Chapter 86

There is an old saying in China: "If you are willing to risk your life, you can even pull the emperor off his throne." Wang Liangdao had been a long-time wanderer in the underworld, having sold private salt and done many things that could cost him his head. Today, feeling upset, he decided to cause a commotion without a second thought.

Wang Liangdao set off for Liu Family Village. No one in the underworld was a pushover, and he had fought many gang battles in his early years, making him a notorious figure. However, in recent years, he had turned to business and become more restrained. Now, seeing Xiao Wuzi, a young upstart, he didn't take him seriously at all!

Wang Liangdao, a towering figure, was not someone Xiao Wuzi could stop! Soon, Wang Liangdao entered the village. The villagers were celebrating, and everyone had a smile on their face. Seeing Wang Liangdao storm in with a murderous look, they all curiously sized him up.

Wang Liangdao roared, "Who's getting married? Bring out the bride!"

Everyone quickly backed away. They soon reached Liu Dazhuang's house. There were many competitive young men in the village, and seeing Wang Liangdao's arrogance, they were all seething with anger, waiting for someone to take the lead to give him a good beating!

Wang Liangdao continued to shout for the bride to come out. Liu Dazhuang, the groom, could no longer stand by. He walked up to Wang Liangdao, his brows furrowed and eyes cold, and said, "Who are you, and what do you want with her?"

Wang Liangdao sneered, "Who are you? What business is it of yours if I want her?"

Liu Dazhuang rolled up his sleeves and said fiercely, "I'm her husband!"

At this moment, the young men surrounded him. In his younger days, Wang Liangdao would have blurted out, "I'm her lover," but now, having seen more of the world, he was more cautious. Seeing the crowd encircling him, he began to regret causing a commotion in the village.

Wang Liangdao knew that if he said that, he would be beaten to death, but he couldn't back down and lose face. He spat on the ground and said, "I'm her uncle!"

Wang Liangdao was leaving himself an out, but unexpectedly, a soft voice called out from the courtyard, "Uncle."

The young men, who were about to fight, were taken aback by this. Then, Jing'er ran out of the house, wearing a red wedding dress, her face freshly threaded but not yet made up. She burst into tears at the sight of Wang Liangdao.

In feudal society, an unmarried woman should not be seen easily, but in a poor farming family, there were fewer rules. With only a few rooms in the house, it was impossible to hide a young woman.

Wang Liangdao was stunned when he saw Jing'er. He never expected to see his niece here. He asked, "Jing'er, what are you doing here? What happened to my sister?"

Jing'er burst into tears and said, "My parents were killed by the Japanese. It was Brother Dazhuang who saved me."

Hearing this, Wang Liangdao also cried, and the crowd dispersed.

At this moment, Xu Feng returned. Liu Dazhuang was getting married, and Xu Feng shouldn't have gone to the county town, but he had heard that the Russians were reinforcing their troops in Northeast China due to the incident at Laohei Mountain. He went to the county town to gather information, which only made him more alarmed. It was December 28th, and two days earlier, on December 26th, the main force of the Third Siberian Army, originally stationed in Chita and Nerchinsk (Nikolayevsk), had crossed the Erguna River to attack Hulunbuir. Another part of the main force of the Third Siberian Army, originally stationed in Heilongjiang, had crossed the Heilongjiang River to attack Aihui, forcing the Heilongjiang garrison to retreat.

Despite this, Xu Feng returned with a smile, but his mind was preoccupied with how to protect the villagers. He had heard about the incident and knew that Wang Liangdao wanted to rescue Laohei Mountain.

Xu Feng said, "Given Wang Liangdao's case, the county official would never dare to make a decision. He would report it to his superiors, who would then make the decision. They will likely move Laohei Mountain to another location, but we don't know where."

Wang Liangdao said, "I have a friend who found out that in three days, the Qing government will hand Laohei Mountain over to the Russian guard detachment here, who will transport him to Shuangchengzi in Russia."

Xu Feng thought for a moment and said, "I think Laohei Mountain will be released soon."

Wang Liangdao asked, puzzled, "Why?"

Xu Feng smiled and said, "The court is about to declare war on Russia."

Xu Feng was right. The next day, on December 29, 1894, the Qing government declared war on Russia, ordering General Shoushan of Heilongjiang, General Changshun of Jilin, and General Yiketang'a of Fengtian to prepare for battle. On the same day, the First Siberian Army, stationed in Shuangchengzi and Vladivostok, attacked Hunchun, Jilin, and Changchun, aiming to encircle and attack the Heilongjiang garrison.

On December 29, the Russian troops in Heilongjiang conducted a large-scale search for Chinese residents in the city. In the afternoon, they drove over 3,000 Chinese residents to the banks of the Heilongjiang River and killed them all, throwing their bodies into the river. On the same day, the Russians burned down the Sixty-Four Villages on the east bank of the Heilongjiang River, driving over 7,000 residents into the river to drown.

On January 3, 1895, the Russians captured Aihui. The residents of the city refused to surrender and fought the Russians in street battles, with over 1,500 residents dying in the fight. On the same day, the Russian troops attacking Jilin and Changchun captured Hunchun and then cut off the road between Yeho and Ninguta, causing the Yeho garrison to retreat and disintegrate without a fight.

On January 4, the Russian troops attacking Aihui and Hulunbuir met and captured Hulunbuir. The Hulunbuir garrison retreated to Yake Ridge, west of Qiqihar, and the Russians massacred over 3,000 Hulunbuir residents.

On January 6, a Russian vanguard secretly attacked Beidaling, the northern barrier of Qiqihar. The next day, Beidaling fell.

On January 8, the Russians captured Yake Ridge, leaving Qiqihar without any natural defenses. The capture of Qiqihar was imminent. The Russian troops then attacked Qiqihar, and General Shoushan of Heilongjiang, seeing the situation was hopeless, committed suicide on the same day.

In Jilin, General Shoushan did not resist and surrendered without a fight. By January 10, Jilin had fallen completely.

While the Russian troops were attacking Heilongjiang and Jilin, the Japanese landed in Dalian and Jinzhou Bay. The garrison, without naval protection, was annihilated by the Japanese. The Japanese then moved east to attack Shengjing, and the Japanese troops in Korea crossed the Yalu River to attack Fengtian. General Yiketang'a of Shengjing was killed in battle, and by January 8, Shengjing had fallen, and the Japanese occupied Fengtian.

The vast territory of Northeast China had fallen into enemy hands.