Chapter 95: Battle of Shanghai (15)

"Brother Changqing, how strong do you think the security team of Songjiang is?" Sitting in his office, Chen Xiuwen asked Teng Donglin.

Teng Donglin shook his head and said, "Not really, it's incomparable to my Forty Regiment. It's not on the same level. And the equipment is also very poor. There is no heavy machine gun in the whole regiment, and only one light machine gun company, and most of the rifles are old sleeves."

Teng Donglin and the head of the Songjiang Security Group happened to be fellow villagers. As soon as he came back from the meeting with this fellow villagers, Chen Xiuwen called over.

"Hey, Brigade Commander, are you trying to pull the Songjiang Security Force over?" As he said that, Teng Donglin suddenly reacted and looked at Chen Xiuwen with surprise and asked.

"Haha, do you think you can pull them over?" Chen Xiuwen asked with a smile.

"If they can become a regular army, of course they are willing. However, our brigade is a B-brigade, and there are only two regiments in total. Besides, even if they are willing, the Jiangsu Third Administrative Region and Songjiang County Government will not agree." Teng Donglin said with some embarrassment.

"These local governments don't have to worry about them first. You should contact your fellow villager first. If they want, bring them over first. If the establishment cannot be resolved for the time being, let's pay them for themselves." Chen Xiuwen said with a smile.

"However, we will take their security team away like this. What if the local government starts to sue?" Teng Donglin said with some concern.

"Prison? If they want to sue, let them sue." Chen Xiuwen said indifferently.

After the outbreak of the Songhu War, due to the great casualties of the country, a large number of local security forces will be added to the regular army. In particular, security forces near Shanghai, such as the Songjiang Security Corps, are the first to be hit. Since Chen Xiuwen is now stationed in Songjiang, of course, he will not let the fat piece of meat on hand be eaten by others.

As he said that, Chen Xiuwen smiled and said to Teng Donglin, "Brother Changqing, tell your fellow countrymen that as long as they join our Independent 20th Brigade, officers and soldiers will be paid a double salary. Also, the batch of Hanyang Mades that your regiment has replaced can also be given to them. However, the condition is that the training must be carried out according to our standards, and those who fail the qualifications will be cleared."

"Okay, that's even more okay. Those who join the army are carrying guns and eating food. They won't be happy if they give them a double salary." Teng Donglin said with a smile.

He knew that Chen Xiuwen was wealthy and powerful, and had a good relationship with Zhang Zhizhong, the commander-in-chief of the Army. This time, his security regiment was incorporated into the Independent 20th Brigade, not only enjoyed double salary like the 38th Regiment, but Chen Xiuwen also applied for the distribution of 1,000 official rifles for their 40th Regiment, and also allocated them four 60 mortars and six Maxim heavy machine guns. Although the 40th Regiment is not as good as the standard infantry regiment of the German Armed Division, it is one level higher than the general Central Army's equipment. Moreover, Teng Donglin knew very well that he was able to become the deputy brigade commander, which was completely borrowed from Chen Xiuwen. Therefore, since he was not very proud of the war in the 128th Songhu War, he was very grateful to Chen Xiuwen.

At this time, Chief of Staff Qiao Zhen walked in with a telegram with a deep expression. Chen Xiuwen, who was joking with Teng Donglin, was stunned and asked, "Brother Songlin, what's wrong? Is the war ahead unhappy?"

Qiao Zhen nodded and said slowly: "Today, the 88th Division was blocked from attacking Jiangwan Town and Hongkou Park. In addition," Qiao Zhen said hesitantly and looked up at Chen Xiuwen.

Chen Xiuwen suddenly felt an ominous premonition and hurriedly said, "What else, please tell me quickly."

Qiao Zhen took a deep breath and said, "The other 88th Division Brigade Commander Huang Meixing was unfortunately killed in the battle to attack Hongkou Park."

Chen Xiuwen suddenly felt dizzy and his body shook. Teng Donglin next to him quickly supported him: "Brig Commander, I feel sorry for you."

The thing that Chen Xiuwen was most worried about didn't expect that it would happen on the first day of the war. Although he sent a telegram to Huang Meixing as soon as possible in the morning, everything was not restored. His old commander, the old commander who had always valued and supported him, was unfortunately killed in the battle.

"Is the news accurate?" Chen Xiuwenxin asked unwillingly.

"This is a news that the President has telegrammed to various troops. Chief Huang was attacked by neon warship cannons and was unfortunately killed." Qiao Zhen said, handing the telegram in his hand to Chen Xiuwen.

Chen Xiuwen quickly finished reading the telegram and sat down on a chair. Five years ago, during the temple defense war, he met Huang Meixing for the first time. When he graduated from the military academy, Huang Meixing personally went to Zhang Zhizhong Education Chief to take him to the 264th Brigade of the 88th Division. In recent years, his interactions between the 264th Brigade and Huang Meixing have been presented in Shen Xiuwen's mind like a movie.

"Brig Commander, I am mourning for the change. Now the war ahead is not going well, and our brigade may be ordered to reinforce at any time. Brigade Commander, you must hold on at this time." Qiao Zhen couldn't help but persuaded anxiously when he saw Chen Xiuwen sitting on the chair without saying a word.

The outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan. Although the historical process changed in time due to its own appearance, everything still continued to move forward along the trajectory of history. Perhaps Huang Meixing's death was just the beginning. In the future, more comrades who are waiting for him will lose their lives in this protracted war. Perhaps he will not be spared.

"Order the entire brigade to wear black veils, and the 38th Regiment is ready for reinforcements at any time." After a long time, Chen Xiuwen said slowly.

"Yes." Qiao Zhen looked at Chen Xiuwen worriedly, said nothing more, and turned around to convey the order.

"Brig Commander, what about our regiment? Although our regiment has just accepted the adaptation, many of our regiments are old subordinates of Chief Huang and veterans of the 88th Division. Once the order is given, our 40th regiment will also go on the battlefield to avenge the old regiment commander." Teng Donglin said with red eyes. He was also an old subordinate of Huang Meixing. When he heard the news of Huang Meixing's death, his sadness was beyond words.

Chen Xiuwen slowly calmed down, and Huang Meixing's death made him feel more that everything was developing according to the wheel of history. In history, the scene of the Neon Army landing from Hangzhou Bay, resulting in the complete failure of the Battle of Songhu will also repeat itself. Then Songjiang became a strategic point to stop the Neon Army from advancing and winning time for retreat. Moreover, after changing defense from Hongqiao Airport to here, Chen Xiuwen hoarded a large amount of weapons and ammunition in Songjiang.

"Brother Changqing, Songjiang is now our base camp and our defense zone, and a force must be left to defend. Moreover, the Songjiang Security Group we just mentioned also needs training and reorganization. Therefore, your group needs to stay." Chen Xiuwen stood up from the chair, patted Teng Donglin on the shoulder and said.

Teng Donglin also knew that Chen Xiuwen's belongings were in Songjiang, so he had to nod his head when he heard Chen Xiuwen say this.

As night fell, the sound of gunfire that echoed in Shanghai for a day gradually subsided. The Chinese national team stopped attacking, and the Neon Army, which had resisted for a day, also gained a breather. The soldiers were curled up in their respective positions, and the commanders began to count the results and plan tomorrow's battle.

The atmosphere in the General Command of the Ninth Army seemed very tense. After a day of fierce fighting, although one part of the 87th Division occupied Hujiang University, the 88th Division captured Wuzhou Cemetery, Baoshan Road Bridge and Patriotic Girls' School and other strategic points. Jiangwan Town and Hongkou Park, the two old nests occupied by the Neon Army Marines, did not conquer. The 101st Division of the Neon Army had all landed in Wusongkou and was attacking and advancing towards Baoshan and Zhabei areas. The 61st Division and the 87th Division who were responsible for the blocking had a great casualty. If the 36th Division had not arrived in time, the 101st Division would probably break through the blocking of the Chinese army and meet with the Neon Army Marines in Jiangwan Town.

What worries Zhang Zhizhong even more was that Huang Meixing, the major general of the 264th Brigade of the 88th Division, was killed. This was a death of a senior general on the first day of the war that had never happened before in the past, and was undoubtedly a major blow to morale. Moreover, the 264th Brigade was attacked by neon warship guns during the battle to attack Hongkou Park, with heavy casualties throughout the brigade, and almost half of the platoon-level officers in the company.

"Commander-in-Chief, the 264th Brigade suffered nearly 1,000 casualties, and nearly one-third of its personnel were reduced. Is Brigade Commander Huang considering taking down and resting?" Liu Jin, the major general of the Ninth Army, suggested to Zhang Zhizhong, who was frowning.

"Retreat and rest? Now the 36th Division, the 61st Division and the 87th Division are under great pressure from the front line from Wusongkou to Baoshan. The reinforcements from all walks of life have not arrived yet. If the 264th Brigade retreats at this time, which unit will take over?" Zhang Zhizhong looked at Liu Jinchi unexpectedly.

"The 20th Independent Brigade will replace the attack of the 264th Brigade." Liu Jinchi immediately replied: "The 20th Independent Brigade is well-equipped, not under the 264th Brigade. Moreover, the 38th Regiment under the 20th Independent Brigade can defeat the attack of the two brigades of the Neon Army at Hongqiao Airport, killing more than 700 enemies, and the number of casualties itself is only 600, which shows its combat effectiveness. Moreover, the Neon Army currently does not have a threat to the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway. Chief Zhang Fakui's Eighth Army is advancing towards Shanghai along the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway. We can completely transfer the 20th Independent Brigade to invest in a frontal attack on the Neon Army."

It was not that Zhang Zhizhong did not expect that Chen Xiuwen's Independent 20th Brigade, but the newly established Independent 20th Brigade had just experienced a fierce battle and needed time to rest. However, according to the current situation, it was indeed necessary to fight back the enemy in front of him before the Neon Army reinforcements arrived.

"Okay, draft an order and transfer the 20th Independent Brigade to replace the 264th Brigade of the 88th Division tomorrow morning to be responsible for attacking the Neon Marines of Hongkou Park."

After receiving the order, Chen Xiuwen immediately convened a military meeting of the brigade department. He replaced the 264th Brigade and attacked the Neon Army Marines in Hongkou Park. For Chen Xiuwen and the officers who had originally come out of the 264th Brigade, this order was also a good opportunity to avenge the brigade commander Huangmeixing.

"Order: The 40th Regiment, the First Company of the Machine Cannon Battalion, the 1st Company of the Machine Cannon Battalion, the 38th Regiment, the Special Service Company of the Brigade Department, the Second Company of the Machine Cannon Battalion, the Third Company of the Machine Cannon Battalion, and the Guard Company, were personally led by the brigade commander to Shanghai to replace the 264th Brigade. In addition, the platoons, companies, battalions, regiments, and the deputy squad of each squad, and one or two veterans were picked out to form the brigade department's teaching team to stay in Songjiang." Chief of Staff Qiao Zhen read out the order.

The officer who sat down again heard that the troops leaving behind deputy and some veterans formed a teaching team, he understood in his heart that the brigade commander had made up his mind and did not hesitate to wipe out all the troops. The teaching team left behind was actually leaving seeds for the troops.

"Brig Commander, take our 1st Battalion of the 40th Regiment. Most of the grassroots officers of the 1st Battalion participated in the 128th Songhu War, and are particularly familiar with the situation of Bazi Bridge and Hongkou Park. And everyone was holding back their hearts to avenge the old commander. I asked me to ask the brigade commander for the fight." Teng Donglin stood up and said. Although he had been persuaded by Chen Xiuwen to stay in Songjiang, he still looked a little lonely when he could not go to the front line.

Chen Xiuwen knew that the First Battalion was the main force of the Forty Regiment. Most of the company and platoon-level officers were wounded soldiers of the Second Battalion of the 264th Brigade of the 88th Division, who were almost wiped out during the battle to capture the Bazi Bridge during the 128th Shanghai War. These officers who had been in the battle for a hundred battles were not inferior to those of the 38th Regiment who were promoted by Chen Xiuwen. Because Teng Donglin was old, Chen Xiuwen tried not to interfere in the internal affairs of the 40th Regiment. But at this critical moment, Teng Donglin was grateful and was also very happy that Chen Xiuwen was grateful, which shows that Teng Donglin was placed in his position very well and also recognized himself as the brigade commander.

At 9 o'clock in the evening, after the troops completed the assembly, nearly 3,000 troops directly under the brigade were boarded at Songjiang Railway Station. In order to reach Bazi Bridge tomorrow morning, the Ninth Army Command specially allocated a special train to the 20th Independent Brigade.

When the medical team of the brigade department hospital was boarding the train with the army, Chen Xiuwen suddenly found a familiar figure, and the leader was Lin Jingyun, the new vice president of the brigade department hospital.

"What's going on? Why is Dr. Lin leading the team? What about Sheng Hua?" Chen Xiuwen asked Zheng Huaishan, director of the brigade logistics department standing beside him with a tiger face.

"Host, this is what Vice President Lin asked for, and I can't stop him." Zheng Huaishan quickly explained to Chen Xiuwen with a bitter face.

"Fuck. We are going to fight. How can we let a woman go? Hurry up and notify Shenghua immediately, and he will lead the medical team." Chen Xiuwen yelled at Zheng Huaishan with his eyes.

"Yes, the traveler." Zheng Huaishan responded quickly.

"Director Zheng, please wait a moment." Just as Zheng Huaishan was hurrying to call, he was stopped by Lin Jingyun who was walking over.

Lin Jingyun, wearing a lieutenant uniform with a tailored tailor, looked heroic and brave. She walked straight to Chen Xiuwen and greeted a military salute that was not the most standard: "Report to the brigade commander, deputy director of the brigade department hospital, and accompanied the military medical team leader Lin Jingyun to report to the brigade commander, and ask the brigade commander for instructions."
Chapter completed!