Chapter 406: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 416: The East Wind Releases Flowers at Night, a Thou

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

The army set out from Zhengzhou, with Lv Muzhi leading a force westward along the Longhai Railway.

The troops moved to the opposite bank of Feng Ling Du, at the important pass of Tongguan under the First War Zone.

At this time, on the walls of Tongguan, the outer side of the city wall was covered with dense shell craters and white chisel marks, traces left by bullets fired by the Japanese army.

Lv Muzhi stood at an observation post in a concealed location.

Beside him, Commander-in-Chief of the First War Zone Wei Lihuang held up his binoculars, looking toward the north bank with a solemn expression.

Qiu Qingquan and Sun Liren stood on either side, while several staff officers spread out maps.

"Wei Yue, look across there." Wei Lihuang put down his binoculars and pointed to that stretch of Yellow River beachhead.

"That's Feng Ling Du. The Japanese Thirty-Seventh Division's 225th Regiment is pinned there; their commander is Hamada Kazuki, with the rank of colonel."

"This regiment has constructed extremely complete fortifications at the beachhead, claiming to be second only to Jinshanwei."

Wei Lihuang sighed and continued helplessly:

"The Japanese army probably learned from the disastrous defeat at Jinshanwei's beachhead; half a year ago, at the Feng Ling Du ferry crossing on this Yellow River beachhead, they likewise built a fortress."

"Machine cannons, anti-tank guns, and a large number of mountain guns and field guns—everything was crammed in, along with dedicated concrete observation bunkers, firepower bunkers, and command bunkers..."

"We and they exchange fire across the Yellow River every day. Look at my bunkers here at Tongguan—they've been chewed through a layer."

Qiu Qingquan looked at the map beside him, his brow furrowed, letting out a sigh.

"Wei Commander, I remember there are over a hundred thousand Central Army troops stationed in the Zhongtiao Mountain area, right?"

"Why can't they retake Feng Ling Du early?"

Wei Lihuang shook his head.

"The troops stationed in Zhongtiao Mountain have truly poor equipment."

"Nominally Central Army, they are actually former local armies dependent on the Central Government, only able to retreat into the Zhongtiao Mountain area to defend themselves."

"As for Sun Weiru's Fourth Group Army, the 38th Army and 96th Army within it are both Shaanxi Army—large in number but poorly equipped."

"If not for their shocking numbers of over a hundred thousand, retreating to Rucheng County, Pinglu County, and other places in Zhongtiao Mountain on the opposite bank to pin down the Japanese army..."

"Xiao Zhukazuo of Shanxi would probably have already commanded his First Army, crossed the Yellow River south from Feng Ling Du, and attacked my Tongguan here."

"It is precisely because there are troops like the Fourth Group Army on Zhongtiao Mountain that the Japanese dare not easily pass through Feng Ling Du to attack Tongguan."

"Both sides just wear each other down; neither can do anything to the other."

Lv Muzhi looked at the map: "I know Sun Weiru; he once led troops across the Yellow River eastward, catching the Japanese in Shanxi off guard, and briefly recovered Feng Ling Du."

"Only pity... in the end they were still caught up with by the Japanese army at Zhongtiao Mountain."

"To let my mechanized troops board the Tongpu Railway and advance into Shanxi, this Feng Ling Du is a place we must pass through."

Wei Lihuang nodded and looked at Lv Muzhi.

"Wei Yue, tell me honestly—how confident are you of retaking Feng Ling Du?"

"We're in the same war zone; we need to lay our cards on the table beforehand, right?"

Lv Muzhi smiled: "Whether confident or not, this battle must be fought."

"Commander Wei, order Sun Weiru's Fourth Group Army to prepare to move out at any time and attack Feng Ling Du from the eastern front!"

"Notify the Second War Zone and ask them to immediately launch counterattacks against the Japanese in various places within Shanxi!"

"Yu'an, bring up the artillery! Prepare to bombard the Feng Ling Du beachhead!"

North bank of the Yellow River, Japanese positions at Feng Ling Du.

Honda Kazuki, regimental commander of the 225th Infantry Regiment of the Thirty-Seventh Division, was now walking with his hands behind his back, inspecting a communication trench.

Beneath his feet were neatly laid wooden planks, and every certain distance along the trench there was a gun position.

Regimental Commander Honda Kazuki stopped in front of an observation hole and looked out.

In his sight, the entire beachhead position was layered upon layer, filled with countless killing machines.

The 25mm machine cannon raised its barrel, a weapon used to deal with Xia State troops crossing the river.

The 37mm anti-tank gun was concealed in a flank-fire dugout, waiting specifically for possible Xia State army crossing boats, and could even hit Xia State positions on the opposite bank.

Behind him, 92 infantry guns, 75 mountain guns, and several 105mm field guns were covered with camouflage nets.

Such strong firepower, such dangerous terrain, such complete fortifications and firepower.

Coupled with more than three thousand soldiers, enough to make any force attempting to force-cross the Yellow River bleed like a river.

Even to prevent the Xia State army on Zhongtiao Mountain to the east from charging down, Regimental Commander Honda Kazuki had specially prepared fortifications to block them.

"Those beggar armies of Zhongtiao Mountain are only fit to chew grass roots on that mountain."

Regimental Commander Honda Kazuki proudly touched his health mustache, his tone extremely arrogant.

"I hear the Xia State people are launching counterattacks everywhere, and even Lv Muzhi has brought troops to Tongguan."

"Pity, I have ample preparations here; the Youth Army is probably going to stumble before me here."

A battalion commander beside him said: "As long as my 225th Regiment is here, Feng Ling Du is an insurmountable natural barrier."

"The division commander calls this place 'Second Jinshanwei'; I think this place is more stable than Jinshanwei."

An artillery lieutenant colonel beside him also came over, laughing loudly:

"Regimental Commander Honda, this morning we used only two shells."

"And directly scattered a Xia State patrol on the opposite bank; the sight of them running was truly pathetic—you really should come take a look."

The Japanese officers in the trench all joined in the laughter.

Colonel Hamada Kazuki couldn't help but curl his lips; this kind of two-bank shootout was a play he had been running for nearly half a year.

"The artillery must remain vigilant at all times; we must make the Xia Guo people across the way unable to sleep soundly."

After speaking, Colonel Hamada Kazuki returned to his underground command post, brewed a cup of tea, propped up his legs, and began reading the telegram sent from the division headquarters.

Not long after he examined it, a muffled thunder came from the direction of Tongguan Fortress on the opposite bank of the Yellow River.

"The China Men are retaliating again!"

Colonel Hamada Kazuki immediately covered his teacup, then looked up at the ceiling above his head, waiting for the dust on the ceiling to fall onto the desk.

During the long standoff, this mutual artillery exchange had already become routine.

Every time Hamada Kazuki came under artillery fire, he would immediately cover his teacup, so as to prevent dust from falling into the teacup.

In the eyes of the Japanese troops guarding Fenglingdu, this was nothing more than routine business and could not hurt their sinews and bones at all.

But after waiting a long while, he did not wait for the familiar vibration, and not a bit of dust fell from the ceiling at all.

"Did the shells not land?"

Colonel Hamada Kazuki changed position, came to a periscope, and observed the situation outside.

He only saw dozens of shells exploding in the sky above the Fenglingdu position.

But strangely, these shells did not, as usual, land on their own position.

Instead, they burst in the air several hundred meters away, turning into countless white, sparkling sparks like silk floss.

"What is that? Fireworks? Are the China Men celebrating some festival?"

A major beside him looked through another periscope and muttered doubtfully.

The other devils in the outer trenches were also very curious.

Shelling was commonplace, but setting off fireworks was a first, and they all poked their heads out to watch the excitement.

Colonel Hamada Kazuki understood some Xia Guo poetry; looking at the phenomenon in the sky, he couldn't help but recite in an affectedly elegant manner:

"The east wind releases flowers on a thousand trees at night, and more blows down, stars like rain……"

"Colonel Excellency truly has fine literary talent!" The officers beside him hurriedly flattered him.

However, not long after the praise fell, a shrill scream suddenly came from outside the bunker.