Nanjing, garrison chief's department.

Tang Shengzhi was discussing the military situation with Chen Cheng, Luo Zhuoying and others in the war room, when a senior colonel staff officer suddenly hurriedly ran out of the confidential room next door, stood up and saluted them: "General seat, Chief Chen, I just got reliable news that the Japanese army, with Hatohiko Asakanomiya as the supreme commander, has sent two additional army divisions and regiments, the 9th and 11th, as well as a heavy artillery brigade, and nearly 100,000 troops have increased their troops to Wuxi!" ”

"What? The devil has increased his troops? Tang Shengzhi and the others were all taken aback, and Chen Cheng frowned and said: "I thought that after the 16th Division was disabled by Zhu Ziming and Zhou Weiguo, the Japanese army should not be able to mobilize heavy troops to attack our front line in a short period of time, but now it seems that we are a little wishful thinking!" ”

"In addition, there is also the Kunizaki detachment of the 10th Army of the Japanese Army, which has also broken through Huzhou, and it seems that it is planning to march along Taihu Lake Xi'an to Xuancheng, Wuhu and other places!" The senior staff officer added.

"Kunisaki detachment?" Tang Shengzhi and the others were shocked when they heard this, and immediately found out the route of the Kunisaki detachment on the map, Luo Zhuoying said with a solemn face: "It seems that this Kunisaki detachment intends to cut off our land retreat from the west!" ”

"I'm afraid it's not just that, if the Kunisaki detachment crosses the Yangtze River from Dangtu and other places and goes straight to Pukou, the consequences will be even more unimaginable!" Chen Cheng also analyzed with a heavy expression.

"In addition to the attack on land, the devil's navy is also attacking my Jiangyin fortress! I'm afraid that our army's river defense line won't be able to support it for too long! Luo Zhuoying added: "Once the Jiangyin fortress is lost, the Japanese army can also directly send another force to cross the Yangtze River from Jiangyin to the north, advance west along the west, and form an encirclement with the Guoqi detachment!" ”

"Now it seems that thanks to Zhu Ziming and Zhou Weiguo, they defeated the 16th Division and blocked the Japanese 6th Division in Wuxi, otherwise the Jiangyin Fortress would have been lost long ago! At that time, the Japanese army will be able to form a three-sided attack, and the consequences will be unimaginable! Tang Shengzhi said with a sad face: "But, with this increase in the devil's troops, how long can Zhu Ziming and Zhou Weiguo hold on?" ”

Chen Cheng analyzed with a serious face: "There are only 1,000 people in the independent brigade, even if Zhu Ziming and Zhou Weiguo are outstanding, but the difference between the strength of the enemy and us is too great after all, and now the enemy has increased his troops in a big way, if we don't send reinforcements, I estimate that they may not be able to support it for long, at most three days, or even two days, Wuxi will be lost!" ”

"So what are we going to do? We don't have the extra troops to reinforce the Independent Brigade at the moment?! Tang Shengzhi spread his hands with an embarrassed face.

He really had no choice, at that time, the defending force in the Nanjing area only had a few remnants of the defeated troops from Shanghai, and after replenishment, there were only 90,000 people.

These forces were used to defend Nanjing, which was obviously overstretched, and there were no extra troops to support the independent brigade.

Luo Zhuoying suggested: "It's really not possible, let's order Zhu Ziming and Zhou Weiguo to lead their troops to withdraw from Wuxi!" ”

"Take the initiative to abandon Wuxi?" Tang Shengzhi was taken aback when he heard this, and looked at Chen Cheng next to him with some hesitation.

Unexpectedly, Chen Cheng immediately objected: "No, if the independent brigade abandons Wuxi, then the defenders of Jiangyin Fortress will become a lone army, and they may not be able to hold on for even a day!"

Once Jiangyin is broken through by the Japanese army, their naval ships can even drive directly along the Yangtze River to the Xiaguan wharf to blockade and supply us from the river.

Once that happens, the morale of our Nanjing garrison will definitely be greatly affected! When the time comes, there will be no need to fight, and our army will collapse without a fight! ”

"What then? There are no reinforcements for the independent brigade, but the devils are heavily reinforced, how can they fight this battle? Even if they are allowed to die, they won't last long, right? Luo Zhuoying said.

Chen Cheng turned his heart sideways, gritted his teeth and said: "If you can't keep it, you have to keep it!" The Independent Brigade must continue to hold on, and one more day is a day! ”

"Anyway, the Independent Brigade has made such great achievements, so it's not easy to explain why they are defending in Wuxi, right?" Tang Shengzhi said a little unbearable.

Chen Cheng's eyes froze, and he looked at him with a fierce voice and shouted: "Commander-in-Chief Tang, Nanjing is our national capital, and it is the responsibility of everyone to defend the territory and resist the enemy!"

The Independent Brigade is no exception, how can they not be sacrificed because they have made meritorious contributions? Could it be that Commander-in-Chief Tang, have you forgotten that not long ago, you also ordered all the garrison troops to defend the city of Nanjing to the death and swear to live and die with Nanjing? ”

Tang Shengzhi sneered: "Brother Ci Xiu is right, I shouldn't have the kindness of a woman, Nanjing is my capital, and it is the place where the mausoleum of the former prime minister is located, and it is a place where we must swear to defend it!" No one can be special! ”

After speaking, Tang Shengzhi immediately ordered: "Immediately send a telegram to the independent brigade to tell them the news of the enemy's increase in troops, and order Zhu Ziming and Zhou Weiguo to defend Wuxi to the death, and not to retreat without an order!" ”

"Yes!" The combat staff officer hurriedly stood up and saluted, and immediately took the order to leave.

……

The telegram from the garrison headquarters was first sent to Chief of Staff Chen Zhenglun, who then ordered someone to forward it to Xu Wen and Zhou Weiguo.

In the woods where the ambush unit of the Independent Brigade was hiding, Xu Wen and Zhou Weiguo were sitting behind the Tiger tank, smoking and eating together, waiting for the fighter plane to appear.

Sun Fugui jumped out of a No. 4 tank not far away, quickly ran to the two of them, and saluted them upright: "The brigade commander, deputy brigade commander, and chief of staff have transferred the latest order from the garrison headquarters!" ”

"Oh? Read it and hear it! Xu Wen was very curious about what orders Tang Shengzhi and the gang of bigwigs could send them at this time.

Sun Fugui immediately opened the telegram in his hand and read: "According to reliable information, the Japanese army has formed a former enemy headquarters with Prince Hatohiko of Asakanomiya as the commander-in-chief, and this person led two army divisions, a heavy artillery brigade, and nearly 100,000 reinforcements to Wuxi to participate in the war.

I hereby order your troops to hold on to Wuxi, and you are not allowed to retreat without an order! ...... of the Nanjing Garrison Theater Commander's Department. ”

After listening to this, Xu Wen said to Zhou Weiguo with a wry smile: "I thought that Commander Tang could give us a reward or something, but I didn't expect to give us a death order!" ”

Zhou Weiguo frowned and said, "If the ambush on our side is not successful, will we still let the chief of staff lead the team to retreat?" ”

Xu Wen said suddenly: "Of course you have to withdraw!" Our independent brigade can't die in vain! ”

"However, the Chief's Department has ordered us to continue to hold on, and we are not allowed to retreat without permission!" Zhou Wei National Road.

Xu Wen smiled disdainfully and said: "Don't talk nonsense, just listen to this order, their hundreds of thousands of troops can't hold a single beach."

Give Lao Tzu a few thousand remnants of the army, and ask us to hold Wuxi? What about the face? ”

After Xu Wen finished speaking, he turned his head to Sun Fugui and ordered: "Fugui, you call back to the chief of staff immediately and tell him that if the ambush on our side fails, let him immediately lead his troops to withdraw from Wuxi and retreat in the direction of Nanjing!" Don't stay and be cannon fodder in vain! ”

"But ......" Sun Fugui was interrupted by Xu Wen before he finished speaking: "But what?" Tell the chief of staff, just say that this is my order, and I will be held accountable by my superiors, regardless of his business! Execute the order and go! ”

"Yes!" Sun Fugui had just left on his front foot, and Li Wu, who was in charge of leading people to conduct reconnaissance, suddenly ran over in a hurry, raised his hand to Xu Wen and Zhou Weiguo, and saluted: "Brigade commander, deputy brigade commander, the reconnaissance unit has sent a message that there is a devil train full of Japanese troops, which is heading towards Suzhou from the direction of Shanghai!"

However, it is not possible to determine whether there are devils in this train! ”

After arriving at the lurking position, Xu Wen sent some No. 4 tanks to form a reconnaissance team to go outside to conduct reconnaissance, and once the situation was discovered, it was immediately reported through the tank's on-board radio.

Xu Wendao: "Whether it's or not, we all have to gamble!" After speaking, Xu Wen took the lead in standing up and instructed Zhou Weiguo, Li Wu and others: "Hurry up and get in the car, let's lead the team to set off!" ”

In fact, Xu Wen had already received a prompt from the system in his mind at this time, confirming that the old devil Prince Hatohiko of Chaoxiang Palace was in that train.