Chapter 284

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

In the depths of the cold winter, Tang Enbo broke into a sweat on his head, all because Lv Muzhi had frightened him.

If these words had come from Li Zongren, Tang Enbo might not have believed them; put bluntly, even beating a dog depends on its master, and Li Zongren would never dare to go over the old man's head to deal with him.

But now Lv Muzhi and he were of the same lineage, yet he had uttered such ruthless words.

Not long ago, the scene of Han Fuqu and Sun Yuanlang being executed was still fresh in memory, and he himself had been present at the execution ground.

Sun Yuanlang, a Whampoa First Phase graduate and a Lieutenant General by rank, had also been directly arrested and executed by Lv Muzhi, even snatched right out of Hu Gongnan's headquarters.

The division and brigade commanders of his own corps were all old classmates of Lv Muzhi, and just now at the banquet they had all supported Lv Muzhi one by one.

Tang Enbo truly feared that Lv Muzhi might kill in a rage and execute him first and report later; his own subordinates probably could not stop him.

"Rest assured, Commander Lv! With you personally commanding at the frontline, my Twentieth Army Group will definitely carry out the War Zone Headquarters' orders to the end!"

Lv Muzhi soothed him: "Ji Jun Zhang Tang, you've fought quite well—holding Nankou in the Suiyuan campaign, fighting bloodily at Zihongkou in the Shanxi campaign. Now that you've come to the Xuzhou battlefield, if you win this battle, I will personally report your merits!"

Tang Enbo saw that the atmosphere had finally eased, and said gratefully: "Thank you, Commander Lv. Holding Zoucheng, five days—I guarantee not a single day less!"

Jinan City: the county government within the city had now become the headquarters of the Tenth Division.

Lieutenant General Isogai Rensuke, division commander, convened an operational meeting. Looking at the battle report just delivered, he could no longer suppress the smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Tang Enbo... nothing more than that!"

"At Nankou and Zihongkou, friendly forces all said he was good at defense, a rare hard bone among the China Central Army. Now it seems, truly laughable."

Colonel Akashi Yazo, commander of the th Contact Regiment responsible for the frontal main attack, laughed: "One day—Tang Enbo held out for just one day. For such an important stronghold as Jinan City, truly... disappointing."

Major General Seiya Kei, commander of the rd Infantry Brigade, leaned back in his chair and speculated: "Could there be an ambush on the South Side? Division Commander-sama, this retreat speed is a bit too fast. Although the Chinese army's combat strength is not strong, they generally resist step by step. But our advance speed is indeed a bit too fast."

Colonel Tei Bujakuki, Chief of Staff of the division, said: "Seiya-kun, you worry too much. From Jining to Zoucheng it is all plain, with no defensible terrain."

"I believe Tang Enbo's withdrawal is to link up with the Sichuan Army's Twenty-Second Group Army in the Teng County direction, facilitating mutual support. I estimate that subsequent operations will return to normal war intensity."

"Hmph! The Sichuan Army?" Isogai Rensuke clearly did not take them seriously: "The Sichuan Army's Twenty-Second Group Army has combat strength behind Tang Enbo's army corps and cannot amount to anything."

"Yes." Colonel Tei Bujakuki nodded.

Isogai Rensuke stood up and walked to the map on the wall: "Gentlemen, along our route of attack, it is all plain. Tanks can advance without obstruction, and artillery can play to its full effect."

"Whether it is Tang Enbo or the Sichuan Army, neither will be an obstacle to us."

"At Nankou and Zihongkou, Tang Enbo took advantage of the terrain."

"But here is Shandong, the North China Plain. Here, the Imperial Army can fully exploit its mechanized advantage."

"So, what I worry about most is Lv Muzhi's Ninth Group Army. He is our confidant and major threat."

The officers of the Tenth Division all grew serious, and the smile on Isogai Rensuke's face disappeared.

The name Lv Muzhi, ever since the Battle of Songhu last year, had been like a dark cloud hanging over the Central China Expeditionary Army.

The Third Division annihilated, the Sixth Division checked on the South Bank of the Yangtze River, the Sui River Fleet sunk, poison gas attacks below Jinling City—one thing after another, all connected to this name.

Although Isogai Rensuke had not personally witnessed the Youth Army's combat strength, legends of the Youth Army circulated everywhere on the battlefield.

Seeing that the meeting atmosphere had grown a bit cold, Isogai Rensuke cheered them on: "Those fellows of the Central China Expeditionary Army have been blowing up his Youth Army as China's number one land army."

"In my view, it's just the Central China Expeditionary Army covering up its own incompetence. Xia Guo has an old saying: whether it's a mule or a horse, bring it out for a walk. Don't forget we still have the Fifth Division's flank support. Lv Muzhi may not be our opponent!"

"By the way, where have Lv Muzhi's troops moved to now?"

Tei Bujakuki added: "Division Commander-sama is right! According to the latest intelligence, Lv Muzhi's Ninth Group Army has already arrived at Xuzhou."

"The main force of the Youth First Army is moving east along the railway, with Linyi as its target."

"Linyi?" Isogai Rensuke's eyes lit up. "That would be Itagaki's division's area?"

"Yes. The Fifth Division plans to seize Linyi. Lv Muzhi's troops advancing east are very likely going to reinforce them."

Isogai Rensuke sat back in his chair, much pleased: "If so, Li Zongren and Lv Muzhi really underestimate us, thinking that Tang Enbo's army corps and the Sichuan Army's Twenty-Second Group Army combined are enough to deal with our Tenth Division, and thus sending the Youth Army's main force to Itagaki-kun's Fifth Division."

"As for the remaining Youth Army forces, they should be used as a mobile reserve, currently garrisoning Xuzhou!"

"This situation is very favorable for our Tenth Division. We must accelerate the offensive and immediately open the Jinpu Railway line to Xuzhou!"

"I hereby order: 'Troops continue south! Smash Tang Enbo's army corps and the Sichuan Army, open the northern section of the Jinpu Road! Then—'"

Isogai Rensuke pointed his finger south and slashed fiercely: "Join forces with the Thirteenth Division at Xuzhou!"

"Hai!!"

Isogai Rensuke thought to himself: "As for Itagaki Seishiro's Fifth Division on the East Side, we probably can't count on it. Division Commander Itagaki Seishiro has encountered Lv Muzhi's main force—that is indeed his misfortune!"

"Wish him luck. It seems I will reach the walls of Xuzhou City first!"

Teng County, headquarters of the Twenty-Second Group Army. Lv Muzhi was stationed here, coordinating and commanding Tang Enbo's Twentieth Army Group and the Sichuan Army's Twenty-Second Group Army.

Tang Enbo's Twentieth Army Group had already exchanged fire with the Japanese Isogaya Division's Tenth Division at the Zoucheng Front.

Lv Muzhi sat at an Eight Immortals Table with a map spread on it. Sun Zhen, acting commander-in-chief of the Sichuan Army's Twenty-Second Group Army, sat opposite him, looking at telegrams from the front.

"At Zoucheng, it's already the third day today. Tang Enbo's Left Wing position has been locked in tug-of-war four times, and he absolutely did not let the devils advance a single step."

Tang Enbo sent Lv Muzhi a detailed battle report: "Isogaya Division launched its sixth attack at 3 PM today. The enemy's vanguard, led by more than ten tanks, coordinated with infantry to continuously assault the position of Guan Linzhen's Fifty-Second Army."

"I and Army Commander Guan Linzhen commanded from the front. After 6 PM, our anti-tank guns destroyed three enemy tanks, and the remaining enemies were forced to withdraw."

"Corpses littered the ground before the position. Our officers and men had high morale!"

After reading it, Lv Muzhi handed the battle report to Sun Zhen and said with a smile: "Guan Linzhen's nickname Iron Fist Guan is truly not undeserved."

"Ji Jun Zhang Tang, you were very responsible this time... send a telegram to commend!"