In response to the Japanese artillery bombardment, Tang Yikuan also issued an order that all regiments and battalion-level units could use their mortars to return fire at the Japanese artillery, but they must be prepared for the attack of the Japanese heavy artillery. With this order, the second battalion first moved a dozen mortars from the battalion to the head of the city, and fired three rapid fires at the Japanese artillery positions when the Japanese artillery was in full swing.

These artillery soldiers of the 2nd Battalion were also battle-hardened soldiers, and they had a good understanding of the temper of the Japanese army, and after three rapid fires, they quickly changed their positions regardless of the results of the battle. These small-caliber mortars took less than a minute to fire three rapid fires, and they moved flexibly, so that the Japanese army simply did not have time to react.

Dozens of shells fell on the Japanese artillery positions one after another, and the Japanese artillery was also destroyed a lot, and the Japanese artillery fire was not as fierce as it was just now. Without the cover of artillery, an infantry brigade of the Japanese army still attacked in formation. Luo Dalong's second company position was originally the focus of the Japanese artillery fire, and the soldiers were also suppressed by the artillery fire and could not raise their heads, but now the Japanese artillery has weakened after being hit, and the soldiers of the second company are also ready to meet the enemy on the position.

An infantry brigade, excluding the heavy aircraft squadron and artillery squad that pressed the formation in the rear, also had eight or nine hundred people involved in the attack. The soldiers had the experience of the first attack, and at this time they advanced cautiously. Just like last time, when entering the range of 400 meters before entering the position, the sharpshooters at the head of the city also launched a sniper attack. As the soldiers continued to fall, the Japanese army also entered a range of 200 meters. At the same time, the positions were under full fire.

After half of the soldiers were killed, the Japanese attack also retreated. The Japanese then tried to attack by various means, including the use of chariots, but the defenders were repulsed one by one. In a whole day, the 101st Division launched five attacks, but it was never able to penetrate within 100 meters of the city wall, but the 101st Wing lost half of its officers and men.

The 101st Division of the Japanese Army, following the 5th Division, launched an attack on the defenders of Huaining County, but there was nothing they could do to take the defenders. For the simultaneous attack of the Japanese army on the river and the ground, Wang Haitao in Anqing City had already prepared. There is Laoshan Fortress on the river to block the Japanese ships, and there is Huaining County on the ground to block the Japanese attack, so Anqing City, as the rear, is calm.

Wang Haitao did not make much changes to Anqing City, because Wang Haitao knew that once Huaining County was lost, then there would be no point in defending Anqing, and the Japanese army could attack Jiujiang from the Qianshan and Taihu Lake. Therefore, Huaining County is the top priority, and for this reason, Wang Haitao did not hesitate to send the most elite 271st Brigade up. There were two brigades, the 271st Brigade and the 277th Brigade, in Huaining, and Wang Haitao believed that the Japanese army would not be able to capture Huaining County in a short period of time.

Just when Wang Haitao was always paying attention to the two positions of Laoshan Fortress and Huaining County, a bad news came from Chongqing. After the 24th Division of the Japanese Army was annihilated under Jiujiang City, the Japanese base camp again formed the 28th, 29th, and 33th Divisions, which were transported by the navy to Hangzhou to land, and along Jingdezhen and Leping, launched an attack on Nanchang City. Guarding Nanchang was the first corps of the famous general General Xue Yue, and the two sides fought fiercely for many days, and the Japanese army saw that they could not capture Nanchang in a hurry, and turned to the direction of Jiujiang again.

The Jiujiang garrison was the unit of General Zhang Fakui's Second Corps, and under the fierce attack of the Japanese army, Jiujiang gradually became overwhelmed. Chongqing called and asked Wang Haitao to prepare to give up the Anqing line and retreat to Jiujiang. Of course, Wang Haitao knew that once Jiujiang was lost, then the retreat of his 90th Army would be cut off, that is to say, his 90th Army would be surrounded by the Japanese army in the Anqing area, and then he would face the Japanese army from both sides.

Of course, if such a situation occurs, although it is said that the 90 th Army will be in an extremely unfavorable situation, it will not reach the point of desperation, and it will certainly be able to lead the 90 th Army to cross the Yangtze River from Anqing and return to the southern Anhui region again, but once he returns to the southern Anhui region, then he will no longer be able to join the Wuhan battlefield, and will he still have to abandon Wuhan as he did in history? But what should he do on the Jiujiang side? Wang Haitao, who was in a dilemma, put Su Zuxin in Anqing, Zhao Zhongwu and others all shouted together to discuss the next move of the 90th Army.

After thinking about the map for a long time, Su Zuxin said to Wang Haitao: "Military seat, in my opinion, our army should abandon Anqing City, leave Qianshan and Taihu two counties to block the Japanese Eleventh Army, and the main force is placed in Jiujiang City. Only by holding Jiujiang City can we have a way to retreat, and we will not be surrounded by the Japanese army and thus be attacked on both sides. In addition, the water network in the Jiujiang area is vertical and horizontal, and there is still the danger of Lushan Mountain on the land that can be used, and there is also Madang Fortress on the river that can be used, which is really more advantageous than defending Anqing. ”

Su Zuxin's words are really not far from Wang Haitao's thoughts, and now at the beginning of the Battle of Wuhan, Wang Haitao's 90th Army is asked to withdraw from the Wuhan battlefield, which Wang Haitao is extremely reluctant. But now Jiujiang is still garrisoned by General Zhang Fakui's Second Corps, and it is impossible for him to take over the pseudo-defense of Jiujiang without a military order, and the only things he can use now are the 279th Brigade and the 92nd Division of Yuexi County.

Considering that the possibility of retreating to Jiujiang is relatively large, Wang Haitao wants to send a force to Jiujiang City now, with this force here, at least when he retreats to Jiujiang, he will not be exploited by the Japanese army because he is too hasty. Thinking of this, Wang Haitao asked Zhao Meiling, the director of the confidential room, to call over. Wang Haitao said to Zhao Meiling: "Director Zhao, please send a telegram to Chongqing: our department will reinforce Jiujiang City in the near future, and the whole army is ready to retreat to Jiujiang." ”

After finishing speaking, Wang Haitao took the content of the message recorded by Zhao Meiling, looked at it and signed his name. Zhao Meiling took the message, saluted and withdrew. After Zhao Meiling left, Su Zuxin asked Wang Haitao: "Which unit is the military seat going to send to live in Jiujiang City?" Wang Haitao replied: "I am going to send Yuexi's 92nd Division to Jiujiang City, what does Chief of Staff Su think?"

Su Zuxin thought for a moment and replied: "It's no problem to send the 92nd Division to Jiujiang, but the question is what to do with Yuexi County after the 92nd Division leaves? Yuexi is also one of the targets of the Japanese army." Wang Haitao replied: "It doesn't matter how much Yuexi is there now, once our army withdraws from Anqing City, Yuexi will also give up." Before our army gave up Anqing, we should transfer the provisional 168th Division of Jinzhai to Yuexi. ”

Su Zuxin and Zhao Zhongwu both agreed with Wang Haitao's idea. Seeing that Su Zuxin and the others agreed to their own ideas, Wang Haitao asked his subordinates to send a telegram to the 92nd Division, asking the division commander Cheng Guangyao to rush to Anqing City immediately. While waiting for Cheng Guangyao to arrive, Chongqing called back and agreed that Wang Haitao would send a section of the 90th Army to reinforce Jiujiang City.

Two days later, Cheng Guangyao arrived at the headquarters of the 90th Group Army in Anqing City. When Wang Haitao saw Cheng Guangyao, Cheng Guangyao saluted Wang Haitao excitedly and said loudly: "Good military seat!" Last time Wang Haitao passed by Qianshan, the 91st Division was in Jinzhai and the 92nd Division was in Yuexi, and the two division commanders failed to meet Wang Haitao. Although Cheng Guangyao only joined the 90th Army during the defense of Nanjing, and got along with Wang Haitao for half a year in Nanjing, Cheng Guangyao had great respect for his small military lord.

Not only was Wang Haitao's ability to defend Nanjing during the war, but also Wang Haitao's behavior was even more admirable to Cheng Guangyao. Wang Haitao said to Cheng Guangyao with a smile: "Guangyao, I haven't seen you for a long time, you have brought the 92nd Division very well, your 92nd Division has made a lot of achievements in the past year, and I am also happy for you and proud of the 92nd Division." ”

Cheng Guangyao replied: "Junzuo, it is all because of your good teaching, and the selfless help of the brother troops, I Cheng Guangyao and the 92nd Division have today, and Guangyao does not dare to take credit." Wang Haitao said with a smile: "It mainly depends on your own efforts." I have invited you here today because I have something to discuss with you. Cheng Guangyao replied: "If there is something to do, just command, I will never give up my life!"

Wang Haitao first sat down Cheng Guangyao before saying: "Guangyao, Chongqing is calling, Jiujiang City is being attacked by the Japanese army from the direction of Jingdezhen, the form is not very good, I am worried that Jiujiang will be lost, then our army will be flanked by the Japanese army in front and back, and encircled in the Anqing area." For this reason, I have sent a telegram to Chongqing, requesting that troops be sent to reinforce Jiujiang City. Chongqing has agreed to my request, and after careful consideration, I have decided to send your 92nd Division to reinforce Jiujiang City first. And the rest of the troops will also slowly withdraw from Anqing City and turn to the Jiujiang area. ”

Cheng Guangyao replied: "Don't worry, I will go back immediately and lead the 92nd Division to reinforce Jiujiang City." Wang Haitao said again: "Guangyao, after your 92nd Division arrives in Jiujiang City, you must stick to Hukou County, I took the 93rd Division to completely annihilate the Japanese 24th Division in Hukou County this time, so the 93rd Division there is very familiar, this time I will send the 573rd Regiment of the 279th Brigade of the 93rd Division to Jiujiang with you, in addition, this time the armored regiment will also act with you." ”

Cheng Guangyao naturally had no objection to Wang Haitao's arrangement, and Wang Haitao and Cheng Guangyao agreed that the armored regiment and the 573rd regiment would act together after the convergence of Qianshan County and the 92nd Division. In the end, Wang Haitao said to Cheng Guangyao: "Guangyao, you came from afar, it stands to reason that I should invite you to have a good drink, but the war is tight, I can only send this wine first, and after this battle, I will make up for it, and then we will have a good drink." ”

After Cheng Guangyao left Anqing, Wang Haitao was thinking about retreating from Anqing, and if he wanted to withdraw from the Anqing area safely, how to confuse the Japanese army and make it temporarily stop the offensive became the key. Although it is a pity to abandon the Laoshan Fortress on the river, there is a stronger Madang Fortress available in the back, and with its own strength, as long as it is not as muddy as Li Yunheng, the commander of the Madang Fortress in history, it should not be a problem to defend the Madang Fortress for a long time.