With two beards and a muted personality, he looks like a heavy Xia Fei, and when he faces Neville, he looks less calm. As the commander-in-chief of the French army, he had an unshirkable responsibility for the loss of Verdun.

Verdun is the gateway to Paris, and its strategic location cannot be overstated. Now Verdun is in the hands of the Germans, and a condescending posture has been formed. If God hadn't been on the side of the French, I guess Paris would have been lost.

Now Xia Fei's main tasks are two, the first is to launch the Battle of the Somme as much as possible, and the second is how to hold Paris. In this situation, military strength becomes a weakness. It will definitely be too late to mobilize troops, and only ready-made troops can be counted on. The Germans would not give France much time to prepare, as long as the weather cleared and the German logistics were completed, a more fierce attack was just around the corner. There is really not much time left for the French army to prepare, and the squadron that landed in France at this time is more important.

For the perception of the squadron, Xia Fei is different from Neville, not a very ancient understanding, from the barbarism, backwardness, dirtiness and so on these negative words converge, for the Xia Fei who had the opportunity to fight with the squadron, the current French commander-in-chief who tasted defeat in the Sino-French War, there is still a little expectation of the Chinese. So he asked Neville to meet with the commander of the squadron, instead of letting the government go out and the military send a liaison officer at will.

"How do the Chinese look?" Xia Fei took the initiative to ask, Neville was a little strange in his heart, and he still replied very seriously: "If it weren't for the military uniform and the faces of the Orientals, I would think they were Germans." Of course, this is probably due to the fact that most of them were trained with the help of the Germans. They are well-armed and well-trained. The military discipline is strict, and after a long journey, he still looks very energetic. All in all, these are some very professional military men to look forward to. ”

"You mean, if they want to, they can leave Marseille now?" Xia Fei was also surprised, because Neville compared the German army to the squadron, which was a high affirmation.

"Yes, sir. That's what it looks like. But their commanders have been complaining that a lot of the equipment that our government promised them has not yet been delivered. They were constantly worried that without these necessary equipment, they would fall into a huge passivity in the face of the German army. "Neville along the way. Cai Ye and Zhang Xiaohuai said that their ears are calloused, and these two young commanders, although they look young, have the introverted characteristics of Orientals. Their complaints were still very subtle, it was just that in the carriages of the train, they were constantly analyzing the equipment and tactics of the German army, as well as the possible routes of attack in the future, and so on.

"I can't help but say it. These two Chinese commanders had done a lot of preparatory work before the war, and their knowledge of the German army surpassed that of most French officers. Neville added. It's a bit of a slap in the face to say it, but it's definitely true. The French were arrogant, and so was the French army. But against the German army, they could not raise up the slightest arrogance. More than a year has passed since the war. The French suffered from the Germans. Especially when they are on the attacking side, the disadvantage in equipment is even more prominent. Almost every attack. The price paid by the French army can be described as enormous.

Of course, these are General Neville's personal perceptions. Neville, who has a more offensive spirit, still appreciates the offensive tactical literacy shown by the lieutenant ** officer. In particular, the Chinese people have clearly pointed out that dense formations are no longer suitable for modern warfare, and the era of straggler formations has come.

"The Chinese have just defeated the Japanese in the Far East, they have just experienced the baptism of war, and as the victors of the war, the Chinese show their combat effectiveness, which is amazing." Xia Fei also expressed his affirmation, and after touching his beard, Xia Fei said again: "Help them urge the equipment, you go and supervise it yourself." In addition, I will hold a banquet for these two lieutenants in the evening, and you can tell them that I want their recuperation period to be shortened to two weeks. ”

"Yes, the Chinese have sent out the most elite troops, and we should have confidence in them."

Despite the tight front, the French government decided to hold a grand welcome reception. Held in Bordeaux, the seat of the provisional government, Cai and Zhang Xiaohuai, after meeting Xia Fei in Paris, made a small request for Xia Fei, hoping to extend the recuperation period to one month. In this regard, Xia Fei expressed his understanding and invited the two to dinner.

Xia Xiang and Feng Hua saw the two chiefs who came out of it at the door of a hotel, and after stepping forward to salute, Cai Yi smiled and said to the two: "Hard work!" With some politeness, Cai Ye said to Feng Hua: "The aviation team should take the first step, the area where our army is stationed has been determined, Saint-Meneurde, the aviation team will go over and settle down first, and conduct appropriate aerial reconnaissance." If it is not necessary, come in and do not reveal that our troops have been stationed in St. Meneold. ”

"Understand, let's go back and prepare, and we can set off tomorrow." When Feng Hua heard the order, his spirits were lifted.

The cruelty of war is not only reflected in the bloodshed. Zhang Jingyao quickly understood why this French woman betrayed her **. The woman's name is Sophie, a very common name. In fact, her name is very long, Zhang Jingyao remembered these two words, so he called her so. Language is often not a barrier between men and women, and after completing a feat of conquering a foreign woman (self-thought), Zhang Jingyao left with weak legs.

The French woman is very energetic, Zhang Jingyao naturally misses this woman, and runs over to linger whenever he is free. Sophie's husband died in the first month of the war, leaving behind two children, supported by a government pension for half a year, and the family without men could not survive. With two children to take care of, Sophie has little culture, so she can only choose to betray **.

The war has caused soaring prices and shortages of supplies, making it difficult for ordinary people to survive. The presence of Chinese has brought some opportunities for the local people in the surrounding areas to earn money and food. In fact, asking for money is of little use to Sophie's family. Food shortages are the biggest pressure the family faces, so every time Zhang Jingyao comes, he brings enough to eat.

A month passed quickly, and the beginning of March in France was still very cold. When he got off the woman's bed again, Zhang Jingyao hesitated slightly, took out all the money in his pocket, and put it on the bedside.

The woman on the bed looked at him puzzled, in the past month, this Chinese man has brought more than just hope of survival to the family. Sophie even relied a little on this man who would not let herself down every time he came.

"The troops received the order, and three days later they set out to go to the front to fight the Germans. This time, I don't know if I can get it back, you can keep the money. Actually, Sophie didn't understand a word, but she just understood what the man meant.

Sophie seemed to have seen the scene before her husband's expedition once, and tears could not help but fall, sliding down her white neck and falling on the soft snow like a ball of snow.

"I don't want your money, you must come back alive." Shaking her head vigorously, Zhang Jingyao still didn't understand what Sophie said, but he also knew what she meant. After putting on his military uniform, Zhang Jingyao straightened his clothes and said with a smile: "I am a soldier and I came to fight in Europe on behalf of the Chinese, and I cannot lose the face of the Chinese." ”

Lifting the quilt and ignoring the cold of early spring, a naked Sophie jumped out of bed and hugged the exotic man and cried bitterly. While crying, he cursed the war. This damn war, which took her one man, is now going to take another one. Well, in the past month, Sophie has been doing Zhang Jingyao's business.

Chinese lovers are generous and gentle, and they are rare lovers. Sophie is very concerned, because she has to worry about life again, you must know that in the past month, this man means that the family of three has no worries about food and clothing.

Zhang Jingyao broke away from the woman's embrace, hesitated when he picked up the coat, and said after putting the coat on the woman: "You keep this clothes to wear, your windbreaker has been repaired." Wait for me to come back, three months at most, and I'll come back to you. Holding out three fingers, Sophie understood what he meant, and nodded vigorously.

The lieutenant officer left, and a soldier came before dark, brought a lot of food, put down his things and left. Sophie didn't know that this middle-class official had exchanged all the half-year's subsidies for food and left them for this foreign woman. Sophie sat on the ground and cried at the two bags full of cans and biscuits.

March 5, 1916, Morning! The Chinese expeditionary force left Marseille and embarked on a journey to Saint-Meneurde.

This morning Verdun was unusually calm, and before the morning fog had lifted, a plane had already flown over Verdun. This aircraft was clearly different from the French man-made aircraft, and the German armored assault group was quietly waiting in the departure area, making the final pre-war preparations. According to intelligence, the Anglo-French forces were about to launch a large-scale attack on the Somme line in a matter of days.

In order to preempt the British and French troops, the German General Staff decided to launch a powerful attack from the Verdun breakthrough and conquer Paris in one fell swoop. And as the main force of this campaign, the armored assault group commanded by Bob is the strongest main force.

"Sir, the Chinese's plane." There were dozens of tanks hidden in the woods, and Commander Bob, with a telescope, was watching the planes flying in the sky. The adjutant knew that his commander had special feelings for the Chinese, so he asked in a low voice.

Bob didn't speak, but put away his binoculars, walked back to his tent, and opened the map to examine. (To be continued)