The Flames of Resistance Against Japan in Jiangnan

The Zhejiang Army's final frenzy began, and wave after wave of enemy soldiers fell on the front lines, halting the first wave of attack. Before the soldiers could catch their breath, the Zhejiang Army, with even more troops, launched a second wave of attack. Xu Wenqing ordered his troops to retreat from the front lines to the second line of fortifications.

"Charge! Charge! Damn it! Anyone who retreats will be shot!"

"The Red Army is finished! The first one to charge in will be rewarded with a thousand silver dollars!"

Wang Bin was truly fighting desperately; the officers in charge forced the soldiers to charge with pistols!

The Zhejiang troops, like hordes of desperate men, charged toward the 57th Regiment's position with fierce shouts.

This was a brutal and fierce battle, more intense than anyone in the 19th Division could have imagined. The sounds of fighting, explosions, and the clash of steel blended into a symphony. Blood and flesh flew everywhere, lightning flashed and thunder roared, and flames shot out in all directions, as if the lava beneath Mount Meng had erupted and flowed in all directions.

Seeing this situation, Xu Wenqing ordered the well-prepared engineer battalion soldiers to carry large-caliber shells and spheres wrapped in coarse cloth up the trench to the position, letting them fall freely down the hillside. Then he made a phone call and gave the order:

"Battalion Commander Wang, fire!"

The artillery battalion, which had been on high alert, began their long-awaited operation, with shells whistling merrily as they flew toward the attacking enemy.

When the shells came crashing down, most of the Zhejiang soldiers in the attack didn't even have time to react. They were used to thinking that the Red Army didn't have artillery. The first shell landed right in the middle of a group of enemies. The powerful explosion threw several unlucky guys' fragile bodies into the air. When they hit the ground, they were already in pieces.

Battalion Commander Wang personally operated the artillery, firing six shells in quick succession, all of which landed within the designated area. At the same time, he detonated large-caliber shells rolling down the hillside, along with Molotov cocktails bundled into spherical shapes. The fierce counterattack, with shrapnel filling the sky, towering flames, and massive shockwaves, quickly engulfed the attacking Zhejiang troops, turning the narrow area between the two fortifications into a terrifying, deadly hell on earth! The deafening explosions, the irresistible shockwaves, the shrapnel whistling in all directions, and the dazzling flames from the explosives...

Countless Zhejiang soldiers were engulfed in the exploding inferno without any chance to react. Many more Zhejiang soldiers were terrified and panicked by the sudden explosion that far exceeded their psychological tolerance.

The earth trembled, the mountains shook! The air shuddered! Flesh and blood flew through the air! Everything was more terrifying than the legendary hell.

The violent explosions and raging fires killed or injured the Zhejiang soldiers who couldn't escape, or caused them to suffocate from lack of oxygen due to the flames. By the time the flames subsided, few of them could still breathe in the acrid smoke.

As the bugle sounded, the soldiers of the 57th Regiment, armed with rifles, broadswords, and spears, charged out of the trenches, stepping over the corpses and wounded soldiers of the enemy, ignoring their cries and groans, and only focused on chasing down the fleeing enemy. The enemy's charge was finally broken, and the wounded soldiers cheered and jumped for joy.

"Everyone, no cleaning up the battlefield!"

Xu Wenqing shouted orders at the top of his lungs:

"Retreat to the air-raid shelter immediately!"

The soldiers reluctantly stopped, staring at their commander with questioning eyes, completely bewildered.

"Execute the order immediately!"

So the soldiers retreated somewhat reluctantly. But then they turned tail and ran back.

Because the enemy's retaliatory artillery fire immediately followed, it wailed like a wronged woman for more than ten minutes before finally stopping weakly.

Throughout the night, the Zhejiang army continuously harassed what they believed to be the main force of the Red Army with sporadic gunfire, preventing the night in Mengshan from becoming peaceful. Unbeknownst to them, the main force of the 19th Red Army Division had already quietly withdrawn from its positions and rushed to Shahe overnight. The headquarters and supply units had also long since evacuated.

After a five-hour forced march, the main force of the 19th Division arrived at Shahe Town at 2:00 AM.

Upon seeing the officers and soldiers who came to greet him, Xu Wenqing didn't have time for pleasantries and immediately asked:

"How is the battle to capture the supply depot going?"

The reconnaissance battalion commander replied with a broad smile:

"Reporting to the division commander, it went smoothly, very smoothly! It was like a handover between units. The enemy was too careless. They believed us when we said we were from Zhejiang, and they obediently assembled their troops and let us disarm them!"

Xu Wenqing glanced expressionlessly at the reconnaissance battalion commander, turned and left, then instructed his guard:

"Notify officers at the company level and above to convene a meeting at the division headquarters!"

After the division commander had walked away, the bewildered reconnaissance battalion commander grabbed Zhong Shi, who was about to deliver the order, and asked:

"Xiao Zhong, what's wrong with the division commander? Is the battle not going well?"

"What did you say? Not going smoothly? How could things not go smoothly when the division commander is personally in charge?"

Although Zhong Shi was furious that the reconnaissance battalion commander didn't trust the division commander, he still reminded the other party:

"Battalion Commander Ma, the division commander is angry with you."

Battalion Commander Ma Xianbing was immediately puzzled and asked:

"why?"

"Underestimating the enemy and becoming complacent!"

Zhong Shi said irritably:

"Think about it, the enemy is in the open while we are in the dark. With officers from the Zhejiang militia and town mayors who are familiar to the enemy, how can they not believe us? Our battalion of soldiers is no match for their group of logistics soldiers."

Seeing that the reconnaissance battalion commander seemed to be realizing something, the communications officer continued to show off what he had learned from the division commander:

"Besides, the Jiangxi Army and they are both enemies and friends. Without orders from their superiors, the Zhejiang Army and the Central Army would not easily break ties with the Jiangxi Army!"

"Brilliant idea! Brilliant idea! How come I didn't think of that!"

Ma Xianbing was very impressed with Zhong Shi's explanation:

"I didn't expect Xiao Zhong to be so clever."

"Of course! Look who you're working as a bodyguard for!"

Having satisfied his vanity, Zhong Shi hurriedly went to various units to relay orders, and before leaving, he asked Ma Bingye for a reward:

"Battalion Commander Ma, the task of issuing the order to your battalion is now in your hands!"

As reconnaissance battalion commander Ma Xianbing walked back, he pondered his own thoughts.

In the pitch-black, cold night, a biting wind howled and raged. Yet, inside the town hall of Shahe Town, the flickering flames of several kerosene lamps still emitted rising steam.

The 19th Division of the Red Army is holding a combat debriefing meeting attended by commanders at the company level and above. First, the quartermaster reported on the spoils of war. Chief Chen, holding the statistics sheet, began his report:

"Comrades, since entering eastern Zhejiang, we have fought four major battles, and the spoils are as follows:"

The Battle of Jinhua City resulted in the annihilation of a Zhejiang army battalion, the capture of 210 prisoners, the seizure of 290 rifles and pistols, 27 machine guns, over 30,000 rounds of ammunition, 1,500 hand grenades, and other supplies.