Canteen System Assistance Notes

In the original Chinese battlefield, the Japanese didn't begin organized nighttime combat until the 1944 Battle of Changheng, due to declining troop quality, inferior artillery, and loss of air superiority. Therefore, Zhao Shengling didn't have to worry about the Japanese nighttime raids at this point.

What he needed to worry about was whether his troops could effectively carry out the night attack mission.

By mid-1940, the Nationalist Army had organized relatively few night raids, primarily the Xifengkou Suicide Squad assault and the night raid on the Japanese airfield at Dawenkou. These battles achieved significant results, demonstrating the Chinese people's resolve and will to resist foreign aggression, but they were also accompanied by heavy losses. However, to successfully conduct an effective night raid, one needed more than the courage to risk one's life.

"A nighttime march and attack requires a vanguard, led by the 17th Division's Special Forces Battalion." Without a second thought, Zhao Shengling pulled his guard troops to the front line. "But at least the bulk of the Japanese 41st Division is on the hilltop, and we don't know if they have reserves. A death-defying vanguard alone won't be enough to complete the mission. We need support troops later. What were the losses of each unit in today's battle?"

Each unit of the 38th Army quickly reported its situation. The 17th Division, as the frontline force, bore the brunt of the Japanese attack, having nearly wiped out one regiment, with several others also suffering damage and expending significant ammunition. The 46th Independent Brigade, the 38th Army's mobile unit, spent the day fighting fires, suffering heavy casualties and exhausting its troops. The 96th Army, featured in the fourth episode, consisted of only one division and one brigade, but in reality, it comprised only one brigade and two regiments, diligently constructing the third and fourth lines of defense in the rear. It served as the reserve for the entire garrison area and could not be easily mobilized.

After a quick look around, everyone's troops were disorganized and weak. The 43rd Army, assigned by the current commander, Zhao Shengling, to flank defense, had only been fighting a small number of Japanese troops infiltrating through the mountains and had suffered the least damage. "Commander Liang, the situation in your defense zone is relatively good today. Can you step forward as a reserve to support the Special Forces Battalion and capture Hengling Pass? Brother Liang, rest assured. If Hengling Pass is captured, the 43rd Army will definitely be the first to achieve the credit."

As the front-line commander of the Hengling Pass defense battle, although Zhao Shengling had the authorization of the army group, his 38th Army was only at the same level as the opponent's 43rd Army, and he could not directly command Liang Chunpu. For this reason, he not only let his guards take the lead, but also promised to give the first credit to the opponent, hoping that this former Jin army general would not slack off and cooperate well.

Even if the 43rd Army was forced to falsify its names and receive empty salaries, with a total of about 15,000 vacancies in the entire army, as long as there were 5,000 combat-ready soldiers, it would be able to carry out its combat intentions.

Unexpectedly, Liang Chunpu's expression changed drastically, revealing an extremely ferocious expression. The next moment, this expression was quickly suppressed. He first agreed lightly: "Military orders are as heavy as a mountain. Commander Zhao is the current commander. Chunpu will naturally carry out the orders he gives."

He suddenly adopted a compassionate expression and pleaded, "It's just that our 70th and Provisional 47th Divisions have been disorganized since the rebellion of Yan Ni. Furthermore, Division Commander Zhao Chuanbi was killed in action against the Communists, and Chun Pu has only recently taken over, so supplies for the mountain city haven't arrived yet. Our unit is supposed to have over 15,000 men, but we actually only have a little over 11,000."

Then, Liang Chunpu raised the pitch by half a scale, as if standing by the Miluo River and reciting a tragic and heroic verse:

"But our troops are still fighting bravely today. Although our two divisions are on the flanks, we have also fought many bloody battles with many Japanese troops. Our brothers fought bloody battles. In just one day, we have lost more than 6,000 people! Alas! It's not that Chun Pu is unwilling to fight bravely, but he is really unable to do so! Now, the 43rd Army has only 4,800 soldiers available, and less than 2,000 guns..."

"You jerk, Liang Chunpu! If you cut every Japanese soldier who came towards you in half today, there would only be about a hundred of them! Where did you get the over 6,000 casualties?"

Some people with bad tempers ignored their dignity, cursed, and glared at Liang Chunpu. But this old Jin army veteran stood firm and said indignantly:

It was as if someone was really slandering his anti-Japanese achievements: "My unit of 11,000

The warriors of Shanxi Province, though disorganized, have all fought tooth and nail, vowing to fight to the death and to the bitter end against the Japanese invaders! If you don't believe me, feel free to send someone to the scene to take an inventory!

He clasped his hands together and said, "Commander Zhao, a soldier's duty is to obey orders. If Commander Zhao still feels this burden is too great and insists on sending Chun Pu, I will not refuse and will march forward without hesitation!"

"Hahaha! Commander Liang is truly a heroic man who bravely faced death to resist the Japanese and save the nation!"

A voice of praise came from Kong Congzhou, commander of the 46th Independent Brigade. He clasped his fists toward Liang Chunpu and seemed to admire him from the bottom of his heart. "However, for such a good deed for the country and the people, I still have to disobey your kindness! Commander Zhao, let the 46th Brigade go."

After giving the way, Brigadier General Kong continued to elaborate on his ideas:

I had studied artillery before, and I knew how the Japanese practiced firing and maneuvering. Under the cover of night, it was difficult for the artillery sentries to observe, so at most they could conduct fixed-point artillery fires. Our army could light fires to bluff, and the main force could block the lights and advance in stealth. As long as our army and the Japanese engaged in close combat—

He paused, closed his eyes, and seemed to banish the coming horror from his mind. "This will negate the Japanese invaders' firepower advantage. Our soldiers have already obeyed... well, they've been drinking pine needle water for over two months, and they can see and fight at night. We will definitely be able to follow the brothers in the special forces battalion, charge up the hill at Hengling Pass, and recapture the commanding heights!"

"We can't let Hengling Pass become another Xuehua Mountain. We can't let the same mistakes we made at Niangzi Pass happen again..." Kong Congzhou pondered for a moment, then shouted, "I'll personally lead the attack this time!" "Nonsense!" Zhao Shengling lost his temper. "You're a brigade commander, why are you charging in person? How many guns can you carry? Or can you kill a few Japanese soldiers with your bare hands?"

"Ha, General Zhang died in the Battle of Zaoyi, but why can't I, Brigadier General Kong, die?"

The brigade commander, who had risen through the ranks from platoon leader to company commander, stood before Zhao Shengling and said in a resounding voice, "Commander Zhao, just wait for us to plant our flag on the hilltop of Hengling Pass!"

—―—-----

In early September, the night air in Zhongtiao Mountain still seemed to linger with a hint of parched heat. Soldiers from the 17th Division, on the front lines of land reclamation, gathered some gasoline, set up several bonfires outside their positions, and hung strings of firecrackers from gasoline barrels.

A group of comrades from the 46th Brigade ate large pieces of meat and wine at dinner, which made them quite envious. Unfortunately, they did not get any. However, soon after, these comrades who had eaten meat and drunk wine put their guns on their shoulders, crossed their positions, and headed towards the Japanese invaders.

They were determined, like moths to a flame.

After a while, the commander gave the order to light the bonfire and set off firecrackers.

A crackling sound, like machine gun fire, echoed. Ten minutes later, Japanese shells began raining down near the fire. The soldiers of the 17th Division retreated to their dugouts, fearing the fire at the city gate would harm them. Was the commander planning to use up the Japanese ammunition? All right, fire more tonight and less tomorrow, to save lives.

But at this moment, there were sudden loud explosions and dense gunfire in front of the position. Then, the short gunfire ended and turned into distant, inaudible shouts of killing.

The atmosphere suddenly grew tense, and everyone gripped their guns tightly, as if awaiting the final judgment. Finally, in the distant night, a string of red and green flares rose from the cliffs, a faint shadow outlined by the moonlight. Ah, there, in the direction of Hengling Pass.

Chapter 335: Paradigm’s Defeat (1) Nationalist Army Tradition

Perhaps in many people's impressions, the fourth episode and the 38th Division's fight for every inch of land and fighting to the death are the tragic and helpless main themes of the front battlefield in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression.

But in fact, the fourth episode is really an outlier among the vast majority of national army.

It represents one of the few clear streams in the murky jar of soy sauce.

They knew they were about to be dismantled and weakened by Chiang Kai-shek, that they were a low-ranking, "miscellaneous, non-mainstream" unit, unworthy of official recognition. Even when their own Sichuan Army, Li Jiayu's 47th Army, had been moved south of the Yellow River, leaving them with only the 38th and 96th Armies, totaling 3 men, they continued to fight tenaciously, risking their lives to resist, or rather, delay, the Japanese offensive.

However, the situation of other national armies was completely different: for example, the Ninth Army on the eastern front of Zhongtiao Mountain.

The Zhongtiao Mountains are a relatively closed terrain, with the Yellow River and the mountains together enclosing a flat, sausage-shaped area. The western side of this "sausage zone," guarded by the newly mobilized 3rd and 17th Armies, is the knotted end of the sausage casing, with only a relatively narrow entrance. The northwest and northeastern regions, guarded by Zhao Shengling's 38th Army and Wu Mianzhi's 98th Army, are the wider cracks in the casing, accessible by mountain roads requiring off-road maneuvers. This favorable terrain also gives these troops a certain advantage, allowing them to defend more easily.

The eastern part of the Zhongtiao Mountains, like the gap in a sausage cut by a knife, offers a wide battlefield width that can accommodate more troops. While not completely defenseless, the terrain is ultimately more conducive to the advancement of large forces. This is clearly a vulnerable area. How many troops has Commander Zhang Benyao, who calls himself "This boy is like me," stationed here?

A: Two armies, one 9th Army and one 93rd Army, comprised four divisions and two newly formed divisions. With a nominal strength of over 80,000 men, the actual strength was approximately 60,000, a fairly good complement. They guarded the area around Jiyuan, the core town on the eastern Zhongtiao line, filling a 30-kilometer-wide front and forming the first line of defense against the invading Japanese army.

However, if one were to delve into the weapon configuration level of these troops, any staff officer with a formal combat theory background would be shocked. Take the 93rd Army as an example. This army-level unit with abundant manpower has a total of about 41,000 people, which is far less than the 93rd Army.

The Fourth Army in the Henglingguan area had more than one-third of its total number; and even including the "guns waiting to be repaired", there were only about 6400 rifles in hand, which was barely more than the level of the 17th Division of the 38th Army in the Fourth Group.

If the battlefield is enlarged, the staff's astonishment will quickly turn into a blood pressure explosion - these four regular divisions and two newly formed divisions are almost arranged in a straight line, from north to south, forming a defense line running from north to south. Almost all of them

All the troops were deployed in a concentrated manner on the only line of defense. There was no second or third line of defense to support it, nor were there any reserve troops to support the front troops when they retreated.

In other words, the deployment of these two armies is huge and imposing, but it is a hollow balloon.

As the garrison troops of Zhongtiao Mountain, the commander of the 38th Army, Zhao Shengling, at least knew to report to Sun Shutang and coordinate with the friendly 96th Army to build a backup defense line and position behind his front line and stationed there to provide support.

The defensive configuration was once very tactfully questioned to Pei Tongye, then commander of the 9th Army, and Guo Jiqiao, once known as the "Ocean Division Commander":

"General Staff Officer Guo, Commander Pei, I, Zhao, am a man of limited knowledge, and I would like to ask you two for advice. Are there any secrets or key points in confronting the Japanese invaders, massing heavy troops on the front lines, and keeping them on the alert?"

Hearing this humble request, the current commander of the Eastern Front, Guo Jiqiao, smiled but said nothing. Pei Tongye, who was at the same level as Zhao Shengling, put on a serious expression and asked in reply:

"Brother Du Ting, you and I are both veterans who have fought for the Party and our country for many years. The art of war begins with knowing both ourselves and the enemy. When we fight the Japanese invaders, how well do you know their soldiers' drills and their use of firepower? Brother Du Ting, how well do you know me?"

"Of course it is far superior to our army."

"Yes!" Commander Pei Tongye sighed, "The Japanese invaders are so strong, what can we do? Facing such a strong enemy, we can only strengthen our defense line, deploy densely, form crossfire and numerical advantage, and have a chance of victory. What's more, the frontline soldiers are

Fighting bloody battles amidst hail of enemy bullets, how can we comfort our officers and soldiers if there are still those who hide behind the front lines and live in disarray? Only when officers and soldiers are on the same side, fighting together, and sharing the same hatred for the enemy, can we win the battle!

Ah this...

"I see. I'm glad to hear your advice." Zhao Shengling immediately gave in and offered some praise. The two sides had different affiliations, and he was about to be transferred, so there was no need to engage in direct argument and determine who was superior. After all, some things were part of the National Army's tradition, part meme contamination. How could one person alone reverse this in a short period of time?

While the 17th Division of the 38th Army was fighting bloody battles at Hengling Pass, the 9th Army in Jiyuan also waited for the Japanese vanguard. Concentrating its personnel on the front line, the 9th Army formed a winding city defense position around Jiyuan and, together with the 93rd Army, surrounded the small county town.

The few remaining residents of the county town had already fled, allowing the 9th Army to comfortably occupy residential buildings and camp, rather than being confined to the uncomfortable positions on the front lines. The only unpleasant thing was that with the arrival of the Japanese, pedestrians and vendors had practically vanished, and there was little toll or tax to be collected.

Soon, news of the Japanese attack came from the front-line positions.

Pei Tongye quickly ordered his three divisions to take up positions, among which the one in front of Jiyuan was the newly formed 24th Division, which had just been transferred in May 1941. This infantry unit, which was reorganized from a cavalry unit, was short of guns and ammunition, but was assigned to bear the brunt of the attack, which made these young recruits a little uneasy.

A row of Japanese soldiers vaguely appeared in front of the flat front. Surprisingly, they were all Japanese cavalry wearing leather boots and riding horses, not the orderly infantry. Less than three kilometers in front of the front, the Japanese cavalry stopped, slowly adjusted their formation, and then split into several groups, slowly marching towards the position of the New 24th Division.

It's as leisurely as an outing.

The newly formed 24th Division, armed with no more than 2000 rifles, sweated profusely in the shallow trenches as the enemy mounted their horses and advanced in formation. Two thousand meters, one thousand meters, eight hundred meters, six hundred meters... They seemed completely unprepared, yet at the same time, ready to launch an unstoppable charge, seizing the moment the Nationalist troops relaxed and break through their positions in one fell swoop.

The atmosphere on the front lines slowly tightened amidst this strangely relaxed atmosphere. The Japanese, like a target waiting to be punched, hovered about 600 meters in front of the position. This second boot, which would never fall, was like a beheading sword hanging over the heads of the Nationalist troops, like a powerful bow and crossbow waiting to be fired, gradually transmitting pressure to the new 24th Division.

Finally, no one knew who started it, but a gunshot rang out from the position of the New 24th Division, which was on the brink of collapse. This was followed by a series of gunshots. The light and heavy machine guns together fired a sparse fire network. Even the few mortars at the back fired a few shells, intending to drive away the Japanese army and release the already unbearable pressure and tension.

For a moment, there was the sound of gunfire.

Surprisingly, the Japanese cavalry were frightened off, escorting a few unlucky men who had been shot, and quickly turned and ran away, disappearing from sight. Even the frontline Nationalist troops were astonished that they had driven off the arrogant devils in such a way.

"We...we won?"

As if in response to this unconfident monologue, in front of the position, before the dust raised by the horses' hooves settled, the Japanese army's precise and deadly counterattack artillery fire came swiftly.

The precious and critical firepower points of the new 24th Division were severely damaged.

Chapter 336 Paradigm Defeat (2) Total Collapse

The 27th Division, as a reserve force of the North China Front Army in a sense, was only a three-unit security division equipped with 36 Type 41 mountain guns.

Regarding the Kuomintang firepower exposed during the close reconnaissance of the 4th Cavalry Brigade

At this point, the artillery salvo from this mountain artillery regiment was also a devastating blow.

In just a few minutes, nearly all of the 24th Division's forward firepower points suffered heavy damage. Positions without shelter or anti-gun roofs were stripped of nearly all machine gun fire, and even the few mortars they had were completely wiped out. This former cavalry, now infantry, "division" had become a garrison with only bolt-action firepower, completely defenseless.

As had been repeated so many times on the Chinese battlefield, the 27th Division brazenly pushed its 92mm rifle to within 150 meters of the Nationalist positions. Protected by its shield, the gunners aimed steadily and fired head-on, unleashing the last of the New 24mm's effective firepower into the air.

Then, a battalion of Japanese troops launched an attack.

They were healthy and free of any injuries, and encountered almost no effective resistance as they charged into the Kuomintang positions. After bayoneting the wounded, those who dared to resist, and those who ran too slowly, the Japanese soldiers, relying on their positions, opened fire on the fleeing Kuomintang soldiers, killing and wounding many soldiers from behind.

The newly formed 24th Division, numbering over 6,000 men, collapsed, while the Japanese suffered fewer than 200 casualties. The only good news was that Pei Tongye's other two "direct divisions" of the 9th Army had successfully escaped, sacrificing friendly forces, resulting in few casualties. After all, the casualties were from the newly transferred "foreign troops."

Such absurd situations were repeated at several locations along the Jiyuan Front. The paradigm of powerful reconnaissance, artillery raids, and close-range fire was effective for the 9th and 93rd Armies, almost without fail. Even if some units withstood the pressure and responded appropriately, they were unable to withstand the Japanese attack due to the collapse and flight of friendly forces on their flanks and the poor armaments of their own forces.

An entire line of defense, with the strength of two armies, collapsed under the attack of just two regiments of the 27th Division.

Chaos, deadly chaos, began to spread rapidly in the Zhongtiao Mountain area. The Nationalist army's command center not only failed to turn the tide, but also fell into chaos.

The supreme commander Zhang Benyao, who was supposed to go to the front line in person to stabilize the morale of the troops and coordinate the command, did not go to the front line at all. Instead, he commanded remotely from the headquarters in Luoyi. However, due to the poor radio confidentiality, the entire deployment of the national army was broadcast live to the Japanese army.

The current commander of the eastern front, Guo Jiqiao, had already fled in time with his personal guards in a fully loaded transport truck, rushed to the Yellow River ferry, and directly abandoned his job.

However, Pei Tongye, commander of the 9th Army, who was supposed to be guarding the front line, fell asleep and snored loudly because I never received telegrams or phone calls at night, and thus missed the order to lead his troops to retreat, turning the retreat into a rout.

Now, orders from above were impossible to convey, and intelligence from below could not be reported. Instead, news of evacuation flowed unimpeded. Positions that should have been held were left undefended, and troops that should have retreated were trapped and annihilated, while the commanders and leaders fled instead. Suddenly, the entire Zhongtiao Mountain region was wide open. The Nationalist troops on the eastern front collapsed and fled westward in a tumbling, scrambling retreat. Without the avalanche effect of a second line of defense, the fleeing troops along the entire line, like a torrent, began to overwhelm the Nationalist defenses.

The Japanese began invading along the eastern front, breaking through an area more than 20 kilometers east of Jiyuan, defeating several defeated troops of the 9th and 93rd Armies, and causing chaos in the heart of Zhongtiao Mountain. Subsequently, the 27th Division's offensive momentum began to gradually deplete, and the Japanese offensive rhythm gradually slowed.

At this time, the last barrier blocking the Japanese army from rushing into the core area of ​​Zhongtiao Mountain was Fengmen Village, located east of Jiyuan.

Fengmen Village, also known as Fengmenkou and Chenguan, is an ancient pass that controls east-west traffic in the Zhongtiao Mountains. At its narrowest point, it's only eight meters wide. Historically, the Japanese attacked here twice, and two generals—He Yisun and Zhao Shengling—defeated them here. These two Communist-led Nationalist troops, relying on the ancient gates and passes and the surrounding positions, held their ground against repeated Japanese attacks, ultimately forcing the Japanese army, whose logistics were strained, to retreat.

But now, there are no longer any Communist-led soldiers guarding this place, only a group of chaotic defeated soldiers.

Here, fleeing for his life, Pei Tongye, commander of the 9th Army, met Wu Tinglin, commander of the 15th Army. Soldiers from both sides scrambled for food and livestock, leading to a fight that forced the two officers to intervene. At that moment, they both received Zhang Benyao's furious order: no further retreat, hold your ground!

The defeated soldiers who had fled here became Commander Zhang's only hope. If these defeated soldiers could reorganize and hold Fengmen Village, then the situation could still be saved. In his telegram, he used tough words that were unusually uncharacteristic of the Nationalist Army, and even used the old man's authority: Those who escape will be court-martialed, and those who hold on will be promoted and given titles. No matter what method you use, you must hold on to this place!

So what about support? What about ammunition? Or even, can we send a member of the supervision team?

"Damn it! This Zhang guy, he doesn't even want to pluck a hair, and he wants me to work for him?"

Wu Tinglin, from the "Zhensong Army," a local warlord, cursed. Anyone with eyes wide open could see the current situation clearly. The Japs were already defeating two armies and were unstoppable. Trying to use these defeated soldiers to resist the overwhelming Japanese force was like asking for their lives!

"Brothers, let's..."

Before the bandit leader could finish his words, the sound of an explosion outside the sealed gate, along with shrill cries, echoed in. Everyone looked over and saw that a corner of the gate had collapsed. Thick smoke billowed from the ruined doorway of the Black Hall, and steaming limbs and arms were scattered around, along with fallen bodies radiating outward.

"The devils are coming, the devils are coming!"

The Japs had indeed arrived, or rather, the Imperial Guards Regiment had arrived.

Even during the planning phase of the campaign, the North China Expeditionary Force's staff had highlighted the numerous challenges faced by divisions in a typical Zhongtiao Mountain offensive. Among these challenges was the Nationalist army's sheer size and the resulting weakening of its offensive momentum. To capture Zhongtiao Mountain in one fell swoop, they needed to increase their forces and enhance their offensive capabilities.

So, Itagaki Seishirō used his connections, which gave him direct access to the imperial court, to successfully obtain what he wanted from the headquarters: the 3rd and 4th Imperial Guards Regiments, which had just arrived in Shanghai from mainland Japan and were scheduled to fight in the Hankou area.

The two divisions quickly boarded ships again from the Magic City and arrived at Jieshi Island, then took a train to Tianjin. Because they lacked their own artillery like the 1st and 2nd Guards Regiments, Itagaki reinforced them with a regiment from the North China Field Artillery Brigade, which accompanied the 27th Division southward.

They can be said to be the real elite of the Japanese army, and their combat readiness level is even higher than that of the 27th Division, the reserve force of the North China Expeditionary Force.

- time, the two regiments passed the 27th Division that had made way for the passage and rushed

Towards Fengmen Village.

Behind them, the 24rd Regiment of the 6nd Independent Field Heavy Artillery Brigade unleashed their artillery fire. Twenty-four Type 91 105mm howitzers, each pulled by six powerful horses, knocked down their anchors, raised their barrels, and began pouring a devastating hail of bullets towards Fengmen Village.

"The Japanese have breached the sealed gate. The attacking enemy, broadcasting, calls themselves the Imperial Guards Regiment and is advancing rapidly towards the Yuanqu area! We have lost contact with the 9th and 15th Armies!"

At Hengling Pass, even worse news reached the headquarters. The signalman's anxious shouting was still very harsh in the noisy headquarters, making everyone look sideways.

Over the past few days, Episode 4 has been a bloody battle. Initially, the 38th Army, under the cover of darkness, repeatedly fought the Japanese for the Hengling Pass position, causing this small pass to change hands several times. However, due to heavy losses, the troops were forced to retreat, relying on the second line of defense of Gaoluo City to resist one after another.

The enemy, despite changing their flags several times, remained undeterred and continued to attack tenaciously. The 17th Division, having almost lost its offensive capability, retreated with the 46th Independent Brigade to the third defensive line of the 4th 096th Army, joining forces to hold off the Japanese advance.

As for the 43rd Army, which was transformed from the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, it had already fled during the retreat.

Sun Shutang had already arrived at the front lines. He had just brought his army's guard regiment and ordered the regimental commander to lead a counterattack, pushing the Japanese back. Now, he was huddled in the divisional headquarters with Zhao Shengling, Li Shifu, and others, feeling the tension build up again after a brief period of relaxation.

"Zhongtiao Mountain is no longer defensible." Sun Shutang sighed and made a judgment. "The gate of Fengmen has been lost, the troops on the eastern front are no longer organized, and the Japanese army still has the powerful enemy of the Imperial Guards Regiment. This is impossible."

"Get ready! We're preparing to retreat. All responsibility will be mine." As a leader, Commander Sun knew when to step up and take responsibility. "Du Ting, Shi Fu, when the time comes, all you have to do is say, 'This is my order.'"

Commander Sun, man proposes, God disposes. To die needlessly, knowing it's impossible, is foolish, not courageous. How can I let you take the blame alone? Zhao Shengling refused. "If the Shancheng authorities investigate, I will definitely not shirk responsibility."

"Me too. Humph, in the eyes of that old man in the mountain city, we're all General Yang's soldiers, no matter what." Li Shifu, commander of the 96th Army, also expressed his attitude. "Win or lose, it won't stop him from interfering with our plans. So, why worry about accountability? Given the current state of the war, if we want to hold anyone accountable, we need to have the opportunity to do so."

"Commander Sun/Commander Zhao, telegram."