Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

On the ninth day of the seventh lunar month in the twelfth year of the Republic of China, Su Zhengyang issued a combat order in the combat command room of the General Staff Headquarters of the Northwest Revolutionary Army.

The entire Northwest Revolutionary Army was divided into four routes and launched four arrows at the same time. The First Army of the Northwest Revolutionary Army led by Liu Chengxu and Gu Chenghai, a combat force of 100,000 people, carried a large amount of ammunition and supplies, and marched eastward from the Mengzhou grassland to Guanzhou, where the Duan family’s army headquarters was located.

The Second Army of the Northwest Revolutionary Army, led by Zheng Zeyu, marched out of Yunzhou with soldiers from Yongzhou and joined forces with Yan's faction in Yunzhou to launch a large-scale encirclement and suppression campaign against Pang's faction in Jiangbei.

The Third Army led by Tang Yuanfei and Su Zhengyang's brother-in-law Wang Xiangdong marched south from Linzhou, passed through Jianzhou, and headed straight for Hanzhou, where the battlefield situation was now worrying, and engaged in close combat with the Western Army led by Song Yuanfeng of the Southern Government's Northern Expedition Army.

Li Feier led the Northwest Revitalization Division from Linzhou to the north, preparing to cross Mengzhou and directly enter the heart of Meng State. The target was the city of Tiedaer in the west of Meng State.

Six days later, news came from the Third Army that it had won the first battle. The Third Army led by Tang Yuanfei launched a head-on encounter with the 37th Army of the Fifth Army of the Northern Expedition outside Qingjiang City in the south-central part of Hanzhou. In the eight-hour battle, the Third Army displayed the powerful anti-enemy style unique to the Northwest Revolutionary Army, and directly defeated the 37th Army's more than people and three division-level combat units to complete collapse, annihilated enemies, and captured countless prisoners.

On the other hand, the Third Army's losses were only one-eighth of those of the enemy, and they fought an extremely brilliant battle. In the end, facing the enemy's 36th Army's strategic move to bypass Qingjiang City from the west with the intention of blocking the Third Army's retreat, the Third Army, with two regiments as the vanguard, broke through with great force, once again making the enemy's plan come to nothing.

Facing the elite main force of the Northern Expedition, the Third Army fully displayed its momentum and crushed them, allowing their allies, the remnants of the Wang faction who had been crushed and beaten all the way by the Northern Expedition, to shake off the gloom of successive defeats and their morale was high.

Just three days later, the Northwest Revitalization Division that entered Mongolia also brought good news. The Fuso A-class Division and the Matsui Division that stayed in Tiedar City, despite having the advantage of city defense, were directly breached by the Northwest Revitalization Division with a violent offensive in less than half a day.

Under Li Feier's strict order, except for the more than 7,000 Fuso troops who died on the battlefield, the remaining Fuso Division prisoners were all buried alive in pits dug by the Zhenxing Division, and were buried forever in this fertile grassland.

This was also the death order Su Zhengyang issued before he set out: if they encountered the Fuso army, no one would be left alive.

The two great victories made the world realize once again that the Northwest Revolutionary Army, which was already so powerful in their eyes, had much more real combat power than that.

If the victory in Hanzhou could be said to be due to the numerical advantage of the Third Army, then the resounding victory in Tiedar City was enough to quell all doubts about the combat effectiveness of the Northwest Revolutionary Army. The current Fuso Kwantung Army is known as the strongest army in Asia, but even when facing other Chinese armies, the Fuso Kwantung Army, which is in a completely crushing position, is as vulnerable as a chicken and a pottery dog ​​in front of the Zhenxing Division.

Once they move, it will be like thunder, exploding in the sky over the entire China, making all enemies feel deeply wary and terrified at this moment. This is the Northwest Revolutionary Army today, and it is also the reason why Su Zhengyang dares to make the bold statement that he can turn the tide of the battle with his own strength.

"Division Commander, from here to the east, apart from the two Kwantung Army divisions stationed in the main cities of Heer and Bayan in the central region of the Mongolian Empire, there are only a few sporadic regiments stationed in the large tribal settlements of the former Mongolian Empire."

Li Feier looked at the map spread out on the table. In the Zhuoeryan Province of Mongolia, which is the central region, there are still two major divisions of the Kwantung Army stationed. In the entire western part of Mongolia, except for the Matsui Division that had just been annihilated as a whole, there are only some stragglers left, with a total of only two regiments and one brigade.

"Within three days, devour all the remaining Fuso troops in the three western provinces of the Mongols, and then prepare to move eastward. The next target is the capital of Zhuoeryan, Bayan City. Immediately provide me with the specific information of the two major divisions stationed in Zhuoeryan Province."

"Yes, Commander!"

In the combat meeting room of the Zhenxing Division's temporary command, Li Feier said with a serious face: "The Hongchuan Division, known as the third ace division of the Kwantung Army, guards the capital of Zhuoeryan Province, Bayan City. The Hongchuan Division has two infantry brigades and eight regiments. Together with the logistics and non-combat personnel of the division and brigade headquarters, the total number of people reaches 28,000. There is also an artillery regiment with 160 guns of different calibers, and an armored regiment with a large number of armored units. It is an opponent that can barely be called a strong enemy."

"And the one stationed in Hull City is the Kwantung Army's Class B Division, the Ono Division. This division cannot be compared with the Hongchuan Division in terms of troop size, combat experience, equipment, firepower, and combat capability."

"My plan is to use the mobility of our Revitalization Division to attack Hull City directly, surround and attack the reinforcements, and at the same time put great pressure on the Ono Division in the city, annihilate the rescue forces of the Hongchuan Division as much as possible."

Chief of Staff Liu Kaiwen nodded and said, "Bayan City was once the capital of Mongolia, and its defenses are strong. In addition, the Hongchuan Division has extremely rich combat experience and is known for its fierce firepower and fierce combat capabilities. If we attack Bayan City by force, it will cause serious losses to our army. The division commander's idea coincides with mine. Hull City is an important logistics supply point for the Kwantung Army in Mongolia. It is 270 kilometers away from Bayan City. The Kwantung Army will never give up Hull City, which is an important place. The Hongchuan Division will definitely dispatch troops to rescue it. Without the advantage of city defense, our armored forces can maximize their advantages on the vast grassland."

"The so-called Hongchuan Division, without the advantage of city defense, is nothing more than a rabbit facing a lion in the grassland in front of us."

"Immediately start executing our battle plan. When the three regiments that have cleared out the surrounding Fuso troops return, we will attack with all our forces! Give the Kwantung Army a head-on blow."

The news that the Northwest Revitalization Division suddenly broke into the grassland and wiped out the Matsui Division caused an uproar in the Kwantung Army Headquarters.

The then commander-in-chief of the Kwantung Army, General Higashino Minamijiro of the Fuso Army, was furious. When the Kwantung Army had already gained absolute advantage in the Northeast battlefield, no one had expected that Su Zhengyang would dare to send troops directly to Mongolia at this time and launch an inhumane and devastating blow to the Kwantung Army troops stationed in Mongolia.

"Baga! This damn Su Zhengyang actually dared to try to stop our Fusang Empire from moving south! He is such an audacious lunatic!"

"Matsui Shoji is a loser! He led an entire division of troops and, despite having the advantage in the city's defense, he couldn't even hold out for a day. He is a complete disgrace to our Kwantung Army!"

"Let Asano Wenliang immediately provide me with the specific information of the Northwest Revolutionary Army troops entering Mongolia! Since Su Zhengyang dares to show his sword, I will let his troops defeat the enemy on the grassland! Give the Northwest Revolutionary Army a heavy blow!"