Chapter 245: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 245 Potential Lieutenant General

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Behind the Xicheng Line, Changzhou City, Ninth Group Army headquarters.

Extremely lively.

The main force defending the Xicheng Defensive Line was commanded by Chen Cheng, deploying the Fifteenth Group Army and Xue Yue's Nineteenth Group Army.

The combat strength of these two group armies was relatively strong, and with the support of the Xicheng Permanent Defense Works, the Japanese several divisions gained no advantage on the opposite side of the Xicheng Line, but instead dug field fortifications on the spot, facing off against Chen Cheng's troops.

The Ninth Group Army rested and stood by in Changzhou City behind the Xicheng Line; after fighting for months, its various units had been used at high intensity and had to undergo rest and refit.

Four thousand reserve soldiers were transported from the southwest to replenish the various units of the Youth Army.

The three German-equipped divisions belonging to the central government—the 36th, 87th, and 88th Divisions—also received corresponding troop reinforcements from Minister of Military Administration He Yingqin.

Today, the Ninth Group Army headquarters was fully attended.

"Heard the news? I heard someone has already requested our Lu Commander be promoted to Second-Class General; from now on, he'll be wearing three stars on his shoulders!" said Sun Yuanlang, commander of the 87th Division, with an envious expression.

"Really?!" Zhang Fei asked excitedly.

Zhang Fei, as a brigade commander of the Youth Army, had previously been cooperating in defense on Zhang Fei's right-wing army, and after fighting in places like Jinshanwei, Jiaxing, and Huzhou, was transferred back into Lv Muzhi's order of battle.

As a confidant of Lv Muzhi, when Lv Muzhi was a platoon leader, Zhang Fei had been a squad leader under him; seeing his old commander promoted, he was the happiest of all.

Song Xilian stroked his chin: "There are too many unknowns here; the number of generals is fixed. To be promoted to Second-Class General, unless someone among the current Second-Class Generals dies, vacancies can only be filled from among the serving Lieutenant Generals in order of merit."

The same logic applied to promotion from Second-Class General to First-Class General.

Chu Yunfei nodded: "Being promoted to Second-Class General is indeed a good thing, but it requires superiors above to make room; thinking this way, aren't we hoping others die sooner..."

Liao Yaoxiang hurriedly said: "People are born, age, fall ill, and die; we shouldn't think too much about it. I think at least our Youth Army's expansion should be put on the agenda; if rank is insufficient, we can stack it with positional rank—numerical strength of the army is the hard truth!"

Song Xilian said with a smile: "Based on the military achievements of all of you in the Youth Army, promoting everyone by one rank is no problem. Just take Zhou Weiguo, who commands the Armored Tank Regiment, who has repeatedly thwarted Japanese armored offensives;"

"Liao Yaoxiang Brigade, which crushed the Third Division; Chu Yunfei Brigade, which annihilated the Tianya Brigade; Zhang Fei Brigade, the Butcher of Jinshanwei;"

"And there's your Commander Qiu Qiu Qingquan, who at the start of the war captured the Hongkou Command of the Marine Corps—this battle was directly commanded by him, and he captured the Marine Corps Commander. All are meritorious officials; previously they only received some medals. I think it won't be long before you all should be promoted."

Chu Yunfei sat up straight in his chair and said: "Where, where. The three German-equipped divisions of the central government—Commander Song, Commander Sun, and Commander Wang—are all meritorious officials; this credit cannot be chalked up solely to our Youth Army."

Sun Yuanlang, upon hearing this, also laughed and said: "Oh, you flatter me. Actually, the one who worked hardest and achieved the most is still our Lu Commander."

No sooner had the words fallen than Lv Muzhi walked in from outside the door.

After the great battle at Jiangyin Fortress ended, the on-site defense was handed over to the Navy and the Yangtze River Torpedo Brigade, and Lv Muzhi returned from the frontline to his own Ninth Group Army headquarters.

As soon as he returned, he heard his subordinates chatting in the headquarters. Lv Muzhi waited outside for a while, and upon hearing Sun Yuanlang flattering again, he went straight in to interrupt everyone's conversation.

Everyone in the headquarters stood up, their gazes following Lv Muzhi's figure.

"Commander Lu, you've worked hard in Jiangyin..." Sun Yuanlang greeted with a smile.

Lv Muzhi noticed that since the retreat from Songhu, this Sun Yuanlang had become increasingly flattering toward him.

"Have the 'Eight Hundred Warriors' of the Sihang Warehouse been reassigned?" Lv Muzhi sat in a chair, opening a document and asking Sun Yuanlang while reading.

"Report to Commander Lu, all have been reassigned. Expected 1023 men, actually 815 men, brought back by Brigade Commander Zhang Fei!"

These so-called Eight Hundred Warriors were left behind in place of Sun Yuanlang's 88th Division. Originally, the old man planned to leave all of Sun Yuanlang's 88th Division in Shanghai for last-ditch resistance, but it was Lv Muzhi who helped, allowing Sun Yuanlang to withdraw the main force of the 88th Division from Shanghai. This was also why Sun Yuanlang trusted Lv Muzhi more and more, or rather, the root of his flattery.

Lv Muzhi nodded, looked at Zhang Fei, and smiled: "Zhang Fei (courtesy name), long time no see!" (Zhang Fei (courtesy name) was the courtesy name Lv Muzhi had previously given Zhang Fei)

Since the war broke out in August, Zhang Fei and Lv Muzhi had not seen each other for over two months, which was rare in their more than ten years of superior-subordinate and friendship.

Zhang Fei said cheerfully: "This separation has been over two months. In the past I would certainly not be used to it, but these past two months, countless little devils have fallen on the Jinshanwei Beach. As long as we can kill more devils, what does separation matter?!"

Lv Muzhi stood up: "Without saying more, everyone present is a meritorious official. I heard your conversation just now from outside the door. To be honest with everyone, the merit report documents have already been submitted to the old man. Everyone, just wait for the good news. Following me, Lv Muzhi, will absolutely not delay your careers!"

Hearing Lv Muzhi's words, everyone had barely sat down before standing up again and shouting loudly: "Thank you, Commander Lu!!!"

Lv Muzhi asked Chu Yunfei: "Have our gas-proof suits all been delivered to the Xicheng Line?"

Chu Yunfei immediately reported: "Each of our brigades has five hundred sets of gas-proof suits; four brigades total two thousand sets, all delivered into the hands of Commander Chen Cheng. I have also arranged for specialists to go conduct training;"

"As for the gas mask fortresses in that direction, I also took the cadres there for training a few days ago."

Regarding this arrangement, Lv Muzhi had long reminded Chu Yunfei to send all his professional gas-proof suits to support Commander Chen Cheng's use.

The Ninth Group Army had just withdrawn from the Wufu Defensive Line, and having fought too long on the Songhu battlefield, it had to undergo rest and refit. Otherwise, no matter how vigorous the fighting enthusiasm, it would be exhausted by days of high-intensity combat.

"Commander Lu, there is a direct line call for you." The communications staff officer stepped forward and said softly.

"All of you, go attend to your own matters. Although the troops are in rest and refit status, they cannot be too lax. We must always be ready to cover for our friendly forces on the Xicheng Defensive Line."

Lv Muzhi dismissed everyone and then went to answer his direct line call.

As soon as he answered the phone, it was serious—a call from Chongqing.

On the other end of the line, it was actually Liu Zhi's voice: "Wei Yue, you've finally called. It was transferred through several lines!"

Lv Muzhi frowned: "Commander Liu, why have you called my frontline?! "

"Not me. How could I be so inconsiderate as to call your frontline? Oh, no, no, no..." On the other end of the line, Liu Zhi lowered his voice, covering the mouthpiece and said: "It's the old man calling you from Chongqing, transferred through several lines. I've already sent someone to invite him to listen to the call..."