Zhang Quan's answer actually meant that the countdown to China's intervention in the Franco-Vietnamese War had entered. The Vietnamese who were aroused by their national hatred immediately became bolder. Huang Huatan, who had been entrenched in Anshi for many years, was the first to raise the banner of King Qin and led the people who had just used it.
The armed subordinates in the Central Plains fought out of their nests. Immediately afterwards, the Vietnamese army in many places in Annan and Beiqi launched the same banner, expelling French officials and expatriates, and even launched large-scale violent activities against French expatriates.
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Du Mei was very clear about his current situation. With the few troops he had, the best choice was to stand and wait for reinforcements instead of entangled with the Vietnamese in the rural jungles they were familiar with. Not only did he not send troops to quell the rebellion of the Vietnamese everywhere,
Instead, all French expatriates were ordered to concentrate in the major cities on both sides of the Red River, especially Hanoi and Haiphong. As for those closer to the south, they were ordered to evacuate as far as possible to the Cochin branch where French rule was the most stable.
As for Hue, there is no point in lingering there at this time. Even the brigade that reinforced Hue retreated to Da Nang, and at the same time deployed defenses to prepare to hold on. Only Colonel Philip's small force was left in Hue as a token
exist.
His goal is very clear, which is to concentrate on holding some strongholds as much as possible, and then wait for domestic reinforcements. Although French domestic public opinion is not very favorable to the government at this time, it is absolutely impossible to abandon Vietnam. After all, this is France's most important place in Asia.
Colony, with huge economic and strategic interests, he guessed right. Despite the constant anti-war voices in the country, the French Congress still passed the decision to send 100,000 additional troops to Vietnam with a slight advantage.
At the same time that France announced the reinforcement of its troops, Ruan Shanshu, who had been in exile in China for many years, returned to Hue with a group of Chinese advisers and was escorted by the Chinese Army Corps. He was immediately appointed as Prime Minister by the temporary regent Queen Mother to fully preside over Vietnam's government affairs.
Of course, to put it bluntly, it means presiding over the government affairs of half of Hue City. Now all parts of Vietnam are basically looking after their own affairs, some are anti-French, and some are helping the French. In short, it has been disrupted.
The Vietnamese royal family and his cabinet are actually a symbolic thing. Anyway, with the Chinese troops stationed here, it is impossible for the French to break in. And as long as the Vietnamese king does not declare an armistice, it means that they and the French
The human war is still going on. The French cannot invade. Of course, the Vietnamese king cannot declare an armistice. This is all Emperor Yang demands of them.
"Your Majesty, what should we do next?" Yuan Shikai asked with a look of reverence. The Nanyang Fleet had just reported that a landing ship crashed and sank in the waters southwest of Hainan Island. Although all the crew members had been rescued, the supplies transported on the ship
They all sank into the sea. What supplies were there? They were filled with retreating mercenaries. Thinking about it, you will know that they were silenced. His Majesty the Emperor acted simply and happily. There was no sloppiness at all.
"Next step? The next step is for us to negotiate!" Emperor Yang said with a smile.
"Negotiation?" Yuan Shikai was a little confused.
"It's very simple. Let the Ministry of Foreign Affairs send a note to the French government, requiring French troops to withdraw from Vietnam, stop the aggression against Vietnam and restore peace." Yang Feng said. This is a procedural issue that must be avoided in a standard war.
"Then what?" Yuan Shikai said.
"If the French do not agree, then we will order the navy to blockade Vietnam's ports. All ports, including Saigon, will be blocked. French troops and military supplies will not be allowed to enter the port. If they dare to attack our blockade fleet, then we will declare war." Yang
Feng said.
According to his order, Zhang Quan summoned Bi Sheng, the French minister to China in his capacity as foreign minister, and formally requested the French troops to withdraw from Vietnam. Naturally, the French would not agree. After all, they are now the second largest navy in terms of tonnage.
It was impossible to be frightened away by a few words from China, which now ranks fifth in the navy. Two days later, France formally rejected China's request, and then the Chinese government announced that it would send a fleet to blockade all ports in Vietnam.
The major powers suddenly became excited at this time, staring at the South China Sea with wide eyes. This was a war between two powers. No matter who lost or won, it would have huge benefits for the other powers. Apart from anything else, it was only tested in actual combat.
Looking at the strength of the perfect battleship, this is tempting enough.
The British, in particular, have been particularly strong here. As long as China and France start fighting, they won't have to worry about the French competing for oil in Nigeria. Germany alone will put less pressure on them.
Similarly, China will also relax its oppression of the United States. Look at how much trouble the United States has caused to Emperor Yang in recent years. Although the United Kingdom has also reaped a lot of benefits, the debt of the King of Hell borrowed by the United States from Britain is enough for them now.
It will still be a few decades, which means that this country is actually controlled by the British consortium, but it is not a good thing for China to continue to expand in the Americas.
As for Germany, Italy, and Austria-Hungary, they are very happy to see someone help them beat France. Especially Germany, fearing that China and France will not be able to fight, they are desperately advocating Emperor Yang's justice in Europe, which is Yang Feng's own media
None of them were as powerful as the Germans.
After so many years of collaborating with China, no one knows the combat effectiveness of the Chinese army better than Germany. It may be worse than the German army. After all, there is a gap in the education level of the soldiers on both sides, but beating France is ravaging. As for the navy, it was founded by Emperor Yang.
Not to mention the strengths of course.
The Russians are also looking forward to a war between China and France, so that Nicholas will not have to worry about Yang Feng thinking about the Far East in the short term. His wife knows Yang Feng very well and knows very well that Yang Feng cannot be idle. Whenever he is idle, he will have to think about other people's homes.
.
It can be said that this war has reached the point where everyone expects it and it is inevitable that it will not be fought.
France naturally protested and protested against China's decision. At the same time, France stepped up its deployment of troops to the Far East, especially the navy. The remaining three ships of the Charles Martel class were the Charles Martel, the Cholergebelli, and the Bouvet.
They were all sent over, plus the diesel-engined armored cruisers Poseo and Joan of Arc imitating the Princess Astraeas class, and three Quaiton-class imitations of the Soryu class, the Tual, and the Monte.
The Cam, plus six protected cruisers and twenty destroyers, formed a magnificent expedition fleet, ready to go to the Far East to defend the dignity of the French Republic.
However, anyone with a discerning eye can see that although this fleet is powerful, it is still slightly inferior to their opponents. Because it needs to go all out to deal with the French army, the Chinese Navy has transferred back two Princess-class ships and two Soryus from Hawaii.
class, they didn't have any work to do at Pearl Harbor anyway. With the little navy the U.S. has on the west coast, two Soryu-class ships can suffocate them to death.
In this way, the diesel fleet that the Chinese Navy can assemble in the South China Sea is very impressive. Three battleships, including two perfect battleships, two 9,000-ton large armored cruisers, six 7,000-ton armored cruisers, and seven
Four thousand tons, and then dozens of destroyers. Although the French army still has an advantage in terms of the number of battleships, they are at a disadvantage in terms of quality. What's more, there is a large group of steam-powered battleships in the north whose combat capabilities are not French at all, although they have been relegated to a lower position in China.
The second line, but it is all good things, the future of the French Far East Fleet is worrying.
If Emperor Yang killed the two battleships in Vietnam before the French reinforcements arrived, it would be more than just a worry.
"No, no, we will not do that. This is a war to show our gentlemanly demeanor, so before the French reinforcements arrive, unless their navy takes the initiative to attack us, we will not provoke a war first.
We just need to block the port." Emperor Yang said.
In fact, the generals of the General Staff all hope to strike first and find any excuse to kill the two battleships of the French Far East Fleet. After all, they are not very confident and are worried that once the two French fleets merge, the war will end.
becomes difficult to determine.
"You're not really afraid of those two extra battleships, are you?" Yang Feng smiled and said to Wang Song, his chief of naval staff.
"It's not that I'm afraid. It's just that it feels a bit risky to do this." Wang Song said honestly.
"Yes, I just want you to fight a risky battle. So far our army has fought so smoothly. It can be said that every battle is fought when we have an overwhelming advantage. This is not good.
It is not conducive to your growth. You need to learn to face real powerful enemies. The French are your whetstones, the whetstones that allow you to truly grow up." Emperor Yang said sincerely.
Of course, he was just talking. In fact, those French battleships were not in his eyes at all. At this time, France's armor was not very thick. If only their Harvey steel plates could block 280 piercing bombs, then
Weird!
Since the emperor said so, Wang Song naturally has no objection. Although the French have a large number of battleships, there is a huge gap between the number of armored cruisers and the Chinese navy. In the final analysis, our own side still has the advantage. This is not because the French do not want to take them.
They have sent all the armored cruisers. In fact, they still have a large number of armored cruisers and protected cruisers. But the key problem is that the Chinese Navy still has a fleet in the Americas. Even if Germany and Italy don’t stab them in the back, what if those two ships
When the perfect battleship sails to the coast of France, it will be a lot of fun.
In this way, amid the protests of the French, the Chinese Navy's Southeast and Ocean Fleets all sailed south to the Yazhou Military Port, using it as a base to formally blockade all ports along the coast of Vietnam, including the coast of the French Cochin Branch. Before the blockade began, they were originally in Da Nang
The Far East Fleet, which was confronting the Chinese fleet in the outer sea, fled back to Cam Ranh Bay, and their escape was not blocked. (To be continued...)