latelenovela Chapter 222 Undercurrent
Chapter 222 Undercurrent
Row after row of Japanese soldiers fell, yet they continued their relentless charge. Under the officers' coercion, not a single Japanese soldier dared to retreat.
The battle escalated to a fever pitch right from the start!
"Those damn Japanese have gone mad!" The soldiers of the New Army fired until their gun barrels were red-hot.
Fortunately, they were all veterans who had been training for four or five years, otherwise they would have been really frightened by the Japanese's desperate attitude.
The artillery of the 1st Ground Division and the Armored Division also unleashed a fierce barrage of artillery fire upon the Japanese forces. A single shot from a large-caliber heavy artillery piece could kill dozens or even hundreds of Japanese soldiers. The bombardment caused the Japanese troops to scream in terror!
The Japanese soldiers charged forward aggressively, only to be immediately smashed and bleed profusely.
Times have changed! Under the hail of general-purpose machine gun bullets, no matter how many people you have, it's useless.
The battle raged from morning until noon, with the Japanese launching three large-scale attacks. Aside from leaving behind countless corpses, the New Army's battle lines remained unyielding.
The three Japanese brigades that launched the attack suffered heavy casualties and had to retreat to rest and regroup. If they didn't retreat, they would be wiped out.
"Pah! That was awesome! That was fucking awesome!" Yin Youcai spat and shouted loudly.
"Quickly check the weapons and ammunition, and treat the wounded!" Taking advantage of a lull in the fighting, the machine gunners hurriedly replaced the barrels and replenished the ammunition.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!" Countless shells began to rain down, sending clouds of dust billowing across the battlefield.
"Defend against artillery fire! Defend against artillery fire!" the officers shouted sternly! The soldiers hurriedly crawled into the artillery shelters.
As soon as the Japanese artillery moved, two planes that had been circling overhead suddenly pounced on them.
This time, the Japanese army was smarter. They dispersed all their artillery and extended the distance beyond the range of the army artillery. For a while, there was no good way to deal with them!
After half an hour of shelling, the Japanese infantry charged forward in dense formations.
"The Japanese are coming up again! Fire!" Machine guns hidden everywhere opened fire fiercely.
The Japanese attacks were relentless; one wave would wipe them out, only for the next to surge forward. The New Army soldiers were exhausted and their hands were trembling.
The battle raged from dawn till dusk, with the Japanese continuing their relentless attacks. The New Army soldiers didn't even have time to eat or drink.
"Those damn Japanese are trying to use a war of attrition, a war of attrition!" Shen Daowu frowned as news came from the front lines.
Although their firepower was several times that of the Japanese army, the soldiers were not made of iron. Under the relentless attacks of the Japanese army, casualties gradually increased.
"Order all units at the front to rotate their troops regularly and not let the soldiers get too tired. This battle is far from over!"
The second batch of reinforcements is about to arrive, so Shen Daowu has little to worry about regarding the battle situation. He just needs to try his best to control casualties.
While the fighting in Japan was raging, the situation in China was equally chaotic. The Shandong Daily broadcast the latest battle updates daily, and it was now distributed throughout Zhili, Shandong, the Jiangnan region, and the Northeast.
With the new army achieving victory after victory and capturing Osaka, even those who were not optimistic about Shen Lian could now see that victory was only a matter of time.
Shen Lian's fame spread throughout the land, earning him the admiration of countless Chinese people. At the same time, it also aroused the fear of some.
"This humble official pays his respects to Your Excellency! I am deeply grateful for Your Excellency's rescue, and I will never forget it!" Yuan Xiangcheng kowtowed to the ground.
"Hahaha, please get up quickly, Xiangcheng, no need for such formalities!" Tie Liang laughed and helped Yuan Xiangcheng up.
"Have you suffered these past few years? Are you alright?" After the two sat down and a servant brought tea, Tie Liang greeted them with a smile.
"I have failed in my duties and deserve to be punished! I would also like to thank the court for sparing my life!" Yuan Xiangcheng clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"The matter has been investigated and found out. The Kong family's affairs have nothing to do with you. You were just framed!" Tie Liang waved his hand and said.
"Thank you, Minister and the court, for clearing my name!" Yuan Xiangcheng stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and bowed to Tie Liang.
When the entire Kong family was wiped out, Yuan Xiangcheng was impeached by the censor and imprisoned. He thought his life was over! The crime was too serious; no one could withstand it.
He was only subjected to a routine interrogation, and then no one paid him any attention. Later, with the guarantee of Yikuang and Tieliang, he was released.
Although the exact person responsible for the extermination of the Kong family has not been identified to this day, at that time in Shandong, only a handful of people could mobilize such a large force.
With Shen Lian taking control of Shandong, the subsequent developments and various policies... Who destroyed the Kong family is already crystal clear!
However, Shen Lian was at the height of his power, and his influence grew ever stronger. Even the imperial court had to rely on his authority.
Yuan Xiangcheng abandoned his desire for revenge and, in order to save his life, simply feigned illness and returned to his hometown.
I thought I would spend the rest of my life in the countryside, but I never expected to be summoned back to the capital and reinstated.
"The Empress Dowager and the court have never forgotten your contributions! This time, you have been summoned back to the capital to train the new army and assist in the command of the Vanguard Army. This shows how much the Empress Dowager values you!"
"Your Majesty's kindness is immeasurable; even if I were to die a thousand deaths, I could not repay even a fraction of it! I can only do my best to fulfill my duties and offer my humble efforts to the court!"
"Hmm!" Tie Liang stroked his beard with satisfaction!
If it weren't for the fact that the entire court was composed of members of the imperial family, there wouldn't be a single truly capable person among the Manchus. The court was also unwilling to give this position to Yuan Shikai.
Shen Lian's power is growing ever stronger. If he were to conquer Japan, who in the country could possibly keep him in check?
The Empress Dowager's health was deteriorating rapidly, and the Manchu nobles needed to make plans as soon as possible. Otherwise, if Shen Lian were to harbor any disloyalty, they would all be doomed.
Yuan Xiangcheng is indeed very skilled at training and leading troops. Most importantly, he is a trusted confidant promoted by the Empress Dowager, and he also has a grudge against Shen Lian. Such a person is perfect.
"I wonder if you've kept in touch with your old subordinates all these years? I heard that some of them hold quite high positions under the King of Qi. Now that you're back, you can reconnect with them!"
"Thank you for your guidance, sir! Although I have retired to the countryside these past years, I still maintain contact with some of my students and old friends. I suppose they can lend a hand when necessary!" Yuan Xiangcheng smiled slightly.
He knew exactly what the imperial court was planning. Right now, securing military power was the most important thing for him; as for the future, he could deal with that later.
"Yuan Xiangcheng! Tie Liang! Hehe!"
In a courtyard house outside the city, Wang Kaiyun held the intelligence report in his hand and let out a cold laugh.
The Military Intelligence Bureau had been operating in the capital for four or five years, thanks to Shen Lian's significant investment. Its personnel were spread throughout the city and beyond, and many important figures in the capital had their own agents planted around them.
Yuan Xiangcheng was discovered as soon as he arrived in the capital, and the Military Intelligence Bureau knew exactly what he and Tie Liang had said.
"Are those guys in the army alright?" Wang Kaiyun asked.
"They are all under our close surveillance, and we haven't found anything unusual yet!" Shen Laifu replied.
"Yes! Just keep a close watch, but be careful not to let them notice!"