Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Changjin Lake, a Hundred Battles, a Hundred Victories

Chapter 182 Chen Ming congratulates his division commander on his fortune! (The following appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-translated): The Immortal Yansong (Peaceful Accounts Person)
Within Guoxian County.

The Independent Detachment broke through all four sides of Guoxian County's defenses, and even gunfire was heard outside the Japanese garrison headquarters.

The Japanese lieutenant colonel in charge of defending Guoxian County was already in despair.

With the city walls breached on all sides and all outer positions lost, and the heavy artillery company unable to be contacted no matter what he did, he no longer had the ability to even take the independent detachment down with him.

Now he can only organize his troops to fight in the streets to delay the Eighth Route Army's attack, hoping that the Japanese troops in Shuiquan can come to his aid.

Shuiquan has a regiment of Japanese soldiers and a heavy artillery company.

If the Japanese troops in Shuiquan could be reinforced in time, it would still be possible to repel the Eighth Route Army and defend Guoxian County.

"How long until the reinforcements arrive?" the Japanese lieutenant colonel growled at his staff officer.

The Japanese staff officer saw that the Japanese lieutenant colonel had gone mad, and he felt despair.

As the highest-ranking commander in Guoxian County, even the Japanese lieutenant colonel was thrown into disarray; how much better could the other Japanese soldiers be?
"Reporting to the commander, the reinforcements have been blocked by the Eighth Route Army and will not arrive until noon tomorrow at the earliest."

Guoxian County is only 30 kilometers away from Shuiquan, but it took the Japanese soldiers a whole day to get there.

"Send a death-defying telegram to headquarters! Our Guoxian garrison will fight to the death to avenge the locusts!"

"In addition, we sent a telegram to the headquarters, saying that we could not contact the heavy artillery squadron at all and suspected that it had been wiped out by the Eighth Route Army. We requested that the headquarters send bombers and reconnaissance planes to search for it. We must not let the heavy artillery fall into the hands of the Eighth Route Army."

The Japanese lieutenant colonel gave the order.

Now, they have no means to stop the Eighth Route Army from occupying Guoxian County.

"Hai!"

The Japanese staff officer immediately carried out the order and reported the situation to the First Army Headquarters in Taiyuan by telegram.

Upon receiving the telegram, Yansong's blood pressure spiked, and he nearly fainted, causing chaos at the Taiyuan First Army Headquarters.

The chief of staff of the Japanese First Army took over command, and all the planes at Taiyuan Airport took off to conduct reconnaissance near the heavy artillery camp.

Once it is discovered that heavy artillery has fallen into the hands of the Eighth Route Army, it must be destroyed at all costs.

Meanwhile, a large number of Japanese troops set out to reinforce the area, heading north along the Tongpu Railway to search for any possible lost heavy artillery pieces.

The initial reinforcements have reached 8,700 men, and with the addition of the Japanese troops in Shuiquan, the reinforcement force has reached tens of thousands.

With so many troops being transferred, almost all the troops in Taiyuan and Jinzhong have been drawn away.

Taiyuan was defended by only two infantry battalions plus puppet troops, leaving its defenses extremely weak.

There was nothing that could be done. The responsibility for the loss of the heavy artillery was too great, so great that even Yansong, the commander of the First Army, could not suppress it and was so angry that he fainted.

If the Eighth Route Army were to gain control of these heavy artillery pieces, even with limited ammunition, it would greatly impact the strategic landscape of Shanxi Province.

Having heavy artillery and not having it are two different things.

Even without using these heavy artillery pieces, the Eighth Route Army could make the Japanese run for their lives just by having them there.

The Japanese army's sudden large-scale mobilization caused quite a stir.

Other units of the Eighth Route Army began to engage the Japanese soldiers in battle without even realizing it, spontaneously joining the fight.

The headquarters also received the news and were wondering about it.

"Why are the Japanese soldiers in the entire Shanxi province acting like they've gone mad, launching attacks without regard for the consequences?"

"Yes, fighting is happening everywhere in northwestern, southern, southeastern, and central Shanxi. What exactly is the Japanese devils' objective?"

"Could it be that that idiot Li Yunlong has pulled off some big move again?"

"No, Li Yunlong doesn't have that ability to get the Japanese to reinforce him so recklessly. In many places, the Japanese have even abandoned their strongholds and handed over the defenses to the puppet troops."

The headquarters staff spoke up.

"Have our troops been making any major moves lately?" the commander asked.

"Recently, the Fourth Military Sub-district reported that they would fight a battle in Guoxian and take down the Japanese in Guoxian," a staff officer said.

"It must be him. For the Japanese in southern Shanxi to be mobilized, Chen Ming must have hit the nail on the head. Guoxian alone is not enough."

"Goodness, could it be that Chen Ming took down the Japanese heavy artillery company? That's why the Japanese sent reinforcements at any cost."

"I think it's entirely possible. I wouldn't be surprised if he did something earth-shattering."

After listening to everyone's analysis, the boss had a better understanding of the situation.

"Call the independent detachment immediately to inquire about the specific situation."

"Yes."

A telegram was sent to Chen Ming's command post.

"Old Chen, a telegram from headquarters is asking what big move we've made that has driven the Japanese so crazy," Political Commissar Zhang Zhengze said.

"What was bound to happen has finally happened," Chen Ming sighed.

He had originally planned to lie low and use the four heavy cannons first.

As a result, the Japanese soldiers went completely mad, as if their ancestral graves had been dug up, and actually made such a big move.

The truth can't be hidden anymore.

"That's not right. Based on my understanding of that old devil Yansong, he shouldn't be this crazy. Isn't he afraid that by mobilizing so many troops, I can take the opportunity to attack Taiyuan directly?" Chen Ming wondered.

After being reprimanded several times by the Independent Detachment, Yansong has become more obedient.

In addition, Iwasatsu was a skilled officer, unlike those fanatical and brainless Japanese officers.

Normally, when reinforcements are mobilized from various locations, it's impossible for all the troops to be gathered together before taking action.

The reinforcement force, which appears to be tens of thousands of people, is actually divided into many units.

This gave Chen Ming the opportunity to eliminate the Japanese troops in batches.

Only an old Japanese devil like Yansong would do something like that if he were insane.

What Chen Ming didn't know was that Yan Song collapsed after receiving news that the heavy artillery squadron had lost contact, and he was still being treated and lying in the hospital without waking up.

The one who has taken over command is now the chief of staff of the Japanese First Army, not Iwasatsu.

"Report the situation to headquarters," Chen Ming said.

Upon receiving the telegram from the Independent Detachment, headquarters was immediately abuzz with excitement.

"My God, I knew it."

"A full four heavy cannons, ten tons of shells! No wonder the Japanese were acting like madmen."

Inside the headquarters, everyone was in high spirits.

Having captured such an important strategic weapon, they can finally speak with their heads held high.

"Order all units to do everything in their power to block the Japanese reinforcements, so that Chen Ming can bring back my heavy artillery," the commander ordered.

He has changed the name he used for these four heavy cannons.

"Yes."

Independent Detachment Command Post.

Chen Ming was still making plans when the brigade commander called him directly.

"Chen Ming, I heard you made a fortune. Congratulations!"

Chen Ming felt a chill run down his spine as he listened to the familiar tone and words on the phone.

"What fortune? Where did you hear that, Brigade Commander?" Chen Ming said with a bitter face.

"Don't try to fool me. I know everything from headquarters. You managed to get your hands on four heavy artillery pieces and ten tons of shells."

"Four heavy cannons, huh? You're getting cocky now."

The brigade commander said with a laugh on the other end of the phone.

Upon hearing this, Chen Ming thought to himself that the brigade commander's intelligence network was far too advanced.

The brigade commander found out not long after I managed to acquire 1,500 horses last time.

This time, we acquired four heavy artillery pieces, and it wasn't long after we reported it to headquarters that the brigade commander found out.

"Brigade Commander, we did make a little money, but it's really nothing. I hope you won't be after my little bit of stuff," Chen Ming said on the phone.

"You're quite arrogant. Four heavy cannons are just a small fortune? Then what would be considered a big fortune?" the brigade commander chuckled.

"At least a Japanese heavy artillery regiment should be needed."

"Goodness, you're thinking about a heavy artillery regiment as a mere division? Should I be thinking about a heavy artillery brigade?" the brigade commander joked.

“Absolutely. Only a Japanese heavy artillery brigade is worthy of your status as brigade commander,” Chen Ming immediately replied.

"Stop with the nonsense. I'm not asking for equipment this time; I just want to congratulate you on making me look good." The brigade commander changed the subject.

Hearing the brigade commander's words, Chen Ming was utterly incredulous.

Your "Congratulations on getting rich, Grand Brigade Commander" greeting has almost become a rule of heaven. As long as you say those four words, you can get some equipment.

Who would believe it if I said it was just to congratulate me on making a fortune?
Thinking this, Chen Ming said, "Brigade Commander, I have to say you're wrong here. What do you mean by 'need equipment'?"

“Those were handed over by us lower-level troops in accordance with discipline; that’s our discipline.”

"I want to see who is ruining your reputation as brigade commander. I, Chen Ming, will be the first to not let him get away with it."

"Brigade Commander, I have something to report to you. I currently have over 1,500 guns, which are surplus equipment that I intend to hand over. When will you send someone to collect these weapons?"

The brigade commander was also a little stunned when he heard Chen Ming's words.

When did Chen Ming become so savvy?

Something unusual must be going on; Chen Ming must be up to something.

"You're being so cooperative this time, kid. You don't need me for something, do you?" the brigade commander said.

“How could that be? Do you think I’m that kind of person?” Chen Ming said.

"Since you put it that way, then I'll gladly accept these equipment. I'll send someone to pick them up tomorrow. If you have nothing else to say, I'll hang up now," the brigade commander said, suppressing a laugh.

"Hey, hey, no, brigade commander, I really do have something I want to ask you for a favor," Chen Ming quickly said.

"I knew it. You're always so helpful, there's definitely something you need," the brigade commander said with a smile. "Tell me, what do you need my help with, but I can't guarantee anything."

Upon hearing the brigade commander's words, Chen Ming said, "Brigade commander, we captured four heavy artillery pieces, right? Could you talk to the general and ask if we could leave these heavy artillery pieces in the independent detachment?"

"No, take those equipment back. I can't persuade the boss."

The brigade commander had no interest in the heavy artillery that Chen Ming had captured, knowing that he couldn't keep such weapons.

"Brigade Commander, there's no reason to take back what we've given away," Chen Ming quickly said.

"Well, to be honest with you, it's not up to me to decide whether to keep these heavy artillery pieces. I can only put in a good word for you. You can try talking to the division commander," the brigade commander said.

He really couldn't bear to part with 1,500 guns; that was enough to assemble three bastion regiments.

"Brigade Commander, thank you so much, Brigade Commander, haha," Chen Ming said.

"Alright, if you can leave the heavy artillery behind, don't try to shirk your responsibility when I need heavy artillery support," the brigade commander said with a smile. "How could I? If you tell me to go east, brigade commander, I won't go and trample dogs. We're like brothers, what difference does it make if these four heavy artillery pieces stay in the fourth division or if they stay with you, brigade commander?"

"Alright, alright."

After hanging up the phone, the brigade commander laughed.

"They've gotten another 1,500 guns. Chen Ming is really good at this."

The brigade commander was well aware of Chen Ming's request.

These four heavy artillery pieces will most likely remain with the independent detachment.

Good resources should be used where they are most needed. Right now, which unit has a stronger overall combat capability than the independent detachment?
In terms of overall strength, the elite status of its artillery, its organizational structure, and its experience in large-scale operations, the independent detachment is the best.

Having an armored company and then forming a heavy artillery company would greatly enhance the strength of the independent detachment.

Fighting in northern Shanxi with a powerful fist can radiate influence to surrounding troops and drive their development.

With a strong force at the front drawing the enemy's attention, other units can gain better room to maneuver.

Didn't you see how much equipment the brigade commander got from the independent detachment and how many troops he raised?

Even local armed forces and militias have experienced tremendous growth.

So the request that the brigade commander received 1,500 guns from Chen Ming was nothing at all.

The brigade commander felt he had hit the jackpot, and Chen Ming felt the same way.

The brigade commander was just being modest when he said those things.

With the brigade commander speaking up for him, Chen Ming felt that he was already halfway to victory.

As for the 1,500 guns handed over, Chen Ming didn't care, since it was already a surplus of equipment.

During the period from 41 to 42, Chen Ming limited the expansion of his army in order to ensure its combat effectiveness and to deal with the threat of famine.

Chen Ming intentionally controlled the size of his troops, ensuring that all his soldiers were elite.

The same amount of ammunition distributed among a thousand elite soldiers is a completely different matter from that distributed among ten thousand ordinary soldiers.

Concentrating resources on major tasks is a principle that Chen Ming has always adhered to.

Besides, the Eighth Route Army is a unified whole, not just one unit. If needed, other units will also help.

Moreover, Chen Ming also retained the ability to rapidly mobilize troops at any time, allowing local armed forces and militia to replenish the main force at any time.

If he wanted to, doubling the size of his army wouldn't be a problem.

They handed over 1,500 guns to the brigade commander in exchange for a heavy artillery company, which was a fair trade.

These weapons were given to other units, enabling them to fight the Japanese and play a role in combat.

After the Battle of Guoxian is over, we will be able to replenish our supplies with a new batch of weapons.

After securing the brigade commander's approval, Chen Ming followed the brigade commander's advice and called the division headquarters.

"Commander, congratulations on your fortune!"

"."

Having contributed some more weapons, Chen Ming also received the support of his division commander.

Unbeknownst to him, the brigade commander and the division commander were already secretly laughing together.

After settling the matter of the heavy artillery, Chen Ming felt very relaxed and satisfied.

However, this also creates a problem.

Chen Ming felt he had gained something, and so did the brigade commander and division commander. So who actually lost out?

The overall situation in Guoxian County has been stabilized, but the fighting continues.

3:00 AM on April 1st.

Kong Jie's three battalions, along with nearly 3,000 soldiers from other units, finally wiped out all the Japanese troops in Guoxian County.

In the Battle of Guoxian, more than 1,500 Japanese soldiers and more than 1,000 puppet troops were killed, and more than 2,000 puppet troops were captured.

More than 3,000 rifles, more than 100 light and heavy machine guns, four infantry guns, six mortars, more than 60 grenade launchers, and a quantity of ammunition were seized.

In addition, a large amount of supplies were seized from Guoxian, an important railway city, including large quantities of grain, iron, coal, and other military and daily necessities.

The independent detachment itself suffered more than 2,100 casualties, including 778 killed and the rest wounded.

The reason for such heavy casualties is twofold: firstly, the Japanese heavy artillery camp's defensive fortifications were too well constructed.

The defensive fortifications built using the mountain were like a tortoise shell. Even the US military, with its superior firepower including ships, cannons, and bombardments from planes and tanks, suffered heavy losses on Iwo Jima.

The firepower of the independent detachment was far inferior to that of the US military, which caused such heavy casualties.

It was only because the Japanese launched a desperate counterattack against the heavy artillery camp that the defensive fortifications were left vulnerable; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to wipe them all out.

Another major reason for such heavy casualties was that the Japanese troops in Guoxian County used street fighting and the Independent Detachment to wear down the enemy.

The brutality of urban warfare goes without saying; it is the most brutal form of warfare of all.

The Battle of Stalingrad, one of the most famous urban battles in World War II history, resulted in more than two million casualties on both sides.

A soldier's life is measured in minutes.

The fact that the independent detachment was able to keep casualties at this level is already quite remarkable.

The only pity was that more than 300 Japanese soldiers who came out to reinforce from Guoxian escaped, and the entire force was not wiped out.

When the news reached Yansong, who had already woken up, he couldn't catch his breath again and fainted once more.

The heavy artillery company failed to find its heavy artillery, Guoxian was captured by the Eighth Route Army, and two battalions of soldiers were killed in action. His Independent Mixed Third Brigade was once again severely damaged.

That's a heavy artillery squadron! The First Army doesn't have that many heavy artillery pieces in total.

The loss of four gates to the Eighth Route Army at once had a huge impact on the First Army.

The key point is that this heavy artillery squadron did not fire a single shot, nor did it show any signs of ammunition explosion, which means that all of its shell reserves had been captured by the Eighth Route Army.

A full ten tons of shells!
Upon waking up, Iwamatsu immediately began to curse: "How did that sinner Sada fight? He lost all his cannons and shells without firing a single shot!"

"He is a sinner of the empire, forever nailed to the pillar of shame, and his entire family must commit suicide to atone for his sins."

However, bad news kept coming.

According to reconnaissance reports, the railway within dozens of kilometers of Guoxian County was damaged, and some of the tracks were missing.

It's obvious they were taken away by the Eighth Route Army.

Now look what's happened! The railway that was finally repaired might not be finished until next year.

The Tongpu Railway is now half-ruined.

When the results of the Battle of Guoxian reached the North China Expeditionary Army Headquarters, Okamura fell into a long-lost silence as he looked at the battle report.

"Yan Song is a traitor to the empire. I strongly suspect that he was bribed by the Chinese army, allowing such important weapons to be captured by them!"

"Investigate and find out exactly how much loss the First Army concealed, allowing the Chinese army's independent detachment to grow to its current size."

Now that Yansong has taken the blame, all the losses that the First Army had previously concealed have been exposed.

Yansong became the accountant, and all the losses were pinned on his head.

When the data reached the North China Expeditionary Army Headquarters, Okamura was furious.

With so many weapons captured by the Eighth Route Army, he couldn't imagine the extent of the impact this would have on the empire.

"That piece of trash Yansong, I'll f*** him!"

Therefore, the North China Expeditionary Army reported the situation to the Japanese Army Headquarters.

When Yansong learned the news, he fainted for the third time.

When he woke up, he had many more white hairs on his head, and Yansong's hair had become more cloudy.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to stay in my position as commander of the First Army for long."

"The entire Shanxi province is on the verge of collapse, and as the commander, I am primarily responsible."

His transfer order will arrive soon; whether he will be transferred to the reserves or demoted to a secondary position will depend on his performance in the coming period.

Yansong currently harbors the deepest hatred for three people.

First is Yoshio Shinotsuka. The disastrous consequences in Jin Province were sown by Yoshio Shinotsuka during his tenure, but the responsibility fell entirely on Iwamatsu.

Secondly, there's the Independent Detachment and Chen Ming. If it weren't for Chen Ming and the Independent Detachment, he wouldn't be in his current predicament.

The third group consists of officers in the First Army who constantly claim that the situation is excellent, normal, and that they even have an advantage.

As a result of the investigation, the dispatched army discovered that the situation was on the verge of collapse, and the troops had suffered very serious losses in personnel and weapons.

The key issue is that Yan Song has taken the blame for all of these problems.

As the commander of the Japanese First Army, he was the person primarily responsible, and he could not shirk his responsibility for any problems his subordinates had.

Of these three groups, Iwamatsu hated Shinotsuka Yoshio the most, followed by the officers below him, and then Chen Ming and the Independent Detachment.

After all, people always hate being betrayed by their own people more.

Inside the command center in Ping'an County.

Chen Ming tallied the results of the battle, submitted a report to the brigade commander and a report to the division headquarters, and then the brigade commander and the division headquarters reported to headquarters.

The Independent Detachment was directly under the Division Headquarters, and the Fourth Military Sub-district was directly under the Brigade Commander.

Now the troops have all withdrawn from Guoxian County, leaving it to the Japanese.

Occupying Guoxian now would not bring much benefit to the Independent Detachment; on the contrary, it would invite fierce retaliation from the Japanese.

The First Army was not like the troops stationed in Mongolia; it had many heavy artillery pieces, the closest being the heavy artillery company at Shuiquan.

Continuing to defend the flat terrain of Guoxian would be too much of a challenge. It would be better to hand it over to the Japanese and let them continue to station troops there, allowing Chen Ming to bleed them dry.

After the report was submitted, Chen Ming organized a commendation and summary ceremony for the battle.

Seven hundred and seventy-eight soldiers sacrificed their lives, including thirteen elite soldiers from the special operations brigade.

These are all Chen Ming's precious possessions; he would be heartbroken to lose even one of them.

They are heroes; it was they who risked their lives to win peace, and no amount of praise or recognition is too much.

The wounded soldiers are also receiving full treatment.

Those who can continue fighting will be returned to their units after recovering from their injuries. Those who cannot continue fighting will be assigned to logistics units or arsenals to continue contributing their expertise.

Those who are completely unable to take care of themselves will be supported by the local government or their relatives, and the state will provide for these heroes for life.

In short, the organization and the country will never forget the contributions of the soldiers, whether they were killed or wounded.

P.S.: Who actually caught that fish? Also, I recommend a book, *Bright Sword: Starting with Taking the Unconventional Path*.

　I recommend a friend's new book to you readers.
　　

(End of this chapter)