20 years of the Republic of China

Chapter 831 The Great River [Part 2]

"Rumble--"

"Rumble--"

The artillery fire arrived as expected, but it did not hit the positions held by Beifeng. Upon closer listening, the sound came from the central army's main camp several kilometers away.

Immediately afterwards, the Fengtian Army retaliated.

A strong wind blew by, and cannons roared. Everyone felt a tingling sensation in their feet, and the banks of the Julu River instantly erupted in excitement.

Zhao Zhengbei rushed out of the military tent and ran straight towards the front line.

By this time, no one in the trenches was humming the kiln tune anymore. Everyone had been awakened by the sound of artillery fire, their expressions tense as they aimed their guns at the opposite bank.

The Julu River was as black as ink, with only the floating ice on the surface shimmering faintly.

As far as the eye could see, there was a patchwork of marks, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Zhao Zhengbei jumped into the trench, carefully searched with his binoculars, but did not see any enemy soldiers.

Despite the darkness, if the enemy were preparing to launch an attack on this section of the river, there should have been some activity. However, despite the shelling that lasted for a long time, there was no movement from the other side of the river.

Gradually, some veterans peeked out from the trenches, then quickly squatted down, lit a cigarette, and secretly rejoiced, saying, "They probably won't attack us anymore. We'll get two months' pay and don't have to risk our lives. That's good, that's good!"

"Really?" A new recruit squatted down as well.

"Really my ass!" the veteran cursed. "I'm squatting here having a smoke, what are you doing here? Trying to get us killed? Go keep an eye on the higher-ups!"

The new recruits were completely bewildered, so they stood up cautiously to be on guard again.

Zhao Zhengbei squatted in the trench and observed for a while. Seeing that there was nothing unusual on the other side of the river, he instructed the battalion commanders: "You hold the position here. I'm going back for a bit."

After saying that, he got up and walked towards the military tent behind the gentle slope.

Gas lamps were lit inside the tent, and the communications company stood guard beside the telegraph machine and field telephone, ready to receive orders from their superiors at any time.

"Is there any news from headquarters?" Zhao Zhengbei asked.

Everyone shook their heads and said, "No."

Without orders, they should continue to hold their positions unless the command post is destroyed by artillery fire, but that possibility is extremely slim.

Zhao Zhengbei didn't just stand there waiting. Instead, he quickly walked to the table, pointed to the battle map, and said, "Judging from the sound, the artillery fire should be not far from here, no more than five kilometers away. Our positions may also be affected. But most importantly, if the enemy breaks through from the middle, they may attack our flanks to expand their gains. We should have the brothers prepare in advance."

Upon hearing this, the adjutants nodded in agreement.

Chang Nianci walked over and whispered, "Sir, shouldn't we discuss this with the Japanese advisor again?"

"Discuss my ass!" Zhao Zhengbei cursed. "Does that mean we can't fight without the Japanese?"

"But...they're advisors! If we make decisions without consulting them and things go wrong, we'll be held responsible..."

"Shut up! This is a huge responsibility, and I, as the regimental commander, will take the blame. It's not your place to take the fall!"

Zhao Zhengbei found the translator annoying and waved him away. He then summoned his adjutant to relay the order, instructing the men on the front lines to strengthen the defense of the left flank and to send out a scout team south along the riverbank to gather intelligence on the situation on the central route.

Immediately afterwards, the communications soldier was instructed to send a message to the directly subordinate brigade headquarters, truthfully reporting the situation on the ground and awaiting a reply from higher command.

Once all orders were issued, the soldiers proceeded in an orderly manner and immediately began their respective tasks.

Zhao Zhengbei stood silently in front of the battle map with his hands behind his back, his expression serious, and finally fell silent.

After ten years in the army, his former thuggishness has gradually been tempered, and he is now becoming more and more like a true military officer.

Shortly afterward, the brigade headquarters sent a reply.

The communications soldier relayed the report: "Regimental Commander, the higher command has ordered our unit to hold the position!"

Zhao Zhengbei nodded: "Let me know if there's any news."

After saying that, he got up and left to return to his position to personally oversee the battle.

"Rumble--"

"Rumble--"

The shelling continued intermittently until dawn, when it gradually subsided, replaced by faint bursts of gunfire.

It seems that Guo Jun has launched a strong attack across the river.

Zhao Zhengbei was unaware of the situation of the central army, nor did he know whether the Heilongjiang Cavalry Brigade on the north side had made any response. He could only quietly wait for orders from his superiors.

Most of the time on the battlefield is boring. Ordinary officers and soldiers have no idea about the overall situation and just follow orders to carry out corresponding actions.

When the command ordered them to move forward thirty li, they moved forward thirty li; when they were ordered to move backward thirty li, they moved backward thirty li.

Sometimes they are bait for a feint attack, and sometimes they are cannon fodder to cover the rear.

Before seeing the enemy, officers and soldiers were usually unaware of their situation.

But today the situation was different. Even as dawn broke, Zhao Zhengbei's troops still hadn't received any orders.

However, the scouts sent out earlier did bring back important intelligence—at dawn today, Guo Jun did indeed launch a strong attack across the river, with enemy soldiers using small planks or simply wading through the water on foot to charge towards the central army's positions.

"How is the situation?" Zhao Zhengbei asked anxiously.

The scout shook his head and said, "I'm not sure. The situation was quite urgent at the time. The central position was heavily bombarded, but Guo's army didn't seem to encounter much resistance while crossing the river."

Zhao Zhengbei couldn't sit still any longer. He immediately got up and returned to his tent, preparing to ask his superiors again whether he needed support from the regimental headquarters.

Unexpectedly, just as they reached the front of the military tent, the Japanese advisory group also came towards them.

Lieutenant Mizuno's face was gloomy as he walked and muttered, "The Fengtian Army's fighting strength is even worse than I imagined. We've already helped them to this extent, and they still can't stop the Guo Army's offensive. They're simply a bunch of useless trash!"

Lieutenant Watanabe nodded and said, "It seems that the only option is to intervene directly with troops."

Major Horikawa said, "It's also possible that they are unwilling to go all out. After all, both sides are Fengtian Army, and Marshal Zhang is too biased towards Guo Degang, which makes his officers and soldiers hesitant and afraid to fight back with all their might. In short, anything is possible."

The three of them were speaking Japanese, which Zhao Zhengbei naturally couldn't understand. So he had no choice but to lift the curtain and shout into the tent, "Chang Nianci!"

"To!"

Chang Nianci rushed out of the military tent, looked around, and immediately took on the duty of serving as an interpreter for the army.

Major Horikawa cut to the chase and shared the situation report: "A gap has appeared in your army's central position. Small units of Guo's army have successfully crossed the river and are currently engaged in fierce fighting in the surrounding villages. The situation is extremely urgent."

Zhao Zhengbei froze, wondering if the Julu River defense line was about to fall. He immediately shouted into the tent, "Communications officer, request instructions from headquarters immediately—"

"No need to request instructions!" Major Horikawa interrupted. "The situation is critical. Our army will send troops to support us immediately. Commander Zhao, just hold the position!"

Zhao Zhengbei looked suspicious but ignored him, stubbornly ordering, "Communications officer, immediately request instructions from headquarters!"

Lieutenant Watanabe and Second Lieutenant Mizuno exchanged glances, then couldn't help but sneer and mutter a few words under their breath, probably nothing pleasant.

Soon, the communications soldier reported back: "Regimental Commander, the brigade headquarters has forwarded an order from the command headquarters, instructing the frontline commanders to hold their positions and remain in place. It also said..."

"What else did they say?" "They also said that frontline commanders must strictly follow the advice of their Japanese advisors!"

Upon hearing this, the military tent fell silent instantly, and everyone's expressions turned grim.

Major Horikawa, with a rather "refined" air, respectfully asked, "Commander Zhao, may we go in and take command now?"

Zhao Zhengbei felt humiliated but had no choice but to wave his hand and say, "Come in!"

The Japanese advisor smiled and finally got his wish to enter the military tent.

As he passed by the North Wind, Lieutenant Watanabe suddenly stopped and said in Japanese, "Commander Zhao, I told you long ago that without the Empire's help, you have no chance of winning this war. Show some respect!"

"What did he say?" Zhao Zhengbei asked.

Chang Nianci thought for a moment, then said, "Oh! Sir, Lieutenant Watanabe said that Japan and Japan are like one family, and he hopes that we can eliminate our differences and work together to quell the Guo bandits!"

Zhao Zhengbei was a little suspicious, but before he could ask any more questions, he suddenly heard a loud bang from above!
"Om-"

Everyone was startled and looked up, only to see more than a dozen planes flying rapidly over the Julu River.

The plane flew very low; you could even see the wheels on the landing gear with the naked eye, as well as the striking red sunrise on the tail.

Horikawa and the others also stopped and looked up to observe, their eyes filled with pride.

After skimming over the Julu River, the Japanese planes continued forward, then turned south, cutting across Guo Jun's rear like a guillotine. They circled briefly in the suburbs of Xinmin and the Baiqibao area before dropping countless bombs.

"Rumble--"

Thick plumes of smoke rose into the air; that area, which was inaccessible to field artillery, was now being easily destroyed!

After the bombing, the Japanese planes did not rush to leave, but instead circled around the area for a long time without restraint before reluctantly departing.

Guo Jun had no air power and could only watch helplessly as the enemy came and went, revealing all of his troop deployments.

Soon, the plane turned back and headed towards Fengtian City behind the position.

The Japanese advisors clapped their hands in delight and chatted enthusiastically with each other.

At that time, Japanese talent had just begun to independently develop bombers and had not yet completely broken free from Western influence. Many bombers were copied and modified, yet they were sent to Fengtian for combat exercises.

The Fengtian Army might show mercy when fighting against the Fengtian Army, but if the Japanese were to get involved, they would never miss any opportunity to weaken the Fengtian Army.

The brothers in the trenches couldn't be happy.

Guo Jun's rebellion against Fengtian was, in essence, an internal power struggle, a matter within their own family. But getting others involved completely changed the nature of the conflict.

Not long after, the Fengtian Army launched another artillery counterattack.

However, this time the cannon fire was denser and the firepower was fiercer, interspersed with attacks from the regular Japanese artillery regiments.

Throughout the day, the Fengtian Army's positions were bombarding the Guo Army's positions with ammunition. The planes bombarded, the artillery bombarded, and the artillery bombarded, and the planes bombarded again, leaving the Guo Army with no way to fight back.

The North Wind's position remained unscathed.

Guo's troops were no longer able to mount any decent counterattack. Only then did they realize that Guo's supposed military genius ultimately relied on the Fengtian clique's powerful military industrial strength. Without the advantage of artillery fire, they were like frostbitten eggplants, completely withered.

The tide of battle could turn in an instant.

As dusk approached, the bombing finally stopped, and several planes flew over the position again, but this time the tails of the planes were painted with five-colored flags.

The plane flew to Guo Junda's rear, but instead of dropping bombs, it scattered a large number of white leaflets, which fluttered down like snowflakes.

Zhao Zhengbei finally received the telegram from the command center.

He rushed out of the military tent, strode to the riverbank, and shouted, "Attention everyone! Come out of the trenches and shout to the other side of the river!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a thug jumped out, yelled at the top of his lungs towards the other side of the river, "Guo the devil, I'll fuck your mother!"

"Snapped!"

Zhao Zhengbei slapped him on the head and cursed, "Who the hell told you to yell like that?"

"Huh?" The soldier scratched his head and muttered under his breath, "Isn't that what we always shouted when we challenged each other before?"

"This isn't a challenge, it's an attempt to persuade you to surrender!"

"Oh, then I know."

After a moment of hesitation, the soldier took it upon himself to shout across the river, "Hey! Stop fighting! We're all brothers. It's the New Year, hurry home and see your parents! And your wives, they might have run off with Old Wang next door!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Zhao Zhengbei cursed, "Stop talking nonsense! Listen to me! Shout 'The Fengtian Army won't fight the Fengtian Army, the Zhang family won't fight the Zhang family!' Shout as loudly as you can! Whoever shouts the loudest gets two packs of Hademen cigarettes and three cans of food. Shout it out!"

"The Fengtian Army will not fight the Fengtian Army! The Zhang family will not fight the Zhang family!"

"The old general has said: surrender and all past transgressions will be forgiven!"

"Give up the resistance and go home for the New Year!"

The calls to surrender weren't limited to the position where Beifeng was located; the entire Julu River defense line was echoing with these shouts.

With hundreds of thousands of troops stationed here, the bushes on both banks of the river had long been cleared away, so the shouts of the soldiers could be heard far and wide.

At this time of year, night slowly falls, much like Xiang Yu besieged at Gaixia, at his wit's end, surrounded by enemies on all sides.

The opposite bank of the river was quiet, and it was unknown whether the enemy officers and soldiers had heard the calls to surrender, but that night, the people on the other side of the Julu River were destined to have a sleepless night.

The next morning, a layer of frost had formed on the eyebrows of all the soldiers.

The communications soldier suddenly ran to the position, found Beifeng, and reported, "Regimental Commander, the command post wants you to answer the phone!"

Zhao Zhengbei dared not delay and immediately returned to his military tent. As soon as he picked up the receiver, he heard the order from his superior: "Zhao Zhengbei, your troops are hereby ordered to cross the river and attack within ten minutes!"

The battlefield situation changes rapidly. Originally, the purpose of blowing up the Julu River was to prevent Guo's army from crossing it. Now, the river has been blown up, and it is we who have to cross it.

Zhao Zhengbei had nothing to say. After receiving the order, he immediately instructed his soldiers to travel light and cross the river to attack.

Fortunately, the river was not deep, and apart from the cold weather and water, the crossing went relatively smoothly.

Unexpectedly, just as everyone reached the other side, they heard the distant booming of cannons!
"Lie down!"

At a single command, all officers and soldiers immediately prostrated themselves on the ground.

A direct assault without artillery cover usually results in a near-certain death, but this time was different. The men lay on the ground and waited for a long time, only hearing the rumble of cannons firing, but no explosions.

The veterans exchanged glances and muttered to themselves, "Dry ammunition?"

Guo Jun and Feng Jun are from the same family and are quite familiar with each other.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Zhengbei immediately understood and shouted, "Brothers, raise your guns three inches higher and charge forward with me!"

(End of this chapter)