Chapter 39: Orders and Decisions (Part 1)

Lieutenant Colonel Smith said, staring at Xie Jinyuan tightly.

Judging from Lieutenant Colonel Smith's experience, it is understandable that most people choose to fight the beasts when they have no choice but to retreat.

But I believe that anyone who suddenly sees the hope of survival in a desperate situation, even if it is just a glimmer of hope, no matter how well-cultivated he is, he will hold it tightly like a straw suddenly caught in the hand of a drowning person, right?

What's more, their British royal troops allowed these Chinese soldiers who were surrounded by enemies on three sides to pass through the military camps in the concession and withdraw from the battlefield, and even promised to provide them with appropriate cover?

You know, the concession is equivalent to their British territory. It is already quite incredible to allow a force to pass through their British territory.

Once the British army promises to provide appropriate cover, it is like giving them an amulet when the Chinese army retreats.

But Smith was destined to be disappointed. Xie Jinyuan sat there quietly. No matter what he said, Xie Jinyuan's face always had a dull smile, and even his bright eyes were not filled with emotion.

Only when Lieutenant Colonel Smith said the words "even allowed" did Xie Jinyuan gently twitch his eyebrows, but he quickly returned to peace.

It was not until this time that Lieutenant Colonel Smith, who could speak fluent Chinese and had a good understanding of Chinese culture, understood what it means to be as immovable as a mountain in Chinese idioms, and what it means to be indifferent to honor and disgrace.

Smith suddenly realized that he was wrong, and he was very wrong. If it was a negotiation to persuade the Chinese army to go from the Sihang Warehouse, he had put himself in the wrong position of the strong from the very beginning.

Since Xie Jinyuan is not even afraid of death, what other strong posture can he have in this world? Can he move him?

"Thank you Lieutenant Colonel Smith for coming to us at risk of his life; and thank you to the British government for helping us, an army surrounded by enemies, withdraw from the battlefield.

On behalf of all the soldiers in the Sihang Warehouse who are fighting bloody battles with the enemy, I express my gratitude."

Xie Jinyuan finally spoke, "However, defending the Sihang Warehouse and dragging the enemy's attack is a task assigned to us by our superiors. Lieutenant Colonel Smith.

You and I are both soldiers, and we should all clearly understand that a soldier must not lose his gun on the battlefield. A soldier must not leave his post without receiving the order from his superiors! Otherwise, he would be a dereliction of duty and a crime."

"The orders received by your superiors should be to delay the enemy's attack.

Should the cover force retreat smoothly?" Smith narrowed his eyes carefully and said, "Your troops have started sniping the Japanese army since the early morning of the 27th. They have been in the Sihang Warehouse for four days and three nights. Under your cover, your force has been successfully withdrawn from Shanghai.

We began to gather quickly in Nanjing. According to my personal rebellion, the Your Army and the Japanese Army may use Nanjing as the stage and launch a major battle again. I think.

If an excellent soldier like Lieutenant Colonel Xie can join the Nanjing Battle, he will definitely make greater contributions. It is better than trapping the lonely city here and finally fighting with his outstanding subordinates to the death, right?"

Xie Jinyuan nodded slightly, and he suddenly asked, "So according to Lieutenant Colonel Smith's judgment, in order to attack the Sihang Warehouse, how many troops did the Japanese army use?"

"According to our observations and records, in four days, the Japanese army went out with a total of 48 fighter jets, bombers and 11,000 troops in order to conquer the Sihang Warehouse."

Before entering the Sihang Warehouse, Smith had obviously made sufficient intelligence preparations. After sorting out various data, he pondered for a moment and said decisively: "If the Japanese army is surrounded by Sihang Warehouse.

The troops stationed in trenches and bunkers are also included. There are now about 15,000 well-trained professional troops surrounding the Sihang Warehouse. If it were not for the help of our British government.

With the troops you lead and the weapons and equipment of the land you own, Lieutenant Colonel Xie will never be able to successfully break through.”

"Lt. Col. Smith, your judgment is very accurate. Facing an enemy who relies on semi-permanent fortifications, surrounded us and possesses absolute advantages in personnel, firepower and intelligence, we should not say that we are breaking through. As long as we walk out of the Sihang Warehouse, we will be wiped out in less than three hours.

”

Xie Jinyuan said very pertinently, Lieutenant Colonel Smith was repeatedly in the process. At this moment, Xie Jinyuan changed his subject again, "However, I would like to ask Lieutenant Colonel Smith to make another judgment. Do you think if we can't hold on, how long can we last in the Sihang Warehouse?"

This is definitely a super puzzle!

If the Japanese army still relied on small-caliber artillery that could not penetrate the solid walls of the Sihang Warehouse, and cooperated with the army to launch an attack on a war fortress like the Sihang Warehouse, relying on the weapons and ammunition in the Sihang Warehouse, as long as it was not due to morale problems and problems occurred from the inside, it would not be a miracle.

However, once the Japanese army was so angry that they mobilized warships anchored on the Huangpu River to bombard them with heavy artillery, or sent bombers to throw bombs, without sending army troops, they could also bury the troops led by Xie Jinyuan alive in the ruins of the Sihang Warehouse.

"I really want to participate in the Nanjing Defense War. Although I don't want to admit it, I must say that in Shanghai, I hope that in the defense war, I can win a game for our motherland with all compatriots who are willing to use their lives to protect their country.

but……"

Lieutenant Colonel Smith swore that he really hated the Chinese word "but" and now he has gradually become familiar with Xie Jinyuan's way of speaking. Xie Jinyuan will always follow the other party's ideas and first recognize the correctness of the other party's views.

So when Xie Jinyuan said the word "but", his objections must be more fierce and irrefutable.

"In our China, there are many soldiers like me. Many of them walked onto the battlefield with full of passion, but perhaps it was just a momentary negligence, bombed by the enemy, or even unexpectedly encountered a stray bullet, and their ambitions were dying before they could be fulfilled.

Faced with the battle of local battles that have been invested in millions of troops, my personal abilities are very limited. I think I will even take all the subordinates around me.

I arrived in Nanjing in time and participated in the Nanjing Defense War. At most, I could only play a little role on the local battlefield. And here it is different.

Lieutenant Colonel Smith, you have also analyzed it for me. In order to strangle the defenders in our Sihang Warehouse, the Japanese army mobilized at least 15,000 well-trained professional soldiers, not including them circling around our heads every day.

The air force wasted gasoline.”

Xie Jinyuan pointed and said, "If we continue to stick here, we can hold back 15,000 well-trained professional soldiers. The Japanese soldiers once said that one division of their division can top our eight divisions.

If we take away their advantages in the air force and navy, and take away the amount of their own boastful talk, just think that one division can match our three divisions.

I used a few hundred people to delay the equivalent of 45,000 troops, so that they could not participate in the Nanjing Battle. In this way, I would continue to fight here, which would be equivalent to participating in the Nanjing Battle. And I made almost miraculous contributions.

If they are unwilling to leave so many troops for the Sixing Warehouse, that would be even better. Their defense network will inevitably have irreparable loopholes. At that time, if we want to break through, it will no longer be difficult to reach the sky.

Or I might as well follow the earliest instructions of the headquarters and lead everyone in Shanghai to fight guerrilla warfare with the Japanese army. This is also a very good choice. As long as we still have troops fighting in Shanghai, they will not win the Battle of Songhu!"

"Of course, we are a small army after all, and we are isolated and helpless. We are really tired of fighting guerrilla warfare.

If you are surrounded by others and you can't beat me..." At this point, Xie Jinyuan's mouth curled upwards slightly, showing an absolutely weird smile. His body leaned forward slightly, deliberately lowered his voice, and said, "We can also escape into the concession of friendly countries and make our hands dirty.

Once the bullet is sent in, then you can change into a set of civilian clothes and run away with your head in your arms! Do you think so? Dear Lieutenant Colonel Smith?"

Lieutenant Colonel Smith was really shocked.

"You're pretty good, but have you ever thought that the Japanese army was really forced to force themselves to use large-caliber artillery on warships, or dispatch bombers to directly throw bombs at you, what would you do?"

Xie Jinyuan smiled and said, "It's going to rain and my mother wants to get married. I'm really helpless. They want to blow it up, so let them blow it up."

Xie Jinyuan said it lightly, Lieutenant Colonel Smith was really angry and anxious, "Did you ever think that if the Japanese army bombarded with large-caliber artillery, or dispatched bombers to throw bombs, these heavy firepower would likely be shot into the Chinese concession, and even hit the gas cylinder that was only a few dozen meters away from the Sihang Warehouse..."

Speaking of this, Lieutenant Colonel Smith's roar stopped abruptly at the face of Xie Jinyuan's smiley expression slightly raised. At this time, Smith fully understood Xie Jinyuan's thoughts.

If the Japanese did not use heavy weapons, they would know how long it would take for them to capture the Sihang Warehouse. Relying on a Sihang Warehouse, Xie Jinyuan held up a considerable number of enemies, and he would definitely be a profit of 100 million yuan and he would make sure to make a profit without losing money.

If the Japanese were unwilling to use heavy weapons and did not want to waste too much troops because of a small Sihang warehouse, as Xie Jinyuan said, their encirclement will inevitably have irreparable loopholes. Xie Jinyuan is an expert in the surprise attack on the "Izumo" and "Iron Fist" operations.

It would be a slap in the face of the Japanese army with such a loophole to block his footsteps! As long as there is still a Chinese army in Shanghai, the Japanese army will not achieve complete victory in the Battle of Shanghai. In a political sense, it is tantamount to slapping the Japanese in the face on the international stage.

Those Japanese soldiers who regard face as more important than life and who shout the spirit of Bushido every day will never allow such a situation to happen.

Then the most likely and most in line with the Japanese military's style of conduct is to use the heavy weapons in your hands to launch the most fierce and devastating attack on the Sihang Warehouse before transferring the troops to Nanjing on the entire line.

At that time, the lonely army led by Xie Jinyuan who was trapped in the Sihang Warehouse was of course wiped out.

However, whether it is used to bombard or use a blockbuster, it is absolutely impossible to fly into the British Concession where there are only a few dozen meters away without stray bullets.

Once a shell or bombshell flew into the concession, it was equivalent to directly bombing the British mainland. At this time, whether the British government was willing or not, it was for the sake of face.

Even in order to protect their dignity as a world political and military power, they must not pretend to be deaf and dumb anymore and must be involved in this Sino-Japanese war.

He used hundreds of lives to bring in a military power to become an ally, and Xie Jinyuan made a huge profit and died as his best. He could not do anything without becoming a national hero.

Thinking of this, Lieutenant Colonel Smith couldn't help but take a breath. The soldier who sat in front of him had a smile on his lips. He looked gentle and elegant, really wasn't afraid of death!

The water on the kerosene stove boiled, and the white ground water vapor rose from the military portable lunch box made of aluminum alloy. The faces of Smith and Xie Jinyuan looked even more hazy through this layer of water vapor.

Xie Jinyuan walked over and picked up the portable military lunch box, and took two cups.

"Soldiers, especially those who have to stand up for their lives and death. They are most afraid of greed for material enjoyment. But I can't quit drinking tea.

Maybe it’s because drinking tea can not only refresh me, but also make me concentrate and think about some problems. But it’s okay. It’s because of this habit that I can make a cup of hot tea to entertain guests like Lieutenant Colonel Smith.”

Xie Jinyuan actually took out a paper bag and poured some tea into both cups.

"Our Chinese soldiers' military pay is not as good as those of Britain. I am so poor in my pocket every day that I am the cheapest type of loose tea I buy directly from the grocery store on the street."

Xie Jinyuan leaned over the lunch box in his hand, a boiling boiling water pulled a brief arc in the air, and landed on the cup in front of Lieutenant Colonel Smith. It made a slight rippling sound.

Just as Lieutenant Colonel Smith nodded politely, a dull roar suddenly came from afar. Before Lieutenant Colonel Smith could tell what had happened, he landed on the Sihang Warehouse at the same time.

"Boom! Boom!! Boom..."

More than a dozen balls of fire suddenly bloomed on the hard walls of the Sihang Warehouse. In the deafening roar, the entire Sihang Warehouse seemed to be suddenly electrocuted, making a slight and dense tremor. It brought even the lantern on the top of Lieutenant Colonel Smith's head.

They all continued to shake. In their small space, the dust deposited in every corner of the house fell down one after another.

Listening to the densest and average every second, a shell fell on the terrible shelling of the Sihang Warehouse. Feeling the entire Sihang Warehouse trembling constantly. The only thought in Lieutenant Colonel Smith was: "It's broken, it's shelling!"

At this time, Lieutenant Colonel Smith was really crying but not talking. Why did he just remember his luck? The Japanese soldiers didn't shoot the shells late and didn't shoot them long ago. But when he entered the Sihang Warehouse, he started this fatal shelling. When he thought that the entire Sihang Warehouse was bombed and collapsed, hundreds of people were buried in the ruins, Lieutenant Colonel Smith felt chill all over.

Xie Jinyuan and the others died here as heroes and sacrificed their lives for the country. As a lieutenant colonel of the British army, Smith could not even find his body when he died here. What is it?

"This is just a three-inch caliber flat-fire cannon equipped by the Japanese Army. The biggest advantage of this cannon is its high shooting accuracy and will not have a deviation of dozens of meters. Their shells are dense enough.

However, if they want to use such small-caliber artillery to smash the Sihang Warehouse, they have to fight for at least one day. And I see that the shells in their hands will be good enough to last for an hour."

At this time, Xie Jinyuan continued to pour boiling water on the cup in front of Lieutenant Colonel Smith with a calm smile.

Listening to his plain voice, looking at the clean tabletop without any traces of water, and watching his pair of stable and impeccable ground hands, Lieutenant Colonel Smith was really shocked.

The cup in front of Lieutenant Colonel Smith was filled with boiling water, and then poured boiling water into his own cup.

Xie Jinyuan blew off the tea leaves floating on the water, took a sip, then raised his head and said to Lieutenant Colonel Smith: "I'm sorry, it's not a good tea, so you must drink it while it's hot.

I personally think that no matter what kind of tea it is, as long as it is hot, it tastes pretty good.

Lieutenant Colonel Smith subconsciously picked up the teacup in front of him. In this dense bombardment, the entire Sihang Warehouse was trembling slightly. He tried to calm himself down. Even for the dignity of a soldier, he would drink quietly like Xie Jinyuan, just like the Japanese who were bombarded with a shell per second.

At this moment, the door of the management room was knocked open with a "bang". The unexpected change made Lieutenant Colonel Smith's hand tremble slightly, and a splash of water swung out from the edge of the cup and fell on Lieutenant Colonel Smith's military uniform.

The one who broke into the management room was a company commander. He looked at Xie Jinyuan and shouted wildly: "Captain, it's not good..."
To be continued...