A Romantic Detective in the Qing Dynasty [Complete] - 11

Chapter Seventeen: Luo Jin Annihilates the Enemy.

I reached out and pulled Min'er up, casually tearing off her red bodice and shorts. This time, her true appearance was finally revealed: two small, plump breasts stood erect, adorned with delicate pink nipples like two gems inlaid in white jade. Her slender waist was so thin it could be grasped in one hand, and her round, upturned buttocks accentuated her devilish figure. Her mysterious triangle area, with its sparse downy hair, couldn't conceal the pinkish opening. Her jade-like legs were long and slender, without an ounce of excess fat—Min'er let out a soft cry, immediately covering her private parts with her hands, her face flushed red. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she didn't know what to do. I took the opportunity to lift her into the bathtub and place her on my lap.

The girl let out a soft moan and stretched out her jade arms to hug me tightly, but her little bottom moved slightly. It turned out that my huge penis was propped up under her buttocks, which wasn't very comfortable.

My large hand gently kneaded her breasts as I spoke tenderly, "I don't need a woman to protect me, nor do I need you to perform any great feats for me. What I want is a devoted lover, not a general skilled in battle. As long as you have me in your heart and are willing to live and die with me, that's enough. You are my lover! As for the merits your sisters have made for the country, those were by chance. You will achieve the same in the future. There's no need to pursue them now! Besides, those are not my criteria for choosing a lover!"

As I spoke, I scooped up water with my other hand to wash her body. Minzi, already panting from my caresses, hurriedly grabbed my hand, "No, it should be Min'er washing Your Majesty!" As she spoke, she scooped up water and poured it onto my chest.

I kissed her, "There are no 'Your Majesty's' here. I am the husband, and you are the wife. Husband and wife should help each other wash!"

With that, Min'er sat in the basin and helped me wash.

I'm no ordinary person; after washing for a short while, my member entered her narrow, deep honeyed cave.

That night, although Min'er was experiencing her first time, she initially endured it with furrowed brows and tears in her eyes. But due to my deliberate tenderness and gentle, soothing movements, she gradually began to moan softly. After a while, she even hugged me tightly, twisting her little upturned buttocks to meet my movements, and moaning incessantly—I never expected that her little honeyed cave would be such a rare treasure. The tight, throbbing sensation made me ejaculate again and again. Min'er also shouted loudly, "Ah, ah, ah! Min'er is so happy! Ahhh, Min'er can't live without Wansui!"

The two of us didn't fall asleep until we were both completely exhausted, holding each other tightly!

I was startled awake by a rapid knocking on the door. It was Queen Min. She came in, looked at Min'er sleeping soundly with her bare back exposed, and said with a smile, "Not bad, huh? You tossed and turned all night, keeping everyone awake! You're really something else. If it weren't for my little girl knowing a bit of internal energy, you'd probably have worn me out by now!"

I slapped her little bottom in exasperation: "You came just to talk about this? Are you trying to practice the Three Cultivations?"

She blushed and said, "Get lost! Who cares about you! Something big has happened! Russia just crossed the border and attacked! Their government has sent a note saying they want to drive out the Chinese army, eliminate the Min clan, and return power to the Lee family." "This is a formal declaration of war against the Chinese and North Korean governments!"

I laughed loudly. "Damn it, I prepared for this all along. I was thinking he had the sense not to come! Don't worry, I left Ma Yukun and Li Gang there to deal with them! Shu'er and I anticipated they'd take advantage of the situation!"

Zuo Baogui and Li Bin had just been appointed as vice ministers of the Ministry of National Defense. Sheng Bao succeeded Li Bin as commander of the Northeast Military Region, Ma Yukun succeeded Sheng Bao as deputy commander of the Northeast Military Region and commander of the Korean Garrison Army, and Li Gang became deputy commander of the Northeast Military Region and commander of the Far East Military Sub-district. You can see from my orders that I've already placed the Far East region currently occupied by Russia under my jurisdiction! I even appointed a new commander for the Far East Fleet in Vladivostok. I transferred Huang Jianxun from the East China Sea Fleet to be the Far East Naval Commander, and Sa Zhenbing, the Chief of Operations of the Beiyang Fleet, to be the Deputy Commander. This fleet, consisting of three newly launched battleships—Longteng, Longxiao, and Longnu—and five cruisers captured from the Japanese—Zhenwo (formerly the Japanese Yoshino), Zhenyi (formerly the Japanese Fusō), Zhendong (formerly the Japanese Yamato), Zhenxi (formerly the Japanese Akagi), and Andong (formerly the Japanese Naniwa)—along with six torpedo boats and a newly launched submarine, forms another of our fleets—the Far East Fleet. It is currently sailing day and night towards Wonsan, North Korea, preparing to attack and take over the Vladivostok naval base.

"I heard that the Russian Pacific Fleet stationed in Vladivostok is also heading towards Rajin. They want to take advantage of the situation!" Consort Min said worriedly.

"What, don't you trust your husband's strength?" I asked, pulling her close.

"It's not that I don't trust him, but Russia is a major power after all!" Consort Min said, lacking confidence.

"Is China really that small? The China of today is not the China of a few years ago. Don't worry, in this battle, I will reclaim my northern ice-free port, Vladivostok!"

Vladivostok, over 100 years ago, was a place where Chinese fishermen harvested sea cucumbers. "Wai" in Shandong dialect means low-lying area, hence the Chinese name Haishenwai (Sea Censorship). According to Chinese historical records, in 1860, Tsarist Russia forced the Qing government to sign the Treaty of Beijing, ceding over 400,000 square kilometers of land, including Vladivostok, to Russia. In 1862, the Tsarist Russian government renamed Vladivostok "Vladivostok," which translates to "Control the East" in Chinese. That is a deep-seated grievance for us Chinese, a disgrace to our nation. No matter who is in charge, if they don't want to reclaim this place, if they dare to acknowledge the legitimacy of Russian occupation, regardless of their government or leader, they are traitors to the nation and will sooner or later face the judgment of history! I don't want to be that traitor; of course, I must do everything in my power to reclaim it!

As I put on my clothes, I grabbed her hand and said, "Come on, let's call Li Gang and the others, and tell them to let those arrogant Russian soldiers go a little further in, so we can take them down together later!"

Just as I was about to leave, Min'er jumped up, saying while dressing, "I'm going too! I'm here to keep His Majesty warm in bed; wherever His Majesty goes, I have to follow! This is a task personally given to me by Queen Min!"

Queen Min laughed so hard she could barely stand up straight: "You're quite the charmer! I think you've tasted the sweetness and don't want to let go!"

Min'er blushed, didn't say anything, but quickly followed me out.

Russia really wanted to swallow North Korea whole. Seeing that China and Japan were both exhausted, they wanted to reap the benefits, and on September 22nd, they wiped out their 30,000 mobile troops in Siberia. The Russian commander-in-chief, Kuropatkin, even boasted that he would spend Christmas in Seoul, intending to turn North Korea into their eastern border region.

I still have 60,000 troops there. Although we just fought a battle with the Japanese, Li Hongzhang had already sent Changxu with 30,000 troops from the Beijing Military Region and a large amount of military supplies across the Yalu River to Chongjin. My two submarines have also arrived in Chongjin. Now there are many troops gathered there. Why would I be afraid of the Russians?

In fact, this was already part of Zhang Zhidong's and my plan. I know that Russia has been coveting our country and Korea for a long time. It will definitely jump out at this time to try to take advantage of us! To prevent a few wolves and bears from jumping around, Zhang Zhidong is currently deploying troops in southern Xinjiang. Li Bingheng is leading 30,000 cavalry and a tank force to Dongjingcheng in Mudanjiang for covert defense. Moreover, the Heilongjiang Navy has entered Xingkai Lake. The newly appointed Second Vice Minister of National Defense, Zuo Baogui, is also leading a tank force to the Russian-Mongolian border to deploy defenses overnight. Li Bin, the Third Vice Minister of National Defense appointed with Zuo Baogui, is leading 10,000 elite troops and a large amount of military supplies to Xinjiang.

I know it's not the time for a major war with Russia yet, but my arrival has thrown the world into chaos. Who knows if a Sino-Russian war might break out sooner than planned? So I must prepare for a major conflict!

I spoke with Li Hongzhang and learned from him that Japanese Foreign Minister Mutsu recently visited St. Petersburg, Russia, and held a full day of secret talks with the Tsar. I estimate that the two sides have reached a secret agreement to unite against China!

Damn it, the Russian bear jumped out at this time, isn't this giving the Japanese a chance to breathe? Since it's already inevitable, I might as well surround the Japanese and beat the bear, let this mad bear suffer a bit first!

I took Fei'er, Yu'er, Shu'er, Min'er, and my guard platoon, and drove my armored vehicle to Chongjin on the 24th.

When I arrived in Chongjin, there was already a tense atmosphere before the great battle. Li Gang had mobilized hundreds of thousands of people from Liaoning who were preparing to relocate to the Far East to do business, farm, and work. Some of them had already driven horse-drawn carts to Korea, preparing to follow the troops to help transport military supplies and looking for good places to settle down.

When Ma Yukun and Li Gang heard I was coming, they rushed back from the front lines. Li Gang, seeing me, said casually, "Is the principal worried about us here? No problem, it's just a few Russians. My First Division clashed with them. Those idiots, guns in hand, lined up, drumming, blasting horns, charging forward! At first, it was really scary, we thought they were invincible. But then a volley of gunfire felled a whole bunch of them. My little lads went crazy, wiping out those Russians with machine guns, killing them all in one go!"

Ma Yukun smiled and said, "That was psychological warfare. Later they stopped doing that. Their physical strength is better than ours, they're better at close combat..." We're afraid we'll suffer losses in hand-to-hand combat! So we told the soldiers to avoid hand-to-hand combat as much as possible!

I asked, "How far have you let him in?"

Li Gang blushed and after a long pause said, "I was thinking of harassing him for another two days before withdrawing, but Lao Ma wanted to withdraw, and I didn't let him!"

My face immediately fell: "What, you've forgotten strategy and tactics just because you're having a good time? Start withdrawing immediately according to plan, clear the main road, occupy both sides, let him in first, then trap him. Don't you understand this principle? However, to reduce losses in the next step, don't give him any of the strategic locations, just let him out into the plains, so we can deal with him later!"

Li Gang immediately saluted: "Yes, sir, I will resolutely carry out the order!"

The two of them left in a hurry, and Fei'er led Huang Jianxun and Sa Zhenbing into the house.

Huang Jianxun and Sa Zhenbing quickly saluted me: "Principal, all members of the Far East Fleet have been ordered to report ahead of schedule!"
I grabbed their hands and said, "Good, you're just in time! Didn't the Japanese warships cause trouble when we crossed the Korean Strait?"

"We were all hoping they would come out so we could test our strength, but unfortunately, we couldn't find them on radar! I heard that the Japanese Combined Fleet, which was crippled by the North Sea Fleet, has now been intercepted by the East Sea Fleet. This is probably going to put the East Sea Fleet in a very difficult position!" Huang Jianxun said enviously.

I laughed: "You'll have your turn to fight! Russian warships are no worse than Japanese ones! They'll be tough to take down!"

Sa Zhenbing added, "The Russian Pacific Fleet Commander, Rozhestvinsky, is always arrogant and never takes anyone seriously. Besides, their warships are large, heavily armored, and heavily armed. This won't be an easy nut to crack! However, our fleet's three large ships are currently the best warships in the world, and the guns on our other ships have been modified. They are not only faster but also have a longer firing range, giving us a much greater advantage over their fleet. We should say our victory..." "That's still a big deal!"

Huang Jianxun said happily. "That's right! We're a new fleet, so we have to rely on taking on tough challenges to make a name for ourselves and establish our reputation! We'll ward off evil spirits in the Far East!"

I assigned them tasks and had the female strategist Shu'er board the ship to be their chief of staff. They said happily

, "Great! We knew that Consort Shu was a master strategist with unpredictable and divine abilities. With her by our side, we'll definitely give the Russian army a heavy blow!" I called Shu'er over and talked to her about my arrangements. She blushed with joy and hurriedly led the two away.

The Russian Cossack cavalry had made a name for themselves in Europe through their strength and barbarity. Unexpectedly, in their first battle in Korea, they were trapped by the Chinese army in front of a small hill in Awudi. The Russian mountain guns bombarded the hill for a long time. As soon as the shelling stopped, the Russian artillery positions were plowed up like hailstones. The gun mounts and barrels were separated, the ammunition depots were blown up, and an entire artillery regiment was wiped out on the spot.

Even more infuriatingly, before the Cossack cavalry even reached the hill, a hail of artillery shells rained down on them, causing horses to neigh and men to scream, leaving corpses strewn across the ground. Then, a squad of Chinese soldiers charged out from behind the hill, machine-gunned and firing relentlessly, driving the Cossacks back to their lines in a frenzy.

Fortunately, the Cossacks were fierce and tenacious; wave after wave fell, and by nightfall they finally reached the small hill, leaving the Chinese soldiers nowhere to be seen!

Upon hearing that the Chinese army had been driven back, the Russian commander-in-chief in Vladivostok, Kuropatkin, immediately ordered a pursuit, driving the Chinese across the Yalu River and into the sea! He wanted Korea, like Khabarovsk and

Vladivostok, to be incorporated into the Russian Empire! The Russian army surged into the northern plains of Korea like a tidal wave, advancing towards Rajin.

Kuropatkin decided to move his headquarters to Korea; he wanted to personally command the war and achieve unparalleled glory for Russia!

The autumn rain, a continuous downpour accompanied by a chilly autumn wind, fell. The Russian soldiers, lacking rain gear, shivered in the cold rain as they trudged forward through the mud. The most difficult task was with the artillery. Cannons that normally required six horses to pull were now too heavy even for twelve. Brigade Commander Nikolayev had to order companies and platoons of soldiers to pull and push them forward.

Even more infuriating were the Chinese light cavalry, swift as lightning, arriving in a flash, hurling grenades like rain, and disappearing as soon as the explosions subsided!

And then there were the Chinese snipers, unseen and invisible, firing a few shots and wiping out eight or ten Cossacks. The Russian soldiers rushed over, only to find no one, just a few empty shell casings. It was a

difficult and dangerous march, but the Russian commander at headquarters, Kuropatkin, had given a strict order to pursue, and no one dared to delay!

On the night of the 24th, the 30,000 Russian troops endured an unforgettable night amidst the biting wind and rain and frequent surprise attacks

from the Chinese army. As dawn broke, the Cossack soldiers breathed a sigh of relief, little did they know that an even more unforgettable nightmare awaited them! An unnamed stream, originally shallow and with a gentle, clear flow, teeming with fish that darted back and forth, was now a chaotic scene. The Cossack soldiers, covered in mud, rushed into the clear water to wash their clothes, and even their artillery was placed in the water to scrub away the silt. The river was bustling with activity, men and horses neighing.

Suddenly, a thunderclap struck, and a massive wave, over ten feet high, crashed down from upstream. Before anyone could understand what was happening, over ten thousand Cossacks were swept away by the current. The narrow stream, only a few feet wide, had become a river over a mile wide. Horses were swept away, cannons were left in the river, and crossing was impossible without boats or bridges.

This was bad news. The more than 10,000 Cossacks who had just crossed the river were immediately overwhelmed by the Chinese light cavalry that charged in the rain. With the river behind them to retreat and heavy troops blocking their way, they couldn't resist. Their guns were soaked, how could they fire? They fought desperately with bayonets, but the Chinese wouldn't even get close, just sweeping them away with their rifles!

The brigade commander, Nikolayev, was furious, cursing incessantly: "Damn it, the weather is unfair, and the guns are unfair too! Our guns are useless, but theirs are firing with a loud crack! Are their guns

some kind of magic weapon?" The Chinese army didn't care about fairness. One wave of cavalry charged, then another came. After several waves, the Cossacks figured it out: they piled up the corpses as cover, lay down inside, and hurled grenades at the Chinese cavalry. The Chinese cavalry were caught off guard, suffering more than forty casualties, and were too frightened to approach!

They could only fire from a distance, but this was far less effective!

Upon seeing this, Ma Yukun, who was commanding at the front, immediately ordered mortars to concentrate their firepower on the Russian soldiers, shattering their grenade defenses. The Chinese troops seized the opportunity to rush forward, and the battlefield immediately descended into chaos! But the Russian Cossacks were indeed tenacious, brandishing their bayonets and shouting wildly as they engaged the Chinese soldiers in combat.

Chinese soldiers were no match for Cossacks in bayonet fighting, but they were far more skilled with broadswords. The shouts, the clanging of blades, the slamming of bayonets into flesh, and the slashing of broadswords blended together on the battlefield. Night fell, and the Russian reinforcements finally crossed the river, but by then, only a handful of the original 10,000 Cossacks remained!

But then, Brigade Commander Nikolayev discovered they were completely surrounded by Chinese troops!

Russian Commander-in-Chief Kuropatkin immediately decided to send an additional 30,000 troops to Korea!

A decisive battle was about to begin!

Chapter Eighteen: The Mutation of Love

. You little brat, how many troops does Russia have in the Far East? You dare to send reinforcements? Come on, I'll make sure you empty Vladivostok's troops! If I don't bring all his big shots into my net, I'll be letting you down, you self-important Kuropatkin! My "flooding the bear army" strategy has succeeded; next time, I'll let you taste the flavor of roasting a Russian bear! This time, if I don't make you bleed, you won't know why flowers are so red! If I don't slaughter you until every last one is gone, I'm not a 21st-century Chinese criminal police officer!

I ordered Ma Yukun and Li Gang to intensify the encirclement and annihilation of the Russian soldiers besieged in Rajin, and at the same time, I ordered Li Gang to detach an army to block the route back to Russia for the Russian soldiers who had just entered North Korean soil. Although I knew that this force couldn't eliminate 30,000 Russian soldiers, as long as we could hold them off for a few days, and Ma Yukun and Li Gang's army could annihilate all the besieged Russian soldiers, Li Bingheng's army could set off from Suifenhe in Mudanjiang, launch a surprise attack on Shuangchengzi (called Surisk by the Russian occupying forces), liberate Vladivostok (called Vladivostok by the Russian occupying forces), and then we could turn around and wipe out all 30,000 troops!

Just as I was strategizing, Yan'er, Xue'er, and Navy Commander Weng Tonghe, along with East China Sea Fleet Commander Tan Sitong, led six battleships, six cruisers, and four auxiliary ships to surround the remnants of the Japanese Combined Fleet led by Commander-in-Chief Ito Sukeyuki. These included nine ships: Yaeyama, Tsukushi, Atago, Maya, Chokai, Amagi, Iwaki, Katsuragi, and Takao, as well as three torpedo boats: Boat No. 13, Boat No. 22, and Boat No. 23. Now, Yan'er and Weng Tonghe's three battleships, three cruisers, and two auxiliary ships were blocking their path in the East China Sea, only 200 nautical miles from Okinawa.

After being ravaged by the Beiyang Fleet, Ito Sukeyuki was utterly devastated. For the past few days, he had only been able to eat a little thanks to the constant comforting from his junior telegraph operator, Yamada Misada. Only when they were nearing Okinawa did he feel a little more at ease. Although the fleet had suffered heavy losses and was no longer combat-ready, it had at least preserved a spark for the Japanese Empire to rise again. He was not satisfied with this crushing defeat and he wanted to avenge this defeat with blood. He was counting on the officers and men of the navy!

Suddenly, a sailor stumbled in, not even knocking. Seeing the hairy Ito Sukeyuki on top of the petite, fair-skinned Yamada Misaki, he didn't even try to avoid it, stammering, "Oh no! Something terrible has happened! The Chinese warships are here! Those same warships that appeared in Weihaiwei!"

Ito Sukeyuki was about to reprimand him when he heard this news, and the sailor tumbled off Yamada Misaki. "Did you see clearly? Those three?"

"No, not three, but eight! They've blocked our way!" The sailor hadn't seen his commander's naked buttocks, nor noticed Yamada Misaki hurriedly pulling at her exposed private parts; all he felt was the fear brought by the warships.

"Get lost! Look carefully before you speak! Where did eight warships come from?" Ito Sukeyuki kicked the sailor, who scrambled out, not even bothering to put on his clothes. He grabbed his binoculars, pulled back the curtains, and looked outside. "Oh my god!" he cried, and collapsed to the ground.

He clearly saw that three giant battleships, three slightly smaller cruisers, and two auxiliary ships blocked their way to Ryukyu.

Yamada Misaki, disregarding her own clothes, rushed to help him. He stood up, quickly dressed, and went to the command center.

The captain of the Amagi had been killed by the Chinese. Acting captain Fujino Kamejiro, seeing him, hurriedly said, "Sound the battle alarm! We have to fight them! We still have four ships left to fight, and the others can fire a few shots or two. Let's fight to the death; maybe a few will escape!" "Fight

? This navy is the seed of the future navy of the Great Japanese Empire! We must preserve it at all costs! Retreat! Turn around and retreat immediately! If we can't win, can't we at least run away?"

He knew they no longer had the resources to contend with the Chinese navy. Of their nine ships, five were less than a quarter of their original fighting strength, and the remaining four were also lacking ammunition and had little ability to resist! Fighting was hopeless; escape was the only option! Escaping the clutches of the Chinese was already a blessing; what more could one hope for?

The order was given, and the Japanese fleet quickly retreated!

Seeing that the Chinese fleet hadn't pursued, he breathed a sigh of relief and ordered, "Back to Kagoshima! Their warships are here, there are no more warships there. We can go back to Japan!" He returned to his bedroom, relieved. He needed to rest; he was so sleepy. These past few days had been too stressful, and Yamada Misaki's constant pestering had taken its toll. He couldn't muster any energy. Now that there was no danger, he needed a good night's sleep!

Yamada Misaki was still lying in bed, fully clothed. Seeing him return, she tried to undress, but he waved her off, saying, "Don't take them off. Let's sleep in our clothes. I'm a little sleepy!"

He climbed into bed, embraced Yamada Misaki, and fell asleep.

He slept until it was completely dark. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Yamada Misaki had already brought him food.

Due to insufficient water and supplies, the fleet was nearing starvation. Their only food was cabbage; there wasn't a trace of meat or oil. Even this was something only the commander could afford; the soldiers and junior officers could only dream of it! The Chinese were too ruthless, surrounding them on all sides and refusing to let them dock. Where could they find food? Alas, a defeated general dared not boast of his bravery! He couldn't even hope for anything good to eat!

He picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and spat it out: "What kind of food is this? Why is it so bitter?"

The junior telegraph operator, Yamada Misada, sighed: "There's no fresh water. This is made with seawater. There's nothing we can do!"

He lost his appetite, stood up, and looked out at the dark night sky. Except for a few twinkling stars peeking through the thick clouds, he could see nothing. How he longed to see the Japanese mainland! But he also knew that the continuous defeats had depleted Japan's national strength, and the war could no longer be sustained. The Chinese would never give up; their powerful army would seize the opportunity to advance on the Japanese mainland. Alas, once defeated, few survive!

Suddenly, he saw several lights ahead!

His heart skipped a beat, and he immediately threw on his clothes and rushed out to the command center.

Fujino Kamejiro was looking ahead through binoculars. Seeing the commander arrive, he hurriedly said, "It looks like a task force! Our own fleet doesn't dare go that far now. It's probably Russian!"

Ito Sukeyuki shook his head and said, "It can't be Russian. They want to seize Korea now. Their Pacific Fleet is heading towards Wonsan; they wouldn't come here. It's very likely a Chinese fleet. Instruct all ships to keep their lights off, reduce noise, and stop completely to avoid them. Also, prepare for battle, just in case!" Fujino Kamejiro immediately issued the orders to all ships.

In the vast, dark sea, the Japanese fleet immediately... They vanished without a trace.

But Ito Sukeyuki's dream was shattered again; the Chinese fleet's radar had already pinpointed their exact location, and Xue'er and Tan Sitong, leading the fleet, had marked the Japanese ships' exact positions on the nautical charts.

Liu Buchan, deputy commander of the East China Sea Fleet and captain of the Longhua, walked in from outside: "Your Highness Xue, Commander Tan, the enemy ships have spotted us. They've all turned off their lights and stopped, probably trying to evade us!" Xue'er smiled: "This is putting us in a difficult position. The fleet should move forward a little further, into our optimal firing range, and then wait for Empress Yan and Commander Weng's fleet. This time, we'll attack from both sides and completely eliminate this trouble!"

Fujino Kamejiro suddenly realized the Chinese fleet had disappeared. Overjoyed, he ran into Ito Sukeyuki's bedroom and exclaimed to the pacing Ito, "Commander, the Chinese fleet has passed! They're gone!"

Ito Sukeyuki shook his head. "No way! They definitely haven't left; they're waiting for us up ahead!"

Fujino Kamejiro was startled. "What do we do then? If we continue this standoff, everything will be over by dawn!"

"Take off! Turn back, bypass them! Continue approaching Kagoshima!" "Ito Sukeyuki said.

The Japanese fleet quietly turned around and left. Strangely, the Chinese fleet did not pursue them. Ito Sukeyuki sensed something was wrong and hurriedly ordered Fujino Kamejiro to search carefully.

Fujino Kamejiro and his first and second officers searched left and right with binoculars, but found nothing. Only then did they feel relieved and start running. By dawn, he could see clearly that sixteen Chinese warships had appeared in all directions, surrounding them!

Fujino Kamejiro immediately called out to Ito Sukeyuki: "Commander, we have fallen into the Chinese trap!" Ito Sukeyuki ,

however, remained calm. He slowly put on his clothes, tucked the blanket around Yamada Misada, took his binoculars, went to the bow, and looked around: "Notify the troops to prepare to engage the enemy in single file. Tell the soldiers that although the Chinese fleet is numerous, they are all wooden ships with a thin layer of iron plating. They are not resistant to damage or ramming. As long as we, the soldiers of Great Japan, display the spirit of Bushido, we will surely be able to destroy the Chinese warships in the sea! Let our Rising Sun Flag fly forever on the sea!" He knew today was his death day .

He went back inside, took out a razor, and had Yamada Misada shave him thoroughly. Then he put on his brand-new military uniform, donned all his medals, and hung the sword bestowed upon him by His Majesty the Emperor. He embraced Yamada Misada and said, "Let's get married today. Even if I die, I must give you a proper title. Come, take my arm, and let's go into the command room together! We'll live together, and we'll die together! That way, our love won't have been in vain!" After saying this, he kissed Yamada Misada and then took her arm as they walked into the command cabin. He said to Fujino Kamejiro, "Today I will be in command. Any orders will be relayed by my wife, Yamada Misada. You all go to the steering wheel cabin. Today we will face a test of blood and fire; it's extremely important there!" With that, he took Yamada Misada's arm and stood at the command post.

Yamada Misaki smiled faintly and sadly, standing silently beside him. She stared blankly at Ito Sukeyuki's taut face, large tears welling in her eyes.

Fujino Kamejiro and his staff had all left, leaving only him and Yamada Misaki in the command cabin.

He looked at Yamada Misaki and said with deep emotion, "I'm sorry, today may be our last day. Don't hate me, this may be our fate!"

Yamada Misaki nodded, sobbing.

He issued the order to attack the Chinese fleet, which Yamada Misaki immediately relayed to Fujino Kamejiro. The fleet began to head northeast.

Seeing the Japanese fleet charging towards them, Huang Jianxun, captain of the Longhai, immediately ordered the Longhai and its escort ship—the Zhenwei (formerly the Japanese Hiei)—to open fire on the Japanese ships.

Before the Japanese flagship, the Amagi, even entered its firing range, its turrets were already riddled with bullets by Chinese cannons. The ship was shrouded in thick smoke, rendering any chance of retaliation impossible. Ito Sukeyuki's face was deathly pale. He slowly drew his command sword, but just an inch from the edge, he suddenly froze, his hand supporting him, unable to move, his mouth unable to open!

Standing beside him, Yamada Misada whispered, "I'm sorry, my husband, I can no longer serve that Emperor! I can't lose you, and I can't let so many brothers die. I have to take another path!"

He then issued an order to the Amagi's captain, Fujino Kamejiro: "Commander, raise the white flag and surrender! After the enemy ships cease fire, immediately order all sailors to assemble on the outer deck with their hands behind their heads!"

Yan'er watched as the Japanese ships suddenly raised white flags. She immediately ordered a halt to the firing, but she couldn't understand why the Japanese fleet had surrendered without firing a single shot. Was it some kind of trick?

Her suspicions were immediately dispelled when she saw all the Japanese soldiers standing on the deck with their hands behind their heads! She immediately ordered several Zhen-class warships to move closer and begin accepting the Japanese surrender.

But a short while later, naval soldiers signaled that the Japanese fleet commander requested to speak with the highest-ranking Chinese official.

Weng Tonghe, fearing a trap, wanted to go himself, but Yan'er thought for a moment and said, "I'll go. Their warships and soldiers are now under our control, so there shouldn't be any traps. Even if there are, I'll be better able to handle it than you!"

Yan'er had her warship approach the Tiancheng ship, and when it was still three or four meters away from the enemy ship, she leaped onto the Tiancheng.

When Du Xiaoguang, the captain of the Zhenwei warship, saw the Empress herself arrive, he turned pale with fright: "Your Majesty, it's dangerous!"

Yan'er smiled slightly: "With you here, what danger could I possibly be in? Come, take me to see that commander!"

Du Xiaoguang saluted: "Yes, sir!"

He waved his hand, and with a dozen guards, followed Yan'er into the command cabin!

Yan'er entered the cabin and saw only a motionless Japanese naval vice admiral and a young, beautiful Japanese naval lieutenant.

The lieutenant nodded at Yan'er: "Can you make the decisions?"

Du Xiaoguang immediately said, "This is our Empress Yan, her words represent the eternal reign of our Great Qing Dynasty!"

The woman immediately extended her hand and said, "Hello, I'd like to speak with you alone!"

Yan'er grasped Yamada Misada's hand, then turned and waved for Du Xiaoguang and the guards to leave. She smiled and asked Yamada Misada, "Did you control him?"

The woman smiled slightly and said in Chinese, "My name is Yamada Misada, the newlywed wife of Ito Sukeyuki, commander of the Japanese Combined Fleet. I surrendered the fleet in his name. I have no demands, only that you..." "Please don't kill any of us, and don't separate me and Ito Sukeyuki. I beg your army to protect me and Ito Sukeyuki. I don't want to go back to Japan, and I don't want him to serve that bloodthirsty emperor anymore. I want to settle down in China, find a job, and live out our old age in peace!"

Yan'er smiled: "You love him?"

Yamada Misadako blushed and said: "Yes, he's been in a bad mood these days, but no matter how bad he is, he won't get angry at me, let alone say a harsh word to me! You know, in Japan, women have no status, they're just sex slaves at your beck and call, but he has always respected my wishes and never forced me! For this, I'm willing..." "I wanted to give him my whole life! Today he was prepared to die. He knew we were no longer capable of defeating your fleet, so he shaved his face, put on his new uniform, and hung up his medals! And he said we should get married right now! Because of his last words, I decided to have the fleet surrender so he could live with me again. I want to experience the taste of love!"

Yan'er nodded: "I agree to all your requests, and let's not consider it surrender, but rather a defection! We will arrange your lives! However, I don't think he will accept the reality of surrender and defection so easily. You still need to work on him!" Yamada Misada smiled and said, "

Don't worry, although he can't accept it right away, he'll listen to me, and I'll subdue him. After all, I'm a disciple of the Jade Maiden Sect of Tianshan in China; subduing him is a piece of cake!"

Yan'er laughed, "No wonder you speak Chinese so well! I thought you were Chinese! Disarm him first; I need to talk to him."

Yamada Misada removed Ito Sukeyuki's command sword, then released his pressure points, and pulled him to kneel on the ground: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Ito Sukeyuki knelt there with his head bowed, saying nothing. Yan'er asked, "General Ito Sukeyuki, is there anything else you want to say?"

He remained silent for a long time, prompting Yamada Misada to nudge him repeatedly. Finally, he said, "What can I say? A defeated general should apologize to the Emperor with his death, but my wife has ruined everything. Although I have wronged the Emperor, thousands of brothers have been spared from dying with me. Thinking about it, my wife has her reasons! I accept the Chinese government's punishment!"

Yan'er smiled, "Your wife is truly righteous. On behalf of the Chinese government and army, I accept your fleet's surrender and your uprising. Please get up. Our General Weng Tonghe needs to handle some formalities with you. Please rest on Jeju Island!" She then helped Yamada Misada up, and Yamada Misada helped Ito Sukeyuki up.

The East China Sea Fleet escorted the Japanese fleet into Jeju Port.

Upon receiving Yan'er's call, I slapped my thigh with delight: "This is what you call a sudden change of love! The power of love made Yamada Misaki take extraordinary actions, saving Ito Sukeyuki's life! Okay, you discuss it with Zhen'er. My idea is to let Ito Sukeyuki and Yamada Misaki work for her. After all, Ito Sukeyuki is a war criminal; we can't let them hold positions in the government!" Damn it

, this will make Mutsuhito tremble. His subordinates aren't a monolithic group after all!

Chapter Nineteen: Strategic Planning

I convened an emergency military meeting in Hunchun, China. Officers of regimental rank and above from Li Bingheng's troops, Haibo Group Army, Li Gang Group Army, and Ma Yukun Group Army, as well as officers of captain rank and above from the Far East Fleet and Heilongjiang Fleet, all attended the meeting.

At the meeting, I analyzed the situation of both sides. I said, "Russia is different from Japan. First, it is a large country spanning Eurasia with abundant financial resources, giving it the capacity to wage a protracted war. Second, it shares a land border with North Korea, making its logistical supply difficult to cut off. Third, the force that has come is the main force of the Second Cossack Army, Russia's elite force, known for its fierce and large-scale battles, with relatively sophisticated weaponry and powerful artillery regiments. They are a tough nut to crack for us! However, they also have fatal weaknesses. One is that their troops are arrogant and disrespectful to everyone, even though we have managed to infiltrate the Cossacks into an independent..." The brigade's troops were nearly out of food, but they didn't take it seriously. They believed the Chinese army could defeat any army, but they couldn't get past them. As the ancients said, pride comes before a fall. This made them underestimate their enemy in strategy and tactics, sowing the seeds of their defeat. Secondly, although their weapons were sophisticated, they were still far inferior to ours. Our current equipment is, without exaggeration, more than twenty years ahead of theirs! Thirdly, it was precisely because of the land connection that they could advance so boldly and recklessly, carrying less supplies. If we cut off their supply lines… They will soon be running out of ammunition and supplies! Fourthly, they are a European country, their center is in Europe, and they are invading our territory from a distance. If the fighting drags on, they will run out of manpower and resources. Their army in the Far East is only 100,000 strong at full strength. We have already annihilated or are in the process of annihilating 30,000 in Luojin, and now another 30,000 are coming, leaving them with only 40,000. They have to defend such a large area, defend against Chinese troops in Heilongjiang, and prevent resistance from the Chinese people in the occupied territories. They are already stretched thin. Having lost the possibility of further reinforcements, as long as we hold them off and annihilate them on the spot in Korea, we can buy time for Minister Li's army to liberate Vladivostok. Besides these 100,000 troops, they also have a mobile force: the Pacific Fleet. This fleet currently has three 4,000-ton battleships, four 2,000-ton cruisers, and four torpedo boats. Not only is their total tonnage far less than ours, but their numbers are also lower, and their equipment is far inferior. Therefore, annihilating this fleet is a foregone conclusion!

At this point, the crowd below became excited and began to whisper among themselves.

But I immediately changed the subject: "However, we must also recognize that this battle will be very difficult for us. First, we haven't yet wiped out the Russian troops in the battle of Rajin, and it will tie down most of our forces. This means that we can only spare one corps of 10,000 men to block the 2nd Cossack Division under Kadeev, which is extremely difficult! The attacks they face will not only be from these 30,000 men, but also from enemy-occupied areas, potentially requiring us to hold off 40,000 to 50,000 men! Second, whether the enemy Pacific Fleet can come out and be destroyed at sea is also crucial. A few days ago, they sailed towards Rajin, but once the battle of Rajin started, they retreated back. We still can't figure out why they retreated!" Did we scare them away by fighting hard in Rajin, or were they scared away by the news that our navy was coming? If they don't come out, it will make the liberation of Vladivostok more difficult! Third, when we will eliminate the enemy surrounded in Rajin depends on the progress of Vice Minister Li Bingheng. If we attack too early or too quickly, the enemy will retreat and defend Vladivostok, increasing the difficulty of our liberation and the damage to the city, which is something we don't want to see! Therefore, we may have to endure a long waiting period! Fourth, the Japanese forces in Korea have not been completely eliminated yet, and they may jump out to cause trouble. We must pay attention to them!

After I finished speaking, Shuzi arranged the combat mission.

She pointed to the large map that Sheng Bao had measured and drawn in advance and said, "Now we have decided to deploy Li Gang with the 112th, 113th, and 114th Divisions of the First Army Group, along with the Central Rocket Artillery Regiment, to lie in wait in the Awudi area of North Korea. Once the Kadeev troops of the 2nd Cossack Division have all entered North Korea, you will quickly seize Hill 425.4, Hill 467.8, and Hill 398.1 here, completely cutting off the enemy's retreat. Quickly construct two defensive positions: one to defend against Russian reinforcements from Vladivostok in the north, and the other to defend against the Kadeev troops' return in the south! Minister Li will lead the Fifth Army Group and the First Tank Division to defend the 2nd Cossack Division's Kadeev troops once they have completely entered North Korea. Once General Li Gang's troops have blocked the enemy's retreat, you will quickly launch an attack, advancing into Russia in three columns to occupy..." The consular district will be divided into three routes: the 120th, 121st, and 122nd Divisions, along with the Central Committee's directly subordinate tank divisions, will attack the enemy from the west side of Lake Khanka, directly striking Vladivostok and cutting off its connection with North Korea; the 123rd and 124th Divisions will be transported across Lake Khanka by the Heilongjiang Fleet to quickly liberate Shuangchengzi; and the 125th and 126th Divisions will advance from the northeast of Lake Khanka to sever Vladivostok's connection with the enemy's interior and intercept enemy reinforcements. The Haibo Group Army will not participate in the battle this time, but it must prepare to cross the river at Heihe, Aihui, Qikete, and Tongjiang to contain the enemy, while simultaneously preparing for battle to prevent the enemy from opening another front!

She looked at Huang Jianxun and Sa Zhenbing and said, "The current strength of the East China Sea Fleet is still an unknown quantity for Russia. Their retreat this time has two possibilities: one is to avoid the Chinese fleet, but this possibility is very likely..." Given Russia's arrogant attitude, it's unlikely they would back down out of fear of the Chinese fleet! Secondly, they are very likely on some mission, more precisely, possibly to transport troops for a landing at Rajin, aiming to both relieve the besieged enemy and seize a port! But regardless, we must eliminate them at sea to avoid adding further trouble to land operations! Therefore, you two will each lead a fleet. Sa Zhenbing will take the three ships Longnu, Zhenwo, and Zhenyi to lure the enemy out, using every possible means to draw them out. Once the Pacific Fleet appears, you will begin your retreat. Do not linger in battle, do not reveal your strength, and do everything possible to lure the enemy fleet to the waters off Rajin. Huang Jianxun will lead the remaining warships to conceal themselves in that area. Once the Pacific Fleet appears, immediately encircle them. Do not be greedy for capturing enemy ships; annihilate them quickly to ensure... "Let the enemy threaten the encirclement of Ma Yukun's troops!"

She then looked at Ma Yukun and said, "Your unit's main task now is to encircle but not annihilate. Once Kadeev's army is blocked by General Li Gang's forces, you should resolutely, swiftly, and thoroughly eliminate the enemy, and then quickly head north to join General Li Gang in encircling and annihilating Kadeev's army!"

Saying this, she turned her gaze to several generals of the Korean army: "This hunt for the northern bears wasn't assigned to you, mainly because maintaining local security is a heavy responsibility. I hope you will effectively maintain order and assist in supporting the front lines."

After she finished her instructions, I stood up and asked, "Is there anyone who doesn't understand this mission?"

Immediately, everyone answered in unison, "We understand perfectly!"

I then asked, "Does anyone have any difficulties they can raise?"

Again, everyone immediately answered, "No difficulties!"

I said, "Since there are no problems, then we must resolutely implement the headquarters' operational plan. We must do a good job of ideological work among the troops, and carry forward the same fierce and ruthless spirit we had when fighting the Japanese, annihilating them without leaving a single survivor! We must demonstrate our military might and our national prestige!"

All the officers shouted in unison, "Principal, rest assured, we will definitely annihilate the Russian soldiers!"

I looked at Li Bingheng beside me and said, "Vice Minister Li, is there anything else you would like to say?"

Li Bingheng stood up and said, "The Empress's battle plan was devised by His Majesty and a dozen of us working day and night. It consists of four steps: besieging the stronghold and attacking reinforcements, closing the gate and attacking the bear, luring the snake out of its hole, and annihilating it in one fell swoop! In the War of Resistance Against Japan, we have already demonstrated China's national prestige, but it is not enough to wash away our national humiliation. This battle must demonstrate our military might and national prestige, truly..." "Establish China's status as a great power! Let foreign barbarians no longer dare to underestimate us! For so many years, our Qing army has only been abandoning land. Today, we will open up a new chapter and begin to reclaim the territories occupied by the enemy! We must be soldiers who expand our territory, soldiers who defend a powerful China! We must ensure that foreign barbarians no longer dare to underestimate China, and no longer dare to invade the Qing Dynasty!"

His words stirred the morale of the entire audience. I immediately started singing the military song of the Chinese People's Liberation Army: "Forward, forward, forward! Our troops march towards the sun—"

The powerful and majestic song echoed in the hall for a long time—the day after our military conference, the Russian 2nd Cossack Division, supporting Brigade Commander Nikolayev's army, marched aggressively into Korea. Commander Kuropatkin of the Russian Far East Army also moved his headquarters to a small town only 200 kilometers from Korea. Furthermore, during a meeting with foreign journalists, he shamelessly declared, "The annihilation of the Chinese army is only a matter of time. This general will announce to the world in Seoul on Christmas Day that Korea has been incorporated into Russia!"

Damn it, his head must have been hit by a bear or filled with water; he still can't see through my grand bear-hunting plan—he's utterly stupid! Want to annihilate the Chinese army? Does he even have a brain?

But his division commander, Kadeev, realized something was wrong as soon as he entered Korea. His 30,000 troops had only advanced 100 kilometers when the Chinese army blocked their path. They could advance, but retreating was impossible. This immediately led Kadeev to suspect they were surrounded by the Chinese army. Moreover, because they hadn't considered the possibility of their supply lines being cut off, their supplies and ammunition were limited. What would the troops eat if supplies stopped? How would they replenish their ammunition? Kadeev immediately ordered his troops to

fight to the death to seize those high grounds and restore access to the Russian-occupied territory. He also ordered the army to temporarily halt their advance and avoid getting bogged down again!

As soon as Li Gang succeeded, Shu'er immediately ordered Ma Yukun's troops to launch a general offensive against the besieged enemy. Shells rained down like locusts, instantly turning Nikolayev's army into a bloody mess.

As soon as the artillery fire stopped, the Chinese army charged forward. Despite the Cossacks' bravery and tenacity, the soldiers, weakened by cold and hunger, were no match for the ferocious Chinese army. They had no choice but to fight and retreat, quickly compressing the enemy into a small ravine. The harsh terrain and their depleted ammunition and supplies forced them to raise their surrender flag the next day. With their heads tucked in their hands, they walked out of the ravine under the supervision of Chinese soldiers and climbed onto the Chinese army's prisoner transport trucks.

At the same time, Kadeev was directing his soldiers in a fierce attack on the Chinese troops on three hills.

Batches of shells almost relentlessly ravaged the front lines of the three hills, sending rocks flying, burning trees, and leaving behind a desolate, suffocating wasteland! Kadeev, seeing through his binoculars that there was no longer anyone there, immediately ordered his soldiers to charge.

The fierce Cossacks, bayoneted Mauser rifles, roared as they charged up the hill!

500 meters. No response. 200 meters. Still no response. 100 meters. Still no response!

50 meters. Still no Chinese visible on the hilltop. Kadeev immediately shouted, "Follow-up troops, tear this gap open and connect with the logistics troops behind!"

The main Russian force surged out of their positions, rushing towards the Chinese-occupied high ground!

Suddenly, gunfire erupted from the hilltop, and rows of Russian soldiers tumbled and fell down the slope amidst the gunfire! But the fierce Cossacks still charged forward, immediately engaging the Chinese soldiers in hand-to-hand combat with their broadswords.

Seeing the situation was dire, Li Gang immediately sent another regiment up, and the fighting on the position grew increasingly fierce.

Kadeev urged his soldiers to swarm up the hill—but it was too late. Chinese soldiers had already cleared the Cossacks who had rushed up and secured the position. At the same time, the loud Chinese cannons roared into action, and the Russian soldiers who had already leaped out of their positions began a joyous dismemberment dance amidst the shelling! Arms and legs of Russian soldiers flew everywhere, and blood splattered everywhere!

Even worse, after the Chinese cannons had thoroughly ravaged the open ground, they extended their fire. Shells exploded inside the Russian fortifications, and explosions began right around Kadeev. Sand and gravel rained down on him, and his guards dragged him backward, but they couldn't escape the range of the Chinese cannons. Sand and gravel continued to pelt him, leaving him utterly disheveled.

Worse still, his artillery position, which had just been firing at the Chinese positions, had been completely bombarded by Chinese shells; now, not a single cannon remained operational.

The first wave of attacks ended with over 3,000 Russian soldiers killed and over 2,000 wounded, and the loss of an artillery regiment, while the Chinese army suffered over 800 dead and over 1,000 wounded.

Kadeev led his troops back a short distance before reorganizing and setting up positions.

The first day passed just like that. Kadeev then transferred another artillery regiment that day. He told the regimental commander, Kossyga, "You don't need to worry about anything else. Just find the Chinese mountain artillery positions and silence their cannons!"

Kossyga had never faced Chinese artillery before and didn't know their strength. He immediately raised his hand in salute and said, "Please rest assured, General, there is no enemy we cannot defeat in front of our 157th Artillery Regiment! Why bother with that useless Qing army!"

He returned to the artillery regiment and immediately sent a team of scouts to sneak towards the Chinese positions. The scouts easily found the Chinese artillery positions, drew up the survey maps, and were about to leave when they were discovered by a Chinese patrol. They were chased away and killed three men. The remaining three men, panting and exhausted, crawled and rolled back to the artillery regiment.

Kossyga looked at the survey map, and overjoyed, he patted his backside and hugged and kissed the three scouts. He raised his glass to them, saying, "Worth it! Three died today, but tomorrow we'll trade an entire artillery regiment for them!"

The next day, as soon as Kadeev gave the order, Kossyga ordered his artillery regiment to bombard the Chinese artillery positions, sending sand and gravel flying and cannon barrels soaring into the sky. Kossyga was so happy he patted his backside again, but the deputy regimental commander beside him said indifferently, "Can real cannon barrels fly that high? They look like hollow pieces of wood to me."

He was stunned, but the Chinese artillery didn't let him think any further. A deluge of shells rained down on his positions, instantly engulfing them in smoke. Kossyga died without understanding why the Chinese artillery, whom he thought had been wiped out, was firing at them again.

Kadeev had just ordered his soldiers to charge the Chinese positions when he saw his artillery regiment vanish. Enraged, he jumped high, shouting frantically, "Charge! Take that hill!"

The battle was fierce. Deprived of artillery cover, the Russian army relied on sheer numbers to repeatedly surge up the hill, only to be routed time and again by the Chinese soldiers. Both sides suffered heavy losses.

But by the afternoon, the pressure on Li Gang's troops had increased even more. Russian troops from Vladivostok were attacking from both sides, and Li Gang's forces were caught in a pincer movement. Fierce hand-to-hand combat frequently erupted on the hilltop, with several small positions changing hands multiple times—luckily, the rocket artillery units fought with increasing ferocity, suppressing the enemy artillery and preventing the loss of the positions.

After a fierce battle until nightfall, the enemy on both sides suddenly retreated like a tide, and the situation on the battlefield changed dramatically. The Chinese army pressed in from all sides, and the initiative was completely in their hands!

Chapter Twenty: A Feast for the Eyes

September is the season of frost-covered mountains in Heilongjiang. The rolling hills are mottled with frost. The leading tree in the forest is the oak, its leaves dyed red by the frost, like torches burning with blazing flames; the beautiful woman is the graceful birch, somewhat like a Russian girl, with a head full of golden hair, which contrasts with her jade-white body, making her appear exceptionally dignified and beautiful; the majestic poplar is tall and straight, looking down proudly at the surrounding trees, yet constantly expressing its love for the birch, generously scattering its golden leaves; the steady pine stands still, wearing its green robe, proudly standing alone, like a mountain The forest's guardians; the old elm, not wanting to be left out, stretched out its gnarled branches, stroking the low-lying ash tree beside it, whispering something to it; the mangrove trees in the mountains beside them blushed with embarrassment, surely having overheard their private conversation—I stood on a hill outside Dongning City, admiring the vast northern forest, with Min'er nestled close to me, her head resting on my shoulder. Seeing me gazing into the distance in a daze, she whispered, "Long live the Emperor, we should go, they've already gone far away!"

I glanced at the guards leading their horses in the distance, and then it dawned on me that today we were entering the Far East, a region occupied by Russia for over 30 years! I said softly, “Let’s go. Facing this beautiful land, I feel the weight of the responsibility on my shoulders even more! So, do you like China?”

“Yes! My husband’s country is my country. How could I not like my own country?” she said softly. With a wave of her hand, a guard brought over two horses. We leaped onto our warhorses and galloped forward—Li Bingheng had already led his troops across the blockade and into the Russian-occupied territory. The gunfire and smoke had been dispersed by the autumn wind, and the land was quiet. Only the hooves of our dozen or so warhorses pounded the earth, making an inspiring sound.

We caught up with my guard regiment. Regiment Commander Li Xianglin handed Min'er a battle report. Min'er tore open the letter, glanced at it, and said, "Minister Li's army has annihilated the Cossack cavalry regiment! More than three hundred of our soldiers died! They are now advancing! The second detachment has liberated Shuangchengzi. The Chinese people are overjoyed, chasing Russian officials through the streets with broadswords! The third detachment is not progressing well, fighting fiercely against the enemy from both sides, losing more than a thousand soldiers. However, His Majesty's father-in-law, Army Commander Xu, is quite confident. He says they have almost wiped out the enemy's main force and will soon advance!" As

dusk fell, we stopped at the border between Mudanjiang and the Far East. Li Xianglin, while directing the soldiers to set up camp, said to us, "This is none of His Majesty's business. Consort Min, why don't you accompany His Majesty to see the landscapes of our motherland? We'll enter enemy-occupied territory tomorrow!"

Min'er was eager to have a chance to walk with me alone, and she immediately took my arm and walked forward happily.

The distant rumble of cannons still echoed, and I knew the battle wasn't going well. Russian soldiers possessed an innate ferocity; they wouldn't easily back down on the battlefield. I thought of Zuo Baogui's report—Russia was reinforcing its troops in the Far East from the interior, and he requested a surprise attack. After much deliberation, I rejected his suggestion. Our national strength didn't yet allow for a major war. Five or six years of rebuilding were far too short; neither the country nor the people were wealthy enough! The Qing Dynasty's economy, nearly collapsed by Empress Dowager Cixi and foreign invasions, had only recently recovered and couldn't withstand further turmoil! These two major battles alone—if it weren't for Zhen'er contributing 50 million taels of silver to the national treasury, and Zeng Jize borrowing 30 million taels from Britain, and Changxu using that money to buy large quantities of military supplies—Li Hongzhang would have been in dire straits long ago! We probably wouldn't have lasted this long! But we couldn't just wait for his reinforcements; I had to resolve this battle before they arrived! I calculated the time; their reinforcements wouldn't arrive for about a week. We had to finish the battle within five days and then consolidate our defensive line against them.

Min'er loved the tranquil atmosphere. Her head rested on my shoulder, and she softly hummed a Korean song, almost completely immersed in the peace of nature.

Darkness gradually fell, the distant mountains fading like floating clouds, and the damp forest air grew stronger, a faint, lingering fragrance. After walking a while longer, the night deepened, and the distant howls of wolves and bears echoed.

I whispered, "It's too late, let's go back, it's time for dinner!"

Min'er said nothing, but stubbornly held my hand and led me forward.

Suddenly, a jolt went through me, and a murderous aura instantly rushed towards us. I quickly shoved Min'er, letting her roll down the grass to the back, while I dodged backward. A dark shadow flew in, and I avoided a fatal blow, instinctively grabbing the person

in my arms: "Wow, so soft! How come she's a woman?" The scene was bizarre. An assassin was being tightly held in the arms of the person she was about to kill, her high, firm breasts pressed against my chest, her soft, pert buttocks being kneaded by my large hand.

I felt like I'd been electrocuted and instantly let go, but she immediately lunged at me with the dagger in her hand.

I quickly twisted her hand, snatched the dagger, and threw it to the stunned Min'er. Then I held her tightly again, ignoring her struggles. Her small mouth bit my shoulder, her slender legs kicked me repeatedly, and she twisted her buttocks, trying to break free of my embrace. Her hands pounded my back, but I didn't let go.

Min'er had recovered. She leaped up, brandishing the dagger, and like a mad mother leopard, lunged at the woman. I was startled and dodged, grabbing the woman in my arms. Min'er froze: "You don't want to kill her? She's going to kill us!"

The woman froze too. She stopped struggling, wrapped her arms tightly around my neck, and pressed her face against mine. The murderous intent was gone, replaced by a faint, sweet fragrance emanating from her body. I knew she was no longer hostile!

I carried her as we walked back, asking, "Why did you want to kill me?"

She didn't answer, but her small hands gently stroked my back, her face rubbing against mine, tickling me! Her body trembled incessantly, as if she were crying.

I kept asking, "Tell me, why did you want to kill me? You can't be mute, can you?"

She still didn't speak, but suddenly raised her head and kissed my face several times with her soft, wet lips. Then she buried her head in my chest and wrapped her arms around my waist again.

I patted her bottom and pressed on, "Tell me, why did you want to kill me?"

She suddenly looked up, and although I couldn't see her face, I could clearly see her bright, shining eyes. She stared at me for a long time, then suddenly shouted, "What are you still asking? I've already given you my body, and you still don't trust me? Do you really want me to say that because you're the emperor of China and you're killing our people, I have to assassinate you? Does that sound nice?"

I was stunned. Her broken Chinese told me that she was Russian.

I pulled her closer to me: "The Russians have seized vast swathes of our territory and killed so many of our brothers. Should we just stand there and wait to be slaughtered? Shouldn't we reclaim our lost land? Last century, Russia was a great principality in Europe. This century, you took advantage of our weakness and seized over five million square kilometers of our land. Shouldn't we take it back?"

She was stunned, and after a moment, she said, "My father is too greedy! I've advised him so many times, but he won't listen!"

This time, I was stunned. I paused for a moment before saying, "You're the Tsar's daughter?"

She hugged me and kissed me, saying, "My little daughter, Catherine, how about it? Being your sweetheart isn't beneath your dignity as Emperor, is it?"

I asked, "You're not going to kill me?"

"I've been following you all day. Your dashing figure and imposing aura have already captivated me! But national hatred still drives me to kill you. Just now, you didn't let your woman kill me, which instantly turned my hatred into love. I've already been betrothed to someone else by my father, I can't help it, I can't resist. But I still have my virginity, my heart is still my own. I want to be your little lover, I want to give you my first time, you won't object, will you?" After saying that, she hugged me and kissed me, her little lilac stuffed into my mouth, stirring it around, and she was humming softly through her nose, putting on an act of letting me taste her tender tofu!

I'm not stupid. Using this honey trap on the battlefield, are you trying to make me give up Vladivostok? I won't do that. No matter how beautiful you are, you can't resist my harbor! Besides, I haven't even seen your true face yet!

I turned my head away from her mouth, slapped her bottom, and said, "Even being a lover doesn't require this much haste! Tell me, what conditions do you want?"

She was taken aback by my question. She stared blankly into my eyes for a moment before saying, "Can love come with conditions? I like you and want to spend the night with you. That doesn't need any reason or conditions. Love is love, and there's no room for anything else! I'm not a prostitute; I won't trade my virginity for anything! Not even money, not even an empire!"

Hearing her resolute words, I was speechless. I hadn't expected that she, who seemed so casual about giving herself to a stranger, would take this matter so seriously!

I didn't say anything more, but instead held her tightly in my arms.

When we arrived at the main tent, Li Xianglin saw that I had brought back another woman and hurriedly led us into a tent.

I placed the girl on the made-up bed, and Min'er hurriedly brought me a basin of warm water. I was about to wash my face when I looked up and saw the girl: "Wow, she's absolutely stunning!"

Her fair complexion with a rosy glow, her arched eyebrows, her delicate nose, her long eyelashes, her large, yellowish-green eyes, her golden hair, and her curvaceous, devilish figure—all of these made it impossible to look away! They say Moscow is full of beautiful women, and it's no exaggeration!

The girl stared at me blankly, speechless for a long time. Then, suddenly, she threw herself into my arms, hugging me and bursting into tears: "Why? Why are we enemies? Why can't we pledge our lives to each other? Why can't I marry you for our sake?"

I held her tightly, comforting her: "Russia isn't your decision, but didn't you just say it? Your own love, your own heart, you can still decide for yourself, right?"

After a long while, her crying finally stopped. She gritted her teeth and said, "I've decided. I don't care about war, I don't care about being enemies, I'll be your little lover!"

Min'er looked at me, then at the girl, and quietly went out.

I patted her: "Come on, be good, get down and wash your face!"

She twisted in my arms: "Okay, you wash me! I want to enjoy my lover's care!"

This girl, she knows how to enjoy herself! I held her, washed our faces together, then went back to bed and put her on the bed.

She suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around my neck, and brought her little mouth to my lips. After a while, I finally understood her "mmm" and hurriedly stuck out my tongue. She immediately took it into her mouth and began to suck on it sweetly!

My tongue felt sore and numb from her enveloping it, and my lower body couldn't stay still. It stood up abruptly and pressed tightly against the girl's lower abdomen.

The girl chuckled, releasing her burning tongue from my mouth, and stared at my face, saying, "You want it? You want my body?"

My face flushed red, and I quickly said, "Come on, get down, I need to eat!"

She hugged me stubbornly, saying, "You still haven't answered me? Do you want my body?"

I kissed her, "I haven't thought about it yet. We still need to eat, and I still need to deal with the official reports! You know, our army is fighting the Russians, that is, your father's army!"

She nodded obediently, "I know. Although you want it now, you are the emperor, you have to deal with important military and national affairs. Only after you've finished dealing with them can you enjoy a woman's affection!"

I nodded! She immediately said excitedly, "So you agree to be my sweetheart?"

I nodded again. She immediately got up: "Come on, let's eat! Hey, where's that sister? I've never been someone's sweetheart before, I don't know anything about that, I need her to teach me. Can she join us in making love? You won't object, will you?"

I was stunned: "Is she naive? Open-minded? Or does she want to integrate into my circle of women? At least it's a way of showing goodwill to Min'er, right?"

Min'er directed the servants to bring the food to the tent, and she slipped me a note when the girl wasn't looking. I turned to leave, but the girl grabbed me. The two whispered for a while, and Min'er laughed and punched her, then nodded with a blush and said, "Then let's listen to our sister, let's eat first!" After

the three of us finished eating, I hurriedly walked out of the tent and looked at the note in the light from the doorway. It read: "Minister Li is here, waiting for you in the main tent!"

I rushed to the main tent and saw Li Bingheng and Changxu waiting there. Seeing me enter the room, both men stood up. "Long live the Emperor! Are you alright?"

I took their hands and asked, "What's wrong? Is the bone too tough to chew?"

Li Bingheng said, "Everything is as expected! Nothing difficult, just a slight change in the enemy situation. The enemy on the northern front has transferred a division of about 20,000 men from Khabarovsk, and they've already set off from Khabarovsk!"

I turned to Li Xianglin and said, "Set up the defenses. Don't let that new woman come over. Call all the staff officers; we need to have an emergency meeting!"

In less than fifteen minutes, several staff officers came running, panting. I laughed and said, "What's the rush? You just ate; don't get indigestion!"

The staff officers hung up a large map, and I took a closer look. Li Bingheng pointed out the enemy's location. Damn it, it'll take three days to reach the northern front. If that happens, the pressure there will be immense!

I paced around the tent for a while before finally stopping. I said to Li Bingheng, "Have Haibo's troops cross the river at Khabarovsk, launch a short attack, draw the enemy back, and then withdraw!"

Li Bingheng said hesitantly, "Haibo will be difficult to defeat; most of the Heilongjiang navy is here!" Hearing

this, I suddenly understood. It was precisely because the Heilongjiang navy was concentrated here that the enemy at Khabarovsk felt comfortable enough to send troops to support the Far East!

What a terrible move! I made an absolutely terrible mistake! This mistake made Haibo's feint attack seem like a laughable child's play!

How can I remedy this?

After pacing around for a while, I suddenly remembered that Haibo had a secret fleet on Ganchazi Island in Chikert. Chikert is located between Hailanpao and Khabarovsk. If a Chinese fleet suddenly appeared there, would Khabarovsk still dare to send troops out? Then Haibo's secret would be exposed! After weighing the options for a long time, I finally slammed my hand on the table and said, "Notify Haibo to let his fleet sail into Chikert harbor in broad daylight and make it look like he's about to cross the river. If the enemy turns back, we'll lay low. If he ignores us, let Haibo take advantage of the situation to cross the river and seize him!"

Li Bingheng was delighted and said, "Great! Let's use the strategy of 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao'! Let Haibo make it look like he's attacking Khabarovsk! Let's see if he dares to touch those small fry!"

The telegram was sent, and Haibo replied a moment later: "The soldiers are boarding the ships and will resolutely carry out the order!"

After seeing that the arrangements were complete, Li Bingheng was about to leave, and I said, "Why don't you two rest here for the night?"

Changxu, because he was the commander-in-chief on the northern front, refused to stay no matter what. He took his guard company and left in a few cars.

As soon as Li Bingheng saw Changxu leave, he immediately laughed and said, "Your Majesty is quite the ladies' man! I heard you've brought in a Russian girl, and your guards are practically staring at her!"

I had no choice but to tell the truth. He laughed and said, "That makes things easier. Detain her and force the Tsar to withdraw from the occupied territories!"

I laughed and punched him lightly, "That's too underhanded! They trust you, and you're using them as bargaining chips? That's incredibly immoral! Besides, the Tsar won't withdraw his troops for her! Don't even think about it. We can't afford to lose face internationally!"

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