Chapter 85

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Protagonist:

Lv Muzhi

Hu Gongnan had just left the division headquarters when he assembled a company of soldiers and headed for Bian Dan Alley inside Nanchang City.

Bian Dan Alley was a famous red-light district in the city; Sun Yuanlang had previously said he would take Division Commander Wang Bolin to Bian Dan Alley to watch a performance.

The two claimed they were going to listen to a play; as for what they would do afterward, Hu Gongnan knew full well.

They turned Bian Dan Alley upside down, visiting brothels and theaters alike, but found no trace of Wang Bolin and Sun Yuanlang, leaving Hu Gongnan frantic, hands on his hips, pacing in circles.

An old procuress finally provided information: the two had been spotted again by a local tycoon that morning and had gone to Xin Pavilion on East Lake to listen to a play; reportedly, the tycoon had specially hired a troupe to entertain Wang Bolin.

Hu Gongnan was sweating with anxiety, about to lead men to East Lake to find the division commander, when a messenger arrived from the north side of the city to report enemy intelligence: "Regimental Commander! The enemy has begun crossing the river!"

"So fast? Have the enemy's floating bridges been completed?!"

"The enemy is building floating bridges while launching over a hundred fishing boats to attack our regiment's positions; the situation is critical!"

Hu Gongnan drew his pistol and ordered those around him: "You go quickly find Division Commander Wang, take that old procuress with you; I must return to the river defense!"

At this very moment, Wang Bolin and Sun Yuanlang were still enjoying music and dance; Sun Yuanlang was listening to songs in the pleasure quarters, while Wang Bolin, arm-in-arm with a famous courtesan, circled around East Lake, thinking of finding a good place to rest for the night.

Zheng Junyan and Yang Genghe commanded division after division and brigade after brigade, launching a river-crossing operation in full swing on Yangzi Island, their spearhead aimed directly at Nanchang City on the east bank of the Gan River.

To cover the main force's river crossing, Xie Hongxun led one of his divisions to closely monitor Liu Zhi's Second Division north of Niuhang Station, frequently launching company-and-platoon-scale feints and scattering artillery fire, firmly pinning down the defenders inside Niuhang Station to prevent Liu Zhi's troops from rushing out to disrupt the crossing.

At the same time, the five thousand enemy vanguard advancing north from the Zhangshu direction had already approached the southern suburbs of Nanchang City.

At this very moment, Cheng Qian's Sixth Army, which had previously remained stationary, received Liu Zhi's request and finally arrived near Niuhang Station with its Nineteenth Division.

Upon learning the news, Liu Zhi immediately went in person to visit Cheng Qian, urgently explaining the peril Nanchang City now faced: strong enemies were crossing the river to the north, pursuers had arrived at the city gates to the south, First Division Commander Wang Bolin was difficult to contact, and command within the city could not be coordinated; he begged the Nineteenth Division to cross the floating bridge immediately and rush reinforcements to stabilize the city defense.

Cheng Qian narrowed his eyes: "I say, Division Commander Liu, that fellow Wang Bolin is not honorable; it's not that I, your brother, am unwilling to do my best. We had agreed that both armies would advance in coordination and take Nanchang together."

"But he, Wang Bolin, is too eager for credit; he left my Sixth Army behind, entered the city alone to pluck the peach—how can I swallow this anger? And your Second Division was left outside the city to stand guard; now that his First Division is in trouble, he thinks of us?"

Liu Zhi was anxious in his heart but knew he was in the wrong; he could only repeatedly explain the stakes, emphasizing that if Nanchang fell, the entire Jiangxi campaign would fall into a passive position, and the First Army and Sixth Army would both suffer, as would the Second and Third Armies facing Deng Ruzuo's main force at Zhangshu, which would also be in great danger.

After much difficult persuasion, Cheng Qian's side, though still in low spirits, ultimately prioritized the overall situation and agreed to take the Nineteenth Division across the floating bridge to Nanchang City.

Liu Zhi dared not delay and immediately ordered Lv Muzhi to lead men to guide the Nineteenth Division across the Gan River Floating Bridge.

The battlefield situation changed in an instant; just as the troops of the Sixth Army's Nineteenth Division had all just crossed the floating bridge and stepped onto the east bank of the Gan River, not yet fully deployed or entered their preset positions in Nanchang City, the five thousand enemy troops advancing north from Zhangshu had already drawn near.

The enemy's vanguard immediately engaged in contact fire with the vanguard of the Nineteenth Division, which was hastily deploying defenses.

Seeing this, Cheng Qian ordered his troops to deploy on the spot, seize favorable terrain, and prepare to meet the enemy to the south.

Lv Muzhi hurried across the floating bridge, found Army Commander Cheng Qian, and said: "Army Commander Cheng, the Nineteenth Division cannot enter the city for now; the floating bridge is a vital link connecting Nanchang City and Niuhang Station, linking the First Division, Second Division, and your Nineteenth Division on both banks of the Gan River. Please, you must hold the floating bridge."

"I know; the importance of the floating bridge needs no reminder from you. With Wang Bolin's First Division at my back, there will be no problem. You go back to Niuhang Station with peace of mind!"

On Cheng Qian's side, his forces exchanged fire with the enemy troops from Zhangshu south of Nanchang City, while Xue Yue held the central city defense of Nanchang City.

Hu Gongnan, meanwhile, spurred his horse back to the river defense position, and the sight before him made his scalp tingle.

On the surface of the Gan River, a vast expanse of black was filled with enemy ships, surging toward the east bank like carp crossing the river.

Gunfire, shouts of killing, and cannon fire mixed together, deafening.

The Gan River shoreline was very long; with the enemy possessing absolute numerical superiority and launching multi-point landings, Hu Gongnan's single regiment was already hard-pressed.

On the riverbank before the positions, many enemy soldier corpses had already fallen, while even more enemies were jumping from the ships and wading ashore to charge.

"Hold! Hold for me!" Hu Gongnan drew his bolt-action rifle, fired three shots into the sky, and brought a company behind him to steady the line.

At this moment, Hu Gongnan had no time to worry about where his division commander Wang Bolin and comrade Sun Yuanlang had run off to; the enemies on the river were enough to keep him busy.

On Yangzi Island, the enemy had already transported several cannons by ship, set up large guns on Yangzi Island, and began their booming bombardment.

Shells whistled down onto the Second Regiment's positions, exploding into clumps of dirt and gunpowder smoke.

The fortifications hastily built by Hu Gongnan's troops were already crude, and under the artillery bombardment they appeared even more fragile.

Worse still, Hu Gongnan had no cannons; Wang Bolin was absent, and no one could mobilize the divisional artillery.

After two hours of fierce fighting, Hu Gongnan's troops were gradually exhausted.

The long riverbank also gave the enemy an opportunity; just as Hu Gongnan concentrated his forces to deal with the enemy in front, an enemy unit used ships to successfully land at a weakly defended spot several li north along the riverbank, then quickly moved south along the shore, straight for the flank of Hu Gongnan's regiment.

"Regimental Commander! Several hundred enemy troops have been discovered to the north, moving toward our flank!" a scout ran up, out of breath, to report.

Hu Gongnan lamented bitterly; the enemy in front was still attacking fiercely, and now the flank was threatened. "Damn it, the Special Service Company comes with me to block them; take one machine gun and go together!"

As they were about to be encircled, at this critical moment, shouts of killing came from the direction of Nanchang City.

Hu Gongnan looked back and saw Sun Yuanlang leading soldiers of the First Regiment, hurrying along, finally arriving at the battlefield.

Sun Yuanlang held his pistol high, his clothes disheveled, with traces of rouge smeared across his face—clearly just come from the boudoir.

"Brother Gongnan! I'm here too!"