Siberian Plain, Ulan Ude.

Duan Qirui's mount was a pure brown Mongolian horse. At this time, Duan Qirui was holding a telescope to observe the specific situation of Ulanwude ahead.

Ulan Ude is located in the northern part of Outer Mongolia, located in the Houbaikal Selenge Valley. It was built by the Cossacks in 1666. It is mainly composed of Mongolians and Buryats. On the right bank of the river is the Siberian Railway.

Ulan-Ude is one of the important transit stations for the Siberian Railway to Vladivostok. The materials transported from Europe are hoarding here and then slowly transporting them out.

As an important station on the Siberian Railway, Ulan-Ude naturally has heavy troops to guard it. However, Duan Qirui's 40,000 troops were no longer vegetarians, 20,000 infantry and 20,000 cavalry, and the infantry used all newly produced spears. Because the production cost of m14 is too high, m14 is only an important branch of the army, and ordinary troops are equipped with new spears. The cavalry is unified and composed of Mongolian cavalry, and its cavalry is no worse than that of Cossack cavalry, and it is also brave and fierce.

This Northern Expedition Force was well-equipped, not only equipped with a large number of Maxim machine guns, but also carried cannons of various sizes and calibers.

The best way to attack cavalry is artillery bombardment. Before the cavalry has formed a huge impact, it will be flooded with shells all over the sky.

"General Duan, look, Captain Xu is back." A guard beside Duan Qirui said, pointing to the Gobi Desert in the distance.

Duan Qirui lifted the felt hat on his head. Since entering Mongolia, the temperature has dropped day by day. After passing the Inner Mongolia grassland, there is a vast Gobi Desert. Duan Qirui and all the soldiers wore heavy winter clothes and felt hats for keeping warm.

A long time ago, the dozen or so cavalry on the Gobi Desert came to Duan Qirui. Xu Shuzheng said while panting: "General, we found a large number of Russian troops in Ulanwude. From a distance, their troops in Ulanwude have at least 30,000, about 10,000 infantry and 20,000 Cossack cavalry."

Duan Qirui frowned. It was not because Duan Qirui was afraid of the Russian army with 40,000 troops. It was just that the Northern Expedition Army was traveling a long distance, and it was a shortage of people and horses. If they had a head-on battle, they would not get any advantage.

Xu Shuzheng said again: "General, I just walked around the periphery of Ulan-Ude and found that the defense of this Russian army was very relaxed, and the posts everywhere were useless. It seemed that they did not know the news that our army was heading north."

Duan Qirui shook his head and said, "No, they must have known that there is a Chinese army operating in Outer Mongolia. However, in the past few days, we have been traveling day and night for three days and three nights, which is one week earlier than the previous scheduled time. This Russian army underestimated our marching speed and thought we were still in Outer Mongolia, so the defense was not so tight. I think they would get nervous after waiting for a few days."

Xu Shuzheng asked: "General, what should we do next? General Nie ordered us to destroy the Siberian Railway within three days. The eastern army had already set out from Shanhaiguan yesterday. At this time tomorrow, we should encounter the Russian army in the northeast. The Yellow Sea Fleet commanded by the President himself will also land in Vladivostok in the next two days. In the past few days, the entire Northeast will be fought. Our Northern Expedition Army is the key to the victory of the entire battle. We must cut off the supply line of the Russian army in the shortest time to create conditions for the overall victory of the President and General Nie.

Duan Qirui said: "I understand this, but the Russian army is now waiting for it. Although they are relaxed in defense, they cannot underestimate the fierce and powerful Cossack cavalry. So this time, we cannot attack forcefully, we can only take advantage of our wits!"

"The general is right. Since the Russian army has learned about our army, they will definitely send reinforcements. Now, before their reinforcements arrive, they will burn their transit station first." Xu Shuzheng suggested.

Duan Qirui nodded and expressed his agreement. After a while, all the officers at the middle regiment level and above General Duan Qirui convened to convene a pre-war meeting.

At the meeting, Duan Qirui told everyone about the actual situation of the two armies at this time. Although the Northern Expedition has many soldiers and a wide range of generals, he is exhausted due to his long-term rush. If he fights with the Russians, it will only hurt the enemy by 1,000 and hurt himself, which is really undesirable.

Finally, Xu Shuzheng suggested that a team of infantry should first blow up the railway 30 miles east of Ulan-Ude. The bigger the movement, the better. It would be best to mistakenly believe that the Russian army was attacking the Northern Expedition Army. Then the Russian army in Ulan-Ude is likely to send all the Cossack cavalry out in full swing.

Then, use Ulan Ude to prevent the emptiness, let 10,000 cavalry charge into the city, ignite food, grass, and ammunition to replenish supplies, and when the Cossack cavalry who left the city find out that they are deceived, they will rush back to rescue.

Finally, the cannon was used to destroy the spirit of the Cossack cavalry. The other two cavalrymen in the headquarters were surrounded by 10,000 cavalry from the left wing and 10,000 cavalry from the right wing, cutting off their retreat. Finally, the infantry and cavalry rushed forward and wiped out the Russian army, completely destroying the Ulan-Ude, a crucial transit station on the Siberian Railway.

As soon as the idea came out, everyone nodded. Even Duan Qirui agreed with Xu Shuzheng, who is worthy of being an officer who graduated from the Japanese non-commissioned officer school. He lured the enemy out of the cave, destroyed the nest, and finally cut off his retreat and wiped out one fell swoop.

Duan Qirui asked, "Who is willing to be a vanguard and lead 10,000 cavalry to attack Ulanwude?"

"General, I am willing to go there!" Xu Shuzheng said.

Duan Qirui said: "You came up with this strategy, and you must be very clear about the risks. If the Russian Cossack cavalry is not deceived, but just sends a small number of cavalry out of the city, then your 10,000 cavalry will fall into the trap, and there is a very likely no return."

"I understand that it is Xu Shuzheng's honor to die for the great cause of national reunification!" Xu Shuzheng saluted and replied.

"Yes, death is lighter than a feather or heavier than Mount Tai. Being able to die for the great cause of national unification is the best destination for soldiers!" Duan Qirui said loudly: "Order the entire army to rest on the spot and attack Ulan-Ude at night."

………….

Liaoxi Huludao, the eastern army camp.

"Marantor Nie, good news, good news!" Cao Kun jogged into Nie Shicheng's military camp.

At this time, the eastern army was temporarily stationed in Huludao, Liaoxi, after the army set out from Shanhaiguan. Nie Shicheng had trained troops here before training the new army. Therefore, he has a relatively familiarity with the terrain around Huludao, which is also one of the important reasons why the army is stationed again.

Hearing Cao Kun’s good news, Nie Shicheng smiled and said, “General Cao, what good news is there! You can’t stop laughing at you.”

Cao Kun handed a telegram to Nie Shicheng. Nie Shicheng opened it and immediately raised his eyebrows and smiled, "This Xu Shuzheng is worthy of being a tiger general under Duan Qirui! He lured the enemy first and went deeper alone, destroying the largest railway transfer station in Siberia in one fell swoop. The pressure in the northeast has dropped sharply. In this way, after a few days, heavy snow will block the mountain, and the Russian army in the northeast will have a hard time, haha!"

Cao Kun also smiled and said, "Yes, Marshal, this way, our pressure will be reduced a lot. We can completely consume the Russian army in the Northeast. We have the capital to consume, but they don't. However, Marshal Nie, you can't be too biased. At this time, Zhang Zuolin, the commander of the armored regiment in the army, is also a tiger general. This time, the armored vehicles will suffer a great loss against the Cossack cavalry."

Nie Shicheng comforted his socks and said, "General Cao, are you talking about Wu Peifu under your command? Is he not the deputy commander of the armored regiment now?"

Cao Kun laughed awkwardly. He really wanted to recommend Wu Peifu in front of Nie Shicheng. After all, this was Cao Kun's first battle, and he didn't want the credit to be snatched away by others.

Nie Shicheng naturally knew what Cao Kun was thinking. Cao Kun was a surrendered general of the Beiyang New Army. Since the founding of the country, he has never had a turn to fight. On the other generals, such as Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui, were not all of them, but he had not made any achievements.

To recover the Northeast, he finally fought for the position of commander of the East Army (although Nie Shicheng is now commanded by full authority), but he still wanted to let his officers kill the enemy and make contributions in the battle of the Northeast, so that he could find a sense of balance in front of several generals, otherwise others would think that Cao Kun was just a general!

Nie Shicheng said: "Since General Cao is so active in requesting the battle, this time the first battle in Liaodong will use armored regiments to counter the Cossackka cavalry."

"Thank you, Marshal!" Cao Kun was overjoyed.

Nie Shicheng asked: "Have you found out how many Russian troops are in Jinzhou now?"

Cao Kun conducted a military map analysis and said: "According to the scouts, there are now more than 25,000 Cossack cavalry in Jinzhou City, and 8,000 infantry. In Nanpiao, there are 10,000 Cossack cavalry and 5,000 infantry. The two form horns and are both offensive and defensive. It is the first blocking line set by the Russian army in western Liaoning."

Nie Shicheng glanced at the map, scoffed at the Russian army's formation, and said, "The Russian army's strength is not enough, and at this time they are divided into two places to form horns. Isn't this just a good opportunity to defeat each other? They have no support behind them. As long as they defeat one Russian army, the rest will be no more worrying."

Cao Kun looked at it for a while and woke up and said, "Yes, Jinzhou is our only way to enter the Northeast. If they set up another 10,000 elite soldiers in Yixian and three into the shape of the font, I think this will be the biggest obstacle for us to enter the Northeast. Now they set up two soldiers, which will make us cheaper."

"General Cao, pass on the order. The entire army will set sail tomorrow, and the goal is Jinzhou!" Nie Shicheng ordered.

"Yes, Marshal Nie!" Cao Kun replied.

Nie Shicheng lit a cigarette, slowly exhaled it, and said, "The president should almost arrive at the port of Vladivostok at this time, right? The comprehensive offensive against the Russian army in Northeast China is about to begin!"
Chapter completed!