The allied forces claimed that their priests had been killed before in Baoding, and the surviving priests were still there, so they decided to send troops for revenge. After discussion, it was decided that Admiral Hope of Britain would lead soldiers from Britain, France, Germany, and Italy to depart from Beijing and Tianjin on August 19th.
When they arrived in Baoding, French cavalry had already arrived first. All important passes had French flags flying everywhere. The Chinese army had already withdrawn. The Governor of Zhili, Ting Fangbo, knew that many more people had come with the allied forces, so he led his officials to greet them on the outskirts of the city. At first, the allied forces did not make any moves; they simply sent the governor back to his office, sent three hundred cavalry into the city to patrol the city, and planted flags of various nations on the city walls. The next day, they arrested Ting Fangbo, Kui Heng, and Wang Zhankui. At that time, Tan Daowenhuan happened to be in Baoding Prison and was also escorted to Tianjin by the allied forces and beheaded. The allied forces set up a trial venue in the hall of the governor's office, with all the commanders of various countries sitting there. They had Ting Fangbo and the other two kneel on the ground and interrogated them in the Chinese manner, asking them why they killed the priests. Ting Fangbo answered defiantly, barely giving them pause. Then, following Western practices, the allied forces had them shot. They then destroyed the city gates, as well as the City God Temple and Sanqing Temple at the northeast corner of the city wall in Baoding, to make an example of the city.
And that's how the four nations took Baoding.
