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Irkutsk, the second largest city in Eastern Siberia. It is located at the northern end of Lake Berga. The confluence of the Angara and Irkutsk rivers. It has a continental climate and a long period of severe cold. Known as the "heart of Siberia". Irkutsk has played different roles in its nearly 250-year history, including a Siberian expedition base, a penal colony, and a gold rush city. In the late 9th century, gold was discovered in the Lena River, and the Siberian Gold Rush began, where people flocked to the hope of being called rich. In 66~669 it became a fortress city in Siberia, and in 764 it became the capital of Eastern Siberia. In the 19th century, it became an important transshipment point for trade between Imperial Russia and China. River ports, railways. It arose with the opening of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the mining of nearby coal fields.

The current governor of Eastern Siberia, Anuchin (written Muravyov, now replaced), ruled the snowy land for Tsar Nicholas II.

In the Irkutsk governor's palace, Governor Anuchin was receiving the commander of the Eastern Siberian army, Lieutenant General Vladimir. Lieutenant General Vladimir was one of the important aides to Governor Anuchin. The tsar gave them the task of continuing to expand southward, in addition to maintaining the stability of the region. Siberia is too cold, and the Russians need warm land in the south.

"General Vladimir, I have just received a telegram from the consul in Kulen, Shishmarevli. The Mongol rebellion has been quelled, but the Mongol princes have asked us to help them. Should we seize this opportunity and expand south? Governor Anuchin asked.

"Of course, Your Excellency the Governor, my army is ready. Although the weak Mongols were suppressed, their invitation gave us the best excuse. We may be able to take the opportunity to bring Mongolia under our rule. What a wonderful thing, for example, to establish a Mongolian state under Russian protection! Lieutenant General Vladimir said with his eyes lit up. He had long wanted to be transferred back to Moscow. In Irkutsk, this place, although the position is high. But it's too barren to compare with Moscow at all. Lieutenant General Vladimir wanted to make a meritorious service and then transfer back to Moscow, and even if it didn't work, he would have to go back to Europe, and he didn't want to stay in a place like East Siberia.

"However, the Chinese deployed 20,000 troops in Mongolia. When we enter Mongolia, we will definitely be counterattacked by them. In such a case, it may lead to a war between our two countries. And according to the Pacific Alliance Treaty, Japan and the United States will also declare war on China, and in this case, we will ignite the flames of war. And now, the Trans-Siberian Railway is not yet fully connected, and the empire is not ready. If we provoke a war now, I am afraid it will be detrimental to us! "Governor Anuchin is a little worried. As a high-ranking Russian official, he naturally knew that the time when the Pacific Alliance entered into a war with China was 900 years later, not 99 years!

"Your Excellency the Governor, this is a good opportunity for us, and if we let it go, I am afraid it will be difficult to have such an opportunity again. The Chinese have already opened a railway from Beijing to Kulen, and next spring they will send troops into Mongolia on a large scale. When the time comes, we want to occupy Mongolia, but it will not be so easy! Lieutenant General Vladimir persuaded. He had already deployed two divisions of his army in Kyakhta, and as soon as the order was given, he could cross the border and attack the city of Maimai. And the squadron only deployed a cavalry battalion in the trading city. Once the war starts, it will not be their opponent at all.

"General Vladimir, I need to ask Moscow for instructions, and His Majesty the Tsar will make the decision!" Anuchin finally said.

"However, this will miss the fighter!" Lieutenant General Vladimir insisted.

"General, I said it, ask Moscow first, listen to me!" Anuchin said with a frown. He is the governor of Eastern Siberia, and Lieutenant General Vladimir should listen to him.

"Alright then, Your Excellency the Governor, I'll be waiting for your good news!" Vladimir had to compromise. Although he commanded the army, he was only an assistant to Anuchin. If Anuchin had stumbled him, he wouldn't have thought of being transferred back to Moscow.

When Anuchin sent the news back to St. Petersburg, it also sparked controversy within Tsarist Russia. Tsar Nicholas II saw this as a great opportunity and demanded that the army move immediately and bring Mongolia under Russian rule. However, his decision was met with the help of Israeli Prime Minister Sergei ? There was strong opposition from the important ministers led by Werther. The reason is simple: all Russian money, including loans from Britain and France, has been invested in the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Now the Ministry of Finance simply can't come up with money to support a war. Moreover, this is different from the original Pacific Alliance's planned time for war, and Russia is not prepared. Ministers were reluctant to take the risk.

The quarrel lasted for three days, and in the end, Tsar Nicholas II stubbornly gave the order to attack. However, he assured cabinet ministers that it was just a low-intensity military conflict. Russia would not declare war on China, and with the armies of Eastern Siberia alone, it would be able to occupy Mongolia before the onset of spring. And after spring, it will be enough for Russia to prepare for war.

The cabinet ministers had no choice but to agree. For the Russian team, they also have strong confidence, thinking that the Russian team can easily defeat the squadron deployed in Mongolia and occupy Mongolia.

Having received an order from Tsar Nicholas II, the Governor of Eastern Siberia, Anuchin, immediately ordered the start of the offensive. Lieutenant General Vladimir immediately gave the order to attack the Russian 6th Cossack Cavalry Division and the 75th Infantry Division, which had already been stationed in Kyakhta. Two divisions, totaling more than 16,000 men, set out from Kyakhta, braved the wind and snow, and launched an attack on the city of Maimao in the south.

Maimaicheng is a border city in northern Mongolia, which was an important border town between China and Russia during the Qing Dynasty. In 727 (the fifth year of Yongzheng), China and Russia signed the Treaty of Brensky ("Treaty of Kyakhta"), and China and Russia traded. According to the provisions of the treaty, the two countries were bounded by the Kyakhta River, and Kyakhta, Hebei, was assigned to Russia. The Qing Dynasty built a new town in Henan, as a Sino-Russian trading place, so it got the Han name "trading city".

As a trading center between China and Russia, it is inhabited by tens of thousands of people all year round, not counting the merchants who gather here every year. Although relations between China and Russia are strained, it does not affect trade between the two countries. As a result, it is still thriving. It's just that in winter, because of the snow cover, a large number of merchants have returned to the mainland, leaving only a small number of people stationed here in the trading city. In order to protect this important border town, after the overthrow of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the Imperial Army deployed a cavalry battalion here, namely the 4th Battalion of the 9th Cavalry Brigade of the Third Cavalry Army. The brigade headquarters of the 9th Cavalry Brigade was located in Darkhan, a hundred kilometers to the south. The rest of the troops were scattered in areas that were not part of northern Mongolia.

In winter, the narrow Kyakhta River is already frozen, and pedestrians can walk lightly across the ice. Thick ice, even on horseback to cross it. It's just that the ice is smooth, and if you don't want to wrestle, it's better to be honest. Kyakhta was only two kilometers away from the city, and if it were summer, the cavalry would have taken a few minutes, but now they had to walk south one foot deeper and one foot shallow.

"Squad leader, there are a lot of people in the north of you, what do you want to do here?" On the low walls of the trading city, a squad of soldiers on duty suddenly shouted. The dense Russians appeared on the north side of the Kyakhta River, stepped on the ice, and came south.

"Huzi, hurry up and ring the alarm bell. Everyone is in place, Lao Maozi is going to attack us! The class leader shouted.

"Yes!" The soldiers of the entire squad immediately went into action. The main personnel of the Third Cavalry Army were all Mongols. After systematic training, they have become qualified cavalrymen who are brave and good at fighting.

"When! While! While! "The alarm bells on the city walls were sounded. The bitter north wind sent the bells to all parts of the trading city. Both the garrison and the inhabitants of the city came out of the warm houses and stared at the city walls in amazement. Once the alarm bell is sounded, it means that the enemy is coming!

"Could it be that the Russians are calling?" This question could not help but be on everyone's mind.

"The old hairy man of the dog day really came to attack. Immediately to the Brigade Headquarters and the Cullen Power Division! Dong Jiarong, commander of the 9th Battalion of the 4th Cavalry Brigade, ordered.

"Yes, Battalion Commander!" The signal corps immediately ran out and sent a telegram. The other soldiers of the 4th Battalion also took their weapons and rushed to the city wall, preparing to resist the Russian attack.

"Turgenev, come to the Chinese are ready! However, they are only a thousand people, and they are no match for us at all! Major General Mikhayer, commander of the Russian 75th Infantry Division, said very lightly.

"Humph! I heard that they were cavalry battalions, but I don't know if they had the guts to have a cavalry battle with our great Cossack cavalry! Major General Turgenev said. It's just that in this icy and snowy environment, the war horses can't gallop, let alone fight a regular cavalry battle.

Mikhael shook his head speechlessly, he really didn't know what Vladimir was thinking. Actually asked to attack in this ghost weather. This made it impossible for none of his artillery to bring out, but he painstakingly brought out some small-caliber artillery. I don't know if these artillery pieces are useful or not, and whether they can suppress the squadrons in the trading city. If he could, he would like to attack again in the summer. In that case, his troops would be able to capture it lightly.

PS: The third update is here! Tomorrow's fourth watch, there is an update in the early morning! Ask for subscription, at the end of the month, don't waste the monthly pass of book friends! (To be continued.) Please search for [book], the novel is better and faster!)