Chapter Three

After Ikhonovsky departed, Lin Feng immediately summoned those ministers who had not participated in the audience to discuss military strategy. The news obtained from Ikhonovsky was not encouraging. The Han military government had assumed that the Russian army, though at a disadvantage, still possessed the strength for a fair fight. But judging from the envoy’s tone, perhaps the Russians truly could not be relied upon.

During the reception of the Russian envoy, Lin Feng had displayed unwavering confidence, yet he was inwardly astonished. His prior impression was that the Eight Banners in Fengtian and Northern Manchuria should have been militarily weak, their forces limited to second-line garrisons and at most three or four thousand elite cavalry available for field operations. The Han army’s successful advance in Ningjin seemed to confirm this assumption. But now, hearing Ikhonovsky clearly state that the enemy had assembled over twenty thousand elite troops on the Heilongjiang front was almost unbelievable. Lin Feng did not doubt the accuracy of this intelligence, for Ikhonovsky would never exaggerate the strength of the Qing forces without cause—such claims would mean Russia must pay a higher price for the Han government’s aid.

While waiting for his ministers, Lin Feng paced alone in the council hall, pondering the best solution. From a preliminary analysis, there must be some issues with his intelligence network. Yet he bore no blame toward Wang Shirong or Chen Menglei; the current northeastern provinces were vastly different from the industrial zones of later eras. Han Chinese influence was mostly concentrated in the Liaohe Plain and other cultivated regions, while most other areas remained undeveloped forests. It was easy to imagine that for Han intelligence agents to gather comprehensive information on Qing military strength, they would have to penetrate various minority tribes and desolate lands. Even when some intelligence was obtained, it could not be delivered without months of arduous travel. Given primitive transport and communication methods, it was impossible for someone in Beijing to judge the enemy a thousand miles away with precision.

“I’ve gathered you today to discuss the complete elimination of the remaining Qing forces in Central and Western Liaoning,” Lin Feng began, his demeanor accustomed to the position of supreme leader. He swept his gaze across the solemn faces of his subordinates and continued calmly, “Just now, I have agreed to the Russian envoy’s request—preparing to launch a campaign against the Qing forces soon!”

The hall fell silent. Li Guangdi and Zhou Peigong exchanged glances, but neither spoke.

Lin Feng felt a surge of annoyance. Meetings often began this way: after his opening remarks, no one would respond, leaving him to carry the conversation alone.

“Peigong, what are your thoughts?” he asked, unable to avoid calling on them individually.

“Cough... Cough. Your Majesty, I believe it may not be prudent to wage war at this moment,” Zhou Peigong replied after a brief consideration, speaking solemnly. “Though our army has expanded repeatedly, available forces are still limited. If Your Majesty insists on conquering Central and Western Liaoning, we have only the troops under Ma Jianwei and Wang Pingliao ready to deploy. Furthermore, Wang Pingliao’s forces are scattered in Ningjin, suited to defense but inadequate for offense. Ma Jianwei’s newly formed Sixth Army is currently reorganizing along the Luan River, with many officers still in training at Mazhuang Military Academy. The loyalty of the new troops is unsettled. A hasty campaign would be ill-advised.”

Ma Ying had just finished his military training and had not yet returned to his unit. He was sitting next to Zhou Peigong and, hearing his superior question the strength of his troops, felt deeply aggrieved. Ignoring rank, he sprang to his feet and bowed to Lin Feng. “Your Majesty, the brothers of our new Sixth Army all grew up drinking water from the Liao River. For over a decade, they’ve followed me through life and death, dominating Eastern Liaoning. We are no fledgling recruits unused to bloodshed.” He clasped his hands to Zhou Peigong with pride. “General Zhou, forgive me for being blunt—us men of Eastern Liaoning value straightforwardness. I won’t beat around the bush. Don’t look down on our origins. If the commander gives the order, the brothers won’t hesitate. Never mind those few Tartars—even if heavenly soldiers descended, I’d cut down every last one of them!”

Zhou Peigong had not expected Ma Ying to openly confront his superior in front of the ministers. A flash of anger crossed his eyes as he stared at Ma Ying, silent for a long moment before forcing a smile. “Cough, cough. General Ma has misunderstood... We serve together in this hall. I am simply discussing matters, never intending any disrespect.”

Lin Feng tapped the table lightly. “Peigong, don’t take offense. Ma Ying is straightforward—even with me, he speaks plainly.” Turning to Ma Ying, his tone suddenly sharpened, “Young Ma, according to Han military law, insubordination is punishable by death. If you don’t temper your temper, and it leads to disaster, you might lose your head!”

Zhou Peigong quickly stood, and both men bowed. “Your Majesty, forgive us...”

“All right, all right, sit down. You’re all getting off topic,” Lin Feng cursed impatiently, waving his hand. “Back to business. Peigong, as the Russian said, the Manchu Eight Banners have gathered tens of thousands in Eastern Liaoning. We can’t let them grow stronger. If we don’t take advantage of their two-front predicament and cut off this cancer early, it will become a serious threat. Should another Nurhaci arise, we’ll regret it too late!”

“Your Majesty is wise. Striking at the heart is indeed imperative, but our forces are stretched thin...” Zhou Peigong calculated silently and said in a low voice, “General Ma’s Sixth Cavalry Army originally had twelve or thirteen thousand elite riders, but after reorganization and redistribution, only about nine thousand remain. General Wang Dahai under Pingliao can deploy perhaps two cavalry brigades—these four thousand men were borrowed from Suiyuan’s Zhao Mongol division. If we delay returning them, it would be improper.” Seeing Lin Feng frown, he explained, “Your Majesty, do you not know the Mongolian steppe is restless? The Tushiyetu division is manageable, but the Mongolian Khorchin division and the Aisin Gioro clan are related by marriage, loyal to the Qing. If Suiyuan remains vacant, and they suddenly revolt, it would be catastrophic!”

Lin Feng fell silent. Before the reorganization, the recruited Liaodong volunteer army had over ten thousand cavalry. But under the General Staff’s advice, these excess riders were divided among the infantry units, with each army receiving more than five hundred cavalry to serve as reconnaissance battalions or rapid response forces. Yet this measure had reduced the number of troops available for expeditions. Hearing Zhou Peigong’s complaints, Lin Feng found himself at a loss for a moment.

“But Peigong and Ji Yun spoke wisely earlier—war is inevitable,” Li Guangdi sighed. “Your Majesty, our Han warehouses are tight—right now it’s early summer. In ten days, it’ll be the busy farming season. We must wait for the summer harvest to be stored, which will take another ten days. If the army sets out now, we’ll need to conscript masses of laborers, disrupting the harvest. I am truly troubled!”

Lin Feng pinched his nose, shaking his head with a bitter smile. He had not considered this aspect. Turning to Zhou Peigong, he asked, “Peigong, how many laborers must we conscript this time?”

“Your Majesty, the main force in this campaign will be General Ma’s Sixth Cavalry Army. Since we must capture cities, some infantry and artillery will be drawn in as support. Even at the lowest estimate, our strength will be at least fifteen thousand. Liaodong is vast and sparsely populated; relying on local supplies is impossible. According to normal calculations, for grain, fodder, gunpowder, and ammunition transport, we must conscript sixty to eighty thousand laborers. With the General Staff’s reserve of mules and wagons, it might barely suffice...”

“Sixty to eighty thousand?! Just barely enough?!” Lin Feng drew a sharp breath. Now he understood why classical novels so often mentioned ‘deploying hundreds of thousands.’ It was terrifying. Clearly, fighting civil wars at home and campaigning against minorities were entirely different matters. A few such wars would bankrupt any nation.

He stared, pinching his chin for a long while. “Well... let’s wait until the summer harvest is stored. After all, the Russians have their God, don’t they? May God help them!” Lin Feng said, smiling bitterly.

“Then... since Your Majesty will not send troops...” Li Guangdi ventured, “will this not appear as a breach of faith with Russia?”

“Who said I won’t send troops?” Lin Feng replied in surprise. “Sending one soldier is sending troops; sending ten thousand is also sending troops. Do you think I would break my word?”

“...”

“General Ma!”

Ma Ying immediately stood and bowed, “Present!”

“Now, hurry back to your unit. Once you arrive, send some troops familiar with the terrain to infiltrate Central Liaoning. Harass the Qing army’s roads, courier stations, and transport ships!” Lin Feng smiled. “Take advantage wherever you can. If you encounter tough resistance, don’t force it; preserve your strength—ha, I don’t need to teach you that, do I?”

“Heh... I follow your orders!”

“Good. That’s it for today. Jin Qing, Zezhen, Peigong, Ji Yun—stay behind. The rest, go about your duties.”

The ministers offered their farewells and departed. Once they were gone, Lin Feng waved his hand, and the guards on duty in the hall bowed and withdrew, securing the doors tightly behind them.