Cross the Songhu battlefield and rise to become the most powerful warlord

Chapter 435: The Japs also play a roundabout way

435 The Japanese also play a big detour

"What? The Japanese took over Dongyang County?

Damn it, why report it now?"

April 209th was the third day that Zhang Fa led the 76th Division north to rescue the th Division.

Chief of Staff Xiao Shanling received a piece of bad news from Dongyang County.

"Commander-in-Chief, here's the news from Dongyang County.

Two days ago, a large Japanese army suddenly appeared outside Dongyang County and captured Dongyang County.

Because this Japanese army appeared too suddenly.

The defenders of Dongyang County had no time to even send out a message before the county town was captured.

We didn’t receive this news until today.”

Chief of Staff Xiao Shanling hurriedly found Ye Qingshan and reported the news.

“Dongyang County?

How is that possible? I don't remember any devils over there."

Ye Qingshan was also very surprised and suspicious after hearing Xiao Shanling's report.

Walk up to the map immediately.

"Where did this devil come from?"

Ye Qingshan found that he was right in remembering that there was no sign of the presence of Japanese troops in Dongyang County.

How come it suddenly lost?

“It’s unclear at the moment, but this is what the local Military Intelligence Bureau agents reported.

The number of Japanese troops that captured Dongyang was quite large.

There must be at least one brigade."

Xiao Shanling's face was gloomy and he continued.

"Hmm? So many?

If the intelligence reported by the Military Control Commission is true, a brigade of devils could not have appeared out of thin air in Dongyang County."

Ye Qingshan looked up and after a moment gave his own guess: "Are they the devils coming from Shengzhou?

The Japanese 21st Division is heading south?"

Xiao Shanling also stared at the location of Shengzhou on the map and nodded slightly: "It's possible."

“Dongyang County was lost two days ago.

If that's the case, Yiwu County will most likely not be saved."

Ye Qingshan pointed his finger on the map and inserted two small blue flags, and the situation on the battlefield changed drastically in an instant.

"Cao!"

Ye Qingshan watched as the Japanese formed a larger encirclement, which also included the 209th Division that had just headed north.

I couldn't help but swear.

"Commander-in-Chief, what are the devils doing..."

Xiao Shanling, who was standing next to him, felt a chill on his back as he looked at the map. He couldn't help but look at Ye Qingshan.

"You're right, Chief of Staff.

The Japanese are trying to create a larger encirclement to include our 209th Division.

Not only do they want to swallow up Commander Gu's 76th Division, they also want to swallow up my 209th Division.

It turns out that besieging the 76th Division was just a cover to lure our 209th Division over there.

This time, the Japs are coming for me again.

Damn, who is the Japanese commander this time? What a big move.

He is not afraid of choking to death.”

At this time, Ye Qingshan also quickly determined the intention of the Japanese devils who appeared in Dongyang County.

Also a little shocked.

"However, the Japs' move of cutting off the source of the trouble is indeed cruel.

Now we are in even more trouble.”

Xiao Shanling had never thought that the situation would develop like this, and his brows were furrowed.

"Send a telegram to the 70th Army and the 21st Army to ask them how they are fighting in Shengzhou.

The Japanese 21st Division lost a brigade, and they didn't notice it?"

Ye Qingshan said very dissatisfiedly.

"Commander-in-Chief, in this battle, Commander Gu and his men used four armies with less than 100,000 troops to resist two full-strength divisions of the Japanese.

It’s actually not easy to fight.

Fortunately, these four armies relied on fortifications to fight a defensive battle.

If it had been a field battle, we would have been defeated by these two Japanese divisions long ago.

I even suspect that this Japanese brigade that suddenly moved south did not participate in the battle in Shengzhou.

This devil brigade has been waiting for our arrival."

Xiao Shanling made a bold guess.

Sure enough, after Ye Qingshan sent out the telegram questioning the 70th and 21st Armies, he received replies from the commanders of the two armies not long after.

They said that they are still fighting against the Japanese 21st Division in Shengzhou.

No signs of large-scale mobilization of the Japanese 21st Division were found.

"Indeed, Chief of Staff, you are right.

This group of Japanese soldiers who suddenly attacked Dongyang County did not actually participate in the battle in Shengzhou.

They might have come from another direction.

It's possible that they are not even from the Japanese 21st Division.

Anyway, none of this matters now.

The important thing is that once Yiwu County falls into the hands of the Japanese.

This means that the Japanese have blocked the retreat route of our 209th Division and can also move south to attack our Jinhua City at any time.

In this way, we are really in a passive position.

He immediately sent a telegram to Zhang Fa, asking him to send a regiment south to defend Yiwu City.

If Yiwu City is captured by the Japanese, let the regiment that goes south to deploy defenses in the area behind the temple.

Prevent the Japanese in Yiwu City from moving north and launching a surprise attack on the 209th Division from behind.

And find out how many Japanese troops there are who are making a detour.

If there really is a brigade, it would be a huge trouble indeed.

Tell Zhangfa to spare no expense, I want them to meet up with the 76th Division before dawn tomorrow."

Ye Qingshan quickly gave new instructions.

“The Japs have also started to make detours.

Commander-in-chief, you want the Tenth Army to retreat and rebuild the defense line to fight the Japanese.

Now, the Japs obviously won't let you do that.

They want to end this once and for all, and eat up the 76th Division of the Tenth Army, as well as our 209th Division. "

Xiao Shanling also understood the Japanese commander's intention of this battle.

“This time, the Japs want to swallow up our 209th and 76th Divisions in one go.

Then we'll wait and see.

Let’s see if the devil will be stuffed to death in the end.”

Ye Qingshan's eyes were cold, and he admitted that Xiao Shanling was right.

"Then are we still repairing the defense line in Lishui?"

Xiao Shanling continued to ask.

Xiaoshan Ling arrived two days later than Ye Qingshan. He arranged two teams of civilian workers in Lishui to build a new defense line.

Now it seems that it is of no use.

The situation on the battlefield changed faster than they expected.

“Forget it, let’s stop building new defense lines for now.

Let the two teams of civilian workers help the logistics troops transport weapons and ammunition.

We may really have to fight a big battle with the devils here."

After thinking for a moment, Ye Qingshan changed his previous plan.

If we really had a decisive battle with the Japanese here.

The pressure on their logistics and transportation will be much greater.

Ye Qingshan must strengthen the transportation capabilities of the logistics transport troops.

"Has the 208th Division returned to Wenzhou?"

At this time, Ye Qingshan asked about the situation of Zhou Pingkou's 208th Division.

Ye Qingshan suddenly had a premonition that this battle would gradually get out of control.

Perhaps, Ye Qingshan will be forced to deploy more troops here to participate in the war later.

Ye Qingshan hated the feeling of being pushed around by the situation and having no control over the overall situation.

But this is war.

No one can predict what will happen in the next second.

When the enemy attacks, you have to counter it.

You can't expect to always accurately predict your enemy's next move.

“Two days ago, the main force of the 208th Division returned to Wenzhou and is now resting.

If nothing goes wrong, they will come with our third logistics transport team tomorrow."

Xiao Shanling replied.

This was their original plan.

"Send a telegram to Zhou Pingkou and ask him to send two regiments over.

He was asked to lead the other troops to Taizhou to join the 12th Garrison Brigade.

Wait for my next order."

Ye Qingshan said while staring at the map.

"Commander-in-Chief, do you have any new ideas?"

Xiao Shanling was familiar with Ye Qingshan's fighting style and knew that Ye Qingshan was going to take an unconventional approach again.

“I have some idea, let’s take a look first.

If the strategy is right, the subsequent operations will go smoothly.

My idea may not be useful.

If the main battlefield is in a stalemate.

Then we have to find another way to open up the situation.”

Ye Qingshan did not clearly state what the new idea was.

Because, at this moment, he hadn't thought it through completely.

Just two hours later, Ye Qingshan received news again that Yiwu County had indeed been captured by the Japanese.

"Depend on!"

"Are there any signs that the Japanese who occupied Yiwu are heading south?"

Ye Qingshan asked.

"No."

This confirmed that the Japanese target was the 76th and 209th Divisions in the north.

"Spread the news and let the devil know that I, Ye Qingshan, am now in Jinhua City."

“This… Commander-in-Chief, this is not possible.

It’s too dangerous.”

Xiao Shanling quickly stopped him.

Xiao Shanling understood that Ye Qingshan was deliberately using himself as bait to lure some of the Japanese troops from Yiwu County to move south.

This will reduce the pressure on the 209th and 76th Divisions in the north.

"Commander-in-chief, there are only our two battalions and the remnant of Captain Wang's regiment in the city.

It was already a struggle to deal with the half-crippled Japanese regiment that was eyeing the city covetously.

If this happens, it will attract more Japanese troops.

Your safety cannot be guaranteed.

You don't want our war zone to have a new commander.

Absolutely not, I absolutely do not agree with this.”

This time, Xiao Shanling firmly resisted Ye Qingshan's proposal.

"Hey!"

Ye Qingshan sighed and said nothing more.

"We're short of soldiers!"

Ye Qingshan was worried.

"Send a telegram to the 19th Army Group and ask them to send two armies over for reinforcement within a week."

Ye Qingshan finally chose to mobilize the 19th Army, one of the other two armies in the Third War Zone, for reinforcement.

However, the 19th Army is now stationed in the central and southern regions of Fujian Province.

It will take at least one or two weeks to get here, and distant water cannot quench immediate thirst.

"Commander-in-chief, how about letting Zhou Xinghai bring the militia over?"

Xiao Shanling suggested.

"no,"

Ye Qingshan refused immediately.

“I brought out the 209th Division, Zhou Pingkou’s 208th Division and the 12th Garrison Brigade. I will have other uses for them later.

As a result, there are only a few militias led by Zhou Xinghai left in our base.

That is the last barrier I leave for our base.

It must not be transferred.”

"The commander-in-chief is worried that the Japanese will land on the coast again?"

"We have to guard against it!"

Ye Qingshan was not sure either, after the Japanese had eaten him so much in the coastal areas.

Do you still have the courage to carry out another coastal landing operation?

But Ye Qingshan didn't dare to gamble, as he had invested too much effort in the base.

Moreover, this battle will last for a long time.

Ye Qingshan also counts on the arsenal in his rear to continue to provide ammunition supplies to the army on the front line.

Otherwise, with only the supplies left by Gu Zhutong, they might not be able to last more than a month.