Wang Haitao glanced at everyone, and was about to continue to speak, when a voice came from the door: "Report!" Tang Longzai glanced up and shouted: "Come in!" The director of the confidential department at the door walked in, saluted Wang Haitao and the others, and said: "Report to the commander, the commander of the third regiment of the reconnaissance brigade Yao sent an urgent telegram." With that, he took out a telegram from the folder.

Wang Haitao took the telegram, put down the telegram with a serious expression after reading it a few times, turned around and came to the military map hanging on the wall behind him, and looked at it seriously. Everyone was stunned for a moment, Tang Longzai picked up the telegram and looked at it quickly, the telegram read: "According to the report of the reconnaissance group, the Japanese army has assembled more than 40,000 people from the 37th Division and a mixed brigade in Nanchang to reinforce the Japanese army in Zhangshu, and it is expected to reach Zhangshu County within two days." ”

After reading the telegram and handing it over to everyone for circulation, Tang Longzai also walked to Wang Haitao's side. Tang Longzai also felt a huge pressure, originally with a force of 15,000 troops against more than 50,000 Japanese troops, it was not easy to win, but now 40,000 reinforcements came over, and the difficulty doubled. Looking at Wang Haitao's serious expression, Tang Longzai couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Tang Longzai whispered to Wang Haitao: "Commander, are we going to tear a hole outside Zhangshu City before the Japanese reinforcements arrive, and after taking Tang Hongming and them out, we will withdraw first." Wang Haitao shook his head and replied: "Tang Hongming, they have little fuel left, even if they can withdraw from the city, the chariot can't run far, so many heavy artillery, chariots, and even the wounded, do they have to hand over to little Japan?"

Tang Longzai was stunned for a while and asked, "Commander, we only have 15,000 people, and we have little chance of winning against the Japanese army of nearly 100,000 horses." Wang Haitao thought for a while and said: "Not only our 15,000 people, but also more than 10,000 people of the Jurong Independent Brigade, plus Tang Hongming, how can there be more than 10,000 people? 40,000 people against nearly 100,000 Japanese troops, this battle is still fought!"

Tang Longzai and Wang Haitao whispered, and after everyone circulated the telegram, they also had a lot of discussions. Wang Haitao turned around and walked back to the conference table a few steps, and everyone stopped talking and turned their eyes to Wang Haitao again. Wang Haitao stood in front of the table and asked directly: "Director Tang, how is the ammunition reserve now? Especially heavy artillery shells?"

Tang Yizong stood up and replied: "Report to the commander, there are enough ammunition for light weapons, there are still five bases for ammunition for tanks and armored vehicles, and there are also five bases for artillery shells, only the number of shells for 130 heavy cannons is insufficient, and an average of only twenty anti-personnel explosive shells and five anti-personnel detonation shells for one gun." After hearing this, Wang Haitao waved his hand to signal him to sit down, and then asked Li Changwu: "Division Commander Li, how many shells are there for rocket artillery?"

Li Changwu stood up and replied, "Report to the commander, there are still two base shells for each cannon." Wang Haitao nodded and motioned for him to sit down. Wang Haitao continued: "Ladies and gentlemen, you have all read the telegram sent by the reconnaissance brigade, and I would like to stress here that we must fight this battle! Tang Hongming's troops must be rescued! We will launch an attack on the Japanese troops south of Zhangshu City early tomorrow morning, and the attack will begin on time at 8 o'clock tomorrow morning.

The 130 Heavy Cannon Regiment of the Tangshan Tigers was ready for artillery bombardment and waited for my order before opening fire. All the rest of the artillery opened fire at the same time, Division Commander Li, when the artillery fire was covered, the rocket artillery in your hand also fired a base number of shells at the same time, and you must inflict heavy losses on the Japanese troops south of the city! After the artillery fire was extended, the tanks of the armored regiment opened the way, and the three regiments of the 462nd Brigade were thrown into the attack in echelons. The reconnaissance regiment of the 211th Division served as a reserve. ”

When Wang Haitao gave the order, one of the officers stood up and responded loudly, then sat down. In the end, Wang Haitao asked everyone again if they had any opinions, and when they saw that everyone had no opinions, he announced the adjournment of the meeting. Everyone left and returned to their respective units to prepare for tomorrow's battle. Wang Haitao left the head of the confidential department and said to him: "You immediately send a telegram to Brigade Commander Huang of the Independent Brigade, telegraphing Brigade Commander Huang of the situation detected by the reconnaissance brigade and the start of the attack tomorrow morning, and ordering the Independent Brigade to pay close attention to the Japanese reinforcements when cutting off the communication between Fengcheng and Zhangshu, and if there are reinforcements, they must block it for 48 hours." ”

Wang Haitao is deploying troops here, and the Japanese army is not idle. In the temporary headquarters of the Japanese army outside the north gate of Zhangshu Castle, a military meeting convened by Lieutenant General Iide Tetsuzo, commander of the 32nd Division, was also underway. Unlike Wang Haitao, the Japanese officers were holding a meeting around a sand table model. Also present in the meeting room were the commanders of the three infantry wings of the 32nd Division, the commander of the field artillery wing, Lieutenant General Shunjiro Takeuchi, commander of the 116th Division, Yamada Takuro, chief of staff of the 116th Division, Yamada Takuro Osa, two infantry wing commanders of the 116th Division, Major General Harada Jiro, commander of the Harada Mixed Brigade, and Chief of Staff Fu Shengji Nakasa.

After Yoshida Eijiro Osa had introduced the basic situation of the Chinese army, Lieutenant General Iide Tetsuzo, the interim commander-in-chief of the Japanese forces in Zhangshu, began to speak. As soon as Lieutenant General Iide Tetsuzo came up, he told the story of the fiasco of the 22nd Division and the Kono Mixed Brigade in Xingan Prefecture, and rebuked Lieutenant General Oshirodo Sanji mercilessly, and then said: "Ladies and gentlemen, because of Oshiro-kun's stupid actions, we have suffered heavy losses in the strength of our army, which also proves that the combat effectiveness of this support army is extremely strong. Tomorrow, the Chinese army may launch an attack on our army, so please pay attention to this Chinese army and make every effort to attack it. ”

Lieutenant General Ide's words led to a discussion among the Japanese officers, and looking at everyone's somewhat nervous expressions, Lieutenant General Iide Tiezo smiled and said: "You don't have to be too nervous, according to the intelligence department, the total strength of the Shina army is only more than 10,000 people, and there has been a fierce battle with the 22nd Division, and only about 10,000 people can be put into the battlefield, and our army does not count the Harada mixed brigade in Fengcheng, there are more than 30,000 troops outside Zhangshu City, which is more than three times the number of the Shina army. Coupled with the air superiority and support of our army, it is not a problem to defeat the Chinese army. ”

Lieutenant General Iide's words made the atmosphere in the conference room relaxed again. Lieutenant General Iide Tetsuzo then said: "The Shina army will attack our army from the south tomorrow, and tomorrow my 32nd Division will meet the Shina army, Takeuchi-kun, your 116th Division will attack the Shina army in Zhangshu Castle from the north and east, even if you can't capture the city, you must make it impossible for the Shina army in the city to cooperate with the Shina army outside the city." At night, I will transfer the 32nd Infantry Wing at the east gate to the south gate, and the field artillery wing will also be transferred to the south of the city. ”

Lieutenant General Shunjiro Takeuchi also responded at this time: "Please rest assured, Iide-kun, the matter of attacking Zhangshu City will be handed over to my 116th Division, and I will immediately order the 138th Wing to go to the east gate to take over the position." Iide Tetsuzo nodded and said, "Yo Sai! After speaking, he said to Major General Harada Jiro: "Harada-kun, your brigade is waiting for the 70th Division and the Xiaojijiang mixed brigade to be reinforced from Nanchang in Fengcheng, and after meeting them, you will attack Zhangshu City." The 70th Division will rush to Fengcheng in two days. It is also important to pay attention to the guards of the prisoner-of-war camp, where there were not only several hundred prisoners of war in China, but also captured tanks and artillery in China. ”

Major General Harada Jiro replied, "Hey, please rest assured, I will definitely complete what Your Excellency has told me." Lieutenant General Iide Tetsuzo nodded reassuringly and asked everyone to prepare for tomorrow's battle. The movement of Japanese troops at night was not only discovered by the reconnaissance team sent by the reconnaissance regiment of the 211th Division, but also by the Jurong Independent Brigade. Soon, several pieces of information were sent to Wang Haitao overnight.

The Japanese army transferred troops from the east of the city to the south of the city, which was already expected by Wang Haitao, but Wang Haitao always felt that he had missed something when assigning tasks, but he couldn't remember it for a while. Wang Haitao, who had something on his mind, walked out of the tent and stood in the open space and looked at the night sky. Today's night is good, a full moon hangs high in the sky, dotted with stars dotted on the night, making the sky even more beautiful.

Wang Haitao had just stood for a while, Tang Longzai walked over, saw Wang Haitao standing outside the tent and asked, "Brother-in-law, are you also worried about tomorrow's battle?" Wang Haitao replied: "I'm not too worried about tomorrow's battle, our strength is there." I always felt that I missed something when assigning tasks, but I couldn't remember it all of a sudden, so I felt a little unsure. ”

Tang Longzai was about to comfort Wang Haitao for a few words, when a big bird flew through the air and let out a scream. When Wang Haitao saw the bird, he suddenly remembered what he had missed. So Wang Haitao immediately said to Tang Longzai: "Planes! Tomorrow the Japanese army is likely to send planes to help in the battle! Longzai, you immediately go and arrange tomorrow's air defense tasks, and the heavy artillery regiment and armored units as well as the 462nd Brigade must pay attention to air defense in tomorrow's battle!"

Tang Longzai agreed, and immediately went to the army to arrange air defense tasks overnight, while Wang Haitao stood there and couldn't help blaming himself. The unit's air defense has always done a good job, and this time Wang Haitao also came with a special air defense unit, and 30 37-mm twin antiaircraft guns mounted on trucks were the main air defense weapons.

It's just that there were no Japanese planes along the way, and everyone was a little negligent in air defense, and Wang Haitao was no exception. If it weren't for the fact that the sight of the birds made Wang Haitao think that he should pay attention to air defense tomorrow, once the Japanese planes came to help in the battle and were caught off guard, the troops might suffer considerable losses, which Wang Haitao could not accept. Therefore, Wang Haitao was secretly grateful to the bird that suddenly flew by.

The Japanese army not only strengthened its forces at the south gate, but also pointed a field artillery wing at itself, which would pose a huge threat to the 462nd Brigade and the armored regiment, so Wang Haitao decided to solve this field artillery wing at the first time. Other artillery units will be thrown into the bombardment of the Japanese army at the south gate, and the task of dealing with this field artillery wing will be completed by the 130 heavy cannon regiment.