At the Xidu ferry port north of Fengxian County, the Humin Nanzhe Automobile Highway Bridge, which originally straddled the Huangpu River, had been blown up by Japanese bombers two days earlier, but fortunately, when Wu Ming led the officers and men of the guard battalion to the Huangpu River on the evening of 22 July, the ferry sent by Zhang Zhizhong to pick up and transport the river had already docked on the shore.

The 1st Brigade and the 2nd Regiment were all the first to cross the river, and quickly built a ring fortification on the east and west flanks of the ferry on the opposite side of the river to meet the main force across the river.

At the same time, 12 0-mm howitzers, four 150-mm howitzers, and eight RR-mm anti-aircraft guns belonging to the heavy artillery battalion of the New 2nd Division Artillery Regiment were all erected and aimed at the Huangpu River to prevent Japanese warships from attacking.

The colonel's staff officer sent by Zhang Zhizhong to answer felt that Wu Ming was too careful, and now the reinforcements of the Japanese Army had not yet appeared, and the marines and volunteers were besieged by the Ninth Army in the eastern and northern areas of the public concession, and they could not infect the area south of the city at all. However, the Japanese warships were busy guarding the Yangtze River and supporting the Hongkou and Yangshupu areas, and it was impossible for them to go up to the middle and upper reaches of the Huangpu River to make a fuss.

The colonel's staff officer repeatedly urged Wu Ming to quickly lead the main force of the new Second Division across the river.

Wu Ming was also quite unimpressed by the disdain shown by the colonel's staff officer, and it was already the night of the 22nd, and according to the speed of the Japanese army's troop transfer, the first batch of reinforcements would soon arrive in Shanghai and launch a landing operation along the Yangtze River. Now that the Japanese have air and sea supremacy, Wu Ming must not act carelessly.

If the Japanese warships suddenly appeared when the new Second Division crossed the river, there was no heavy fire suppression on the shore, and the troops that were crossing the river would definitely suffer heavy casualties without protection.

The movements of the new Second Division were very fast, surprisingly fast, and the officers and men were silent whether they got on or off the ship, only the sound of noisy footsteps.

From the front crossing the river to the successful crossing of the river by the troops behind the palace, it took only three hours before and after, and the road was safe and did not encounter the attack of the Japanese army.

When Wu Ming and his division headquarters approached the Xizha Wharf on the north bank of Xidu, Zhu Wenhua, the chief of the intelligence section, and his men had been waiting for a long time.

As soon as he saw the master get off the boat, Zhu Wenhua took the initiative to greet him, the corners of his eyes were a little warm, he changed from a swinger brother to a famous figure in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai, all of which was given by Wu Ming.

Zhu Wenhua saluted Wu Ming: "Master's seat"

Wu Ming stepped forward, patted Zhu Wenhua on the shoulder, and said with a smile: "Okay, you are very good, the intelligence work in Shanghai has been carried out quite well, and you and the intelligence station you lead have worked hard."

Zhu Wenhua shook his head vigorously: "If it weren't for the teacher's support, I would ......"

", if you don't have the ability, what if I take you again? You have to remember that your current status and fame have been earned by your own hard work, and I have only provided you with a way to show it

Wu Ming waved his hand, interrupting the politeness between the two people, and then saw that the heavy artillery troops behind him had begun to cross the river, and hurriedly called Luo Yuming and Yang Sixian, and asked them to cooperate with the chief of staff Zhang Dongning, quickly organize the team, and after the assembly, they marched south to the Zhenru line.

Wu Ming also told the deputy division commander Long Shaogang to coordinate the four regiments of Yin Dizhong's supplementary brigade and Luo Changling's artillery regiment and slowly keep up.

After the explanation, Wu Ming pulled Zhu Wenhua, got into the car together, took Sun Chengyuan and rushed to Nanxiang, where the headquarters of the Ninth Army was located.

The military situation was urgent, and soon after the car started, Wu Ming asked directly: "What is the movement of the Japanese army now?" What were the results of the Ninth Army? ”

Zhu Wenhua's face was gloomy, and he came one by one: "In the early morning of the 18th, the two special marine brigades reinforced by the Japanese Navy from Lushun arrived in Shanghai, and the two brigades reinforced from Sasebo arrived in Shanghai at 22 o'clock on the 19th. ”

"After the resumption of fighting, the units of the Ninth Army advanced to the first line of Zhabei, Hongkou, and Yangshupu, and before sunset today, advanced again to Huishan Wharf, firmly pressing the Japanese army in the narrow area on the left bank of the Huangpu River, and at the same time threatening the Japanese Marine Corps Headquarters Building and other strongholds."

However, the fortifications and fortifications entrenched by the Japanese army in Shanghai were unusually strong, and Minister He Yingqin of Nanjing did not deliver street fighting and direct-fire weapons to Shanghai in time, resulting in ineffective fortification. Although the officers and men of the Ninth Army were brave and fearless, they were not assisted by anti-aircraft guns and heavy artillery, and it was difficult to pose a threat to the Japanese fortress, and due to the threat of Japanese aircraft and naval guns, the losses were extremely heavy——"

After listening to Zhu Wenhua's introduction, Wu Ming frowned, thought for a while and asked, "What are the main strongholds of the Japanese army now?" ”

"The Japanese Marine Corps Headquarters building in Hongkou, the Gongda Yarn Mill in the eastern region, and the Huishan Wharf on the Huangpu River are the three major strongholds of the Japanese army in the concession area, and every day the divisions of the Ninth Army throw troops into the front line, constantly attacking the Japanese defense line, but they have not been captured until now."

Zhu Wenhua coughed, his voice was a little hoarse: "The corpses of Chinese soldiers are piled up next to the stronghold of the Japanese army, one person died, and the people below took the explosives bag and continued to rush forward, but the Japanese firepower was too fierce, it was really a river of blood, so far, the national army has killed five or six thousand people, and countless wounded." ”

Wu Ming nodded and asked again, "Have the Japanese reinforcements arrived now?" ”

Zhu Wenhua said "ouch" and said regretfully: "Look, I forgot the most important news...... According to information from the authorities of the British and American concessions, Japan had informed the great powers that two divisions of the Japanese army had landed and assembled on the Saddle Islands, the northernmost part of the Zhoushan Islands. From the afternoon, the number of Japanese warships on the Yangtze River increased one after another, and shelled the pontoon bridge Qiyakou and other areas. I judged that the Japanese army would soon conduct a landing operation. ”

Wu Ming was taken aback, but then became excited.

What is surprising is that the Japanese army has already begun to launch a landing operation, but the Japanese troops who are cowering in the northern and eastern areas of the public concession have not been wiped out, and when the time comes, the Ninth Army will be faced with a two-front battle and will be strategically extremely passive by the enemy. The excitement is that once the Japanese army and navy focus on the Yangtze River coast, their firepower to support the urban area will inevitably weaken, which will greatly enhance the chances of the new second division attacking.

The more the car drove towards downtown Shanghai, the more potholes and bumps the road became, Wu Ming and Zhu Wenhua shook non-stop, but fortunately, the chassis of the car was higher, so they did not run aground and stalled. Zhu Wenhua explained that Japanese fighters made frequent sorties and constantly bombed our army's supply lines, and the originally smooth roads were already dilapidated.

Wu Ming shook his head and looked out the window, both sides of the road were full of people who had migrated to the mainland with their families, and a bloody smell went straight to Wu Ming's nose.

The rumbling sound of cannon came from the eastern and northern skies, mixed with bursts of mournful screams, and this heart-rending sound hit Wu Ming's heart.

It is really not easy to be a peaceful dog rather than a troubled world, and to survive in such troubled times

As the car turned to Nanxiang in Fanwangdu, the monstrous shouts and killings from the eastern night gradually thinned out, and Wu Ming silently looked at the bright lights that kept flashing outside the window, without saying a word.

It was already 11 o'clock in the evening of the 22nd, and due to a series of reasons, our army could not effectively destroy the Japanese troops entrenched in the urban area, and with the continuous arrival of Japanese reinforcements, the offensive and defensive momentum would be reversed at any time.

In order to win the overall situation, Wu Ming must hurry up and take down the opponent, otherwise he will have to trap himself in this flesh and blood mill.

When we arrived at Nanxiang Guyi Garden, it was already early in the morning, the headquarters of the Ninth Army was still brightly lit, and officers and staff officers at all levels came and went, their faces solemn.

Wu Ming didn't care about going through the procedure to ask for a meeting, so he casually found someone and asked him to take him to General Zhang Zhizhong, the commander of the Ninth Army.

In the main hall of Yiye Hall, there was smoke, several officers gathered together to check the map, Wu Ming looked at it and found no target, so he had to stand upright, and his waist was straight: "Report, Wu Ming, the commander of the new Second Division of the Central Army, came to report"

"Smack-"

The sound of the pen falling to the ground came clearly, and a general, of medium stature, rushed out of the room on the side of the main hall, met Wu Ming's hand that he took the initiative to stretch out, shook it heavily, and sighed: "Finally, the commander of Wu has come to the contemptible Zhang Zhizhong, and welcomes the new second division to join the Ninth Army sequence."

Zhang Zhizhong's cheeks were thin, his eyes were bloodshot, he didn't say a word, and hurriedly pulled Wu Ming towards the map placed on the big table in the main hall, he pushed away several officers and pointed to the map: "Commander Wu, when will your department arrive at Nanxiang and Zhenru?" ”

"Our department has all crossed the Huangpu River and is speeding up, and it is estimated that all staff will arrive before 6 o'clock in the morning."

The smell of tobacco in the room was too strong, and Wu Ming, the old smoking gun, was a little unbearable, he coughed and continued: "Commander, the military situation is urgent, I just got the news that the Japanese army has transferred to small ships on the Saddle Islands, and the next step is very likely to be implemented in the areas of Wusong, Chuansha, and Baoshan.

"Yes, yes...... The situation is very serious."

Zhang Zhizhong nodded, poked his finger heavily at the Yangtze River defense line, and sighed: "The latest news from the area north of Yunzaobang, since the early morning, the Japanese warships have frequently shelled our Wusongkou and Shishilin Forts, at present, the Japanese army has forcibly landed in the area north of Chuansha, and the other Japanese army has landed in Zhanghuabang south of Wusong Town, and fierce battles have occurred in both places, but due to the lack of our defensive forces, the Japanese army is likely to win the landing operation. ”

"Now the 98th Division has been transferred north to Luodian and Baoshan, and the 18th Army, which is responsible for the defense along the river, and the 31st Brigade of the 11th Division, which is temporarily under the command of the 87th Division, and the 2nd Regiment of the Central Military Academy Teaching Corps have rushed to Zhanghuabang to prevent the enemy from consolidating the landing ground."

In addition, Song Xilian's 36th Division and Wang Jingjiu's 87th Division each formed an assault group with a regiment of troops, unified under the command of Song Xilian, and advanced out of the line of the Sitang River. Your division must now take over the vacancies left by the 36th and 87th Divisions, and at the same time serve as a reserve for our army's defense of the Japanese concession. Do you understand?

"Why, we have given up the attack on the Japanese army in the concession?" Wu Ming asked with some puzzlement: "After paying such a big sacrifice, seeing that it was almost time to harvest, but suddenly giving up, is this decision a bit hasty?" ”

This is the first meeting between Zhang Zhizhong and Wu Ming, as a subordinate, Wu Ming did not answer the question, but questioned the commander's decision, which made Zhang Zhizhong feel a little unhappy.

Zhang Zhizhong had long heard of the name of Wu Ming's new Second Division, the new Second Division was strong in combat, and Wu Ming himself was even more strong, and the two exercises caused the Imperial Forest Army to suffer a big loss.

When Zhang Zhizhong heard that Wu Ming's subordinates were under his command, he was a little worried that Wu Ming would not obey the command, but now that he saw that at least one of the charges against the commander had been implemented, he asked in a stiff tone: "What, Senior Commander Wu has an opinion on my decision?" ”

Wu Ming nodded and said to Zhang Zhizhong:

"Commander, although the Japanese army has landed at the mouth of the Yangtze River, it is only the vanguard after all, since May, the defense fortifications such as Liuhe, Luodian, and Baoshan have been re-rested, and there are heavy troops stationed to defend them, plus our reinforcements continue to arrive, I judge that even in the worst-case scenario, we have five or six days to turn around. Therefore, I propose to immediately plunge our troops into the frontal battlefield and destroy the enemy entrenched in the city as quickly as possible. ”

Wu Ming raised his head, looked at Zhang Zhizhong with blazing eyes, and said in an unusually firm tone: "After continuous battles, the Japanese troops entrenched in the strongholds in the city are quite tired, if they can be solved in one fell swoop, then our group army can use the main forces to resist the landing force of the Japanese army on the first line of the Yangtze River estuary, and avoid fighting on two fronts." ”

Wu Ming's plan is very good, but if it is implemented, it is likely to cause heavy losses to Wu Ming's new Second Division, just like the 36th, 87th, and 88th Divisions.

Zhang Zhizhong stared at Wu Ming in some surprise, trying to find the answer from his eyes, but Wu Ming had nothing but fortitude and firmness in his eyes.