In order to prevent the Russian army from landing along the coast of North Korea and the Liaodong Peninsula, the Qing army made the following arrangements: Nie Shicheng's troops deployed defensive positions on the right bank of the Yalu River. Nie Shicheng absorbed the lessons of the Japanese tactics of breaking the Yalu River last time, carefully rectified military affairs, and tried to avoid repeating them.

On the banks of the Tumen River in Hunchun, Jilin General Changshun transferred the Eight Banners, and the Green Camp had a total of 45 battalions, with more than 30,000 people stationed in Hunchun and the Tumen line, and strictly guarded the death. During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the Japanese army mainly attacked Shengjing, and the battlefield did not affect Jilin. At that time, Changshun might have dared to be passive and slackened, but this time it was different. The Russian army might have attacked Changshun's defense zone. In order not to be blamed by the court, Changshun had to be slackened with the responsibility of defending the territory, so he issued a strict order and threw all the generals in Hunchun severely punished them.

On the south bank of Songhua River in Jilin Province, the first and second towns of the Beiyang Army are constructing fortifications in Harlekin (Harbin). On the other side of the shore are the Russian "Dongman" detachment, commanded by Lieutenant General Zhasulich, under the jurisdiction of the Amur First Division and the Binjiang Second Division. Zhasulich has nearly 30,000 people and 70 artillery, and has occupied the positions around Hulun for one and a half months, but has not strengthened the fortifications. The troops are scattered on the wide front of the Jiangbei River, and countless in the direction of the Qing army's possible attack. Only a long trench is built along the river, and almost no camouflage is added. The reserve team, which accounts for about half of the total force, is arranged 10 kilometers away. The artillery positions are completely exposed, and the Qing army directly despises the other side.

Lieutenant General Tssulich did not think that the Qing army dared to fight back. For this period of time, the Qing government has been praying for negotiations to resolve the problem. It is an open secret that the Qing army was strictly ordered not to take the initiative to fight. At the same time, the Songhua River is a natural barrier, and the river surface that is hundreds of meters wide cannot hide any target. He believes that if the Qing army dares to cross the river, it will be severely damaged.

After discussion, Wang Shizhen and others believed that the only advantage in front of them was that the Russians did not believe that the Qing army would take the initiative to fight back.

"Our plan is to cross the river secretly. Raid the Russian rear base and destroy the Russian army's food and ammunition supply base. At the same time, the second town crosses the river. The two towns attack the Russian river defense forces in front and back. It is necessary to win one blow, because if the failure occurs, the first town will face a battle against the back and forth, and there is a danger of annihilation of the entire army."

As the chief officer of the engineering army, Gong Yuanyou first selected the location for crossing the river and said: "I suggest that the crossing of the river be carried out in Daniujia Village upper reaches of the Songhua River. First, the river surface near Daniujia Village is stable, which will help our army quickly build a floating bridge and cross the river quickly. Second, there is a road behind Daniujia Village that can bypass the Russian frontal defensive position and directly enter the side and rear of Hulan Russian troops."

Yang Rongtai pointed to the map and analyzed: "The Russian gunboats pass there every two hours, and I'm afraid there is no time to send the soldiers there."

Wang Shizhen said: "Since it's too late, then make time for him to have time. We will place only three gunboats a hundred miles downstream, and send an army to pretend to build fortifications in Mulan and make a move to cross the river to paralyze the enemy. The enemy will transfer patrol gunboats to Mulan, so that you will have time to build a floating bridge to cross the river."

Gong Yuanyou said: "To be on the safe side, I suggest giving me the engineering battalion of the second town. It will be faster to build a floating bridge together with the two engineering battalions."

Wang Shizhen nodded in agreement and said, "The two engineer battalions together must be built within two hours. Two hours later, after you lead the cavalry regiment across the river, you will first attack the Russian logistics base, burning all their supplies, so that they can't continue to fight."

"Yes!" Jiang Gui received the order.

Then, Wang Shizhen arranged the entire plan in turn. In addition to the baggage battalion participating in the crossing of the river, the cavalry regiment of the second town was assigned to Jiang Guite, and also participated in the crossing of the river. The second town was responsible for attracting the frontal Russian firepower and cooperating with the first town to detour the Russian rear.

Everything is ready, just wait for the opportunity. But Tieliang, as their boss, didn't know anything about it.

Starting the next day, Wang Shizhen sent a battalion from the second town to a relatively hidden and suitable location near Mulan Town to start preparing for crossing the river. Two days later, the Russian patrol gunboats discovered this hidden crossing point. The Russian gunboats planned to come over to check the situation, but three Qing river gunboats intercepted them. The two sides then confronted each other and were tense. Although they were still in the armistice stage, the Russian gunboats bullied the Qing army and opened fire immediately, and then the Qing gunboats fought back.

The Russian army took the lead in firing this was Wang Shizhen's plan, because the two countries are currently in a ceasefire stage, and there is an excuse to take the initiative. The Russian gunboats took the lead in firing at the Qing army's gunboats, which ignored peace talks and did not have the sincerity of peace talks, which put the Qing government in a favorable diplomatic position.

The firefight broke out between the two sides, and the news soon reached the two governments in the negotiations. The Qing government accused Russia of rudely shelling the Qing army and regarded it as ignoring the negotiations. The Russian side rudely accused the Qing army of misconduct and asked the Qing government to explain the purpose of building a similar crossing of the river in Mulan.

Both sides began to spit again. Lieutenant General Zhasulich, the head coach of the Russian army on the north bank of the Songhua River, mobilized gunboats to closely monitor the direction of the Mulan Ferry. At the same time, the troops on the north bank also divided the troops towards Mulan.

Just as the Russian army focused on the direction of Mulan downstream, Wang Shizhen also started to act.

The weather is beautiful. From the morning on June 30, the sky became gloomy. It was drizzling in the afternoon and it didn't mean to stop until the evening.

The cloudy sky can cover up the crossing of the river. The rain is not heavy, but it can block the Russian army's sight across the river and cover up the sound of the army crossing the river.

The Russian army still judged that the Qing army's actions in Mulan were just to scare people, with the purpose of adding chips to the negotiating table. Lieutenant General Zhasulich continued to stay in the county yamen in Hulan County, drinking his favorite vodka.

That night, Wang Shizhen ordered the battle to cross the Songhua River officially begins. The Beiyang Army's first town marched to Daniujia Village in the upper reaches of the Songhua River to prepare to cross the river.

Before this, Gong Yuanyou had led two engineering battalions to the pre-selected river crossing location near Daniujia Village in advance and began to build a floating bridge.

Before the engineers set up the pontoon bridge, the soldiers of the reconnaissance battalion had pulled out all the several nearby posts set up by the Russian army.

At nine o'clock in the evening, four floating bridges were built and the first town began to cross the river.

The rain was drizzling, covering up the sound of the army crossing the river.

In the early morning, the officers and soldiers of the First Town successfully completed the crossing of the river, but the Russian army still knew nothing about it.

When Wang Shizhen and others in the base camp were relieved when they learned that the First Town had successfully crossed the river. It was not useless to secretly challenge the Qing government to bow down to the Russians. At least now it made the Russians underestimate the enemy, but instead helped the First Town to successfully complete the mission of crossing the river.

After completing the crossing of the river, the first town quickly bypassed Daniujia Village, circled from the southern foot of Shuangkou Mountain to the northwest of Hulan, and assembled in the area of ​​Sun Temple.

Due to the rain, the 54 cannons of the First Town Artillery Regiment were transported in time. Sometimes the wheels of the cannon trucks were stuck in the mud and could not walk. Duan Qirui was afraid of delaying the operation of the entire army, so he rolled up his sleeves and went down to help pull the cannon trucks. When the officers and soldiers saw that the chief officer had done it themselves, they were very moved and tried their best to exert their energy. Finally, with the concerted efforts of all the officers and soldiers, the 54 cannons of the cannon were safely taken to the assembly point.

At five o'clock in the morning, the first town departments entered the predetermined position, and the rain gradually stopped. All the officers and soldiers quickly ate the breakfast dry food, checked weapons and ammunition, and made final preparations. At the same time, Duan Qirui's artillery regiment position was also deployed. 54 cannons were arranged in an orderly manner according to the attack stairs. In addition to the two 80 artillery companies' muzzles aimed at Caijiatun, the other four 80 artillery companies aimed at the Russian camp in Songbei, and three 150-heavy howitzer companies aimed at the Russian artillery positions.

According to the plan, the 1st Regiment of the Cavalry Regiment and the 2nd Regiment of the Second Brigade were responsible for attacking the Russian supply station, the 2nd Regiment and the 1st Regiment of the Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Regiment of the Second Brigade, and the Artillery Regiment were responsible for attacking the Songbei Camp on the left wing of the Russian Hulan defensive position and seizing nearby river defense positions, and responding to the Second Town to cross the river.

At dawn, it is the most sleepy time for people. At this moment, most of the Russian soldiers are still sleeping, not knowing that the danger is approaching.

In the command post of the artillery regiment, Duan Qirui quietly looked at the enemy positions in the distance. The rain stopped, but it seemed that it was about to fog.

The artillery regiment staff next to him looked at the pocket watch from time to time and walked around tickingly.

"What time is it?"

Duan Qirui asked suddenly.

"Five:20, there are still forty minutes left before the total attack time."

"No, it's going to fog, the attack must be advanced."

Duan Qirui is worthy of being an excellent officer. He immediately discovered that fog after the rain may affect the visibility of the attacking troops and the accuracy of artillery bombardment.

"I'm notifying other departments immediately, and I'll say it's going to be foggy. I suggest you launch an attack immediately."

"yes!"

The staff of the artillery regiment immediately sent someone to notify Jiang Guite, Liang Huadian, Wang Yingkai and others. Soon they agreed to Duan Qirui's suggestion and agreed to launch an attack at half past five.

Duan Qirui immediately ordered: "Order! Prepare for battle!"

"Yes! Battle preparation!"

The artillery regiment staff repeated the orders and then ordered the officers and soldiers of each artillery company to enter the combat state.

"Enter the position!"

With the shout of the commanders of each artillery company, in the anti-impact trench not far from the location of each artillery, teams of hidden artillery soldiers ran into their respective artillery positions quickly and orderly.

"Correction of all elements!"

The cannon aimer quickly corrects the elements, while the ammunition hand opens the ammunition box next to it and takes out the shells. Everything is in order.

"Target 102 highland, position 320, five rounds are ready!"

The ammunition hand quickly sent the shell into the barrel, closed the gun door, and hung the latch to lock it.

"One shot, good!"

"Second artillery, good!"

"Three shots, okay!"

...

...

"Six cannons, okay!"

After the deputy gunmen of each gun were ready, they stood up to report, while the main gunmen were holding the cannon rope tightly, waiting for the next order. At the same time, the company commanders of each gun company announced that they were ready.

"A company of guns, get in place!"

"The Second Company of the Cannon, take your place!"

...

"Ninth Company of Cannon, take your place!"

The news of the commanders of each artillery company were in place to the artillery regiment command center, and the artillery regiment staff reported loudly: "The artillery regiment is in place!"

Duan Qirui looked at the pocket watch. It was less than one minute before the scheduled time, and the entire artillery regiment preparation time took just two minutes, which made him very satisfied.

As the first battle approached, Duan Qirui was both nervous and excited. He stared at the second hand on his pocket watch and watched it ticking.

"Time is here!"
Chapter completed!