I'm killing enemies with my sword and exploding equipment

In the temporary headquarters of the Japanese First Division.

After hearing Yoshino Hideki's exaggerated account of the battle, the division commander Saburo Nakazawa couldn't help but feel angry and worried.

What made them angry was, of course, that their own losses were so huge, it was simply unbearable to watch.

What was worrying was that the enemy's artillery fire was so powerful, but their own artillery regiment was not strong enough and was unable to defeat the enemy.

If we continue to fight like this, our First Division will be wiped out.

How is this possible!!!

But it was dark now, and the trouble of fighting could be dealt with later.

Right now, the most difficult problem is how to deal with Yoshino Hideki.

After all, the other party is a major general of the Imperial Army. Although he is a direct subordinate of himself, a lieutenant general and a division commander, as long as the other party does not openly disobey military orders, if he wants to deal with him, he must report to the headquarters and get the order from the headquarters.

But he couldn't bear to let Saburo Nakazawa accept this idiot continuing to embarrass himself under his command.

It doesn't make sense that you ruined your overall situation and nothing happened to you! ! !

Thinking of this, he immediately looked at his chief of staff Takahashi Mantang, signaling him with his eyes to come out and speak.

Gao Qiao Mantang had been his partner for many years, so it was natural for him to not understand what he meant. He immediately stepped forward to offer advice:

"Your Excellency, the First Brigade has suffered too great a loss.

I suggest that the remaining forces of the 1st Brigade be temporarily transferred to the 2nd Infantry Brigade, under the unified command of Mr. Yano!

In this way, we can get an almost fully-staffed infantry brigade, and launch a fierce counterattack against the Eighth Route Army tomorrow!

Defend the glory of my Imperial Army!"

The 3nd Infantry Brigade originally consisted of the 57rd and th Regiments.

But since the 57th Regiment remained in Hebei Province, there was only one isolated rd Regiment at this time.

If the remnants of the 49th Regiment could be merged, the vacancies in the organization would be filled.

As soon as he said this, Nakazawa Saburo's eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly, agreeing with satisfaction:

"Yoshi! Takahashi-kun's suggestion is very good!
The group of Eighth Route Army soldiers blocking the road ahead are very unusual. We must concentrate our forces to deal with them!"

He understood what the other party meant. This was equivalent to leaving Yoshino Hideki alone and forcing him to stand aside.

After the war is over, I will report to the base camp and send this guy to the reserve. It will be easy and there will be no trouble.

Hearing their conversation, Major General Masao Yano, commander of the 2nd Infantry Brigade, looked at Yoshino Hideki, who was now alone, with sympathy and felt ecstatic.

I thought to myself: Haha, this time I have become the absolute backbone of the First Division.

Idiot Yoshino Hideki will never be able to compete with me again. I feel so good!

He didn't know that Yoshino Hideki next to him breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the result of the handling. He was not too surprised.

Even a little bit happy——

Although he lost his military power from then on, at least he no longer had to face the enemy's terrible artillery fire.

After this battle is over, I will transfer to the reserve and return to the base camp, where I will have a wife and children and a warm bed. That would not be bad!

Of course, embarrassment is inevitable.

But saving the dog's life is more important than anything else, isn't it?
The Eighth Route Army in northwestern Shanxi is so powerful. If he continues to lead the troops, his life will be in danger.

As long as I'm alive, I can turn my reputation around by writing some memoirs or something!
Anyway, the dead can’t talk!
Thinking of this, he immediately stood up and said to Nakazawa Saburo who was staring at him:

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, Mr. Yano is brave and fearless, and is good at military command. He is indeed more suitable to command the 49th Regiment than me."

Seeing that he was so honest, Nakazawa Saburo didn't want to reprimand him anymore. He nodded and made arrangements:

"Yoshi! Since Yoshino-kun has no objection, let's do it this way!

As for you and Uchiyama-kun, you will temporarily serve as staff officers in my division headquarters!"

Hearing that he had to stay under the other person's nose, Yoshino Hideki felt a little unhappy again.

But he did not dare to refuse, and immediately took Chief of Staff Uchiyama Jiro and bowed to receive the order:

"Hi!"

……

After finishing off Yoshino Hideki, Nakazawa Saburo was preparing to arrange for someone to prepare dinner when Colonel Masahiko Imai, commander of the 1st Field Artillery Regiment, arrived with the help of a messenger and saluted him:
"Your Excellency, Division Commander!"

Nakazawa Saburo asked anxiously:

"Imai-kun, how is your artillery unit doing?"

A hint of unnaturalness flashed across Masahiko Imai's face.

After taking a breath, he replied in a deep voice:

“师团长阁下，我们损失了7门三八式75毫米野炮、11门九一式105毫米榴弹炮和5门四年式150毫米榴弹炮。

However, we should have destroyed at least thirty or forty artillery pieces of the Tubalu!"

"What? It's only been a few hours of fighting and you've lost 23 heavy artillery pieces?
Imai-kun, your artillery regiment only has 48 guns in total, and now more than half of them have been lost???"

Although the victory was significant, the losses were so great that Nakazawa Saburo was so angry that his face turned red and he almost fainted on the spot.

None of these rotten guys under me are easy to worry about!

They are all such garbage!!!
In addition to him, Takahashi Mantang and others were also shocked.

I asked Masahiko Imai incredulously:
"Imai-kun, the artillery of the Eighth Route Army is so powerful?

Even your 150mm howitzers can't suppress them?"

Imai Masahiko knew that his loss was a bit outrageous, and he struggled to explain:

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, this road is too narrow, so our heavy artillery cannot be fully dispersed and deployed.

The Eighth Route Army must have prepared many artillery positions in advance, and they had a huge advantage in the artillery battle!

Moreover, they have a large number of artillery pieces. In addition to at least fifty or sixty 75mm mountain cannons, there are also more than a dozen heavy artillery pieces with a caliber of at least 120mm.

They have even more artillery shells than we do!

Almost every time it’s three rapid shots!

It’s unimaginable!”

"What? Fifty or sixty 75mm mountain cannons? And heavy cannons over 120mm?

How can this be? ? ? "

Saburo Nakazawa's face was full of doubts about life.

Is this still the legendary “Three Guns and Eight Route Army”?

Now, there are people who are really not from the Russians, wearing the uniforms of the Eighth Route Army, and fighting against them???
At this time, Gao Qiao Mantang reminded thoughtfully:
"Your Excellency, the division commander, I suspect that the enemy we are facing is the core main force of the Eighth Route Army in Northwest Shanxi - the Special Forces Regiment!

The Commander called us again and again to remind us to be careful of that unit!"

"Special Forces? Yang Yuanshan???

The commander of the First Army who offered a reward of 100 million dollars?"

Saburo Nakazawa led his troops westward, and of course he had a general understanding of the enemy situation in northwest Shanxi.

Know the name of the Special Agent Regiment and Yang Yuanshan.

"Yes! That's them!

At present, it seems that they were able to defeat the 33rd Division in Qubei County because they had powerful artillery and sufficient artillery shells. "

Takahashi Mantang nodded.

“Bagya Road!
Does the Special High Police have any intelligence on the sources of their artillery and ammunition?"

Nakazawa Saburo asked solemnly. "This... the Special High Police... has no information."

As the division chief of staff, Takahashi Mantang was of course familiar with all the intelligence gathered from all sides, but he remembered that there was no telegram that explained this matter!
"Baka! The Special High Police are all useless! Good-for-nothings!"

Saburo Nakazawa roared with his fangs bared, wishing he could choose someone to bite.

The commander of the Second Brigade, Masao Yano, asked curiously:

"Your Excellency Chief of Staff, didn't this special forces regiment lose a lot of troops in the battle with the 33rd Division in Qubei County?

Their artillery and ammunition must have suffered heavy losses, right?

Why is it still so strong now?
This doesn't look like a regimental unit at all, it can even be called a few main divisions without any problem!"

"Yano-kun, I can't answer your question either.

The situation of this special forces group is indeed very strange.

The intelligence we currently have about the Tubalu in Northwest Shanxi is not complete enough."

Takahashi Mantang shook his head helplessly.

……

Being interrupted by this matter, Nakazawa Saburo no longer had the energy to reprimand Imai Masahiko. He could only give a stern order:
"Imai-kun, go back immediately and reorganize your team to prepare for tomorrow's battle.

No matter how many artillery pieces the Eighth Route Army has, it should never be a reason to block my First Division!
My Imperial Army is invincible!"

When Masahiko Imai saw that he had escaped punishment, he was immediately overjoyed.

Bow quickly:

"Hi!"

Then he prepared to leave.

But at this moment, he suddenly thought of a key question and quickly said:

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, today we had a fierce battle with the Eighth Route Army artillery and consumed a large number of artillery shells.

If the fighting continues tomorrow with the same intensity as today, our artillery shells are expected to last only three hours.

Please ask the division commander to arrange for the baggage train to deliver the artillery shells to our position as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Nakazawa Saburo's eyes turned red with anger again, and he roared:
"Baga! How dare you waste shells like this?

Did you know that the Eighth Route Army is harassing our baggage train?

It’s hard for the warriors to deliver the supplies in time!!”

Seeing his style of wanting the horse to run but not giving it grass to eat, Masahiko Imai was speechless.

I couldn't help but complain in my heart: On the one hand, you want us to bombard the Eighth Route Army's artillery positions desperately, and on the other hand, you despise us for wasting artillery shells. Why don't you go to the sky?

The baggage train can't deliver supplies, shouldn't you have killed the captain of the baggage train?
Why are you mad at me?

None of my business?

But he didn't dare to say that, so he could only pretend to be very honest and explain:
"Your Excellency, the division commander, the warriors did not waste any shells. It was simply that the artillery fire from the Eighth Route Army was too fierce.

They fired at least several thousand artillery shells today, and our positions are full of bullet holes!

If you don’t believe it, you can go and check it out for yourself!”

"idiot!
You still dare to quibble???"

Saburo Nakazawa was furious, his right hand already grasping the hilt of the saber at his waist.

Chief of Staff Gao Qiao Mantang saw that the situation was a bit tense, so he stepped out to smooth things over:
"Imai-kun, please go and reorganize the troops immediately!
There will be an artillery battle tomorrow. Please make sure to increase the efficiency of your artillery fire.

You know that the empire is short of supplies, please don't waste them!"

"Hi!"

Masahiko Imai didn't want to continue being scolded here, so he quickly agreed and turned away.

……

As soon as he left, Nakazawa Saburo knocked on Takahashi Mando:
"Takahashi-kun, you shouldn't have let this piece of trash get away with this!

The great cause of the empire has been ruined by these rubbish."

Takahashi Mantang explained with a wry smile:

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, we all know that Imai-kun is not an incompetent person.

Today's setbacks were also the result of the Special High Police's incomplete intelligence.

Tomorrow, we will need Imai-kun's heavy artillery to provide firepower support for each unit."

"Humph!"

Saburo Nakazawa snorted coldly, and had to admit that the other party's words made sense.

Masahiko Imai is much more useful than Hideki Yoshino, who only has two infantry battalions left under his command, but we still can't let the other side stand aside.

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Gao Qiao Mantang quickly continued to suggest:
"Your Excellency, Division Commander, let's send a telegram to the Commander-in-Chief and ask him to transport a batch of artillery shells immediately.

Then send a telegram to Yudajun of the 1st Cavalry Regiment, urging him to speed up the clearance of the Eighth Route Army on our transportation line to ensure the safety of the supplies!
Considering that distant water cannot quench immediate thirst, I suggest that tomorrow morning, I ask His Excellency Honda Division Commander to mobilize the Eighth Division Artillery Regiment to deal with the Tubalu's artillery and try to wipe them out in one fell swoop! "

After hearing this, Nakazawa Saburo nodded thoughtfully:

"Yoshi! Takahashi-kun, your idea makes sense.

But my First Division has only been fighting with the Tubalu for half a day, and we are asking Mr. Honda to take action. Is this a loss to our dignity?"

Hearing him mention dignity, everyone present couldn't help but curl their lips.

Especially Yoshino Hideki, he was complaining wildly in his heart: We have lost so badly, what's the point of talking about dignity? It's ridiculous!
The great cause of the empire has been ruined by bastard generals like you who are only interested in holding office but doing nothing!

Gao Qiao Mantang also quietly wiped the sweat from his forehead and carefully reminded:
"Your Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief has already ordered you to command our two divisions. There is no question of asking for help!"

When Nakazawa Saburo heard this, his eyes suddenly lit up and he nodded repeatedly:

"Yoshi! Takahashi-kun, you are indeed one of the most outstanding staff officers in my Imperial Army!

Now, act quickly!
Tomorrow, I will defeat the enemy in front of me in one fell swoop!"

"Hi!"

Takahashi Mantang was speechless when he saw that the other party had thrown all the work onto his head.

But as the chief of staff, he couldn't be lazy and could only nod and agree.

Then he reminded the other party:
"Mr. Division Commander, should we send a telegram to report today's battle situation to the Commander?"

Upon hearing this, Saburo Nakazawa felt his temples throbbing.

How could he explain to Okamura Ji-ning for such a heavy loss?
Tell the other person directly that you are a waste?
The reputation built up after decades of fighting on the battlefield was destroyed in an instant?
……

But if you stick your head out, you'll get hurt, and if you hide your head, you'll also get hurt.

There was no way to evade it, so he could only bite the bullet and nod his head:
"Takahashi-kun, please help me draft a telegram to the Commander-in-Chief!
It is important to emphasize that the Eighth Route Army's artillery is powerful. Commander, please mobilize the Army Aviation bombers to bomb the enemy's artillery positions tomorrow morning.

Once you have it drafted, please give it to me for confirmation."

"Hi!"

Seeing that yet another problem had fallen on his head, Takahashi Mantang could only complain inwardly.

I feel that my life is like that of an ox or a horse.

However, before he could act, a telegraph operator came over with a telegram paper and reported to Nakazawa Saburo:

"Your Excellency, the Commander-in-Chief has called—"

...(End of chapter)