The cold wind whistled and blew away the mist, but the sky was still cloudy and the moisture in the south moved over. If it was still so cloudy in a few days, it might be a storm.

This is Huangnigang Town, a small town in the middle of the Luma River, less than 150 miles from Anqing City.

The Luma River is a small tributary on the north bank of the Yangtze River, also known as the Taihu River. The Wan River originates from the southern foot of the Yinghuo Mountains (Dabie Mountains). This river flows from northwest to southeast and enters the river twenty miles west of Anqing City. Because it runs across Taihu County, this river has become an important channel for the New Army Qiucao troops to transport supplies. In addition, the simple road specially built for Qiucao passes through Huangnigang Town. There is also an iron bridge built by the engineering camp outside the town. Therefore, in recent times, this usually unknown town has become bustling with traffic, troops traveling from east to west, and supplies and vehicles pass through the town from time to time.

Now, the town has actually been taken over by the new army, and the one who issued the takeover order was Duan Fang and Yinchang. At this moment, the two were sitting in the main hall of a wealthy family in the center of the town. They were speechless. Yinchang raised his hand from time to time and scratched his bare forehead. Duan Fang looked sad and sighed constantly.

Since receiving the news of Emperor Guangxu's death, Taihu Qiucao has actually stopped. Just as Duan Fang and Yinchang led a group of officials to cry loudly at Emperor Guangxu's throne, the news of Empress Dowager Cixi's death followed one after another, stopping everyone's crying. Regardless of the size of the official position, almost everyone had a question in their hearts: Why did the emperor and the empress dowager die one after another within two days? Especially Emperor Guangxu, who was less than 40 years old and was in his prime, how could he die if he died? What happened in the capital?

Everyone was talking about it, suspicious. If Duan Fang had not tried his best to suppress it, there would have been rumors everywhere. In fact, not to mention others, even Duan Fang himself would not believe that Emperor Guangxu died of illness. Someone must have murdered the emperor. Who is this person? In connection with the political situation after Wuxu, the murderer was almost about to emerge. But these heart-killing words only circled in their hearts and then quietly buried them.

Regardless of whether the murderer was the person Duan Fang was guessing in his heart, the fact is that the Qing Empire is now ruled by a three-year-old Huangkou child. If it were counted from the early years of Tongzhi, then there would be three sons in the dynasty. Everyone knows the principle of "the country depends on the eldest king", but the country's luck is so good, Duan Fang really has nothing to say.

The only thing that can reassure Duan Fang and others is that the current regent of the Qing Dynasty is no one else, but the biological father of the new emperor, the younger brother of Guangxu, King Xiao Chun Zaifeng. As the saying goes, "father and son are connected to each other." The regent will take charge of the government. In any case, it is always better than the empress dowager who is arbitrary behind the curtain.

But Duan Fang and others were not grateful for it for a long time, and a news that made them even more stunned came:

The new army in Anqing mutiny and blasted the provincial wall and burned the constitutional platform. In just half a night, the rebels captured the provincial wall and officially pulled the flag and rebelled!

What's ridiculous is that this news was not conveyed by the imperial center, but a clear telegram received by Qiu Cao's radio station. The sending was a British warship anchored on the Yangtze River outside Anqing City. Obviously, the British news was much more informed than the imperial court. Of course, it may also be that the court had some concerns, so it did not notify Qiu Cao's new army troops as soon as possible to avoid causing a chain reaction.

The roof is leaking and raining. Now it is a turbulent autumn. The court is really losing sight of one thing. The rebellion was the New Army of Anqing. It was the Tiger Army built by the imperial court to spend national treasury. It has high salary and sufficient food and good treatment. Even such troops can turn against each other. Who can guarantee the loyalty of the New Army of Qiucao in Taihu?

At least Duan Fang and Yinchang could not guarantee the loyalty of the new army in these two towns, especially the ninth town of Jiangsu New Army. Many officers in the town graduated from the Anqing Martial Arts Academy and had interns in the Anhui New Army. They were either classmates or teachers and students with the officers in the Anhui New Army. The relationship between the two sides was quite subtle. If there was a "rebel" who was interested in revolution and was clamoring, Duan Fang and Yinchang would not be able to suppress it.

Therefore, after learning the news, Duan Fang immediately ordered the confidentiality to be kept and must not be spread out, so as to avoid the morale of the army. However, the radio was in charge of several Japanese instructors, and there were many foreign military officers watching the game. Duan Fang could not control them. Therefore, the news was leaked. In just half a day, it was very controversial, and various improved versions were released. The most exaggerated rumor was the claim that the uprising troops had captured Jiangning. Later, even Duan Fang himself was skeptical. Duan Fang was very clear about the combat effectiveness of the old army. Those troops were not only complex weapons, but also old tactics. In the era of machine guns, they were still practicing intensive formations. This kind of army was simply vulnerable to the new army. If the new army of Anqing could really capture enough ships and cannons, they might not be able to go down the river and capture Jiangning in one fell swoop.

The key point is that the court has been silent. Even if Duan Fang and the others sent a telegram to ask, they did not get a clear answer. How can this not shake the morale of the army?

As he had no choice but to order the entire army to withdraw from Taihu County quickly, sending telegrams to the court, and driving towards Huangnigang Town. It is located on a major transportation road. A road to the east can return to Anqing, and the road to the west can lead to Huangzhou. It is the only place to go to Hubei. The new Hubei army drove from there. If the rebels in Anqing want to attack Hubei, it is a only place to pass. Without gunboat cover, the Yangtze River is the court, and the rebels can only walk from here.

At midnight the day before yesterday, the Hubei New Army and Jiangsu New Army all arrived at Huangnigang, but the court's call from the court had not yet come, and Duan Fang did not dare to make decisions without authorization. So he ignored the persuasion of Deputy Minister Yue Cao and the Right Minister of the Army Yinchang, and ordered the entire army to be stationed in Huangnigang Town, waiting for the court to make the imperial decree. Duan Fang was afraid that the rebel army would be too powerful and would rebel with Qiu Cao's troops. If the army mutiny halfway, "failing to the holy grace" is a small matter, and losing his head is a big matter.

Now that the world has changed, the grass-roots below do not take the imperial officials seriously, especially the rebels who shouted to slap Manchu and Han, which were even more rampant, making people frightened. The assassination teams they formed were elusive and killed officials everywhere to rebel————In the 26th year of Guangxu, Shi Jian of the Rebellion, and the governor of Guangdong and Guangxu. In the 30th year of Guangxu, Wan Fuhua of the rebellion, the governor of Guangxi, Wang Zhichun, was shot in Shanghai. In the 31st year of Guangxu, Wang Han of the rebellion, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Tieliang, at Zhangde Railway Station in Henan, and in the 33rd year of Guangxu, Liu Si of the rebellion, rebellion, rebellion, Li Zhun...

What made Duan Fang frightened was the assassination in the autumn of the 31st year of Guangxu. At that time, as one of the five ministers who were ordered to go abroad to "investigate constitutionalism", under the leadership of Zhenguo Duke Zai Ze, he embarked on a journey at the railway station outside the Daqianmen Gate of the capital. However, before the train could start, there was a loud bang, and only half of the carriage that the five ministers were riding in. Among the five ministers, Zai Ze and Shaoying were covered in blood.

He was carried off the train. Although Duan Fang and others were not seriously injured, they were really scared. Afterwards, it was found that the bomb was carried by the revolutionary Wu Yue. Wu Yue disguised himself as a soap clerk and got on the train with the help of his subordinates. He wanted to drop the bomb after the train started, but unexpectedly, the bomb was too sensitive and exploded in advance, blowing Wu Yue to pieces. If it weren't for this, Duan Fang and others would have no reason to survive.

As a nobleman with rich clothes and food, Duan Fang really couldn't understand the behavior of these revolutionaries. Take Wu Yue for example. The Wu family was originally a giant family in Tongcheng, a scholarly family. He himself also received the imperial examination and had dreamed of being the top scholar. But such a person resolutely joined the revolution after the Gengzi year, and tried to add a radical "wood" to his name after his death, and wanted to fight against the Qing revolution. For the sake of the revolution, he sacrificed his life with the imperial court to die together... Who are these people? In order to rank full, he even wanted to live.

Since that assassination, Duan Fang has a problem. He can't hear the sound of firecrackers. During festivals and festivals, he always hides in the study and closes the doors and windows, for fear that a bomb will fly from the sound of firecrackers. Even this Qiu Cao military parade, he did not dare to listen to the sound of cannons. When he sat on the platform, his ears were stuffed with cotton. According to foreign doctors who had seen Duan Fang, this was called "shock syndrome". It first appeared during the Russo-Japanese War. Usually, only soldiers who survived the shelling would get sick. This is a heart disease and is difficult to cure. In fact,

Zhiduanfang suffered from bomb shock. Each of the five ministers who went abroad for inspection had suffered from bomb shocks of varying degrees, forcing the court to adjust the list of ministers who went abroad for inspection. Even the officials who had not been bombed were panic and suspicious. Before going out, they always had to explain to their families so that they would not be killed by a bullet or a bomb on the road, and they would not have time to leave behind the funeral arrangements. The court was in a panic and all officials were silent. Looking at the current Qing officialdom, who was not afraid of being terrified? All of this was thanks to the death soldiers of the revolutionary party.

Duan Fang judges others by himself, of course he will not understand the real reason why these revolutionary patriots have been going on one after another. For the rise of this country and to awaken the sleeping people, they are willing to pay any price, even if it is their own life. In this era of silence, only the light of their lives passes through the dark night sky from time to time, and the brilliance that blooms is short, but it is so dazzling.

After stationed in Huangnigang Town, Duan Fang and Yinchang were both not touching their heads and eyes, and were anxious and confused. They were unable to fall asleep. They were slow to react to the imperial center. They were very dissatisfied, but they could do nothing. Like them, the new army officers and soldiers of the two towns did not sleep for a day. Because Duan Fang suspected that there might be a commotion in the ninth town of Jiangsu New Army, he ordered the confiscation of bullets, bayonets, and especially shells.

Many of them were moved to the baggage ship, and ordered the Hubei New Army to watch over the Jiangsu New Army, and transferred the most unreliable Jiangsu New Army's 33rd mark to the south, so that they could camp near the Yangtze River, and then ordered the Jiangbei Admiral Wang Shizhen, who was watching the cattle, to be shot in the camp, and transferred several gunboats from Jiujiang overnight to monitor nearby, because the troops in the target were not recruited, but recruited according to the new recruit system, which was equivalent to encouraging the men, so the morale of the army was the most unstable.

As a result, not only did the Jiangsu New Army have a strong sense of sentiment, but even the Hubei New Army, who was responsible for monitoring, was indignant. Later, for the sake of stability, Duan Fang simply confiscated the Hubei New Army's bullets and artillery shells, leaving only the bayonets, allowing them and their own guards to continue to monitor Jiangsu No. 9 Town.

The main hall was strangely quiet. Duan Fang stopped sighing, closed his eyes, and looked like an old monk was in a state of meditation. Yinchang was still scratching his head. The two discussed all night but didn't even plan the battle plan. This was no wonder that Duan Fang was suspicious. No one believed it. He didn't need to put the new army's staff team, but he pulled Yinchang here to point at the map. Although Yinchang knew military affairs, he was not a versatile talent. Modern warfare not only requires combat plans, logistics, supplies, and supplies. Many aspects should not be ignored. This is what the staff did. Duan Fang asked Yinchang to take charge of it alone, but he was unable to do so and wanted to call his aides to discuss it. Then he remembered that the two came to watch the Cao and did not bring a few aides at all.

"If the Beiyang No. 1 town is in my hands, it would be easier." Yinchang suddenly said. The first town of the Beiyang Kinki Army was the predecessor of the Beijing Banner Standing Army and one of the world-famous "Six Towns of Beiyang". Most of the soldiers of the town are bannermen and are well-equipped, so they can be called the first in the Beiyang New Army. In fact, they act as the Imperial Guard and are responsible for watching Yuan Shikai's five Beiyang towns.

Of course, this is a nonsense. The first town is far away from the north and must defend the capital. It is impossible to move the south from the south. If you want to transfer, you can only transfer the five towns of Yuan Shikai’s Beiyang New Army.
Chapter completed!