Chapter 188: Annihilate the Invading Enemy

The commander of the Second Brigade, Nishi Kanjiro, was assassinated by an unknown person and died, which immediately shocked the entire Liaodong. Daoshi Anchun quickly traveled from Jinzhou to Fuzhou City to prepare to investigate the truth.

The commander of the Japanese Second Army, Dashanyan, who was originally at Weihaiwei, also hurried toward Liaodong on a warship.

In Fuzhou City, Hoshishima Yoshiki currently has the highest military rank and is the colonel. He has a mixed detachment of about 5,000 troops under his command.

As soon as Hichishima led the army into China, the war was over. China and Japan started peace talks. Naturally, Hichishima was extremely depressed. He had long been unwilling to come to China to make soy sauce. This time, he seized this opportunity. , he didn’t even need to investigate, and directly pinned the blame on the Chinese.

"The Chinese people dare to ignore the ceasefire agreement between the two sides and assassinate our army officers. It is really unforgivable. If these Chinese people are not taught a bloody lesson, they will never remember it. Gentlemen, I will form a detachment and immediately attack the Chinese people in Gaiping City. Launch an attack. To avenge Mr. Xikuan, long live the empire, long live your majesty!" Hizhishima shouted before leading the army.

"Revenge for Lord Xikuan, revenge!" The other Japanese generals of the mixed detachment roared wildly with their eyes shining brightly. They saw that their colleagues had become extremely rich one by one from the original poor peasants. I have long been secretly jealous in my heart.

This time, I finally found the opportunity and the excuse to rob.

On the contrary, several captains of the second brigade hope to wait until Odera Anchun arrives in Fuzhou City before making a decision.

"You cowardly disgrace to the empire. Your brigade commander was assassinated and you still don't dare to fight back. Just wait here for Odera Anjun. I will form a mixed detachment and attack immediately to seek justice for Mr. Xi Kuan. "Hishijima thought to himself: After he attacked first and exchanged fire with the Shina people, even if Odera Yasumi didn't want to, he would definitely lead his troops to follow up.

There are a large number of people in Japan who are unwilling to stop the war. If Hishijima can continue the war, he will definitely become a hero in the minds of some people. This is one of the reasons why he actively wants to attack.

The Japanese generals of the second brigade were silent. Bizhidao had not yet fought against Gaiping's Qing army, so they did not understand how powerful Wei Zijun was, but they knew it all.

Hichishima did not receive any order to attack, so he couldn't wait to lead his mixed detachment towards Gaiping.

Gaiping City, inside the official office.

When Song Qing learned of the attack on Bizhi Island, he immediately summoned his generals to discuss countermeasures.

Ma Jinxu, Ma Yukun, Song Desheng, Nie Guilin, Jiang Xiyi, Jiang Guiti and other generals were all on the list. Even Wei Jichen, who had been ill for a few days, sat in his seat with his eyes closed to rest.

"The Japanese general Xi Kuan Erlang was assassinated and died. The Japanese put the blame on us. Now Bizhi Island has led a large army to attack. What do you think?" Song Qing said that when Xi Kuan Erlang was assassinated, he deliberately He glanced at Wei Jichen unintentionally.

Song Qing had already learned from his subordinates that Wei Jichen was extremely skilled with swords and guns, and Wei Jichen had been hiding in his room for the past few days claiming to be sick, but when he saw him today, he looked like he was sick at all.

Therefore, Song Qing strongly suspected that Wei Jichen was responsible.

"The water will come to cover us, and the troops will stop us. The Japanese are deliberately stirring up trouble. Who knows if Xi Kuan Erlang was killed by one of their own people, and then slandered us. Are we going to give up Gaiping to others?" Song Desheng said plausibly. He said that he had long been dissatisfied with the imperial contract, and of course he advocated resistance at this time.

"The imperial court has not yet issued a clear instruction. Now our army and the Japanese army are still in the ceasefire agreement. We should make some concessions. Otherwise, the imperial court will blame us and we will become inhumane inside and outside." Nie Guilin said with some worry.

Wei Jichen's eyes suddenly opened, he slapped the table angrily and said: "What a joke, the Japanese have already led a large army to attack. We are still here to discuss whether to fight or not. We will be outside. The emperor's orders are not listened to. The court has not yet figured out what happened here." Do we want to miss the opportunity here and delay the military situation? Commander Song, there is no need to discuss whether to resist or not, just discuss how to annihilate the invading enemy. "

Nie Guilin smiled and said hesitantly: "Commander Wei, don't be angry. I just said it casually."

Song Qingwei nodded imperceptibly and said sternly: "Zijie's words are reasonable, but the Japanese have made unreasonable threats, demanded huge sums of money, and invaded the land again, which is hated by the world. He is too arrogant and has no regard for anyone." The two sides have violated the ceasefire agreement, wantonly trampled on the treaty, and led a large army to attack. If our army retreats, won't it make the Japanese think that we are more cowardly, and they will cede territory and pay even more huge compensation? Everyone, I, Song Qing, a warrior, am willing to sacrifice my life with the world's best soldiers to serve the country. , success or failure is left to God.”

See how clever Song Qing's words were. He first put all the blame on the Japanese, and then explained that he and others must fight, otherwise everyone in the world would laugh at them.

Song Qing made the final decision and set the tone for the war.

"Commander Song, my subordinates are willing to lead an army to hide in the suburbs as a partial army. When the Japanese attack is imminent, they can attack them unprepared, find their retreat, and then annihilate the invading enemy." Wei Jichen offered his plan.

Wei Jichen knew that Bizhidao, the Japanese general, was eager to perform meritorious deeds and would attack Gaiping non-stop and without reservation. In this way, he could defeat the Japanese army before the rest of the Japanese army arrived.

Song Qing pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "In that case, Zijie, you can lead the five thousand troops who originally attacked Jinzhou."

Then everyone discussed some details. The military situation was urgent, and not long after, the generals hurriedly dispersed.

Wei Jichen was about to leave, but Song Qing kept him behind.

"Zijie, tell me the truth, did you do this?" Song Qing dismissed his attendants and asked seriously.

Wei Jichen looked at this old general who was still fighting for his country in his seventies. He was about to shake his head, but he nodded gently.

^.^,

"I will advance and retreat with you." Song Qing patted Wei Jichen's shoulder seriously.

Wei Jichen smiled gratefully, and everything was self-evident.

The mixed detachment of Bishidao arrived at the foot of Gaiping City at noon the next day.

"Colonel, does the whole army need to rest for half a day before attacking?" asked the captain under him.

Bishidao shook his head and said, "Speed ​​is the essence of war. The Chinese have always been slow in doing things. They have been too peaceful for a long time these days. They must not be able to react for a while. Attack immediately."

"Hi!" The three captains hurried down to command the soldiers to attack.

The battlefield, which had been quiet for many days, was once again filled with gunfire, and the Chinese and Japanese armies started fighting again.

Inside the city, Wang Shizhen looked at the Japanese who were coming like locusts, and couldn't help but sneer.

As expected, the troops that had never fought against our army before, the attacking crowd was so dense.

"Fire!"

With Wang Shizhen's order, more than a hundred cannons of various models suddenly roared with thunder.

Shells fell like rain on the Japanese charging team.

Boom, boom.

A series of explosions made the Japanese attack formation pause.

The mixed detachment of Hishi Island was a mixed army of new and old soldiers. The old soldiers could choose to lie down or dodge to the side at any time according to the whistling sound of the shells cutting through the air when they fell, but the new soldiers did not have this ability.

The Japanese suffered a lot of losses for a while.

Bishima, who was commanding the battle in the rear, couldn't help but change his face. He said to his left and right in disbelief: "Didn't they say that the Qing army used artillery in a dispersed manner? This, this."

"Quick, charge in a scattered formation." Bishima wanted to cry but had no tears, and shouted this order.

Under the city of Gaiping, the sound of gunfire and artillery suddenly rang out, one after another, smoke filled the air, sparks flew, and the sound of fighting pierced the sky.

Wei Jichen led 5,000 troops to lurk in a valley about a mile away from Gaiping City.

Even Wei Jichen could hear the gunfire coming from Gaiping clearly.

"Report, the Japanese's first attack was frustrated. Bishima adjusted the deployment and used the Japanese's common wave attack method to attack with a squadron as the formation."

Wei Jichen nodded and asked: "Does Bishima have a reserve team?"

"To reply to General Wei, there is still a reserve team that has not been deployed."

Wei Jichen lit a cigar and stopped talking.

Ten minutes later

"Report, the Japanese rushed up the southern wall with ladders and are fighting with our army."

"Does Bishijima still have reserve troops?" Wei Jichen asked the same question.

"To answer General Wei, Bishijima has not yet sent out the reserve troops."

Wei Jichen lit another cigar.

Ma Jinxu next to him was a little anxious and suggested: "General Wei, we are afraid that the city will be lost, let's attack."

"We must trust General Song." Wei Jichen glanced at the generals around him and continued: "Only when Bishijima sends all the reserve troops to the battlefield, it will be our great opportunity. It will not be so easy for them to leave the battlefield at that time."

In Gaiping City, Nie Guilin sent someone to ask Song Qing for help. Song Qing looked around and found that he had no troops to dispatch.

"Personal soldiers, follow me to the battlefield." Song Qing picked up the big knife, roared, and led his personal soldiers to support the south wall.

Hijima put down the telescope and said to the Japanese staff officers around him with a smile: "I've heard that the enemy general, the white-haired veteran Song Qing, is brave and brave. Today, he really went to the battlefield in person. Since he is so eager to leave, let's send him off. Morita Hisao, the 3rd Battalion is pressing forward."

"Hai." Morita Hisao rushed down.

"Colonel, it seems that there is no trace of the Chinese general Wei Jichen." The staff officer said with some concern.

"Wei Jichen? This person may still be hiding in the city. Look, isn't the flag of the Wei army on the east wall?" Hijima frowned at first, and then he felt relieved. Wei Jichen was able to defeat Nogi Maresuke and Katsura Taro. Even Hijima, who had never fought with him, did not dare to underestimate him. However, when he saw Song Qing personally on the battlefield, he immediately became confused.

"Report, the Japanese reserve has pressed down." The scouts came quickly.

Wei Jichen put away his cigar, drew out his sword, and shouted: "Brothers, the enemy is here to give us merit points again, kill them!"

Although everyone didn't know what the merit points Wei Jichen was talking about were, they all heard the word "kill".

Instantly, countless soldiers stood up from their crouching positions, roaring and rushing towards the rear of the Japanese.

Only Wei Jichen quietly wiped his sweat, damn, he let it slip, he had to be more careful next time.