Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 265 I Need You to Tell the Tales

"Chen Chengxing, you really impressed me!"

"That's great, where did this come from?"

After arriving at the artillery position, he touched the still warm gun barrel with his eyes shining.

All the way from Lijiaopo to the artillery position, Dasijin was always talking and distracted.

But he just wouldn't let Chen Chengxing leave his side.

Chen Chengxing could naturally see what his leader was thinking at a glance.

"This is modified from captured train locomotive wheel axles, just like the previous 82mm mortar."

"The specific production drawings should have been submitted to the logistics department of the headquarters." Chen Chengxing explained.

"Okay, okay, okay."

I don't know if he heard it or not, but he just kept circling around the cannon.

"Mr. Si Jin, what do you want?" Chen Chengxing asked.

Chen Chengxing had no plan to equip the New Second Regiment with 150mm caliber mortars.

After this actual combat, I became more convinced of this point.

Even if these six cannons were brought back, they would most likely be placed in Erlang Mountain.

This thing's mobility is not very good, and it can only be used on main roads. If it wants to cross mountains and hills, two people cannot carry the barrel.

These guns were partly the reason why the New Second Regiment did not get involved in the first wave of main attack.

After the 120mm mortar is disassembled, people can carry it on mountain roads.

Although the New Second Regiment is now strong in both men and horses, it still mainly relies on guerrilla warfare and mobile warfare.

Just because a person can carry it on a mountain road, the 120mm mortar is much better than the 150mm mortar.

Besides, the 120mm shells are quite powerful and are enough for use by infantry units.

Compared with what happened just now, Chen Chengxing's voice this time was not loud, but he was heard the first time.

"What do you mean? You want to stay for me?" Dashi Jin's mouth was grinning so much that it almost reached his heels.

This kid Chen Chengxing understands me.

"You can stay, but I have a condition," said Chen Chengxing.

"You say it! As long as I can do it, I promise to do it," Dashi Jin said, patting his chest.

It’s just a condition. As long as you leave the cannon behind, everything will be fine.

"One cannon for one ton of explosives." Chen Chengxing raised a finger.

The current amount of railway tracks in the New Second Regiment is basically enough to last for 45 years as long as there is no waste.

However, in order to ensure the production of so many artillery shells, grenades and mines, explosives were in short supply.

After all, it is impossible for a small Zhongyun Mountain Range to purchase fertilizer powder in large quantities, as that would arouse the suspicion of the Japanese.

The headquarters arsenal was not so short of explosives because it could purchase fertilizer powder from all over Hebei.

"No problem! I'll send someone to deliver it to you when the time comes!" Dashi Jin nodded.

In order to get these six mortars, he would go and rob them and get enough explosives.

With these six guns, the Japanese would usually just hang around on the periphery and would never dare to go deep into the base.

Given the enemy's supply capabilities, large-scale raids can only be carried out once or twice a year.

And it may not necessarily fall on the Northwest Shanxi Military Region.

For the military district, this is not just a cannon, it is a stabilizing force.

After getting the cannon, he no longer paid any attention to Chen Chengxing and focused all his attention on the cannon.

After the Lijiaopo battle ended, the boss returned to the headquarters and immediately found Zhang Wanhe.

As long as the New Second Regiment's arsenal produces any rare items, it will immediately notify the headquarters arsenal.

"Minister Zhang, has the New Second Regiment sent over any artillery drawings recently?"

"Yes, there are. There are 150mm mortars made from locomotive axles, and there are 120mm mortars made from truck axles."

Zhang Wanhe remembered it after just a brief thought.

"However, in this raid, the comrades only carried back a lot of rails, and no train axles were seized, so the arsenal did not trial-produce them," Zhang Wanhe added.

Now the tasks at the Yixiantian Arsenal have already been fully loaded.

He had neither materials nor spare personnel and equipment, so it could only be put aside temporarily.

"Xiao Wu." The boss immediately called to the combat staff officer next to him.

"Chief."

"Order all units, especially those operating along the railway, to collect train axles."

"Whoever can get the train axle will be credited with a merit!"

If you want a train axle, you don't necessarily have to rob a train.

As far as he knew, the Kuomintang government had already bought a lot of planes from the United States, and would definitely bomb the Japanese trains when the time came.

By then, no matter where the damaged trains are piled, we will definitely be able to get the train axles.

If it really doesn't work, the worst that can happen is to find a traitor to buy it for you.

No matter what, the Eighth Route Army must have heavy mortars.

With this, the Japanese would not dare to penetrate deep into the base area with a small force.

This is extremely beneficial to the development of the base.

"Yes!"

In Taiyuan, Yoshio Shinozuka looked at the telegram in his hand and felt as if he could not read.

"I know the Eighth Route Army can produce its own 50mm mortars, but is this 150mm, Mr. Yamaoka, wrong?"

"General, I have confirmed it, it is correct, it is indeed 150 mm!" Yamaoka Michifumi said seriously.

"And the reconnaissance plane has confirmed that Lijiaopo was indeed bombarded by large-caliber heavy artillery." The last telegram from the Yamazaki Battalion said that the Eighth Route Army had heavy artillery, and at least heavy artillery of 150 mm or more.

At that time, when Yamaoka Michifumi looked at the telegram, he also thought it was sent to the wrong person.

However, the photos taken by the reconnaissance plane forced him to believe this fact.

"Where did the Eighth Route Army get the heavy artillery? And more than one?" Yoshio Shinozuka frowned.

The fact that the Eighth Route Army had heavy artillery was no small matter for the Locust Army.

If confirmed, the locust army's sweep will be greatly affected.

In the past, an infantry battalion dared to enter the Eighth Route Army base to carry out a sweep.

As long as they are not ambushed, even if they are besieged, they can hold their ground and hold out until rescue arrives.

But once the Eighth Route Army had heavy artillery, the situation would be very different.

If the locust army dares to defend itself in a dangerous place, the heavy artillery will be able to blow the troops into pieces.

On the contrary, when the heavy artillery is in motion all the time, it cannot exert its power.

A large brigade in mobile condition could not engage in field battle with several main regiments of the Eighth Route Army.

If you want to fight in the field with several main regiments, you need at least a regiment-level force.

However, the First Army only has so many troops, so how can they just send out a regiment into the mountains to carry out a sweep?

"Yamaoka-kun, have the intelligence department investigate with all their might!"

"We must find out where the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery came from." Shinozuka Yoshio said seriously.

Now the North China Front Army is mobilizing troops to prepare for a large-scale counterattack.

If the Eighth Route Army had obtained these heavy artillery by chance, we could have taken the opportunity to destroy them.

But if the Eighth Route Army had a stable source of troops, the First Army would be in trouble, and it might really have to govern Shanxi together with the Eighth Route Army.

"Hai!" Michifumi Yamaoka stood at attention and left the office.

Michifumi Yamaoka was also well aware of the impact of heavy artillery on the locust army, so he naturally took this matter very seriously.

Just when the Japanese focused all their attention on the Lijiaopo area.

Chen Chengxing had already led his cavalry company to the vicinity of the Xiguan stronghold.

After all, Taiyuan Airport is behind enemy lines, and it is impossible for Chen Chengxing to bring a large force to attack.

Not only would we fail to destroy the Japanese planes, but we would also be surrounded and destroyed by the Japanese.

According to intelligence, the Japanese's six planes included two reconnaissance planes and four bombers, and the airport was located in the north of Taiyuan City.

During the Hundred Regiments Campaign, the Japanese used this place as their base and frequently sent out planes to carry out bombings.

Now the main force of the First Army is sweeping the periphery, leaving the interior with a lack of manpower, which is the best time to launch a raid.

However, not long after leaving the mountain area, the soldiers of the cavalry reconnaissance platoon ran back and reported:
"Commander, there is a gun tower ahead. Comrades have already checked nearby. There is no way to get around it."

All the important transportation routes in this area were built with artillery towers by the Japanese.

It is impossible to conceal such a large-scale operation of the cavalry company.

"It seems that the great raid some time ago has frightened the Japanese, so they have started to build artillery towers so quickly to complete the blockade." Chen Chengxing said.

According to Chen Chengxing's map, there are no artillery towers in this area.

In other words, this artillery tower must have been newly built.

The only possible gun tower that could be built so quickly was a rammed earth gun tower.

The lifespan of a rammed earth artillery tower is only about a year or so.

The Japs were so eager to build a blockhouse. They must have been frightened by the massive attack some time ago.

"Captain, what should we do now?" asked Sun Desheng.

The cavalry company is not Zhao Zilong, it is impossible for them to kill the Japanese in the core area.

If his whereabouts were exposed, not only would he not be able to attack the airport, he would also be killed.

"Find the nearby guerrillas and ask if there is any chairman of the maintenance association who is one of ours." Chen Chengxing ordered.

Since we can't attack by force, we can only choose to defeat them by wits.

Ma Zhiyuan asked around with local comrades and learned that the nearby villages all had a favorable impression of the Eighth Route Army.

However, there are only two villages that can truly be considered our own.

Chen Chengxing looked at the map and said, "Let's go to Xiaohuangzhuang."

Xiaohuangzhuang is close to the artillery tower and there are many woods in the middle, which is conducive to ambush.

After arriving at Xiaohuangzhuang, Chen Chengxing met Chairman Huang of the Maintenance Association.

"President Huang, I'm sorry to trouble you this time." Chen Chengxing said.

"It's not a trouble, it's not a trouble. I'm willing to help as long as it can help fight the Japanese." President Huang said, patting his chest.

He was already familiar with comrades in the local government, and the reason he became the chairman was to support the guerrillas' actions.

"President Huang, do you know the newly built artillery tower in front?" Chen Chengxing asked, pointing to the east.

"Is it the one at the fork in the road at Baijiazhuang? I know it has been under repair for nearly half a month."

"How many Japanese are there in there?" Chen Chengxing asked.

"There were no devils, only 10 puppet soldiers, who even robbed two chickens from Xiaohuangzhuang."

Chen Chengxing breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that there were no Japanese devils.

It is completely different to have a Japanese artillery tower and not have one.

"President Huang, that's easy. I just need you to go to the turret in front and report it."

"Ah? Snitch?"

"Just say there are a few wounded Eighth Route Army soldiers here."

(End of this chapter)