On May 23, 10:30 pm, five miles upstream of Luoli, in front of the east bank of Xiaoba River.

Twenty minutes before Cheng Jiaji received the news that the 30th Brigade of the Japanese Army began to build a floating bridge in the upper reaches of the Xiaoba River, Jiang Feng, who was patrolling nearby, had already led most of the cavalry battalion to the place where the Japanese army was building a floating bridge.

"Battalion Commander, are we going to fuck him with small cannons and bullet drums now?" Jiang Tao, the company commander of the Third Company of the Cavalry Battalion, is the best cavalry in the entire battalion. This Northwest Dahan, who is as strong as fire and good as wine, is called Jiang Dapao, was originally a platoon leader of the Cavalry Regiment of the Third Group Army. This person is also one of the treasures Wen Songyuan took out from the hospital of the wounded soldiers.

Jiang Feng, who had passed by, did not immediately talk, but instead planned in his mind that with the two grenade launchers and a 60-small cannon in his hand, he could cause much damage to the Japanese engineers who were using wood collected from Sunxuzi Town on the other side to build a floating bridge.

"Jiang Dapao, you send a few people to find people separately. All the people from our brigade nearby will be brought here. Let's stay here. When the Japanese are about to come here, we will rush out and destroy his pontoon bridge with cannons, and kill a group of his engineers. If the Japanese want to get wood from Sun Xuzi and transport it to a certain place by the river, it will take another hour. Moreover, their engineers will let us get a group of them and think that the Japanese will slow down the speed of building bridges. By then, the main force of our brigade will be able to fully return to defense."

Although Jiang Feng only attended the short training class of the officer teaching team for two months, he may not be considered a qualified officer in military theory. However, in actual combat command on the battlefield, the old soldiers from the army who hated the ambitious young officer who once killed his commander himself (such as Gao Shiying). He had to admit that this guy was a genius.

He could have easily used a small number of artillery and a company of cavalry to make the opponent retreat. At this time, the Japanese just wanted to quickly build a floating bridge on the surface of the Xiaoba River, and generally they would not fight with the Chinese army.

But in this way, the Japanese engineers must immediately move to other areas. The Xiaoban River is more than ten kilometers long. The Japanese have a large number of cars to run around. Even if they are searching like cavalry casting nets, they are hard to guard against.

Only after the infantry units of the 100 independent brigade were fully restored to defense and were arranged in various river sections, the Chinese army could resist the Japanese army's guerrilla bridge operation on the surface of the Xiaoba River.

The Japanese still have a set of bridges and roads to carry out projects. Even if the pontoon bridge is still very fast at night, the Japanese engineers built the bridge are sufficiently in staff, with two squadrons. After only ten minutes, the pontoon bridge is already in large scale. As long as they are given more than ten minutes, this group of Japanese can build the bridge across the east coast.

"The battalion commander has new situations." A squad leader in charge of observation reported to Jiang Feng.

Following the guidance of the squad leader, Jiang Feng saw many large black shadows leaning towards the east bank on the river. Jiang Feng felt a chill when he saw this scene. He knew that the shadows on the river were rowing the boat, and his purpose was to build a bridgehead first on the east bank. This is not surprising to the general work procedures of engineers when building floating bridges. The key is how many Japanese people are there. Can most of the cavalry in his own company deal with these Japanese?

At this time, a platoon of cavalry found by a messenger was also guarding a platoon nearby, and had arrived here.

Qiantu, who came here, also accommodated a group of infantrymen with more than twenty people who were broken up and supplemented regiments.

The strength in his hands increased by half, which made Jiang Feng's courage much stronger, and it also prompted Jiang Feng to make a decision to make a gamble.

When measuring the combat effectiveness of a unit, the most important factor is the adventurous spirit and subjective initiative of his officers.

Under the intentional or unintentional guidance of Cheng Jiaji, under the strong advocacy of Wen Songyuan and others, and with the motivation of the repeated defeats of the Japanese army, the officers of the Independent 100 Brigade of a newly formed army were very gambled and very energetic when commanding the battle.

Perhaps others think this is a manifestation of an immature force, but Cheng Jiaji is still very proud of his own troops having such a vibrant appearance. In Cheng Jiaji's opinion, the reason why the Chinese army at this time was that in addition to other objective factors such as weapons and equipment and military training was also a very important reason for the Chinese army to have too many mature troops that calculate everything.

Since the commander of the army had this intention, his subordinates naturally became more and more proactive in fighting. It is not surprising that Jiang Feng can have such courage now.

A few minutes later, the two rows of five small wooden boats that the Japanese army rode on board came ashore. With the cooperation of the seventy or eighty Japanese on the ashore, the buoyant bridge was quickly accelerated and it was about to be completed.

As Jiang Feng fired a beautiful continuous fire, the gunshots of the Chinese army sounded, and the Japanese on the east coast fell to the ground. Then nearly a hundred cavalry rushed towards the remaining Japanese in the dark. The eighty or ninety sabers waved and slashed on the Japanese's heads, harvesting the lives of dozens of Japanese soldiers in an instant, leaving only about thirty Japanese troops in a group to fight to the death.

While these cavalry destroyed the Japanese troops who came ashore in advance, the two grenade launchers and a small cannon brought by Jiang Feng also killed and injured the Japanese who were building a pontoon bridge on the river.

The battle went on unexpectedly smoothly. In Jiang Feng's opinion, just a few more shots below to break the middle of the floating bridge and make it happen again. Seeing that victory was in sight, Jiang Feng, who had always been quite cunning, also showed a smile on his face.

Unfortunately, Jiang Feng was so happy that he was a little too early.

Just when Jiang Feng thought it was about to be completed, a sudden sound of gunfire sounded from behind the Chinese army. The gunfire first knocked down the grenade launchers and mortars that Jiang Feng had valued, and defeated most of the twenty infantrymen who were reserves. Then they swept into the cavalry group that was fighting against the Japanese army. The dense rain of bullets made the cavalry fall and the horses tumble.

"Retreat!" Jiang Feng, who was also shot on his leg, didn't bother to bandage the wound that was bleeding from his leg and shouted loudly.

Judging from the fire density of the Japanese army rushing up from behind, there is at least one complete squadron. So many Japanese troops are no longer able to stop the amount of troops in their hands. If they don’t leave, they will only make dumplings at home and abroad.

The surviving cavalrymen under Jiang Feng's leadership fled with the horses and before the Japanese army had encircled. As for the infantry still in the Japanese encirclement, Jiang Feng can only say sorry.

There were not many Japanese troops who beat Jiang Feng from behind, just two or three hundred squadrons. After driving away the cavalry of Jiang Feng's troops, the Japanese army did not pursue the destined pursuit without any gain. Instead, under the command of a major, they helped the remaining engineers build a pontoon bridge. Soon a Japanese infantry brigade on the west bank came across the river and built a powerful bridgehead on the east bank.

At about 11:00 on the evening of the 23rd, the main force of the 30th Japanese Brigade divided into two groups and set up one route, and the other was smuggled by a squadron. The two routes managed to cross the Xiaoban River at night.

The Western Front situation on the Huaibei battlefield underwent a major reversal due to the successful combat movement of the Japanese army, which caused one division and two independent brigades of the Chinese army on the battlefield to be attacked from both sides.

When Cheng Jiaji learned about the news that the Japanese army had built a floating bridge upstream, the troops of the 100 Independent Brigade had not yet begun to return to defense and were scattered in the Former Luoli area. The battles were fought overnight and the casualties were heavy, and even the establishment of various troops was a little messed up. Qian Shen, Wen Songyuan and others were sorting out the various troops.

In desperation, Cheng Jiaji had no choice but to order the first battalion of the supplementary regiment, which was located closest to the place where the Japanese army was preparing to cross the river, was in front of Liu Yicheng's personal command.

As a result, Liu Yicheng met the retreating cavalry of Jiangfeng who had retreated halfway. After learning that the Japanese army had actually controlled the two sides of the floating bridge, and after careful calculations, Liu Yicheng judged that the first battalion of the supplementary regiment had arrived at the ground, and the Japanese army had at least one brigade of troops crossing the river. To drive a brigade of Japanese troops down the river, this task was not only not something that could be accomplished by the supplementary regiment with a fierce battle that had just been reduced to less than 300 people in one day, but even if the troops of the Independent 100 Brigade now on the east bank of the Xiaoba River were filled in, it would be useless.

Liu Yicheng made a quick decision under such circumstances. While he asked someone to return to the brigade headquarters to report immediately, he joined forces with Jiang Feng to launch the troops in a dry old riverbed near the former Rory, preparing to fight a huge blocking battle here to gain some time for the entire brigade of the Independent 100 Brigade to move in.

When the news that the Japanese army had already forcibly crossed the attack between Former Luoli and Xiezhuang reached the front command of the 100th Independent Brigade in Former Luoli, everyone, including Qian Shen, was shocked, and the entire command center fell into a state of collective aphasia.

The Japanese army chose a very particular place to cross the river. From there, the Japanese army could not only directly cut off the retreat route from the 100 independent brigade to Huaibei from Xiezhuang, but also threatened Huaibei.

The most terrible thing is that Huaibei is now in the logistics department of the 100 independent brigade and a small number of troops, and the total number of people is less than 800. The part of which is composed is either female soldiers or baggage troops. Even if the hundreds of policemen in Huaibei City are added, it is not enough for the Japanese army to fight in two hours.

"Brother Wei Li, tell me what you think!" After a few minutes of silence, Cheng Jiaji asked Qian Shen. The longer he got along with Qian Shen, the more he was, the more he was really a natural staff talent. No matter how complicated the situation of the war was, he could quickly figure out a few feasible plans for the head to choose from. Cheng Jiaji sincerely hoped that Qian Shen would come up with a few more wonderful moves this time.

"When the independent 100 brigades are alive and die, should they fight or leave, or should they ask the brigades to decide in one sentence!"

Qian Shen's answer was expected by Cheng Jiaji, but he was a little disappointed.

Cheng Jiaji actually knew very well that there are not many ways to choose from the independent 100 brigades, but there are only two ways.

The first one is to greet the 56th Division and the Independent 112th Brigade and retreat to the east bank of the Dai River, and then retreat from the front building through the Qiantulou Gaoyue Town to Huaibei in order to block the Japanese army in Huaibei.

The advantage of this road is that it can avoid the Japanese army's military front a few days ago, and the insurance coefficient is also greater when it comes to the 11th and 2nd Brigade of the 56th Division.

This is the disadvantage that not only will the hundreds of Japanese troops be trapped, but the initiative in the entire battlefield will be handed over. Even if the independent 100 brigades can safely cross the Dai River, the Japanese army will be required to capture Huaibei in advance, and then the host and guest will be in a state of change. Moreover, once Huaibei is lost, the Japanese army's troops will be directly aimed at the mouth of Bianxi, where there are tens of thousands of defeated troops, but they really don't have much combat power. As soon as the Japanese rush forward, they will become the second Nanjing defender.

Thinking of everything the Japanese 16th Division did in Nanjing, Cheng Jiaji's mind was in a neutral mind and a scene recurring in Huaibei.

‘It must not be repeated in Huaibei.’ With this idea, Cheng Jiaji denied his plan to retreat.

If you can't leave, you can only fight. And you have to block the Japanese army's troops from one and a half of the troops between Xiezhuang and Guozhuang. In this way, after this battle, it is really hard to say whether the 100 independent brigade can still exist.

Cheng Jiaji raised his head and held apologetic eyes at Qian Shen, Wen Songyuan and others. He was going to lead everyone to die now!

The officers in the room saw Cheng Jiaji's rare guilty look at him, and they didn't understand that Cheng Jiaji had already made up his mind to fight to the end. After all, there were many young people with full vitality in the new army. Most of them did not feel scared, but their eyes were blood-red and excited.

"Host, you can fight the brothers no matter how you decide. At worst, you can only get enough money to get enough money." The first person to express his opinion was not Wen Songyuan, but Ma Siyuan, who has always been relatively steady. (Wen Songyuan was so excited and nervous that he couldn't speak because he wanted to fight to the death. Ma Siyuan could only jump out when he saw this.)

Some officers who took the lead became even more excited and said everything. In short, they wanted to fight to the death with the 30th brigade of the Japanese army, so that the Japanese army would repay the blood debt they owed in Nanjing.

"Weili, please draw a few telegrams, and one to the theater to report to them the battle situation of our troops fighting with the Japanese army. We request that the theater must strictly prohibit the Independent 112th Brigade and the 56th Division from the battlefield without authorization. One to the 59th Army Commander Zhang, and he asked him to make sure that the 199th Regiment will be built at the latest tomorrow morning. One to Gao Shiying let him evacuate the citizens of Huaibei City immediately and organize troops to form a defense line in Duji as much as possible. If the Japanese army goes to the outskirts of Huaibei City, he must block it so that the people have the opportunity to withdraw from the city. At the same time, he sent someone to inform Liu Tianlong and Hu Junquan and others about the latest situation, and told them that our brigade was determined to block the enemy from Xiezhuang to Guozhuang to ensure that they encircle and annihilate the Japanese army in the encirclement and make their movements faster.

Just as everyone was passionately expressing their desire to fight the Japanese army, Cheng Jiaji calmed down himself. He held Qian Shen's hand, who had always been very calm, and said a lot one after another.

Qian Shen agreed meticulously.

"Okay! Each unit immediately marched towards the front line of Xiezhuang, Guozhuang, and moved quickly. We should tell everyone that every minute now, the brothers from the first battalion of the regiment were exchanged for their lives.
Chapter completed!