Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 90 Call
Li Zongren asked in surprise, "There's another army? Which army...? I don't know about it?"

"Sir... have you forgotten?" Xu Zuyi said, "At the beginning of the year, wasn't there a security regiment that was withdrawn from Nanjing and assigned to the Fifth War Zone by the Ministry of Military Affairs?"
Later, that security team called, requesting to come and rest, but you arranged for them to stay in Gaoyou.

"Security Corps?" Li Zongren muttered to himself for a moment, then his eyes lit up.

"Oh... I remember now, isn't it that unit that supposedly fired special bombs at the Japanese in Nanjing, causing heavy casualties to the 6th Division and forcing it to return to the mainland for rest and reorganization?"
I remember the head of that security regiment was named Su... Su something again?

"Su Yaoyang".

"Yes... Su Yaoyang... that's him."

Xu Zuyi explained, "Three months have passed since January. I suppose you've rested enough and it's time to put them to use."

Li Zongren glanced at him and asked curiously, "I admit that three months should be about right."

What I don't understand is that no matter how much they rested, they were still just a local security regiment. If they really encountered the Japanese 10th Division, they probably wouldn't even last a single encounter before collapsing.
Why did you think of them?

Although the security regiment led by Su Yaoyang inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese army in Nanjing, most Nationalist generals believed that they only benefited from special ammunition and that their actual combat effectiveness was probably not even as good as that of a ragtag army. Li Zongren was no exception.

So when he received Su Yaoyang's request to go to Xuzhou for rest and recuperation, he arranged for them to go to Gaoyou without hesitation, meaning that they should stay in the rear and not cause them any trouble.

Unexpectedly, fortunes have turned around, and this ragtag army that he had never taken seriously has become the only army he can currently mobilize.

Upon hearing Li Zongren's question, Xu Zuyi couldn't help but laugh and said, "Sir, you probably don't know this, but this Su Yaoyang is not a peaceful fellow."

In the past few months, he sent people to various hospitals in Xuzhou to win over veterans and officers who were about to recover and return to their posts.

With silver dollars, banknotes, and even gold paving the way, he actually managed to win over quite a few officers and veterans to the security regiment.

I reckon that with those veterans and officers as a foundation, even if his security regiment's combat effectiveness is lacking, it won't be too bad; at least it should be sufficient for emergencies.

"Oh... is that so?" Li Zongren couldn't help but laugh.

He made his decision after only a few seconds of thought: "In that case, immediately send a telegram to that... Nanjing Security Regiment."

[Urgent Telegram] To Commander Su and all officers and soldiers of the Security Regiment:

The situation in Tengxian is critical; the 122nd Division is surrounded. Your unit is hereby ordered to advance immediately with light equipment and swift movement, arriving at the eastern outskirts of Tengxian before dawn on March 18th to coordinate with the Wang Division. This order is of utmost urgency; anyone who delays this military operation, regardless of rank, will be subject to strict military law.

The enemy is currently launching a fierce attack on the West Gate position, spearheaded by tanks. Your regiment must march covertly along the Sihe River path, avoiding enemy reconnaissance aircraft. Upon arrival, immediately construct anti-tank fortifications, focusing on defending the line from the railway station to the grain depot. Ammunition supplies have been ordered to be delivered by the supply depot overnight; your unit can collect them at Heisongling along the way.

It is currently the spring flood season, and the Sihe River's water level has risen sharply. Your unit needs to carry pontoon bridge equipment. Furthermore, according to air force reconnaissance, an enemy cavalry squadron is operating in the Yelanggou area; additional scouts must be deployed for surveillance during the march. This order is hereby issued with utmost care!
Li Zongren, Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth War Zone

March 15, 1938, at 9:00 PM

(Note: There are pen annotations on the edge of the telegram: "To Commander Wang: I have ordered the Soviet troops to rush to your aid. Your division must hold out until 7:00 AM on the 18th.")
At the security regiment headquarters on the outskirts of Gaoyou County, the telegram was passed around among Su Yaoyang, Li Gaoyuan, and Huang Guantao. After reading it, Su Yaoyang was the first to speak: "The orders from the command have arrived, ordering us to rush to the aid of Teng County. What do you two say?"

“What else is there to say?” Li Gaoyuan replied without hesitation. “We’ve been training for a thousand days to use them for one. We’ve been holed up here for three months, honing our skills to kill the enemy, all for the sake of serving our country.”

"Well……"

Su Yaoyang looked at the map for a while before slowly saying, "Gaoyou is about 400 li away from Tengxian. Even if our main force marches, it will take at least three or four days to get there. From a time perspective, it's already too late." Huang Guantao thought for a moment and said, "I think we can send a battalion first, along with a tank company and an engineer company, to set off in trucks. After arriving in Tengxian, they can assist the 122nd Division in defending Tengxian and hold out until the main force arrives."

Su Yaoyang nodded: "That's not a bad idea, but which battalion should we send?"

“I’ll take the Fourth Battalion,” Huang Guantao said without hesitation. “I came up with the plan, so naturally I’ll lead the team.”

"Commander, you and Lao Li can lead the main force and catch up from behind."

"All right!"

Su Yaoyang thought about it and agreed to the proposal, then added:

"Be careful on the journey. Bring a radio with you when you set off and stay in touch at all times."

"understand!"

half an hour later

The tank company, acting as the vanguard, was the first to set off.

The roar of the gasoline engine tore through the last rays of the setting sun, and the tracks splashed mud as they rolled over the damp dirt road, which gleamed with a rusty hue in the sunlight.

John, wearing the rank of captain, stood in the turret of the Chaffee tank and shouted into the microphone in his headset, "Move out!"

With his voice, nine M24 Chaffee tanks roared to life and sped off along the rough road, followed by more than a dozen fuel tankers, M3 half-track troop carriers, and repair vehicles.

Thirty ten-wheeled Dodge trucks, fully loaded with infantry, followed closely behind the tank company.

Inside the carriage... the new recruits, who had only been in the army for a few months, gripped their rifles tightly, their faces pale. The veterans leaned silently against the carriage walls, cigarettes dangling from their lips, the bitter smell of tobacco mixed with the exhaust fumes burning their lungs.

Su Yaoyang stood by the dusty roadside, his deep eyes fixed on the departing convoy.

This is different from the battle that took place in Nanjing a few months ago.

Objectively speaking, the security regiment actually took a shortcut in the battle in Nanjing.

The fighting back then was essentially street fighting.

In urban combat with complex terrain, the advantages of the Type 38 rifle, such as its long range and high accuracy, cannot be fully utilized. On the contrary, its disadvantages, such as its slow rate of fire, long barrel, and inconvenience in carrying in narrow terrain and buildings, are fully exposed.

Conversely, the high rate of fire of the Thompson submachine guns and Garand rifles, which the security regiment was equipped with, was fully utilized.

This is why the security regiment was able to inflict heavy casualties on the Japanese army in street fighting.

Therefore, this rescue mission to Tengxian was the first time since the establishment of the security regiment that it had engaged in a head-on field battle with the Japanese army. It remains to be seen whether this fledgling army can continue the glory of the previous battle.

(End of this chapter)