Chapter 241: Brothers are jealous of each other and resist their humiliation.

Chapter 241: Brothers are jealous of each other and resist their humiliation.

Chapter 241: Brothers are jealous of each other and resist their humiliation.
Bai Yanhu, who was about to fight against Dong Fuxiang's troops, suddenly found himself surrounded on three sides.

Especially the artillery fire from the south made him frightened. Is this the main force of the Huai Army coming?
He immediately lost confidence in his judgment that the Huai Army was short of food. How could there be so many enemies? This is unreasonable. God, you are bullying me!

Bai Yanhu raised the telescope and observed carefully. It was undoubtedly the Dong unit of the Huai Army coming from the east.

The ones in the north are wearing Qing army uniforms, and they don't look like Huai Army, but they are carrying rifles on their backs, so they are not easy to mess with.

Moreover, they are excellent riders, and are obviously an elite team that is proficient in both infantry and cavalry and has comprehensive combat tactics.

The Tibetan soldiers in the south, carrying flintlock rifles and wearing simple clothes, looked unskillful. However, judging from their horseback postures, they were real cavalrymen who wielded sabers.

I am not afraid of the cavalry alone, but I can't defeat them if they are cooperated with the Huai Army infantry.

The levels of the enemy forces coming from three directions are uneven, so it is possible to defeat them one by one.

But at this time, Bai Yanhu's overly cautious and timid nature kicked in. He judged others by himself, and my subordinates were all temporarily under my command. I had no idea if they would fight to the death for me in a hand-to-hand fight at a critical moment.

Without giving him more time to think, Bai Yanhu instinctively gave the order, "Retreat! Move to Baicheng!"

Led by Bai Yanhu, more than 11,000 bandits turned their horses around and escaped.

Tens of thousands of ordinary people jumped for joy and cheered. The imperial soldiers finally arrived and drove away Bai Yanhu’s gang. We are saved!
Dong Fuxiang was full of enthusiasm, "Hurry and report to the commander of Luntai, we have won!"

…………

Three days later, Kuqa.

Shao Quanzhong met with the leaders of two groups of reinforcements who came to help at the critical moment.

Coming from the north were the 3,000 Qing troops from the Solon Camp and the Xibe Camp led by Dong Jun.

"I am Dong Jun, your humble servant, here to see General Shao."

The general that Dong Jun mentioned refers to the General of Ili who is temporarily served by Shao Quanzhong. Dong Jun is now Shao Quanzhong's direct subordinate.

"Why did you suddenly appear in Kuqa?"

"Reporting to the general, our Solon and Xibe camps have been stationed in Yili all year round to guard the border for the country and understand the local geography. After I cooperated with General Nie Shicheng to capture Manas, I returned to Yili and received the news that the general recommended me and awarded me the title of Cloud Cavalry Captain. I heard that the general was conquering the foreign tribes in southern Xinjiang, so I led my men through the ancient Wusun Road between the Tianshan Mountains and sneaked to Kuche. Originally, we were planning to destroy the enemy's rear, but we didn't expect the general to advance so quickly and had already reached Kuche. Our scouts got the news and went to the battlefield to help."

The boat was small and easy to turn around. Dong Jun had only 3,000 men in total. They left the Tianshan Mountains from the southern entrance of the ancient Wusun Road and collected some cattle and sheep from local nomadic tribes, which was basically enough for food. They were originally preparing for long-term guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines.

Whether it was the Kokand people from the west or Bai Yanhu from Shaanxi, they were all outsiders to Yili Province and had no idea of ​​the secrets of the Wusun Ancient Road. Dong Jun led his troops to descend from the sky and provided a great help at the critical moment.

"Has Manas been captured? What is the specific situation?"

It is estimated that the news has already reached Korla, but Shao Quanzhong still learned about it from Dong Jun.

"I did not participate in the attack on Manas. I only stopped the bandits from escaping westwards on the west bank of the Manas River."

It’s good to win. There will definitely be battle reports from the rear of Korla with specific details.

Dong Jun made it sound like he was traveling through the ancient Wusun Road. However, Shao Quanzhong knew from the tattered clothes and weather-beaten faces of the three thousand Solon and Xibe soldiers that it would be strange if the ancient road through the Tianshan Mountains was easy to travel, and they must have gone through a lot of hardships.

These banner warriors were completely different from the Eight Banners dandies who played crickets and walked birds in the capital. They retained the bravery of hunting in the white mountains and black waters. They were special forces who could use swords on horseback, shoot guns on dismount, and even pull horses and walk across the Tianshan trails.

The real elite Eight Banners were versatile like the Cossacks, but unlike the Cossacks, they were not loyal to whoever fed them and had no political stance, they would work for whoever paid them.

There are not many elite troops like this in our Qing Dynasty. Most of the Manchus have degenerated under the corrosion of iron crops.

Otherwise, it would not have become what it is now, where Han militia was needed to support the country's destiny, and the Hunan Army, Huai Army, Chu Army, and Shanghai Army rose up.

The world is complicated. When suppressing the uprising, these elite Eight Banners were the enemies of the Han people. But when fighting against foreign humiliation, everyone needs to work together to form a united front.

Does it look familiar? There is nothing new in history.

"You have worked hard. Take a good rest. When the baggage train arrives, I will equip you with breech-loading rifles. Follow me on the westward expedition."

"Whoo!"

Dong Jun bowed, stood up, and walked out of the tent.

Shao Quanzhong looked at the Tibetan leader Wang Nima.

He claimed to be a Han Chinese, but his face was red from the highlands, his felt robe was right-fronted, his right arm was bare, and when he came, he was followed by two Tibetan mastiffs. He didn't look like a Han Chinese at all, and his subordinates were all Tubo soldiers with simple equipment. "My ancestors were guards of Princess Wencheng. Although they lived in Tubo for generations and intermarried with Tibetans, they never forgot that they were Chinese.

Two years ago, when Yakub Beg attacked Kashgar, the local Dungans contacted our armed forces in the snowy region to fight against the foreign invaders. Unfortunately, we were no match for Yakub Beg and retreated all the way from Kashgar to Kuche.

Half a year ago, our joint forces with the Dungans were defeated by Yakub Beg in Kuqa. I risked my life with the remaining troops and fled into the desert, avoiding Yakub Beg's pursuit.

Originally, Yakub Beg wanted to kill us all, but when he heard that the Huai Army had entered Ili Province and Bai Yanhu had sent people to surrender, Yakub Beg was in a hurry to go north, so he let us go.

We have no power to attack the city, so we can only wander around Shaya, south of Kuche. It is close to the desert, the pastures are barren, and the herdsmen's cattle and sheep are not enough to support our 3,000 troops. If the general hadn't come, we would have already dispersed. "

The Dungans mentioned by Wang Nima are the same people as Bai Yanhu in Yili Province. There are three sources of modern Dungans, one of which is the descendants of Bai Yanhu's tribe.

However, the name Dungans has existed for a long time. Britain and Germany called them that in 1830. In 1837, the Russians also began to call the Uighurs in Yili Province that way.

Yakub Beg's army was in a state of panic and rushed to attack the north without even having reorganized its rear. This was also the consequence of the Huai Army's entry into Yili Province.

Because Shao Quanzhong led his men to advance too quickly, the hidden dangers left by Yakub Beg had not yet dissipated, and the Huai Army arrived, causing Yakub Beg's son-in-law Bai Yanhu to suffer as a result.

The Tibetan army retained several light camel cannons, some of which were even ancient bronze cannons, which did not require aiming but fired directly at the camel's back.

But Bai Yanhu didn't know, and couldn't tell in a hurry, and was frightened by the bombardment and ran away. He ran all the way from Shaanxi, and he didn't know that his father-in-law had left a group of Tibetans in Kuche for him to hide.

Dong Fuxiang has already absorbed two thousand local Uighur natives, plus the troops of Fat Tiger, Wang Nima and Dong Jun. Now Shao Quanzhong has all five tribes under his command.

Will I still fly the Five-Colored Flag in the future? I miss it so much.

"Report, Bai Yanhu's troops have joined the reinforcements sent by Berkhur in Baicheng. The total number of troops exceeds 20,000. They are stationed in Baicheng and are resisting stubbornly."

"Report, two machine gun companies and two rapid-fire artillery companies have arrived in Kuche."

Well, after leaving the Tiemenguan Canyon, the baggage transport moved much faster, and heavy firepower finally arrived.

Shao Quanzhong calculated that there were 20,000 enemies in Baicheng, and if reinforcements continued to arrive, it would be difficult to deal with.

Now he had joined forces with the Tibetans and the Xibe and Solon camps, with a force of more than 16,000, as well as artillery and heavy firepower support, food and guns. He could take the initiative to attack Baicheng and defeat the coalition forces of Bai Yanhu and Bakhuli, so as to prevent the enemy from gathering more and more and counterattacking Kuqa.

"Come on, assemble the troops and march out to worship the city!"

Two days later, in the south of Baicheng, Shao Quanzhong's army faced the coalition forces of Bai Yanhu and Bokehuli across the Weigan River.

The enemy's flags were flying, but they were not flying the flag of the pseudo-Hongfu Khanate, but the red star and crescent flag of the Ottoman Empire.

Shao Quanzhong picked up a telescope and looked into the distance. In the center of the enemy army, he saw the figure of a Turkish officer in the distance.

Shao Quanzhong was furious. "I went on a western expedition to fight the rebels and Yakub Beg. How come the Ottoman Turks got involved? How dare a sick country chicken from West Asia invade Yili Province?"

Shao Quanzhong rolled his eyes and said, well, most likely the British have left, and Berkhamsted has found a new master for himself, and the opponents are still the Kokand soldiers.

But that won’t work either. If you fly the Ottoman flag, I will think that the Ottoman Turks have invaded Ili Province.

"The Turks are so bold that they dare to interfere in the internal affairs of the Qing Dynasty. Aren't you asking for trouble? Let me show you how I will deal with you."

Hu Liuniang, who had been following behind silently, reminded Shao Quanzhong, "Yuting, we are not even close to the Ottoman Empire, we can't defeat them."

"Who said I can't defeat them? Come on, go to Guazhou as fast as possible, and send a telegram to Istanbul in my capacity as the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Türkiye has brazenly invaded Ili Province. We strongly protest and ask them to send a telegram to the world, apologize, and pay eight million taels of silver as compensation."

"Um - Yuting, protesting is useless. They won't apologize or give money."

Shao Quanzhong sneered, "I call this courtesy before force.

At the same time, he called Liao Rong in South America and asked him if the matter in South America had been settled.

Once it's done, have him return to London and take the latest warships with him.

The Atlantic Squadron of the Nanyang Fleet was renamed the Mediterranean Squadron and sent to the Aegean Sea.

Beat up the Turkish navy, bombard the coastal cities of the Ottoman Empire, and beat them so hard that they can’t take care of themselves.”

(End of this chapter)