Suzhou Lingering Garden, Third Theater Command.

Since last night, a light rain has fallen in the sky, the cold wind of late autumn is cold and biting, and the dead leaves soaked by the rain are everywhere, and everything is a bleak scene.

The new Second Division's telegram requesting war was sent to Gu Zhutong, deputy commander of the theater, who did not dare to slack off and immediately forwarded it to Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek scolded after reading it: "Niang Xipi, this Wu Ming, is getting more and more bold, and he wants to attack with just one division, he really doesn't know whether he is alive or dead."

Chiang Kai-shek's roar made Qian Dajun, who was reporting to work, feel inexplicably better.

Previously, Qian Dajun accepted Chiang Kai-shek's secret order to transport the cultural relics of the Forbidden City from Nanjing to Chongqing again. A large number of cultural relics of the Forbidden City were packed into large wooden boxes, more than 7,000 boxes, and shuttled back and forth on the Yangtze River waterway, which took more than half a month to complete.

In this top-secret operation, Qian Dajun cooperated with Dai Li's secret service, and the thrilling parts often made Qian Dajun soak his clothes in cold sweat when he dreamed back at midnight, but fortunately, everything is over now.

Seeing Chiang Kai-shek expressing his dissatisfaction with Wu Ming, Qian Dajun asked curiously: "Commission, what does Wu Ming want to do?" ”

Chiang Kai-shek pointed to the desktop telegram and snorted coldly: "Wu Ming is not self-sufficient, and he actually wants to take advantage of the emptiness of the Japanese army landing on the front line of Hangzhou Bay to penetrate deep into the rear, and is determined to fight a counterattack by the Japanese army to save the current unfavorable situation...... Who does he think he is? The 45th, 62nd, and 63rd Divisions failed successively under the strong attack of the Japanese army, and could only stick to the line of defense. Besides, does he still want to guard the coast from Zhapu to Haitang? ”

Chiang Kai-shek's words were full of dissatisfaction, and Qian Dajun said in a timely manner: "Commission, in my opinion, Wu Ming's villain has won one or two battles, and he doesn't know how thick the sky is."

Qian Dajun's evaluation of Wu Ming was in line with Chiang Kai-shek's temper.

In the eyes of Chiang Kai-shek, Wu Ming did not keep his duty, since he was leading troops on the front line, he should not have made so many predictions and suggestions on the strategy of the Songhu battlefield, and grabbed the work of the Military Committee.

Tian Feng in history, the battle of Guandu was all right, Yuan Shao's inner suspicion and regret after the defeat, in order to avoid being ridiculed by the world, Yu Crisp ordered Tian Feng to be beheaded, in order to set the record straight. Chiang Kai-shek's current mentality is the same as that of Yuan Shao in the past.

"Bang-"

The door was pushed open from the outside, and a cold wind poured in, Lin Wei rushed into the office, strode to Chiang Kai-shek, Gu Zhutong and Qian Dajun, opened the folder, took out a telegram and handed it to Chiang Kai-shek:

"I just received a telegram from the New Second Division, under the cover of Japanese battleship guns and aircraft, a wing of Japanese troops landed on the beach northeast of Jiulong Mountain in Pinghu......

Why is it Wu Ming again?

Chiang Kai-shek waved his hand and did not answer the telegram: "Weiwen, you put the telegram on the table, I'll look at it later" Then he turned his head and said to Gu Zhutong: "Mo San, how is the war on the southern front now?" ”

Gu Zhutong was a little unaccustomed to Qian Dajun's coy attitude, but in the past, the four King Kongs under He Yingqin's command were not easy to say, so he had to report:

"The counterattack of the Gui army on the northern front battlefield failed, and General Cixiu commanded the troops to withdraw from the main field and stick to the south bank of Suzhou Creek. In the northern battlefield of the southern front, after the Japanese army occupied positions in Yaojiazhai, Tingtou Village, and Wujiakunandu on the 2nd of this month, the Japanese army continued to launch fierce attacks in the areas of Chiquan and Zhanggang on the 5th, preparing to cross the river and move southward, echoing the enemy who landed in the direction of Jinshanwei. In the southern battlefield of the southern front, in the early hours of today, Jinshan, Fengxian, Nanhui and other counties fell under the attack of the Japanese army, and the Japanese army had already moved from Jinshan Songyin to Mishidu and Songjiang. The 67th Army stationed in Songjiang defended Mishidu with the 107th Division, guarded the city defense with the 108th Division, and reached the line along the river at Li Tahui, and a major battle was inevitable. ”

"Hmm"

Chiang Kai-shek nodded: "I remember that Songjiang still has Guo Rudong's 43rd Army and the Songjiang Prefecture and the county's security team, judging from all aspects, it is possible to maintain the war situation for another three to five days, just wait for the Brussels Conference ......"

"Commission"

Lin Wei took the telegram and interrupted Chiang Kai-shek's words: "This telegram is a battle report just released by the new Second Division, and the stakes are very high——"

Chiang Kai-shek turned his head, frowned, and said dissatisfiedly: "What achievements has the new Second Division achieved?" ”

Chiang Kai-shek's tone was a little disdainful, in his eyes, the Songhu battle situation could still be held, Wu Ming's new second division was stationed on the defense line, under the threat of Japanese naval guns and aircraft, what kind of achievements could it achieve?

Since the start of the Songhu War, Chiang Kai-shek has taken care of the new Second Division because of Chiang Ching-kuo, and even if the front line is critical, he has not transferred Wu Ming to lead his troops to reinforce, because he does not want the new Second Division to lose too much. However, Wu Ming repeatedly called and directly stated the key points of the Songhu war, which made Chiang Kai-shek angry.

"This telegram said that the new 2nd Division had just annihilated the 150th Wing of the Japanese Army, killed more than 4,000 people, and captured 600,000 people," Lin Wei was beaming, pointing to the telegram and explaining to Chiang Kai-shek: "They also captured the flag of the 150th Wing of the Japanese Army......

"What?"

Chiang Kai-shek Huo Ran stood up, grabbed the telegram, and carefully read the contents.

Gu Zhutong was very surprised, and then contemplated with his eyebrows, considering the impact on the overall battle situation in Songhu. Qian Dajun looked incredulous, stared at Lin Wei with his eyes, and asked, "How is it possible to capture the flag of the 150th Wing of the Japanese Army."

Chiang Kai-shek graduated from the Zhenwu School in Tokyo, Japan, and Qian Dajun graduated from the Japanese Army Non-commissioned Officer School, both of whom served as non-commissioned officers in the Japanese army.

On the battlefield of Songhu, the new Second Division was mighty, and Qian Dajun suspected that the Japanese marines stationed in the concession were exhausted and disabled by several German armor divisions, which allowed Wu Ming and his new Second Division to pick up a big bargain. The Central News Agency publicized the achievements of the New Second Division and Wu Ming, and Qian Dajun also believed that Chiang Kai-shek seriously exaggerated the achievements of the New Second Division in order to improve the morale of various departments, and by the way, let Chiang Ching-kuo accumulate military exploits. Therefore, before that, he sneered at the achievements of the new second division.

Because of this, Qian Dajun, who believed that the new Second Division was faking military exploits, was angry, and his eyes were full of disdain: "Now Wu Ming is getting more and more bold, although fake military merits on the battlefield occur from time to time, but he also dares to talk nonsense about such a major event as the capture of the Japanese army flag——"

"Mu Yin, Wu Ming didn't ask for credit indiscriminately, look at the telegram"

Chiang Kai-shek interrupted Qian Dajun's words, stuffed the telegram into Qian Dajun's hand, and sighed deeply: "The new second division annihilated the 150th Wing of the Japanese army and captured a military flag, which can be regarded as the second great achievement since the War of Resistance Against Japan

Chiang Kai-shek's face was flushed, his breathing was a little short, and he walked two steps back and forth in the house with his hands behind his back, and then came to the window, and looked out at the ponds and pavilions full of residual lotus, and his heart set off a huge wave.

Since the Meiji Restoration Japanese Army issued the wing flag, there has never been a precedent for the enemy to capture the wing flag, but now it has been captured by Wu Mingxin's second division, in comparison, the destruction of a wing of the Japanese army is insignificant, and the blow to the morale of the Japanese army is incomparable, and it is really a political and military double victory

Qian Dajun still didn't believe that the New Second Division had captured the Japanese Wing Flag, and muttered: "Every time there is a crisis, the Japanese Army has someone to burn the Wing Flag, how can it be taken advantage of by the New Second Division this time?" Impossible."

Lin Wei glanced at Qian Dajun dissatisfied.

Lin Wei has always had a good impression of Wu Ming, and through the letters of his nephew Liu Rulin, he appreciates Wu Ming's patriotic feelings and courageous style. Lin Wei believed in Wu Ming's ability and decided that he would not report his military exploits indiscriminately. In Lin Wei's eyes, the reason why Qian Dajun targeted Wu Ming everywhere was, to put it bluntly, because Wu Ming hurt Qian Dajun's face during the Lushan exercise, Qian Dajun had an extreme temperament without the city government, and he had been angry with Wu Ming over the years, and he would say a few words of slander when he saw the opportunity, and Lin Wei, who was a clear bystander, had always looked down on Qian Dajun.

The door was pushed open again, and Bai Chongxi strode in in the cold wind, looking straight at Chiang Kai-shek: "Commission, I heard that the new Second Division has won a big victory?" ”

Chiang Kai-shek returned to his seat and sat down, and said with a smile: "Wu Ming used the strategy of luring the enemy deep and led the new 2nd Division to attack the 150th Wing where the Japanese army landed. In the battle, more than 5,000 Japanese troops were annihilated and a flag of the 150th Wing of the Japanese Army was captured. ”

Bai Chongxi took a sharp breath

Annihilating more than 5,000 enemies, what a great victory this is to know that in the counterattack against the Japanese army, the Gui army, which was pinned on by Bai Chongxi, performed poorly, was not familiar with the offensive method of the position, and did not know how to suppress the Japanese firepower point. Later, Bai Chongxi was even more surprised when he heard that the flag of the Japanese army had been captured, as long as anyone who knew something about the Japanese army knew the value of this flag.

Bai Chongxi looked at Chiang Kai-shek in disbelief: "The new Second Division really captured the flag of the Japanese army?" ”

Qian Dajun didn't believe that Wu Ming had won another great victory, he snorted, handed the telegram in his hand to Bai Chongxi, and said sourly: "You have to send someone to bring back the prisoners and the military flag as soon as possible...... I think we have to discuss how to praise the new second division and Wu Ming again."

"Yu Dehao"

After reading the telegram quickly, Bai Chongxi high-fived and sighed: "Chairman, this is how I look at this matter, the Central Committee should not only vigorously commend Wu Ming and his new Second Division, but also intensify propaganda, so that all the sons and daughters of China will know that the Japanese army is not invincible, and the battle of Pingxingguan and the annihilation of more than 1,000 Japanese troops by the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army will be known to the whole world, and we must also use this incident to boost the morale of the national army and sweep away the haze." ”

Chiang Kai-shek nodded: "What Jiansheng said is extremely true, the Japanese army is wreaking havoc in North China, and the first and second theaters are both in an emergency. The Japanese army even coveted the economically developed areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and now the League of Nations Congress is holding a meeting in Brussels, and with the Japanese military flag captured by the new Second Division, it can further illustrate the determination of our military and people to resist the war. According to the 'Nine-Power Pact, the European powers will definitely sanction Japan"

As a politician, Chiang Kai-shek is undoubtedly competent, but military affairs are indeed not his forte, but he is not yet conscious, and often indiscriminately interferes in front-line warfare, giving Yu Jingjing the opportunities he originally occupied, and deserves his nickname of "Captain of the Transport Brigade".

Seeing that the war was so erosive, Chiang Kai-shek still pinned his hopes on the European powers, and Bai Chongxi was a little speechless. Bai Chongxi stiffened his head and suggested:

"Commission, the Japanese army landed in Hangzhou Bay on a large scale, although the total strength is not as million as they advertised, but there are more than 100,000, and the strategic encirclement situation has shown that the temporary victory of the new second division does not mean anything...... Commission, let's withdraw the troops on the front line of Songhu in batches and rearm near the national defense line."

Bai Chongxi's name of "Little Zhuge " is not in vain, although the command of the battle is a little reluctant, but in terms of his combat readiness, strategy and tactical vision, Bai Chongxi does have an outstanding understanding, and his understanding of the current battlefield situation in China and Japan is extremely thorough, and the suggestion at this time is also to see that the national army in the Songhu battlefield is impossible to win.

"Jiansheng's words are wrong"

Chiang Kai-shek snorted coldly: "Since the Meiji Restoration, although Japan has been ranked as a great power, there are still many gaps with Britain, France, the United States and other countries, Shanghai is the economic lifeblood of the great powers in China, I expect that the European and American countries will never abandon me and ignore it, although the 62nd and 63rd divisions have encountered the Japanese army and defeated Xincang, Guangchen and other places, but our army relies on national defense fortifications, and the Japanese invasion of the west is no longer possible, and Wu Keren's 67th Army has been smoothly stationed in Songjiang, blocking the road for the Japanese army to invade the north. The 67th Army will certainly be able to defend the defense line of the Huangpu River and buy us time, and then the Brussels meeting of the Nine-Power Pact will have results."

Wu Keren's 67th Army was the strong force of the Northeast Army, after the Xi'an Incident, it was reorganized by Chiang Kai-shek, and many Huangpu students were placed, and the well-equipped troops were neat, and the combat effectiveness was much stronger than that of ordinary troops.

However, what Chiang Kai-shek did not know was that Wu Keren's 67th Army, as the general reserve of the Right Wing Army, had already transferred a large number of troops to supplement the losses on the Songhu line, and the two divisions under its jurisdiction were not fully manned.

After learning of the movement of Chinese reinforcements, the Japanese army immediately ordered its troops to attack the vanguard of the 67th Army, and the two sides fought fiercely near Luxiang Town for half a day, and although the officers and men of the 107th Division fought bravely, they still suffered heavy casualties, and had to abandon Zhujing Town and Jinshan County, and retreat to the north bank of the Huangpu River.

Just this morning, the Japanese army rushed across the Huangpu River with the cover of superior artillery fire, and the tank tracks crushed the stubborn resistance of the 67th Army, and the corpses of the Chinese officers and men who were in a disadvantageous position were piled up, and the artillery fire of the Japanese who were eager to march almost flattened the county town of Songjiang on the north bank of the Huangpu River.

Bai Chongxi knew the truth that the military situation was like fire, and still refused to give up, and said sincerely: "Seat, you don't know the Dao, now there is a mysterious Japanese radio station that broadcasts the progress of the Japanese army and the results achieved every day, pointing out the situation that our army may fall into the encirclement of the Japanese army on the Songhu front, and the mood of the officers and soldiers of our army on the front line is not very stable——"

"Niang Xipi"

Chiang Kai-shek scolded hatefully, and then said: "Jiansheng doesn't need to say much, it is a demagogic word of the Japanese army, the purpose is to disturb the hearts of our army, hoping that our army will collapse without a fight, and we will not be able to fulfill the wishes of the Japanese army...... Let's discuss how to deal with the results of the new 2nd Division."

Gu Zhutong thought for a while and suggested: "Commission, the top priority is to send someone to the new second division to take over the prisoners and the flag of the wing, confirm the combat exploits of the new second division, and give a proper reward."

Lin Wei echoed: "That's right, since up to now, some people are still suspecting that there is fraud, it is really necessary to clarify the situation, I suggest that Mu Yin personally lead the military commission inspection team to go to the acceptance"

"It's-"

Qian Dajun was a little flustered when he heard this, now that the army is in chaos, and the Japanese army is advancing even faster, who knows if the Japanese army will be encountered on the way to Pinghu? At the moment, he hurriedly waved his hand: "Some of the matters of escorting the cultural relics of the Forbidden City have not yet been completed, and I have no time to take charge of other affairs for the time being." I think it's better to go by Brother Weiwen."

"I'd Rather"

Lin Wei shook his head: "But as the director of the first division of the chamber, I also hold the position of chief of staff of the first theater, although I can't rush to the North China front line to take up my post due to various reasons, but if Cheng Songyun (Cheng Qianzi) and Lu Ruibo (Lu Zhonglinzi) call, I can't say that I, the chief of staff, are missing, right?" ”

Chiang Kai-shek waved his hand: "Don't fight, it's better to go on behalf of Mo San, the deputy commander of the theater, now Zhang Xianghua and Huang Yuxing (Huang Qixiangzi) are still commanding operations in western Shanghai, and there is a lack of a general in the area of the Zhajia defense line, Mo San went to Pinghu, one sent people to send the prisoners and the military flag of the wing to Nanjing for display, and the other urged the troops in the area of the national defense line to strictly guard against it and not give the Japanese a chance to take advantage of it."

"Yes"

Gu Zhutong stood up and saluted, and then asked: "Regarding the matter of the new second division's request to take the initiative, how to deal with it."

"You must not rush into action"

Without waiting for Chiang Kai-shek to speak, Bai Chongxi first expressed his position: "The Japanese army is extremely strong in combat. Judging from the battle report of the New Second Division, they also cleverly designed to lure the Japanese army into the encirclement and avoid the Japanese naval artillery fire to achieve this unprecedented victory. If they had abandoned their fortifications and fought with the Japanese in the open field, which had the support of the naval fleet artillery groups and overhead aircraft, the new 2nd Division would not have been the enemy of the Japanese army, and it would not have been a fiasco in the blink of an eye."

Speaking of this, Bai Chongxi came to the large Songhu map, picked up the baton and pointed to the north shore of Hangzhou Bay: "If the new second division fails and does not tighten, the defense line they hold will definitely face the dilemma of insufficient troops, and then the Japanese army only needs to concentrate its forces to break through the line from Zhapu to Pinghu." ”

"The Japanese army occupies Pinghu, Zhapu will not attack, then the Japanese army can not only go north to attack Jiaxing from the flank, but also can go around Haitang, Haiyan, straight into Kipshi, Wangdian, even if Songjiang County is defended, the Shanghai-Hangzhou-Ningbo railway will still be cut off by the Japanese army, and our army will face an unprecedented crisis on the Songhu front."

When Qian Dajun heard this, he immediately sneered: "I thought Wu Ming was so great, he couldn't even analyze and judge such a simple situation, I think he was carried away by the victory, and he didn't care about it."

"Not True"

Chiang Kai-shek glanced at Qian Dajun warningly, and said: "This just shows that Wu Ming is for the country and the people, and disregards his own safety and interests, which is worthy of recognition and praise."

Chiang Kai-shek turned to Gu Zhutong: "But don't mention the matter of the new second division's attack, Mo San, after you arrive at Pinghu, order Wu Ming to guard his position, and he is not allowed to start a war without authorization. ”

"Yes"