Chapter 353: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 363 Prince Higashikuni: Hata Shunroku Is the Rebel!

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo charged at the very front of the formation, where he could see the tank hatch on the opposite side open, and a Youth Army tank commander poking out half his body, pointing at them.

A 20mm cannon shell fired from some armored vehicle struck the neck of his warhorse.

The warhorse let out a mournful cry and pitched forward.

Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo was thrown off by the tremendous inertia, landing heavily on the ground, his command sword flying from his hand.

He struggled to sit up, struggled to stand, only to discover in shock that his left lower leg had been blown off!

"Ah~" Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo let out a heart-rending scream.

"Prince?!" Colonel Morita Go rode his warhorse, raising his spike mine, and came to the side of the fallen Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo.

"Keep charging! No stopping! Tenghuang Black Card (Emperor Tenghuang), Banzai (Ten Thousand Years)!"

Colonel Morita Go didn't even spare a glance for Fushimi-no-Miya; he shouted Banzai and continued charging with his spike mine raised.

"Pay attention to tactics, keep the cavalry equipped with spike mines protected in the middle of the formation, cover the spike mine cavalry as they approach the Youth Army's tanks!"

Truly a wonder of the ages—the Imperial Guard Cavalry of the Japanese Army pioneered the tactic of cavalry with spike mines, perishing together with enemy tanks!

However, the effect was quite poor.

Ordinary Imperial Guard Cavalry surrounded more than a dozen cavalrymen equipped with spike mines in the center and charged toward the Youth Army's tanks.

The ordinary cavalry on the outer perimeter were constantly knocked down and shattered by machine guns and cannons.

A tank fired a high-explosive shell, exploding directly in the center of the Japanese cavalry, overturning several Japanese cavalrymen equipped with spike mines.

Shells and bullets kept coming, and the formation of the Imperial Guard Cavalry was already completely in disarray.

The Youth Army's tanks simply stopped and began striking the Japanese cavalry charging head-on.

Boom boom boom!

Rat-tat-tat!

Clang clang clang!

Colonel Morita Go targeted a Sanhao Tank, spurred his horse forward, extended the spike mine he had been holding aloft, leaned his body as far forward as possible on the horse's back to let the spike mine reach farther, finally extending a full one and a half meters beyond the horse's head.

"As long as...... I reach that place!"

"I must destroy a Youth Army tank...... please......"

Another cavalry Second Lieutenant rode over: "Colonel Morita, use the spike mines on the Youth Army!"

"Cover Colonel Morita!"

The tank commander of a Sanhao Tank noticed six or seven cavalrymen coming toward him and ordered the hull and turret adjusted.

Boom! Rat-tat-tat!

First a shell right on top of them, then full machine-gun fire.

Colonel Morita Go's mounted spike mine offensive vanished in an instant, and all the Japanese cavalry were killed in action.

In the distance, Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo, the brigade commander who had lost his left lower leg, lay on the ground, turned his face, and witnessed the entire process of Colonel Morita Go's death in action, finally completely despairing.

His proud Imperial Guard Cavalry Brigade actually could not destroy a single Youth Army tank.

His subordinates were all elites—the soldiers who could enter the Imperial Guard Division to protect the Imperial Palace were all selected, and those who could serve as Imperial Guard Cavalry were even more the elites of the Japanese Army.

But now, the Imperial Guard Cavalry Brigade had become a puddle of mud on this Huangchuan Battlefield.

Fushimi-no-Miya Takeo propped up half his body and finally knelt on the ground.

He lifted his mud-stained face and looked toward the Northeast, the direction of Japan Mainland.

The sun was rising, surrounded on all sides by Youth Army tanks; more than a dozen light and nimble T Tanks roared with their engines, constantly passing by his side, as if they did not see him.

Fushimi-no-Miya understood that these tanks were pursuing the retreating Imperial Guard Cavalry Artillery.

Whether the cavalry artillerymen could escape with their lives no longer mattered; Fushimi-no-Miya drew his short sword, faced the sun, and decided to end his own life.

Clank-squeak~ clank-squeak!

The track friction of a Sanhao Tank grew closer and closer—it was actually a tank deliberately reversing back from the front, coming back specifically to finish him off.

The tracks and hull blocked Fushimi-no-Miya's sunlight, finally crushing the bones and glory of the Fushimi Family.

The age of steel completely crushed the pride of knights.

"Your Excellency the Division Commander, over four thousand men of the Imperial Guard Cavalry Brigade, from top to bottom, have been totally annihilated!"

Inside Huangchuan City, Lieutenant Colonel Iida Sadakata, Division Commander of the Imperial Guard Division, received the report.

Ordered to withdraw three Cavalry Artillery Regiments, on the retreat route they were also caught up by the Youth Army's tank units, and not a single one made it back to Huangchuan City.

Itagaki Seishiro, Division Commander of the Fifth Division, said: "If the Imperial Guard Cavalry Brigade is not destroyed, heavenly principle cannot be tolerated. For now, we should still hold Huangchuan and wait for Prince Tōgū Toshihiko to come to our aid!"

Iida Sadakata, still shaken: "The one who died today was a Major General of the Fushimi Family! This will surely cause a huge uproar domestically, and Baron Heishima also died in battle. How can I bear the final responsibility..."

Itagaki Seishiro snorted coldly: "Now you know fear? Back then, relying on the Imperial Guard Division, how high and mighty you were!"

"Don't think about these things anymore. Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko is leading two divisions of troops, half a day's journey from us. If the Imperial Guard Division makes any more mistakes, you will have only seppuku to atone."

South of Huangchuan, Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko defied the orders of the Dispatch Army Headquarters, abandoned the mission to cross the Dabei Mountains and attack Wuhan, and chose to lead two divisions of troops back to strike the enemy behind him.

But now, divisions had arisen within this force.

"Speed up. We must ensure the safety of Huangchuan in our rear, otherwise our Second Army will all die at Lv Muzhi's hands!" said Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko.

Nakajima Imawa, Division Commander of the Sixteenth Division, pointed to a telegram in his hand and said: "General Hata Shunroku is extremely dissatisfied with our unauthorized actions and has strictly ordered our army to turn back and continue crossing the Dabie Mountains to ensure the successful capture of Wuhan."

Shimomoto Kumaya, Division Commander of the 108th Division, also hesitated. General Hata Shunroku had sent a telegram directly to question them, and at this time openly defying the orders of the Dispatch Army Headquarters was gambling with their own futures.

General Hata Shunroku had sent the telegram to every Second Army unit he could contact, and some regimental commanders below had even received telegrams personally sent by General Hata Shunroku.

Originally planning to go rescue Huangchuan, the 16th and 108th Divisions stopped directly, and the regimental commanders below went directly to their division commanders to demand an explanation, asking the commanders to unify their opinions before acting.

Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko said: "Huangchuan is our retreat route. If Huangchuan falls, we will be in great danger in the Dabie Mountains. This is a very clear principle. How many times do I have to say it?!"

Nakajima pointed at the telegram: "But the telegram requires us to cross the Dabie Mountains, reach the north bank of the Yangtze River, and attack the rear of Li Zongren's Fifth War Zone;"

General Hata Shunroku has already issued an ultimatum, requiring us to execute immediately, otherwise it will be regarded as mutiny!"

Shimomoto Kumaya said: "If we do not appear behind Li Zongren, then Gangcun Ningci's 11th Army facing Li Zongren will struggle, and the Navy will be unable to effectively support them."

General Hata Shunroku's wording is stern. We are not rebel commanders; we must obey the opinion of Central China Expeditionary Army Supreme Commander General Hata Shunroku.

"Fool! Hata Shunroku, who harms Emperor Chuo's interests, is the rebel commander!"

General Hata Shunroku is gambling. In my opinion, even if Wuhan is captured, it will not be of much benefit to this war. It would be better to withdraw troops early and properly digest the Xia Kingdom land already occupied!"

Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko was very angry. Unexpectedly, he could not even move his own subordinates.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko regretted it.

Capturing Wuhan is the decision of the Imperial General Headquarters and Emperor Tenghuang. These words are no longer about discussing whether to continue crossing the Dabie Mountains, but directly negate the correctness of Emperor Tenghuang launching the Wuhan Campaign.

The three men at the Second Army Command Headquarters looked at each other in silence, and time passed second by second.

Prince Higashikuni Naruhiko said directly: "I'll say one sentence. If I cannot hold Huangchuan, I will not cross the Dabie Mountains. Absolutely cannot expose our rear to the Youth Army!"