Chapter 164: War

At the same time, on the other side Gu Yue set down the telegram in his hand and took a deep drag of his cigarette. The battle situation on the Songhu Front was continuously reported back to Yan'an through the Underground Party's channels.

"This Li Xuewen fought well, just as expected of Old Li's son," he said to Zhou Ming beside him, "With the strength of a brigade, he held off the Japanese elite troops' attacks for a month."

Zhou Ming nodded, "Indeed, he's a talent. It's said that he, during his school years, also came into contact with Marxism."

"Oh?" Gu Yue raised an interested eyebrow, "Then he's even more worth watching. Tell the comrades in Shanghai that, provided safety is ensured, they may try to make contact. Someone like that might make an even greater contribution to the national liberation cause in the future."

He walked to the window and stared at the distant Huangtu Gaopo: "The Battle of Songhu was hard-fought, but it proved one thing to the world—that the Huaxia people will not bow to foreign aggression! That greatly helps our quest for international support."

As time passed, the fighting entered a fever pitch. The th Brigade suffered soaring casualties and ran low on ammunition. Li Nian'an filled the brigade headquarters guard company to the brim, and he himself repeatedly took up a rifle to join the front‑line resistance. In a battle where they counterattacked a Japanese breakthrough, he personally used a submachine gun to knock down three Japanese soldiers, and shrapnel sliced a deep wound into his left arm.

"Brigade Commander! The devils are coming up again! Second Battalion can't hold!" the signalman shouted.

Li Nian'an spat out the mud and sand from his mouth, grabbed the telephone, and called the last position of the artillery battery: "Company Commander Xu! Everyone, fire rapidly! Exhaust all shells! Then withdraw the artillery!"

Artillery fire again covered the front, temporarily halting the Japanese offensive. Seizing the lull, Li Nian'an ordered each unit, according to the Pre‑Arranged Plan, to withdraw in batches toward the Suzhou River. The retreat was orderly; the wounded were taken away as much as possible, heavy weapons were taken if they could be, otherwise they were destroyed completely.

When his last group crossed the floating bridge and he looked back, the east had already turned a pale pink. Luodian Town and Yunzaobang River, the land he had defended with blood and life for nearly a month, was gradually fading into the morning mist.

When the final rear‑guard withdrew from the position, a Sun Flag rose toward the Luodian Town direction. But what the Japanese occupied was a landscape of scorched ruins, a costly devastation.

After the th Brigade withdrew to the south bank of the Suzhou River, it underwent a brief rest and resupply—though the aid was a drop in the bucket—and was thrown back into the river's defense. Li Nian'an kept employing his flexible, mobile tactics, combining street fighting and night raids, repeatedly thwarting Japanese river‑crossing attempts. His reputation spread through the troops, and the nickname "Little General Li" grew louder.

Based on Li Nian'an's outstanding performance in the Luodian and Suzhou River defensive battles, and his achievement of preserving the main force and inflicting heavy losses on the enemy under extremely difficult conditions, the Commander of the Third War Zone Li Yuxuan strongly recommended him, and the Military Committee formally issued an order:

"Hereby appoint Li Nian'an as commander of the Fifth Army, th Brigade of the National Revolutionary Army, removing the word 'Acting'—this order."

The promotion order caused a considerable stir on the Songhu battlefield. A twenty‑three‑year‑old Major General Brigade Commander is extremely rare in the entire National Army hierarchy. Voices of envy, jealousy, and doubt arose, but the majority came from the soldiers who had fought and bled together, granting their recognition.

At the same time, on the other side in Yan'an, Gu Yue and other CCP leaders also monitored the Songhu situation through internal channels. They showed great interest in Li Xuewen, a tactically flexible, unorthodox Kuomintang commander. At an internal meeting, Gu Yue once said, "This Li Xuewen, indeed the son of Old Li, has a rather interesting style—not like those hard‑liners. If we had a few more like him, the anti‑Japanese war situation might be different."

Within the Shanghai International Settlement, Western military observers used Li Nian'an's tactics as a case study of Chinese troops' will to resist and tactical evolution. A reporter for the British Times wrote, "... in the battles of Luodian, Suzhou River and others, a young Huaxia general, with extraordinary resilience and innovative tactics, forced the well‑equipped Japanese forces to pay a heavy price. This may indicate that the Huaxia army is not helpless; they are learning warfare through war..."

In Moscow, the Iron Man likewise watched every shift on the Eastern front, feeling conflicted about Li Yuxuan and the Li Nian'an father‑son pair—generals whose ties to the German military system run deep yet who have excelled in the anti‑Japanese fight. He is both wary and compelled to acknowledge their worth, a factor that tips the delicate balance of aid to Huaxia.

On September 18, at the Jiangwan Town th Brigade Headquarters, Li Nian'an stood in a hastily dug shelter, using a telescope to watch the Japanese movements across the river. The brand‑new Major General insignia was not conspicuous in the dim light. A few more lines of hardship had appeared on his face, but his gaze grew even deeper and more resolute.

"Brigade Commander, Headquarters reports that the Japanese Third and Ninth Divisions are brewing a new major offensive, likely targeting our brigade's defense sector," reported Chief of Staff Jiang Mingyuan.

Li Nian'an set down the telescope, his gaze sweeping over the weary yet steadfast faces inside the shelter: "Understood. Tell the brothers that we've endured the hardships at Luodian, we held the Suzhou River, and here we can hold as well."

He moved to the map and began planning the next defensive round. At this point, he was no longer merely a regimental commander adept at clever tricks, but truly a commander contemplating brigade‑level operations—how to coordinate infantry, artillery, and engineers, how to use limited forces to create defensive depth, and how to negotiate with superiors and allies to secure more breathing room for his troops.

Li Nian'an stood at the observation post, looking at the night sky reddened by artillery fire. The bloody battle raged on, and his th Brigade was like a nail, firmly nailed to the defensive line. He brushed his hand over the Major General Star Badge on his shoulder, feeling its great weight. It was not merely honor, but responsibility—the lives and trust of countless soldiers placed upon him.

The Chief of Staff delivered the latest battle report: "Brigade Commander, the position of the 3rd Regiment, 2nd Battalion was lost and then retaken, the battalion commander killed... A portion of the Japanese Ninth Division has broken through our left‑flank allied line, threatening our rear."

Li Nian'an's gaze sharpened as he hurried back to the map: "Order the reserve, 1st Regiment, 3rd Battalion, to swing around the left flank and seal the gap! Notify the artillery regiment to give full support to the left‑flank fight! At the same time, report to the army headquarters that pressure on our right flank has eased, allowing a selective redeployment of some forces..."