A Romantic Detective in the Qing Dynasty [Complete] - 19

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Episode 5, Chapter 21: The Tumultuous Change in Jiangdong.

Catherine lifted her little bottom, her slender hand reaching down to touch herself. Suddenly, she grabbed my hard, erect member, giggling, "Your Majesty is truly robust! You've just had two consorts, are you now thinking of having your consort Na?"

My face burned, and I used my strong hand to grab her breast, quickly reaching inside her blouse and grasping one of her beautiful breasts. She groaned, squeezing my member hard, and then said, "No, playing with toys will ruin your life!" "Na's body belongs to Your Majesty. I also long to become Your Majesty's woman soon, to enjoy Your Majesty's love, to savor that intoxicating pleasure! But not now. I haven't avenged my great grudge. This body can only be kept for Your Majesty for now, until the day I establish my nation and capital on Russian soil, until the day I become the ruler of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, to safeguard

Your Majesty's legacy. Then I can also have my grand wedding, my wedding night, and my time to govern in the golden palace!" I can't listen to her. Wouldn't that take my happiness too far away? My other hand reached for her mysterious territory beneath her—she squeezed my member: "What, Your Majesty, are you really not allowing your concubine to keep this little dream?"

Looking into her pleading eyes, my heart warmed, and I withdrew both hands simultaneously, saying, "Alright, I respect Consort Na's opinion. I hope to see a Catherine who is diligent and capable in governing the Grand Duchy of Moscow well! Well, things are already tense over the Heilongjiang River; we should head there! You should come along too; I'll give you the First Army of the Grand Duchy of Moscow!"

I knew that Russia was now eager to seize the Chinese territory of the Sixty-Four Villages East of the Heilongjiang River. According to historical dates, the time for Russia to take action was not far off. I had to personally go there and make full use of this opportunity to reclaim my vast territory!

The Sixty-Four Villages East of the Heilongjiang River are located on the left bank of the Heilongjiang River, east of the Jingqili River estuary, stretching over 100 kilometers from north to south and nearly 50 kilometers from east to west. The Sixty-Four Villages East of the Heilongjiang River originally belonged to Chinese territory and were under the jurisdiction of the Deputy Governor of Aihui. Even according to the unequal Treaty of Aigun between China and Russia, the area of the Sixty-Four Villages East of the Heilongjiang River remained under the jurisdiction of Chinese officials, and Chinese residents had the right to permanent residence in their original locations, which Russia was prohibited from occupying.

The Sixty-Four Villages East of the Heilongjiang River were home to over 35,000 Chinese residents, including Han, Manchu, and Daur ethnic groups. The land was described as "fertile, the people diligent in agriculture, producing abundant grains, and the wealthiest region in the entire province," making it the most prosperous area in the middle reaches of the Heilongjiang River. For over 40 years after the signing of the Treaty of Aigun, half of the grain and vegetables supplied by the Russians in the Far East came from this area. By the late 19th century, a large influx of Russian immigrants made this land a target for Tsarist Russia's annexation.

Historically, on July 17, 1900, Russia sent an army across the Jingqili River to attack the Sixty-Four Villages East of the Heilongjiang River. The Russian army forced a large number of villagers to gather in a large house and set it ablaze; less than half escaped. Russian troops, along the riverbank, burned down village after village, destroying all the houses of Chinese residents. Those who escaped death, young and old, fled to the banks of the Heilongjiang River, but the river blocked their way, forcing them to sleep on the riverbank, weeping bitterly. In an instant, Russian cavalry arrived, firing bullets like rain, and the blood of Chinese residents once again stained the Heilongjiang River red.

I've witnessed this history countless times in that world, each time with tears in my eyes and clenched fists! But what could I, a mere lowly detective, do? Now I am the Emperor of China, the Principal with a powerful army; how could I allow that history to repeat itself?

I entrusted my family affairs to Li Hongzhang, and instructed Zhang Zhidong to prepare for the final blow against the Eight-Nation Alliance, swiftly reclaiming all concessions, dismantling all foreign spheres of influence, and abolishing all unequal treaties! Disarm their entire army! As for how to deal with the prisoners, don't rush into negotiations with them now; stall them. If they insist on asking, then tell them. Basically, there are seven demands: First, the eight nations must pay China 500 million taels of silver in reparations, to be shared among themselves (damn it, let them fight amongst themselves, I don't believe you're a united front!), to be paid off over nine years, with customs duties as collateral; second, all unequal treaties must be abolished, and all privileges for foreigners in China must be revoked; third, all anti-China missionaries appearing under the guise of religion must be expelled; fourth, no nation may ever station a single soldier in China again; fifth, all governments must send envoys to China to apologize, and the German Emperor must send an envoy to erect a permanent memorial arch at the site where the Chinese civilians were killed by the German minister Ketteler, and provide reasonable compensation to the victims; sixth, all officials who participated in the anti-China aggression must be punished immediately and permanently banned from employment, and all personnel of foreign embassies and consulates in China must be re-examined, and all diplomatic personnel involved in this aggression must be repatriated and never allowed to return to China; seventh, all warships involved in this war will be considered spoils of war and belong to China. (The warships and officers captured by the Chinese Longxiang Company will be handled separately by the British government and Longxiang Company, and are not within the scope of this negotiation.) I left Zhen'er and Wen'er in Beijing to be responsible for negotiating with the British, and sent Consort Yu, Consort Min, Consort Mei, Consort Xin, and Consort Lan to guard the British prisoners of war in Weihaiwei. I told Zhen'er and Wen'er: "Not a single warship will be returned, but the soldiers can be repatriated, but each person must pay two hundred taels of silver. The Crown Prince can be released, but Australia must be exchanged for him! These are the conditions, and I will not agree to any less!"

I took my Empress Yan, Empress Fei, Consort Xue, Consort Shu, Consort Na, and Wang Songwei, Li Bingheng, and Bai Xue, along with three thousand Jiangdong youths who had been secretly trained at the military academy for several years, and the Shadow Force composed of two thousand outstanding soldiers selected from the military academy, and we all took a train to Heihe Town in Heilongjiang.

Because it was a special train, it barely stopped except for a few places where it needed to refuel, speeding northward. On July 8th, our group disembarked in Heihe and went directly to Haibo's barracks. A military conference was immediately convened to finalize the operational plan against Russia.

Haibo attended the meeting with his entire staff, and he himself reported on the preparations for war and the changes in Russia.

He said, "Following the principal's instructions, each army has clearly defined its combat missions, thoroughly scouted the terrain and features of its next main attack area, and drawn up military maps, achieving complete knowledge of the enemy and ourselves! Furthermore, each army has successfully expanded its forces, now possessing five reinforced divisions. With the central government's assistance, all weapons have been upgraded, and the column also has two rocket artillery divisions. Our total strength has reached 340,000, plus the militia prepared for support, bringing the total to 1.08 million. At the principal's command, a hundred thousand mighty troops will cross the Heilongjiang and Ussuri Rivers, and we can completely break through their river defenses within a day!"

I nodded happily: "Good! Once the battle begins, there are 5,000 Shadow Troops north of the river to support you! Oh, and I have a new task for you: immediately select all the Chinese-Russian mixed-race soldiers in your units!"

Haibo was taken aback: "What, Your Majesty doesn't trust them? They are all sons of our Chinese people!"

I laughed: "What are you thinking? My Consort Na is Russian; she wants to organize a Chinese army that resembles Russians." "We're preparing to establish a Grand Duchy of Moscow for Nafi in Europe. Once our army marches out of the Outer Manchuria, we'll raise the banner of aiding the Grand Duchy of Moscow to legitimize our Northern Expedition! Pick out as many as you can, don't try to play tricks on me. This is crucial to our next major plan to fight the Russians! Don't give me any excuses!"

Haibo laughed, "The principal underestimates me. Haibo isn't going to let such a small number of people cause him any trouble!" He then turned to the chief of staff and said, "Immediately pass on my order: select all the mixed-race soldiers for the principal, regardless of their position, and assign them to the principal..." "Bring their files too, and have them all report to Heihe within three days. No delays!"

Haibo then reported on the situation on the Russian side of the river: "The Russian army has been frequently moving since April, and now it is basically concentrated in the area between Heihe and Huma, with about 150,000 troops, including 20,000 cavalry, mostly concentrated opposite our Sandaoka. This means the pressure on the Second, Third, and Fourth Armies may be greater, while the pressure on the other armies has not changed much. It seems that the enemy's main attack direction is still along the Heihe line, and their goal is still to seize the Heida Railway."

I closed my eyes and thought about it. This was still the historical route the Russian army took into China. Our three armies of 100,000 men were already overwhelmed by the enemy's 150,000-strong attack. Crossing the river and advancing north was impossible! The enemy situation had changed, and we had to adapt accordingly! I looked at Shu'er; she was whispering something with Yan'er. I knew she had realized the problem! But for some reason, Haibo didn't seem to react much! I guessed he already had a counter-plan! Yan'er

discussed with Wang Songwei, Li Bingheng, and Shu'er for a long time, and then she assigned tasks. She said, "After listening to General Haibo's arrangements, I feel he truly deserves to be the principal's favorite general. His thinking is far-reaching and his considerations are thorough. We think the previous arrangements are still basically applicable. As for the change in the enemy's main attack direction, General Haibo has already made arrangements. You are currently stationed here with 100,000 troops on the surface, but there are actually 200,000 reserves on standby in the second line, and the combat effectiveness and equipment of these troops are in no way inferior to others!"

Haibo laughed heartily: "Nothing can escape Empress Yan's eyes!"

Yan'er smiled and said, "It's not that nothing can escape my eyes." "It was your military exercise supplies consumption report that gave you away!"

Hai Bo laughed suddenly, "Didn't the principal say 'know yourself and know your enemy'? If the enemy adds one soldier, I have to find a way to add two more. In short, we can't let them take advantage of us. If adding regular soldiers isn't enough, I'll use informal ones. As long as they have the real ability to fight the enemy, that's fine! We don't care about saving face!"

Wang Songwei laughed, "That's right, that's why the deputy chief of staff said you have the qualities of a general. She admires your resourcefulness!"

Hai Bo scratched his head sheepishly, secretly glancing at me. I gave him a thumbs up!

Yan'er continued, "But we can also help you make an exception. We can let these enemies come over and enter the vast area from Heihe to Huma. Here, your 200,000 reserves and 200,000 militia will wipe them out. Your three armies should ignore these enemies and focus on the other side. Give the order and charge forward! Now there are two more things you must do immediately! First, let me tell you that China's first air force is about to fly over here! You must immediately build a simple airfield ten miles south of Heihe, ready to accommodate 15 to 20 aircraft. How to build it and how to strengthen its protection will be given to you by Fei Hou!" The whole audience stood up and applauded. I knew that there was no air force in the world yet, so Yan'er didn't mention the word "world" because she felt that China should be leading the world in everything, and there was nothing to brag about!

Yan'er continued, "Secondly, we'll transfer two tank regiments to your Heihe and Sanka regions, both under General Hai's command, and incorporate them into your ranks. This is partly to deal with the enemy that's getting into our trap, and partly to offset the quota for your mixed-race warriors. His Majesty can't allow the large to devour the small!"

Everyone burst into laughter. I knew the latter reason was both something she'd come up with on the spot and a way to let Catherine know my concern for her. Sure enough, after Yan'er finished speaking, Catherine looked at me gratefully, tears welling in her eyes. Specific tasks were still being assigned. I pulled Catherine out of the meeting room, and we stood on the banks of the Heilongjiang River, listening to the crashing waves. Catherine hugged my waist tightly, nestled in my arms, and said softly, "I have no home now, but His Majesty's home must have a place for me!"

I stroked her golden hair and whispered, "I will definitely return to you a Grand Duchy of Moscow, like Queen Min, giving you a warm home!"

On the fourth day, Haibo delivered the list of soldiers to be transferred. I looked at it, and wow, quite a lot, a full 15,000 people, including three division-level officers and eight regimental-level officers!

Catherine took the list and read it through, and tears welled up in her eyes. She immediately appointed the three division-level officers as Minister and Deputy Minister of Defense. Then she embraced me and said, "Long live the Emperor! I will make them a new army for China!"

I smelled her faint fragrance and felt her soft body; a shiver ran through me, but I quickly covered it up, saying, "Consort Na is wrong again. This should be the first army of the Grand Duchy of Moscow!"

That very day, Catherine led these 15,000 men back to Beijing. They would undergo training at East Point Military Academy, then be formed into an army, openly raising the banner of the First Army of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, becoming an army directly under Catherine's command. These soldiers had one thing in common: although their fathers were Chinese, and they were considered Chinese themselves, they also had grandfathers, uncles, and many relatives in Russia—these would be their core supporters! This army would be deployed when our army crossed the border drawn by the Treaty of Nerchinsk; it seemed their time was running out! Therefore, Catherine also had to attend the grand welcoming ceremony held by Li Hongzhang in Beijing for the Grand Duchy of Moscow's head of state's visit to China, to promote the Grand Duchy of Moscow's prestigious reputation! She hurried back to await the arrival of her ministers. (Before departing for Northeast China, she had already extended a series of invitations, inviting his former subordinates and retainers to come to China to join her government.) Bai Xue had not shown herself for the past few days. She and her five thousand Shadow Warriors had been hiding in the Aihui and Dawujiazi areas, secretly transporting them across the river every night via the Sixty-Four Villages ferry, and then distributing them to various villages. A large quantity of weapons and ammunition were also transported on the boats. Zhang Dewan, the commander-in-chief of the Shadow Army, and Li Guosheng, the deputy commander-in-chief, also brought two radio transmitters to facilitate communication with Bai Xue.

On July 10th, the three thousand Shadow Squad members had all entered their strongholds and secretly organized the masses, constructing fortifications on the east bank of the Jingqili River. Heavy troops were deployed, especially in the villages near the Jingqili River, including Bordo Village, Kegutoksuo Village, Taipinggou Village, Duanshan Village, Martun Village, Qianhunihuha Village, Nanwopu Village, Xiergou Village, Tuolihada Village, Duanqifa Village, and Burdo Village. The remaining two thousand soldiers disappeared into the darkness.

Meanwhile, Russia was also intensifying its preparations for invasion. Their troops began to reach the banks of the Heilongjiang River, and strategic supplies were being transported to various docks for loading onto ships. On the 17th, a group of over three hundred Russian bandits secretly crossed the Jingqili River and attacked Bordo Village. The fierce Cossack soldiers immediately opened fire to drive away the villagers, brandishing torches as they rushed towards the houses. Li Guosheng waved his hand, and the crisp sound of machine guns immediately rang out from all sides. The three hundred bandits struggled amidst the gunfire, never understanding until their deaths how unarmed Chinese residents could possess machine guns.

Gunfire also erupted in other villages on the east bank of the Jingqili River. With the support of the villagers, the three thousand Shadow Warriors tenaciously resisted the enemy's repeated attacks, buying time for the main army to cross the river.

However, despite meticulous planning, a fatal flaw occurred: the Chinese residents of Hailanpao, occupied by Russian troops, suffered a devastating catastrophe. Russian soldiers stormed into Chinese homes, engaging in rampant arson, murder, rape, and looting. Thousands of Chinese civilians were driven to the riverbank, where Russian cavalry, wielding sabers, hacked at them. Simultaneously, the Russian army successfully broke through the defense line from Huma to the upper reaches of the Heihe River, only encountering fierce resistance at the Heihe River, which thwarted their attempt to cross. However, this did not significantly hinder their army's rapid advance into China's forest regions.

Seeing the enemy already in their grasp, Haibo, his eyes bloodshot with rage, waved his hand and shouted into countless telephones: "For the dignity of the Chinese nation, launch a full-scale attack!"

The five-thousand-mile-long defense line along the two rivers was now fully engaged in the river-crossing operation.

But Yan'er, who was in charge of commanding the encirclement and annihilation of the invading enemy, immediately called me: "Honey, the situation is bad! The enemy's troops crossing the river are just bluffing. We estimated that they number less than 20,000. Moreover, we captured a prisoner who said that a high-ranking official might have arrived on the other side, but he didn't know how high-ranking. Anyway, at the last moment, that official transferred the troops away, but he didn't know where they were transferred to. I suspect that Russia may have set a trap for us on the other side! We're going to suffer a loss!"

At the same time, Bai Xue came running up breathlessly, handing me a document, saying that Tsar Nicholas II might have arrived at Hailanpao, and Russia might have a new major move!

I was shocked! Damn it, finally, a worthy opponent has arrived!

Episode 5, Chapter 22:

A Trap Amidst the Fog, Nicholas II has prepared a trap for me on the other side of the river!

I hurriedly sent an urgent telegram to Hai Bo: "Pay attention to finding the enemy's main force. Only 20,000 Russian troops have crossed the river; the rest are missing. Be wary of them setting traps!"

Hai Bo replied, "Understood, please rest assured, Principal! I will proceed with caution!"

But strangely, the crossing of the river by the First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Armies proceeded exceptionally smoothly, almost effortlessly. Our troops encountered virtually no resistance on their respective lines, and we found no trace of the main Russian forces.

Could the intelligence be inaccurate? Were there no traps? But where were those hundreds of thousands of Russian troops? They wouldn't have simply fled without firing a shot, would they? And if Nicholas II were to arrive, he would surely make a significant move!

To strengthen leadership, Wang Songwei, Li Bingheng, and I moved the command post to Hailanpao City, which had just been liberated.

Hailanpao, located at the confluence of the Heilongjiang River on the left bank and the Jingqili River on the right bank, was originally a Manchu village called Huanghetun, also known as Hailanpao, a transliteration of the Mongolian word "Halapao," meaning "black pond." It was a sister city to the present-day Heihe City, much like the three towns of Wuhan today. In 1858, Tsarist Russia forced the Qing government to sign the unequal Treaty of Aigun, forcibly seizing Hailanpao and renaming it Blagoveshchensk. Blagoveshchensk, meaning "good news" in Russian, was intended to bring good news to the Tsar, but for the Chinese, it was an unforgettable source of sorrow. Later, it became the capital of the Amur Province. By the early 1900s, the population had exceeded 40,000. Approximately 15,000 Chinese residents lived there, primarily engaged in commerce and handicrafts. There were nearly 240 large trading companies, as well as a large number of migrant laborers—laborers, small vendors, and artisans. Many farmers also lived in the suburbs, cultivating vegetables, farming, and raising chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep to make a living. During the many years of Russian occupation of Hailanpao, they became the main food suppliers for the city's residents.

Following the military mobilization of Amur Province on June 17, 1900, atrocities against Chinese people continued to occur in Hailanpao. Unable to endure the abuse, many Chinese fled back to the Chinese side of the Yangtze River. Those Chinese who were unable to leave due to family or property burdens became targets of massacre. Representatives of the Chinese residents consulted with Gribsky, the military and political governor of Amur Province, about whether the Chinese in the city needed to evacuate. He lied, saying that the Chinese could remain where they were without worry, and that the Russian army would not harm them. However, the very next afternoon, he ordered a ban on Chinese crossing the river, confiscated all ferries, and sent cavalry to disperse the Chinese crowds preparing to cross.

On July 16, Gribsky ordered the indiscriminate arrest of all Chinese. A frenzied manhunt began; fully armed Tsarist soldiers stormed into Chinese homes and shops, arresting and taking away everyone, regardless of age or gender, "even infants were forcibly dragged away." More than 1,500 Chinese fled to the outskirts of the city to hide, but were also found by Russian soldiers. Many were stabbed to death with bayonets, and the survivors were herded into police stations like animals in a pen. That day, more than 5,000 Chinese were arrested. The police station couldn't accommodate them all, so that evening, the remaining Chinese residents were taken to a sawmill on the banks of the Jingqili River.

On July 17th, the Hailanpao police herded all the detained Chinese to Verkhovna Rada (formerly Blagoveshchensk), falsely claiming they would be ferried across the river. However, there wasn't a single boat on the shore. Upon reaching the river, Russian soldiers brandished their swords and drove all the Chinese into the water. When the women threw their children ashore, begging for their lives, the Russian soldiers seized the infants, impaled them on bayonets, and shredded them to pieces. Fortunately, Haibo ordered a timely attack, and the Heilongjiang Fleet fired cannons to drive away the butchers while rapidly advancing north, thus saving 5,000 Chinese civilians from slaughter!

The military and political governor of Amur Province, Gribsky, was captured by Chinese troops while fleeing. On the way back to the city, he was blocked by thousands of Chinese residents who wouldn't let the prison wagon pass. When I arrived, the crowd, upon hearing that the Chinese emperor had arrived, immediately knelt down, kowtowing and saying, "Your Majesty, please hand him over to us! We want to avenge the dead and let them rest in peace!"

I had originally intended to interrogate him, but seeing the stubbornness of that fellow, I was furious. I immediately said, "This beast has quite a few teeth. I originally intended to let him pull sleighs in our lumberyard for a few more years, saving some donkeys for other tasks. But since you all..." "My elders and brothers want him to have other plans, so I've granted your request! But please show mercy, don't let him die too quickly, that would be too easy on him, and we wouldn't be able to settle the score! Such a fine donkey deserves at least a day or two of blissful life!"

Consort Shu covered her mouth and giggled. Afterwards, she said, "When you spoke, that dead chicken's face turned green with anger! That kid even understands Chinese!"

As soon as I finished speaking, the people erupted in shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" My ears were ringing from the noise. I didn't care what happened after that, but I knew that this donkey wouldn't even need to go into the soup pot before being hacked to pieces!

The atrocities of the Russian army shocked the Chinese residents and terrified the Russian people. So when the Chinese army crossed the river, the Russian people fled in droves, fearing a massacre similar to the one perpetrated by the Russian army.

Thanks to the timely posting of public notices by the Chinese army, by the time we arrived in Hailanpao, most of the Russian people had returned, shops had reopened, and the city was peaceful and tranquil.

Shu'er and I were both pleased with Haibo's leadership. Shu'er said, "My husband's eye for talent is truly remarkable. It's no easy feat to pick out such a capable military and political leader from among ordinary soldiers!"

I replied, "It's also thanks to the excellent military academy education, and your two older sisters, Yan'er and Fei'er, deserve much credit!"

Shu'er laughed, "That's also thanks to His Majesty's discerning eye, finding two beautiful and talented women among the masses!"

Damn it, is she praising me or herself? She says she's discovered treasures, but isn't she a treasure herself?

Haibo, worried about the enemy's plot, ordered his troops not to disperse too much and to advance gradually, which slowed our advance considerably. By the third day of the battle, we had captured Svobodny, north of Hailanpao, a major station on the Trans-Siberian Railway. The soldiers searched the entire town but found neither a single usable locomotive nor carriage, not even a single railway worker. Where were the cars? Where were the people? Mysteries, unsolvable mysteries, one after another, were giving us a headache! I'm even more convinced there's a trap here, we just haven't encountered it yet!

Haibo is putting on a show of fighting the main Russian force, but as our main force advances, this hope is becoming increasingly slim.

Where did their main force go? Shu'er ordered the Shadow Forces on the opposite bank of the river to search for the whereabouts of the main Russian force. But several days passed, and they still found nothing.

On the fourth day, a Shadow Warrior sent intelligence from Skovorodino, saying that a Chinese family living near the railway heard a train passing by all night on the 18th, with so many locomotives that it kept roaring endlessly, keeping them awake.

On the fifth day, another Shadow Warrior sent an urgent message from Nerchinsk, saying that a Chinese resident there got up in the middle of the night on June 18th and heard a lot of hoof and footsteps, which lasted all night. The next day, he got up and saw wheel tracks and hoofprints everywhere on the official road ahead, but now, due to the heavy rain, no traces could be seen, and it was impossible to determine whether the information was accurate.

Damn it, did the Russians realize the situation was hopeless and retreat? Impossible! What enemy is so easy to talk to?

Shu'er was also worried, staring at the official gazettes, spending all day deep in thought in front of the map, sometimes even refusing to eat. But there was still no news of those 100,000 troops in the official gazettes.

Yan'er was fighting a swift and decisive encirclement battle between Huma and Heihe, and by June 21, she had basically annihilated the enemy. She hurriedly called me: "Honey, this army has no fighting power at all, and its discipline is extremely poor. It's like a pile of loose sand. An investigation revealed that it's a group of prisoners who were just released from prison. In other words, those 150,000 troops have completely disappeared!"

I was secretly shocked. 150,000 regular troops, where did they go? If they had rallied together, they would have been a serious threat to us!

The troops were still advancing, but because of the factor of the 150,000 missing troops, the pace of progress was much slower than expected.

On the 23rd, news suddenly arrived from the Outer Khingan Mountains that the main force of the Russian army had been spotted. It was said that after a day and night of fierce fighting, the enemy had been forced to retreat towards the Zhuger Mountains. The official report stated that judging from the number of enemy cooking stoves, there were at least 100,000 enemy troops, and a considerable number of cavalry. The wheel tracks also indicated that the enemy had a large number of artillery pieces following behind.

Hai Bo was overjoyed and immediately led his army towards the Zhuger Mountains.

Zhuger Mountains? I looked at the map; it's on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. Why would the enemy run there? Was there an ambush? Unlikely. That's far from populated areas, far from the city center, unlikely to receive strong logistical support! Even if the enemy were to flee, they wouldn't choose such a suicidal route! And even if there were 150,000 troops, could the 10,000 or 20,000 who were actually engaged in battle drive them away? The enemy isn't made of tofu! I shook my head, not believing its veracity!

But what did the enemy's presence there signify? Was it a deliberate attempt to lure us into a trap? But what kind of trap would they have set there?

The desolate mountains and wilderness, bordering the sea to the east and far from any city, were definitely not a battleground for either side!

There was only one purpose: to lure us in the opposite direction!

I immediately ordered the air force to scout ahead.

Two planes circled Zhuger for half a day before discovering a group of Cossacks building stoves and lighting fires, creating a thick smoke everywhere, and a group of mountain people driving heavy carts loaded with logs back and forth. They had only amassed an army of about two thousand men, all cavalry, resting near the foot of Zhuger.

Our planes strafed them, killing nearly half before safely returning to base.

Damn it, they were using the added cooking fires to mislead me, clearly trying to lead me astray! This further confirmed my suspicions!

That meant their true direction should be somewhere far away from Zhuger! But where was that place? I looked at the map, still completely baffled.

The fighting along the Ussuri River was fierce. The 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th Armies, along with the Changxu Army, were struggling. The enemy resisted tenaciously, and the advance was slow, largely in line with initial plans.

But what did the anomaly on the northern front indicate? Li Bingheng ordered repeated reconnaissance flights across the Heihe River, but found no large-scale enemy forces.

In less than ten days, with almost no major battles, our army controlled most of the area south of the Outer Khingan Mountains. Near Sakhalin Island, our army surrounded nearly 30,000 enemy troops in the villages of Osipenke and Miaojie.

It went smoothly, surprisingly smoothly, to the point of making us uneasy. The sudden disappearance of 150,000 enemy troops shrouded our hearts like a fog, making everyone unhappy.

Now, I only have my two beloved wives, Yan'er and Xue'er, by my side. Both of them have almost no appetite and often stare blankly at the table.

Yan'er pushed the bowl away and suddenly said, "Husband, if it were you, knowing the situation in the north is hopeless, what would you urgently think of to save it?"

"Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao!" I replied without hesitation. Damn it, what's the meaning of testing your husband with such a simple question?

Shu'er slammed her hand on the table: "Right! The enemy might be using the 'besiege Wei to rescue Zhao' tactic! Immediately contact Zuo Baogui and see if the enemy has appeared there!"

Yan'er immediately added, "Immediately dispatch Liu Kun's 100,000 troops to Beijing to strengthen its defenses!"

I was shocked: "You mean those 150,000 troops are rushing towards Beijing?"

Shu'er said, "And not just 150,000, it's very likely 250,000 or 350,000. Nicholas II is making a desperate gamble!"

I was startled: "If that's the case, it's been ten days since they disappeared. They may have already bypassed Zuo Baogui's defenses, crossed the Gobi Desert, and advanced into Beijing.

Beijing only has Sheng Yu's 80,000 troops to defend such a large area; I'm afraid they'll be stretched thin and unable to defend everything!"

Just then, Fei'er called from Beijing, saying that... Nearly a hundred armed Russians were arrested in the Beiyuan, Qinghe, and Xiangshan areas. She was puzzled; how had so many Russian soldiers infiltrated the area?

Fei'er and Bai Xue had rushed back to Beijing to prepare for the grand welcoming ceremony for Catherine the Great of Moscow on September 2nd. To maintain order, they had increased security in the suburbs of Beijing, and the arrest of nearly a hundred armed Russians in the Beiyuan, Qinghe, and Xiangshan areas greatly alarmed them. They immediately deployed more police and intensified the search. Bai Xue interrogated them day and night, but to no avail. A hundred people with impeccable tongues? Could they? I shook my head; it was unbelievable!

Shu'er laughed, "Your Majesty, don't disbelieve it. Those people are notorious bandits who kill and rob. With Sister Yan'er's gentle way of speaking, it would be strange if they could talk! Yan'er's methods work on educated people, but with these people, it's a waste of breath!" "

Her words made me realize that Fei'er must be using modern prison interrogation methods, which is completely useless against those Russian veterans! We need to change our approach! Let them experience some modern civilization! Let them know how powerful the Chinese are!

I immediately gave instructions on the phone: 'Get people from the former Ministry of Justice to interrogate them. Don't worry about what methods they use. Give them a task: don't beat them to death. Give them a big reward if they manage to get them to talk!'" "

After finishing the call, I immediately contacted Zhang Zhidong and told him about Yan'er and Shu'er's analysis, instructing him to immediately transfer troops from nearby areas to Beijing to defend the city. After the call, I had Wang Songwei, Li Bingheng, and Haibo summoned and entrusted them with the Northern Expedition, telling them to confidently and boldly accelerate the advance and achieve the original objectives. As for that small band of bandits at Zhugeer Mountain, a single regiment will suffice; don't go to great lengths!

On the afternoon of July 29th, I took Yan'er and Shu'er back to Beijing by plane.

As soon as we got off the plane, we could see that Beijing was shrouded in a tense atmosphere of war preparedness. Squads of troops were heading to the suburbs, and tank units were rumbling out of the city and into their positions.

Yan'er, dressed in military uniform, with a pistol at her waist and a Chinese rifle on her back, picked us up at the airport in her armored vehicle. She said, 'Your fiancée Na Fei is no ordinary woman; she led 20,000 troops to participate in the defense of Beijing's outer ring road. You probably wouldn't recognize her now; she looks like a great general!'

I asked, 'How is it?'" "The interrogation has yielded results?"

Yan'er laughed and said, "Would they have gone to such lengths for defense if they hadn't gotten results? Those people in the Ministry of Justice really know how to torture people; they all confessed in less than an hour! It turns out that a woman from Nanwopu Village in the Sixty-Four Villages East of the River went to Hailanpaozi to pick up her son who was working there. She let slip something and was arrested by the Russian police. But the police didn't believe her at all. Only after the Russian army attacked the east bank of the Jingqili River and was defeated on the 17th did they report the situation to their superiors. Nicholas II, who had just arrived at Hailanpaozi, immediately decided to withdraw the army quickly. They boarded the train in Svobodny, disembarked in Nerchinsk, and then sneaked into Mongolia, from where they entered the Beijing area. They have now assembled in the Changping area, numbering as many as 280,000, and they are advancing towards Beijing."

I asked, "How many troops are there in Beijing now?" "

There are about 130,000. Sheng Yu's army has over 80,000, Na Fei and the military academy have over 30,000, the Imperial Guard has 10,000, and your young wives just brought back 4,000 from Weihai! However, Liu Kunyi's 100,000 troops have been traveling day and night by train and will arrive in Beijing tomorrow afternoon. Zuo Baogui's 150,000 troops have already crossed the Gobi Desert. He only realized the situation was bad after discovering the sudden increase in the number of herders and their southward movement, and hurriedly led his troops to follow! Li Gang from the Northeast has also secretly entered the pass through Chengde with 100,000 troops. I have him join forces with Zuo Baogui's troops to cut off the enemy's retreat. Luo Rongguang from Tianjin has also sent 30,000 troops. He wanted to send more, but I refused. I was afraid that Nikolai might suddenly turn his army towards Tianjin! Their soldiers will arrive in Beijing this afternoon. As long as we withstand the enemy's attack for a day and a night, Russia's 280,000 troops will be finished!"

I sighed and said, "But this day and night will also be a test of blood and fire for Beijing!"

The battle , Chapter 23 of Episode 5

, began at 8 PM on the 29th. Russian cavalry broke through the Shahe defense zone and charged directly towards Xizhimen, Deshengmen, Andingmen, and Dongzhimen in Beijing. Gunfire, horse neighing, and shouts immediately shattered the tranquility of Beijing's night.

Sheng Yu's troops stationed at Xihuangsi, Qijiahuozi, and Beitaipingzhuang, along with 30,000 troops sent by Luo Rongguang from Tianjin to Shuangyushu and Sanyimiao, and Catherine's First Army of the Grand Duchy of Moscow stationed at Jiangzhaikou, Xiaohuangzhuang, and Jing'anzhuang, immediately put up a fierce resistance.

Although the Russians hadn't brought artillery due to their long, covert advance, the mortar bombardment was still extremely powerful. Our positions were filled with hazy smoke and exploding shrapnel; the entire city of Beijing trembled in the roar of the artillery.

The fierce Russian Cossack cavalry, brandishing their sabers that gleamed silver in the moonlight, spurred their horses into repeated charges against our troops, their hooves repeatedly trampling the front lines of our soldiers' bunkers.

Our soldiers calmly fought back; the roar of light and heavy machine guns replaced their shouts, and the clatter of rifles tore through enemy lives. At 8:10 AM, our rocket artillery barrage roared, shells exploding among the enemy ranks, forcing the frenzied Russian advance to slightly halt. However, the Russian infantry, surging in like a tide, used their dug bunkers to push the front line ever closer to our lines, gradually diminishing the effectiveness of artillery. The battle entered a stalemate, causing our casualties to rise steadily, and the situation grew increasingly dire.

Zhang Zhidong remained on the front lines, commanding the battle, keeping 10,000 men from the military academy and a tank unit with him as reserves, ready to deploy them at crucial moments. When he called me, he said, "Your Majesty, you should take all the ministers and retreat to Weihaiwei. I've already notified Tan Sitong to go there to meet you! The Russian army is going crazy, they don't know how to hide, they're charging forward with their chests out, one wave falls and another comes up, Nicholas II is going all out! I'm afraid we might not be able to hold it, you should leave and leave this place to me!"

I laughed, "That's just a paper tiger's desperate struggle, don't be afraid of it, tell the soldiers not to panic, we'll just take down this big idiot, let's see how many fools he sends to his death! Don't worry, I won't leave Beijing until I wipe out these Russian soldiers. If you're worried about my safety, then organize them to kill the enemy fiercely, bring me Russian heads to calm my nerves! I'm waiting to celebrate the victory of the soldiers!"

I contacted Zuo Baogui, and when he heard my voice, he burst into tears, "Principal, I've failed in my duty, we didn't guard the North Gate properly, we let the enemy in, after I kill all these Russian soldiers, you can execute me! I have no face to..." "Following you into battle!"

I immediately said, "What nonsense! The enemy is too cunning. I was fooled too. Am I to be executed? Don't think about anything else now. Immediately urge your soldiers to march south tonight to relieve the pressure on Beijing!"

Zuo Baogui immediately said, "Don't worry, Commander. Our 20,000 cavalry have already crossed the Great Wall. We can outflank them in the latter half of the night! The main force has also entered Hebei and can join the battle tomorrow afternoon. The soldiers are running desperately, sweating and crying. Some have already died of exhaustion on the way!"

Upon hearing this, tears streamed down my face. I cursed, "Are you fucking stupid? What kind of general are you? Don't you know how to cherish your soldiers? Don't rush into battle! Your mission isn't to directly participate in the battle to defend Beijing, but to deter the enemy and make them wary. We still have enough strength to defend ourselves. Tell the soldiers to slow down and rest!"

Zuo Baogui then... He burst into tears: "But the soldiers say it's their fault for failing in their duty, for not guarding the front line, for letting the enemy in, for endangering His Majesty, and for not protecting Beijing. They have no face to live in this world anymore. We can't persuade them!"

I sighed deeply, then said sternly, "Do you even know what it means to be at your limit? How can soldiers fight if they don't rest and conserve their energy? Fine, I order you: cavalry, halt immediately and await orders. Infantry, rest immediately. Tomorrow afternoon, you will join the cavalry and Li Gang's troops to encircle the enemy from the north. Conserve your strength and prepare to close the northern gate! We'll only advance when necessary! Now is the time to rest and let the soldiers recover their strength! The task of protecting Beijing is not yours. Remember, if you advance any further, you might scare the enemy away, and we won't be able to achieve our grand plan of annihilating the enemy within the country's borders. Please carry out the order immediately!"

Zuo Baogui was stunned for a moment before finally saying: "Is His Majesty feeling sorry for our soldiers?"

I said sternly, "This is an order to obey the overall strategic situation; there are no other factors. Please execute the order strictly! In the midst of a major battle, there is no room for sentimentality. What I need is an elite force to Beijing, not an exhausted army!"

Zuo Baogui cried and said, "Yes, I will resolutely execute the order!"

After hanging up the phone, I covered my face and burst into tears. Shu'er came over and gently hugged me, saying, "His Majesty's care for the soldiers is an important factor in their determination to fight to the death. But war always results in death; it's unavoidable! Your Majesty, rest assured, General Zuo understands the big picture; he will execute the order! He's under too much pressure right now. Letting the enemy into Beijing was a major mistake, and Zuo Baogui is undeniably responsible! I hope the next battle will give him a chance to redeem himself. I don't want to see a scene like His Majesty executing Ma Su with tears in his eyes in the Qing Dynasty!"

My heart trembled. Was Zuo Baogui really going to be punished? I couldn't accept it from the bottom of my heart! But military discipline is merciless; after all, he let the powerful enemy in due to negligence! Of course, it's impossible to miss a single person on the vast grasslands, but this is no small number—two or three hundred thousand people! That's a grave crime! No, I must give him a chance to make amends for this mistake!

Shu'er nestled against me and said, "Your Majesty, are you heartbroken for General Zuo? Heartbroken for the soldiers?"

I pulled her into my arms, tears streaming down my face, and said, "They are all young people; they should be enjoying a life as beautiful as flowers, but war is taking their lives away. Why! Why?"

Shu'er said, "To stop war with war, that is the only path to peace! In recent years, China has been too weak. To revitalize our national prestige and restore the morale of our people, we must take this arduous path; it is unavoidable!"

Wiping away my tears, I issued the same order to Li Gang. Li Gang hurriedly said, "But can Beijing's forces hold out with such a small force?"

I said, "Liu Kunyi's army... " "They're about to enter Beijing. They came by train and rested on the way. My biggest worry right now isn't anything else, but that they might scare the Russian troops away. You must quickly reach the designated location and block the gate. That's the mission; you absolutely cannot ruin my important plans! Remember, the timing and destination of the advance are all at the General Staff's command!"

Although Li Gang was reluctant, he had no choice but to say, "Yes, sir! I will carry out the order!"

Just as I was making the call, the enemy broke through the Jing'anzhuang position. Cossack cavalry surged towards Dongzhimen like a tide. Yu'er and Wulan, who were guarding Dongzhimen, immediately exposed their two thousand Dragon Army soldiers to the enemy. They set up machine guns and mortars on the city walls, waiting for the enemy's arrival. But chaos immediately broke out in the city. It took Wang Xiechang, the chairperson of the Women's National Salvation Association, and others half a day to calm things down.

Knowing that Jing'anzhuang had fallen, Catherine grabbed a light machine gun and shouted, "We have nowhere to retreat! Behind us lies the imperial palace of our motherland, the heart of our Great Qing, the foundation of our China! Are we to let our Emperor take up arms and fight the enemy? Come on, all you brave lads, follow me and block these beasts! We can't let them set foot in our palace!" Ignoring the guards' pleas, she led the charge towards the enemy!

The soldiers of the First Army of the Grand Duchy of Moscow immediately roared and charged towards the enemy cavalry. Machine guns swept across the stubborn enemy, bayonets carved a bloody path, and finally, with the support of rocket artillery, they held off the enemy in the Zuojiazhuang and Xiaoguan areas. However, Catherine was also wounded, taking a bullet to her left arm. When I learned of this, I hurriedly sent Min'er and Xin'er with men to relieve her, trying to take her place, but she resolutely refused. She said, "This is our first battle since the army was formed. I am the commander of the army; I must fight here! I cannot leave my soldiers!"

The fighting around Sanyi Temple was also extremely fierce. Commanding the attack on our army was General Vasilyev, commander of the enemy's First Front. He had previously told Tsar Nicholas II in Nerchinsk, "Your Majesty, rest assured and return to St. Petersburg. Beijing will soon be in Russian hands. Then we will not only make them return the Far East to us, but also take back their Northeast and Shandong, so that our children can also eat big apples and Beijing persimmons!"

However, he did not expect to encounter such strong resistance just before reaching Beijing.

He led his soldiers in more than ten consecutive assaults on Sanyi Temple, all of which were repelled by our soldiers, and he lost more than two thousand soldiers.

Marshal Valodin, who commanded the Russian invasion, berated him on the phone: "You idiot, what can you do besides brag? We still won't be in Beijing by dawn, and you can just wait for your family to come and collect your corpse! The Chinese general Zuo Baogui is already pressing in from the north, and Liu Laohen's army is coming from the south too. If we don't enter Beijing, we're trapped like turtles in a jar!"

Vasilyev immediately grabbed a light machine gun and led his men to the rear to supervise the battle, forcing the Russian troops to charge forward.

Under the threat of his machine gun, wave after wave of soldiers fell, and finally, at 2:00 AM, they captured the Chinese army's position. But before Vasilyev could even rejoice, the loud rocket artillery shells from the Chinese rained down on the Russian soldiers, encircling Vasilyev and his detachment, sending them to their doom to meet their old Tsar. With their commander dead, the Russian soldiers immediately retreated, but the artillery fire continued to bombard them relentlessly. Amidst the artillery fire, the Sanyi Temple position returned to Chinese hands.

The Sheng Yu troops stationed at Xihuangsi, Qijiahuozi, and Beitaipingzhuang, bearing the brunt of the Russian main attack, faced the greatest pressure. Marshal Valodin's personally commanded Cossack cavalry charges were repeatedly repelled, and their losses were the most severe; by 3:00 AM, their numbers had reached 40%. Yet, the soldiers remained steadfast, stubbornly blocking the enemy's advance. Valodin

gazed at the southwest sky, awaiting news from Princess Tomb. His fierce attack on this front was intended to draw away the main force of the Chinese army, allowing Corsican troops to launch a successful surprise attack. He knew that once an army breached the Forbidden City, the Chinese emperor would have to raise the white flag—a proven strategy employed by the Anglo-French forces. The Anglo-French army, with only a few thousand men, had breached the gates of the Chinese imperial palace; he refused to believe that his hundreds of thousands of troops couldn't break through Beijing's thin iron gates.

Kossica's 30,000 light cavalry, after a long and circuitous route, finally reached the Princess Tomb area at three in the morning. Listening to the intense gunfire in the distance and seeing the silence ahead, he chuckled to himself, "The Chinese emperor, wise for a lifetime, has made a foolish mistake this time! He didn't know we, Valodin, would pull such a stunt! Let's see how I rewrite history! The Great General Kossica has arrived!"

With that thought, he waved his large, hairy hand, and his cavalry surged towards Fuxingmen like a whirlwind.

They advanced smoothly, passing Yangfangdian and breaking through Muxidi, and could already see the red walls of the Imperial City. Kossica knew victory was in sight. He drew his saber and roared, "Charge into the Forbidden City! Capture the Chinese emperor alive! Push the borders of the Russian Empire to the Bohai Bay! Push them to the mouth of the Yangtze River!" His soldiers, like a madman, echoed his wild shouts.

Suddenly, two troop formations of iron horses charged out from the direction of Baiyun Temple and Sanlihe, blocking their path. He was still in a daze when he heard gunfire and cries behind him. He turned around and saw that his retreat had been cut off by the Chinese. A group of burly men with red headscarves, wielding light machine guns, were spraying bullets at his soldiers as if they had sprung from the ground. At the same time, the Iron Monster also went berserk, the intense flames cutting down his soldiers like sorghum being felled. Only now did he realize that the Chinese emperor was no pushover; Ming Jing'er had laid an ambush here with a large force, digging his own grave.

Hearing the gunfire coming from Princess Tomb, Valogen shuddered and immediately shouted, "The fighting has started in Corsica! The Chinese emperor will soon be in our hands! Russian warriors, charge!"

The Russian soldiers went berserk, shouting wildly as they charged forward again. At 3:10, the defenses of Beitaipingzhuang fell into the hands of the Russian army. Once the Russian madmen gained control, their frenzy was like adding fuel to the fire, and tens of thousands of them charged towards Deshengmen, shouting wildly.

Damn it, these crazed bears are really hard to handle! I immediately ordered the Chinese Air Force to scramble.

Ten bombers roared in from above, dropping tons of bombs. The bears immediately turned their roars into hysterical cries. They had no idea how powerful the bird droppings from those big birds were.

After the bombing, twenty fighter jets took off, strafing the Russian soldiers. The big, clumsy guys, who didn't know how to lie down, began to dwindle rapidly under the repeated dives. Eventually, only a handful of the bewildered Russian soldiers remained before they remembered to fire at the planes, but the planes had already returned to base.

Before they could even regroup, a squad of soldiers with red headscarves and broadswords appeared out of nowhere, chasing after them and hacking their heads off. The corpses of tens of thousands of brave soldiers blocked the Jishuitan pond, forcing them to flee and surrender the Taipingzhuang position to the Chinese army once again.

My wives are all currently guarding the walls of the Forbidden City, each dressed in a grass-green military uniform, leather belt, green cap, pistol at their waist, and Chinese rifle on their backs, looking incredibly dashing. Even the usually timid Wenwen, after this period of recuperation and martial arts training, has become spirited. She and Li Xianglin are guarding the Peace Gate. Seeing me approach, she rushed to my side, nestled close, and asked, "Commander Liu's men haven't arrived yet?"

I checked my watch: "About two more hours! The soldiers are fighting hard and tenaciously; the Russian frenzy has been mostly suppressed. How are you feeling? It's chilly this morning, wear more layers!"

She tilted her head and kissed me: "I'm not cold now. This night has been so long; it feels longer than a year!" I hugged her tightly and said, "

Because you're worried about whether we can hold off this mad bear from Russia, and you're hoping Liu Kunyi's troops will arrive soon! It's alright, this is precisely the time to train our Beijing troops."

That night, almost no one in Beijing slept. The stretcher teams, voluntarily organized by the people of Beijing, carried the wounded and fallen soldiers down from the front lines. The women of the Women's Salvation Association helped the doctors care for the wounded in the hospitals, feeding them water and food. I even saw Empress Dowager Cixi with her maids caring for the wounded in a hospital near Deshengmen. I greeted her happily, "Your Majesty, you've come too! You're so old, don't tire yourself out!"

She smiled, "This night will definitely be tough for that Nicholas II. I heard their soldiers' corpses are piled up like small mountains. I also heard Liu Kunyi has brought troops to defend the Emperor. That kid's a tough fighter; his arrival will give these Russian soldiers even more trouble!"

I said, "I heard the Russians have come to Beijing. All the generals have been calling non-stop, wanting to come back to join the battle. I scolded them all. It's just a few Russian soldiers; how many men can handle them? It's fine!"

Cixi asked, "I heard the fighting in Heilongjiang is going quite smoothly? Have they recovered all the lost territory?"

I smiled and said, "That's no problem. Just now, Li Bingheng telegraphed to say that they've recovered the three..." "The more than 10,000 Russian soldiers have just finished eating. Tomorrow they're preparing to march on Sakhalin Island. There aren't any major battles going on there anymore; their main forces are either here or have been wiped out. They're not up to anything!"

Empress Dowager Cixi laughed and said, "You're quite something, kid. You used to always act tough in front of your mother, like you could be tumbled over by a gust of wind, or even a fly could kick you flat on your back. But now you're full of energy, and you've governed the Qing Dynasty much better than before. I should have handed the throne over to you long ago, saving me from worrying so much and getting nothing in return!"

I saw Li Hongzhang hurrying over, so I quickly said, "Premier, there might be something urgent. I'll go first!"

Sure enough, Li Hongzhang saw me and said, "Oh no! Consort Na has been kidnapped by the enemy!"

Episode 5, Chapter 24: True Feelings Are Priceless

At 2:40 AM, a mysterious messenger arrived at Catherine's secret quarters, claiming to have top-secret matters to discuss with her. After checking her belongings, the guards consulted Catherine, who, after a moment's thought, agreed to see the woman. The

woman was a middle-aged woman in her thirties. Upon seeing Catherine, she immediately knelt before her: "This servant, Uriana, greets Your Highness!"

Catherine was taken aback, but immediately said, "How dare you come to see me? You've betrayed your master! Hasn't His Majesty Nicholas II already given you generous treatment? Are you trying to betray me again?"

Uriana quickly replied, "Your Highness misunderstands me. I sought out His Majesty to rescue the princess. The princess's hiding place was not provided by me; His Majesty found it himself. His Majesty is exceptionally talented; how could such a simple hiding place escape his notice? This servant has come to welcome the princess to continue..." "Nicholas II, who inherited the throne, doesn't have much time left. He's afflicted with an incurable disease and will soon be joining my lord!"

Catherine sneered. "Do you think I'd believe you? He's healthy and strong, without any illness or disease. How could he have an incurable disease? Besides, he just took a trip to the Far East. Is that a sign of serious illness? Tell me your nonsense! We're fighting, preparing to dig graves for Nicholas II's army, and we'll find you a place to bury him quickly, saving us the trouble of doing it twice! I have important matters to attend to now; I don't have time to listen to your lies!"

Uriana stood up and whispered, "Nicholas II's health is indeed..." "No, until the day before yesterday he could drink two pounds of vodka and eat three pounds of cooked beef in one sitting. But since the evening before last, he's been unable to continue. He's only surviving on a little milk each day. He can't even stand up now, and he needs help with everything, from urination to defecation. He's turned purple all over, and he's having trouble breathing!"

Catherine was stunned and immediately said, "Poisoned? Who did it? You mean you poisoned him?"

Uriana grinned maliciously and said, "Of course it was me! I want to avenge the young prince and invite Your Highness back to take control of the empire! I gave him a ten-day intestinal-severing poison; he has at most eight days to live. So Your Highness must set off immediately and get to St. Petersburg before he dies to seize power." "It's in the hands of the Grand Duke of Moscow! Princess, let's hurry, or we'll miss it, and the throne will be snatched away! We still need to organize our own army when we get back!"

Catherine was taken aback, but immediately straightened her face and said, "Who told you to poison him? I'm competing with him fairly and squarely; I don't do those underhanded things. Go away, I won't use such despicable means to become emperor! Besides, I don't really believe anything you say! A scoundrel like you can easily make up a few lies; I won't fall for it!"

Uriana was truly stunned this time; she hadn't expected Catherine to remain unmoved by such a serious matter! She looked at Catherine and said, "This servant did all this for Your Highness! Nicholas II brought Your Highness to your death, and it breaks my heart!" Saying this, she moved closer to Catherine, pretending to speak. Catherine shook her head in disgust, trying to avoid her. Unexpectedly, she suddenly reached out and knocked Catherine to the ground, then quickly pulled a large bag from her bosom, stuffed Catherine into it, slung it over her shoulder, and said, "Damn it, all that sweet talk won't work, you have to force me to do it myself, so boring!" With that, she darted out of her hiding place, leaping across rooftops and disappearing.

It was past 3 a.m. when the guards discovered Catherine's disappearance.

I panicked as soon as I heard this and immediately went to Jing'an Village. The place was in chaos. The soldiers of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, hearing that their ruler was missing, were red-eyed with grenades and guns, charging forward and surrounding the enemy, shouting for them to release Catherine.

I arrived and immediately ordered the soldiers to charge in while shouting for their surrender. In less than half an hour, the remaining two thousand-plus Russian soldiers had surrendered.

But after a long count and interrogation, we learned that they themselves didn't know where the woman and Ekaterina had gone. They said the woman didn't seem to have come with the army!

My heart sank. Shu'er, however, was quick-witted and immediately called Li Gang and Zuo Baogui, ordering them to block all major roads and prevent anyone from heading north, paying particular attention to a Russian woman in her thirties and a Russian girl in her twenties!

A moment later, Zuo Baogui replied, saying that a few minutes earlier, a Russian woman had driven a horse carrying a long sack, saying she was delivering luggage to her husband! He suspected that might be her!

I panicked as soon as I heard that: "Catch that person back immediately, at all costs! If it's a person inside, it's Catherine the Great, the Queen of the Grand Duchy of Moscow! Rescue her safely!"

Zuo Baogui immediately replied: "Understood, Your Majesty! I'll personally lead the pursuit!"

I hung up the phone and paced anxiously around the room. Shu'er comforted me, saying, "Good people are always protected by heaven. Your Majesty's beloved concubine will be alright. Rest assured, Your Majesty!"

Rest assured? What am I supposed to do? I'm an emperor, and I've even lost my wife. How can I have the face to stay here peacefully? I immediately shouted: "Li Xianglin, prepare the horses! We're going after her too!"

Li Xianglin hurriedly agreed and led his men out. But the kid disappeared as soon as he ran off. I waited and waited, but he didn't come back. I was so angry that I ran outside, but I still didn't see Li Xianglin. I was so angry that I cursed, "Li Xianglin, you little monkey, where the hell did you go? I'll kill you!"

"What are you yelling for? Li Xianglin almost ran his horse to death and dragged me here, saying you were going to storm the enemy camp! You're something else, the Qing emperor personally kicking down the enemy camp, that would be a legendary tale for all time! But did you think that this might completely shake our defenses of Beijing? And let Nikolai win this round?" Yan'er said as she jumped off her horse.

I was stunned: "That Li Heizi, he knows only Yan'er and Fei'er can handle me, so he brought Yan'er here. He's a real bastard! I'll kick him a couple of times when I get back!"

"We know you care about us and love us, but do you think you can save Catherine by running off like this? Do you think you can get past tens of thousands of enemy troops so easily? What will we do if something happens to you? Even if Catherine were here, she would never let you take such a risk!" As she spoke, her thin shoulders trembled as she sobbed.

I was most afraid of this side of her, so I quickly pulled her into my arms and carried her inside. Looking at her beautiful face streaked with tears, I wiped them away and said, "But if Catherine falls into their hands, it's all over. She's my family!"

Yan'er said, "Don't worry, I've already spoken to Fei'er. Her Shadowless Squad has been dispatched and is blocking them ahead. Moreover, Zuo Baogui has given a death order to completely seal off the border. I don't think they can escape our grasp!"

What could I say? I could only say, "As long as you've made the arrangements, I'm at ease! I'll listen to my Empress!"

She pounded my back with both hands: "You fool! You brought Fei'er and me here, and you want to just abandon us? How can we live without you? How can those sisters live? This kind of thing can happen again in the future. Whether it's me or anyone else, if something happens, you can't take that risk." "That time you stormed the Japanese Imperial Palace, I scolded Yu'er until she cried. Do you know how dangerous that was? Even if you were lucky enough to escape from that den of wolves, what would the people think if word got out? They don't want a weak and incompetent emperor! They want an emperor with the wisdom and courage to command a thousand years of history and a million soldiers! An extraordinary emperor who remains calm even when Mount Tai collapses before him, and doesn't panic when the Yellow River bursts its banks!"

I patted her little upturned bottom and said, "Don't say that. I can't be such an outstanding emperor. I can only be a mediocre, average emperor. Anyway, I'll keep one thing in mind: I'll always have the people, my beloved concubines, and my empire in my heart!"

She pinched my bottom: "You're useless. I see you haven't learned anything else since you came to this world, but you've certainly improved your skills at seducing women!"

I hurriedly said, "I'm innocent! Some of those women were arranged for me by you! You forced them on me!" Damn it

, how could I have said such a wrong thing? Not only did I get a beating, but I almost lost my virginity! (If it weren't for the constant fighting outside, do you think things would have been better?) Zuo Baogui hung up the phone and immediately ordered his deputy to completely seal off the border, leaving no one or horse behind. At the same time, he led thirty light cavalrymen, each with three horses, resting their horses but not their riders, following the man's footprints, chasing north like a whirlwind.

After crossing the Great Wall, to the north lay the boundless desert. In the dark night, they relied entirely on their two hunting dogs to lead the pursuit.

At dawn, the squad finally caught up with the Russian woman in the desert, but she immediately drew her knife and held it to the bag: "If you dare take another step, I'll kill Princess Catherine! You won't be able to go back and explain yourselves!"

Zuo Baogui hurriedly waved to stop the cavalry. While secretly ordering his soldiers to circle around from both sides to cut off the woman's retreat, he negotiated with the woman: "If you release Catherine, we'll release you. Otherwise, you'll never escape our land! Let me tell you clearly, I've already set up a trap ahead..." "With two checkpoints, you can't fly away even if you have wings!"

the woman sneered. "Your Beijing will soon be in our hands, and that emperor will be sent to our Kamchatka to herd sheep. You think you can stop me? Dream on! If you surrender to me now, I'll go back and talk to our emperor, and maybe I can even give you a general's position. But if you wait any longer, you might lose your head!"

Just as she finished speaking, a gust of wind blew in, whipping up a sandstorm that blinded her. She hurriedly tried to wipe it away with her hands, and the hand that had been in her pocket slipped out of it.

Zuo Baogui saw his chance and, without even aiming, fired a shot. The woman's head exploded with a thud, and she fell into the sand, but she still held tightly to the horse's reins!

Zuo Baogui ran to the front of the horse, untied the mouth of the sack, and released a young man. Zuo Baogui was momentarily stunned when the man, wielding a knife, lunged at him. Zuo Baogui hastily dodged, but the man pounced again. Zuo Baogui dodged once more, then struck the man's pressure points, subduing him.

The soldiers circled around and were also stunned by the scene. Zuo Baogui interrogated the man for a long time, but he remained silent, lying there with his eyes closed, a thin line of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth! Zuo Baogui approached and saw that the man had bitten his tongue and committed suicide.

Zuo Baogui immediately roared, "Return immediately and search along the original route!"

The thirty men leaped back onto their horses and galloped back.

Two wolfhounds led them at breakneck speed, and at seven in the morning, the dogs led them to a small mountain village.

Zuo Baogui ordered reinforcements to be gathered from nearby camps while he led his men, following the wolfhounds, towards a solitary thatched hut at the edge of the village.

*Clang!* A gunshot rang out, a bullet flying from the small hut, striking a soldier in the right arm. Zuo Baogui hurriedly ordered his men to take cover and advance.

A sinister laugh echoed from inside the hut: "You want to rescue Princess Catherine? Don't dream! Do you think I'd give you the prize I've already got? Let me tell you, Nicholas II and I have already agreed that taking Princess Catherine will get you a fiefdom. As long as it's not St. Petersburg, I'll give you whatever I want. Can you give it to me? I'll trade her for the Imperial Palace in Beijing. What will your emperor do then? Don't follow me around picking up scraps. Run! Our Valodin army is about to storm Beijing, and your lives won't last long! Want to attack me? Don't you think about it? With Princess Catherine in my hands, if I push her too far, will she even survive? She wants..." "She's dead. Do you think your emperor would let you live?"

Zuo Baogui, fearing he'd be fooled again, said, "Who are you trying to fool? Princess Catherine is commanding the army of the Grand Duchy of Moscow in Beijing. You think you can catch her? Dream on! Signalman, call the artillery! Bomb her flat!"

The voice immediately said, "Don't shoot! Let me show you if she's Princess Catherine!"

A young woman, bound and gagged, was pushed to the window. "Look, isn't she Princess Catherine?"

Zuo Baogui didn't recognize Princess Catherine, but judging from the woman's striking beauty, extraordinary demeanor, and wounds, he guessed she was probably her. He was still uneasy, saying, "Don't just assume it's Princess Catherine. I know Princess Catherine. Although she looks a bit like her, you all look the same. I didn't recognize her!"

Princess Catherine immediately said, "Fire! Don't worry about me! We can't let these bastards get away!"

The men inside immediately dragged her inside. The vicious man shouted, "Slap her! You want to be buried alive with Emperor Guangxu? Dream on! I'll hand you over to the Valodin warriors later and let them have some fun with you!" Zuo

Baogui knew it must be Princess Catherine. He immediately ordered, "Surround her! Take your guns and keep her at bay!"

At 7:30, reinforcements arrived. Zuo Baogui ordered his men to fire from the front to draw the enemy's attention, while the newly arrived soldiers began digging a tunnel from the back of the house into the house.

By 9:00, the tunnel had reached the house. Zuo Baogui gave the order, broke open the tunnel, and led the charge into the house.

Inside, several thugs were still firing shots out of the doors and windows. Uriana, a cigarette dangling from her lips, poked Catherine's forehead with it and cursed, "You fucking righteous bastard! Your cousin, the emperor, said long ago that as long as he's alive when he gets back, that's enough. He just wants to give you a good scolding in front of you, to let you know how he ascended the throne, how he knew you were heading to China, how he knew where you were hiding! Actually, he knew even without telling you. I told him where you were hiding. I took three hundred taels of silver from him to pay off my gambling debts. If I don't catch you, I'll be in jail. If I catch you, I won't pay my gambling debts, and he'll give me another three hundred taels of silver! Why wouldn't I do something like that? You're nobody to me. Selling you out is easy!"

Uriana finished speaking and took the cigarette butt... Princess Catherine, having burned her arm, said, "Do you think you're the only noble one here? Today, I am the noblest. My words can decide your life or death. I, Uriana, said I'd hand you over to those warriors to play with, and you'd immediately enjoy the world's highest level of pleasure! I, Uriana, said I'd release you, and you could go back to them now. Unfortunately, I, Uriana, am not stupid. I won't do a losing deal! So you, Catherine, will have to stay here and be at my mercy!" As she spoke, she was about to burn Catherine again with the cigarette butt when Zuo Baogui suddenly leaped out, fixing her in place with a single shot. He then embraced Princess Catherine, flipped over, and jumped into the tunnel. The soldiers then unleashed a barrage of gunfire, killing all the female assassins.

At 9:10, I heard Zuo Baogui excitedly shout on the phone, "Your Majesty, rest assured! We've rescued Princess Catherine! She's not in mortal danger, just badly injured. Our female medic is treating her! She told you she's alright and doesn't want you to worry!"

Tears immediately welled up in my eyes. I quickly said, "Guanting, thank you! The Qing Dynasty thanks you! I'll award you credit! Tell Princess Catherine to rest and recover. After this battle, I'll bring her back!"

Just then, Liu Kunyi's troops had already entered their battle positions, and I immediately ordered a counterattack against the Russian invaders!

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