Rise from eight hundred.

"Current situation in North China" Xiangyue Qingshi paused while holding the teacup, and turned his gaze to the faintly smiling Shan Shanyuan.

"Mr. Qingshi, but it's okay to say, you are the number one general of our army, and you have tens of thousands of elite soldiers under your command. I will give your opinion a lot of consideration." Shan Shanyuan picked up his teacup and took a sip of tea.

"Then I'll just say it directly." Xiangyue Qingshi's eyes flashed decisively.

He knew that this was not his last chance, but it was also a chance to be among this dependable candidate.

The last one in the ranking was summoned by the commander of the new department. It was the one who beat him and expressed his dissatisfaction with the conflicts with him during his tenure in the indoor shroud. This is a risk in the eyes of ordinary people, but risks often also indicate opportunities. .

Getting along badly with the previous commander is itself an opportunity. The new leader will never reuse someone who was too close to the previous commander. This is the case both at home and abroad.

"In the battle of Xuzhou, our army did not achieve the previously formulated strategic goals. The Chinese side participated in the battle with more than 60 people, and finally managed to escape 50. Our side did not kill its elite on a large scale as expected, which led to our army's next battle. The strategy of attacking central China will be very difficult." Xiangyue Qingshi did not directly talk about North China, but instead returned the topic to the just-concluded Xuzhou battlefield.

Shan Shanyuan's eyes narrowed, but he didn't interrupt this seemingly irrelevant answer.

Although Xiangyue Qingshi was only a lieutenant general, he started from the lowest-ranking second lieutenant and served as the regiment commander, brigade commander, and guard division commander. Skill, how about the strength to wrestle with the indoor shroud?

"Under such a war situation, the General Staff Headquarters may change back to the old strategy. The East China Front Army will continue to march towards Central China, while our North China Front Army will focus on northern China. After completely conquering the North, we will attack the Northwest and Southwest." Xiangyue Qingshi continued.

Yes, if the newly appointed Shan Shanyuan cannot make some moves quickly and gain something, what will His Majesty the Emperor who is watching the battlefield in China think of him?The marshal's cane is waiting there for him to pick it up when he returns home!
Quickly conquering Jin Province and accomplishing the unfinished business of the indoor shroud for half a year is because Shan Shanyuan had already decided before he took office. The reason why he asked Xiangyue Qingshi was to see how good his eyesight was. No, it's better to get out as soon as possible.

"Before I came, His Majesty the Emperor had already set a date with me for one year, so there is no time to wait!"

In my opinion, if you want to conquer Linfen, you must first take the southeast! "Xiangyue Qingshi said decisively.

However, his reaction let Xiangyue Qingshi know that he was right.

Xiangyue Qingshi blatantly contradicted that time, but everyone in the military department knew it. One of the indoor shroud and Xiangyue Qingshi was the commander of the North China Front Army, and the other was the commander of the First Army of the North China Front Army, almost equivalent to the military No. .1 The relationship with the second person turned out to be a quarrel in front of a dozen or so important military generals, and he almost tore his face openly, which made Shan Shanyuan, who was the Minister of War, also very headache.

"Okay! I'll see if Mr. Qingshi can find a like-minded person." Shan Shanyuan probably wants the atmosphere between the two of them to be more harmonious.

In the world of adults, it's not easy, and you have to talk around corners. If he hadn't been rolling around in the officialdom, it really wouldn't be so easy to understand.

"At this time and at that time, I was opposed to the strategic direction of your Excellency the indoor shroud because our army was encircling Xuzhou. If we can annihilate the 60 elite Chinese army in one fell swoop, it will be difficult for China to organize such a large-scale army in the short term. , our army will also be able to smash the Central China region like a broken bamboo, so naturally there is no need to worry about logistics.

Shan Shanyuan is not afraid of ambitions under his command, but afraid of his lack of ability and responsibility. Now it seems that he has found at least three generals who can be used.

"Now the Chinese army has formed a defense line around Linfen, the last big city in Jin Province. Only by conquering this big city, the Chinese army in Jin Province has no big city to defend. They can only retreat into the mountains. All logistics supplies will be delivered by Shan Province. The harm will be minimized.

Before Shan Shanyuan set off, the voice of "return to walking on two legs and attacking China from two directions" within the General Staff Headquarters regained the upper hand.

"Huh? Why are so many warriors not mentioning Mr. Qingshi, but only Mr. Sanlang?" Shan Shanyuan didn't say yes or no, but was extremely curious.

He didn't have much communication with this lieutenant general, but the fact that he was able to explain the strategic plan still being discussed by the General Staff Headquarters fully demonstrated that Xiangyue Qingshi's ability to become the commander of the first army was by no means a fluke, and he was still very capable .

However, regarding the strategic views of the two individuals, each has its own supporters.

Imperial officers and soldiers are not made of iron, and they have to eat and drink water. Not to mention the empire's logistics support has never been a strong point. The long logistics line almost crosses the entire theater. The resistance of the Chinese in the occupied area has never stopped, including the seven-year occupation There are still rebels in the three eastern provinces, so it is very likely that they will get twice the result with half the effort.

"Your Excellency, Commander, why don't you let me guess who the other two are?" Seeing that Shanshanyuan was happy, Xiangyue Qingshi couldn't help but joked.

"Haha! Well, Mr. Qingshi, your thinking coincides with mine." After listening to Xiangyue Qingshi's explanation, Shanshanyuan laughed.

However, this is a trivial matter for Shan Shanyuan. Back then, he worked so hard to climb up!

"One, Lieutenant General Itagaki." Xiangyue Qingshi looked like he was holding a wisdom pearl.

"Haha, that's it, you and I will make an agreement. Mr. Qingshi, please sit down. If you have any requests, you can mention them." Shan Shanyuan smiled.

This sentence is a pun. It not only means that Shan Shanyuan must have an impeccable record within this year, but also means that he will be promoted and leave after one year. Who will give the vacant position to?

It is possible for an army general to be airborne, but it is also possible to be promoted internally. As the commander of the First Army, Xiangyue Qingshi, as the number one general of the North China Front Army, the opportunity is undoubtedly great.

Of course he would not say clearly that Saburo Okabe is an ambitious man who has long been dissatisfied with the position of chief of staff of a mere front army. Only by conquering Jin Province and occupying the entire northern China as soon as possible can he add glory to his resume so that he can be transferred to an important position as soon as possible.

"Then why did Mr. Qingshi teach me how to fight this battle in Jin Province?" Shan Shanyuan's eyes flashed, and he asked in a deep voice.

The chief of staff of the front army has openly surrendered, and the famous generals of the empire have also tacitly obeyed. If Xiangyue Qingshi, the first subordinate of the front army, also knelt down and sang to conquer, then he, the new official, might be able to start the first of the three fires. good head.

From this perspective, Saburo Okabe should be the one who most actively promoted the war in Jin Province.

It made Shan Shanyuan almost feel that he has the halo of the protagonist of "the bastard's spirit", but fortunately, he is also an old monster of the same level.

Sitting and watching the struggle between the "Royal Way faction" and the "Controlling faction", and finally reaping the benefits, he became the deputy chief of staff and concurrently served as the president of the Army University.

"Hehe, Mr. Sanlang probably never dreamed that the person who understands him best is Mr. Qingshi. If he knew, he would definitely invite you to drink good wine!" The reason for being promoted is so fresh and refined, I can't help shaking my head and laughing.

"But the first battle in Jin Province is easy to say. If you really want to fight, those high mountains and dangerous terrain with an altitude of more than 1000 meters, as well as the Chinese hiding in poor mountains and rivers, are indeed obstacles to the imperial army! I don’t know how many imperial warriors will pay. Their precious lives!" Shan Shanyuan cast his eyes on the map that had been laid.

However, if according to what Xiangyue Qingshi said, attacking Shaanxi Province by detour, just looking at the arc of more than [-] kilometers on the map, any commander would have a headache.

"Mr. Qingshi, please continue." Shan Shanyuan nodded, but there was a hint of appreciation in his hidden eyes.

The [-]th Army is a formidable enemy. It has gone through battlefields, and the Chinese commander has not been able to wipe them out for ten years, which is enough to show their tenacity. Shan Shanyuan nodded.

From a strategic point of view, both sides are actually losers!
After the General Staff Headquarters reported to His Majesty the Emperor, it received instructions from the imperial court to re-understand the Chinese battlefield and not to underestimate that weak but still huge country. Commander.

"Now our North China Front Army is still focused on China's northern province-Jin Province! Only by conquering China's northern barrier and opening up the connection point between Jinsheng and Lu Province can our Front Army cross the Yellow River and enter the Guanzhong Plain. Then it threatens Sichuan Province and the vast northwest, which is one of its inland granaries, and can also enter Hubei Province to help the friendly army defeat Central China." Encouraged, Xiangyue Qingshi no longer kept it, and finished his opinion in one breath.

At least, what Shan Shanyuan said gave Xiangyue Qingshi a chance, a chance to be promoted to a general of the army.

"The other one, I guess." Xiangyue Qingshi laughed. "It should be Chief of Staff Okabe!"

In the southwest, the Chinese army is dominated by the Jinsui Army and the Central Army. Although there are many troops, their combat effectiveness is not to be feared; The backward firepower is insufficient, but the soldiers are tenacious and extremely powerful, especially recently there is an elite infantry regiment stationed among them. This department has continuously severely damaged many armies of our empire, and it is an enemy that our army should attach great importance to.

After slapping her face lightly, a woman took out a map from the room and spread it on the small square table between the two of them.

The key is that the cake is so well painted that it is difficult for Xiangyue Qingshi to refuse, even if he knows that the cake is likely to be a mirror image.

"Mr. Qingshi, the infantry regiment you are talking about is called the Four Elements Regiment! I have seen the number of this infantry regiment several times in the battle report, but in this kind of battle involving tens of thousands of troops, a small army of only a few thousand people, The effect is limited, not to be feared.

How can a person not be a monster if he is floating in the officialdom!This performance of crying and laughing while crying is almost a necessary skill, but Xiangyue Qingshi's ability to cry without onion stimulation can be regarded as a natural skill!

It took just over a month for the Imperial North China Front Army to conquer Pingjin, but it took almost half a year to attack Jin Province. As a result, more than 6 officers and soldiers have been lost in the battle, and there are still 30 million Chinese troops lingering in the southeast and southwestern mountains of Shanxi. Up to now, the shadow of the Yellow River has not been seen from Jin Province, let alone invaded the fertile Guanzhong Plain.

Hearing what Shanshanyuan said, Xiangyue Qingshi was ecstatic in his heart, and suddenly stood up from the futon, with tears in his eyes, and nodded heavily: "Your Excellency, Commander, thank you for your recognition, I have nothing to repay my post, but I only want to go through fire and water for the sword in the hands of Your Excellency the Commander, and I will do my best!"

Xiangyue Qingshi was refreshed, he knew that the real test was coming, and only after passing this test could he be truly accepted by this person.

The places where the red arrows point to are all high mountains and mountains. You don't need to look at the actual terrain, but just looking at the map makes your brain ache.Fighting in this terrain, the North China Front Army's heavy artillery advantage is basically gone, and the only way to supplement the ground is by air power, but planes can't always fly in the sky, can they?
"Your Excellency, Commander, there are undead in wars. Fighting in that kind of terrain, the Empire's heavy firepower will be weakened to a certain extent, but the Chinese are equally difficult. Our army has a sufficient number of infantry artillery, mountain artillery and Type 94 tanks. It can be completely buried in the mountains of China, and it can also be used to deter the remnants of the Chinese army. The mountains cannot become an obstacle to the army of our empire, and all resistance is useless.

"Mr. Qingshi, do you know that this time I summoned all the generals to meet, most of them have concerns about the difficulty of the war in Jin Province, and there will never be more than three people who can firmly express that they will conquer Jin Province." Shan Shanyuan smiled and stretched out three fingers.

But now the Xuzhou battle has not met the expectations of the base camp, and the battle will continue to be long. Then our North China Front Army must not wait, and it is imperative to gather a large number of troops to defeat Jin Province. "Xiang Yue Qingshi's old face flushed slightly, but he still explained calmly.

Even in order to get promoted, he formulated the "Outline of Strategies for Solving the Manchurian and Mongolian Issues" during his tenure as the Deputy Army Minister, which clearly stipulated the principles, steps and measures for Japan's invasion of Northeast China. Only by launching a war can soldiers be valued. The aspect has been very calm.

"Mr. Qingshi, I am serious. You and I are all citizens of the empire, and the subjects of His Majesty the Emperor. It is the responsibility of the subjects to open up territories for the empire." Shan Shanyuan had a strong smile on his face, but he waved his hand to let the emperor One sentence inspired Xiangyue Qingshi to sit down with tears in her eyes.

These, he understands!
But no matter how you say it, there is no doubt that he is determined to hug his thigh.

Drawing big cakes is an essential skill for almost all leaders, and Shan Shanyuan is no exception.

"Mr. Qingshi, if I take you as the commander and lead a large army to attack the southeast of Shanxi to defeat the stubborn enemy, do you have confidence?" Shan Shanyuan suddenly raised his head and said with deep meaning.

"Chief of Staff Okabe is actually a very thoughtful person, but His Excellency the Shroud General in the room is too arbitrary, covering up his brilliance. I believe that with his eyes, he will not fail to see the current situation in North China, no matter how difficult it is, As long as Jin Province is conquered and this important barrier is lost, the northern part of China will be under the control of our army." Xiangyue Qingshi explained her reasons.

There are too many mountains in Jin Province. Taihang Mountain and Zhongtiao Mountain are medium-sized mountains. Not to mention tanks, even 100mm heavy artillery is difficult to transport.

For this soldier, the death of a soldier in battle is important to him.

That's right, when the battle of Xuzhou came to an end, several bigwigs in the military knew that there was no victory or defeat in the usual sense. There are benefits, but there are also pains.

"That's right, Lieutenant General Itagaki is a well-known warrior in the empire. He is not afraid of the dangers of the mountains in Jin Province, but this candidate is not difficult to guess." Shan Shanyuan nodded.

The surrounding area of ​​Linfen is surrounded by mountains. If our troops want to attack, we can attack from the southwest and southeast sides.

"Huh! If I remember correctly, the general in the room also said a similar strategy two months ago, but Mr. Qingshi, you openly opposed the strategy of the general in the room at the senior combat meeting attended by the head of the division. It is proposed that there are many mountainous areas in Jin Province, which is not conducive to the march of the army, and the Yellow River crosses the south, and the East China Front Army should join forces to conquer Northern Jiangsu, then take heavy troops to capture the Central Plains, and then take a detour to attack the Guanzhong Plain." Shan Shanyuan couldn't help being a little curious.

Now it seems that it is still worthy of use, especially when there are two master regiments under his command with more than 5 troops. If it is used well, it may surprise him.

"Mr. Sanlang is very good. I have heard many people talk about it in the Ministry of the Army, but he has no experience in leading a division. His qualifications are still inexperienced and he still needs experience. But Mr. Qingshi, you have been the commander of a division for many years. With rich experience, the Battle of Pingjin even defeated the [-] Chinese army, which is a rare battle in the history of the Imperial Army!" Shan Shanyuan smiled.

Paying a certain amount of sacrifice, but being able to annihilate the enemy and deal a major blow to the morale of the enemy, paving the way for the follow-up battlefield of our front army, is worth it in my opinion. "Xiangyue Qingshi said ferociously.

"I will swear to my death to serve Your Excellency the Commander's kindness." Xiangyue Qingshi immediately stood up and bowed her head heavily.

The two generals of the Japanese North China Front Army sat in the small courtyard and talked until the early hours of the morning.

And in the distant mountains of Jin Province, a high-level combat meeting at the division commander level was also held because of the Japanese side's change of general.

The host of the meeting is the Commander-in-Chief of the [-]th Army Group.

A day ago, the Second Theater Command issued a military order. The Deputy Commander of the Second Theater Command and the Commander-in-Chief of the [-]th Group Army will serve as the commander-in-chief of the Southeast Shanxi Theater, and the division commanders will serve as the directors of the subordinate staff departments.

Colonel Tang Dao, head of the Four Elements Regiment, served as the deputy director of the staff department under the headquarters.