Chapter 140: Building a City

Toulon Port, France.
This port in southeastern France was bustling with activity. The gentle breeze from the Mediterranean blew over the old harbor, as batch after batch of soldiers waited to disembark. Taking advantage of these final moments of leisure, they stuffed more snacks into their backpacks.
Along with them were the army’s 80-mm artillery pieces and ammunition. According to information gathered by Marine Corps soldiers, they would also travel to Annam aboard other ships.
A Marine Corps officer lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and asked an army officer leaning on the railing, “Hey, want one?”
“Invite me when we get to Annam!” the army officer replied, gazing at the sea. “This is where Napoleon rose to fame.”
For every French soldier, Toulon held special significance—it was where Napoleon first made his mark, and the bombardment of Toulon was etched in the minds of all army soldiers.
The artillery officer stared at the blue sea and its rolling waves. “Hey, once we get to Annam, we’ll have to follow your navy’s commands. Not only should you invite me then, but you’ll also need to take good care of us!”
“Mm,” the navy officer replied, holding the cigarette between his teeth. “What kind of artillery are you transporting this time?”
“80-mm artillery,” the artillery officer said, gripping the railing soaked by the waves. “And shells. Is it one battalion?”
“One Marine Corps battalion, along with two artillery companies and two hundred reinforcements,” the Marine Corps officer replied, raising another question. “Are you army guys that stingy? Sending only a few artillery pieces?”
Though they belonged to different services, they didn’t hesitate to share some military secrets. The artillery officer looked into the distance with a smile. “Massive withdrawals by the army would affect preparations against Germany, so the reinforcements we’re sending won’t board these ships here.”
“African indigenous troops?” the Marine Corps officer asked, also leaning on the granite railing with his cigarette. “How many?”
“One regiment of Algerians—all excellent guys!” the artillery officer lowered his voice. “I’m not telling you this.”
Among all the colonies, Algeria, separated from the mainland by the sea, was a special case. Centuries of French rule and hundreds of thousands of Europeans had made its people extremely loyal to France. It was not only the base of the Foreign Legion but also home to the strongest indigenous forces—Algerian troops. These fanatical indigenous fighters were extremely tenacious in the desert, with combat capabilities even surpassing some French mainland troops.
The Marine Corps officer knew he had to keep his promise and knew better than to ask for anything in return. “The Navy Ministry has issued an order to recall General Boisgelin to the mainland. General Gobert, the Conqueror of Hue, will be in charge of all troops in the Annam region.”
This order hadn’t been issued yet, but the decision made by the Navy Minister had already been publicly approved by the cabinet, becoming a well-known secret.

General Boisdeffre’s failure at Huế completely disillusioned the Navy Ministry with him, while the campaign in the Red River Delta, advocated by Commissioner Gouraud, achieved a perfect victory. Within just a few days, a small French force captured Hai Phong, Thanh Hóa, and the provincial capital of Guang An, bringing the province of Hai Phong, which controlled the coastline, entirely under French control. From now on, this province, spanning from Tonkin to China’s vast coastline, was firmly in French hands, severing Vietnam’s maritime connections. If the Qing Dynasty wanted to intervene in this war, it would have to do so through the rugged paths along the Sino-Vietnamese border. In Huế, Admiral Courbet was also on the verge of capturing Vietnam’s capital after heavy sacrifices. According to a telegram from Saigon, “After great sacrifices, the Vietnamese emperor and ministers have agreed to negotiate with us, and we can enter Huế at any time.” This was seen as a powerful boost by the Cabinet and Parliament; after months of intense fighting, they had finally grasped the hand of Victory. No matter the casualties or costs, capturing a country’s capital marked the victory of a war and signified its near end, with only minor tasks remaining. It was in this atmosphere, under Prime Minister Ferry’s personal supervision, that the Navy Ministry decided to make changes. Within the Navy Minister’s circle, people were considering how to send a well-worded telegram to General Boisdeffre, and each officer also had his own circle, concerned about their friends who were about to take up positions in the Tonkin region. He then passed this news on to a friend he met by chance. The artillery officer was very grateful: “Thank you, dear friend!” This news was of great help to his career in Vietnam; he could use the final time before the artillery was shipped to seek out friends of Major Courbet and even obtain an enthusiastic letter of recommendation. Beyond the information he provided, the artillery major was also willing to offer extra details to his friend: “A friend told me that the Cabinet plans to increase the troops in the Tonkin region to 15,000 and allocate an additional 150 million francs for military expenses.” Historically, this proposal was put forward and approved in December 1883, but in this timeline, it was advanced by four full months. Over the past few months, Parliament had already approved several additional funds for the war, and France had spent tens of millions of francs on this relatively small-scale conflict. Yet the troops at the front still demanded more funds, repeatedly telling the Cabinet, “The additional funds from Paris are not enough to meet the needs at the front; we rely entirely on loans from the Oriental Bank of Commerce to sustain ourselves.” After learning that they were about to enter Huế, the French Cabinet eagerly presented its plan to expand the war to Parliament, proposing to send another 15,000 soldiers and allocate an additional 150 million francs.

But the parliament seemed relatively rational on this issue. France during the Franco-Prussian War had a prosperous yet extremely fragile economy. It was ultimately decided to keep the land forces in the Tokyo region at no more than 15,000 men, excluding the naval fleet, the 600 soldiers serving as the occupation force in Hue, and the colonial troops recruited at that time.

Yet when the major of the infantry regiment heard this news, he let out a long sigh. “Some friends have told me some bad news. The expedition to Annam isn’t as romantic as we thought. But if your information is true, I’ll treat you well once we arrive in Tokyo!” His heart was filled with confidence.

…

Danfeng County had no city walls. Strictly speaking, it was merely a larger village, with an area roughly equivalent to a township in China. Unlike Huaidé Prefecture, it had no natural defenses, being surrounded by rivers on three sides, which made it very convenient for French naval vessels to launch attacks. But after the flood, only Danfeng County, due to its higher elevation, could accommodate troops. It was also located at a strategic point between Hanoi and Shanxi, 30 li east of Hanoi and 30 li west of Shanxi. Thus, after the flood, the Black Flag Army retreated to several villages in Danfeng County to hold their ground.

The flood still hadn’t subsided. The traces of the fierce battles near Huaidé Prefecture had been completely washed away by this once-in-fifteen-years flood. From Hanoi to Shanxi, only some high-lying areas remained above water, forming small islands. Both the French and the Black Flag Army had to put aside their desire for violence in the face of nature’s power.

About a kilometer apart, there was a battalion of the Black Flag Army stationed. They had deployed ten infantry battalions here. Liu Yongfu and Liu Yu stood on a high place, watching the muddy yellow floodwaters continue to flow downstream.

Although there were ten infantry battalions, four of them were newly formed. Yet after his victory at Huaidé Prefecture, Liu Yongfu was in high spirits. Pointing at the river, he said, “Once the flood recedes, we can immediately launch a counterattack on Hanoi. With an army of over ten battalions, it will be as easy as flipping a palm to defeat the remaining troops there.”

Liu Shou smiled as he watched the river, but Jing Shiyi, under his command, had different thoughts. He immediately said, “General Liu, what if the French send troops from Hanoi to attack Danfeng?”

Liu Yongfu immediately made Jing Shiyi blush. “The French certainly won’t launch an attack now. The waters around Danfeng are flat, making it impossible to use ships or cavalry. There are very few small boats, making crossings extremely difficult.”

For this reason, aside from the Xiliu Battalion constructing some temporary fortifications, the entire Black Flag Army had not built any solid defenses. They relied on several villages near Danfeng for support, with the only defensive structure being a green bamboo fence in front of the villages.

Liu Yu was more cautious. He asked Jing Shiyi, “How are the fortifications coming along?”

“The rain is still falling. The engineers have only built some temporary shelters and parapets.”

Liu Yongfu, however, said sternly, “The French certainly wouldn’t be so reckless.”

Just as Liu Yu was about to say something, Huang Shouzhong rushed over in great urgency and said, “The French have already sent troops from Hanoi.”

Liu Yongfu’s face remained calm as he said sternly, “How many troops are there? If it’s just one or two platoons, there’s no need for such a fuss.” His lack of urgency didn’t mean Huang Shouzhong wasn’t anxious. In the current troop deployment, his two infantry battalions were positioned at the forefront. The flat terrain there was the perfect spot for the French to unleash their firepower. “At least four thousand, with nearly half being French. All of Huangqi Army has been mobilized.” Liu Yongfu also became panicked. Including Liu Yu, none of the Heiqi Army officers expected Bogue to be so ruthless—suffering such a heavy blow near Huaidefu yet recovering in less than two weeks. “What should we do?” Liu Yu stared at the rushing river and turned to Huang Shouzhong, asking, “When did the news arrive?” “Six hours ago. All the French in Hanoi have been mobilized to attack us!” Liu Yu took a deep breath. He hadn’t expected the French to strike at the weakest moment of the Heiqi Army, but he had no other choice. He quickly removed Jing Shiyi’s belt, folded it into an engineering shovel, and drove it firmly into the ground. “From now on, we have at most twenty-four hours to fortify our positions!” “Every drop of sweat we shed now will be repaid with equal bloodshed.” He began digging with all his might. … General Bogue was well aware of the Governor-General of Cochinchina’s dissatisfaction with him and the complaints back home over his failed actions. But he didn’t know that the telegram recalling him to the homeland already lay on the Navy Minister’s desk. No matter what results he achieved, he was doomed to tragedy. As a pure soldier, General Bogue knew the best way to restore his reputation and silence all criticism was through a victory, so he risked everything. Although there were heavy casualties near Huaidefu, by sacrificing the interests of the Shunhua Expeditionary Force, he secured support from two battalions in Saigon. All the native infantry had been replenished and trained for at least a week. Betting everything on it, he launched a bold operation despite the still-rising floods. Three thousand eight hundred soldiers—this figure didn’t include the naval forces. He brought in all his artillery and, with the support of the fleet, launched the most daring operation yet. The entire army moved upstream, and the Chinese fleet deployed all its ships. Though they suffered significant losses due to the sinking of the Leopard, six warships allowed Bogue to transport two thousand soldiers at once. Previously, a French infantry company had been sent to reinforce the garrison at the Four Pillars Temple. Then, these two companies, along with a native infantry company and a medical team, swept through the area around Huaidefu but found no enemies. At 7 a.m. on August 30, 1883, groups of soldiers boarded the warships and set sail. Bogue said to Major Bissell beside him, “We’ll launch our attack at Balan Village, north of the Four Pillars Temple, and wipe out all the enemy forces in our path in one go.”

After several failures, the French tactics gradually evolved, and now Major General Bo Hua hoped that this heroic officer guarding Hanoi could help him create another miracle: “Let’s together eliminate the main force of the Black Flag Army, so that future generations will remember us.”
The rain still continued, but it was gentle like that of a lover. No major problems arose along the way, and the main force of the army quickly landed in Balan Village north of Si Zhu Temple by noon. The Yellow Flag troops had already been ordered to land at Si Zhu Temple and then rushed there on foot alongside its defenders.
Ahead of them lay Danfeng County, where the Black Flag Army was stationed—actually just a few large villages on high ground.
Major Bissel, a commander with extensive combat experience, suggested as soon as he landed with Bo Hua, “We should control the water!”
“Right! We must control the water!” Bo Hua agreed with him, and soon two armed airboats were sent out to scout the surrounding waters.
A small reconnaissance unit also quickly located the Black Flag Army’s main position. But this time, General Bo Hua clearly learned from previous mistakes—he no longer divided his troops into three isolated columns that couldn’t support each other.
“I’ll divide the troops into two columns, having them advance side by side along the Red River embankment to support one another,” said Major General Bo Hua. He didn’t decide to take action that day and wisely suggested, “I’ll send out a vanguard.”
“The vanguard will use two indigenous infantry companies and an engineering platoon as scouts, leading at the front of the columns to conduct searches and reconnaissance while covering the left flank. Two infantry companies, one artillery platoon, and one engineering platoon will follow closely behind.”
“Colonel Bi Shuo will lead the artillery and infantry with me; he’s a hero of the Si Zhu Temple battle… But I rely more on you, Major Bissel.”
Major Bissel was deeply grateful for Bo Hua’s recognition: “My General, this is the most glorious moment of my military career.”
“One indigenous infantry company and one French platoon will serve as the rear guard, while Balan Village will be guarded by one French company and one artillery platoon.”
“The right-wing column will consist of one indigenous infantry company and the Yellow Flag Army; they’ll advance along the ridges of the rice fields. I hope they won’t repeat the same mistakes as in the battle of Huaidu.”
Despite having a large number of troops, Major General Bo Hua felt they were severely insufficient—his forces were even fewer than those in the battle of Huaidu.
As the front line stretched longer, to conquer this vast territory, he needed more reinforcements, but he wasn’t sure he had much time left.
He had made too many mistakes in the battle of Huaidu, but in this battle, although his performance still had weaknesses, he tried his best to compensate for them.
The only way for a soldier to restore his reputation was through a perfect victory.
…
The entire Black Flag Army was mobilized.
Without any orders, thousands of soldiers poured out of the villages and began building fortifications under the guidance of engineers.
Among them, Liu Yu also joined his guards, digging hard in the ground with an engineering shovel like an ordinary soldier, trying to dig a trench—this boosted everyone’s morale greatly.

Every member of the Black Flag Army seriously underestimated the French forces’ attack just two weeks after their crushing defeat at Huaidi. However, due to the army’s emphasis on reconnaissance and the French forces’ conspicuous movements, they learned of the impending attack two days in advance. They frantically built fortifications near Danfeng, abandoning the use of tall bastions—experience near Huaidi had shown that such fortifications could easily be destroyed by French artillery. Instead, they began constructing numerous low but defensible fortresses following the guidance of the engineers from Xiliu Camp. From previous battles, they knew full well that the French artillery was extremely powerful and precise; the more solid their fortifications, the greater their chances of survival. These soldiers, originally peasants, made full use of their natural skill in digging, turning Danfeng Village into a formidable fortress within just one night. Later, the experienced General Bo Hua praised these tenacious opponents, saying, “Their cleverness and skill in choosing defensive positions are beyond doubt. The fortifications they built on September 1st—all constructed within 48 hours—are exemplary.” This assessment was identical to historical records, but Bo Hua was facing a different enemy.