At 4 o'clock in the afternoon, as soon as Zhu Xia left, Xu Shijiu received a call from Han Xianyuan, the colonel of the 524th Regiment of the 88th Division.

With a scar, they waited outside the gate for a long time, a truck slowly drove along Xinmin Road, followed by the Central Army of the four-way column, the team looked too long from a distance, not to mention the strength of a battalion, the truck crunched and stopped at the gate, where the door opened, Han Xianyuan had already jumped down.

"Brother Han Soul, we meet again."

"Brother Xianyuan, I can be regarded as looking forward to you."

Han Xianyuan opened his arms and hugged Xu Shijiu vigorously, looking extremely affectionate.

Two more lieutenant colonel officers jumped out of the truck compartment, and one of them, a thin officer with a cold expression, whispered to the other heroic-looking officer, "Brother Jin Yuan, who is this person?" Worthy of the Tuanza brothers? ”

"Brother Chongwu, although you have not participated in the 128th Shanghai Anti-Japanese War, you must have heard of the name of the Nine Lives Cat from others, right?" The heroic-looking officer whispered, "This person is the Nine Lives Cat, let me tell you this, if it weren't for his bad background, he would definitely be one of the four regiment commanders of the 88th Division." ”

"He's the Cat of Nine Lives?" The officer was stunned when he heard this, and when he was about to ask again, the regimental seat had already led the security captain forward, so he hurriedly pulled the hem of his military uniform to meet him.

"Brother Han Soul, let me introduce you." Han Xianyuan pointed to the two lieutenant colonel officers and said to Xu Shijiu, "This is my regimental deputy Xie Jinyuan, this is Han Chongwu, the commander of the 1st Battalion. ”

"Deputy Xie Tuan, Battalion Commander Han, it's a pleasure." Xu Nineteen bowed his hands, but Han Chongwu and Xie Jinyuan saluted with a snap, but it can be seen that Xie Jinyuan's salute came from the heart, while Han Chongwu was perfunctory.

After a brief hustle, the group turned around and walked inside, and Han Xianyuan asked Xu Shijiu as he walked: "Brother Han Soul, you have also received the military order for the general attack at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, right?" ”

Xu 19 smiled and replied: "The junior brother has received a military order from the headquarters of the regiment, and at ten o'clock tomorrow morning, cooperate with the 1st Battalion of your regiment to attack the enemy in front of Baoshan Road and North Sichuan Road along Xinmin Road. ”

Han Chongwu's face showed a look of pride, but Scar and the others looked displeased.

Han Xianyuan waved his hand and said disapprerovingly: "Brother Han Soul, you are too modest, how to cooperate with the attack, although our 88th Division is better equipped than your security regiment, but when it comes to fighting devils, the little brother is far worse than you, you and I will discuss, hehe." After that, Han Xianyuan turned back to Han Chongwu and said, "Battalion Commander Han, you must listen to Captain Xu's advice more tomorrow." ”

"Yes!" Although Han Chongwu was very unimpressed, he had to agree on the surface.

Han Xianyuan's trip was actually to coordinate the command and subordination between the 19th Brigade and Han Chongwu's battalion, he was originally worried that Xu 19 would rely on his old qualifications and not take Han Chongwu seriously, but it turned out that he was completely overly concerned, Xu 19 not only did not shirk the slightest, but even offered to obey Han Chongwu's reprimand.

Everything went well, and Han Xianyuan left after staying for less than half an hour.

Xu 19 ordered the 19th Brigade to vacate half of the barracks, and gave up his brigade headquarters to Han Chongwu as the headquarters, Han Chongwu did not be polite to Xu 19, and generously occupied the brigade headquarters of the 19th Brigade, and ordered the 19th Brigade to boil hot water for the feet of more than 600 officers and soldiers of the 1st Battalion, so as to relieve fatigue and restore physical strength as much as possible.

After Han Chongwu soaked his feet, Xu Shijiu asked tentatively: "Battalion Commander Han, ...... this battle tomorrow?"

Han Chongwu looked sideways at Xu Shijiu and said lightly, "Does Captain Xu have any high opinions?" ”

"I don't dare to think about it." Xu Shijiu smiled and said, "But I think, is it to conduct a reconnaissance of the Japanese army at night?" First find out the firepower of the Japanese army, and then formulate a detailed offensive ...... according to the firepower of the Japanese army."

"Targeted offensive jihua?" Han Chongwu coldly interrupted Xu Shijiu, "It's too much to take for granted, right?" The situation on the battlefield is changing rapidly, we have reconnoitred tonight, and the Japanese army will not make adjustments tomorrow? Besides, the Japanese army has a large number of combat vehicles as mobile fortresses, how to determine the firepower configuration of the Japanese army? It's just whimsical. ”

Xu Jiu frowned and said, "Battalion Commander Han, it is true that the firepower of the Japanese tanks cannot be mastered, but at least we must find out the specific location of the Japanese machine gun nest, otherwise it will increase a large number of unnecessary casualties." ”

"There's no need for that, it's better to have a good night's sleep and get enough physical strength." Han Chongwu said this, and then said coldly, "Captain Xu, I know that you have participated in the 128th Shanghai Anti-Japanese War and have performed well on the battlefield, but five years have passed, and everything is very different.

Speaking of equipment, our 88th Division is no longer what it used to be, what did we have five years ago? What now? From 150mm heavy howitzers, to 20mm guns, to 37mm anti-aircraft guns, 150mm mortars and 75mm field guns, we have everything.

In a few days, our tank battalion will also drive to Shanghai.

And I've already sent people to reconnoiter during the day, isn't it just a few heavy machine gun nests welded with steel plates? Pull out the battle defense artillery and hit a few shells, and it will be all reimbursed! ”

Xu Shijiu patiently persuaded: "Battalion Commander Han, it's best to reconnoitre......"

"Okay, Captain Xu, do you need to pay for it?" Han Chongwu interrupted Xu Shijiu again, and said disapprovingly, "How many devil soldiers are there in the whole of Shanghai?" So as soon as the long defense line is spread, we will die in front of the hundred and tenth, such a small number of troops, it is not enough to give us 1 battalion to plug the gaps, Captain Xu, you just wait to capture the prisoners. ”

"What, take prisoners?" Xu Shijiu was stunned when he heard this, and he couldn't speak anymore.

This Han battalion commander is really not ordinary arrogance, thinking that with the newly redressed German ordnance, he can really not take the Japanese army in his eyes? He still wants to capture the prisoners of the Japanese army, doesn't he know that the 128 Shanghai War of Resistance lasted for two months, killing and wounding more than 5,000 Japanese soldiers, but he was stunned that he didn't catch a single prisoner?

Seeing Han Chongwu leave, Xu Shijiu hurriedly grabbed the phone and wanted to call the Songhu Garrison Headquarters.

The phone was connected, it happened to be Zhu Xia over there, and Xu Shijiu said: "Old Zhu, there is a situation I have to report to you, I found that there is a very serious idea of underestimating the enemy within the Central Army, and you had better report it to the Beijing-Shanghai Garrison Command, otherwise, I am worried that if the war starts tomorrow, the Central Army will suffer a big loss." ”

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Nanxiang Guyi Garden, Beijing-Shanghai Garrison Headquarters.

In fact, it is now the headquarters of the 9th Group Army, because just now, Chairman Chiang has issued an order to organize the 9th Group Army with the 87th, 88th, and 36th Divisions and the 20th Independent Brigade under the Beijing-Shanghai Garrison Command as the backbone, with General Zhang Zhizhong as the commander-in-chief of the group army and Major General Tong Yuanliang as the chief of staff.

Tong Yuanliang hurriedly walked into the war room and said to Zhang Zhizhong: "General, there is a situation that needs attention, just now Zhu Xia, chief of staff of the Songhu Garrison Command, reported to me that there is a very serious idea of underestimating the enemy within the 88th Division, and I think it is best to summon a meeting of the chief officers above the group overnight to curb this dangerous sign. ”

"Summoning a meeting of the chief officials above the group?" Zhang Zhizhong frowned and said, "Is this necessary?" ”

Tong Yuanliang said: "General seat, humble duty thought it was very necessary, since the change of German weapons, the 87th Division, the 88th Division and the 36th Division are indeed filled with an atmosphere of arrogance, thinking that equipped with German ordnance, you can fight all over the world invincible, this kind of thinking if you don't brake, wartime is likely to cause a catastrophe." ”

"But the big war is coming, I'm afraid it's not appropriate to let the commander-in-chief above the regiment leave the command post, right?" Zhang Zhizhong pondered for a moment, and then said, "In this way, you call the commanders of the division, brigade, and regiment one by one, and warn them to pay attention to it, and they must not underestimate the enemy's carelessness, and they must fight the first battle tomorrow. ”

"It's fine." Tong Yuanliang had no choice but to call one by one.

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Aug. 14 at 9 a.m.

More than 600 officers and men of the 1st Battalion of the 524th Regiment have all entered the attack position, worthy of the Central Army, more than 600 officers and soldiers rested against the walls on both sides of the street, the whole street was a dead silence, without a trace of noise, and the commander of the 1st Battalion, Han Chongwu, and his guards were already holding German-style steel helmets and standing behind the barricades in the front.

At the same time, the Nationalist troops responsible for attacking various strongholds such as Hujiang University, Gongda Yarn Factory, Naval Club, Naval Playground, Zhizhi University, Hongkou Park, Japanese Tomb Mountain, and Bazi Bridge also entered their respective attack positions.

On the south bank of the Suzhou Creek, the roofs of the Western-style houses in the public concession area were already crowded with Westerners in Shanghai and prominent figures from all walks of life in Shanghai, and several main streets such as Sichuan Road, Henan Road, and Yanhe Road were even more crowded with Shanghai citizens, who were either nervously concerned or coldly watched, quietly waiting for the coming of the war.

At 9:30 a.m., a huge roar suddenly sounded in the western sky, and when the citizens of Shanghai, who had taken refuge in the public concession on the south bank of the Suzhou Creek, looked up one after another, they saw a group of black-pressed fighter planes that had broken through the clouds and flew over Shanghai.

"Look, the Chinese Air Force is our Chinese Air Force!"

Tens of thousands of Shanghai citizens immediately cheered, and in the midst of the tsunami-like cheers, more than a dozen Chinese warhawks were divided into three squadrons, three of which swooped down towards the Japanese Navy headquarters and the Huishan wharf, while the remaining eight bombers continued to roar forward and plunged directly at the Japanese Navy's 3rd Fleet anchored at the mouth of the Huangpu River.

With a loud scream, six 250-pound bombs fell from the sky.

In the next moment, several huge puffs ......of smoke and dust rose from the Japanese Navy Headquarters at the intersection of North Sichuan Road and Duolun Road and the Huishan Wharf on the Bund in Shanghai.

At the same time, the 48 howitzers of the 8th Artillery Regiment and the 10th Artillery Regiment also began to shell the Japanese Navy Headquarters, the Gongda Yarn Mill, Hujiang University, the Navy Playground, the Navy Club, the Huishan Wharf, and other major Japanese strongholds.