Chapter 144: Ambition

However, Guoba had not considered certain enemy forces right under his nose. After a long wait, his troops were extremely exhausted, yet these forces had taken no action to attack the French. This allowed the rear admiral to focus on more important matters, such as negotiating with the Vietnamese emperor who had fled Thanh Hóa to return it as a condition for Vietnam becoming a colony. Their pre-determined terms could not be altered, but he still prioritized plans to capture Shanxi.

Liu Yu was also planning the next decisive battle. He knew full well that the battle for Shanxi would be the most crucial turning point in the entire Sino-French War. The once invincible Black Flag Army had been defeated by the French and could no longer regain their previous success. He had invested countless efforts and spent years preparing for this critical victory; failure was not an option for him.

Thus, amidst the gunfire on a rainy night, he and many officers like Jing Shiyi discussed not the immediate battle but battles further ahead.

Sima Tai had incredible confidence in his Xiliu Camp: “Our camp can defeat any French camp. As for the Yellow Flag Army or the Annamites, they’re no match for us.”

Jing Shiyi gave him a disdainful look. “Don’t forget the combat orders.”

He and Sima Tai never got along, so he naturally liked to point out his flaws. But Liu Yu asked, “Will tomorrow’s battle affect the combat strength of our follow-up forces?”

It was now Jing Shiyi who volunteered, “For any difficult battle, we only need a week to recover.”

Liu Yu nodded and then said to Sima Tai, “So, I’ve decided to change our target tomorrow.”

He pointed at a marker indicating the location of the French main force. “Take care of them.”

“The Yellow Flag Army?” Sima Tai reacted immediately. “Understood.”

Ye Chenglin was also interested. “The Yellow Flag Army is quite strong, and they have a thousand men.”

The Yellow Flag Army had shown remarkable determination in Huai De Prefecture. Their combat strength was greater than that of ordinary local infantry, and worse still, they had more troops—exactly a thousand soldiers, larger than any infantry battalion.

“The important thing is to capture loot!”

Liu Yu had already identified the biggest problem in today’s battle: attrition. The Black Flag Army had fought extremely hard, with the French making significant advances. Their brave attacks yielded considerable results, resulting in 250 casualties in the front battalion and similar numbers in the others. Although the French also suffered 600 to 700 casualties, the Black Flag Army failed to capture a single prisoner or a single rifle. Instead, they lost over a dozen rifles, along with tens of thousands of bullets and hundreds of shells.

Such heavy losses were unprecedented in the history of the Black Flag Army. Strictly speaking, they gained nothing in terms of loot.

In tomorrow’s battle, it was foreseeable that the French would adopt the same tactics. Unless they were completely annihilated, there would be no loot. It was with this understanding that the Yellow Flag Army became the best target. They lacked breech-loading cannons and had operated separately from the French for a long time, relying on plundering to maintain morale.

“We will mobilize three battalions, 1,500 soldiers!” Liu Yu resolved, “Our goal is to utterly annihilate these traitors of the Yellow Flag Army in a decisive strike.”
A thousand Remingtons was a huge capture, and battles against the Yellow Flag Army could only grow stronger. Apart from the ringleaders, captured soldiers could be added to various battalions.
More importantly, the decades-long feud between the Black Flag Army and the Yellow Flag Army seemed to be coming to an end. The Yellow Flag Army should forever be etched on the pillar of historical shame.
……
Under the same night sky,
Beauharnais read out the telegram sent from Paris to his subordinates: “Dear General Beauharnais, I am honored to inform you that due to more urgent matters, please prepare to return home as soon as possible after receiving this telegram and hand over your duties to Admiral Gobat…”
It was a message from the Navy Ministry ordering a replacement. General Beauharnais read it calmly and said to his officers, “My generals, tomorrow will be the last day we fight together.”
He wasn’t as furious as he had imagined; he took it in stride. He even spoke kindly of the Black Flag Army: “I expect to leave within a week. It’s fortunate for me, but you will still face their attacks and make great sacrifices. They are terrifying and tenacious enemies. I wish you luck from here.”
His command post fell silent. Though this officer had many flaws, he was still a lovely Frenchman.
“General, we can bring you a gift—a fine gift!” It was Major Bisselle, the hero of the Hanoi battle, who stammered, “We can end your service in Vietnam with a victory.”
“No!” General Beauharnais stopped him. “I also want to end this period of service with a victory, but that should only exist in novels and plays.”
“Colonel Li Weiyeh is a good novelist, but I’m just a soldier!” After learning of his departure, General Beauharnais remained calmer than usual. “What we need to do tomorrow is to save ourselves while exhausting the enemy as much as possible.”
He knew clearly that while the Navy Ministry replaced him, it would surely send more troops, hoping the new commander could turn the tide of the war.
From now on, he had given up the plan to annihilate the Black Flag Army and began to act according to a soldier’s duty.
“Tomorrow, the main focus will be the Yellow Flag Army.”
“The Yellow Flag Army?”
Though their combat skills were decent, no one regarded this Chinese-led force as a legitimate army. Many promises were made, but betrayal lay behind them.
This army relied on plunder to maintain morale. With the local troops in Tokyo gradually gaining combat strength, their status had become irrelevant. Even Commissioner Heroman advised them to tighten military discipline.
But that was impossible—these Yellow Flag soldiers depended on plunder to sustain their morale. Now, Beauharnais revealed his plan: “We can let the Yellow Flag Army die with honor.”

“What if they’re wiped out by the Chinese?” a staff officer asked cautiously. “They have many rapid-fire rifles.”
Major Boisgelin laughed. “Their commander is George, a Greek—someone who hates the Black Flag Army the most and is also hated by them the most!”
After deciding how he should fulfill his military duties, Boisgelin had already come up with a plan for the Black Flag Army: “Tomorrow, we’ll have the Yellow Flag Army operate separately from the main force. I’m sure the Black Flag Army will fall for it right away, eagerly stepping into the trap.”
He turned to Major Bisselle and said, “Ask Hanoi for help. Besides ammunition, we need priests—many priests.”
Major Bisselle replied immediately, “We should promise something to the Yellow Flag Army. What do you think that should be?”
“Given that the Yellow Flag Army has always been loyal to France’s interests and has always stood with France, I… Major Boisgelin, the commander-in-chief of the French Republic’s forces in Tokyo, promises you here…”
On either side of the campfire, the Yellow Flag Army stood in neat ranks, listening to Boisgelin’s instructions: “You will become the backbone of the colonial forces. I hope you can grow into a brigade.”
“A infantry brigade under the yellow banner will consist of two infantry regiments, one artillery battalion, and one engineering company, with 5,000 soldiers—this will be the strongest foundation for the Republic’s rule in the Tokyo region.”
“Each of you will become a proud officer in the new forces. Even an ordinary private will be promoted.” Boisgelin knew well that the new commander would unlikely uphold such conditions after he left: “In addition, we need to establish local forces loyal to France in every province, prefecture, and county in the colonies. You will be their commanders.”
“For a long time, due to France’s unreasonable military system, it’s been difficult for colonists to become officers. I believe many of you are excellent officers capable of leading a company or even several companies, but lack the path to become officers.”
“Here, I assure you that you will become members of the glorious French Republic army. I hereby promote one person to captain, two to first lieutenant, and seven to second lieutenant, and I will award medals to the officers and soldiers who fought bravely in battle.”
All this presented an extremely bright future for the Yellow Flag Army. These outcasts recruited from all over shouted, “General, you’re our father! Our dear father!”
Major Boisgelin clapped his hands loudly again and said, “From now on, the Yellow Flag Army will receive the same pay as the French army, starting from the day you enlist.”
“General, you’re our dear father!”
There was wild applause and cheering. Wine jars brought from Hanoi were opened, and everyone plunged into revelry.

George was the craziest of them all. This Greek adventurer firmly refused the French offer to make him a French lieutenant general: “Well… I am a proud Greek. No… it shouldn’t be like this, Your Excellency. Everything I do is insignificant. I am just an ordinary man who will always serve my country. Therefore, I cannot accept such an honor.”
In his fanaticism, Major Bisselle looked at these Chinese men who were about to be abandoned with pity. These Chinese were willing to betray their own country to serve France, and they might also betray France at any time to join the Black Flag Army if it offered them more benefits.
…
Dawn was breaking, and a new day was about to begin. The Yellow Flag Army was the first unit to prepare to set out. Like all units, they had replenished their ammunition overnight. The French troops had 70 rounds each, while the Black Flag Army received special treatment—they got an extra 20 rounds, bringing their total to 90 rounds, enough to handle any battle.
Last night, Bo Hua had organized a powerful mobile unit: an entire French infantry battalion, two artillery companies, and the best-armed indigenous infantry battalion. “This unit will cover the Yellow Flag Army’s independent operations,” he said.
Major Bo Hua personally took off his military cap and saluted the Yellow Flag Army troops leaving the regiment. He said to George, “Dear friend, be at ease and become a general. I will send the strongest troops to cover your flanks.”
George was equally confident: “Rest assured, today we will show those Black Flag bandits what Europeans are capable of. We will be invincible.”
It was this confidence that made every soldier in the Yellow Flag Army extremely enthusiastic. They seemed energized, determined to find the main force of the Black Flag Army and destroy them.
Liu Yu, however, encountered trouble. Tang Jingsong sat across from him and asked about the casualties of the Imperial Guard Battalion the previous day. “The Imperial Guard Battalion was founded by me. Although it was temporarily assigned to General Liu, I care deeply about it.”
“There were slight casualties, but nothing serious,” Liu Yu replied, knowing Tang Jingsong was holding back something. “Lord Tang, shall we go forward together?”
Tang Jingsong smiled and said, “I came all the way from Beining. I managed to get some supplies to boost the morale of the soldiers. But I didn’t travel all this way for nothing. I wanted to talk with Commander Liu and rest a bit.”
“That’s great!” Liu Yu immediately brewed a pot of tea. “I wonder how many guns and ammunition Lord Tang brought from Beining.”
“Not many, not many!” Tang Jingsong became impatient. “A hundred guns and 20,000 rounds of ammunition. Should that be enough to make up for yesterday’s losses?”
Yesterday, over 30,000 rounds of ammunition and 500 shells had been fired. Even for the well-resourced Xiliu Battalion, it was a significant loss. But with these 20,000 rounds, it should be sufficient to replenish their stock.
“Thank you, Lord Tang, for speaking well of us before Governor Xu and Admiral Huang,” Liu Yu said solemnly. “We soldiers are truly grateful.”
“Yes, I wonder what the Censorate has to say,” Tang Jingsong said, squinting. “You should learn from them.”

“What an audacious rebel! How dare he raise troops in Taiyuan and drive our soldiers out of the country? He must be executed!” Tang Jingsong imitated him perfectly: “The governor wants your head.”
Liu Yu understood there was more to his words: “I only have sincere loyalty. It’s truly disheartening to see how the imperial court treats me.”
Tang Jingsong sneered, “Don’t you also have your own plans? Only after entering Yue did I realize I had been narrow-minded and stuck in my ways.”
“Are you saying that?”
“No need for such formalities.” Tang Jingsong spoke bluntly, “Regarding what I told you before, do you have any progress now?”
“Some things…” Liu Yu lowered his voice, “can only be done, not spoken!”
“Well said—only done, not spoken.” Tang Jingsong burst into laughter. “You little fox. Fine, I’ll be honest with you too.”
He asked directly, “I want to join the council!”
The Three-Person Council was the highest governing body of the Black Flag Army. So far, there had only been three members: Liu Yu, Liu Yongfu, and Huang Shouzhong. They originally planned to add two more regiment commanders but never officially nominated anyone. While Liu Yu was still hesitating, Tang Jingsong, the reckless man, continued, “I want to become a famous minister who serves the emperor.”
“What?” Liu Yu made an immediate decision. “I dare not say we share hardships, but I can only say we share prosperity.”
“Good!” Tang Jingsong, a man who always dreamed of bold actions, exclaimed, “Well said!”
“In life, one should leave a name in history.” He loudly declared his ambition: “A true man must have power. I want to enter your Black Flag Army’s highest council, become a famous minister who serves the emperor, and seize military control.”
Without giving Liu Yu a chance to respond, he continued, “The personal guard unit is not yet full-sized. Next, I need the commander’s help to expand it into two units, one leading and one following.”
Liu Yu immediately agreed, “Good! How will you handle the situation in Beining?”
Tang Jingsong casually untied his coat, looking very relaxed. “After over a decade as a court official, don’t you understand the true meaning of ‘handling’?”
“With me here, you can rest assured about the troops in Beining!” He boasted easily, “With such a strong force at our disposal, we can defeat the French once more and establish our own rule.”
“If we retreat, we’ll be the ruler of Southern Yue; if we advance, we can conquer the whole world.” Tang Jingsong spoke casually about his ambitions: “When the time comes, I’ll establish my own domain if I advance, or become a prime minister if I retreat.”
Over a decade as a court official hadn’t diminished his ambitions; under certain conditions, they burned even brighter. “If we join forces, who in the world can stand against us? After defeating the French, our Black Flag Army can march north into Guangdong and Guangxi and restore the Han lands in one go.”
His heart was burning with passion, but Liu Yu suddenly relaxed. “It’s about restoring order for the emperor. There’s no need for such nonsense.”
“It is about restoring order for the emperor! It is!” Tang Jingsong laughed happily. “We are all heroes who support the Qing dynasty.”
Over the past few years, the Xiliu Camp had developed countless battle plans and simulated various scenarios for its future development.
Many of these plans couldn’t be made public, including those to ally with the front camp to deal with Liu Yongfu’s forces, plans to march into inland Guangxi, and even plans to ally with French forces to attack the Vietnamese army.

All these plans exist only on paper, but they could become reality at any time, and all of them come with grand names. For example, the hypothetical campaign to invade Guangdong and Guangxi—everyone knows it’s meant to launch a counterattack on the homeland—but on paper and in appearance, it’s framed as a situation in Beijing where chaos breaks out, leading to internal strife among the imperial family and the emperor being displaced, thereby ordering the troops to restore order. Meanwhile, if the southern provinces fall into the wrong hands, the Black Flag Army will invade Guangdong and Guangxi under the pretext of restoring order, using it as a chance for further expansion. So Liu Yu said skillfully, “We are here to restore order.” Tang Jingsong also said cheerfully, “We are heroes who will protect the Great Qing.” But deep down, everyone knew what they really thought. Tang Jingsong was quite satisfied with what he had gained that day—at least two battalions of personal guards was the biggest reward. His experiences in Vietnam had made him realize that only by having sufficient military power could he stand above everything else. Thus he continued, “Do you want to know what I gained in Beining? Now I have an official title to sit in the council.” “I’ve brought along a battalion of the Imperial Army.”