Xinjiang is very large, with three mountains and two basins, Tianshan Mountains, Altai Mountains, and Kunlun Mountains then forming the Junggar Basin and the Tarim Basin.

The Tarim Basin has now fallen into the hands of Agubo, and the northern border, the Junggar Basin, is still struggling to hold on to the hands of the Qing government.

The Junggar Basin alone is 400,000 square kilometers, which is not the surrounding deserts and mountains!

With such a vast land area of ​​only 5,000 cavalry guards? Gordon was shocked at that time.

Rong Quan looked at Gordon's face with a vigilant expression. He was sent to the frontier during the Xianfeng period, and he did not participate in the entire war to pacify the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

Gordon had never seen him before!

Guan Lu quickly introduced, "This is the admiral of the court, the Admiral Gordon of the Changsheng Army... This time, the Emperor Long live to train the new army for the Qing Dynasty!"

"Oh? It's the first ever-winning army that evolved from the foreign gun team? I'm disrespectful, I'm disrespectful..." Rong Quan quickly bowed his fists.

I haven't seen it before, but Rong Quan had seen it in the imperial court's newspaper, and had heard from his colleagues that Gordon followed the customs and performed a common boxing ceremony for military generals.

"Sir Gordon, right? Let's talk while walking... It's not that I, Rongquan, don't want to practice more troops, but I really can't practice troops. Without the support of the court, I can do anything to practice troops..."

From Rong Quan's mouth, Gordon realized that when he was not in China, a very serious but relatively low-key strategic dispute between coastal defense and land defense broke out within the Qing court.

At the end of the Qing Empire, it can be said that the house was broken and the air was leaking everywhere, and internal and external troubles surged up, but it also encountered a major change that had not been seen in three thousand years.

The industrial revolution in human society is getting deeper and deeper, and the combat capabilities of the great powers are becoming more and more fierce, and they do not give backward nations any chance to breathe.

There are maritime power countries such as Britain and France on the sea. Outside the pass and Xinjiang, we encountered Tsarist Russia with a greedy appetite. The imperial finances that were so cumbling that the elbows were unable to maintain the battle on both sides... No, no, no, it should be called two-line defense.

The Qing Empire had long lost the strength and courage to attack. Being able to defend the territory left by our ancestors would be considered burning incense!

The imperial finances could not maintain double-line or even multi-line defense, so they could only give up part of them. At this time, the important officials in the court began to be divided into two factions.

The Huai Army headed by Li Hongzhang, which is the predecessor of the Beiyang, demanded that Xinjiang give up on concentrating its efforts on coastal defense, building fleets, and turrets develop ocean-going aviation trade business.

Another faction of real power represented by Zuo Zongtang refused to give up the inherent territory of Xinjiang. Of course, they did not want to defend coastal defense, but gradually developed the navy under the premise of defending Xinjiang.

Both ideas were actually a last resort after the fall of the Qing Empire. Who made the national strength disappear? Even if you don’t have money, you can’t change it.

It was originally a policy debate on the national strategic direction, but after being influenced by the bad atmosphere in the Qing Dynasty, it turned into a strange party struggle.

Officials in the court divided their factions one after another, and those who were close to Li Hongzhang supported coastal defense no matter what the reason was. They might not know that the ship was made of steel.

The officials who had a dispute with Zuo Zongtang never gave up on Xinjiang, although he had never been there in his life.

Once the discussion becomes a party struggle, this matter will be troublesome. This is forcing the officials in the court to take sides!

Both sides dislike each other. As long as they are not from their own party, they will try their best to impeach them!

The little emperor has not taken power yet, the national treasury is empty, and foreigners are surrounded by all directions, and the domestic turmoil cannot be calmed for a while.

This has caused extreme emptiness in Xinjiang's defense!

Rong Quan recalled his entire experience in Xinjiang, and from beginning to end he was the word "cold" and "heartless". Since the Agubo rebellion, the court has not paid a penny of military pay.

At that time, I couldn’t use all my money to Pingchangmao and Nianjun!

Without money, no weapons and ammunition, the situation in Xinjiang can only be supported by the locals. Many times, the Qing army fought with Aguber's musket team with big swords and spears. How could such a battle be won?

Gordon said that there were only five thousand cavalrymen, but only these five thousand cavalrymen were trained through five years of hard work!

"Admiral General! The court has no money to give me, and even rights and policies... Until now, I am also an acting general. I don't even have the right to mobilize the garrisons of Ulyasutai in the north!"

"I can only use the little power in my hands to collect taxes, train troops, and accumulate food and grass... It is already the limit to be able to raise these five thousand cavalrymen!"

"Fortunately, the main passes in Tianshan are still under our control. They are dangerous places where thousands of people can't open. If you defend these passes, the enemy will not be able to defeat them for a while!"

"But it's so difficult to attack me... It's really not possible without reinforcements!"

Gordon and his group finally entered the small tower city. After sitting down in the tower, he asked, "You have not received any assistance here, nor have you even gained the expansion of your rights..."

"Does this prove that Li Hongzhang's coastal defense strategy has become the national government?"

When Doro heard this, he sneered and said, "Bad! I don't know the virtues of those old men in Sijiu City? They want to be in the inner world and also want to be in the face..."

"The East China Sea is now under Xiao Letian's control. Li Hongzhang still wants to do coastal defense? Yes, yes, that is, defense. What else can he do besides defending?"

"I'm afraid that there will be no coastal defense in the end, and Xinjiang will be lost..."

Everyone in the room sighed. At this time, two red-burned charcoal braziers were brought in, and charcoal fires rose in the yard. The tender lambs bought from the herdsmen outside the city had already started to be roasted.

"Life here in Tacheng is simple, there is nothing to be entertained, only mutton and dried vegetables can be used to treat guests... Let's talk while eating!"

Rong Quan picked up the wine bowl and drank it up, "Ah... I feel good, I didn't expect to see my relatives from Sijiu City this year, so I'll do it first!"

"Brothers, I beg you here... When you meet Master Zuo and Master Long Live, please send me a message!"

"Although the thieves in Xinjiang are powerful, they are not invincible... Please send a large army into Xinjiang quickly, we will win this battle!"

"In my opinion, the court's dispute over coastal defense and land defense is purely true... In fact, Xinjiang is not difficult to fight, nor is it impossible to defend!"

"It depends on what method we use!"

Guan Lu and Doro's eyes lit up and killed the wine in one sip. "General, please tell me... Long live our way here to listen to the truth and let us see the truth!"

"I heard the memorials of those ministers. God knows how many private goods are mixed in it!"
Chapter completed!