army was different from them; they didn't care about the Manchus' retaliation at all.

Chapter 301 A Boring Beginning

Major General Kashtarinsky's troops broke through Shanhaiguan Pass on August 11th. The reason why it took so long to capture the city was not because the Chinese had suddenly become more capable, but because his side lacked sufficient ammunition and the constant protests from the British had tied up a lot of the troops' energy.

The British control over the railways inside and outside the Great Wall was not just lip service; they actually stationed troops along the lines, just as the Russians did along the Chinese Eastern Railway. During the Boxer Rebellion, the Russians even stationed troops as far as Shanhaiguan.

Later, in order to ease relations with the British, the Russians had no choice but to abandon their garrison at Shanhaiguan. After China and Russia entered a state of war, Russia also had to withdraw its troops from the Tianjin concession to ensure that Tianjin became a non-combat zone.

When the Russian army decided to launch an attack on Beijing, a fierce debate broke out between Russia and Britain over whether the railway inside and outside the Great Wall could be used, because the Chinese had clearly obtained the right to use the railway. In the end, Russia had to recognize the neutral status of the railway inside and outside the Great Wall under the threat of British warships.

However, the Russian army did not deliberately avoid the railway lines inside and outside the pass during the battle; in fact, they used the railway lines as a breakthrough point on several occasions. After all, this railway line runs through the entire Liaoxi Corridor, and the Russian army believed that it was impossible to fight without it. Only the Chinese would be intimidated by British intimidation and be restrained in battle.

However, as the Russian army approached Shanhaiguan, the Liaoxi Corridor became narrower and narrower. The area from the coast to the foot of the mountain in the Shanhaiguan region was only eleven or twelve versts. This led to more and more incidents of accidental bombing of railway lines, and railways inside and outside the Great Wall were forced to be shut down. This made the British protests against Russia increasingly severe.

The major general felt that he had spent more energy negotiating with the British than commanding the battle. As for the insufficient ammunition transport capacity, it was because Britain refused to allow Russia to use the railways inside and outside the Great Wall, which forced Russia to adopt a combination of land and sea transport, which greatly slowed down the troops' offensive speed.

For example, during the attack on Shanhaiguan, the two artillery batteries, with 16 cannons, could only fire 10 shells per day each. This lack of transport capacity resulted in insufficient offensive power. However, what the major general criticized most was that the logistics department had not even equipped them with more powerful artillery shells. Of course, this could not be blamed on the logistics department, as St. Petersburg had never sent any artillery shells to the Far East.

Although the Far East Governor-General's Office had formulated three operational plans two years earlier—an operational plan against Japan, an operational plan against Qing China, and an operational plan to wage war simultaneously against two neighboring countries—the Governor-General and officials of the War Ministry focused primarily on manpower adequacy, paying little attention to the allocation of weapons and equipment. Frankly, achieving the required quantities on paper was already considered good; specifying the details of different types of equipment was tantamount to provoking the bureaucrats of the Quartermaster Department.

Of course, the fact that the Army and the Quartermaster Department always regarded the Far East battlefield as a colonial war was also a very important factor. For the natives of the colonies, all they needed was a bayonet; why would they need grenades? Even when fighting the Ottoman Empire, the Army and the Quartermaster Department attached more importance to it than to the Far East battlefield, since the Turks at least had a time of honor.

However, Major General Kashtarinsky felt he had nothing to complain about, because even if the quartermaster and logistics departments were ineffective, he was only dealing with Chinese people, who were even weaker than the Japanese. According to the Minister of War, "One Russian soldier is worth three Japanese soldiers, one Japanese soldier is worth three Chinese soldiers, so one Russian soldier is worth nine Chinese soldiers. Surely an infantry division can occupy Beijing?"

As an officer who led the Chinese Eastern Railway Protection Army into Beijing during the Boxer Rebellion, Major General Kashtarinsky felt that the Minister of the Army's calculations were sound. Even without many grenades, hadn't he still captured the city? After passing this city, he would soon see those open plains again, which would be the best hunting ground for Cossack cavalry to roam freely.

Standing atop the eastern fortress, Major General Kastalinsky asked the officer beside him, "It seems the Chinese haven't given up. They appear to have set up two positions on the other side of the river. What do you think our next move should be?"

Colonel Silinsky seized the opportunity without hesitation and replied, "Based on our previous experience, once we break through the Chinese defenses, they will waver and flee. I don't think it's necessary to pay attention to the upstream defenses. As long as we break through the Chinese defenses from the railway bridge side, the upstream defenses will soon collapse as well."

The major general was very interested in this suggestion, so he asked, "What do you think is the fastest way to achieve a breakthrough?"

Colonel Silinsky pointed to the artillery positions in the distance and said, "Use our artillery to suppress the enemy's artillery, then send the cavalry across the railway bridge. Don't get entangled, go straight to attack the enemy's artillery positions. While the enemy is distracted by the cavalry's movements, our infantry will charge into the enemy's positions in one fell swoop, drive them out of the positions, and the battle will be over."

After pondering for a moment, the major general nodded and said, "I like this idea. Lieutenant Colonel Irman, can your cannons suppress the Chinese cannons?"

Lieutenant Colonel Irman glanced at the circular trenches on both sides of the railway across the river and said with some concern, "My cannons can suppress the enemy's artillery positions, but each cannon only has thirty rounds of ammunition. If we use them to suppress the enemy's artillery positions, then we can't bombard those multifaceted bunkers and spectacle bunkers. Isn't that too risky?"

Before the major general could speak, Colonel Silinsky said with a smile, "The Chinese have built these fortresses before, but they simply lack the skills and determination to use them. As long as our cavalry can destroy the Chinese cannons, we can defeat those cowards hiding in the trenches with our bayonets."

Major General Kashtarinsky finally made up his mind and said, "Give them one last night. Launch the attack at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. Colonel Silinsky, your 8th Regiment will be in charge of tomorrow's attack. The 6th Regiment will launch a feint attack upstream, and the 5th and 7th Regiments will serve as reserves..."

After the Russians occupied Shanhaiguan, Wang Yingkai, Duan Qirui, and Feng Guozhang all advised Yuan Shikai, who was in Qinhuangdao, to get on the train and return to Tianjin, or at least retreat to Changli County. After all, the Shengjing General was in Changli and refused to come to the front line. Why should Yuan Shikai, as a Grand Councilor and Governor-General of Zhili, risk his life on the front line?

Fed up with his subordinates' attempts to persuade him, Yuan Shikai finally snapped, "I've put all my assets on the table. Even if I lose everything, I want to see how I lose. Don't try to talk me out of it. Since I survived in Korea, it's not my turn to die today. If you still remember my kindness to you, then show me on the battlefield. Tell me to retreat? Where can I retreat to now? Tianjin? Beijing? Or Caishikou?"

Seeing that Yuan Shikai had even uttered such harsh words, no one dared to offer any further advice. Indeed, the court's favor towards Yuan Shikai was now comparable to that of Ao Bai; if Russian troops were to advance on Beijing under such circumstances, would they truly believe the court was a pushover? They could only swear an oath to repay the Marshal's kindness with their lives.

August 12th, cloudy with a light breeze blowing in from the southwest sea, so the morning temperature was quite pleasant. Major General Kastalinsky estimated it wouldn't exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a suitable day for combat. Lieutenant Colonel Irman's artillery position was set up in a vegetable field near the south gate. The Chinese were quite industrious; the land near the city wall had been developed, causing the lieutenant colonel considerable trouble.

Fortunately, the artillery under the lieutenant colonel performed their duties well, completing the artillery positions before 9 o'clock. At Colonel Silinsky's request, the major general standing on the city wall nodded in approval to launch the attack. Soon, the 8th and 6th Regiments advanced outside the city and formed ranks, followed by a company of cavalry making a probing attack on the railway bridge.

When the cavalry company spread out into three groups—one on each side of the railway bridge and one on the bridge itself—to test the waters, the Russian army began test firings at the Chinese artillery positions. Soon, the Chinese artillery returned fire, but the shells seemed to have vanished, and only a few cannons were firing. The poor firing of the Chinese artillery made the observers from various countries standing on the other side of the city wall shake their heads in disapproval.

When the Russian army attacked from Jinzhou to Shanhaiguan, various countries sent observers to watch the war. However, the Russian army attacked too quickly, and the Chinese army had no power to fight back. Therefore, these observers were not very diligent. If Shanhaiguan were not symbolic, these observers would not have come to watch the war today.

A French colonel put down his binoculars, shook his head, and said, "Looks like this is another armed parade. We can head straight to Tianjin and wait. To be honest, I'd rather play a game of bridge at the Astor House than watch this boring victory here."

German Lieutenant Colonel Raunstein, still somewhat hopeful, said, "It may not be smooth sailing. If the Chinese can make full use of the defensive capabilities of the three ring fortifications, they can still cause some trouble for the Russians... Look, they have laid landmines in front of the trenches. I knew things wouldn't go so smoothly."

The French colonel, however, dismissed the concern, saying, "What's the point? Landmines can only hinder the attack, not eliminate the enemy. What truly threatens the Russian army is artillery, but the Russians have already seized the Chinese artillery positions. Look, without artillery support, now is the time for the Russians to launch a large-scale offensive..."

Just minutes earlier, on the artillery position of the Second Beiyang Division, located north of the railway line, several soldiers were chatting idly while looking towards Shanhaiguan. "Would those Russians really be that stupid? To mistake these logs for cannons?"

"From a distance, you probably wouldn't be able to tell, we're about 6 or 7 kilometers from Shanhaiguan. Besides, aren't there a few real cannons... Ah, the commander's ordering us to fire... The Russians are really firing at us, run!"

Chapter 302 A Different Kind of Battle

Shedih was a young Cossack who followed his Uryadnik across the wide shoal from the north side of the railway bridge. They were the Third Cossack Regiment from Chita, consisting of four hundred-man squads. After the first hundred-man squad paved the way for the entire regiment, the remaining three hundred-man squads split into three groups: one on the bridge, and one on the north and south sides below the bridge.

Although he hadn't participated in many battles, Shedih was conscripted in 03. His main task was to deal with the bandits in Manchuria. After 02, attacks on the railway began to increase. The most troublesome of these Manchurian bandits were the horse bandits. Although they weren't very strong in combat, they were swift and difficult to defeat and eliminate. Therefore, the Cossacks' tasks became more arduous.

However, Shedikh enjoyed charging into battle on horseback and watching the enemy flee in panic, which made him feel like a true Cossack. But as a novice, he couldn't choose his own targets like the veterans; he could only follow Uryadnik in the charge, a position commonly known as "chicken chick."

In battle, maneuvering a horse, observing the environment, and finding a suitable target are not things that novices can do. Only seasoned veterans skilled in cavalry warfare can easily and quickly find the enemy's weak points and then charge in to end the battle. Choosing the wrong target will result in unnecessary casualties for oneself and one's comrades.

Shedikh's subordinate, Uryadnik, was a veteran with over 15 years of service. Although Russia had not fought any major wars since the Crimean War, Uryadnik had participated in several Central Asian counterinsurgency campaigns and the 1900 invasion of Manchuria. He had also been awarded the Third Class Order of the George Cross, which he still wears on his chest.

Therefore, when Shedih charged alongside him, he never considered anything else, only keeping his eyes fixed on the other man's horse's tail. With the advance troops scouting ahead, their group quickly crossed the shallows and stepped onto the riverbank. Uryadnik began to adjust the direction of the charge, and the column turned to the left front. Shedih, in the middle of the column, quickly glanced to the right and ahead, noticing a barbed wire fence extending diagonally into the river on the right. Near the fence lay dead bodies and horses clinging to their owners, unwilling to leave.

The barbed wire wasn't actually that high, about chest height for a standing person. It might not be impossible for a horse to jump over it if it charged and accelerated. Someone had obviously tried this difficult maneuver before. However, seeing the people and horses blown to pieces behind the barbed wire, it was clear that the barbed wire enclosed a minefield.

However, Shedihe soon realized that something seemed wrong. Whether it was his companions coming from the railway bridge or the groups crossing the river on both sides of the railway bridge, they could only squeeze together under the pressure of these barbed wire fences. It was like the fish trap he had placed in the river, with a large opening but a small entrance. The more the fish swam in, the more they trapped themselves in a narrow cage.

Uryadnik at the front had tried several times to adjust his direction and speed, but under pressure from the cavalry behind him, he had no choice but to continue advancing and increase his speed to avoid disrupting the overall formation. Although Cossacks did not require the same level of formation as European cavalry when charging, they had absorbed the combat experience of European cavalry and knew the importance of maintaining a complete formation during a charge.

However, this quickly turned their direct targets into flanking targets. Although the colonel had instructed them to simply attack the enemy artillery positions after crossing the river, the Cossacks disliked leaving the enemy behind, so they had slightly broadened their targets. But now it seemed the Chinese hadn't given them a choice, instead forcing them to advance along the railway line.

Under these circumstances, the cavalry were attacked from both flanks. Unable to retaliate and forced to endure the blows, the cavalry could only accelerate their escape from the area, hoping to break through. Soon, the cavalry were packed together. Although the two circular positions to the north and south were more than a verst apart, the entire 1rd Cossack Regiment, when joined together, was only a quarter verst wide.

Just then, a sharper, continuous burst of gunfire rang out. Shedihe was startled to find the figures of the horses and men ahead suddenly vanished, and sunlight streamed directly onto him. At that moment, his mind had completely lost its capacity for thought; he could only cling to the horse's neck, lower his body, and accelerate, trying to escape this hellish scene.

He was lucky; he was one of the few cavalrymen who escaped the machine gun fire without stepping on any landmines. He eventually charged into the final position enclosed by the circular trench. However, he soon heard Chinese spoken, and then soldiers with bayonets came out of their bunkers and forced the horses to stop. He was then quickly pulled off his horse and thrown heavily to the ground. Soon after, he knew nothing more.

"Alright, disarm him and take him to the back." Zhang Nanxian stopped the man who was trying to kill the unconscious Shedihe. It wasn't that he felt any pity for the young Russian cavalryman, but rather that he felt the man was no longer capable of causing any harm.

He looked again at the battlefield ahead. The three circular machine gun bunkers had completely wiped out nearly an entire regiment of cavalry. Two bunkers were in front and one in the rear, forming a triangular defensive position. So when the cavalry ran to the center, they became easy targets with no blind spots. The entire battle ended as quickly as the cavalry had charged in. Apart from the corpses of men and horses scattered on the ground, there were no standing men or horses left.

Further ahead, the Russian infantry vanguard had only just crossed the railway bridge, and the Russian troops below had only reached two-thirds of the way to the shallows. Just when Zhang Nanxian thought these Russian infantry would turn back, they unexpectedly charged towards the circular positions on both sides, shouting "Hurrah!" From his vantage point, he could only think these Russians were incredibly foolish, needlessly exposing their flanks to him.

Major General Kastalinsky, who was watching the battle from the city wall, also witnessed the annihilation of his cavalry. Although as an imperial soldier he knew that armies were destined to perish on the battlefield, seeing his troops die before even getting close to the Chinese filled him with anger.

He roared at his adjutant, "This is not a heroic battle, this is a despicable Chinese attempt to murder the Tsarist army! Have Lieutenant Colonel Irman target the Chinese fortifications, and have the 5th and 7th Regiments prepare to attack! I will not accept the surrender of a single Chinese in this battle! I will punish these despicable, cowardly bastards..."

Major General Kashtarinsky's roar could even be heard by the observers from other countries on the other side, but no one thought there was anything wrong with the major general's decision. Since the Chinese artillery had been destroyed, how could a few machine guns stop the infantry's charge? The final means of a battle is either artillery or an infantry charge; machine guns can only be used for defense.

As the European observers silently mourned the heroic Cossack cavalry, Lieutenant Colonel Torajiro Nishikawa, a Japanese observer who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up: "Perhaps we should raise the flag of our observation group."

The Frenchman scoffed, "Do you really think the Chinese can get this far? You're underestimating the Tsar's army. This is just a minor setback; it won't change anything."

Once again, Nishikawa Torajiro felt the xenophobic mentality of these Europeans. Although they had just been hoping that the Chinese would teach the Russians a lesson, when the Russians actually suffered a setback, they began to exclude the only yellow-skinned people here for the sake of European honor. It seemed that at this moment, Russia had become the representative of European nations fighting against the yellow-skinned.

However, he had no intention of engaging in any verbal sparring with these Europeans. He simply stated frankly, "Since the Chinese army was able to set up such a trap to deal with the Russian cavalry, I don't think they would allow their artillery positions to be destroyed by the Russians so easily. Don't you think the Chinese artillery's counterattack just now was too much of a show...?"

Although the French and Germans did not believe the Japanese judgment, British Colonel Beckley Vincent still supported his ally on this issue. He did not believe Nishikawa Torajiro's judgment, but wanted the Japanese to know that Britain was on their side. Could he really expect the Chinese to drive the Russians out of Manchuria on their own?

Standing in his observation post at the front, Feng Guozhang watched as the Russian reserve troops began to line up in front of Shanhaiguan. Finally, he breathed a sigh of relief and ordered his adjutant, "Call Tian Zhongyu and order him to conduct cover fire on areas numbered 1, 4, 8, and 9. Also, order Geda Ridge to prepare for a counterattack..."

When the observation group on the city wall raised their flags, the concealed Beiyang artillery positions finally dropped their camouflage. At the suggestion of the Southern Army, these artillery positions were covered with fishing nets, branches, and planks. In other words, Fu Cixiang voluntarily relinquished the artillery cover; under the current combat doctrine, the primary target of artillery was enemy artillery, not enemy infantry.

According to the Beiyang Army's combat regulations, the initial battle would be a confrontation between artillery units, followed by clashes between the two armies. However, such a battle would not give the Beiyang artillery the opportunity to attack the Russian reserves. But now, believing that their own artillery had destroyed the enemy's artillery, the Russians brazenly placed their reserves in the fields near the railway bridge below Shanhaiguan.

As a result, the Russian 5th and 7th Infantry Regiments of East Siberia, which were assembled in a square formation, were bombarded by the 36 field guns of the Beiyang Army. Although the Beiyang Army was not equipped with machine guns, it was equipped with the most advanced Krupp recoil guns, with 54 guns in the town and another 18 guns that proved their power at Geda Ridge.

This artillery duel completely overshadowed the impression left by the observation group of the machine gun massacre of the cavalry. Watching the grenades explode above the infantry ranks and then quickly clear an area, this scene of flying flesh and blood was the real massacre.

Within ten minutes of the Beiyang Army's artillery raging, Major General Kastalinsky stood on the city wall, too exhausted to even speak. At that moment, he realized it was a Chinese trap, but there was nothing he could do. Although the Russian artillery quickly changed targets in an attempt to suppress the Chinese cannons, they soon discovered they had run out of ammunition and could only watch helplessly as their infantry comrades scattered and fled under the artillery fire.

Chapter 303 The Fate of the Qing Dynasty

"...This was an undeniable defeat, and there is no way to defend the Russians from any angle...In this battle, the Beiyang Army led by General Yuan Shikai completely overwhelmed the Russians in terms of skill, intellect, and even ruthlessness, making us understand what the Yellow Peril is..." This is a letter written by a French observer to the French minister after the battle. At the end of the letter, he added three large exclamation marks to express his shock.

Not only the French minister received the report, but ministers from other countries received similar reports. The German observers' letters inexplicably expressed concern about selling too many modern weapons to the Chinese, arguing that once the Chinese acquired these weapons, they had indeed posed a threat to European armies—a problem the Germans had never considered before.

The Russians lost face. Although Russia declared war on China, Russian diplomats did not withdraw from Beijing because the Russians considered the concessions to be their territory, while the Chinese would never dare to invade the territory of any country, except for Wuhan.

The Russians refused to withdraw from Beijing because they believed that Beijing could not resist the Russian army's attack. Therefore, they thought that they could get what they wanted by using diplomatic intimidation, without having to go through the trouble of entering Beijing.

However, the Battle of Shanhai Pass directly destroyed the atmosphere that the Russians had previously cultivated. Their threat to the Qing government was that if Russian troops entered Beijing, the treaty would become even more unfavorable to China. Therefore, the Russian minister repeatedly threatened the Qing government's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attempting to reach an agreement favorable to St. Petersburg as quickly as possible.

Although the Russian government was controlled by a group of fools, it wasn't entirely composed of idiots. At least the diplomats and finance officials who frequently interacted with European countries possessed a relatively clear understanding of the strength of both European nations and Russia itself. These officials knew perfectly well that the East was not the breakthrough point for the Russian Empire, as it was too far from the heart of Russia—Europe. The Balkans, the Black Sea, the Caucasus, and the Persian Gulf were Russia's lifelines to the oceans.

Compared to Japan, which was either annexed by Britain or Germany, a weak Qing government was actually more advantageous for Russia. This meant that Russia was safe in the Far East and didn't need to waste too much money on defense. Russia's greed for Manchuria led to its military strength in the Far East nearly tripling in five years, yet the force there was still insufficient.

While Far East Governor-General Alekseyev and Imperial Minister Bezobrazov did indeed amass wealth in Manchuria, whether through plundering Chinese land, mining resources, or directly embezzling military funds, Manchuria increasingly became a heavy burden on the Russian treasury.

This "Eastern Yellow Russia" in the eyes of the Tsar not only squandered the funds originally intended for expanding the Vladivostok naval port, but also the funds meant to replace Russian field artillery. According to the General Staff of the Army's plan, the Russian army should have replaced its old artillery with new artillery by 1908 in order to achieve a balance with the armies of European countries.

But now, these funds have to be used to maintain the Russian army's expenditures in Manchuria. Even the Far East Governor-General Alekseyev sometimes suggests that South Manchuria could be returned to China, with Russia taking over North Manchuria and Outer Mongolia, while retaining control of the Chinese Eastern Railway and the Kwantung Leased Territory, in exchange for peace between China and Russia.

Alexeyev's initial motivation was to save on military spending and because he felt the large Chinese population in southern Manchuria was difficult to govern. However, this proposal was opposed by figures like Bezobrazov, who had significant interests in southern Manchuria. Ultimately, the solution was to force China to cede Manchuria to Russia by force, thereby achieving peace between China and Russia.

However, Russian diplomats remained concerned that Britain and Japan would intervene in the war. Compared to the powerless Chinese, Britain and Japan were truly Russia's adversaries in the Far East. For this reason, the Russians hoped to force the Chinese to compromise as soon as possible, and then focus their main efforts on defending against the Japanese.

However, at this time, Russia was mainly worried about a Japanese attack from the sea, and thought it was unlikely that Japan would use its land forces to attack Russian Far East territory. After all, most Russian generals believed that the maximum number of troops Japan could mobilize would not exceed 35, while Russia already had more than 30 troops in the Far East, so the Japanese would not go ashore to invite humiliation.

The one thing Russian diplomats hadn't anticipated was that the Russian army would be defeated by the Chinese army, making their previous pressure on the Qing government a joke. The British, for example, were quite gleeful. They had previously worried that the Chinese defeat would deter Japan from waging war against Russia, but now the British felt relieved.

For the Qing government, the Battle of Shanhaiguan certainly offered a glimmer of hope for a turnaround. After news of Shanhaiguan's fall reached Beijing, Manchu nobles began packing their bags to head to Tianjin, while some went even further, fleeing directly to Qingdao, believing Tianjin might not be safe either. As a result, the Beiyang Army ultimately won a major victory, allowing everyone to stay in Beijing for a few more years, naturally bringing joy to all.

However, Yuan Shikai, emboldened by his victory, suddenly became arrogant. He not only impeached Shengjing General Zeng Qi and others for their ineffective resistance, but also impeached some Manchus for deserting in the face of battle. He stated that he had already ordered the execution of some of the deserters and requested the Empress Dowager to punish them. This was unprecedented; since the founding of the dynasty, no Han Chinese governor had ever dared to behead a Manchu general without permission, because the Manchus were the ones supervising the battle.

Upon hearing the news, members of the imperial clan, including Yulang and Puwei, pleaded with the Empress Dowager, arguing that Yuan Shikai should be punished, otherwise he would become a living Cao Cao. However, Cixi completely ignored them. She not only ordered the arrest of Zengqi and others and their return to Beijing for interrogation, but also praised Yuan Shikai for his merits and achievements, bestowing upon him further rewards.

It is said that these members of the imperial clan cried and complained to the Empress Dowager for a long time. After listening for a while, the Empress Dowager asked them one question: "Why did the Beiyang Army not only not collapse in fear after Yuan Shikai beheaded so many Manchus, but instead became willing to fight the Russians to the death? Do you have the guts to go to the Beiyang Army and arrest Yuan Shikai to bring him back to be punished?"

As a result, these members of the imperial family fell silent, none daring to speak up and accept the task. Empress Dowager Cixi then dismissed them, ordered a reward for Yuan Shikai, and agreed to convene a national assembly within the year. Previously, Cixi had established a preparatory constitutional system, attempting to delay and gauge public reaction, but this time she felt there was no need to wait and would proceed directly to convening the national assembly.

Upon receiving the telegram, Zeng Qi immediately changed into civilian clothes and boarded a train, heading to Beijing overnight. His subordinates, bewildered and at a loss, stopped him at the train station, asking what to do. After a long silence in the darkness, Zeng Qi solemnly said to them, "If you still want to return to Manchuria, join the Southern Army. Yuan Shikai may not be able to take you back to Manchuria, but the Southern Army should be. If you don't want to, take off these clothes and live as ordinary citizens; you should be able to survive. The Qing Dynasty... its fate is sealed..."

After Zengqi arrived in Beijing, he was not sent to the imperial prison, but was taken directly to the Qianqing Palace. When Cixi saw him, she did not blame him at all, but instead comforted him, saying, "Don't take it to heart. I am not trying to blame you. I was just worried that you would be harmed by some heartless people there, so I had no choice but to order you to be brought back."

Zeng Qi knelt on the ground, refusing to rise. While thanking the Empress Dowager for her grace, he admitted his guilt and said he dared not deceive Heaven. Cixi, at a loss for words, could only ask directly, "Do you think the Beiyang Army can still be relied upon? Was it really Yuan Shikai who ordered the killings?"

Looking down at the carpet in front of him, Zeng Qi remained silent for a long time before replying, "This humble subject dares not speak."

Empress Dowager Cixi angrily said, "What is there that you dare not say in front of me? That dog slave Yuan Shikai dares to reach out to me?"

Zeng Qi could only stammer, "Today, the issue isn't whether the Beiyang Army is still reliable or not, but that we Manchus are unwilling to die for the Qing Dynasty, Your Majesty. That's the biggest problem right now. If things continue like this, even without Yuan Shikai, there will be Li Shikai. What is Your Majesty still worried about regarding Yuan Shikai?"

Empress Dowager Cixi was genuinely taken aback. She knew Zengqi; he had no other redeeming qualities, but he had one—honesty. For him to speak so frankly to her, it seemed the situation outside the palace was indeed dire. She remained silent for a long while before finally asking, "Tell me honestly what the situation is outside."

After pondering for a long time, Zeng Qi said, "After the Boxer Rebellion, the Manchu people initially hoped day and night that the court would send troops to drive the Russians out. Then they hoped the court would negotiate with the Russians to prevent further disturbances. Now, they are filled with resentment towards the court. Now that the Han people have won this battle, I believe their courage will only grow stronger..."

The room fell silent once again. This time, Empress Dowager Cixi didn't seem inclined to speak. After a long while, she asked, "Can't the Manchus produce a few more capable individuals? If they could keep Yuan Shikai in check for another ten years, I would be satisfied."

Unexpectedly, Empress Dowager Cixi was still considering her own funeral arrangements at this time, which made Zengqi feel even more desperate. This old lady did not care at all whether the Qing Dynasty could survive after her death, which made him even more unwilling to speak.

Seeing that Zengqi had nothing more to say, Cixi could only let him leave. At this moment, Cixi finally felt that the autumn of the Qing Dynasty had arrived. Even a lackey like Yuan Shikai had become the pillar of the Qing Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty was indeed doomed.

Empress Dowager Cixi may not have been as insightful as the ministers outside, but having risen from a woman to her current position, her experience in judging people was unparalleled. She always believed that Yuan Shikai was far inferior to Li Hongzhang.

It's not that Yuan Shikai was less capable than Li Hongzhang, but rather that Yuan Shikai lacked the courage to break the rules. She was able to control Yuan Shikai because she knew he could only play tricks within the rules, while Li Hongzhang always had the courage to break the rules and start over. Therefore, Yuan Shikai could only hold onto the Right Army of the Wuwei Army and remain neutral in Shandong, while Li Hongzhang was able to create the Southeast Mutual Protection Pact to force the court to negotiate peace.

But in this world, people don't follow the rules anymore, so how can she maintain the Qing Dynasty?

Chapter 304 Patrol

When Yuan Shikai sent a memorial to Beijing to apologize, he felt only slightly uneasy. Although this was not the first time he had defied the court, in the past he had mainly convinced himself to do so from the perspective of doing what was best for the Qing Dynasty. But this time it was not like that at all. This time he was really aiming to undermine the foundation of the Qing Dynasty's rule.

The reason he did this was because he needed the victory to undoubtedly belong to the Beiyang Army, and to himself. Yuan Shikai was more sensible than those Manchu nobles; to gain power, one must take responsibility. He wanted the honor of the Southern Army, so he had to take responsibility for the problems created by the Southern Army; otherwise, the Beiyang Army would become a supporting player in this victory.

After he sent his letter of apology, no one doubted whether he had led the victory, because he had taken responsibility for killing the Manchus, and the honor naturally went to him. With this victory as a foundation, the Beiyang Army could finally be considered a military force that could determine the fate of the Qing Dynasty.

The reason why the Xiang Army and the Huai Army were able to stand independently from the imperial court was that both armies believed they had saved the Qing Dynasty. Therefore, they had almost no loyalty to the Qing Dynasty; on the contrary, they felt that it was only right for the Qing Dynasty to treat them well. Although the Beiyang Army originated from the Huai Clique, it was essentially raised by the imperial court and had a natural sense of awe towards it.

Even though Yuan Shikai tried to instill in the Beiyang soldiers the idea that he was the one who paid them, they still believed that the imperial court was their provider. They felt that only Yuan could maintain the Beiyang government, and no one believed that the Beiyang would exist without the Qing Dynasty. However, after the Battle of Shanhai Pass, some people in the Beiyang Army began to have different opinions. They felt that they hadn't been receiving military pay from the imperial court for nothing; if it weren't for the Beiyang Army blocking their way, wouldn't the Russians have invaded the interior of China?

This victory was more effective than Yuan Shikai's three years of chanting about "our Beiyang clique," instantly transforming the somewhat illusory Beiyang clique into a tangible entity. Yuan Shikai had no choice but to seize this opportunity; otherwise, he wouldn't be Yuan Shikai.

The court's swift response and flexible approach truly surprised him. He had originally thought he would need to argue with those upright officials for a few more rounds before the court would nominally punish him and the matter would be over. But looking at the telegram the court had sent, he couldn't help but shake his head and toss it to Ruan Zhongshu beside him, saying meaningfully, "This is the court for you..."

After glancing at the telegram, Ruan Zhongshu replied with a smile, "Now the Grand Secretary no longer needs to worry about the court's interference. With the tide turning, no one can stop the Grand Secretary."

Yuan Shikai was also very pleased. The telegram seemed to have freed him from many constraints, giving him a sense of boundless freedom. However, he quickly regained his composure and asked Ruan Zhongshu, "Have the rewards for the soldiers been distributed? They fought such a brilliant battle; we can't afford to delay their pay."

"They've all been distributed. I personally oversaw their distribution," Ruan Zhongshu replied without hesitation. However, seeing that Yuan Shikai was still looking at him, he immediately understood and added, "The Southern Army received theirs too, and they took them as well."

Yuan Shikai glanced at the sky outside and said, "There's still some time before dinner, why don't we go and see what the soldiers are doing?"

Once Yuan Shikai had an idea, he took action. At this time, Feng Guozhang was supervising the army in pursuit of the Russian army, and Duan Qirui had returned to Changli to take charge of the camp affairs. So, in Qinhuangdao, only Wang Yingkai and other generals from the two divisions accompanied Yuan Shikai.

Yuan Shikai first went to his own army's main camp. There were already existing military camps in Qinhuangdao and Shanhaiguan, which were left over from the invasion of the Eight-Nation Alliance. The foreign troops here only withdrew after the Sino-Russian War broke out, so there was no shortage of fixed barracks.

After the battle, the Beiyang Army relaxed. Since the main force was still in pursuit, only some idle soldiers and wounded remained in the camp. At this time, they were gambling or drinking with their pay. Yuan Shikai, who always paid attention to military discipline, smiled and said nothing when he saw this scene. Instead, he offered to pay for everyone's drinks.

In Yuan Shikai's view, maintaining such military discipline after the great battle was already quite good. After all, the Beiyang Army was usually very disciplined, and if they weren't allowed to relax their guard after the battle, these soldiers might explode at any time. Now that they were staying in their barracks drinking and gambling instead of harassing the local areas, wasn't that good enough?

The main camp was in the south, the northwest was the prisoner-of-war camp, and the southwest was the wounded soldiers camp. Yuan Shikai visited both camps. In fact, there were not many wounded soldiers in the Beiyang and Southern armies in this battle, but the Russian army had more than 800 wounded and captured. Yuan Shikai ordered that these Russian wounded soldiers be properly cared for, and even transferred some seriously wounded soldiers to the foreign hospital in Tianjin.

Yuan Shikai was still very clear-headed. Even if they won this battle, it would not shake Russia's strength. Russia not only had a million-strong army, but also millions of reserves. Even Germany and France were extremely wary of Russia's army. Although China was large, it was difficult to even muster 36 towns. So what right did China have to swagger around in front of the Russians?