Chapter 960 Commander Chu Xi is back
Zaoyang City, Command Post of the 77th Division of the 77th Army Group.
Qing Mu Lian Hua led a group of Japanese spies to hold a meeting at the command post and ordered:
"Gao Yang! At 1: a.m., lead your troops to leave Zaoyang City and hand over Zaoyang City to Doihara the salty pig."
Xiao Lin Zhiye said worriedly: "Miss Lin! Huang Baitao ordered us to defend Zaoyang to the death."
Qing Mu Lianhua glared at him and scolded him, "Huang Baitao hates us for colliding with his ship, and is jealous that I don't favor him. He wants to take revenge on you, don't you know?"
Xiao Lin Zhiye nodded and said, "Of course I know, but can we leave a regiment behind to resist for a while?"
Qing Mu Lian Hua looked at everyone present and sneered, "Who among you is willing to stay and resist Doihara?"
No one said anything, and if they stayed, they would most likely die.
Han Li suggested: "Ms. Lin! Wang Sheng's 78th Division is near Yicheng, southwest of Zaoyang. Why don't we ask Huang Baitao to let our 77th Division switch defense with the 78th Division? In this way, even if we lose Zaoyang, we can still get away with it and help the imperial army capture Zaoyang."
Qing Mu Lianhua nodded and said, "This is a very good suggestion. You send a message to him in my name, hoping that you can bring the 77th Division back to him immediately."
"Yes!"
Xiaolin Zhihua hurriedly accepted the order.
Xiao Lin Zhiye reminded: "Miss Lin! If Wang Sheng leads the 78th Division to fight to the death against the Doihara Division, wouldn't that backfire?"
Han Li interrupted and said, "Don't worry! With Wang Sheng's character, he will definitely not march to Zaoyang in the middle of the night."
Qing Mu Lianhua sneered, "Instructor Han is absolutely right. Wang Sheng can't possibly get here in time to change guards. He will definitely take the blame. Humph!"
Yichang City, Shuiyuexiangju.
Huang Baitao was drunkenly dancing with a singing girl among a group of pomegranates.
His so-called rush to fight at the front was just for fun.
Huang Shan ran in and said happily, "Commander! Miss Lin has sent a message. She agrees to bring the 77th Division back to you to protect your safety. She doesn't want to stay in Zaoyang for a minute. Please quickly dispatch Wang Sheng's 78th Division to Zaoyang to relieve the 77th Division."
Huang Baitao was drunk, and thinking of Qing Mu Lianhua's seductive look, he nodded and said, "Okay! Let her come back right away."
"Yes!"
Huang Shan hurriedly took the order and ran out of the dance hall.
Both of them overlooked a problem. The 78th Division went to relieve the 77th Division, and the 77th Division returned to Yichang. There was no troops to relieve the 78th Division, and a big loophole appeared in the defense zone.
Southwest of Zaoyang, a restaurant in the north of Yicheng.
Wang Shengzheng, the new commander of the 77th Division of the 78th Group Army, enthusiastically hosted a banquet for his officers at the regimental level and above.
He raised his glass and said confidently, "Everyone! Wang has been an instructor for so many years, and it is finally his turn to lead troops to fight on the front line. I hope you will help me achieve brilliant results. Cheers!"
"Dry!"
All the officers raised their glasses and started drinking with him.
At this time, the division's communications staff walked into the box and said anxiously: "Commander! The group army called and asked my division to go to Zaoyang immediately to relieve the 77th Division."
Wang Sheng was just getting drunk, so he waved his hand and said, "This division commander, go to hell with the 77th Division. He wants us to take over the defense right after arriving in Zaoyang. Is he crazy?"
The staff officer smiled bitterly and said, "This is an order from above. If we don't execute it, I'm afraid..."
Wang Sheng interrupted him and said disapprovingly: "It's almost dark now, let's go there early tomorrow morning. The Japanese can't move so quickly."
"Yes!"
The communications officer accepted the order reluctantly.
Wang Sheng invited them warmly: "Brothers! In order to fight the enemy in the coming bloody battle, we must get drunk tonight. Fill up all the glasses and keep drinking."
Unknowingly, Wang Sheng fell into Qingmu Lianhua's trap.
East of Yichang City, Liujialin.
The 34th Army Group is headquartered here.
Xiang Chu and his trusted men arrived here before dark.
Liu Zhengxiong said expectantly: "I wonder how many of the veterans we recruited back then are still around."
Gan Rong smiled bitterly and said, "An army group has been reduced to only one division. There must not be many left."
Xiang Chu said thoughtfully: "After we arrive at the station, we will separate our people from those recruited by Governor Jiang later, understand the situation, and let all those who are willing to leave leave."
Liu Zhengxiong said worriedly: "What if they all run away?"
Xiang Chu said disapprovingly: "Governor Jiang wanted to disband this unit when he formed a new army. When the higher-ups saw that we were back, they handed it over to us. To be honest, this is a dispensable unit."
As he was speaking, Xiang Chu led everyone on horseback and approached the army's camp.
What’s funny is that there is no sentry at the huge gate.
The gate was wide open and nearby villagers could come and go freely.
Some villagers even shouted loudly:
"Look! Another group of horseback riders have been assigned to the crappy 34th Army."
"It's no use even if they come here on tanks. They'll just become garbage soldiers in a few days."
Liu Zhengxiong shook his head and said, "It's only been a short time, and our Iron Blood Division has really become a garbage division."
Xiang Chu smiled bitterly and said, "This is a group of incompetent soldiers and incompetent generals. Let's go! Enter the gate and see if this army is as rubbish as it can be!"
When we entered the barracks, we saw soldiers wearing all kinds of clothes, and none of them were wearing proper uniforms.
Moreover, many people were fighting cocks, playing cards, drinking and having fun. In short, no one was doing any serious work.
Xiang Chu led his men to gallop around, and finally ran to the playground, and ordered: "Old Liu! Gather all the personnel of the 34th Army and tell them that Chu Xi is back and wants to revive the 34th Army."
Liu Zhengxiong said worriedly: "Boy! You don't want to hide yourself? What if the Japanese find out your whereabouts?"
Xiang Chu said disapprovingly: "This is easy to do. You can announce to the public that you specially hired someone to play the role of Chu Xi in order to win over the hearts of the 34th Army."
Liu Zhengxiong shouted, "You kid! I've been made a fool again."
His embarrassing look made Gan Rong and others burst into laughter.
Gan Rong smiled and said, "Old Liu! Just say that I hired someone to play the role."
Xiang Chu shouted, "Lao Gan! Stop teasing Lao Liu! Lead all the shadow spies and quickly blow the unique whistle of our 34th Army."
"Yes!"
Gan Rong hurriedly accepted the order.
Sharp whistles sounded one after another, as if returning to the old Xiangbei battlefield.
The veterans of the 34th Army instantly burst into tears and looked towards the playground in astonishment.
Gan Rong and other shadow spies rode their horses and shouted, "Brothers! Commander Chu Xi is back to revitalize the 34th Army. Everyone gather on the playground."
"Commander Chu Xi is back?!"
The veterans asked each other in astonishment.
Someone said excitedly: "Quick! Go over and take a look and you'll know."
Someone couldn't help crying, "Tell the truth! I didn't leave because I wanted to wait for Commander Chu to come back. Woohoo!"
Of course, not all the people here are the ones recruited by Xiang Chu.
And those who followed Wang Sheng's instructions to plan a mutiny all started to ridicule:
"Brothers! Chu Xi is nothing. No one should go to the playground to gather."
Next to him, there was a non-commissioned officer who supported Chu Xi. He pointed at him and said loudly, "Wang Hu! You have no idea how many victories Chu Xi has led our 34th Army to, and how prestigious he is in the 34th Army."
Wang Hu was a battalion commander who had drunk quite a bit of alcohol. He was very angry when he was confronted in public by a non-commissioned officer.
He pointed at the sergeant and shouted angrily: "Lanlongzhai! How dare you disrespect your superiors? I will shoot you."
After he finished speaking, he pulled out his pistol, aimed at Lanlong Village, and was about to pull the trigger.
"Bang!"
The pistol in his hand was shot away by a young man on the platform of the playground with a rifle.
"Commander Chu! Commander Chu!"
The veterans of the 34th Army cheered in unison, and the playground became a sea of joy.