Xia Yuan looked at the group and shook his head.

"If you don't use a good gun, it will rust sooner or later, and no matter how good the troops are, if they don't fight, they will not be able to show their due strength if they are so well equipped."

Regiment Commander Qiu looked at the soldiers in the guard platoon and said: "Good knife, you have to sharpen it often, I make a decision on this matter, Lao Qiu, you follow him with the guard platoon, his order is equivalent to my order." ”

Seeing this, Qiu Zhengfu did not refuse: "Yes!" ”

In this way, Xia Yuan left the temporary regimental headquarters of the 401st Regiment with an 'alternative bet' agreement with Commander Qiu, and a guard platoon with luxurious weapons and equipment.

Platoon Commander Zhao and the others were waiting outside, and several people were sitting on a broken gun.

"It's been so long, and there were gunshots just now, so there shouldn't be any problems." The scholar paced back and forth with some concern, and saw that the three of them were indifferent, "Platoon commander, you go and say something, or let's go in and have a look." ”

"Look at it, don't worry, it's absolutely fine." Platoon Commander Zhao looked relaxed, he was full of confidence in Xia Yuan, after all, that night, Xia Yuan was alone against the actions of the Japanese detachment, and he and Zheng Dayong both saw it.

Xia Yuan's combat effectiveness was the first time he had seen such a strong individual combat ability in his past few years in the army.

Don't say it's him, even if it's Company Commander Du, or even the commander of the recruit battalion, he may not have half of Xia Yuan's ability.

Platoon Commander Zhao trusts Xia Yuan and believes that Xia Yuan is the only one who can lead him to victory.

The scholar's worries were in vain, Xia Yuan came out along the deep alley, and when the scholar saw it, he immediately clapped his hands happily: "Come out, come out, and there is a group of soldiers behind." ”

The three of them couldn't sit still, they got up one by one, and looked towards the deep alley, Xia Yuan walked out, followed by a group of soldiers with luxurious weapons and equipment, the submachine guns that exuded color were a little dazzling, and several people looked at the regular army following Xia Yuan in amazement, whether it was the military uniforms on their bodies or the weapons and equipment on their bodies, they were far more luxurious than the new barracks.

Platoon Commander Zhao walked up to Xia Yuan and asked, "What's the situation?" They are."

Xia Yuan said calmly: "We have received a combat mission, the Japanese army has stationed a squad of troops in Qiao's house, and our task is to take Qiao's house, these are the support given to us by the regiment commander." ”

"What? Did I hear you right, are we going on a mission? ”

The scholar was a little confused, what was the situation, how to get in, they were going to the front line to carry out the mission, and the situation changed too quickly.

Everyone didn't know what was going on, so Xia Yuan told the story again.

Platoon Commander Zhao asked, "Why don't you refuse?" ”

Xia Yuan shook his head: "We have entered the regimental headquarters of other people, can we solve the problem if we refuse?" Maybe one side refused, and the other side we were arrested, saying that we were deserters, and we even had a hundred mouths, and we couldn't tell. ”

Thinking about it carefully, what Xia Yuan said made sense.

"I just escaped death, and now I'm going back." Platoon Commander Zhao looked a little bored, he was not afraid of death, but he didn't want to die in a daze, escaping death gave him a feeling of the rest of his life, and now he turned around and went back, naturally a little unhappy in his heart.

"I applied to Head Qiu, you can choose to stay, I can just go by myself." Xia Yuan glanced at a few people and said, "Head Qiu said that he will take care of you, and with Head Qiu, you should retreat to the area around Jiading for rest." ”

"What about you?" The scholar asked.

"I still have to stay, the war is not over, and there is no point in me going back." Xia Yuan said in a deep voice: "The battlefield is my destination. ”

The four of them were a little silent and looked at each other.

Platoon Commander Zhao said: "Stay a fart, if it weren't for you, would we be able to come back alive, Zheng Dayong, if Xia Yuan hadn't eliminated Little Japan last night, would you still be alive to see me?" Where are you now, there are scholars, Niu Hai, no Xia Yuan, just rely on the two of you to survive on the battlefield? ”

Everyone thought about it and shook their heads.

The scholar gritted his teeth: "I can't live, the Japanese devils have blocked us in the house, if it weren't for Brother Xia Yuan and the squad leader, we would have died by now, this life was given by Brother Xia Yuan, I want to go!" ”

"I'll go too!"

The dozens of people in the guard platoon looked at them and admired them in their hearts, and it could be seen from the conversation of these people that these people were all saved by Xia Yuan alone, if it weren't for Xia Yuan, it is estimated that they would all die on the battlefield.

"Then let's go, I'll take you back alive."

There was nothing to say, Xia Yuan didn't say so much nonsense, walked to Li Wan, who was squatting in the corner, and asked, "What are your plans, do you follow us, or stay here and wait for your company commander." ”

Li Wan thought for a moment, glanced at the well-armed guard platoon, and listened to Xia Yuan continue: "We are going to carry out a mission. ”

"I'll stay here."

After speaking, Li Wan fell silent.

Xia Yuan didn't force the other party, being able to go to the battlefield had already proved the other party's courage, and turned to Qiu Zhengfu and said, "Let's go." ”

Back on the road, they headed in the direction of Luodian, here is basically a large plain, there are no mountains, the ground is very gentle, the woods are rooted in the plain one by one, the air is filled with the smell of gunsmoke, the sky has no sun, shrouded by dark clouds, as far as the eye can see, the muddy road is winding, there are soldiers of the national army are collecting the bodies of dead soldiers on the road, the number of retreating national soldiers along the way is very large, scattered, routed, and depressed.

Luodian was occupied by the Japanese army for a period of time, they launched several attacks on the Japanese army in Luodian, all of which ended in failure, many people were killed and wounded, and the continuous defeats affected the emotions of many people, and the feelings of loss and defeat spread in the army, coupled with the officers' scolding of the soldiers of the national army, resulting in the national army, which was not strong in combat, almost lost its combat effectiveness.

This is not uncommon in any army.

The well-equipped guard platoon attracted a lot of defeated stragglers, who looked at the unit in front of them, stared at them for a long time, and then put it down.

"These are all soldiers of the 401st Regiment, last night's offensive did not make effective progress, the troops suffered too many casualties, and they had no choice but to withdraw from the battle." Qiu Zhengfu's voice was a little deep, "It's not their fault, the Japanese army's firepower equipment is too fierce, a Japanese squad holding its position is equipped with two heavy machine guns and several light machine guns, and the firepower completely crushes us." ”

The Japanese army was equipped with 37-mm anti-tank guns, also known as 37-mm flat-firing guns, even at night, as long as the machine guns on the side of the national army rang out, and saw the flames flickering at the muzzle, the flat-fire guns would fire a shell to knock out the machine gun fire points of the national army.

Xia Yuan glanced at Qiu Zhengfu and was somewhat surprised.

However, Qiu Zhengfu did not know enough about the battlefield situation and the Japanese devils, but there was no firepower to crush or not crush, the national army was also equipped with a lot of Czech type, and the number of the national army also occupied an overwhelming advantage, the Japanese army had artillery and air force, as well as the means to deal with the national army's firepower points, while the national army did not have the means to deal with the Japanese army's firepower points.

The most important thing is that the wrong decision-making and wrong combat plan at the top level are the reasons for the final failure of this battle.

He did not deny the bravery of the Gui army, but in the absence of strong firepower, it was obviously wrong to take the method of breaking through in the center, especially in such a situation of fighting on the plains and with few bunkers, it was a very stupid act to launch a lifeless charge against the Japanese position.

Of course, he is evaluating the present from the perspective of the future, and in the future, this is indeed the case.

Wrong battle plans, wrong decisions, plus various subtle problems such as supply and troop replenishment, the failure of the battle is doomed.

After walking for about ten minutes, a group of wounded soldiers came in front of him, and Platoon Commander Zhao's voice interrupted Xia Yuan's thoughts.

"Company Commander Xu!"

"Why are you here?"

Xia Yuan glanced at it, it was actually Company Commander Xu and their eighth company, and the speed of the thirty-odd people was not fast, and they only came here after stopping and stopping.

Company Commander Xu looked at their group, his eyes fell on the guard platoon behind Xia Yuan, each with a submachine gun, obviously not an ordinary unit, he suddenly remembered the guard platoon next to the regiment commander, and his face showed an expression of disbelief.

"We're on a mission." Xia Yuan stepped forward and accosted Company Commander Xu, "Company Commander Xu, if you walk along this road for another half an hour, you will see a village, and the 401st Regiment will rest in the village for a while. ”

"Okay." Company Commander Xu heard that the other party was on a mission, answered, and didn't ask too much.

"Company Commander Xu, do you know this place in Qiao's house?" Xia Yuan suddenly asked.

"Qiao's house! Are you going to Qiao's house on a mission? Company Commander Xu was taken aback, and immediately thought of something: "It's me who is too talkative." ”

Xia Yuan's heart moved: "Company Commander Xu, this mission is not secret, the task we received is to attack the Japanese army in Qiao's house." ”

Lian Commander Xu said: "The situation in Qiao's house is very complicated. ”

Qiu Zhengfu listened and asked, "Company Commander Xu knows a lot about the situation in Qiao's house?" ”

Company Commander Xu glanced at Qiu Zhengfu, and when he saw the other party's clothes, he knew that it was extraordinary, so he asked, "This is?"

Xia Yuan said: "His surname is Qiu, and he is the platoon leader of Qiu's personal guard platoon." ”

Company Commander Xu's eyes were slightly condensed, and he said truthfully: "Chief Qiu, I won't tell you, our company is one of the ones attacking Qiao's house, and the Japanese army has built very tight fortifications in Qiao's house, and without heavy weapons, you people can't get in." ”

"Company Commander Xu, you are very familiar with the situation over there, why don't you take us over." Xia Yuan remembered that Company Commander Xu had said that when he had the opportunity, he would return to the battlefield to fight the Japanese devils and avenge his dead brothers.

And right now, it's that opportunity.

Company Commander Xu thought for a while and nodded: "Okay, I'll go and explain to them." ”

After a while, Company Commander Xu came back with a few uninjured soldiers, "Li Wan is still in the village, I asked the wounded to go first and go to find Li Wan, these are all uninjured, there are many people and great strength." ”

A few grizzled soldiers, carrying a few broken guns, had few bullets left on their bodies, and the grenades on their waists were exhausted, so he took the grenades off his body and stuffed them into the other party.

"Little Japanese devil's grenade, will you use it?"

"Yes." A soldier smiled.

Xia Yuan nodded and said to Company Commander Xu: "Aren't you afraid that I will kill your soldiers?" ”

"I'm afraid of eggs, if I'm really afraid, I won't take them with me."

Company Commander Xu smiled and didn't say anything more, Regiment Commander Qiu handed over the personal guard platoon to the other party's command, which shows how much Regiment Commander Qiu trusts Xia Yuan, and what are his own people.

"Qiao's house is a very deep house, there are many houses around, all of which have been transformed into military fortresses by the Japanese army, and machine guns are placed in these houses, which can form crossfire and control the three streets of Qiao's house, which is easy to defend and difficult to attack."

"Qiao's house has two floors, higher than the surrounding houses, and the firepower of the Japanese devils can strafe condescendingly, we fought for two hours in a row, and there were heavy casualties, and only more than 30 people were left."

On the way, Company Commander Xu gave Xia Yuan and Qiu Zhengfu a brief description of the situation in Qiao's house: "When we even went to fight, two companies had already come down, and they all failed, with heavy casualties, and we didn't even touch the front street of the Japanese devils. ”

Cross fire, condescending, only three streets can attack Qiao's house, in the absence of effective firepower, the Japanese army held this place, it was really easy to defend and difficult to attack.

It is necessary to conduct a field survey of the battlefield before the next offensive plan can be determined.

Xia Yuan said: "Let's take a look and make a decision." ”

Qiu Zhengfu asked: "You don't have a rough plan of action?" ”

"To be honest, there is no complete offensive plan yet." Xia Yuan shook his head.

Qiu Zhengfu and Xu Lian were speechless, and they didn't even have an attack plan, so they rushed over, which was too hasty.

"The situation on the battlefield is changing all the time, and no matter how well prepared you are, you can't cope with the sudden situation and respond to all changes."

Qiu Zhengfu and Company Commander Xu felt that what Xia Yuan said made some sense, but they always felt weird.

The sky was gray, and a roar was heard from far away in the sky, and the Japanese planes launched a fierce bombardment of the Nationalist troops holding the defensive line, and there was a roar everywhere, the houses were blown up, and the already broken ruins were almost crushed into powder under the artillery fire, and the attacking Nationalist troops suffered huge casualties.

The situation became worse for the soldiers of the 18th Brigade of the 6th Division.

The direction of Qiao's house.

The Nationalist army launched several attacks on the Japanese troops stationed here, all of which ended in failure, and the Japanese relied on impregnable fortified fortresses to block the three streets of the attack with light and heavy firepower, and it was not an easy task to pass through the enemy's fire blockade line.

The attack on Qiao's house was a reinforced company of the 18th Brigade, with more than 200 men and nine Czech light machine guns. (End of chapter)