Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 309 I won’t cheat others unless they cheat me!

Luliang Mountains.

Kenan Slope.

Second Theater Command.

After listening to the communications staff read the telegram sent from the Eighth Route Army headquarters, Yan Laoxi, who was dressed in military uniform, was shocked at first, and then he quickly summoned senior officers of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army to a meeting with high spirits.

"Look, this is the telegram just sent by the Eighth Route Army."

"The Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong bombarded Taiyuan Airport this morning."

"And in the Xinzhou Basin area, the 108th Brigade of the Japanese 25th Division was severely damaged."

As soon as these words were spoken, the Jinsui officers were in an uproar.

Taiyuan Airport was bombarded, and the Second War Zone Command had received the intelligence at noon.

But they did not expect that the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong would inflict heavy damage on the 25th Brigade again.

"Is this Li Yunlong the reincarnation of the God of Death Bai Qi?"

"Just last month, we completely wiped out the Japanese Army's 3rd Independent Mixed Brigade in the Xiyan area."

"Only a month has passed, and they've already dealt a heavy blow to the Japanese 25th Brigade?"

"This 25th Brigade is not to be trifled with!"

"I remember when the Japanese army attacked Linfen, it was this 25th Brigade that led the charge!"

"The 108th Division is the elite of the Japanese Army. It is composed of retired soldiers from the 8th Division. Its combat effectiveness is quite formidable!"

"I'm actually interested in how Li Yunlong bombed Taiyuan Airport!"

"Is this the second time Li Yunlong has sent troops to bomb Taiyuan Airport?"

"The rise of the Eighth Route Army is not a good thing for our Shanxi-Suiyuan Army. It's easier to invite a god than to send him away!"

"..."

A group of Jinsui officers were talking to each other.

The Shanxi-Suiyuan Army was at its lowest point during this period.

The total number of troops was only about 10, and the territory in Shanxi Province was limited to the Luliang Mountains in western Shanxi.

What's worse is that Chiang Kai-shek greatly reduced the amount of combat supplies he provided to the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army. Coupled with the loss of ammunition supplies from the Taiyuan Arsenal, the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army soldiers were also short of combat supplies.

Listening to the discussion among his subordinates, the excitement in Yan Laoxi's eyes suddenly cooled down a lot.

On the surface, the Eighth Route Army was a force of the Second War Zone.

Logically speaking, the Eighth Route Army won the battle, and he, as the commander of the Second War Zone, should be happy.

However, the Eighth Route Army simply obeyed the propaganda and not the orders.

Moreover, the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army and the Eighth Route Army have recently had some unpleasantness due to some frictions and the issue of the affiliation of the death squad.

After a pause, Yan Laoxi spoke again in Shanxi Wutai dialect.

"at present."

"The Eighth Route Army's Jinzhong troops have pinned down the 108th Division."

"The 129th Division is holding back the 20th Division on Zhengtai Road."

"The 14th Division and other troops in southern Shanxi were pinned down by Wei Lihuang's Central Army."

"There are only about 10,000 Japanese and puppet troops in Taiyuan."

"The Eighth Route Army Headquarters believes that the time has come to counterattack Taiyuan."

"We are asking the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army to attack Taiyuan. What do you think?"

Upon hearing this, some officers' eyes lit up and they looked excited.

The eyes of other officers flickered, and their expressions became uncertain.

Soon, the war faction and the conservative faction started arguing.

The pro-war faction headed by Yang Aiyuan believed that Taiyuan should be attacked immediately, the Japanese First Army Headquarters should be eliminated, and Taiyuan should be recaptured.

The conservatives led by Sun Chu believed that if the Eighth Route Army stabbed them in the back, they could send the 108th Division and the 20th Division back to support the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army when it attacked Taiyuan. The Shanxi-Suiyuan Army would be wiped out by the Japanese army, and the Eighth Route Army would benefit.

Yan Laoxi pondered for a long time, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness as he said, "Even if our Shanxi-Suiyuan Army recaptures Taiyuan from the Japanese, we won't be able to hold on to it under the Japanese counterattack. Instead, we will suffer even greater losses and our troops will suffer even greater casualties."

"General Sun is right. The Eighth Route Army is unreliable, and Chiang Kai-shek is even less so."

Sun Chu was the commander-in-chief of the 8th Army Group. Sun Chu was the first general of Yan's army to fight against the Red Army in the north, and he blocked the Red Army's eastward expedition on the Yellow River line in Linxian County.

"Commander," Yang Aiyuan advised, "After we capture Taiyuan and move the Taiyuan Arsenal out, we can voluntarily withdraw from Taiyuan. As long as we have the Arsenal, we can recruit soldiers and strengthen our strength at any time."

"madness!"

Yan Laoxi scolded:
"How could you transport hundreds of thousands of tons of equipment and raw materials from the Taiyuan Arsenal to the Lüliang Mountains and Shaanxi without rail transport?"

"Besides, our Shanxi-Suiyuan Army wiped out the First Army's headquarters and killed Shinozuka Yoshio. Shouldn't the Japanese army concentrate their forces to launch a frenzied retaliation?"

"If the Japanese army sends a few Type A divisions to attack Luliang Mountain, can we withstand it?"

After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Yan Laoxi wanted to transport the factory equipment to the rear areas such as Sichuan and Shaanxi.

但直到11月8日日军占领太原前，只运走小型机床1000余部和动力电机200余部，仅占西北制造厂18个分厂全部财产的2%，其余设备悉数落入敌手。

It is said that some equipment was snatched away from the Japanese army by the Eighth Route Army, which made Yan Laoxi very sad.

Yan Laoxi dreamed of taking back the Taiyuan Arsenal, his beloved treasure, but he did not have the strength to do so and could only watch helplessly.

Yang Aiyuan was suddenly speechless. He actually didn't want to transport much equipment and raw materials back to Luliang.

Even if they cannot be transported back to Luliang, the equipment and raw materials can be blown up. That is better than leaving them to the Japanese to produce weapons and ammunition to attack the Chinese, right?
But given Yan Laoxi's character, he would rather leave the arsenal to the Japanese than blow it up.

I dream of retaking Taiyuan and the Arsenal one day.

But now that the opportunity was right in front of him, Yan Laoxi hesitated.

"Then Commander, you mean..."

Yan Laoxi narrowed his eyes and said, "Call the Eighth Route Army headquarters immediately and tell them that the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army will immediately attack Taiyuan and will not withdraw until Taiyuan is captured. Please ask the main force of the Eighth Route Army to continue to contain the 20th Division and the 108th Division."

Chief of Staff Chu Xichun immediately drafted a telegram and gave it to Yan Laoxi for signature.

Chu Xichun was about to go to the telegraph room to send a telegram when Yan Laoxi stopped him again: "Send another telegram to Principal Chang in Chongqing. My Second War Zone troops have severely damaged the Japanese 25th Brigade in the Xinzhou area. Please ask Principal Chang to allocate 1000 tons of combat supplies to the Second War Zone."

"Commander, this is a brilliant move. I admire you!" Sun Chu quickly flattered him.

Yan Laoxi quickly signed his order and Chu Xichun left quickly.

Yan Laoxi looked at Yang Aiyuan: "General Yang!"

Yang Aiyuan straightened his body and said, "I'm here!"

Yan Laoxi said, "Your Sixth Army should prepare and march towards Taiyuan tomorrow morning. Make a feint to attack Taiyuan. Once you get close to Taiyuan, immediately withdraw to Luliang. Do not engage with the Japanese army to avoid losses."

The Sixth Army Group was composed of the 33rd Army, the 34th Army and other units, and participated in the Pingxingguan Campaign, the Xinkou Campaign and other battles.

The commander of the 203rd Brigade of the 33rd Army, Liang Jingzhai, and the commander of the 196th Brigade, Jiang Yuzhen, were killed in the Battle of Ruyuekou and the Defense of Yuanping respectively.

Yang Aiyuan: “Yes!”

This time, taking advantage of this opportunity, Yan Laoxi planned to trick the Eighth Route Army.

……

"Nani?"

"Did Yan Xishan dare to attack Taiyuan?"

Taiyuan.

First Army Headquarters.

After listening to Yamamoto Ikki's report, Shinozuka Yoshio's anus tightened and his tone was incredulous.

Although there were no senior Japanese spies in Yan Laoxi's headquarters.

However, many middle and lower-level officers of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army were infiltrated and bribed by the Japanese army.

Not long after the Sixth Army's order was issued, Yamamoto Ikki received the news.

The middle and lower-ranking officers of the Sixth Army were unaware that this was a feint attack, which led to the Japanese spies reporting that the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army was planning a serious attack on Taiyuan and the First Army Headquarters.

"Hi."

Yamamoto Ikki narrowed his eyes and nodded slightly:
"The Sixth Group Army of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army is distributing ammunition and preparing dry food. They will set out for Taiyuan tomorrow morning."

Yamamoto then looked at the map. "The Sixth Group Army of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army is stationed in Lüliang, 110 kilometers from Taiyuan. It takes about two days to get from Lüliang to Taiyuan."

Taking a deep breath, Shinozuka Yoshio's eyes were filled with murderous intent. "The Eighth Route Army attacked us, the Central Army attacked us, and the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army also joined in the fun. Does the Chinese army think that the First Army of the Great Japanese Locust Army is a soft persimmon that anyone can come up and pinch?"

Mutaguchi Ren'ya's tone was filled with murderous intent: "Order the Yoshino Regiment and the Kuroshima Cavalry Regiment to quietly return to support after nightfall and ambush on the Fen River Plain."

"General," Yamamoto Ikki said, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "According to intelligence, Yan Xishan has moved his headquarters from Qiulin Town, Shaanxi Province, to Kenanpo, Lüliang County. Do you need me to lead a special forces team to execute Yan Xishan?"

Shinozuka Yoshio was very tempted, but after careful consideration, he finally shook his head: "No need!"

Yamamoto Ikki asked in a puzzled tone, "General, why is this happening?"

Shinozuka Yoshio pondered for a moment, then said, "I have a feeling that the future battlefield in Shanxi, and even the entire North China, will be a showdown between the Locust Army and the Eighth Route Army."

"Yan Xishan has been operating in Shanxi for decades and enjoys a very high reputation among the people. He represents the interests of the entire Shanxi landlord class."

"If the First Army can win over Yan Xishan, our Locust Army will be able to gain the support of the Shanxi landlord class and some ordinary people!"

"This will be of great significance for the locust army's future victory over the Eighth Route Army, the complete capture of Shanxi and even the entire North China!"

"To deal with Yan Xishan and his Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, we must adopt a dual policy of attack and win him over. If we give him a hard time, he will naturally become afraid of the locust army and thus defect to it."

"This is also the intention of General Terauchi, commander of the North China Front Army."

At present, the strength of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army is not even among the top three in Shanxi.

In terms of strength, the Japanese army ranked first in Shanxi, the second was the Central Army in southern Shanxi, and the third was the Eighth Route Army.

For Yan Laoxi, his opponents, whether it was Principal Chang who controlled the National Government, the Eighth Route Army behind enemy lines, or the ambitious Japanese army, were all threats to his rule over Shanxi in his mind.

Therefore, Yan Laoxi made the famous "dancing on three eggs" statement, and the Japanese army believed that Yan Laoxi was likely to defect to the Japanese army.

"General."

Yamamoto Ikki lowered his head and said, "I understand. I have recently ordered my intelligence personnel to vigorously collect intelligence on the Eighth Route Army Headquarters. Once the location of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters is determined, please allow me to lead the special forces team to carry out a decapitation operation against the Eighth Route Army Headquarters."

"Oh?" Shinozuka pushed up his glasses. "Then I'll be waiting for your good news, Mr. Yamamoto."

Mutaguchi Renya interjects:
"Commander, what should we do with the 108st Infantry Battalion, the 1th Infantry Battalion, and the Cavalry Battalion of the 5th Division, which are surrounded by the Eighth Route Army?"

"Mutaguchi-kun," Shinozuka Yoshio said, "Can't you see through the Chinese army's strategy?"

Yamamoto Ikki looked at Mutaguchi Renya as if he were an idiot.

Mutaguchi Renya finally reacted: "Your Excellency the Commander is wise, I admire you!"

……

Jinzhong Military Region Front Command.

Li Yunlong called a meeting with two generals, Ding Wei and Kong Jie.

Seeing Ding Wei and Kong Jie come in, Li Yunlong said.

"Brigade Headquarters sent a telegram this afternoon saying that the 129th Division was engaged in a firefight with the Japanese 20th Division."

"The 20th Division is indeed formidable, but the main force of our 129th Division is no pushover either."

"This morning, the 20th Division suffered a setback, severely damaging an entire Japanese infantry battalion."

"Haha." Kong Jie was delighted: "Not bad!"

Ding Wei's expression changed, and he asked, "Old Li, what is the firepower of our 129th Division now?"

Most of the firepower of the 129th Division was handed over by Li Yunlong, and no one knew it better than Li Yunlong.

"What kind of firepower?" Li Yunlong's mouth curled up. "I'll tell you and shock you!"

As Ding Wei, Kong Jie and the other staff officers were eagerly waiting, Li Yunlong raised his head and said.

"First is the artillery firepower, which includes a Forbos 75mm mountain artillery regiment, an 82mm mortar regiment, and a 120mm heavy mortar regiment."

"Eighteen light tanks are equivalent to eighteen 18mm mountain guns."

"This time, our opponent is the Japanese 20th Division. The commander of the headquarters is worried that the 129th Division will suffer, so he has brought all three artillery regiments in addition to the tank battalion."

"Each main regiment is equipped with 18 60mm mortars and 24 grenade launchers."

"Oh my God!" Kong Jie opened his eyes wide, "The 129th Division has made a fortune!"

In the more than six months since he came to the Jinzhong Military Region, Li Yunlong has handed over all the military equipment and raw materials he robbed and earned.

Today, the Huangyadong Arsenal in southeastern Shanxi has grown to a certain scale.

Bullet production lines, grenade launcher production lines, 60mm mortar production lines, Bren light machine gun production lines, rifle, grenade and smokeless powder production lines are now fully operational, continuously producing weapons and ammunition for the troops.

In addition to logistical supplies and individual soldier quality, the 129th Division now surpasses the Japanese 20th Division in terms of firepower and manpower.

In the head-on battle with the Japanese 20th Division, the 129th Division actually had a slight advantage due to its superior manpower and firepower.

Ding Wei raised the corner of his mouth slightly:
"The Eighth Route Army is currently experiencing rapid growth, thanks to the support of Boss Lin and the people, and the resolute will of its officers and soldiers to resist the Japanese invasion."

"After this battle, the troops will receive a large batch of weapons and ammunition." Kong Jie nodded, "The combat effectiveness and firepower of the troops will reach a new level."

Li Yunlong nodded: "If things continue like this, sooner or later, our Eighth Route Army will surpass the Japanese in strength."

Ding Wei sneered, his murderous intent overflowing: "When the time comes, hehe..."

Li Yunlong nodded and said, "Boss Lin said that as long as we kill the devils, we can get weapons and ammunition. The more devils we kill, the more weapons and ammunition we get, and the more advanced the weapons will be. After we kill the devils who invaded China, we will continue to kill the devils on the island countries."

"To deal with the inhumane Japs," Kong Jie tapped his pipe, his tone grim, "we should fight killing with killing, blood for blood!"

"Report to the head of the group, Boss Lin just sent a telegram!"

Just then, Xiao Zhang walked in quickly and reported to Li Yunlong.

Li Yunlong took the telegram and started reading it. He looked happy at first, but then his expression became serious.

Seeing this, Kong Jie asked, "Old Li, what happened?"

Li Yunlong said, "Boss Lin sent two pieces of information. The first is congratulations on killing Major General Nakano Naozo, commander of the 108th Brigade of the 25th Division of the Japanese Army."

Ding Wei and Kong Jie's expressions suddenly lit up with joy, as they had obtained another 12 120mm heavy mortars.

This is a heavy mortar battalion. On the battlefield, this firepower can not only suppress the Japanese battalion-level attack, but also inflict heavy damage on the Japanese.

Ding Wei asked, "What about the second piece of information?"

Li Yunlong said, "Yan Laoxi is about to order the Sixth Army to attack Taiyuan."

Kong Jie's eyes lit up: "This is good!"

"Bullshit," Li Yunlong said angrily, "Yan Laoxi ordered the Sixth Army to feint an attack on Taiyuan and immediately retreat once they got close to Taiyuan, fearing that the troops would suffer losses."

Ding Wei and Kong Jie immediately started cursing, saying, "We are closely connected with Yan Laoxi, but Yan Laoxi is playing tricks on us."

It's really a hopeless case. Instead of seizing such a good opportunity to recapture Taiyuan, they engage in internal strife.

"Yan Laoxi has bad intentions," Kong Jie said. "Yan Laoxi pretended to send troops to attack Taiyuan. How many soldiers did the 129th Division and the Jinzhong Military Region sacrifice in vain during the two days they spent pinning down the 108th and 20th Divisions? How much combat supplies did they waste?"

Ding Wei said: "Fortunately, we have Boss Lin's intelligence support, otherwise we would have suffered losses this time."

"This is my fault." Li Yunlong reflected on himself, his eyes narrowed, "I shouldn't have had hope in Yan Laoxi."

Li Yunlong, Ding Wei and Kong Jie all had 100% trust in Boss Lin's intelligence.

Without Boss Lin, there would be no Jinzhong Military Region today, and the entire Eighth Route Army would not have such strength.

"Old Li, this is not your fault."

Ding Wei stared at the map and said, "Yan Laoxi fought with all his might in the Battle of Xinkou, losing 70% of his troops. I also thought that Yan Laoxi would lead his troops back to Taiyuan and recapture the Taiyuan Arsenal."

It was obvious that Yan Laoxi's spirit had been crushed by the Japanese army in Xinkou.

"Old Yan is a dishonest person. He didn't attack Taiyuan and no one said anything. He even pretended to order the troops to fight. Isn't this clearly a trap for our Eighth Route Army?" Li Yunlong cursed and asked Xiao Zhang to forward this telegram to the headquarters immediately so that the headquarters could adjust the strategic deployment in time.

Kong Jie said: "The cleverness of Yan Laoxi's move is that we can't say anything openly. After all, the other party did send troops to attack Taiyuan, but they just didn't take it."

Ding Wei stared at the map and said, "I won't betray others unless they betray me. Since Yan Laoxi betrayed our Eighth Route Army first, we can't afford to give in. We can report to headquarters and tell them that from now on, the 129th Division will cease its offensive and station troops on the Zhengtai Road. We will eat up the Japanese in the encirclement here, and the Japanese who are reinforcing the 108th Division from Taiyuan will definitely return to help. This will teach the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army a lesson."

"Old Ding, you are worthy of being the number one military advisor of our Jinzhong Military Region. You think the same as I do." Li Yunlong chuckled and quickly drafted a telegram and asked Xiao Zhang to send it to the headquarters.

(End of this chapter)