Chapter 112

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

"Brother Wei Yue, Chu Yunfei is leading the Mine Police First Regiment, Second Regiment, and Third Regiment, already boarding ships at Chongqing City, and the Fourth Regiment is boarding at Hankou; they should reach Jinling in a few days," Zhang Fei said, standing beside Lv Muzhi.

Lv Muzhi nodded, watching the mine police infantry regiment being inspected before him—the Fifth Regiment, trained and drilled by Zhou Weiguo.

Liao Yaoxiang led a mine police infantry regiment, monitoring the Japanese within Shanghai City.

Qiu Qingquan commanded the Armored Tank Regiment, stationed within Suzhou City, eighty kilometers from Shanghai City, able to reach Shanghai within four hours.

"Zhang Fei, once war breaks out, you must immediately head to the Jinshanwei area. Without my orders, you are not to leave on your own. There are two mine police infantry regiments there; once war breaks out, they will form the Fourth Brigade of the Second Division of the Youth Army. I will request that you be granted the rank of Colonel with the brevet rank of Major General, serving as Brigade Commander of the Fourth Brigade. That place is yours."

Zhang Fei nodded: "I understand. As you say, Jinshanwei is the right rear flank of Shanghai City. The Japanese will try to find a way to land there. Since graduating from the military academy, I have always supervised the engineering progress on the Jinshanwei defensive line; I know that place like the back of my hand."

Lv Muzhi patted Zhang Fei's shoulder: "Stay there and do well. The remaining six infantry regiments will form three brigades, and together with the Armored Corps, Chu, Zhou, Liao, and Qiu will follow me to conduct frontal combat within Shanghai City."

"Commander Lu!" Zhou Weiguo came quickly, "The brothers have long been ready for battle. Fierce fighting is happening in Beiping. Why not ask the President to transfer us to North China to fight?!"

Lv Muzhi shook his head: "Jinling is our capital. Our task is to defend Jinling and the Songhu area. The Japanese ambition has been fully exposed. They attack Beiping in the north, and soon they will land at Songhu and march straight on Jinling, coordinating north and south. That is the true intention of the Japanese."

Zhou Weiguo sighed, clenching his fists tightly.

Lv Muzhi asked: "The day before yesterday, I told you to move your parents from home to Sichuan Province. How is it going?"

Zhou Weiguo shook his head: "My father is unwilling to leave his old home in Suzhou City. I thought about it; once the Japanese truly attack, I will send someone to carry him away by force."

Lv Muzhi smiled: "You must do it as soon as possible. Those two of my family have already gone to Chongqing City. Only when one's family is safe can a soldier fight without worry."

"Brother Wei Yue, the President is giving a speech on Mount Lu!" Zhang Fei reminded from the side. On the small table beside him, the radio had been turned on, and the crackling voice of the President came from within.

"There is no longer.... any chance of compromise...."

"Once the flames of war ignite, there is no distinction between north and south, no distinction between old and young."

"Whoever they are, all bear the responsibility of defending the land and resisting the war, and all are determined to sacrifice everything."

Everyone listened quietly.

"Commander Lu! My old senior classmate, why are you still here? When do we set out?" Qiu Qingquan had actually run all the way from Suzhou City to Jinling City.

"Tsk, what's the rush? The mine police regiments stationed in Chongqing City and Hankou have just boarded ships, and you're already anxious?"

Qiu Qingquan rubbed his hands: "How can I not be anxious? I have so much equipment from my Armored Tank Regiment sitting in Suzhou City; my heart is itching like a cat's scratch."

Zhang Fei laughed heartily: "I've been sent to Jinshanwei to cool my heels, while your tanks can reach Shanghai in less than three hours, like visiting a neighbor. Don't be anxious."

Qiu Qingquan shook his head helplessly.

"Report to Commander Lu, Commander of the Guard Zhang Zhizhong requests your presence at a meeting in Suzhou City," the messenger came running to report.

Lv Muzhi looked at his subordinates: "I said don't rush, and here, naturally, they will assign us a mission."

Within Suzhou City, Commander of the Guard Zhang Zhizhong met with Lv Muzhi.

"Wei Yue, the Japanese are bullying us too much. The President has decided that, starting today, the Mine Police General Corps is officially reorganized into the Youth First Army, with two divisions, four brigades, eight infantry regiments under them, plus one Armored Tank Regiment and one Heavy Artillery Regiment. Have you prepared the candidates for division and brigade commanders at all levels?" Zhang Zhizhong asked directly.

Lv Muzhi handed over a personnel roster:

"I will serve as Ji Jun Zhang, concurrently serving as Commander of the First Division. The First Division will command the First Brigade and the Second Brigade. Chu Yunfei will be Commander of the First Brigade, Liao Yaoxiang will be Commander of the Second Brigade;

The Second Division will command the Third Brigade and the Fourth Brigade. Qiu Qingquan will be Commander of the Second Division, concurrently serving as Commander of the Third Brigade. Zhang Fei will be Commander of the Fourth Brigade.

Zhou Weiguo will be Commander of the Armored Tank Regiment. The Heavy Artillery Regiment will be allocated by me uniformly."

Lv Muzhi arranged this after comprehensively considering everyone's qualifications and abilities. Among his Five Tiger Generals, Qiu Qingquan had the deepest qualifications, a graduate of Whampoa Second Phase, commissioned as Major General. Serving as Commander of the Second Division was without objection.

Chu Yunfei, Whampoa Fifth Phase, was still a Captain Company Commander when he was incorporated by me. Now commissioned as Colonel, with brevet rank of Major General, serving as Brigade Commander.

Liao Yaoxiang, Whampoa Sixth Phase, a top student of Saint-Cyr Military Academy in France, commissioned as Colonel, with brevet rank of Major General, serving as Brigade Commander.

Zhang Fei, Whampoa Ninth Phase, but he had enlisted in 1924, rising from a barely literate Squad Leader all the way to Brigade Commander. Whampoa Ninth Phase, commissioned as Colonel, with brevet rank of Major General, serving as Brigade Commander.

Zhou Weiguo, Whampoa Ninth Phase, considered the most junior in qualifications, but arranged by Lv Muzhi to study armored troops and mechanized warfare at Berlin Army University. Originally commissioned as Lieutenant Colonel, later promoted by me to Colonel. After returning to the country, he served as Commander of my Armored Tank Regiment.

Zhang Zhizhong looked at the personnel roster, then returned it to Lv Muzhi, without intending to interfere in Lv Muzhi's own troop affairs. As Commander of the Guard, it was merely routine business.

"Wei Yue, you are quite formidable now. Besides these organized troops, adding various directly subordinate units, you have nearly fifty thousand men under your command. My German-equipped divisions only have the 88th Division and the 87th Division; the two divisions combined have only about half your number."

Lv Muzhi put away the troop roster and smiled: "Commander Zhang, that's not quite right. You are an old veteran. During the January 28th Resistance, you fought the Japanese in Shanghai. If war breaks out this time, I think the President will still entrust the combat command to you. Then, what you command will be far more than just the 87th and 88th Divisions."

Zhang Zhizhong nodded: "The President has indeed conveyed this meaning. Currently, around Shanghai City, the forces that can be mobilized immediately are only your Youth First Army and my two German-equipped divisions under my command. I came to find you, hoping that we two can work together sincerely and maintain the future Songhu battle situation."

Lv Muzhi called someone to bring a thick stack of intelligence: "Commander Zhang, this is the intelligence on Japanese forces stationed in Songhu that I have collected over the years serving as Shanghai-Songhu Garrison Commander."

Zhang Zhizhong hurriedly took the intelligence, looking through it, nodding as he looked: "The Japanese currently in Shanghai have only two thousand men of the Marine Corps, stationed in the Marine Corps Command Headquarters building. If war breaks out, our primary target is to wipe out these two thousand men first!"

"Two thousand men is not many for our four divisions, but it is not simple either. These two thousand Japanese are holed up in the Marine Corps Command Headquarters building. This building is five stories high, the tallest building in Hongkou District, with concrete walls half a meter thick, covering over seven thousand square meters."

"Organized into five infantry battalions, one artillery battalion, and several directly subordinate units, total strength about two thousand men."

"Equipped with four 150mm howitzers, four 120mm howitzers, twelve 75mm mountain guns, four 37mm rapid-fire guns, four Type 92 infantry guns, four anti-aircraft guns, eight 150mm mortars."

"About twenty tanks and armored cars. Moreover, the infantry are equipped with MP18 submachine guns. It can be said they are well-equipped."

After receiving this intelligence, Zhang Zhizhong thought for a moment: "Half-meter-thick concrete walls—even our 150mm howitzers can't penetrate them!"

"Indeed. Even my Heavy Artillery Regiment, with the largest caliber French 155mm gun-howitzer, would find it difficult to penetrate. But it is still worth a try."

"I heard your Heavy Artillery Regiment has long secretly calculated the firing data for the Japanese Marine Corps Command Headquarters. As soon as the heavy artillery enters position, it can launch fire strikes against the Japanese Marine Corps Command Headquarters?"

"That's right. In these years serving as Shanghai-Songhu Garrison Commander, I haven't achieved much, only supervised the construction of several Permanent National Defense Works defensive lines. But I am confident that once war breaks out, we will first take the head of Japanese Marine Corps Commander Major General Okawa Shichi to offer as a sacrifice to the flag!"

"Brave! Wei Yue, with you sitting in the position of Shanghai-Songhu Garrison Commander, I feel much more at ease. You say, once the flames of war ignite in Songhu, can Songhu be defended?"

"Hard to say. But one thing must be done: on the basis of inflicting as many casualties on the enemy as possible, preserve our own living strength as much as possible. A pyrrhic victory is acceptable, but not a crushing defeat or even a rout. Given China's material resources, we can drag the Japanese to death through attrition!"

Zhang Zhizhong nodded: "The President has already given his assurance. Once war breaks out, I will serve as Commander of Ninth Group Army. At that time, your Youth First Army, my 87th Division and 88th Division, as well as the 36th Division, 56th Division, 98th Division, and Independent 20th Brigade will all be incorporated into Ninth Group Army."

"After hearing your words today, I have decided to recommend you to serve as Deputy Commander of Ninth Group Army!"

Lv Muzhi stayed in Suzhou City for several days, waiting until Chu Yunfei brought the Police General Regiment from Sichuan Province and Hankou.

Besides a Mine Police Regiment within Shanghai city proper, the police under Lv Muzhi had already transformed overnight, changing into uniforms across Suzhou City to become a regular army.

Their uniforms still matched those of the German-equipped Division, but their equipment far surpassed that of the German-equipped Division.

Regarding artillery, Lv Muzhi made some adjustments, assigning the 75 mountain guns to the regiment level and the 75mm infantry guns to the battalion level.

The 105mm caliber mountain guns and field guns were used as division-level artillery.

Lv Muzhi's Army Artillery Regiment all used French guns, organized into four battalions: two 105mm caliber cannon battalions and two 155mm caliber howitzer battalions, totaling forty-eight heavy guns, all truck-drawn.

The howitzer battalions were French Schneider M1929 155mm howitzers, with a range of seventeen point five kilometers.

The strongest heavy artillery under the Great President was Hans State's 150mm howitzer, whose range and power were both inferior to the French guns; there were only forty-eight nationwide, and few could be allocated to the Songhu Battlefield.

To break into the Japanese Marine Corps Command Headquarters, Lv Muzhi relied heavily on his Heavy Artillery Regiment.

Of course, there was also his Armored Tank Regiment.

A few days later, Lv Muzhi's Youth First Army prepared to set out for the vicinity of Songhu, and the old commoners within Suzhou City came out in droves to see them off.

Lv Muzhi sat in an automobile and asked Zhou Weiguo, "How is it? Your father still refuses to leave?"

Zhou Weiguo smiled bitterly, "He's old and stubborn now. I've already arranged it; someone will carry him away when the time comes."

"It doesn't matter. I have shares in most shipping companies on the Yangtze River waterway. Just say the word then, and I can send your father away at any time."

When the troops reached Taicang, Lv Muzhi led the Guard Company to the Nanxiang area, where Liao Yaoxiang was already waiting.

"Commander Lu, the little devils have been making many small moves within the city lately. The Japanese residents haven't come out of the Concession, and Japanese residents from all over the country have flooded into the Concession in Shanghai City."

Lv Muzhi nodded, "The little devils are evacuating their nationals. This is a signal that war is imminent. You take a brigade to the Yangtze River Estuary north of Shanghai City, set up anti-landing facilities around Liu River, Chuan Sha, and Shizilin, and build earth-and-wood fortifications at Luodian, Dachang, Wunaozham, and other places."

Liao Yaoxiang hesitated somewhat, "Commander, according to the 1932 Armistice Agreement, our troops can only be stationed around Kunshan and Suzhou City, cannot station troops or build defensive facilities within Shanghai City. All those place names you just mentioned are within the Shanghai area!"

"Go since I tell you to go. Shanghai after 1932 has always been an undefended city. The devils have a command headquarters building, so they fight on home turf, while we have nothing—truly fighting on away turf. War is imminent; if we don't prepare now, we'll be the ones to suffer. I'm telling you plainly: the little devils will certainly reinforce Shanghai then. The initial landing points will largely be around Liu River, Chuan Sha, and Shizilin. Don't fear tearing faces with the little devils now."

I understand telling you, the Little Devils will definitely send reinforcements to Shanghai at that time, the early landing points are largely at places like Liu River, Chuan Sha, and Shizilin, now don't be afraid to tear faces with the Little Devils.

Lv Muzhi reminded him again, "When building anti-landing fortifications at Jinshanwei in Hangzhou Bay, I poured a large number of anti-landing triangular stakes with steel bars and concrete in one go. They are now in the military warehouse in Taicang City. The warehouse also has barbed wire. Use trucks to transport them and quickly make simple deployments along the beaches of the Liuhe-Wusongkou Line."

"When you return, you also need to build fortifications at Luodian, Wunaozham, and other places on land. Other troops will enter the field later, and these fortifications are being built for them."

Qiu Qingquan stepped forward and asked, "Commander Lu, what should we do now?"

"Have Chu Yunfei take some men, put on Security Regiment uniforms, and guard Hongqiao Airport. This is a key military site. If the little devils come rushing over, don't be polite to them!"

"You let Chu Yunfei bring some people, change into Security Regiment clothing, stationed at Hongqiao Airport, this is a military key point, if the Little Devils rush over, you also don't need to be polite with them!"

Inside the Hongqiao Airport terminal, Chu Yunfei stood with his hands behind his back, looking down from a height, his gaze sweeping over the various sentry posts.

A brigade commander assigned here to guard the airport—Commander Lu must have his reasons for doing this.

The Security Regiment commander originally stationed here followed closely behind him with a respectful attitude, "Brigade Commander Chu, your presence truly brings glory to my humble abode... Actually, it's very safe here. The little devils rarely come here."

Chu Yunfei waved his hand, "I don't know if the little devils will come or not. Anyway, I've come. You just do your own job well; no need to mind me."

Chu Yunfei didn't bring many men this time—only an infantry battalion, over nine hundred men. For a brigade commander like Chu Yunfei, that was indeed a bit few.

Now this infantry battalion had taken over key defense duties. At the airport gate, behind the sandbag fortifications, the soldiers stood ready. The MG34 General Purpose Machine Guns and M2 Browning Heavy Machine Guns already set up were also standing ready.

According to Lv Muzhi's memory, the fuse of the Songhu Campaign began when the devils forcibly stormed into Hongqiao Airport. Anyway, since they were going to fight, having Chu Yunfei come here didn't mind making the fire burn even hotter.

According to Lv Muzhi's memory, the fuse of the Songhu Campaign started from the devils forcibly breaking into Hongqiao Airport, anyway they were going to open fire, arranging Chu Yunfei himself, he also didn't mind making the fire burn even more fiercely.

A roar of engines came from far to near. Only a Japanese three-wheeled motorcycle was seen lurching toward the airport gate.

"Stop! Stop quickly!" The guards shouted loudly through the airport's loudspeaker.

But the two Japanese soldiers on the three-wheeled motorcycle were obviously dead drunk, cursing and swearing, completely ignoring the obstacles and warnings ahead.

With a loud bang, the motorcycle slammed hard into the reinforced iron gate.

The iron gate shook violently but was not knocked open. The two Japanese soldiers were jolted this way and that, and instead became even more violent, shouting and trying to force the iron gate open.

The iron door shook violently but was not knocked open. Two Japanese soldiers were shaken staggering left and right, instead even more violently clamoring, attempting to forcibly push open the iron door.

This scene left the Security Regiment soldiers present both shocked and angry. The Security Regiment commander turned deathly pale, momentarily at a loss as to how to deal with this sudden turn of events.

"This... normally no devils come to the airport. What's going on?"

Chu Yunfei shouted loudly through the amplifier loudspeaker, "I count to five. If you still don't leave, open fire immediately!"

Chu Yunfei through the loudspeaker horn, loudly shouted: "I count five sounds, if still not leaving, immediately open fire shooting!"

Chu Yunfei's subordinates had long been unable to contain their anger, and the machine gunners were nearly bursting with rage.

Without waiting for Chu Yunfei or the Security Regiment commander to give the order, the MG34's tearing-cloth-like gunfire rang out;

followed by the deep, powerful "boom boom" of the M2 Heavy Machine Gun, sweeping across the two devils and their motorcycle with a hail of bullets.

After the rain of bullets, the scene was a mess. The two devils were turned into mincemeat by the M2 Heavy Machine Gun, and the motorcycle had long been blown up by the heavy machine gun, rendered unrecognizable.

The Security Regiment commander stared with his mouth agape. "Brigade Commander Chu, did you just forget to count three and four?"

Chu Yunfei swept his gaze over that pool of blood and flesh, then looked at the panic-stricken Security Regiment commander. "What are you panicking about? I already set up the camera. Everything just now has been filmed. If the higher-ups investigate, just say Commander Lu of the Shanghai-Songhu Garrison ordered: the airport is a key area; anyone who rushes the gate, whoever they are, will be killed without pardon!"

Chu Yunfei's gaze swept over that patch of blood and flesh, then looked toward the panicked Security Regiment Commander: "Panic what? I long ago set up the camera, just now everything has been filmed, if the Vice Commander investigates, just say Shanghai-Songhu Garrison Commander Lu Commander has ordered: airport key area, but whoever rushes in, regardless of who, kill without pardon!

Soon, Lv Muzhi's call came to Hongqiao Airport. "Hey, Chu Yunfei! Stay at Hongqiao Airport. The airport is now under martial law. You know what to do without me saying more. Also, send someone to return those two little devils' corpses to the Marine Corps Command Headquarters. Tell them to keep their own dogs in line."

"Yes... understood, yes!" Chu Yunfei held his head high and chest out, feeling very pleased. Counting it up, hadn't he already fired the first shot of the Songhu Battlefield?

Inside the Japanese Marine Corps Command Headquarters building in Hongkou District.

Major General Okawa Shichiden looked deathly pale at the two bodies barely wrapped in white cloth before him, inside which were the mincemeat of the two gate-rushing devils. These two drunkards were so drunk they were unrecognizable, and the mincemeat reeked of alcohol, which actually served to remove the gamy smell.

Major General Okawa Shichiden, as Marine Corps Commander, had indeed tacitly approved and even indulged his subordinates' provocative actions beforehand, intending to create trouble and find an excuse for subsequent military operations.

Although these two men were not directly assigned by him, they were arranged to storm Hongqiao Airport under his layered instructions.

However, he never expected the airport garrison's reaction to be so intense.

Not only were the two soldiers turned into mincemeat by heavy machine guns, but their bodies were even sent back. This was tantamount to slapping the Locust Army hard in public!

"Bakayaro!" Okawa Shichiden cursed. Although the deaths of these two soldiers met his expectations and lit the fuse of conflict, it was truly humiliating.

Because sent back along with them was also a copied video tape. The video evidence was very unfavorable to the Locust Army.

Because sent back together with them was still one volume of copied video tapes; the video evidence was very unfavorable to the Locust Army.

"Forget it, things have come to this."

"Send a telegram to General Gu Chuanqing immediately! Report the Hongqiao Airport incident: the Xia State Army has wantonly slaughtered Emperor Chuo's soldiers with extreme arrogance, and the situation is now out of control!"

"Request the Third Fleet enter the waters of the Huangpu River immediately according to the agreed plan, to use military deterrence and protection for Emperor Chuo's nationals and the Marine Corps!"

After the telegram was sent, Okawa Shichiden's pent-up frustration had not completely dissipated.

He felt he must immediately adopt a tough posture; after all, video evidence had been left behind and spread around the world, leaving the Locust Army utterly disgraced.

Okawa Shichiden summoned a Squadron Leader and ordered: "Take a squadron, with two armored vehicles attached, and head to Hongqiao Airport immediately! Lodge the strongest protest with them, demand severe punishment for the murderers, and hand over the Commander of the Security Regiment!"

"Remember, the attitude must be tough; make them feel the pressure of the Emperor Chuo Marine Corps!"

"Hai!" The Squadron Leader accepted the order and left.

Soon, a fully equipped Japanese squadron, led by two roaring armored vehicles, marched out of the Marine Corps Command Headquarters with murderous intent, heading toward Hongqiao Airport along the street.

The Japanese soldiers' weapons were not bad: MP18 submachine guns, Type 38 rifles, Type 11 light machine guns, and Type 92 heavy machine guns; their leather boots trampled the street, breaking the peace of Shanghai.

The Japanese squadron marched arrogantly toward Hongqiao Airport, drawing sidelong glances from citizens along both sides of the street, their faces full of terror.

"Damn it, why are the Oriental soldiers coming out?"

"We're going to die, is a battle starting?"

"Hurry home, hurry home, lock the doors and windows!"

The crowd scrambled to hide, making way for the little devils.

However, when this Japanese army unit reached the outer perimeter of Hongqiao Airport, those waiting for them were no longer the Security Regiment they could push around as before.

Chu Yunfei stood behind the sandbag fortification, coldly watching the gradually approaching Japanese army without a trace of fear.

Although the soldiers under his command wore Security Regiment uniforms, their real weapons were all drawn.

The thick barrel of the Browning M2 heavy machine gun was already thirsty and eager, and the ammunition belt of the MG34 general purpose machine gun had been hung up,

while grenade launchers and mortars waited in the rear, ready to strike.

Chief of Staff Fang Ligong came over and whispered: "Brother Yunfei, should we push out the Type 37 anti-tank cannon and the 75mm infantry cannon? Give the little devils a hard lesson!"

Chu Yunfei waved his hand and sneered disdainfully: "Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? With these goods right in front of us, our current weapons are enough to give them a taste of their own medicine."

The Japanese squadron leader clearly did not expect the airport defenders to be so well-equipped and their formation so tough; following the set script, he walked forward arrogantly and, through a translator, loudly protested, demanding the handover of the murderers and the Security Regiment Commander.

Chu Yunfei was too lazy to talk nonsense with him and shouted directly into the megaphone: "Airport restricted area, trespassers die! I give you five seconds, get lost immediately! Five... four, one!"

The Japanese squadron leader was angered by Chu Yunfei's attitude, and relying on the armored vehicles and a full squadron behind him, he intended to wave his hand to signal the troops to approach and try to force their way through the checkpoint.

Unexpectedly, Chu Yunfei was so unscrupulous that he directly ordered his subordinates to open fire.

The soldiers, upon hearing Chu Yunfei shout "one," immediately opened fire without regard for anything.

At the scene, MG34s and M2 heavy machine guns on the heights on both sides of the airport put on a grand ensemble.

The Japanese soldiers at the very front were stunned, falling instantly like wheat cut down.

The two arrogantly strutting armored vehicles became the primary targets; 12.7mm heavy machine gun bullets easily tore through their thin iron skin, sending sparks flying across the vehicle bodies, riddled with holes.

"Damn it! Is this really the Security Regiment? The Chinks have gone mad! Why are they so tough?"

The Japanese soldiers behind hurriedly threw themselves to the ground or sought cover, but under such fierce firepower, any exposure was fatal.

As if prepared in advance, two fire teams emerged at some point, flanking the Japanese on both the left and right.

MP28 submachine guns, MG34 machine guns, and rifle bullets poured down like a torrential rain, pinning the Japanese down tightly, making it impossible for them to organize an effective counterattack.

The little devils suffered a dumb loss on the spot.

The entire scene turned into a one-sided firepower massacre; a Japanese squadron suffered extremely heavy casualties, and the squadron that had just been full of momentum left behind a field of corpses and wounded soldiers wailing, retreating in utter disarray.

The little devils finally understood that these people were neither police nor a Security Regiment at all!

Seeing this, Chu Yunfei took out a pair of Browning pistols made by the Belgian FN company that Lv Muzhi had given him, one in each hand, one male and one female, and fired two shots toward the direction the Japanese were fleeing.

Laughing loudly: "I sing wildly and idly pass the days, with wild ambition, for whom am I heroic! So satisfying!"