In the middle of the night, the Jinan railway station had completely turned into a sea of sandy yellow, and the German soldiers and managers stationed on the Jiaoji Railway had already taken the last train to Qingdao, and they did not even protest against the fact that the Wehrmacht had temporarily detained three trains, in fact, they also knew in their hearts that Qingdao had gradually distanced itself from Germany.

A train on the platform, covered in rivets and covered in thick armor, drew all eyes to it. Some soldiers curiously counted and found that the train, which had a total of only 7 carriages, actually had a locomotive in the front and rear. What made them even more excited was that a frighteningly long barrel protruded from the top of each of the middle four sections, and two twin German-made 37mm rapid-fire guns and several heavy machine guns also poked out from the top of the other three sections.

This was one of the two armored trains purchased from Austria-Hungary a year earlier, including the high-horsepower locomotive, which was also imported from Germany. Each column has four Chongqing-made Zhenlei 14 150mm long-range cannons. Because of the lack of large-scale hydraulic forging machines in China at that time, it was impossible to produce 150 mm gun barrels (the 305 mm naval rear-loading guns manufactured in Jiangnan during the First Sino-Japanese Period were cast guns), so this kind of cannon was also assembled by itself after purchasing gun barrels, sights and other accessories that could not be produced by itself or had a small output, but the self-production of this kind of cannon was placed in Chongqing, which was slightly less technically advanced.

The reason why it is placed in Chongqing is that Yang Qiu also hopes to improve the level through competition with each other. Therefore, Chongqing also regarded this kind of cannon as an opportunity, and began to name its self-produced equipment after learning from Hanyang, Hubei, forming two series of cannons of Chongqing Zhenlei and Hanyang War Hammer. The prototype of the Thunder-14 150mm heavy cannon is known as the best in World War I, and it is also the German K16 cannon that terrified Britain and France, with a terrible range of up to 22,000 meters and a 51-kilogram naval heavy warhead that is enough to ensure the suppression of the enemy's living forces.

At the beginning of the year, after the Sino-German alliance theory appeared, Yang Qiu took the opportunity to buy two 5,000-ton hydraulic forging machines and two 3,000-ton hydraulic presses from Germany in one fell swoop, and also bought two large molding machines, so that Hanyang and Chongqing both had the equipment capacity to build large gun barrels, but the technical ability of the workers lagged behind, fortunately, the excellent workers and technicians of the Austro-Hungarian Empire solved the trouble, and since last month they have been able to manufacture this expensive L45 type / 150 mm gun barrel at low speed.

However, because it is a cannon, the trajectory is relatively straight, so Yang Qiu is not satisfied, and the price is too high and there is no crazy purchase, at present, it is only used as equipment running-in and reserve technical personnel, and began to focus on the research of 120 and 155 mm two levels of howitzers.

For the soldiers who were waiting for the train to go to the front, the armored train of the mobile artillery regiment and the Zhenlei 14 heavy artillery were a symbol of the country's gradual stability and the strength of the army, but for Cai Yi and other generals who came on fast horses, the dispatch of the mobile artillery regiment with the meaning of the army's hole card showed that the operation was not optimistic.

"The 11th Regiment of the 34th Brigade of the 34th Division was in the vanguard, of which the 342nd Regiment was a light bicycle regiment." After stepping into the command car temporarily hanging behind the rear of the armored train, the orderly had already lit a kerosene lamp, and Zhang Xiaozhun quickly spread out the map: "Time calculation, they should have arrived in Weifang by now." There are more than 100 kilometers from Weifang to Longkou, and even if the road is difficult to drive at night, it will be at least tomorrow at noon. In addition, a telegram was sent just now that the Second Cavalry Brigade had also arrived in Zhucheng. Shirakawa Yoshinori now has a brigade in his hands, and he will definitely die to protect Longkou and the landing ground first, so we have a good chance of blocking Longkou before the Japanese reinforcements arrive. ”

Cai Ye twisted his eyebrows, probably riding a horse to drive at night, so his face was not very good, and he coughed a few times from time to time and said: "Don't underestimate Shirakawa Yoshinori too much, the competent brigade commander in the Japanese army is by no means an ordinary person." Although one brigade is insufficient, it is not impossible to do anything, and I will definitely cross two brigades to block the road in Zhaoyuan, so that the remaining troops can at least divide part of the front of Laiyang and Dagu River in addition to protecting the landing field, and cut off the eastern side of the peninsula. After finishing speaking, he looked at the sky and asked, "When will the air team take off?" ”

"There is a temporary airport in Zhucheng under the cover of a timber mill, and the plan is to be stationed in advance tomorrow morning to refuel, and the results of the reconnaissance may not be back until tomorrow afternoon."

Cai Yi retracted his gaze and stared at the map with a deep gaze: "Our neighbor to the east has always had a tradition of following the restraints, and after the landing and expansion of the war, the Japanese government has no way to retreat, so it can only stubbornly fight with the footsteps of the military department. If this battle can't be defeated, I don't know how big a mess it will be in the future! I expect news from Japan tomorrow at the latest. ”

"Don't wait until tomorrow." Before Cai Yi finished speaking, He Xi walked in to interrupt him, and his face was extremely serious: "I just received the news from the American Legation that the Japanese government has issued an ultimatum to Germany, asking them to immediately transfer the Qingdao Fortress and the Jiaoji Railway to Japan. Moreover, the Japanese military headquarters has issued a mobilization order, in addition to the 2nd Division to Lushun, will support Shirakawa Yoshinori with a total of nearly 60,000 troops from the Guards Division, the 6th Division and the 18th Division, one of which has already set off, and it will definitely be able to reach Longkou in two days! Their navy has also shown its strength this time, and has now learned that the King Kong and the two Hanoi-class battleships are refueling, and it is likely that they will form a naval artillery formation to provide artillery cover for the battle for Qingdao. ”

"Sss The news brought by He Xi made both of them take a breath of cold air, and Zhang Xiaozhun's eyes widened even more: "A total of 8 divisions have been invested!" Dispatch three capital ships at once, where did Japan get the money? ”

"Now do you think the Japanese government can still think about money? It's time to smash the pot and sell iron! After He Xi finished speaking, he took out another telegram: "This is the telegram sent by Nanjing just now." The President has sent a note to all European countries declaring neutrality, demanding that the German Government immediately return Qingdao and the railway, and that no country be allowed to fight in our territory and territorial waters! ”

Cai Yi pondered for a while, then swept the two and said: "The key to this battle is Qingdao, and the Japanese high-level must also see through it, so they dispatched three capital ships at a time at any cost to smash this turtle shell as soon as possible." If you can take this place in a short time, you can rely on the troops behind this circle of fortresses and harbors to come up, and then attack Laiyang from Qingdao and Longkou at the same time, and cut off the peninsula and gain a firm foothold in one fell swoop! Therefore, Qingdao is as important as the journey to Liaodong, and it is the goal they must take, otherwise the two route armies will inevitably fight separately and will not be able to form a joint force. ”

"Qingdao is not easy to fight, and it will take at least three divisions to take it by force."

"We are not good at fighting because we lack the heavy firepower to deal with the fortress. Japan, unlike others, can provide heavy fire support from the sea. I don't think Germany will last long. As soon as Cai Ye finished speaking, Zhang Xiaozhun, who has studied in Germany for three years, also affirmed: "It won't last long!" I know the temper of the Germans, it is impossible to give up until the mountains and rivers are exhausted, and I have dealt with the governor of Waldeck during the last exercise, and I will not even pay attention to the offer of our commander-in-chief to let the Japanese army go. If you want me to say, let Japan fight and consume their strength, and when both sides are defeated, we will take it down in one go. ”

The commander-in-chief also had this idea, and he had already proposed to the German minister the matter of returning Qingdao, and this time the president had also sent a telegram, and Germany would certainly have to consider it carefully. However, the commander-in-chief still told us to prepare for the worst, and if necessary, take advantage of the situation to forcibly intervene in Japan and Germany and recover Qingdao! When Cai Ye said this, he raised his head and looked at He Xi: "Our previous plan was that the 2nd Division and the 18th Division would be a reserve to deal with Qingdao, but the 18th Division was the old Beiyang Division, so the mind may not be able to meet in such a short time, so this time the 2nd Division." ”

Before he finished speaking, He Xi waved his hand and said: "Although Songpo can rest assured, I dare not say that other divisions are by no means a bad seed." ”

Cai Ye was convinced of his words, and he saw it the last time he went to Fengtian. It is said that discipline is better than courage, and the guard division may not lose, and those young people are full of enthusiasm and determination to die. However, the experience is still inferior to the earliest 1st and 2nd Divisions, which have been fighting from Hubei to the present. If any other brigade is allowed to leave Motianling, I am afraid that it will be paralyzed in the face of the Japanese army's onslaught for three days and three nights. But just as he wanted to analyze how to intervene in Qingdao, his adjutant Lei Biao rushed in, and the short, dark-skinned second lieutenant shouted as soon as he stepped into the carriage: "Commander." The Northeast telegraphed that the 21st Wing of the 5th Division of the Japanese Army had landed on the coast of Jinzhou and exchanged fire with the 51st Brigade of our 16th Division. There is also the 20th Division of the Japanese Army that began to cross the river from the direction of White Horse Mountain! ”

Syllable! Cai Ye slapped the table fiercely, and a wave of arrogance suddenly erupted in his thin body: "Is this a full-scale fight?" All right! I'd like to see who has the last laugh this time! Pass my order, and all divisions and regiments will speed up! The 2nd Cavalry Brigade must cross the Dagu River before sunset tomorrow to ensure the safety of the railway line until the main force arrives! ”

At the same time that Cai Ye gave the order, in the two field artillery bunkers of the National Defense Army on the bank of the Yalu River in Jiulian City, eight 75 mm original Beiyang Japanese-made field guns roared frequently, and the shells smashed on the river surface and stirred up a dense water column forest, and dozens of sampans and steamboats in the forest desperately rowed in the direction of Jiulian City.

"Rush over! Their artillery fire is not intensive! On the bow of the ship, a Japanese soldier shouted loudly. But before his words dissipated, on the top of the Hushan Fort in the distance, two violent fireballs suddenly exploded, and without any preparation, a column of water several times more fierce than just now lifted from the side, directly overturning the sampan where he was.

"Heavy artillery!"

"Fire!"

When the heavy fortress artillery opened fire, a whirlwind also hung in the Japanese artillery position in the direction of Sinuiju, and 36 75 field guns, 4 150 heavy guns and 4 Meiji Type 38 120 heavy guns bombarded the direction of Jiulian Fortress at the same time.

The battle was instantly intensely suffocating.