Taiyuan.

The headquarters of the First Army.

Before dawn, Yoshio Shinozuka got up, and after washing, he suddenly became interested, and wanted to practice a wave of swordsmanship in his busy time.

Kazuki Yamamoto, who has the strongest sword skills, went to the front line of Nakajo Mountain.

Chief of Staff Kusuyama Hideyoshi went to the 37th Division.

Therefore, Yoshio Shinozuka casually brought a combat staff officer to accompany him to practice swordsmanship.

This combat staff officer's name was Fujimura Nobuyoshi, and seeing that the commander's interest was so high, he had no choice but to train with the commander.

Both sides used bamboo knives and protective gear, which attracted many onlookers from the First Army Headquarters.

The two of them look at each other, which means that the sparring begins.

Yoshio Shinozuka took the lead in attacking, and after slapping Fujimura Nobuyoshi obliquely, he didn't give the other party a chance to breathe, and launched fierce attacks one after another.

Fujimura Nobuyoshi hurriedly swung his sword to block, and after only a few moves, he was a little overwhelmed.

Although there is a saying that the fist is afraid of the young and strong, Fujimura Nobuyoshi found that the commander's sword skills were like a perfect fire, and the offensive was extremely tricky.

So, Nobuyoshi Fujimura took out ten successful forces and counterattacked in defense.

But he was still defeated, and the bamboo knife in his hand was picked off, and then the bamboo knife in Yoshio Shinozuka's hand was already against his throat.

Seeing this scene, the onlookers applauded.

Because the First Army was defeated in successive battles with the Eighth Road, Yoshio Shinozuka's authority in the First Army had fallen to the bottom.

However, the Battle of the Central Plains launched by the First Army this time first deceived the Central Army and the Eighth Route Army with suspicious tactics, and then attacked the Central Army with a blitzkrieg, achieving great results in a short period of time.

made Yoshio Shinozuka's prestige in the First Army rise a little.

It picked up somewhat, but not completely.

Unless Yoshio Shinozuka commanded the First Army to defeat the Central Army, and then immediately after the defeat of the Eighth Road, his prestige could return to the peak.

However, these devil officers don't know that Yoshio Shinozuka has received an order to retire.

"Your Excellency General's sword cultivation is profound, and it is not inferior to Beichen's sword flow back then!"

Nobuyoshi Fujimura said with an admiring expression on his face.

"Fujimura-kun has won the prize."

Yoshio Shinozuka is modest on his lips, but there is a touch of smugness on his face, and his comprehension of sword techniques has indeed improved greatly during this time.

If I had to describe it in one word, it would be epiphany.

Yoshio Shinozuka said again: "Kendo is not only a technique, but also an art, Fujimura-kun, as long as you devote yourself to practice, your kendo cultivation will become the same as mine, or even surpass me." ”

"Hey!" Fujimura Nobuyoshi bowed his head reluctantly, "Thank you for the teachings of Your Excellency the General, Fujimura must remember it in your heart." ”

Yoshio Shinozuka waved his hand, picked up a towel on the side and wiped his sweat.

At this moment, communications staff officer Toshimatsu Kasai pinched the telegram, hurriedly walked over, bowed his head again with both feet, and said: "Report to the general, Lieutenant General Nanshan of the 37th Division is in an emergency!" ”

Yoshio Shinozuka said: "Read! ”

"Hey!"

Kasai Toshimatsu took the telegram and read it: "The main force of the Eighth Route in the southeast of Jin Province went south this morning and exchanged fire with the 37th Division, and the Eighth Route Offensive was extremely fierce, with no less than 30,000 people!" ”

"Nani?"

"The number of the eight roads is not less than 30,000?"

When Yoshio Shinozuka heard this, his tone suddenly rose, and his face changed slightly.

If it was a 30,000-strong Central Army or the Jin Sui Army, Yoshio Shinozuka would not have the slightest change in expression and voice at all.

However, the 30,000-strong Eighth Route Army should not only not be underestimated, but should be greatly valued.

Because in the last sweeping operation, the 8th Route of 30,000 people severely damaged 2 elite divisions of the Japanese army.

If it was the 30,000 Eighth Route led by Li Yunlong who went south, then the situation of the 37th Division might not be good.

I really didn't expect that now the Eighth Route Army in the southeast of Jin Province could still muster together 30,000 main forces to attack the 37th Division in the south.

I'm afraid this is all the main force of the Eighth Route Army in the southeast of Jinjin, at this time, if you order the 2nd Guards Division to go south, will it get a miraculous effect?

"Hey!"

Yoshio Shinozuka thought thoughtfully.

Kasai Toshimatsu continued: "Not only the main force of 30,000 Eighth Routes in Xiangyuan and Licheng, but also the scouts and intelligence officers of the Imperial Army in the area of Heshun County have sent back news that there is a main force of no less than 30,000 people on the Eighth Road, which is heading north along the Heliao Highway, carrying heavy equipment, and the target should be the Zhengtai Railway. ”

"Nani?"

"There are still 30,000 main forces on the way north?"

Yoshio Shinozuka raised his voice when he heard this, threw away his armor and bamboo knife, and hurried towards the battle hall.

Coming to the battle hall, Yoshio Shinozuka asked in a hurried tone, "Where did the scout find the Eighth Road to the north?" ”

A 30,000-way main force is already extremely difficult, and there is an additional 30,000-way main force, making Yoshio Shinozuka a head bigger than two.

The good mood when I woke up in the morning disappeared without a trace.

"Here!"

Toshimatsu Kasai pointed out the location of the Eighth Route Army on the map.

The base area of the Taihang Military Region was in a north-south direction like the Taihang Mountain, and the brigade commander led the 1st Column of Taihang to the north, and it took a night of rapid marching before leaving the scope of the base area.

Therefore, the news that the devil scout found out that the main force of the Eighth Route was heading north did not come until the morning.

In the past, when the Eighth Route Army went to the Zhengtai Railway to engage in side business, it was all small units of troops going north, and they all took small roads or detours.

This time, in addition to the more than 30,000 main forces, there were also more than 20,000 militiamen, a total of nearly 60,000 people.

Yoshio Shinozuka's brows suddenly frowned, where did the main force of the Eighth Route come out of so many people?

Could it be that in the last sweeping operation, the Eighth Route did not lose personnel and equipment?

"Your Excellency, there is another strange situation."

"The two groups of imperial army intelligence officers and scouts arranged by the headquarters on the Baijin Line have lost contact with the Ministry of Communications."

Just as Yoshio Shinozuka was thinking, Toshimatsu Kasai said again.

"Lost contact?"

Yoshio Shinozuka raised his eyebrows: "How often did they contact the Ministry of Communications, and when was the last time they were contacted?" ”

Kasai Toshimatsu said: "Contact once every six hours, the last contact was at 12 midnight last night, and I should contact the Ministry of Communications at 6 o'clock this morning, but the Ministry of Communications has not received a telegram from them reporting the situation so far." ”

Yoshio Shinozuka stared at the Washun area on the map and shifted his gaze to the left until the area of the Hakujin line.

Suddenly, his heart was beating suddenly.

From the Baijin line to Qixian, Taigu and Taiyuan, there were no Japanese troops defending this area.

If at this juncture, there is a main force of the Eighth Route going north along the Baijin line, it can directly threaten Taiyuan.

"General, are you worried that the Eighth Route will besiege Taiyuan?"

"The main force of the Eighth Route in the southeast of Jin should have poured out, and there should be no extra troops going north to attack Taiyuan."

Operations staff officer Nobuyoshi Fujimura analyzed.

After the chief of staff, Hideyoshi Kusuyama, was transferred, these operational staff officers around him had a little more say power.

If Kusuyama Hideyoshi is still there, they won't have the right to speak at all.

Yoshio Shinozuka shook his head and said, "Theoretically, this possibility cannot be ruled out. ”

"Suppose that there are 50,000 to 60,000 main forces on the Eighth Road, and the Eighth Road in the area of Xiangyuan and Licheng is the main force, and in the north in the Heshun area, if the militia of the Eighth Road wears the military uniform of the main force..."

"Then there are still 2 to 30,000 left, and the main force of the Eighth Route is likely to have already gone north from the Baijin Line."

After thinking about it, the staff officers really had this possibility, after all, it was not the first time that the Eighth Route changed its military uniform to engage in tactical deception.

Then, Yoshio Shinozuka ordered: "The 32nd Sentai of the Kwantung Army Flying Brigade has been transferred to cooperate with the 37th Division and the 2nd Guards Division, and the bombers and fighters will immediately find the Eighth Route Artillery Unit in the Heshun area and destroy it immediately!" ”

"In addition, send all the reconnaissance planes to reconnoiter along the Baijin Line, and report immediately once you find the traces of the Eight Roads!"

"Hey!" Toshimatsu Kasai paused, then walked out.

This was just his speculation, and he was not sure that the Eighth Route would have to go north to attack Taiyuan.

At this time, the old devil was in a dilemma, if the 2nd Guards Division was transferred back to Taiyuan from the Zhengtai Railway, he would definitely be able to hold Taiyuan.

However, if the 2nd Guards Division is transferred, it will be equivalent to giving up the Zhengtai Railway to the Eighth Road, and the Eighth Road, after destroying the Zhengtai Railway, will definitely continue to go north to destroy the Beitongpu Railway.

If the two key railway transportation lines of Zhengtai and Beitongpu were destroyed by the Eighth Road, the impact on the Battle of the Central Plains would be very fatal.

When logistical supplies are interrupted and the troops on the front line are short of supplies, the results of the battle will be greatly reduced.

The old devil naturally would not give up the opportunity to retire honorably so easily.

It was uncertain whether the Eighth Route Army would attack Taiyuan, and Yoshio Shinozuka did not dare to transfer the 2nd Guards Division back easily.

The 37th Division suffered heavy losses last time because the troops were too scattered, and the first batch of only more than 5,000 people entered the base area of the Eighth Route Army, and the other 5,000 were the Imperial Allied Army.

The 2nd Guards Division was heavily damaged because of an ambush and mysterious air support.

With strong air support and frontal combat, Yoshio Shinozuka did not believe that the main force of the 30,000 Eighth Route Army could really defeat an elite division of the Japanese army.

With the order of the old devil is given.

Fighters, bombers, and reconnaissance planes of the 32nd Sentai of the Kwantung Army at the Xinxiang airfield in Henan Province quickly took off.

Divided into 3 battle formations, 1 part flew in the direction of Xiangyuan and Licheng, 1 part flew towards the Baijin line, and 1 part flew towards the Heshun area.

The 2nd Taihang Column led by the division commander had already engaged in a full-scale exchange of fire with the 37th Division.

Although the first wave of raids took advantage of the Eighth Route Army.

However, because this time it was facing a whole division of the Japanese army, and the Japanese army was in a defensive position, it built fortifications in advance for the Eighth Route Army.

Coupled with the fact that the old devil Nanshan Hideyoshi is not easy to deal with, and the air support of the devil, even if the Eighth Route Army has an advantage, there is no way to solve the battle in a short time.

On the brigade commander's side, before dawn, the brigade commander ordered two artillery regiments to quickly hide the artillery and shells.

The devil fighters and bombers searched for a few turns but could not find them, ran out of fuel and flew south.

On Li Yunlong's side, all the troops were hidden in the leafy woods that had been reconnoitred in advance by the Sword Squadron, and the soldiers who slept during the day had grass rings on their heads and were covered with branches and weeds.

The concealment is good.

Even low-altitude reconnaissance planes are difficult to detect.