Chapter 196: The Counterattack Begins I (Part 1)

This fleet, now in a state close to disintegration, was clearly under heavy fire from the Black Flag Army. Several gunboats were torn apart by their artillery, with entire sides of the ships tilting severely to one side.
As for the soldiers on deck, their fate was even worse—many lost their lives to the intense bombardment before even firing a single shot. At first glance, nothing could be seen but blood and flesh; numerous small gunboats and motorboats had already been sunk in this massive fleet.
Yet, at this moment, both the greatest fortune and misfortune befell them. Erminga and all the officers shouted in unison, “Send them back! Go back immediately!”
Signal flags were raised to convey the true situation to the reinforcement fleet: “The defenders in Hanoi have decided to surrender to the Black Flag Army. Return at once!”
“Return immediately!”
Navigating through the narrow river channels, facing constant attacks from 60-mm mortar shells and rifle bullets, such maneuvers were extremely difficult. Yet every crew member’s face was covered in tears.
“God, what have I done? What have we done?”
It was as if a nightmare had awakened, but the corpses around them reminded everyone that the war was not over—yet everything they had done now meant nothing.
Indeed, nothing at all. Everyone painfully realized this.
Despite the soldiers’ objections, seven infantry battalions were sent to reinforce Hanoi. But this time, the Black Flag Army had deployed even more powerful firepower. Countless flames danced across the river, wiping out the soldiers on deck.
Marines could still use cannons for rapid counterfire, but the soldiers on board could only desperately fire one or two rifle shots before being hit by enemy snipers. After overcoming so many difficult obstacles, they received such despairing news.
All their efforts had been in vain—the defenders of Hanoi had surrendered. They gained nothing but massive sacrifices.
A profound sense of powerlessness overwhelmed everyone. To reach this point, they had lost three gunboats and five motorboats, with many sailors injured or killed on other ships. As for the soldiers on board, they suffered heavy casualties under the Black Flag Army’s relentless fire.
Out of three thousand four hundred men in those seven infantry battalions, one thousand two hundred were now severely injured or dead. With no time to handle the corpses, many were simply pushed into the icy river.
The groans of the wounded grew louder. Initially, the fleet still had some morale, but at this moment, it vanished completely. Everyone knew that even if they managed to break through the enemy lines, it would only be to meet certain death.
The defenders of Hanoi had surrendered. These soldiers, who were almost completely defeated, would only serve as fodder for the Black Flag Army if they managed to reach shore. That was their only “luck.”

If they had acted half an hour earlier, they might have already become prey for the Black Flag Army. Just thinking of this made many people cry, while even more cursed the Navy Ministry and high-ranking officers.
“God! Have mercy on us!”
The helpless people continued to suffer greatly in hell, as the Black Flag Army’s bombardment persisted, claiming more lives slowly. Misfortune and luck came upon them at the same time.
A white flag slowly rose, and Gobat’s pale face grew even paler.
“Order the military envoy to request an immediate cease-fire; we accept the Black Flag Army’s terms…”
Despite having gone through the Franco-Prussian War, these French soldiers still retained a sense of nobility and were reluctant to show weakness to their enemies. Yet in the face of overwhelming artillery fire, they felt utterly powerless.
He handed over his cane casually: “I don’t care about personal gains or losses, but I hope all soldiers, regardless of nationality or skin color, can receive fair treatment…”
“That’s the commander’s cane!” The envoy conveyed General Gobat’s message to Liu Yu: “A French commander, along with 4,700 soldiers and more civilians, hopes to receive your mercy!”
Liu Yu remained silent, without the expected joy. He merely asked politely, “Does General Gobat have any message for me?”
“There are about 1,700 wounded, both severe and minor, in Hanoi right now. We hope they can receive proper treatment.”
Liu Yu’s expression turned stern: “If you hand over your weapons within an hour!”
“I hope your army will take responsibility for disarming as soon as possible. I also hope the war will end soon so you can go home…”
In the early stages of the war, both sides were extremely cruel toward prisoners—prisoners existed only in dictionaries. But as the war expanded, the Black Flag Army had taken in tens of thousands of prisoners, including nearly a thousand true Frenchmen.
Today, among those captured were over a thousand true French citizens, not including civilians and French wounded.
“We will hand over all weapons, including bayonets and military supplies. We guarantee to cease all military actions against your forces starting now and order all troops to stop resisting you…”
“We will ensure your safety and personal property. Any persecution of prisoners will be severely punished. Our commanders promise that your officers can keep ceremonial weapons and enjoy better treatment…”
Liu Yu continued, “Let General Nigeri handle the negotiations. Oh, provide General Gobat with a separate house and allow him to keep two attendants. And… find a box of wine among the spoils to send to him!”
The atmosphere between the hosts and guests was harmonious. After France raised the white flag, the French army’s morale had completely collapsed, with almost no gunfire heard along the front lines.

Before long, French troops emerged in groups from their positions and surrendered their weapons directly to the local Black Flag Army, who in turn treated them well, even bringing them a bottle or two of wine.
Liu Yu’s expression also appeared calm, but no one knew the truth.
The young commander was actually overjoyed inside.
“This will go down in history—this is the only time in modern history that Westerners have surrendered in the East!”
However, Liu Yu’s eyes narrowed: “But this is just unprecedented, not the last time it will happen!”