Chapter 54: Republic of China: Starting from the First Class of Whampoa Chapter 54 The Advantage is on Our Side

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Danshui City had already been taken, costing two hours before and after, and by eight o'clock they had completely controlled Danshui City.

The rebel reinforcements from Huizhou to the north, Hong Zhaolin's troops, were sent a portion by Xu Ji's Independent Seventh Brigade to go and block them.

The nearly three thousand rebels under Xiong Lve who fled from Danshui City were pursued by the main force of the Guangdong Army Second Division and a portion of the Independent Seventh Brigade,.

The First Regiment and Second Regiment were assigned the task of consolidating the defenses of Danshui City, to prevent Hong Zhaolin's rebels from breaking through the Independent Seventh Brigade's defensive line and retaking Danshui City.

At the First Regiment's garrison, He Yingqin and Second Battalion Commander Liu Zhi had just returned from the Principal's place, and both of their faces were very happy, clearly having received the Principal's commendation.

"Commander He, the Principal praised our First Regiment as a force capable of fighting tough battles, saying you train the troops well!" Liu Zhi said with a laugh.

He Yingqin had one hand on Liu Zhi's shoulder, nodding: "I can't compare to you, the Principal says you are his Blessed General!

That settlement point you discovered, Chen Cheng's cannons blasted a gap in the wall at that settlement point, and our Fierce Brave Team members were the first to attack into the city through the gap!"

Liu Zhi said with a mysterious expression: "This wasn't discovered by me alone, we can't be unclear about it... no matter how you say it, our First Regiment has achieved great merit today, and Second Regiment Commander Wang Bolin has instead become a supporting character. I reckon it won't be long before you surpass Wang..."

"Battalion Commander Liu!" He Yingqin directly interrupted Liu Zhi; "We still have a mission... hurry and execute it!"

Liu Zhi smiled helplessly and returned to his own troops.

Wang Bolin was the commander of the Second Regiment, a confidant of the Principal, a military man at Whampoa Military Academy. Besides the Principal, it was Wang Bolin—a proper Second Figure—and even He Yingqin himself had been recommended to Whampoa Military Academy by Wang Bolin.

At this time, the Principal had arranged an important task for both of his regimental commanders under him, but what the Principal didn't know was that it wouldn't be long before his subordinates would give him a surprise.

The rebel Hong Zhaolin's force in Huizhou was already rushing from the north to reinforce them, and this was a settled matter.

A portion of the Independent Seventh Brigade's soldiers advanced to block them, and the Principal sent the First Regiment and Second Regiment to the north to deploy defenses.

The two regiments left Danshui City and walked two kilometers north along the Tamsui River, one on the left bank of the Tamsui River and one on the right bank, with a small hill on each bank. Whether Hong Zhaolin's enemy army took the left bank or the right bank, they would be attacked by the Training Regiment.

He Yingqin's First Regiment was garrisoned at Zhangshuling on the left bank, and Wang Bolin's Second Regiment was garrisoned at Broken Temple Mountain on the right bank, separated by the Tamsui River, left and right, supporting each other.

Further north of these two regiments, a portion of the Independent Seventh Brigade was on guard against Hong Zhaolin's reinforcements.

The Principal entered Danshui City to serve as a temporary command post, instructing that the Guangdong Army Second Division serve as the main force to pursue the fleeing rebel Xiong Lve's three thousand men eastward. After the situation around Danshui City was completely stabilized, they would continue the Eastern Expedition.

Lv Muzhi accompanied the First Regiment into the Zhangshuling area on the left bank of the Tamsui River. News that rebel Hong Zhaolin's reinforcements were on the road had spread throughout the troops.

Liu Zhi found Lv Muzhi and asked him to lead the Second Battalion's companies to hurry and build trenches, to prevent Hong Zhaolin's troops from coming from the north.

"Muzi Ah, I know you build fortifications well, but you can't just sweep the snow in front of your own door. You must give more guidance to your own Second Battalion's brothers. One's glory is all glory, one's loss is all loss!" Liu Zhi reminded him.

"Don't worry, Battalion Commander. I won't only look out for my own. I still understand the principle that if the skin doesn't exist, where will the hair attach?"

Lv Muzhi's platoon was arranged on the right wing of the Zhangshuling defensive line, leaning against the Tamsui River, facing the Broken Temple Mountain defensive line on the opposite bank across the river. They could see Wang Bolin's Second Regiment building fortifications on the Broken Temple Mountain defensive line on the opposite bank.

The soldiers in the platoon were skilled at earthworks. The slowest took fifteen minutes to dig his own trench, and the fastest took ten minutes.

At this time, one radish per hole. The subordinates were all stationed in the trenches they had dug themselves, and Lv Muzhi could also go supervise the fortification progress of the friendly forces.

Regimental Commander He Yingqin came to the front line at this time, his face anxious: "All battalions speed up progress! The enemy is coming soon!"

Liu Zhi gathered the company and platoon leaders of the Second Battalion: "The Independent Seventh Brigade responsible for guarding the north has already encountered Hong Zhaolin's rebels. The enemy has over two thousand elite troops, and the Independent Seventh Brigade couldn't hold them and has withdrawn. They will be near us soon! I don't care how the other battalions handle it, but if a single enemy slips past us, don't blame me for turning my face and not recognizing people!"

He Yingqin walked over, saw that the Second Battalion's fortifications were not bad, and nodded: "Battalion Commander Liu doesn't need to be too nervous. Our troop deployment is like an ox head."

The Principal sitting in Danshui City is the ox's big brain.

The First Regiment and Second Regiment stretch out to the north, just like the two horns growing from the ox head, left and right, mutually supporting like horns, protecting this ox head of Danshui.

If the enemy army strikes the left horn, the right horn arrives. If they strike the right horn, the left horn arrives. If they attack both left and right horns at the same time, then the enemy's forces are scattered, with no focus of attack, and we also don't need to fear them!"

"Indeed so. I hope our deployment will be effective." Liu Zhi looked in the direction of the Second Regiment.

Inside Danshui City, the Principal sat at the center, very pleased: "With these two great generals Wang Bolin and He Yingqin going out of the city to garrison, Hong Zhaolin's reinforcements absolutely cannot approach Danshui City!"

From the troop distribution perspective, the two Training Regiments blocking Hong Zhaolin's two thousand people should not be a big problem.

Wu Instructor also couldn't see any problem.

The two military secretaries Jiang Xiangyun and He Zhonghan naturally also felt this troop deployment was very reasonable.

Ye Jianying, Chief of Staff of the Guangdong Army Second Division, who led a small detachment to guard Danshui, also believed: The First Regiment and Second Regiment mutually support like horns, Danshui City has no worries!

It is well known that once the Principal thinks the advantage is on my side, the Principal will then be at a disadvantage.

Hong Zhaolin's troops marched mightily. On the road they were blocked for a while by a detachment of the Guangdong Army's Independent Seventh Brigade, and only reached the north side of Danshui City at two in the afternoon. By this time, seven hours had already passed since the Principal took Danshui City.

"Report, General. There are enemies garrisoned on both banks of the Tamsui River. One part at Zhangshuling on the left bank, one part at Broken Temple Mountain on the right bank, mutually supporting like horns!" A rebel scout reported.

Hong Zhaolin furrowed his brow tightly: "The enemy has had seven hours to build defensive lines around Zhangshuling and Broken Temple Mountain. This mutually supporting horn formation is truly difficult to crack!"

"Danshui City is the gate of the Dongjiang Region. Right now the enemy has kicked this gate open. From now on we won't have good days. We must strive to take it back!" A rebel regiment commander under him proposed.

Hong Zhaolin gritted his teeth, looked at the terrain, and decisively said: "The area around Broken Temple Mountain on the right bank is more open. Main attack on the enemy's Broken Temple Mountain defensive line. Additionally, use five hundred men to feint attack Zhangshuling on the left bank, so they cannot support each other left and right. Let's first break off one of the opposite side's horns!"

The battle immediately broke out. Gunfire on both banks of the Tamsui River rang out simultaneously. Hong Zhaolin's rebels feint attacked the First Regiment and main attacked the Second Regiment, attempting to first break off the ox head's right horn.

First Regiment Commander He Yingqin soon noticed something was wrong. Hong Zhaolin's attack focus was on Broken Temple Mountain on the right bank, intending to smash the Second Regiment's defensive line. He deliberately used a few hundred men to pin down his own First Regiment.

He Yingqin immediately found Liu Zhi: "Battalion Commander Liu, the enemy's attack focus is on Broken Temple Mountain of the Second Regiment. Your Second Battalion is separated from Broken Temple Mountain by just a river. Now it is winter, the river is small. I want your Second Battalion to find a shallow beach to cross the river and support Broken Temple Mountain. If necessary, outflank and strike Hong Zhaolin's reinforcements from the side!"

"Yes! I will immediately cross the river to support Regimental Commander Wang Bolin!"

However, what was astonishing was that the Second Regiment's defensive line collapsed in the blink of an eye, and soldiers began to rout backward!

"What's going on! It's been less than ten minutes since the battle started? Regimental Commander Wang Bolin... how is he commanding? You Second Battalion, hurry and find a way to receive them!" He Yingqin was anxious.

Liu Zhi also realized things were not good. He hurriedly led the Second Battalion's soldiers across the river via the shallow beach to receive them.

Lv Muzhi led his own platoon across the river by wading through the shallow beach. He saw that the Second Regiment was scattering here. Although the Second Regiment was only organized in December, unlike the First Regiment which had started secret training in September, it was understandable that their combat power was a notch lower. But to collapse within ten minutes of the battle starting, the problem must lie with the regimental commander.

Liu Zhi was anxious like fire on his brow. Seeing that some of the Second Regiment were actually fleeing eastward, he hurriedly sent people to stop them and gather the routed soldiers.

"Where is your regimental commander?!" Lv Muzhi grabbed a routed soldier and asked.

"Regimental commander? Regimental Commander Wang ran away first!" The routed soldier shook off Lv Muzhi's hand and was about to escape.

But Lv Muzhi gripped him tightly and wouldn't let go: "No one is allowed to leave! Running around like this is a dead end; follow our First Regiment, and you'll all survive!"

Liu Zhi immediately reacted, finding several platoon leaders from the Second Regiment who were Whampoa graduates, ordering them to gather their subordinates and move toward the First Regiment.

Li Zhilong, Party Representative of the Third Battalion of the Second Regiment, brought all his troops down and found Liu Zhi: "Our regimental commander Wang Bolin saw that the rebel forces were numerous and came on ferociously, so he directly abandoned his troops and ran. The soldiers lost their backbone, and I had no choice but to gather the troops and withdraw first!"

Hearing this answer, Liu Zhi also did not expect that Wang Bolin, the second figure of Whampoa Military Academy, was such a person.

While gathering routed troops, Lv Muzhi saw a familiar face running down from the frontline and immediately asked: "Sun Yuanlang, have you seen Huang Wei and Song Xilian?"

Huang Wei and Song Xilian were both platoon leaders in the Second Regiment; Lv Muzhi had not seen them, and Li Zhilong said he hadn't seen them either, so he was quite worried about their safety.

Sun Yuanlang, sweating profusely: "Huang Wei is going crazy with a machine gun on the mountain top! Song Xilian is with him, and I can't move them. Where is your First Regiment's position? Regimental Commander Wang Bolin is truly inhuman!"

Lv Muzhi pointed to the river beach to the southwest, signaling him to cross the river and move toward the First Regiment.

"Zhang Fei!"

"Here!" Hearing Lv Muzhi's call, Squad Leader Zhang Fei immediately answered.

"Come with me up the mountain to see if there are any who haven't withdrawn!"

Inside Danshui City, Second Regiment Commander Wang Bolin brought back only one company and saw the Principal in the city.

The Principal was both shocked and angry: "I made you a regimental commander, yet you brought back only one company. Are you a regimental commander or a company commander?!"