Espionage: I became sworn brothers with Zheng Yaoxian at the beginning, and became the Seventh Broth

Chapter 452 No Regrets

The fighting in Shanghai was extremely fierce.

Under the command of General Zhang Zhizhong, the Nationalist government's elite German-equipped 87th and 88th Divisions launched a fierce offensive against the Japanese garrison headquarters in Hongkou.

However, the Japanese garrison headquarters was too well-defended. Even though the soldiers of the 87th and 88th Divisions were well-trained and their equipment was no less than that of the Japanese garrison, they still found it difficult to break through the reinforced concrete fortifications.

This doesn't even include the Japanese positions they set up around the buildings surrounding the garrison headquarters.

Lacking the heavy artillery support essential for urban warfare, the Nationalist government's elite German-equipped 87th and 88th Divisions also found themselves in a stalemate. Meanwhile...

The Japanese were also doing their utmost to mobilize troops to support the Shanghai battlefield.

After realizing this situation, the key officials of the Nationalist government finally did something. They stopped sitting idly by and began to mobilize troops from all over the country to support the Shanghai battlefield.

On August 16, 1937, the micro-management master went online again.

Chiang Kai-shek, in Nanjing, telegraphed General Zhang Zhizhong, the commander-in-chief of the Shanghai Campaign, proposing to transfer about three regiments of the 20th Independent Brigade of Song Xilian's 35th Division to the elite German-equipped 87th Division, with the aim of annihilating the Japanese garrison in Hongkou at dawn on the 17th.

After a day of fierce fighting, the Nationalist government paid a heavy price but still failed to capture the key defensive position of the Army and Navy Headquarters in Japan.

On the 19th, they fought again, planning to find a location for air raids by the Japanese garrison to launch a breakthrough.

After two days of fighting, how could the Japanese not be prepared? When the Nationalist army made a major advance, the soldiers and commanders on the front line discovered that the Japanese had built strong obstacles to block all the transportation routes.

At some key points, steel armored vehicles patrolled back and forth, serving as mobile fortresses.

At 5 p.m., the elite German-equipped 87th Division of the Nationalist government, with its soldiers charging fearlessly, finally occupied the Yangshupu concession area.

The Japanese garrison amassed a large force and launched a counterattack, repeatedly attacking the Nationalist government's elite 87th Division positions with the support of tanks and artillery fire, but all their attacks were repelled by our soldiers.

…………

The intense fighting in the outside world also indirectly affected the intelligence battlefield.

On this day, Ye Shaohong was in his villa at 68 Gisfield Road, sipping tea and flipping through the newspaper.

A phone rang urgently. He went over, answered it, and Xiao Zhengguo's voice came through immediately.

"Third Young Master, have you been busy lately? Your Second Uncle from back home has sent some new news..."

This was a pre-arranged code for communication.

meaning is.

An urgent telegram arrived from the Nanjing headquarters of the Special Service, ordering Ye Shaohong to go and receive the order immediately.

"Something's come up!"

Ye Shaohong sighed softly, then got up, went downstairs, changed his clothes, and left.

Several days later, upon re-entering the bustling streets of Shanghai, it was clear that the situation had become even more chaotic.

Many of the surrounding shops have already closed down.

The number of people coming and going on the street has increased considerably, but they all have a look of panic and fear on their faces, and they are all carrying large and small bags of luggage.

They were all refugees.

Sitting in the rickshaw, Ye Shaohong looked at his fellow countrymen by the roadside, a surge of anger welling up inside him, but he couldn't vent it.

Especially when he saw those children being led or carried by adults and the elderly, and saw the confusion and fear hidden in their innocent eyes, Ye Shaohong's anger became even more violent.

"They are all people with tragic fates."

"Once the battle started, the common people had no way to survive. The people in the Chinese-controlled area had no choice but to flee to the foreign concessions to escape the war."

"But this concession is no safe haven either; how many people can survive here?"

As the rickshaw driver vigorously swung his legs, he looked at the refugees fleeing the disaster on both sides of the road and couldn't help but sigh.

"So, do you think this war should have been fought?"

Ye Shaohong hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't hold back and asked the question that had been bothering him.

"Should!"

"Don't be fooled by the fact that the people are suffering now. If you ask us this question, we will only have one answer: this war should have been fought long ago."

“Those Japanese devils are too bullying. In the past, they were nothing but scraps left over from our ancestors. Now they dare to covet our things. They deserve to be wiped out.”

"If we can win a war and drive the Japanese devils out of our country, even if our people suffer a little and life is a little harder, we will be willing to do it."

The rickshaw driver responded through gritted teeth as he walked.

Upon hearing his words, Ye Shaohong's gaze naturally drifted towards the rickshaw driver. Looking at his patched clothes, his thin body, and his tattered shoes, Ye Shaohong took a long breath.

These are the ordinary people of China.

The deep-rooted sense of national and familial affection, formed over five thousand years, has long been integrated into our very being.

Even though their lives were incredibly difficult, even though their whole family might die in the war at any moment, they still refused to give up the dignity passed down from ancient times.

"Yes."

"I believe we will. Even if we can't drive the Japanese devils out in this battle, we will in the future."

"Brother, with this war going on, your family's life must be tough too..."

And so, the two chatted idly along the way, and before they knew it, they had reached the edge of the concession. There, the rickshaw driver stopped the rickshaw. He could go no further.

Because if we go any further, we'll reach other foreign concessions.

"What kind of bullshit world is this?"

“Our country is actually being designated for foreigners to live in, and even our own people can’t move around freely.”

The rickshaw stopped, and the driver was still muttering to himself. His words were illogical and full of bitterness and resentment, but in fact, this simplest truth is also the most truthful truth in the world.

Ye Shaohong got off the rickshaw, took out a silver dollar and placed it in the driver's hand. He didn't say anything more, but simply patted the rickshaw driver on the shoulder.

"Uncle, go home early."

"The streets have been rather unsafe these past few days."

After speaking, Ye Shaohong turned and left, walking towards the checkpoint of the French Concession. He took out the documents he had prepared beforehand, and after a strict inspection, he finally entered the French Concession. This time, Ye Shaohong did not take a rickshaw.

He walked along, observing the people coming and going on the street, witnessing the warmth and coldness of human relationships, and the sorrow of the world. Finally, near noon, he arrived at the entrance of the restaurant opened by Xiao Zhengguo and Chi Tiecheng.

This place has already been closed down.

Ye Shaohong walked over, raised his hand, and knocked on the door three times in succession, three long knocks followed by two short knocks.

With a muffled creak, the door opened, revealing Xiao Zhengguo's figure.

"The Third Young Master has arrived?"

"Come in quickly, your second uncle has sent another message urging you to come in."