Chapter Thirty-Nine Departure

  "Third sister, isn't your husband going too far? Using me as a shield again! He actually asked in front of everyone who should be the commander-in-chief for the North China campaign? How can he bully people like this!"

  "Your three younger brothers are almost fathers themselves, and you're still acting spoiled?" Song Meiling smiled and said: "Do you think Feng Yuxiang is not suitable?"

  "Of course, Feng Yuxiang has always been self-righteous, beating and scolding his subordinates at will, even if they are high-ranking generals. This is the fundamental reason why the Northwest Army was bought over by my sister's husband. Moreover, these subordinates have basically become a family of their own in recent years. Feng brought some loyal generals with him to North China, who would inevitably have different ideas; I estimate that Song, Han, and Sun will definitely not be able to avoid being provoked and will evade Feng's command. The Northwest Army itself is like this, why wouldn't other military leaders follow suit? The result must be a complete loss of command."

  "Hmm, in that case?" Soong Mei-ling hesitated.

  "Third sister, don't interfere with this matter anymore. Brother-in-law has already made up his mind and it can't be changed. We can only wait until Hebei loses big and then make a change!"

  "What about the overall situation?"

  "Hebei was originally a secondary region that was planned to be gradually abandoned; there will be some impact but it won't be huge."

  "That makes me feel at ease."

  "Third sister, I want to go to Shanghai for a few days."

  "What's wrong? Your brother-in-law was hoping you'd help him out more."

  "The Northern Front is still in the midst of troop deployments and hasn't started a full-scale battle yet. Retaking Hongkou on the Southern Front is the top priority; General Wenbai only excels at 'orthodox' tactics, I need to go and complement with some 'unorthodox' ones, aiming to resolve this before the enemy's main force lands; it'll be done in just a few days, tonight I plan to set out with General Wenbai."

  "Since you've said so, Third Brother, I'll discuss it with your sister's husband; the time is almost up, let's go to the front hall!"

  "Alright." I stood up and accompanied Mei Ling out. "Third sister, there's one more thing, please remind brother-in-law in a few days to leave a guard at the Niangzi Pass and not to move."

  "Uh-huh."

  The official residence conference room, all stood solemnly.

  "... China will never abandon any part of its territory; when encountering aggression, it has only to exercise the inherent right of self-defense."

  "In unison, they shouted: 'Under the leadership of the Chairman, we will save our nation from extinction!'"

  In the dead of night, although Old Chiang tried to retain me, my third sister mediated and I still managed to catch up with Zhang Zhizhong's special train under the pretext of "taking a week's leave" to head to Shanghai.

  Summary report as of 2:00 PM on the 12th

  There are over 20 enemy warships and transport ships in the Wusong and Huangpu River areas, with very frequent activity every day.

  On the 2nd, there were three enemy seaplanes circling between Longhua and Hongqiao. Thousands of Japanese troops landed, with about 2,000 stationed at the Toyoda textile mill.

  3. The latest deployment of the Shanghai Garrison Marine Corps: 4 mobile high-explosive cannons are deployed in the courtyard of the headquarters, with vehicle traction; 4 drum-type high-explosive cannons are deployed on Huanglu Road and Tiantongyuan; at least 18 high-explosive machine guns, 4 per group, are deployed at the four corners of the headquarters.

  4. The new landing enemy has a tendency to concentrate in the vicinity of Gongda Fabric Factory, where there are also tasks for clearing obstacles and building an airport as a base for the air force.

  5. The enemy ships in the Yangtze River have a tendency to concentrate southeast of Chongming Island.

  Air Force Reconnaissance Report

  At 1525, there were three large enemy ships outside Wusongkou, one suspected to be a cruiser and two suspected to be seaplane tenders.

  At 1530 hours, there were two large enemy warships on the Huangpu River, suspected to be cruisers.

  At 3:40 pm, there was nothing unusual in the city area.

  "Dear brother, I have already consulted with the Chairman and given you the title of Deputy Chief of Staff. I hope that you and Wen Bai will work together to complete this task of annihilating the enemy at Hongkou. This is my first order."

  The 87th Division advanced with one unit occupying Wusong and its main force advancing into the city.

  2. The 88th Division advanced between North Station and Jiangwan.

  On the 3rd, the 8th Artillery Regiment advanced to Zhenru and Dachang; the 1st Battalion of the 10th Artillery Regiment and the 5th Company of the 40th Artillery Regiment followed the 88th Division in advancing, while the 2nd Battalion of the Air Force Artillery Regiment followed the 87th Division in advancing.

  On the 4th, the 20th division advanced to Songjiang and Nanhui.

  The 36th Division and the 3rd Battalion of the Air Force Artillery Regiment were transported to Shanghai as a reserve force for the campaign; The 56th Division and the 2nd Battalion of the Artillery Regiment were transported to Shanghai to provide flank cover.

  Liu and Ding was in command of the Jiangsu defense, leading the 56th Division and the 2nd and 4th battalions of the Jiangsu Guards to defend the Yangtze River.

  "Wen Bai, I'm not good at directing battles; going to Shanghai is just to watch you guys fight, what I need to prepare has already been done before the war."

  "Zi'an, don't be modest; our main force will rely on you before entering the battle! The old principal said so!"

  I forced a smile: "Mr. Bai wouldn't say it that way, would he? And Wenbai, you really believe me like this?"

  "Of course!"

  "Alright, order the 88th and 87th Divisions and subsequent units to halt their advance upon arrival at the outskirts of Shanghai! Do not cross the Nanxiang line!"

  "What? Why?" Zhang Zhizhong asked in surprise.

  "Because the news of our departure will soon be known to the diplomatic corps, they will certainly ask the Chairman: 'In order to avoid Shanghai becoming a battlefield, it is suggested that the government declare Shanghai a defenseless city', and our Chairman will also certainly issue an order tomorrow morning, at the same time as your plan for the 88th and 87th Divisions to enter Shanghai, to 'stop advancing and not attack'."

  "What? Not allowed to fight? Then what's the point of all this? Why did you rush here in such a hurry? You deceived me!"

  It's rare for Zhang Zhong to turn his face! I burst out laughing: "Don't worry, Brother Wenbai! Next is: After the Chairman agreed with the diplomatic corps, he borrowed this opportunity to ask the diplomatic corps to mediate with the North China faction. The diplomatic corps refused, and the Chairman was so angry that he changed his mind again and ordered us to launch an attack according to the original plan!"

  "What?! Treating state affairs like a child's play?!" Zhang Zhizhong exclaimed in grief and indignation!

  I involuntarily glanced around, but there were only the two of us in the package box. Outside the door was probably Zhang's deputy officer. Seeing that nothing was wrong, I continued to say: "In any case, we can't launch an attack tomorrow during the day. Entering the battlefield ahead of time will also make our army lose the advantage of a surprise attack. So, I suggest that we simply stop advancing on the outskirts of Shanghai in advance."

  "Zi An, are you confident?"

  "I don't have it, but you can arrange for each unit to prepare in advance. Once the 'halt' order is received, they can halt and not rush into the city due to poor communication."

  "Alright, I'll go make arrangements."

  As Zhang Zhizhong went out to send telegrams to various departments, I picked up a draft on his desk with my hand, and it was still Wen Bai's handwriting.

  Today our nation is facing its final hour, today we are standing on the line between life and death! The glorious and sacred national survival and resistance war will surely unfold. We hereby proclaim the main points to inform all officers and comrades in this region. With loyalty, bravery, firmness, and perseverance, let us together welcome the approaching era of unlimited hardships but also unlimited hope. Since the first Sino-Japanese War, we have lost territory and our army has been defeated, my fellow countrymen have endured humiliation and borne heavy burdens, yet they still hold onto the wish to avenge their shame for over 40 years. However, the enemy has become even more arrogant and tyrannical, trampling on our sovereignty, occupying our land, and poisoning our people. With its island nation's ambition, it has recklessly implemented its continental policy, swallowing up and devouring everything without restraint. Its attacks on cities and seizure of territories have been endless! As a result, the bloodstains of the September 18th Incident have not yet dried before the January 28th massacre erupted, the Battle of the Great Wall has just subsided, and the Chahar Incident has occurred in rapid succession. Having endured humiliation and resentment for six years already, with deep wounds and immense pain, it is almost impossible to continue. Now they are again mobilizing their troops and launching a surprise attack, disturbing our peaceful Tianjin, and furthermore, they are making a large-scale deployment to occupy Hebei and Chahar. Then they will swing their military southward, invading our central plains, galloping forward, roaming freely in the vast wilderness, in order to realize their gradual devouring dream. Our highest commander believes that this is the final hour, and we must fight to the end to achieve the ultimate victory. This is why all citizens are rushing about, shouting, and vowing to die rather than retreat.

  After reading Zhang Zhizhong's passionate and detailed manuscript, I finally understood why Wenbai Mr. was so disheartened and resigned after being repeatedly interrupted and losing the opportunity to win the battle of Songhu, and never took command again! He had paid too much, too much indeed!

  It's almost midnight, and since Zhang Zhong didn't come back, I simply wrapped myself in a military blanket and fell asleep; although it was my first time on the battlefield, I had the experience of Huqingchi, and I slept soundly just the same.

  "Child is safe, child wake up quickly!"

  I forced my eyes open to see that it was already broad daylight, and Chang Chih-chung was excitedly waving a telegram at me, shouting: "Tzu-an, you were right! The Chairman of the Committee has issued an order 'to stop advancing and not to attack' and I have ordered all units to halt west of Hsiang-shan."

  I just woke up and fell down again, smiled apologetically, "Wen Bai brother, where are we now?"

  "This is the Nanshaung railway hub, the special train has been switched to the siding and is currently under the temporary command of the onboard commander. How's that? Brother, tell me what new tricks you have up your sleeve!"

  "Hehe! After I'm done washing up, Brother Wenbai can treat me to a meal and we'll talk about it later. We've still got plenty of time anyway!"

  "Alright, please!"

  It's still the standard military officer breakfast that suits my taste! After we ate and drank enough, on the platform, watching the 88th and 87th division troops get off the train, there was no noise, not even loud shouting of orders. Batch after batch of troops quickly formed lines, neat teams left the station heading north and south, "Brother Wenbai's military governance is indeed effective! If they are all of this quality, why worry about the Japanese invaders not being destroyed?"

  "Enough! Stop boasting! What other tricks do you have up your sleeve? I'm being roasted over an open flame here!"

  "It's okay to wait for a day, it can thoroughly shatter the Chairman's fantasy of relying on foreigners to restrain the Japanese bandits!" Although I spoke firmly, I also knew that Old Chiang still had a lot of tricks up his sleeve! However, my trip to Shanghai was precisely to ensure that Old Chiang wouldn't have any opportunities to regret later. "For now, let's allow the troops arriving one after another to assemble and wait for orders, first take a rest, and then proceed according to the original plan when evening falls, entering the Songhu line around midnight."

  "Is Zi'an preparing for a night battle? We're not prepared for that at all! Not to mention fighting, the main force of each division is having trouble even entering their predetermined positions."

  "Don't worry, brother Wen, I've already asked the Military Commission's Special Operations Division to send a batch of guides. They should arrive immediately and you can assign them to each regiment and independent company. As for the main ground battle, it will start at dawn tomorrow after arriving in Shanghai tonight! The Navy and Air Force have also promised to launch simultaneous attacks on the Yangtze River!"

  "Did you plan this all along?"

  "It should have been arranged long ago! Including Baili, Geng Guang, Hou Fu, Bai Fu and them; otherwise, how dare Mr. Baili let this half-baked person like me... Haha! I looked up and pointed at Shen Zui who was walking over with Zhang Zhizhong's deputy officer, saying: "Isn't that him?"

  "General Zhang! General Song! Army Lieutenant Colonel Shen Zui, leader of the Shanghai Station Action Group, reports for duty!"

  "Uncle Yixian, little brother, it's been a few months since we last met, how are you?!" Seeing Shen Zui wearing the very awkward Shanghai Security Team uniform, I couldn't help but laugh happily. It's rare to have someone famous younger than me! "Have all the guides arrived? Has everything been kept secret?"

  "Report to the two generals! The 120 guides disguised as security teams have all arrived, and secrecy measures are in place!"

  "Alright! Please go ahead and arrange it, Brother Wenbai!"

  They went busy, and I continued to stroll leisurely, enjoying the last peaceful morning!