Real Histories
Li Xiang received the order to travel north to negotiate peace in Hefei. When he arrived in Tianjin, he set off on the 18th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar. A total of forty single-horse sedan chairs and twenty two-horse sedan chairs were hired that day, but it was still insufficient for everyone to ride, forcing many attendants to walk alongside. The towns seen along the way were all desolate, as people kept their doors shut, and everywhere were broken bodies and white bones, a scene of devastation that left onlookers sighing. When they reached Qihua Gate, the Russian commander sent dozens of cavalry to escort them. They encountered the German army on the way, and both sides did not interfere with each other, and they smoothly arrived at the Xianliang Temple's temporary headquarters. Outside Xianliangsi, Russian soldiers welcomed them with great fanfare and respect.
At that time, Prince Qing was living in the mansion. On the 19th, Li Xiang visited him in accordance with proper etiquette, and also met with various foreign envoys. On the 20th, he continued to visit those he hadn't had the chance to visit the day before. On the 21st, Prince Qing brought the Russian representative Helubin and the customs official Que Xian to visit Li Xiang. Afterwards, Li Xiang met with various foreign envoys and scheduled a peace negotiation meeting for the 27th and submitted the peace proposal.
The proposal was drafted by the tax official, and Li Xiang carefully revised it with a composed yet assertive demeanor. He received responses from various foreign envoys, but the envoys from Russia and Germany were still in Tianjin, so the matter was put on hold for the time being. The more senior Italian envoy was elected as the leader by the other countries, and he came to visit Xianliangsi that day. After exchanging pleasantries, he exclaimed loudly, "What time is it? We’ve already been defeated, and now we want to negotiate? Just follow the conditions proposed by each country without question!"
He was incredibly arrogant! Li Xiang had no option but to stay silent and refrain from arguing with him.
I heard that the envoys from various countries all believe that the court has been too lenient in its treatment of the nobles involved in the rebellion, and that the Empress Dowager and the Emperor are still in exile, which makes it difficult for negotiations to succeed. Therefore, the envoys reported to Prince Qing, drafted a memorial, and requested that the Emperor impose severe punishments on these nobles individually, and must not allow them to remain in the temporary imperial residence, to avoid criticism from foreign countries. The memorial also stated: "The German Emperor's reply mentioned dissatisfaction with the handling of the deceased envoy Kellind; those nobles have allowed bandits to harm the people and implicate neighboring countries, and they should be executed as they deserve. Only when the Chinese Emperor personally punishes them can other countries be convinced." The memorial also said: "The U.S. State Department has also called for harsh penalties for Gangyi, Dong, and other ringleaders. Now envoy Kangge has been sent to investigate whether the punishment regulations formulated by the court are severe enough. In addition, who else has escaped justice?"
When the news of Gangyi's death from illness and Duanfang's expulsion came, the envoys from various countries were promptly informed. The court also realized that Dong had military power to protect himself, but he could be dealt with easily. However, they had yet to agree to the return of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to the capital, and the officials in Beijing were hesitant to make another request, fearing it would anger the Emperor. So the envoys once again submitted a memorial, essentially suggesting: "The German Emperor's official letter mentioned that if the Empress Dowager and the Emperor want to return to the capital, they should order the generals to welcome them according to etiquette; the American side also hopes for an early return to avoid accidents. In short, relying on a small territory cannot last long, and relying on military force is also unreliable. The situation of national division is probably caused by ourselves. Emperor Dezong of the Tang Dynasty eventually returned to the ancient capital, achieving prosperity; Emperor Yuan of the Liang Dynasty never returned, eventually leading to the country's demise. At eighty years old and having enjoyed the Emperor's favor for many years, if I did not truly see the danger, how could I dare to speak out?" His words were very sincere. Therefore, the Empress Dowager and the Emperor began to consider returning to the capital.
On December 25th, the Russian ambassador arrived in Beijing, and on the 28th, the German ambassador arrived as well. On that day, the British ambassador invited the Prince and ministers to the embassy, putting forth their proposed five-point plan: first, severely punish the masterminds who protected the bandits; second, repay the military expenses; third, compensate for the damaged property and provide relief to the victims; fourth, jointly manage the national finances among all countries; fifth, establish a government office to manage the affairs of all countries, with only a few skilled diplomats overseeing everything, and not too many. The ministers asked, "How can China possibly raise such a large sum now?" The British ambassador replied, "If the finances are managed by all countries, this amount of money should still be raised." The ministers said, "In that case, China will have no sovereignty." The British ambassador responded, "Given how things have developed, can China still hope for sovereignty?" The ministers fell silent. The ambassadors of various countries were dissatisfied with the memoranda and peace proposals previously submitted by the ministers, making communication even more difficult when speaking.
The Prince found this situation too daunting and was increasingly anxious. His hair had nearly all turned white. He often said to the ministers, "You are the pillars of the country, indispensable figures now, and I need your help in all matters. I will heed your guidance in all matters." Thus, during each meeting, the ministers presented all the arguments, with the Prince adding a few words. Fortunately, despite their age, the ministers remained sharp and had excellent eloquence. They strived for the best results in everything, without yielding an inch.
The ambassadors of various countries finally agreed to submit the terms and began discussing peace negotiations. This clearly shows how significant the ministers' contributions were! Now, let me translate these official documents into straightforward language.
First of all, I have attached all the drafted circulars at the end. Here's the situation: after this year's spring, the Boxer Rebellion bandits caused trouble near the capital, and a series of unprecedented disasters followed. It started with the siege of various foreign embassies, followed by foreign troops pouring into Beijing, and finally even the emperor and members of the royal family fled to safety. Imagine, before this happened, if someone told you, "These things will happen in a few months!" Who would believe it? The court has now realized that the princes and ministers condoned and sheltered the Boxers, leading to this disaster. Therefore, on one hand, according to Chinese customs, we will hand over those princes and ministers to the relevant yamen for strict handling; on the other, I have been appointed as the plenipotentiary minister to negotiate flexibly with various countries as soon as possible to resolve this matter. However, multiple countries are involved in the negotiations, each with different concerns, plus the situation is very special, and all kinds of issues are quite tricky.
After careful consideration, I believe it’s best to first outline the situation and reach a consensus with the various countries, establishing a temporary agreement to which we can all adhere, and then based on the situation of each country, formulate detailed agreements separately. After determining whether the commercial treaties need modification, a follow-up plan should be formulated to specify actions for each province, benefiting everyone and preventing future obstacles. I will send you the draft of this temporary agreement for your review, so that we can discuss it together. At the same time, please inform your foreign ministry of the measures China is currently implementing, in order to quickly handle the necessary matters.
In addition to sending the draft, I have also distributed copies to the ministers of other countries for their reference. I am officially sending you this circular for your review. This should be regarded as an official circular.
The three northeastern provinces have the largest area, accounting for about 70% of the land area of eighteen inland provinces measured in square miles. Notable cities in the vicinity of Shengjing (Shenyang) include Fengtian (Shenyang), Changtu, and Jinzhou. To the north, there are Kaiyuan and Tieling; to the south, there are Jinhai and Gaizhou. In recent decades, Niuzhuang and Lushun have emerged as important port cities.
Famous cities in Jilin include Jilin, Ningguta, and Sanxing. Sakhalin Island is also associated with Jilin, including Alekseyevka and Hunchun. Hunchun is the closest to Russia and is an important area today.
Famous cities in Heilongjiang include Qiqihar, Hulunbuir, Heilongjiang City, Hulan, Moergen, and Butheha, all located south of the river; Aihun, Yaksa, and Nibuchu are all located north of the river. Aside from the area near Jinzhou where the Great Wall is situated, which was already part of Chinese territory, most of the remaining regions were territories of various ethnic groups during different periods, including the Han, Tang, and Yuan dynasties, as well as the Liao Dong, Bohai, Mohe, and Jurchen peoples.
When the Qing Dynasty was initially established, it settled near Changbai Mountain and later moved the capital to Xinjing, all of which are now part of Jilin Province.
Emperor Taizu unified the five cities of Manchuria and conquered the four Hulun tribes nearby, using a lot of military force. These places are located between present-day Jilin and Shengjing (Shenyang), and at that time, the territory was not particularly vast. Only the three divisions of the East Sea had the largest land area, and the records of sacrifices and military affairs during the reigns of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong were mostly about the East Sea's three divisions. Dozens of battles were fought, with fierce combat, and in the end, the two Changbai Mountain divisions also submitted. These areas stretched east to the East Sea, all the way to Sakhalin Island, west to all of Liaoning, connecting to Fengtian (Shenyang), north past the Hunton River, reaching the Greater Khingan Mountains, and south crossing Changbai Mountain to connect with Korea. Therefore, it can be said that the territory of Jilin Province stretches several thousand miles in all directions. Emperor Taizu repeatedly defeated the Ming army, personally capturing Fanyang (now Yixian, Liaoning), relocating the capital to Shengjing (Shenyang), and then attacking eastward to capture Jinzhou and Ningyuan, and southward to capture Jinhai and Gaizhou, thus bringing all the surrounding areas of Shengjing (Shenyang) into the Qing Dynasty's territory.
The origins of Heilongjiang Province trace back to Emperor Taizu's pursuit of Nikan Wailan in Eerqian, located in Qiqihar, and is considered the foundation of Heilongjiang Province. During the reign of Emperor Taizu, the most territory was gained through military campaigns and pacification. By the time of Emperor Shunzhi, the Liaocha were subdued, and a treaty was signed with the Russians to reclaim the city of Yaksa, after which the entire territory of Soren was incorporated into China. In summary, Heilongjiang Province was built on the foundation laid by Emperor Taizu, developed and expanded by Emperor Taizong, and protected and preserved by the Holy Ancestor, with strategic policies firmly established.
Therefore, in general, the vast territory of the three eastern provinces was acquired by the Qing emperors through significant hardship. Now, if we reflect on modern history, we will clearly see how we lost these lands.
In the 28th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, a treaty was signed with the Russians, ceding Nerchinsk to them; this marked the first territorial concession in the Three Eastern Provinces. However, at that time, Nerchinsk was actually exchanged for Yaksa, not a genuine loss of territory. It is unclear when Kuye Island fell into Japanese control, but it was later given to Russia; but this was not a direct cession. The war in the 10th year of Xianfeng had the most significant impact on the situation, leaving future generations with lasting troubles: all territory north of the Heilongjiang River and east of the Ussuri River was surrendered in one fell swoop. In the 24th year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, Russia demanded Lushun and Dalian Bay, and the Luda region was also annexed by Russia. To this day, conflicts between China and Russia have persisted, with Russia exploiting the situation; first occupying Niuzhuang, followed by the successive fall of the provincial capitals of Heilongjiang and Jilin to Russia. Cities such as Sanxing and Ninguta were also subsequently occupied. It is reported that the cities of Aihun and Huichun have also succumbed. Recently, the "Zilin Bao" reported: the Russians breached Liaoyang on the fifth day of the month and captured Shengjing on the ninth. Consequently, the provincial capitals of the Three Eastern Provinces and several important towns have all fallen into Russian control. It is said that the current Russian Tsar, Nicholas II, intends to expand further eastward, selecting strategically advantageous locations to establish new capitals for governing East Asia. It seems that the imperial ambition of Moscow is thriving, while the ancestral legacy of Hetu Ala is deteriorating! Alas, is it that heaven seeks to punish us and weaken our resolve? Is this fate, or is it a result of human actions? This much is already clear!
China is in the east of Asia, and the three northeastern provinces are located in the eastern part of China. The mountains there rise up from the sea, and all rivers flow into the sea. These mountains and rivers appear from the direction of the Zhen hexagram, and it is through this cyclical nature of existence that the principles of the universe are formed and developed. Therefore, its rise is swift, and its decline is just as swift! Look at Nurhaci and Huang Taiji; the emperors of the two dynasties spent a lot of effort in expanding their territory and conquering various tribes; the effort they put in was truly staggering! It was not until the time of Shunzhi and Kangxi that it was finally pacified. It went through four dynasties and took hundreds of years to stabilize, only to be surrendered to others in just over ten days!
Since the coup, those who adhere to the old system have tried their best to prevent reform and progress, always saying "honoring the ancestors." Looking back now, they're merely trying to placate the late emperor and show loyalty to former rulers! It's truly heartbreaking!
Oh! From ancient times to the present, there probably hasn't been anything faster than the recent events in the Three Eastern Provinces that have ignited wars and led to territorial losses!
Firstly, around June 11th and 12th, several thousand Russian soldiers arrived at Hailanpao, wanting to transit through Aihun to reach Qiqihar and then Harbin, claiming they were there to protect the railway. The Russian general Gobinov politely refused a letter to the Heilongjiang general Shoushuai, stating, "We can protect the railway in our province ourselves. If you insist on sending troops over, then I will have to resist with force!" Then they received a reply from the Russian general, "We really don't trust that you can protect the railway well. However, China and Russia have maintained a friendly relationship for over two hundred years and have never easily provoked border conflicts. Now, if you insist on using force against us, General, it shows your exceptional bravery and talent, a rare talent in China. We can only listen to you. However, you will have to deal with it yourself!"
On the 15th, Shoushuai sent a telegram to the deputy commander Fengxiang in Aihun, ordering him to prepare and saying, "If Russian troops cross the border, strike them head-on and don't let them pass!" But Fengxiang knew that the Aihun forces were weak and the strength gap was too great; they stood no chance. So he sent a telegram to advise Shoushuai not to provoke conflict, but Shoushuai completely ignored him.
On the morning of the 17th, five Russian warships towed thirteen barges carrying over a thousand Russian soldiers down the Heilongjiang River. Fengxiang quickly sent a telegram to inform the military commander. That evening, they received a strong reply from Shoushuai, who strongly advocated for war. As a result, the Jingbian army trained in Aihun immediately set off, taking position in various ravines along the river, prepared for battle.
On the morning of the 18th, another Russian warship arrived, transporting arms downstream. Escorting this ship was a Russian border official named Kolya Smirnov, with the rank of Komsar. When the ship reached a place twenty miles upstream of Aihun, at Sandaogou, our Commander Heng led troops out to stop them, saying, "By order of the military commander, Russian warships are not allowed to pass on the river!" Kolya Smirnov got off the ship and debated with Commander Heng. Commander Heng stood his ground and refused to let them through. Kolya Smirnov was furious, returned to the ship, ordered his men to fire a warning shot before preparing to open fire. As a result, our side also opened fire, killing two Russian officers. Kolya Smirnov was also hit and quickly bandaged his wound, then fled back to Khabarovsk in a small boat.
Afterwards, Deputy Commander Feng reported the situation of the skirmish to General Shou. General Shou immediately sent a telegram to Russian General Gorbunov, condemning him for recklessly starting a war and provoking this incident, stating that the blame lay squarely on Russia. This telegram was delivered by Deputy Commander Feng to Kolya Smirnov. By then, Kolya Smirnov was already seriously injured, barely clinging to life, but still managed to tell Wu Bing that they must wipe out the Chinese forces along the Heilongjiang River before he would rest!
After the war broke out on the 18th, the Chongtong leader of Heihe shelled Khabarovsk for several days, and Russian troops retaliated with their own artillery fire.
On the 19th, the telegraph office in Heihe was destroyed by artillery fire. On the 20th and 21st, the Russians sent several cavalry units to the east of Aihui City, herding the residents of Ershibatun into a large building, where many were burned alive; fewer than half of those who managed to escape got out. About six thousand Chinese merchants were conducting business in Hailanpao, who were driven to the riverbank by Russian soldiers on the 19th, who claimed they would send boats to take them back home. Upon hearing this, the merchants stood by the riverbank, hungry and cold, for a full day and night. On the afternoon of the 20th, suddenly, thirty Russian cavalrymen armed with rifles and twenty with axes charged at the merchants, attacking them without warning. The merchants were caught completely off guard, terrified and scattering in all directions; many fell into the Heilongjiang River and drowned, with only about a hundred managing to swim to safety. It was a truly horrific scene!
On the 22nd, Vice Governor Feng saw the Russians rampaging and burning on the eastern bank of the river and could no longer stand by, so he sent Commander Wang Zhongliang and Officer Zhang, leading three hundred cavalry across the river to drive back the Russian soldiers and protect the settlers crossing over. They soon encountered the Russian troops, and a skirmish broke out. We lost thirty officers and soldiers, with over fifty injured, and the front line was running low on ammunition, and morale was plummeting. Commander Wang and Officer Zhang were the first to flee. Fortunately, the rear troops bravely charged forward, ultimately turning the tide against the Russians. The Russians suffered over a hundred casualties and fled toward the riverbank, just as a Russian steamboat passed by, taking away the defeated soldiers and the wounded.
On the 23rd, the front command reported to Deputy Lang He, worried that our isolated forces could easily be defeated by the enemy. Moreover, the earlier crossing of the river by three hundred cavalry was not his idea at all; it was Vice Commander Feng's idea, which made Deputy Lang He resent him. He seized this opportunity to quickly order the troops that had crossed the river to be withdrawn. When the Russian army noticed our weakened position, they began to set their sights on Aihun, and on the 24th, they bombarded us with cannons by the river. The fall of Aihun began here. Everyone claims that Deputy Lang He acted out of self-interest, leading to disaster by withdrawing the defensive line and losing the strategic advantage, making him the main culprit.
On the 25th, fifty Russian soldiers crossed the river from Wudao Gou, where we had only two guard posts, and we drove the Russian soldiers back to Jiangdong. On the 26th, six thousand Russian infantry and cavalry secretly crossed the Heilong River from the Wudao River upstream of the Heilong River. At that time, Chong Tongling was in the camp and saw them, but because they were dressed similarly to the Mohe Gold Mine Protection Team, Chong Tongling thought they were miners who had encountered trouble and fled back, so he hesitated to open fire. By the time they reached the shore, it was too late. Chong Tongling's troops quickly scattered and retreated to Aihun, and Chong Tongling was killed in battle. On the 27th, the Russian army marched directly from Xishan to Aihun. At this point, Vice Commander Feng had received a telegram from the general instructing him to go to the front line to oversee the battle. He led the Jingbian army stationed in various gullies to retreat to Dougouzi, and no one was willing to confront the Russian army. On the 29th, the Russian army captured Aihun City. The above outlines the events leading to the fall of Aihun.
After the Russian army entered Aihun, our troops retreated to Dougouzi, located over seventy miles from Aihun. The Russian army immediately launched an attack on July 4th, using powerful explosive shells to carry out long-range bombardments. Deputy Commander Feng adopted a strategy of defense and managed to hold out for several days. However, Dougouzi's terrain is flat; while there are a few small hills, they are inadequate for defense. Moreover, our guns and cannons are heavily rusted and barely functional, significantly inferior to the Russian army regarding accuracy and range. They were also using copper shells, which are considerably more powerful than ours. Consequently, our troops lost numerous battles, incurring heavy casualties. Additionally, the soldiers in Heilongjiang lacked tents during the campaign, fighting while hungry and exhausted during the day, and having to sleep outdoors at night, which led to widespread complaints and a demoralized army.
Deputy Commander Feng realized it would be challenging to withstand the assault and feared a mutiny among the soldiers, so he promptly informed General Shou about the challenging defensive situation in Dougouzi. On the tenth day, they gradually pulled back the troops. On the twelfth, they arrived at Beidaling, which is one hundred sixty miles away from Dougouzi. This location serves as the rear route to Aihun and the gateway to Qiqihar, making it extremely important geographically. However, for the past two hundred years, those in charge of border defense have never constructed a single artillery platform or established a stronghold there, so depending on last-minute efforts will not be enough to stop the enemy's advance.
At this time, the Russian army saw our troops retreating and relentlessly pursued them. On the 16th, the entire Russian army moved onto Beidaling. Deputy Commander Feng quickly led his troops to confront them, fighting for almost an hour. Our army had rifles from foreign countries but lacked short blades, while the Russian army had both types of weapons, and their combat strength far surpassed ours. Therefore, those at the front of our forces either fell in battle or fled, and the rear units were nearly affected as well. Seeing the situation was critical, Deputy Commander Feng feared a complete rout and quickly ordered all units to retreat temporarily and reassess their strategy.
On the morning of the 17th, the Russian army positioned numerous cannons at the foot of the mountain and launched a fierce assault on us. Deputy Commander Feng commanded the entire army to engage and declared, “Anyone who retreats will be executed!” The two armies clashed, with Deputy Commander Feng personally leading the charge and commanding the fight. The troops under Commander Tong momentarily fell back, and Deputy Commander Feng immediately ordered their execution as an example. Commander Tong was terrified and quickly rallied his troops and charged forward, with the rear troops following suit, which instantly lifted our spirits and inflicted a heavy defeat on the Russian army. The Russian army suffered heavy casualties. On our side, Commander Heng was wounded in the arm by cannon fire, Officer Rui was killed in action, and many artillery students from the military academy were also severely injured, with quite a few soldiers killed.
To oversee the battle, Deputy Commander Feng personally fired more than four hundred rounds from dawn till dusk, exhausting himself completely. His left leg and right arm were wounded by gunfire, and he fell off his horse three times, and was eventually helped back to camp by his comrades. That night, he coughed up several liters of blood before succumbing to his injuries. The morale of the troops was at an all-time low.
After Vice Commander Feng died, General Shou's seventh son took over the command of the troops. That night, the news of Vice Commander Feng's heroic death was quickly telegraphed to General Shou. Upon hearing the news, General Shou cried out, "Oh God, why did you take away my right-hand and left-hand man!" He immediately telegraphed his seventh son to handle Vice Commander Feng's funeral arrangements like he would for his own father. He personally went to the North Gate to set up a memorial and mourn, planning to hand over the general's seal to Vice Commander Sa Bao to take care of, while he himself went to the front lines to supervise the battle. Vice Commander Sa disagreed and appointed Cheng Xuelou as the interim president, ordering him to go to Beidaling to join the fight.
After Cheng Xuelou led his troops there, he contacted the Russian commander to request a ceasefire negotiation and personally went to the Russian camp to explain the situation.
The Russian general hosted a lavish banquet for him, as was customary, and agreed to Cheng Xuelou's request for a ceasefire and peace talks, promising that civilians would be safe. As long as there was a white flag hanging outside, there wouldn't be any problems. Cheng Xuelou then led the way for the Russian troops, with merchants and civilians living in peace and praising Cheng Xuelou for his accomplishments. When passing through the towns of Morgan and Bairdo, both towns were decorated with white flags to greet them. Each had a vice commander who had fled early. Some claimed they had surrendered to the enemy, but the details were unclear.
At that time, half of the army in Bukui City was engaged in battle at Beidaling, while the other half had been transferred to Harbin, which left the city with a depleted force struggling to manage emergencies. General Shou was usually quite brave in his work, and everyone admired him, but during that time, the military situation changed too rapidly, with alarms ringing one after another. He became flustered, had no time to train the soldiers and only drilled over a hundred members of the Boxer movement daily as the city's guardians. He even ordered the military and civilians in the city not to light fires or cook on the seventh and fifteenth days of the month, which left everyone very dissatisfied. One of his subordinates, named Wang Fuchen, an old friend of General Shou, had previously written to advise him against hastily going to war; upon hearing this, General Shou became furious and executed Wang Fuchen along with Zhang Yingguan, who had fled from battle, on the twenty-second. This caused everyone to scatter, and morale fell sharply.
On the twenty-eighth, rumors spread in the city that the Russian army in Harbin had crossed Dongdaling and was about to attack Bukui. Hearing this, the general quickly ordered the city gates to be opened for two days to let the civilians escape.
On August 2nd, Governor Cheng arrived in Bukui and immediately went to see General Shou to discuss negotiating a ceasefire with the Russian army. He also mentioned that a Russian officer had brought troops and insisted on meeting the general face-to-face. General Shou realized he couldn't personally negotiate with the Russian general and did not want the civilians in the city to suffer unnecessarily. After reflecting on the benefits he had received from the country over the years, he decided to sacrifice himself for his country right at his doorstep to repay the people of Heilongjiang. Thus, he first ordered his wife and children to take their own lives; he even tossed his youngest daughter into a water tank, nearly drowning her, but thankfully, she was rescued and survived. The general himself also tried to drink poison to end his life but was saved by others and survived.
On the third day, the vanguard of the Russian army arrived in Bukui City one after another. Cheng, the magistrate, went outside the city to greet them, and the preparations were quite thorough. The Russian army camped outside the city, and the people in the city were completely unaware of the enemy's arrival. In the afternoon, suddenly the sound of gunfire echoed through the air, and the general quickly ordered the city gates to be closed, sending Cheng to go out and see what was happening. It was later revealed that the Shuntian Renzi Army had arrived in Bukui and encountered the Russian army, and both sides started shooting at each other. The Russian army also fought back, resulting in over two hundred soldiers dead, with the remainder fleeing.
On the morning of the fourth day of the new year, the reinforcements of the Russian army also arrived, and the Russian generals insisted on entering the city to meet the general. Upon hearing this, the general immediately wrote a letter to the Russian general, requesting not to harm the people. After finishing the letter, he instructed his men to bring in a coffin, dressed in court attire and wearing a court cap, calmly lying in the coffin, and then swallowing some gold objects.
Unexpectedly, he did not die right away, so he ordered his son to shoot him. His son, trembling, couldn't bring himself to do it, so he accidentally shot the general in the left rib, not killing him. The general then ordered his aide to shoot, and the aide's shot hit his abdomen, still not killing him. The general's cries grew louder. The aide, witnessing the general's suffering, remarked, "You might as well die quickly to spare yourself the pain." So he fired another shot, piercing the general's chest, and the general finally died.
By this time, the Russian army had already entered the city. The general’s family hurriedly placed the coffin over his body, and with two hundred guards, they fled the city in a hurry. Along the way, they were stopped several times by the Russian army, and they managed to fight their way out only through the desperate resistance of the guards. The Russian general suspected that the general was still alive, and at that time, the deputy commander Sabo had already surrendered to Russia. The Russian general specially sent him to lead the pursuit, hoping to retrieve the general's body, but in the end, they did not catch up.
On that day, the Russian army occupied the city of Qiqihar. This is the account of the fall of Qiqihar, and now the entire province of Heilongjiang is under the control of Russia.
We've long known that the Russians are eyeing our three eastern provinces! People who have returned from those provinces all say that the land there is fertile, suitable for grazing, with food production more than twice that of the inland regions, and there are many gold mines, even more than Russia's own gold mines. But Russia is located in the northwest, with most of its land being barren. Wanting to expand eastward, competing with European countries, and seizing China's interests is like the saying goes, "a long whip can't reach the horse's belly." Their geographical location and situation are not advantageous. So they've had their sights set on the three eastern provinces for a while; even children can see that this is not something that just started today.
This year, taking advantage of the chaos caused by bandits in the northern province, they sent a large army into the mainland under the guise of protecting the railway. If we agree to them, it would mean allowing a formidable enemy to take over our territory, which will lead to greater trouble in the future; if we do not agree, they will have an excuse to start a war, and trouble will come immediately. General Shou has the responsibility to defend the border; how can he allow others to sleep soundly on his own territory? He firmly rejected Russia's demands and eventually resorted to military force. This was all a result of the circumstances, and the general shouldn't be blamed.
General Shou has not been in office for long; the military strength is weak, not enough to resist the enemy, and we understand this. However, he mistakenly believed in the bandits, relying on them. He was loyal, but lacked the wisdom needed. In the end, he lost his land and died for his country. Wise people will feel sorry for him! Overall, his misfortune was largely due to Jinchang's instigation. When the allied forces attacked Beijing, the court instructed the generals and governors of each province to defend their territories. The court did not give remote commands, only warning everyone not to have any compromising thoughts. After receiving the order, General Shou knew that Heilongjiang's military funds were tight and not enough to resist Russia, so he telegraphed Fengtian to discuss strategies for combat and defense.
At that time, Jin Chang was the Vice Governor of Fengtian and was frequently at odds with General Zeng Qi. He immediately sent a telegram to General Shou, urging him to go to war, and agreed to launch an attack on June 13, simultaneously with the Russian troops, with weapons, ammunition, and food provided by Fengtian. As a result, General Shou felt there was nothing to fear and bravely resolved to fight. However, the situation was urgent, but the Fengtian reinforcements were delayed. It wasn't until the Russian army was at the city gates that the Renzi Army finally showed up, resulting in a defeat, and thus the overall situation was sealed.
Starting from May 13th and ending on July 21st, I noted down the more significant events each day:
On May 13th, a mansion in the Western Hills of Beijing was burned down.
On May 14th, an edict was issued appointing Prince Duan to manage the government. Reinforcements led by Admiral Seymour rushed from Tianjin to Beijing. By noon, the telegraph line connecting Beijing and Tianjin was cut.
On May 15th, a secretary from the Japanese embassy was killed.
On May 17th, the German plenipotentiary was also killed.
On May 18th, three churches in Tianjin were burned.
On May 19th, multiple churches in Tianjin were burned, and the Boxers stormed into the concession areas.
On May 20th, communication was cut off everywhere, businesses in the concession areas were closed, and even the Japanese trams stopped running. The Dagu Forts engaged in battle and were quickly captured by the Allied forces. On this day, it was reported that Li Hongzhang was recalled to his post in Zhili.
On May 21st, the concession areas came under bombardment, and the Military Academy was burned down.
On May 26th, Admiral Seymour occupied Xigu.
On May 27th, new troops from England, Russia, and Germany arrived in Beijing for the first time.
On May 30th, Admiral Seymour returned to Tianjin.
On June 1st, the Allied forces occupied the Eastern Bureau.
On June 3rd, a letter was received from the Chief Tax Commissioner, Hurd.
On June 4th, General Alekseev from Russia arrived, and another letter from Tax Commissioner Hurd was received.
On June 5th, after a long drought, it finally rained.
On June 6th, a letter was received from Minister Dou. For the first time, women traveled from Tianjin towards Dagu. The warehouse of the Jardine Matheson company was burned down.
On June 8th, the British warship "Torpedo Boat No. 1" delivered twelve-pound shells to Tianjin.
On June 10th, the residence of Decrelin was burned down.
On June 12th, the Allied forces occupied the Western Bureau.
On June 14th, the artillery fire was at its peak intensity. Zhang Yanmo, the scholar, went to Tanggu.
On June 15th, troops from various sides fought a major battle near the train station, sustaining heavy casualties on both sides. New American troops arrived in Tianjin, and Admiral Seymour and the Marine Corps boarded the ironclad "Caspian."
On June 16th, the hottest day of the year, even in the shade the thermometer showed 102 degrees.
On June 17th, the assault on Tianjin began in the morning, and the intense battle lasted for an entire day and night.
On June 18th, Tianjin was captured.
On June 19th, the allied forces captured the artillery positions at the naval camp.
On June 28th, news came that all the foreign ministers were still alive.
On July 1st, the Chinese army were defending Yangcun.
On the sixth day of the lunar month, sixteen thousand allied forces set out from Tianjin and marched towards Beijing.
On the eleventh day of the lunar month, a major battle broke out against the Eight-Nation Alliance at Beicang.
On the twelfth day of the lunar month, Yangcun was occupied.
On the fourteenth day of the lunar month, we received a letter from Minister Dou (Dou Nale), revealing that our embassy had come under fire from the 7th to the 12th of the month. This was really unsettling!
On the fifteenth day of the lunar month, we received a secret message from the American minister.
On the sixteenth day of the lunar month, the allied forces arrived at Hoxi Wu.
On the eighteenth day of the lunar month, the allied forces reached Tongzhou.
On the twentieth day of the lunar month, General Inge marched into Beijing.
On the twenty-first day of the lunar month, the allied forces took control of Beijing.
On September 20th, which was the 6th day of the intercalary month, naval commanders from various countries met in Dagukou to discuss matters. After the meeting, Admiral Seymour ordered his British gunboat "Bacchante" to go to Shanhaiguan and occupy the fort there. American envoy Boxer Huxier and Lieutenant Puru boarded the gunboat. Dagukou was not far from Shanhaiguan, and by noon that day, they had arrived in front of Shanhaiguan. Huxier and Puru believed that persuasion was better than force, so they went ashore with the gunboat's officer to meet with the officers of the Shanhaiguan fort. They said that the British forces wanted to take control of the fort, and if they were willing to give it up, there would be no need for a battle. The Shanhaiguan officers agreed and said that the British soldiers could come over at any time. Huxier added, "The British soldiers will be here soon; however, you need to withdraw the Chinese troops first; otherwise, there could be complications." The officers at Shanhaiguan also agreed. So Huxier and his party returned to the ship and sent Navy Officer Blakes and eighteen sailors ashore into Shanhaiguan. By that time, the Chinese troops at the fort had already departed with their belongings. In the afternoon, Russian troops arrived hastily by train, hoping to seize the train station, only to find that it had already been taken over by the British navy. They demanded the station be returned to them by Huxier and his party, but were unsuccessful, so they had to set up camp outside. The gunboat "Bacchante" recognized that their forces at the fort were insufficient and feared potential complications, so they quickly returned to report the situation and request reinforcements. Admiral Seymour then sent more troops to reinforce immediately, and he himself also went over to assess the situation aboard the command ship "Centurion."
Wow, all the armies from various countries have arrived! At that moment, everyone had a discussion and decided to allow the international coalition forces to take control of the train station and the first artillery position, displaying the flags of their respective countries. The second artillery position would be jointly guarded by the armies of Germany, Italy, and San Francisco; the third artillery position would be assigned to the French; the fourth one would be assigned to Britain and Japan, with each sending troops to guard. As for the city gates, the east gate would be guarded by the Russians; the west gate by Japan and Italy; the north gate by Britain and France; and the south gate by Germany. Additionally, the electrical equipment at the first and second artillery positions would be under the guard of the Japanese.
Let’s break it down: the armies that arrived at that time included 3,500 Russians, 1,000 British, 800 Germans, 400 Americans, 300 Italians, two divisions of the Japanese army, and 100 naval personnel.
The reason why the armies from different countries were determined to seize Shanhaiguan was mainly because there is a small island in front of Shanhaiguan, in Zhili Bay, which remains ice-free even in the harshest winters. It is a crucial wintering spot for warships from around the world! Moreover, outside the pass is Jinzhou, with a railway connecting to various places, and it is a vital route from Tianjin to Beijing; 12 li from Niuzhuang, 110 li from Lüshun, 350 li from Datong River, 430 li from Incheon, 650 li from Busan, 736 li from Maguan, and 581 li from Nagasaki. It is undoubtedly a vital strategic location that military strategists would fiercely compete for! Therefore, after the Russians occupied it, they promptly began repairing the railway from Shanhaiguan to Tanggu, and leveraged the nearby coal mines to hire a significant number of Chinese workers for mining, intending to maintain a long-term presence. Although other nations understood that the Russians likely had grander ambitions, they had no choice but to accept it!
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