A Romantic Detective in the Qing Dynasty [Complete] - 10

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Chapter Twelve: The Weihai Hound

Just as both sides were meticulously planning the Battle of Pyongyang, my Imperial Noble Consort Xue'er and Empress Yan'er of the Eastern Palace were jointly implementing my long-planned fourth step in a series of interconnected schemes—the Weihai Hound.

Weihaiwei is located at the northeastern tip of the Shandong Peninsula, facing Lushun across the water, and has long been known as the "Key to the Bohai Sea." The harbor's north and south banks are rugged with mountains, and Liugong Island sits in the center of the harbor, forming a "two dragons playing with a pearl" formation. Since the Self-Strengthening Movement, Weihai's military importance has been greatly emphasized. In 1881, Weihai became a Beiyang naval port, and in the same year, the Qing government decided to establish a torpedo bureau in Weihai. In 1883, under the supervision of Li Hongzhang, a naval machinery factory and a torpedo factory were established on Liugong Island. In 1888, Zhen'er, under the guise of building Longhua Villa, purchased all the land within a hundred li radius of Weihaiwei and relocated all the residents within the area to Jinan and Dezhou. Then a strict blockade was imposed on the area within a hundred miles, and the East Point Royal Naval College and the Weihai Arsenal were established in Weihai. Simultaneously, large-scale coastal defense construction began in Weihai. By 1891, twenty large docks had been built in Weihai, and thirty forts had been erected along the banks. The docks and forts were all designed by Yan'er and constructed under the supervision of Zhen'er. All the cannons used were produced by the Weihai Arsenal, totaling over two hundred cannons of various types. The Weihai fortifications were a grand and imposing project. While Liugong Island appeared outwardly adorned with flowers, pavilions, waterside terraces, and verdant willows, its underground fortifications were extensive, interconnected, and remarkably robust. After Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong inspected Weihai, Li Hongzhang said with satisfaction, "Your Majesty's vision is superb. While the nation was building Lushun, you secretly constructed this place, making the north and south mutually supportive, and the key to the city extremely secure. As for the gateway to the Bohai Sea alone, it already possesses a deeply solid and unshakeable position!"

Zhang Zhidong also happily said, "Your Majesty's secret construction of such a fine naval port is a well-thought-out effort, likely laying the groundwork for the annihilation of foreign fleets! I eagerly await the day of great victory!"

To lure the enemy into a trap, I deliberately had the five captured Japanese warships—Akagi, Yamato, Naniwa, Yoshino, and Fusō—slowly sail towards Weihaiwei under the protection of my warships Guangyi and Jiyuan. En route, we encountered several Japanese spy ships disguised as fishing boats. Yan'er not only didn't harass them, but instead treated them as mainland fishermen, having her soldiers joyfully tell them that our navy had won a victory and that these ships were being sent to Weihai for repairs to replenish our fleet.

The news quickly reached Admiral Hiroaki Ito, Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet. He immediately dispatched three speedboats to search the surrounding waters, but found no warships. He then ordered the six ships of the Combined Fleet's main force—Matsushima (the flagship of the Combined Fleet), Chiyoda, Takachiho, Hashidate, Tsukushi, and Itsukushima—to attack the Chinese ships Guangyi and Jiyuan, and rescue the five captured ships Akagi, Yamato, Naniwa, Yoshino, and Fusō. He, along with the three ships of the Second Flying Fleet—Katsura (the flagship of the Western Fleet), Tenryu, and Takao—escorted twenty troop transport ships to transport approximately 12,000 men of the Second and Third Divisions of the Second Army by sea to the Shandong Peninsula. Rongcheng Bay, located 30 nautical miles east of Weihai, was chosen as the landing point, and a meticulous plan was devised to cover the army and coordinate operations. At dawn on the 29th, the advance team arrived at Rongcheng. The 12,000 Japanese troops surrounded Rongcheng from three sides. General Wei Guangtao, with 11 battalions totaling approximately 5,000 men, resisted two Japanese divisions, totaling 12,000 men, in successive attacks for two days and nights. In street fighting, they inflicted heavy losses on the Japanese, killing and wounding nearly 1,000. However, due to the overwhelming disparity in strength, Rongcheng was eventually captured by the Japanese. Wei Guangtao led his troops in a fighting retreat, heading north.

Japanese Army Major General Tatsumi Naofumi ordered his troops to pursue the Qing army while simultaneously leading his own forces into Rongcheng.

Seeing the army's success, Japanese Combined Fleet Commander-in-Chief Ito Hiroki immediately urged Captain Matsushima and Navy Captain Isobe Yasuyoshi to lead the fleet swiftly towards Weihaiwei to coordinate with the army in its capture!

However, Commander-in-Chief Ito Hiroki's joy was premature. Major General Tatsumi Naofumi, who had entered Rongcheng, was now facing a major headache. His soldiers had excitedly stormed into Rongcheng, intending to plunder and make a fortune. Upon entering the city, they immediately sensed something was wrong. The entire city was deathly still; not a single Chinese person was to be seen. He ordered his soldiers to search the houses, only to discover they had captured an empty city. Not only was there no one, but not even a grain of rice or a drop of drinking water could be found, let alone any money or valuables to be looted! Moreover , landmines were planted everywhere by the Chinese, making the Japanese troops live in constant fear and trepidation amidst the deafening explosions, making every step incredibly difficult.

Major General Tatsumi Naofumi of the Japanese Army knew that the Chinese had been prepared all along, deliberately letting them in!

Thinking this, a cold sweat broke out on his spine. He understood: his 12,000 men had walked into a trap set by the Chinese, and this time, they might never return to Japan!

Captain Isoboe Yasuyoshi, commander of the Matsushima, led his fleet in hot pursuit of the convoy escorted by the Guangyi and Jiyuan. However, the convoy was erratic; it moved faster when one ship was fast and slower when the other was slow. They watched in disbelief as the convoy passed Liugong Island and entered Weihai Harbor, but they still couldn't catch up.

Isoboe Yasuyoshi dared not attack Weihaiwei rashly, nor did he dare to advance too far. He simply maintained a distance, blockading the harbor and awaiting orders from Ito Hirohiro.

Upon receiving orders from Ito Hirohiro, commander-in-chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Captain Isoboe Yasuyoshi immediately ordered his ships to advance and bombard the Qing army positions on Liugong Island.

Before they could even reach Liugong Island, they were met with fierce fire from the gun emplacements on the high mountains flanking the island. The Chiyoda and Takachiho were both hit and engulfed in flames. The Matsushima was also hit on its starboard side, blasting a large gash about a foot in diameter, allowing water to rush into the cabins. Isobe Yasuyoshi, terrified, hastily ordered a retreat. However, their advance was short-lived. Three unusually large battleships were spotted blocking their escape route in the open sea, displaying flags signaling their surrender.

Isobe Yasuyoshi knew the situation was dire and immediately ordered a rapid retreat, concentrating firepower to attack the flagship. He himself mobilized all his cannons, opening fire on the leading warship. The sea instantly erupted like a boiling pot, with over a dozen shells landing hundreds of yards from the Chinese battleships. He himself increased the speed of his guns, desperately fleeing towards the open sea.

He knew the distance was too great, far beyond the reach of the Chinese warships, but the cannons gave him courage; even if he couldn't hit them, he could at least wipe his nose! He told them to quickly make way!

The five ships were indeed obedient, firing and running, trying to get out of the Chinese warships' firing range.

However, things didn't seem to go smoothly. The Chinese warships returned fire, and all six ships were surrounded by shells. Flames erupted on the Matsushima, Takachiho, Hashidate, and Tsukushi. Several turrets on the Takachiho and Hashidate were blown off, and the entire ship was shrouded in thick smoke, making it impossible to return fire. The breach on the starboard side of the Matsushima had just been plugged, and now an even larger breach had opened on the port side, with seawater rushing in desperately. The Matsushima's captain, Navy Captain Isoboe Yasuyoshi, was so anxious that he kept kneeling before the statue of Amaterasu Omikami, praying!

These three ships are the dark horses I meticulously crafted. There are six ships in total, and three are here. The other three, led by Liu Buchan, the deputy commander of the East China Sea Fleet and captain of the Longhua, are patrolling the waters south of Korea, carrying out my strategy of "closing the door and beating the dog." The captains of the flagship Longhua (Liu Buchan), the Longhai (Huang Jianxun), the Longxiang (Fang Boqian), the Longtai (Yan Zongguang), the Longyun (He Xinchuan), and the Longfei (Lin Yongsheng) among the six warships are the six young generals I obtained from Ding Ruchang, the commander of the Beiyang Navy, who had returned from studying abroad! These six battleships were all designed and supervised by Yan'er and Fei'er. The Longhua had a displacement of 38,000 tons, while the others were all 22,000 tons. Each ship was equipped with radar navigation and search equipment, and carried six 406mm main guns capable of firing 1225kg armor-piercing shells, along with 20 127mm secondary guns, capable of engaging surface targets within a range of 5-40 kilometers. They also had three 40mm twin-barreled close-in weapon systems and two triple-tube MK32 torpedo launchers, giving each ship a combined striking power exceeding that of any ordinary fleet in the world at present. The Longhua could also carry three anti-submarine helicopters and four attack helicopters. The Longhua had a complement of 868 personnel, with 627 crew members, including 34 officers and 241 aviation personnel, including 21 officers. It was equipped with four turbines, four reduction gearboxes, and four boilers, giving it a speed exceeding 35 knots. At a speed of 15 knots, its range was 140,000 nautical miles. All the other ships used the most advanced gas turbines of the time, with twin shafts and twin propellers, enabling them to reach speeds of 30 knots and a range of 70,000 nautical miles at 15 knots. Each of the other ships had a crew of 627, including 34 officers. I had been keeping these dark horses undercover in Weihaiwei for training, and now it was time to unleash their full potential.

The Longhai, Longxiang, and Longtai ships were on the mission. Watching the frantically fleeing and attacking Matsushima, East China Sea Fleet Commander Tan Sitong smiled slightly and ordered, "Damage it! Destroy its command center! Intimidate the enemy!"

Captain Huang Jianxun of the Longhai immediately issued the order. With a deafening roar, a shell flew out, striking the enemy ship's command center. The Matsushima's wheelhouse instantly flew into the air, creating a spectacular display, and Isobe Baoyi was instantly reduced to hundreds of pieces, flying westward on a cloud. The Matsushima, bewildered, remained stationary.

Commander Tan Sitong of the East China Sea Fleet then issued an order through a loudspeaker: "I am Tan Sitong, Commander of the East China Sea Fleet of the Great Qing Dynasty. Because you have violated my territorial waters, I now order you to immediately cease fire, stop resisting, raise the white flag, and all crew members, with their hands behind their heads, stand on the deck to accept our surrender. Otherwise, you will be severely punished!" The translator immediately translated his order into Japanese!

But the other five warships, oblivious to their fate, still desperately tried to escape. Commander Tan Sitong then ordered: "Fire! Shoot down the command cabin of the ship in front to warn them!" "

Captain Huang Jianxun of the Longhai immediately issued an order, and the command cabin of the Itsukushima, which was ahead, also flew away, the ship spinning in circles in the sea. The remaining four captains were terrified and hurriedly sped away!

The Matsushima and Itsukushima raised white flags together, and all the crew members went to the deck with their hands on their heads, lining up to await the surrender of our army.

Major General Tatsumi Naofumi of the Japanese Army, who landed in Rongcheng, was now in even more distress. He dared not stay in the city for even a moment longer, and hurriedly led his troops to withdraw from the city." Following Wei Guangtao's troops, they rushed towards the southern fort of Weihaiwei.

But after a while, he realized the situation was worsening. Their troops, having retreated from Rongcheng and just entered a ravine, were bombarded from all directions. Even worse, countless Chinese soldiers armed with light machine guns emerged from Rongcheng, completely blocking the Japanese retreat. Now, the Japanese had no choice but to charge forward without hesitation.

Despite suffering heavy losses, Japanese Major General Tatsumi Naofumi finally led his soldiers to the southern fort. Near the fortress, he was stunned. The fortresses were perched high on steep cliffs, their bunkers spewing deadly flames down on them, while the cannons relentlessly fired powerful shells into their ranks! They had painstakingly found themselves a slaughterhouse to be ravaged by the Chinese army.

The attack was brutal; a single shell killed dozens of Japanese soldiers. Seeing that capturing the fortress was impossible, Tachibana Naofumi tried to lead his men in a retreat, but alas, having already entered… Once they've taken someone else's money, getting out is harder than climbing to heaven. The road they came from is now blocked by the Chinese army, and blocking them is a group of massive, self-propelled iron machines!

These are tracked tanks produced by Fei'er's Weihai arsenal, all fresh off the assembly line, and Yan'er and Bai Xue are already testing them in combat.

Yan'er and Bai Xue sit inside one of the tanks, watching the bullets spray down Japanese soldiers in droves. Yan'er shouts excitedly, "Good! Charge! Leave no one alive! Annihilate them all on the spot!" "

Her shout was a death sentence for the more than 10,000 Japanese soldiers who landed. The soldiers were already furious with the Japanese and had no intention of letting them go. Now that the Empress had given the order, who could disobey? A dozen tanks swept through from south to north, firing and crushing the remaining Japanese soldiers. The infantry followed up to finish them off, and there wasn't a single Japanese soldier left breathing in the valley.

Tatsumi Naofumi died the worst death. When the battlefield was being cleared, his uniform and identification documents confirmed that he was Tatsumi Naofumi, but his head could not be found anywhere." It was probably crushed by tank tracks.

The Japanese Second Flying Squadron, patrolling at sea, received reports from six warships and Tatsumi Naofumi, realizing the dire situation. Later, they lost all contact, learning they had all been wiped out by the Chinese army. Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Ito Hiroki, hastily fled with a few warships.

On the evening of September 1st, Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong inspected the seven captured Japanese warships in Weihaiwei. The two men exclaimed with delight, "Good, good! The Qing Navy has grown up!"

"The Qing Navy has grown up!" This was also the first sentence Ito Hiroki, Commander-in-Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet, said in his report to Emperor Mutsuhito, who was commanding operations in Hiroshima. He recounted the description of the three Chinese battleships and their artillery firepower given to him by Isobe Yasuyoshi in a telegram. Mutsuhito shook his head repeatedly, saying, "Impossible. There can't be such good battleships in the world now. Isobe Yasuyoshi is incompetent and made it up to evade responsibility, right?" "Even Britain and Germany couldn't achieve such technology, so how could the corrupt Qing government? It's hard to believe!"

Japanese Combined Fleet Commander-in-Chief Ito Hiroki hurriedly said, "It's entirely possible. According to Oyama Iwao, they've never heard of such artillery attacks before. The fire was incredibly fast; several shells came flying in almost the blink of an eye!"

He then gave a brief account of the battle to Mutsuhito, who was so shocked that his mouth gaped open and he couldn't close it for a long time. After recovering, he hurriedly told him, "Your fleet must withdraw immediately to defend the Japanese mainland! China may be about to launch a large-scale invasion of our mainland! They've grown strong enough to devour us!" "

He no longer harbors any illusions about the Pyongyang campaign. He knows he's walking step by step into a trap set by Emperor Guangxu of China, yet he can't stop, as if something is pulling at his soul, hooking his spirit. He knows it's ambition, the ambition to control the world!

Upon receiving the telegrams from Yan'er and Xue'er, I happily embraced my four wives—Fei'er, Ying'er (Consort Min), Yu'er, and Shu'er—and showered them with kisses. The four of them, aroused by the kisses, even stripped me naked, and engaged in several rounds of 'three cultivation techniques,' leaving them screaming and moaning, their vaginal fluids gushing forth, their breath coming in gasps." Damn it !

These past few days, that old bastard Nozu Michikata has kept me so distracted that I've neglected my wives, especially Fei'er and Ying'er. Because of their pregnancies and childbirths, they haven't let me show them any affection for months. These past few days, even the way they look at me has been burning with desire, and I haven't even realized it! I'm such an idiot!

I know that after the Weihai hunt, the Japanese army is trying to slip away. How can that be allowed? They've come all this way, firing guns and cannons, killing and burning—they've been busy enough. How can we just let them leave? Chinese and Koreans are people of a nation of etiquette; how can we treat them so coldly?

I immediately issued an urgent order: "All Chinese troops in Korea must be mobilized to block all possible escape routes for the Japanese army, begin the trap, and prevent a single invader from escaping back to Japan!"

I specifically ordered Sheng Bao's Third Army to immediately occupy Busan, Li Bin's army to occupy Wonsan, the North Sea Fleet to blockade the waters off Asan, and the East Sea Fleet to blockade the Tsushima Strait, cutting off all possible escape routes for the Japanese army!

Yamagata Aritomo was not really thinking of running away at this time. He was still dreaming of capturing Min Ciying and Li Huailong to reverse the tide of the war, so he and Nozu Michiken were planning an attack on Pyongyang from the outskirts of the city, commanding nearly 20,000 men in the attack.

The Battle of Pyongyang was raging.

Chapter Thirteen: The Battle of Busan

Busan is located on the southeastern coast of the Korean Peninsula, with a population of over 100,000. It is the third largest city in Korea and also the largest port and seafood city in Korea. Busan is the southern gateway to Korea, facing the Japanese archipelago across the Korea Strait, and is a key city on the Korean Peninsula. According to research, people already inhabited the Busan area during the Paleolithic period. During the Joseon Dynasty, a port was built in Busan and opened to foreign trade. Most of the Japanese troops that invaded Korea landed there.

Because the soldiers were mostly ethnic Koreans, X had already sent 2,000 soldiers disguised and into Busan when he received the order to close the gates previously. He hid the remaining 6,000 troops in the mountains of Banya Peak, not far from Busan, where he trained his troops while simultaneously recruiting and expanding his forces under the banner of Queen Min.

Firstly, his previous campaign against Miyamoto had yielded substantial supplies of weapons, ammunition, and money from the capture of Hanseong, Daejeon, and Jeonju. Secondly, the Japanese army's bloody massacres in southern Korea, looting and plundering, had driven impoverished people to desperation, leading them to flock to his army, which operated under the banner of Queen Min. This allowed his forces to grow to over 15,000 in a short period.

He reorganized the soldiers into two armies, appointing veteran soldiers as officers of squad leader and above to mentor new recruits. Following the methods of the Shangganling Military Academy, he strengthened military training and political education, quickly giving the troops a semblance of order and combat effectiveness.

The soldiers he sent into the city quickly integrated into the populace, secretly recruiting over two thousand more and gaining control of several fortresses. However, he was powerless against the headquarters of Japanese brigade commander Nogi Maresuke. The headquarters was located in Beomeosa Temple, a strategically important location that refused access to unauthorized personnel, with tight security making infiltration impossible.

Upon receiving orders, X immediately led his troops out of the mountains, advancing rapidly and decisively, capturing Jinju, Masan, Jinhae, and Changwon, and advancing directly towards Busan.

Upon receiving the war report, Emperor Meiji of Japan hastily dispatched 10,000 new soldiers to Busan. However, while crossing the Tsushima Strait, the ferries, seemingly provoked by some unseen force, suffered a series of massive explosions, killing all 10,000 soldiers and sinking the entire fleet.

This incident remains an unsolved mystery for the Japanese. If it was an attack by Chinese forces, no one had ever seen any enemy ships in the area, and no enemy ships were observed attacking the ferries at the time of the incidents. If it wasn't a Chinese attack, the ferries were clearly hit by torpedoes! Surely, even gods wouldn't use torpedoes?

Could the Chinese have secretly laid mines in the Tsushima Strait? But apart from the explosions of the troop transport ships, no other vessels were damaged! Surely mines don't selectively target their own enemies?

No wonder Mutsuhito was so puzzled. This was the surprise Yan'er had given me, as Fei'er had mentioned when she brought the Chinese rockets to Korea—while building six large warships, she had also built two submarines, Longjian-1 and Longjian-2. After the Longhua, Longyun, and Longfei ships occupied Jeju Island and transformed it into a naval port, they remained anchored there. Upon receiving news that Mutsuhito was going to reinforce his troops in Korea, they came out to cause him trouble. The force defending

Busan was part of the 1st Brigade of the 2nd Army of the Japanese Army, led by Brigade Commander Nogi Maresuke, numbering over 4,000 men. He had been alarmed by the large Chinese army approaching, and now, seeing the reinforcements inexplicably perished at sea, he was even more terrified. However, with his own life at stake, he cautiously organized his soldiers to construct two defensive lines: one outside the city and the other at Beomosa Temple, where his headquarters were located. Beomosa Temple, located at the foot of Geumjeongsan Mountain north of Busan, was built at the end of the 7th century and is considered the oldest temple in Busan, a central hub of Zen Buddhism. Originally comprised of 36 large temples, it was unfortunately destroyed during the Imjin War. Rebuilt in 1717, the Daeungjeon (Great Hall) was particularly exquisite and magnificent, considered the pinnacle of Joseon Dynasty architecture. The temple complex still preserves numerous historical sites, including 7 halls, 2 pavilions, 3 large gates, 11 hermitages, and the original three-story stone pagoda. The One-Pillar Gate, supported by four stone pillars, symbolizes all the laws of the universe; it is said that entering this gate allows one to forget all worldly troubles. The temple is located on Geumjeong Mountain, accessible only by a winding mountain path, and its distance from the city makes it difficult for spies to infiltrate. Therefore, Nogi Maresuke chose it as his headquarters.

On September 4th, X led his troops to surround Busan, and the two sides began exchanging artillery fire. Nogi Maresuke, realizing that the Chinese army had limited artillery, became much bolder and ordered his soldiers to frantically transport shells to the artillery positions, intending to drive the Chinese army away with artillery!

With only four cannons and limited ammunition,

Nogi Maresuke ordered a halt to firing after a brief exchange of fire and commanded his soldiers to retreat beyond the cannons' range. Emboldened by the victory over the Chinese army, he moved all the cannonballs from the warehouse to the artillery positions, provided the artillerymen with fine food and wine, and sent over a dozen courtesans to reward them.

That night, the soldiers at the artillery positions, about 200 meters from the cannons, lit a bonfire, eating and drinking while enjoying the courtesans' singing and dancing. The courtesans' beautiful figures and melodious voices captivated the soldiers; even the sentries guarding the cannons craned their necks, craning their necks to look towards the bonfire, their feet unconsciously moving towards it.

Just then, a group of men in black suddenly pounced on the artillery. The dozen or so Japanese sentries, craning their necks and grinning foolishly, didn't even utter a sound before their souls were consumed by the spirit of Amaterasu! More and more men in black, hundreds—even thousands, quickly occupied advantageous positions.

The bonfire blazed, and amidst the dancing and singing, no one noticed the changes at the artillery position.

These were some of the soldiers from the X faction who had entered the city. Seeing that their positions were secure, they quickly set up machine guns and fired at the bonfires.

Instantly, the place of laughter and song became a battlefield, with mortar shells and grenade explosions ringing out.

Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the artillerymen and courtesans fell to the ground before they could even react. With the gunfire from the artillery positions, gunfire and explosions echoed throughout the city, and Busan was thrown into chaos.

Brigade Commander Nogi Maresuke, who was sleeping with his beautiful new fourth wife, was startled awake. He hurriedly put on his trousers, but felt they were a little too tight. But he didn't care about that now; he threw on his uniform, grabbed his sword, and rushed out of the bedroom.

He stood at the gate, listening to the gunfire coming from inside the city, not knowing where it had gone. Just then, his guard ran up: "Commander, the Chinese army has entered the city! We must retreat!"

Where to retreat? Going to sea back to Japan? The Tsushima Strait was blocked by some unknown force. Running north? Oyama Iwao was dead, and Yamagata Aritomo was surrounded by the Chinese army! It was truly a case of "no way out but a way to escape!"

But he couldn't say that now. He immediately roared, "Retreat is not an option! We must hold Busan and protect the passage for Great Japan into Korea! We must conquer Korea! We must make Korea a part of Great Japan! Go now, assemble the army immediately, and wipe out the rioters in the city!"

Stepping out of the room, he found two thousand soldiers already assembled in the courtyard. Just as he was about to lead his troops out, his adjutant pulled Nogi Maresuke aside and whispered, "Commander, you absolutely mustn't attack! Listen to the gunfire; Busan City has already fallen entirely into the hands of the Chinese army. If we attack again, firstly, we won't have enough strength to retake it; secondly, if you disperse your forces further, this place will be difficult to hold. It's better to concentrate our forces to defend Beomeosa Temple and wait for reinforcements. This place is easy to defend and difficult to attack; the Chinese army will have a hard time getting up here. Our food reserves are also relatively abundant. Based on the current consumption of these people, we can hold out for more than half a year. This gives us time to buy time. Moreover, this is a sacred place for the Korean people; the Chinese won't dare to use artillery. If they want to attack, they can only rely on manpower. They certainly won't be willing to lose so many people, so they can only watch us occupy this mountain! That's why I say this is our best refuge! We absolutely cannot lose it!"

Nogi Maresuke thought for a moment and said, "Alright, we'll do as you say. Defend Beomeosa Temple to the death and wait for reinforcements!"

X had led his soldiers to break through the first line of Japanese defense and occupied the entire city of Busan. However, since Nogi Maresuke's headquarters was located at Beomeosa Temple, he could only block the roads in and out of the temple, and couldn't think of any other good solutions at the moment. Attacking was risky; the enemy held a natural stronghold, and a direct assault would result in heavy losses. Furthermore, artillery couldn't be used during a direct assault, and the feelings of the Korean people towards the temple couldn't be ignored! Unable to find a way to minimize losses, he had to adopt a strategy of encirclement without attack, but this would tie down a lot of our forces—a real problem!

Now that the city was in hand, he quickly adjusted the artillery positions to counter a Japanese naval attack, blocking access to the harbor. Then, he diverted some troops to begin sweeping away Japanese military forces in southern Korea.

Due to the loss of their main force, the Japanese army was quickly eliminated in southern Korea. By November, only Beomeosa Temple remained as the sole Japanese stronghold in the entire south.

But that's a story for later. While X was capturing Busan, Pyongyang was undergoing a baptism of blood and fire.

Chapter Fourteen: The Battle of Pyongyang.

In late August, following the Imperial General Headquarters' plan, the Japanese army intensified its reinforcements to Korea, aiming to drive the Qing army out of the country. On August 31, the 5th Division completed its assembly on the western and southern fronts of Pyongyang. Half of the 3rd Division also entered Korea from Wonsan, completing its assembly on the eastern and northern fronts of Pyongyang, and joined the 5th Division to form the 1st Army, commanded by General Yamagata Aritomo, who rushed from Seoul to the Teacher's Headquarters on Daesong Mountain northeast of Pyongyang.

On the night of August 31, the Japanese army completed the encirclement of Pyongyang in four directions. The attacking Japanese army consisted of over 19,600 men and 44 mountain artillery pieces.

At dawn on the 3rd, the Japanese army launched its general offensive against Pyongyang as planned.

The battle began with the 5th Division, led by Nozu Michiken, on the southern front of Pyongyang. Nozu Michiken, due to his victory at the Battle of Seonghwan, was somewhat complacent and eager for further glory. On the 2nd, he promised the Japanese news agency, "My division will capture Pyongyang around 8:00 AM tomorrow, capturing China's Long Xiangyu and Korea's Min Ja-young and Li Huailong alive! I will shake hands with the Third Division in the city and wish Great Japan a long life!"

The Japanese now knew that Long Xiangyu, the principal of the Chinese East Point Military Academy, was in Korea commanding operations, but they didn't know that Long Xiangyu was Emperor Guangxu. The Beijing Daily in China still frequently reported on Emperor Guangxu's edicts and meetings with ministers at the palace. They believed that Guangxu was merely a figurehead, and that real power still lay with Li Hongzhang, since many decisions in China were issued by the State Council.

Around 4:00 AM, when the Japanese vanguard reached the vicinity of the Qing army's bridgehead at Chuanqiao Lane on the south bank of the Daedong River, the Chinese army immediately opened fire to welcome the Japanese troops.

The Japanese troops participating in the Battle of Chuanqiaoli consisted of two infantry regiments and one artillery regiment, totaling 3,600 men. The Chinese troops were two regiments under Zuo Baogui, whom I had just transferred from Beijing. Nearly half of them had studied at the East Point Military Academy; they were all elite soldiers from my own ranks, totaling 2,000 men. At that time, the Japanese concentrated their forces to attack the three bridgeheads at Chuanqiaoli, bombarding the Qing army's fortifications with a continuous barrage of artillery fire. The Qing army on the north bank of the Taedong River also returned fire. The sound of artillery fire shook the heavens and the earth, and the smoke of gunpowder filled the sky. The battle grew increasingly fierce, and the land on the south bank seemed about to crumble... But when the artillery fire stopped, the Japanese army was met with a deluge of bullets from Zuo Baogui's soldiers.

The battle raged from darkness until dawn, and the Japanese did not advance an inch.

The Japanese commanders had long known of Zuo Baogui's fierce reputation, and today they had experienced it for the first time!

Soon, the east began to lighten. Zuo Baogui, observing from the north bank of the Daedong River, saw that the Japanese army was in a disadvantageous position. He personally led a battalion of 400 men across the river to launch a counter-offensive. The Japanese, who had already forced their way to the bridgehead with little cover, were now completely exposed to Qing fire and could only flee in disarray, leaving behind a trail of corpses.

Zuo Baogui did not order his soldiers to pursue, but instead instructed them to replenish ammunition and construct fortifications. As the Qing army continuously transported ammunition to the fortress on the south bank via the bridge, while the Japanese were running out of ammunition and their morale was low, the Qing counter-offensive at the bridge continued until the afternoon. At 2:30 PM, Nozu Michiken, seeing that ammunition was exhausted and his troops had not eaten all day, ordered a ceasefire and a withdrawal from the battlefield. The Qing army did not pursue, but instead destroyed the fortress and retreated back into the city.

In this battle, the Japanese suffered 460 dead and 690 wounded; Division Commander Nozu Michiken was also wounded and returned empty-handed. A Japanese poet later lamented, "Those who fail in this battle will die under the banners, alas, the bitter battle at Chuanqiao."

The next day, the battle on the western front of Pyongyang began at around 8 a.m. The main force of the Japanese 5th Division, totaling over 5,400 men, commanded by Lieutenant General Nozu Michikata, crossed the Taedong River upstream and reached the Tongdu River west of the city. They were met with a fierce barrage of gunfire from the Chinese army, suffering heavy casualties and forced to retreat to the south bank, daring not to cross the river again.

The northern front of Pyongyang was the main direction of the Japanese attack on Pyongyang, where nearly half of their total forces, including two detachments totaling 9,800 men, were concentrated. According to the planned strategy, the two detachments launched a pincer attack on the Qing army outside Xuanwu Gate at dawn on the 5th, splitting into eastern and western routes.

Pyongyang is located at the junction of the Pyongyang Plain and hills in the lower reaches of the Taedong River, with undulating hills to the east, west, and north. To the east of Pyongyang is Seogwisan Mountain, to the southwest is Changgwang Mountain, to the north are Kumsusan Mountain and Moranbong Mountain, and to the south is a plain. Pyongyang, meaning "flat land," derives its name from the fact that part of its land lies on a plain. The Taedong River and its tributary, the Potong River, flow through the city. Pyongyang has a history of over 1500 years, having been a capital city since the time of Dangun. In 427 AD, King Jangsu of Goguryeo established his capital here. The castle built on Daesong Mountain at that time still has ruins today. Pyongyang served as the capital of the Goguryeo Dynasty for approximately 250 years. Later, during the Goryeo period, it was designated as the Grand Protectorate, becoming Xijing (Western Capital), and subsequently renamed Xidu (Western Capital), Dongning Prefecture, Wanhu Prefecture, and Pyongyang Prefecture. In 1885, it became one of the 23 prefectures. In 1886, it became the seat of the South Pyongan Province. Pyongyang is surrounded by mountains and water, with high and sturdy city walls. It has six city gates: Suzaku Gate to the south, Jeonghae Gate to the southwest, Chilseong Gate to the northwest, Hyeonmu Gate to the north, Janggyeong Gate to the east, and Taedong Gate to the southeast. Hyeonmu Gate was built across Morandae Mountain. Because Peony Terrace was located close to the city wall, it became crucial for the defense of Pyongyang.

The Qing army's deployment was as follows: the north of the city was defended by two divisions under Zuo Baogui; the west by two divisions under Sheng Bao; the south by two divisions under Wei Rugui; and the southeast by two divisions under Ma Yukun. I was stationed inside the city, directing operations from the center. My four wives, Fei'er, Min Ciying, Yu'er, and Shu'er, each led two regiments as reserves.

The Qing troops guarding the Xuanwu Gate of Pyongyang consisted of two divisions: one personally led by Zuo Baogui, guarding the Xuanwu Gate, Peony Terrace, and the outer fortresses, totaling 3,500 men; and another division led by his deputy, Zhang Heng, guarding the area around Gija Mausoleum, totaling 3,500 men. The Japanese army concentrated the main force of these two detachments and first attacked the Qing army's inner and outer triple fortifications outside the city. The Japanese army had long heard of Zuo Baogui's bravery and knew that Pyongyang could not be captured without his death, so they abandoned Zhang Heng's Gija Mausoleum and focused their attack on the Xuanwu Gate.

At 5:00 AM, the Japanese detachment commander ordered the first artillery shot to be fired in the attack on the north side of Pyongyang. The Qing army fortress remained silent. When the Japanese advanced to the low ground near the fortress, the Qing army's automatic rifles inside suddenly opened fire in unison, raining down bullets. As the Japanese detachment commander was giving orders, a bullet struck him in the forehead, killing him instantly. The Japanese mountain artillery positions fired shrapnel, continuously hitting the Qing army positions, causing heavy casualties among the Chinese troops. Taking advantage of the situation, the Japanese attacked the eastern fortress of the outer city. After a fierce hand-to-hand battle, all fifty-odd Qing soldiers in the fortress withdrew from their positions and retreated back to the city walls. The Japanese finally captured the eastern fortress outside the city. Major Honda Hiroshi immediately reported excitedly to Nozu Michikata: "I have broken through the first line of defense of the Chinese army—" Before he could finish the word, a deafening explosion sent him and his bunker, along with dozens of his proud soldiers, flying into the sky. It turned out that Zuo Bao had planned to abandon the fortress long ago, having his soldiers plant a large amount of explosives beforehand. The soldiers detonated the explosives as they retreated, and Honda Hiroshi, of course, boarded the makeshift aircraft! This terrified the Japanese army; when they approached the Chinese fortress again, not a single soldier dared to venture inside.

Suffering repeated setbacks, Yamagata Aritomo had no choice but to redeploy his forces, advancing in three columns to attack Mudantai. Although the Japanese army was equipped with field guns, rapid-fire cannons, and seven-shot rifles, possessing superior firepower, the Chinese army's rocket artillery suddenly joined the fray. The overwhelming artillery fire left Japanese soldiers lying dead and rivers of blood. However, the Japanese knew they were now fighting a desperate battle, so despite heavy casualties, they still pressed forward relentlessly, putting the defenders of Mudantai in grave danger.

Zuo Bao, who was overseeing the battle from Xuanwu Gate, saw the critical situation at Mudantai and quickly led his troops to its aid. Upon reaching the platform, he personally lit the cannons and fired 36 shells. Sweat soaked his clothes, and the cannon fire blackened his face, so much so that when I sent someone to find him and inquire about the battle, the messenger didn't even recognize him!

Because it was a crucial battle, both sides fought desperately. The Japanese army launched three consecutive charges, all of which were repelled by the Chinese forces. Zuo Baogui was hit in two places, yet he continued to command despite his wounds.

Upon learning this, I immediately ordered concentrated artillery support. Empress Min and Fei'er each led two regiments to charge up Xuanwu Gate and Mudan Terrace, relieving Zuo Baogui and continuing to command the battle. They slaughtered so many Japanese soldiers that their corpses piled up like mountains, forcing them to retreat.

I personally supervised Zuo Baogui's treatment. Although his face was covered in blood, fortunately, they were all superficial wounds, and after treatment, he was fine. Only then did I feel relieved.

After the battles at Mudan Terrace and Xuanwu Gate, the Japanese suffered heavy losses and were unable to continue their offensive on the northern front. The battle ended that day, and they retreated a considerable distance.

Meanwhile, the Japanese offensive west of Pyongyang was met with fierce resistance from two divisions under Sheng Bao. The fighting was exceptionally intense; the Japanese scaled the Qixingmen gate in the northwest three times, only to be driven back each time, leaving hundreds of corpses behind as they retreated to safety.

Jinghaimen in the southwest was defended by Wei Rugui's troops. The enemy there only made one probing attack, but were soundly defeated by Wei Rugui's army and retreated, never daring to retaliate again.

In this day's battle, the Japanese suffered 2,189 dead and 2,516 wounded, while the Chinese casualties were less than a third of the Japanese. That day, a persistent autumn rain fell, and the cold wind and rain caused the Japanese to run out of ammunition and rations, forcing them to camp outside Pyongyang in the rain, a very difficult situation. Yamagata Aritomo, suffering from food shortages and fearing encirclement by Qing troops, realized that resupply would become even more difficult once the 3rd Division arrived as reinforcements. Therefore, he decided to launch a strong attack with the 5th Division before reinforcements arrived.

Meanwhile, Li Bin's troops, who had just crossed the Yalu River, and Li Gang and Sheng Bao's 80,000-strong army, marching north from Shangganling, were pressing relentlessly towards Pyongyang, forming an encirclement of the Japanese army.

On September 4th, the Japanese army suddenly launched a fierce artillery barrage against Ma Yukun's troops defending Datong Gate in the southeast.

After the artillery barrage, swarms of Japanese soldiers rushed towards Datong Gate like ants in a disturbed nest.

Ma Yukun immediately climbed the city wall to direct the attack. Seeing the enemy launching a fierce assault with ladders, he ordered his soldiers to throw grenades wildly, causing countless Japanese casualties and carnage.

But the Japanese soldiers still swarmed towards the city wall like buzzing flies. They were shirtless, with white cloths tied around their heads, carrying repeating rifles and scimitars, shouting slogans as they desperately charged towards the city wall.

Seeing the Japanese soldiers suddenly become so fierce and tenacious, I understood a principle: why some people say Japanese soldiers are fierce and tenacious, while others say they are like shoddy soldiers—it depends on the environment. At the beginning of the war, they were afraid of a large country like China and had little enthusiasm for fighting, so they feared and dreaded the enemy. But when they saw that the enemy was even more cowardly than themselves, their courage grew, and they became ruthless! The Japanese soldiers trampled on Chinese soil twice because of the rule of incompetent people like Empress Dowager Cixi and the "good generals" like Ye Zhichao who were "cowardly as chickens," which fostered their arrogance and ferocity! In the Battle of Pyongyang, the Japanese army was already showing signs of defeat and could have held out for at most two more days before "running away with their tails between their legs." However, Ye Zhichao forced a retreat, which bolstered the Japanese army's strength and boosted their morale, thus contributing to their ferocity. As for the later Japanese invasion of China, if it weren't for that fleeing general from Northeast China who provided the Japanese with a large amount of aircraft, artillery, and military supplies without firing a single shot, the Japanese wouldn't have amounted to anything! This time in the Korean War, our army displayed its might, which dampened their morale, so after several battles, the Japanese were utterly defeated. But now things are different. The Japanese know they've reached a life-or-death situation, so they've put on a desperate fight. The battle was extremely fierce. The Japanese repeatedly scaled the city walls, fighting fiercely, grappling with Chinese soldiers, biting and grappling, refusing to let go even in death. Fortunately, Ma Yukun led his soldiers, wielding broadswords, and managed to suppress the enemy, but our losses were also considerable; about half of the soldiers defending the Datong Gate were killed.

Seeing the fighting was getting intense, I quickly sent Yu'er with the reserves to charge up, and a barrage of grenades drove the enemy back.

By this time, I had already ordered the outer perimeter to begin closing in, and my rocket artillery regiment, which had distinguished itself at Shangganling, delivered thousands of shells to Yamagata Aritomo's starving soldiers.

Seeing that the Chinese army had surrounded them from all sides, Yamagata Aritomo knew that capturing Pyongyang was now impossible and decided to immediately turn and flee eastward.

However, he miscalculated. To the east was Li Bin's army, fresh from overseas combat, whose soldiers were already itching for battle. Seeing this rare opportunity to kill the enemy, they were like tigers unleashed from the mountains, brandishing their guns and shouting as they unleashed a furious barrage!

But the Japanese army, with no way to retreat, surged forward like a tidal wave, oblivious to their impending doom. Li Bin immediately ordered his soldiers to occupy advantageous terrain and fight steadily, thus stabilizing the position and thwarting Yamagata Aritomo's several desperate attempts.

The encirclement gradually tightened, and our artillery began to concentrate its fire on their artillery. The overwhelming bombardment of rocket artillery blasted the Japanese artillery positions, causing chaos and even sending cannon wheels flying onto our positions—luckily, no one was killed! With

the enemy's artillery silenced, our soldiers went berserk, grabbing light machine guns and firing wildly, eventually compressing the enemy onto a small, isolated hill.

But the remaining enemy was even more difficult to deal with; they held the hill, refusing to retreat an inch, fighting extremely tenaciously.

Our artillery bombarded the hill, almost turning it upside down, but as soon as the smoke cleared, Japanese soldiers emerged from the mud and began firing wildly at our attacking troops.

To minimize our casualties, I ordered a halt to the attack and instead adopted a siege strategy. By the third day, the hilltop was completely silent. Li Bin's soldiers launched an attack, charging all the way to the top without encountering any resistance.

When the soldiers reached the top of the hill, they discovered that the remaining hundred or so Japanese soldiers had all committed seppuku.

I took Shu'er and climbed the hill as well. We found that Yamagata Aritomo had lost one arm. He had committed suicide kneeling towards Tokyo, and his body was still leaning against a small tree, not falling down. His bull-like eyes were still open, as if he refused to admit defeat!

I looked at the other Japanese soldiers. Although I hated their ruthlessness and their massacre of innocent civilians in Korea, I still waved my hand and said, "Bury them all on this hill. Erect a monument for them and write 'The Invaders' Helplessness!'" Of the

19,600 Japanese soldiers in this battle, not a single one survived. This was partly due to the brutality of the war and partly due to the ferocity of the enemy.

Our army also suffered considerable losses, with 3,128 soldiers killed and 8,231 wounded.

The battlefield was cleared in eight days, yielding a large quantity of weapons, but ammunition was scarce. I left the weapons to the North Korean army and also gave 10,000 North Korean soldiers from Sheng Bao's army to the North Korean government, with Cui Jiyong assigning several instructors to help train them. This gave North Korea a decent army.

To prevent a Japanese resurgence, North Korea and I agreed that our army would be permanently stationed in Wonsan, Busan, and Incheon, with 3,000 troops in each location. The Chinese government would be responsible for weapons and ammunition, while the North Korean government would provide food supplies. Jeju Island was purchased for 30 million taels of silver, with 10 million taels deducted from the military expenditure for this expedition and the remainder from aid projects.

While we were fighting fiercely in Pyongyang, Li Bin's division annihilated a Japanese regiment stationed in Wonsan after a fierce battle. Thus, only Seoul remained temporarily in Japanese hands on Korean soil.

I handed over the Pyongyang matter to Queen Min, and then led my troops south, preparing to set off from Busan, strike directly at the Japanese headquarters, and smash that war machine!

Queen Min cried her heart out, "No, I have to go with my brother! He can't leave Ying'er behind! Ying'er can't live without him!"

I could only hug her and comfort her, explaining, "How can you not stay? Huailong is too young to manage the situation, and Korea needs to recover and rebuild quickly after this turmoil! How can these tasks be done without you? I've already spoken with Li Hongzhang, and he will send someone to help you arrange the recovery and construction projects soon. How can you not be home?"

She knew that leaving now was unrealistic, and after a good cry, she nodded and agreed not to follow, but still said, "You have to call me every day, at eight o'clock in the evening, so I can sleep peacefully!"

I immediately agreed, "I will definitely call you, I miss you too!"

On September 20, the Chinese army surrounded the isolated city of Seoul, but before I could even start fighting, Yan'er, Bai Xue, Weng Tonghe, Ding Ruchang, and Tan Sitong launched the East China Sea naval battle that shocked China and the world.

Chapter Fifteen: The Battle of the East China Sea

As the Japanese army approached Pyongyang from several directions, the Japanese Navy had already concentrated 19 warships off the coast of the Taedong River: Chiyoda, Hashidate, Takachiho, Akitsushima, Saikyo Maru, Hiei, Yaeyama, Tsukushi, Atago, Maya, Chokai, Amagi, Kongo, Tenryu, Oshima, Iwaki, Katsuragi, Takao, and Musashi, along with six torpedo boats: Yamakyu, Boat No. 7, Boat No. 12, Boat No. 13, Boat No. 22, and Boat No. 23, to support any Japanese forces that might suffer a defeat. However, seeing that the Chinese army had completely cut off the Japanese army's retreat route to the south, and that the Chinese fleet was beginning to press towards them, the commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet, Ito Sukeyuki, immediately contacted Emperor Mutsuhito and decided to quickly withdraw from the Yellow Sea and return to the Sea of Japan to defend the Japanese mainland.

The defeat at the Battle of Pyongyang left them like frightened birds. On September 15th, the Japanese fleet hastily weighed anchor and fled south. Hearing that the Chinese navy was already on Jeju Island in Korea, they decided to head towards Okinawa, from where they would turn back to Japan.

Fearing interception by the Chinese fleet, the Japanese fleet set off at midnight, not daring to show itself in any port along the way, nor to replenish fresh water or supplies anywhere. They fled in panic, like stray dogs. The warships did not encounter the Chinese fleet after leaving the Yellow Sea, which slightly eased the tense nerves of the Japanese Combined Fleet Commander, Ito Sukeyuki. He stood in his command cabin, embracing a beautiful female telegraph operator, looking at the sea where the sky met the sea, and kneading the woman's ample breasts, feeling a mix of emotions. In recent years, Japan has tightened its belt to build and train its navy, aiming to surpass the Chinese navy and enter the open seas. However, fate has played a cruel trick. The seemingly vulnerable Qing Dynasty had been secretly building and training its navy, using some outdated warships to create a show of force and deceive us. It's lamentable that so many of Japan's elite forces failed to see through their scheme, believing they could easily annihilate the Chinese navy. The result is truly tragic!

While he was lamenting his bad luck, an urgent call came from the Hiei: "A large number of enemy ships have been spotted to the southeast, most likely a Chinese fleet!"

This startled him, causing him to drop his pipe. He pushed aside the woman and rushed to the wheelhouse, grabbing his binoculars and looking southeast. There were indeed two wisps of black smoke, followed by three or four more, leading him to conclude that "at least three warships from the Beiyang Fleet are trying to intercept us."

Ito Sukeyuki immediately ordered a change to a single file formation. Thus, the First Flying Squadron led the way, followed by the main force's six ships. The Saikyo Maru and Hiei moved to the left flank of the main force as a non-combatant column. The two fleets drew ever closer, and through binoculars aboard the Japanese warships, it was clear that "strong men with bare, dark arms stood in groups beside their cannons, preparing for this life-or-death battle." Seeing the Beiyang Fleet's disciplined formation, and fearing his soldiers might be intimidated, Ito Sukeyuki specifically ordered permission for them to "smoke freely to calm their minds."

At this time, Beiyang Navy Commander Ding Ruchang, Deputy Commander Lin Taizeng, and Chief of Staff Ye Zugui all boarded the bridge of the flagship Dingyuan, closely monitoring the Japanese ships

' movements and discussing countermeasures. To implement my plan to encircle and annihilate the Japanese navy, the main force of the Beiyang Fleet had been fully deployed, totaling 17 warships. Among them were seven newly joined warships captured from the Japanese navy, which had been repaired and incorporated into the Beiyang Navy. The Beiyang Fleet, consisting of the Zhenwo (formerly the Japanese Yoshino), Zhenyi (formerly the Japanese Fusō), Zhendong (formerly the Japanese Yamato), Zhenxi (formerly the Japanese Akagi), Andong (formerly the Japanese Naniwa), Weihai (formerly the Japanese Matsushima), and Yingkou (formerly the Japanese Itsukushima), along with eight auxiliary ships, set sail from Dalian Bay under the command of Ding Ruchang, conducting drills along the way. At 11:00 AM on September 18th, the Beiyang Fleet suddenly spotted several plumes of black smoke on the sea to the southwest. Ding Ruchang determined it to be the Japanese fleet. He immediately ordered all ships to fire their weapons and prepare for battle. Instantly, battle horns blared throughout the fleet; thick smoke billowed from the funnels of each ship, and the engine room crews shut down the engine rooms for high-pressure ventilation, storing ample firepower and steam power for combat.

By 12:20 PM, the approaching Japanese ships were gradually drawing closer, and 19 warships and six torpedo boats could be clearly identified. Seeing the enemy's fierce advance, Ding Ruchang realized he couldn't afford to be careless. To maximize the power of the main guns on each ship's bow, he ordered a change in formation to a wedge-shaped formation. The key points of this formation were: the lead ship in each squadron was the captain, and its escort ships were positioned at a 45-degree angle to the right aft line. Simultaneously, Ding Ruchang issued the following instructions to the captains of each ship: (i) sister ships in each squadron should coordinate and support each other; (ii) always face the enemy bow to maximize the power of the heavy guns; (iii) the entire squadron should remain as concentrated as possible, moving in tandem with the flagship. The specific formation was as follows: the flagships Dingyuan and Zhenyuan were in the center, forming the first squadron; Zhiyuan, Jingyuan, Weihai (formerly the Japanese Matsushima), and Yingkou (formerly the Japanese Itsukushima) formed the second squadron on the left; Zhenwo (formerly the Japanese Yoshino), Zhenyi (formerly the Japanese Fusō), Andong (formerly the Japanese Naniwa), and Zhenxi (formerly the Japanese Akagi) formed the third squadron on the right; Jingyuan, Laiyuan, Jiyuan, and Guangjia formed the fourth squadron on the right; and Zhendong (formerly the Japanese Yamato), Chaoyong, and Yangwei formed the fifth squadron on the left. Because the fourth and fifth squadrons on the flanks were slower, the repositioned fleet formed a flat V-shape, charging towards the Japanese ships in a straight line. Simultaneously, the fourth squadron was tasked with escorting the auxiliary ships, while the fifth squadron was tasked with preparing to capture the Japanese warships.

The Japanese Navy, based on the speed and numerous broadside rapid-fire guns of its warships, had always considered the single-column formation its key to victory. Upon seeing the formation of the Beiyang Fleet, the Japanese ships decided to avoid the two giant battleships, Dingyuan and Zhenyuan, and instead use their fast First Flying Squadron to attack the enemy's weakest right flank. The First Flying Squadron, sailing at the forefront of the line formation, accelerated from 8 knots to 10 knots and turned to starboard, gradually distancing itself from the main force. This broke the line formation in two.

The Beiyang Fleet commander noticed this change and immediately ordered his ships to open fire. Immediately afterward, all ships of the Beiyang Fleet fired simultaneously. Three minutes later, with six Japanese ships already hit and the Musashi sunk, the Japanese began to retaliate. In an instant, hundreds of cannons from both sides roared down, smoke filled the air, and the sea seemed to boil.

After the naval battle began, the Japanese First Flying Squadron, seeing the fierce advance of the Beiyang Fleet, especially fearing the Dingyuan and Zhenyuan as if they were tigers and leopards, accelerated while firing their guns, rushing ahead of the Dingyuan and Zhenyuan to attack the Beiyang Fleet's weak right flank: the Jingyuan, Laiyuan, Jiyuan, and Guangjia. The Takachiho, Akitsushima, Saikyo Maru, and Tenryu concentrated their firepower and launched a fierce attack. The Jingyuan and Laiyuan fought back desperately, while the Jiyuan and Guangjia quickly joined the attack from both sides. The Zhenwo (formerly the Japanese Yoshino), Zhenyi (formerly the Japanese Fusō), Andong (formerly the Japanese Naniwa), and Zhenxi (formerly the Japanese Akagi) also quickly provided support, causing damage to many parts of the Japanese ships. At 1:20 p.m., a shell penetrated the ammunition compartment of the Tenryu, causing a massive explosion. In an instant, black smoke obscured the entire ship, and the Tenryu was split in two, quickly disappearing into the sea. The three ships, Takachiho, Akitsushima, and Saikyo Maru, hastily retreated, only to have their escape route blocked by the Ding and Zhen ships that cut in from the flanks. After a moment's hesitation, all three were engulfed in gunfire, raising white flags in an attempt to flee. Ding Ruchang immediately issued a stern order: "If you wish to surrender, retreat immediately to my left flank, lay down your arms, and accept my surrender; otherwise, kill without mercy!"

Seeing no way to retreat and having lost their fighting capacity, the three ships had no choice but to obey and sail to my left flank to accept the surrender of the Zhen Dong (formerly the Japanese Yamato) Chaoyong and Yangwei ships.

The Japanese ships Chiyoda and Hashidate, upon discovering this, immediately charged towards the surrendering warships. The Chaoyong and Yangwei quickly blocked the enemy ships, and a fierce battle ensued. The Weihai (formerly the Japanese Matsushima) and Yingkou (formerly the Japanese Itsukushima) immediately provided artillery support, causing the Japanese ships to catch fire and forcing them to retreat out of range. However, at the same time, the Yangwei also caught fire, listing to starboard and having to leave the battlefield, retreating to the right of our auxiliary ships.

As the First Flying Squadron began shelling the Chaoyong and Yangwei, the main Japanese fleet, led by the flagship Amagi, arrived directly in front of the Dingyuan, and a fierce shelling ensued. At 12:53, a shell from Oshima hit the mast of the Dingyuan, and Ding Ruchang, who was supervising the battle from the bridge, was thrown onto the deck and seriously wounded. Deputy Commander Lin Taizeng immediately took over command, directing the warships to constantly change positions, preventing the Japanese ships from aiming and positioning themselves. At this time, the Amagi also became the target of concentrated fire from the Beiyang Fleet. At 12:55, a shell damaged the Amagi's 32-centimeter main gun turret. Seeing the powerful firepower of the Dingyuan and Zhen, the Amagi hurriedly led its fleet to turn left and accelerate to avoid the Japanese ships. The entire Beiyang Fleet also turned to starboard, continuing to point its bows at the Japanese ships. Meanwhile, the Japanese ships in the rear half of the main fleet, including the Yaeyama, Tsukushi, Atago, Maya, and Chokai, were far behind due to their slow speed. Cut in half by our fleet, their situation was extremely unfavorable.

The Beiyang Fleet seized the opportunity to launch a fierce attack. Each ship bombarded the Amagi and other leading ships with its right flank guns, and the Chiyoda and Hashidate ships with their left flank guns. At 1:04, the Amagi's command center was destroyed by the Dingyuan. Seeing the dire situation, the Hiei on its left flank made a sharp right turn, attempting to pass between the Jingyuan and Dingyuan to rejoin the main fleet. However, the Hiei was immediately surrounded by the Beiyang Fleet, bombarded from all sides, and suffered heavy casualties. Seeing this, the Jingyuan ceased its bombardment, and a assault team carrying rifles lined up on the deck, preparing to approach the Hiei and capture it. In the critical moment, the Hiei's rapid-fire guns fired frantically, firing over 1,500 rounds in five minutes, making it difficult for the Jingyuan to approach. Seeing this, the Dingyuan fired from its right rear, and the Hiei was hit by a 30.5 cm shell, its lower deck completely destroyed. Instantly, flames erupted, and the warship lost its fighting capacity. It had no choice but to raise a white flag and retreat to the left side of our ship, surrendering.

Seeing our ships closing in on the main Japanese fleet, six Japanese torpedo boats immediately rushed up to entangle our fleet, leaving only the Dingyuan, Zhenyuan, and the Jingyuan and Laiyuan (who were covering them) to charge. The

Zhenwo, Zhenyi, Zhendong, Zhenxi, Andong, Weihai, and Yingkou ships immediately surrounded and fiercely attacked the Japanese torpedo boats. The Japanese Yama-Yao was hit and sunk, while the remaining five boats continued to fight desperately, repeatedly firing torpedoes, all of which were hit by our ships and exploded mid-flight. The explosions hit the Japanese No. 7 boat, which also sank into the sea. The remaining four boats fled in panic, and the No. 12 boat was hit by the Zhenwo and sank into the sea.

The Oshima, located on the left side of the main fleet, was even slower and lagged behind. After the Tianlong departed, Oshima was isolated and helpless, completely exposed to the gunfire of the Beiyang Fleet's port flank, and was hit repeatedly. At 1:20 PM, a 15-centimeter shell from the stern of the Dingyuan struck Oshima's bridge, killing the first and second gunners and two sailors. Captain Sakamoto, who was looking at the nautical chart, was hit in the head by shrapnel,

and his blood stained the chart. After Sakamoto's death, Oshima continued to be hit, and almost all of the officers on board were either killed or wounded. Unable to hold out any longer, Oshima also surrendered. At 2:30 PM, the Zhenwo, Zhenyi, Zhendong, Zhenxi, Andong, Weihai, and Yingkou ships, having eliminated the torpedo boats' harassment, charged forward. Chiyoda's starboard side was immediately exposed to the Beiyang Fleet and subjected to heavy bombardment from the fleet's guns. Its rudder was damaged, and it could only navigate by hand. Soon after, it was hit by another shell on its starboard side, which immediately cracked and allowed seawater to seep in. At 2:55, the Zhenwa ship, seeing that the Chiyoda was damaged, launched a torpedo. Because the two ships were very close, the Chiyoda could not dodge in time and exploded and sank on the spot.

The Andong, Weihai, and Yingkou then turned to attack the main Japanese fleet. When the Andong approached the Kongo at 2,200 meters, it suddenly fired a 26cm shell, hitting the Kongo's central mine room, killing four torpedo launchers. The Kongo returned fire, destroying the Andong's 26cm main gun and causing a fire. Seeing that it was outmatched, the Andong turned and withdrew. Captain Deng Shichang of the Zhiyuan immediately ordered the Zhiyuan to bombard the Kongo, forcing it to raise a white flag and retreat to the left of our ships.

By this time, the Japanese fleet had lost nine ships. Combined Fleet Commander Ito Sukeyuki, seeing that the Japanese were at a significant disadvantage, quickly concentrated his main force to deal with the Dingyuan and Zhenyuan, which had already left their positions, while the First Flying Squadron joined forces to attack the Jingyuan and Laiyuan, which were to the right of the Dingyuan and Zhenyuan. The intention was to prevent the Beiyang Fleet from coordinating its operations, aiming to sink the weaker Jingyuan and Laiyuan first, and then launch a full-scale attack on the two giant ships. Under the siege of four ships, the Jingyuan and Laiyuan temporarily formed a single force, fighting a long and arduous battle against overwhelming odds. Soon, the Laiyuan was hit by over two hundred shells, and the Jingyuan by over one hundred. The two ships then broke through the encirclement and sailed west to the vicinity of an island, where they occupied advantageous terrain, backing onto a shallow shoal and using their bow guns to engage the enemy. When the Japanese First Flying Squadron arrived, they were unable to approach due to the loss of terrain and could only fire from a distance, losing their advantage of a four-sided attack. The two ships seized the opportunity to quickly extinguish fires and repair themselves.

In the original battle area, the Dingyuan and Zhenyuan were rare ironclad behemoths among the navies of the world at the time, and the Japanese were determined to destroy them to achieve their objective. At this time, under the barrage of Japanese shrapnel, the two ships repeatedly caught fire. The Dingyuan's deck caught fire, and the flames raged, almost engulfing the entire ship. The foredeck of the Zhenyuan was almost engulfed in flames. The commander rallied his soldiers to fight the fire, and despite the hail of bullets, they bravely and resolutely extinguished it amidst near-death experiences. By this time, our fleet had formed an encirclement. Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, Ito Sukeyuki, sensed the danger and hastily ordered a withdrawal from the battle, continuing the southward escape. At 3:30 PM, when the Dingyuan was 2,000 meters from the Japanese ship Hashidate, a 30.5-centimeter shell fired by the Dingyuan struck the Hashidate, exploding violently and destroying its No. 4 rapid-fire gun. The gun mounts on its port side were completely destroyed, and the ammunition piled on the deck exploded. In an instant, flames engulfed the ship, and thick smoke filled the sky. The situation was critical, with 113 officers and men killed or wounded, forcing them to join the ranks of those surrendering.

Seeing that most of his ships were damaged and unable to fight further, while the Beiyang Fleet was rallying its forces and fighting with increasing ferocity, Commander-in-Chief Ito Sukeyuki again signaled to "cease fire" and continued his southward escape. The Beiyang Fleet then ceased its pursuit and turned towards Lushun. The nearly five-hour-long Sino-Japanese naval battle in the East China Sea came to an end.

In this decisive battle between the main forces of the Chinese and Japanese navies, the Japanese warships Musashi, Tenryu, and Chiyoda, along with three torpedo boats—Shanying, No. 7, and No. 12—were sunk. The Japanese warships Takachiho, Akitsushima, Saikyo Maru, Hiei, Oshima, Kongo, and Hashidate were severely damaged and rendered combat ineffective before surrendering, resulting in losses exceeding half their original strength. The Beiyang Fleet's Jingyuan, Laiyuan, Andong, and Yangwei were all severely damaged and withdrew from the battle. The Chinese Navy achieved a great victory.

News of the Battle of Shangganling, the Battle of Pyongyang, the Battle of Weihaiwei, and the Battle of the Yellow Sea shifted international opinion. At the outset of the war, the British newspaper *The Times* stated: "Victory in this war will surely belong to Japan. Japan's powerful navy can stop Chinese transport ships and win naval battles against China. China is a disorganized mess; it is a pipe dream for it to win!" It also stated: "The rapid rise of the Chinese army threatens our power in East Asia; we must quickly curb the further growth of Chinese power!"

A Russian newspaper, which had been closely following the war, commented: "The immediate reason Japan started the war was that it thought China was a rotten log, easily broken. However, after implementing a constitutional monarchy, China is no longer the same as before. Therefore, this conflict with China is less a war of strategy and more a war of folly."

However, a spokesperson for the Russian royal palace believed: "Japan's defeat in the Sino-Japanese War was not due to its inferior national strength compared to China, but to the incompetence of its military command. If our army had been deployed, the outcome would have been different!"

Seeing our army marching south, the British government immediately issued a statement demanding that the Chinese government exercise restraint and uphold the previous Sino-Japanese agreement on the joint administration of Korea.

The Russian government, in turn, demanded that both Chinese and Japanese troops withdraw from Korea, with third-country troops stationed there to prevent a renewed war between China and Japan, and expressed its willingness to contribute to friendly cooperation between the two countries.

Their shamelessness was unparalleled!

France threatened, "China cannot ignore international justice and should immediately withdraw its troops from Korea; otherwise, France will send troops to uphold justice."

Their robbery was blatantly obvious!

The Qing Dynasty's Foreign Minister, Zeng Jize, immediately summoned the British, French, and Russian ministers to China to strongly protest their irresponsible language, pointing out that the Qing government was not afraid of powerful forces and that anyone who tried to cause trouble should consider their fate!

Although Britain and France were dissatisfied, they dared not act rashly, but Russia advanced its troops to the Korean border, intending to intervene across the border!

(Part Two: East Asian Warfare, Episode 4,

Chapter 16: The Promise of Love)

I led 20,000 men from Pyongyang to Seoul, and the 260 kilometers passed in the blink of an eye. Looking at Seoul, nestled among towering mountains, I couldn't help but think: The Koreans really know how to choose a location... Seoul is surrounded by mountains, both inside and outside the city walls, consisting entirely of hills and mountains around 500 meters in altitude. 40% of the city is mountainous terrain and rivers. The entire city is embraced by the Inner Four Mountains and the Outer Four Mountains. The Inner Four Mountains refer to the four mountains within the walls of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) capital: Bukaksan in the north, Naksan in the east, Inwangsan in the west, and Namsan in the south. The Outer Four Mountains are Bukhansan in the north, Yongmasan in the east, Deokyangsan in the west, and Gwanaksan in the south, forming the outer perimeter of Seoul. This place, so easily defensible and difficult to attack, is just giving me a damn problem! I patted my chest in front of my Ying'er, saying I'd guarantee she'd be living in Gyeongbokgung Palace within a week!

Damn it, I bragged and then my tongue slipped!

I looked at Sheng Bao and Choi Gil-yong and asked, "Do you still have anyone in the palace?"

Choi Gil-yong laughed: "That time the principal asked us to stab him in the back, I used all my strength!" Besides, even if they hid an ambush there for so long, they would starve to death! Who would stockpile so much food?

I laughed: "That's true!"

Seoul has been the capital for nearly 600 years. Legend has it that in 18 BC, King Onjo, the founder of Baekje, went south and built Wirye Fortress on the present site, establishing his capital there, which was later renamed Seoul. From 392 to 475 AD, Goguryeo occupied this area, calling the region north and south of the Han River "Northern Hansanju" and the area near present-day Seoul "Southern Pyongyang." In the mid-7th century, after Silla unified Korea, it incorporated this area into Hansanju. King Seongjong of Goryeo (960-997 AD) upgraded this area to Yangju-gupta (one of the 12 Goryeo gupta), and in 1068, it was further upgraded to Nanjing, one of the three minor capitals (Seokkyung, Tokyo, and Nanjing), becoming a city. 110 Four years later, the Nanjing New Palace was completed, and in 1308 it was upgraded to Hanyang Prefecture. The Yi Dynasty's Yi Seong-gye undertook a major construction project here in 1393, and moved the capital here in 1394, naming it Hanyang Prefecture. For such an ancient city, I must leave Ying'er a complete mountain fortress. Otherwise, it would be easier to just have a barrage of cannon fire, and those three thousand Japanese would be completely subdued! Why let them flail their wings?

Suddenly, the sound of stringed instruments came from the Japanese positions on Bukhansan Mountain. Damn it, I'm truly impressed by the Japanese; even in their dying moments, they don't forget to indulge in pleasure!

I looked at Sheng Bao and said, "The buildings and temples inside the city can't be destroyed, but can't we at least give these broken mountains outside the city a few shots? Listen to how arrogant they are, they're even enjoying themselves! Are your artillery pieces just for show?"

Sheng Bao chuckled: "These guys are really persistent, as if they want our Emperor to know, daring to make such a racket!" "Ji Yong, the principal just equipped you with a rocket artillery regiment, why don't you take it out and show it off!"

Cui Ji Yong jumped up with joy: "Alright, watch us!"

In a moment, our artillery roared, beams of fire flying towards Beihanshan, and deafening roars shattered the tranquility of the battlefield. A storm of shells rained down on the pre-calculated enemy positions, turning them into a sea of fire. The enemy panicked, hiding and fleeing in terror.

Bugle calls and shouts of charge echoed through the valleys and hills.

"Comrades, charge! Take Seoul and give North Korea a big gift!" "Under the cover of artillery and heavy machine gun fire, the 1st Division of the 1st Army Group launched a fierce assault on Bukhansan.

By the morning of the second day, the Qing army had penetrated 15 to 20 kilometers into the enemy's defensive lines. The four outer mountains—Bukhansan, Yongmasan to the east, Deokyangsan to the west, and Gwanaksan to the south—all fell into our hands. We and the Japanese army began a stalemate across the city walls.

These Japanese devils were no slouch either. Seeing that we dared not fire into the city, they simply brought their artillery into Gyeongbokgung Palace and set up their headquarters there, firing cannons from inside, leaving me frustrated and unable to retaliate!

But I couldn't just stand there and take the beating! If they couldn't attack Gyeongbokgung Palace, they could at least attack the positions on the four inner mountains, right?" "

I gave the order, and Cui Jiyong's artillery completely overturned the enemy's positions. They eventually figured out that the enemy had all moved into the city gate towers. As long as you didn't charge up, they'd hide inside and wouldn't come out. It was infuriating!

The two sides were locked in a stalemate across the city wall, which made me incredibly angry. My teeth swelled up so badly I didn't even want to eat, and Fei'er, Yu'er, and Shu'er were crying their eyes out!

But Ying'er kept her promise and arrived in less than a week, bringing Huailong and all the ministers!

Damn it, wasn't she just there to laugh at me?

When Ying'er saw my swollen face, she hugged me and started sobbing, 'It's all because of me that you're so upset, brother!'

But after crying for a while, she suddenly started giggling, which startled Shu'er, who quickly hugged her, 'Sister Ying, don't worry, a few Japanese won't amount to much! Brother will find a way to deal with them!'" Ying'er

laughed even harder, and even I felt her laughter was a bit abnormal. She finally stopped laughing: "It's just those old cannons in the palace, right? Ying'er will take them all down today, let's see what they can do then!"

I was taken aback: "Are you exaggerating? To get to the palace, we have to get past three enemy lines. The enemies are all guarding several temples and palaces. If we just charge in, you're going to abandon your palace?"

She stopped laughing and pointed to Renwang Mountain to the west of the city: "Can you take that mountain before dark?"

I looked at it: "No problem, there aren't any important buildings there. We can take it with a barrage of artillery and grenades! The problem is, even after you take it, it's still several miles from the palace, and we can't damage the nearby palaces!"

She laughed and said: "Don't treat me like a fool. My brother is so worried about protecting it, is Ying'er really that clueless?" "Saying this, she pulled out the pretty little maid Minzi from behind her and said, "Minzi, haven't you always longed to make the bed for His Majesty like Shuer? Today I'll give you your chance. You take some men into Gyeongbokgung Palace and destroy all the Japanese cannons. When you come back, I'll arrange for you to consummate your marriage with His Majesty! You'll be His Majesty's little lover for life!"

I was startled when I heard this: "Why is this material incentive being applied to me? What have I become?"

The little maid's face turned red, her eyes lit up, and she stared at me in disbelief.

Looking at the little girl's delicate face and devilish figure, I was momentarily stunned, and strangely nodded at her.

Oh my god, isn't this acknowledgment? I've become the prize? What was I thinking? Should I nod? But my neck just wouldn't listen to me and insisted on nodding! Sigh, the power of beauty is truly amazing!

Since she'd already nodded, why bother with any airs? I immediately asked, "How did you get in?"

The girl said, "I know there's a secret passage on the right side of Inwangsan Mountain that leads directly to Gyeongbokgung Palace!"

I excitedly grabbed her arm and asked, "Really? How did you know?"

The girl said, "His Majesty had General Sheng build a basement in Gyeongbokgung Palace. One time, out of curiosity, I secretly sneaked in, but I got lost and couldn't find my way out! In my panic, I knocked down a gate, trapping myself in a tiny room just big enough to turn around in. I couldn't get out, and there was no way to go back! Shouting was useless; there was no one else in the cave except me! I cried so much I cried several times! Then I heard the sound of water, so I dug desperately in that direction. I figured if there was a river, there must be a passage! I don't know how long I dug, but finally I made it through. Turns out it was an underground river! I followed the river, and after a while, I saw light! I parted the grass and found myself on the right side of Inwangsan Mountain!"

"Really!" I exclaimed excitedly, squeezing her arm tightly. The girl cried out in pain, and I realized I'd forgotten I'd pinched her forearm in my excitement! I quickly let go and said, "Then don't just focus on the cannons. You lead the way, and General Sheng will send two regiments in together. We'll attack from the inside out, a pincer attack from both sides!"

The girl jumped up and gave me a salute: "Yes, Min'er guarantees to complete the mission!"

I told Sheng Bao, and he was so happy he slapped his thigh. He immediately notified his men, and a barrage of artillery fire and a charge took Renwang Mountain. As soon as it got dark, Minzi led two regiments into the secret passage.

I anxiously awaited news from Gyeongbokgung Palace. Damn it, I now truly understood what it meant for each day to feel like an eternity. Every second and every minute felt longer than a year. I was so anxious I was pacing around in circles, grabbing Queen Min's arm and asking, "Has she forgotten the way? She's still just a child, isn't she?"

Young-er laughed, "How could I be wrong? She's incredibly clever; she remembers things from ages ago, let alone something this important! That place almost cost her her life! Do you know how many days she was in there? Two whole days! I was frantically searching outside, and who knew she would..." She stumbled back, and I hugged her tightly, crying for a long time! "What child? Don't underestimate her just because she's small. She'll be an adult for several years now. Next year, I'll definitely give you a big

, healthy son. You'd better be happy!" Suddenly, gunshots rang out from the direction of Gyeongbokgung Palace. I jumped up excitedly and shouted, "Notify Sheng Bao, full-scale attack!" Damn, that little girl is really something! She's acting like an empress! I really need to pamper her today; it won't be in vain that I've been thinking about her for so long!"

Ying'er pinched my bottom hard, making me jump up: "What are you doing? Trying to murder your husband? Do you want your two children to be fatherless?"

"I knew you'd been eyeing my four little girls all along. Every time you see them, your eyes are like hooks.

You're just pretending to be high and mighty!" I cried out, "Injustice! I'm a gentleman who never looks at anyone!"

"Who said you looked at anyone? Every time you stared at them with wide eyes, didn't they get all hot and bothered by your staring and practically offer themselves to you?" Ying'er said, pinching me again.

That night, gunfire and shouts echoed throughout Seoul. At dawn, Sheng Bao returned, breathless, to report, "Principal, not a single one left! They're all wiped out!"

I was taken aback. "Wipe out what?"

Sheng Bao hurriedly replied, "The Japanese soldiers! They captured over a hundred prisoners, but the city's residents snatched them all away. They beat them all to death! Even that regimental commander, Togo Heiichiro, I personally escorted back to interrogate him, but hundreds of villagers came and forcibly took him away. I tried to stop them and even got punched several times! If it weren't for Minzi coming to my rescue..." "I'll hang there if you want!" "Hmm, that little girl's good, very clever. I was about to shoot as soon as I came out of the cave, but she stopped me. She led her men all the way to the headquarters, to the cannons, to the Japanese soldiers' barracks, and then they all opened fire at once, giving the Japanese a surprise attack!"

I laughed: "If you weren't capable, would you have let her lead you there? Remember, next time don't mess with the civilians, you'll suffer and won't get any credit! Alright, let the civilians vent their anger, those Japanese devils have really made their lives miserable!"

After I said that, from that moment on, we never saw a single Japanese prisoner! Sigh, you really can't just say whatever you want! But the Korean people didn't think we were bad; they welcomed us everywhere we went, waving little flags!

When I saw Min'er, it was already broad daylight. The little girl, with her sleeves rolled up and two pistols in her hands, was in the palace, berating the head of the puppet regime established by the Japanese: "Look at all of you, so cowardly! You'd even sell out your ancestors for your own promotions and wealth! How can you face your children and grandchildren? How can you face your people? Now that King Injong is back, you'll all be waiting for him to punish you!"

She suddenly saw me, quickly tucked her guns into her waistband, ran over, and saluted me: "Principal, Min'er has successfully completed the task you assigned me. Min'er should go back to serve Queen Min!"

She was about to run off after the salute when I called out to her: "Wait, we have an agreement!"

She paused, her eyes reddening, and said: "Min'er is a poor girl, Min'er doesn't have that kind of luck! With Principal's words, Min'er would be content even if she died now! Min'er thanks Principal!"

She bowed deeply to me, then turned and ran away!

Watching her shadow, I felt a void in my heart. Her departure only made me like her more; was I being too much?

Gyeongbokgung Palace had been utterly destroyed by the Japanese, but thankfully, the people Min Ja-young brought were capable, and by nightfall, it had essentially returned to its former state!

Min Ja-young immediately issued a series of proclamations, establishing policies for the people to recuperate and forging lasting friendship with China.

I had no interest in her affairs; instead, I quickly deployed troops to advance and seize control of all the key fortified areas in southern Korea as soon as possible! During this operation, I also deployed local Korean armed forces. We would attack one area, then hand it over to them, quickly restoring their governance and order!

Sheng Bao set off with his troops, his young wife always by his side, never leaving him during battles. Sometimes, worried about her safety, he would try to send her away, but she would say, "Don't forget, His Majesty said I'm still your bodyguard!"

After a busy day, I finally saw Min Ciying. She dragged the blushing Minzi to my room and said, "Your Majesty, Ying'er's word is her bond. Your Majesty's nod must be kept. Come, I've brought the little girl here today, you two will consummate your marriage right away. I just sent Fei-jie, Yu'er, and Shu'er away. None of us will be here to keep Your Majesty company today. Only Minzi will be with you. She's only seventeen, her body is still delicate, so please be gentle!"

After saying that, she pushed Minzi into my arms. Immediately, her intoxicating softness and faint fragrance filled my embrace. I hugged the girl tightly, placed her on my lap, and gently stroked her long, black hair—Minzi trembled, but her little arms clung tightly to me.

Ying'er smiled, walked over and kissed me, then patted Min'er's little bottom and said, "Today your dream has come true, but I also want to tell you that you can't be an imperial concubine announced to the world. You can only be a lover who will follow you to the death, just like me, Yu'er, and Shuzi. You are a lady, and also His Majesty's lover. But I think that's enough. Being able to pledge our lives to each other is enough!"

Min'er nestled her head tightly in my arms and whispered, "This servant has already made up her mind. As long as I can get His Majesty's love, this servant is willing to be a cow or a horse!"

After saying that, she shyly hugged my waist and buried her head in my arms.

Ying'er smiled and said as she walked out, "I've had someone boil water for you. Take a bath before you sleep! Minzi, from now on, His Majesty's daily life will be in your hands. His bathing, massage, and warming him up in bed will all be your responsibility. No matter who His Majesty has slept with, you must sleep with him! We can't let His Majesty sleep alone in a cold bed!"

Min'er quickly replied, "This servant remembers! Your Majesty, don't worry! This servant will definitely serve His Majesty well!"

Min Ciying left, and the room became quiet. I kissed Minzi's delicate face and said, "Min'er, are you still avoiding me?"

This little girl has a slender waist, arched eyebrows, and beautiful eyes. She exudes a lively spirit, but whenever she sees me, she always lowers her head and hurriedly avoids me, as if afraid I will take liberties with her! People are strange; the more unattainable something is, the more I crave it. Every time I see her, I want to get close to her, but not only can I not touch her, I rarely even see her! Now that I've finally held her in my arms, of course I have to ask her a good question!

She looked up at me with her bright, sparkling eyes, saying, "Min'er never intended to hide from Your Majesty, but Min'er knows her place, and Min'er cannot forget etiquette and hierarchy! Now Min'er belongs to Your Majesty, and Min'er will serve Your Majesty for the rest of her life. Of course, Min'er cannot hide from Your Majesty. As long as Your Majesty doesn't mind that Min'er is an eyesore, Min'er will always stay by Your Majesty's side!"

Someone brought bathwater, and Min'er hurriedly slipped out of my arms, patiently adjusted the water temperature, then closed the door tightly and came over to help me untie my belt and robe.

Smelling her intoxicating scent and feeling the warmth of her soft little hands, my erection instantly became erect. Her face flushed, but she gently touched my rock-hard member with her small hand, then took my hand and led me into the large bathtub. Turning back, she slowly undressed herself—I watched her remove her clothes piece by piece, swallowing anxiously—she undressed so slowly, as if she were thinking about something, and finally stood there wearing only a small red bib and baggy boxer shorts. Although still shrouded in mist, I finally caught a glimpse of her; her body was extremely white and tender, her two small, delicate breasts gently supporting her red bib, her jade-like legs were white and slender, and her waist was only as thick as a pinch—my unruly erection suddenly swelled up, making me dizzy!

The girl walked towards me, taking small, hesitant yet determined steps, until she reached my side, squatted down beside me, and gently splashed water on me.

I said with a long face, "What, are you going to bathe me like this?"

Upon hearing this, she hurriedly knelt on the ground and said, "From the first moment I saw Your Majesty, I was captivated by your handsome appearance and heroic spirit. But I feel that I was forced to accept Your Majesty as my servant today by chance. I don't want Your Majesty to look down on me! I want to make a promise with Your Majesty. I will use my own strength to make Your Majesty truly love me! Then, I will give myself to Your Majesty and truly become Your Majesty's person!"

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