"Commander, the devils who attacked Bazhou City have been annihilated by us in two ways, and there is still the South Gate that has also been defeated by our assault troops, and it is currently being pursued." Li Yunlong, deputy commander of the Fourth Division, reported to Qiao Youhua at the middle headquarters of the Dragon's Tooth Column.

Qiao Youhua nodded when he heard this, and Chief of Staff Zuo Quan said on the side: "Hey, I didn't expect the little devil to think of taking the initiative to attack and attack at night out of the city at this juncture." ”

Qiao Youhua lit a cigarette, smoked, and said: "Bazhou and Zhuozhou belong to the last barrier of the Japanese army in North China, and it is impossible to give up lightly, I think, it may not only be the devils of Bazhou who go out of the city to attack at night, but this may also happen in Zhuozhou, the chief of staff still sends a telegram to Haidong to remind him." ”

Zuo Quan nodded, and just wanted to order the confidential room to generate electricity, but found that Liu Ruhan, the head of the confidential department of the column, hurriedly walked over with a telegram in his hand.

"Director Liu, what's wrong?" Zuo Quan asked.

"Commander, chief of staff, I just received an urgent report from the First Division, they thwarted a night attack counterattack by the devils, destroying at least more than 2,000 enemies, and Division Commander Jiang also reminded us to be vigilant in case the devils in Zhuozhou attacked at night." Liu Ruhan saluted and reported.

Qiao Youhua and Zuo Quan both smiled after hearing this, and Qiao Youhua said: "Haha, I guessed it, the little devil is not dead, fortunately, in Haidong, their vigilance is high enough." ”

Zuo Quan nodded and said: "Yes, tonight's Japanese counterattack in Zhuozhou and Bazhou shows that until the last moment, we can't relax our vigilance, because the devils may launch an attack at any time to reverse the situation on the battlefield." ”

Deputy Division Commander Li Yunlong opened his mouth and asked at this time: "Then, are we still going to attack tonight?" ”

Zuo Quan looked at Qiao Youhua waiting for his decision, and Qiao Youhua asked, "Chief of Staff, what do you think?" ”

Zuo Quan said: "I think that although we have defeated several Japanese night raiders who have left the city, we have also lost the fighters to launch a surprise attack, so I have built a plan to cancel the next surprise attack plan and plan for the next day." ”

Qiao Youhua nodded and said, "Well, it makes sense, just do it, order the attacking troops, end the attack, and continue the siege." ”

"Two chiefs, the night attacks on Bazhou and Zhuozhou all ended in failure, and the two places lost more than 5,000 valuable elite troops!" In the headquarters of the Japanese invasion of China in Beiping, a communications staff officer reported to Okamura Ningji and Iizawa Mamoru with a solemn expression.

Mamoru Iizawa was shocked when he heard this: "Nani? All failed? This, how is this possible? As he spoke, he looked at Okamura Ninji, and found that Okamura Ninji's face had also become a little heavy.

However, it didn't come out too much, Okamura Ninji pondered for a while, and asked the communication staff officer: "Tell me about the specific situation, how can our night attack fail so coincidentally, and it is also a fiasco of the annihilation of the whole army?" ”

Okamura Ninji is very incomprehensible, if he says that he has failed all the way, he can accept it, but now the two night attacks and counterattacks have failed, which makes him a little unacceptable.

The communications staff officer said: "The specific situation is not very clear for the time being, the news sent by the Bazhou and Zhuozhou garrison headquarters is that the attack troops they organized were all ambushed by the Zhina army without exception, so they suffered heavy losses until the entire army was annihilated." ”

Okamura Ninji waved his hand and said: "Well, I know, you immediately send a telegram to the front line of Bazhou and Zhuozhou, and tell them to strengthen their garrison, stop acting rashly for the time being, focus on defense, block the next onslaught of the Chinese army, and hold on to help!" ”

The communications staff officer of "Hai" bowed his head sharply, turned and led the order to leave.

Okamura Ninji took a few deep breaths, calmed down, and said to Mamoru Iizawa: "It seems that our opponent is more cunning, more powerful, and more difficult to deal with than we imagined. I was despised before. ”

Iizawa Shoushen nodded approvingly: "The Dragon Tooth Column led by Qiao Youhua is the most cunning and difficult to deal with anti-Japanese forces that I have ever seen, otherwise, they will not force our North China Front Army to become the number one henchman of the empire." ”

Okamura Ninji looked deeply convinced, and said meaningfully: "Now, it depends on whether the cavalry roundabout troops can successfully cut off the logistics and transportation lines that attack the enemy, only in this way can our frontal defense line hold out until the first reinforcements from the mainland arrive." ”

Iizawa nodded silently, but he was very beating in his heart, no one dared to guarantee this, because the gap between the military strength of the two sides on the front line was too big, especially after tonight's battle, the strength of the two sides was further stretched, and Bazhou and Zhuozhou could face the danger of losing at any time.

…………

The sky was just dawning, and about 100 miles southwest of Zhuozhou, a Japanese cavalry, about 1,000 people, suddenly appeared on a dirt road.

Not long after, at the end of the dirt road, a ghost cavalry scout turned back, saluted the commander of this devil cavalry, a Zhongzuo, and said: "Sir, the humble position has been investigated, thirty miles ahead is Yi County, where only the militia of the Zhina army is stationed, although the garrison is tight, but the strength is not enough."

If we raid now, we can take this place in an hour at most, and this is a small transit point for the transportation line of the Chinese army attacking Zhuozhou, which has a certain military value. ”

Hearing this, the devil cavalry nodded and said: "Yo Xi, all obey the order, and immediately set off for Yi County, after the city is broken, there will be no chickens and dogs left!" ”

"Hay!" A group of devil officers and soldiers responded in unison, and immediately instigated the war horses under their crotches to gallop forward.

Thousands of Oriental horses began to gallop rapidly, and thousands of horses' hooves struck the earth with a palpitating thumping sound.

Thirty miles is not a problem for this elite cavalry of the Japanese army, and after more than 20 minutes, they came to the outside of Yixian County, and the devil commander divided half of the cavalry to turn over and dismount, and then carry grenadiers, mortars, and light machine guns to the north gate of Yixian County.

The remaining 500 or so cavalry quickly divided into three groups and quietly detoured back to the other three gates, preparing to launch a counter-attack and at the same time besiege the soldiers and civilians in the city who might escape through the city gates.

There were only 200 people from a company of regular troops stationed in Yi County, and more than 500 militiamen, and when more than 500 devil cavalry from the north gate approached about 300 meters from the city gate, a militia on guard found them.

Immediately raised the 38-type rifle in his hand to fire a warning shot, the entire Yixian city immediately fell into a panic, the regular army, under the leadership of their company commander, quickly dispatched and climbed the city wall, and the militia also held guns in their hands and prepared for battle.

At this time, the devils outside the city used grenadiers and mortars to bombard the north gate wall, and the cavalry on foot also accelerated towards the city gate with 44 horse guns and light machine guns.