The two biggest stumbling blocks in the plan to move everyone underground no longer exist, and all that is left is the polishing of various details, such as what company or business name to establish, where to find various locations to establish various strongholds, etc.
This is a complex and huge plan that cannot be finalized in a few days and requires repeated consideration and deliberation.
However, Lu Ming and Kang Ze did not need to worry about these things. The division chiefs of each department and the section chiefs below were responsible for improving them, and finally an overall plan was formed and submitted to Kang Ze and Lu Ming for approval.
During dinner in the evening, a message came over the radio. The Japanese Consul General sent an official letter to the Mayor of Shanghai and the Chief of the Shanghai Police Department respectively, stating that Japan was very satisfied with the response given by the Shanghai Municipal Government.
Then, the Japanese side changed the topic and put forward a request that the Chinese army should lift the current state of hostilities, withdraw from the Zhabei area, and demolish all fortifications.
"What do the Japanese mean by this? They are pushing their limits." Kang Ze said angrily.
The director of the fifth division happened to be in the president's private room. He came to ask Lu Ming for a drink of whiskey. When he heard the news, he was very angry and said: "Little Japan has bullied others too much. The Chinese army is building fortifications in their own country. It has nothing to do with them."
What's the matter?"
"No, this is a signal of war. They will take action tonight."
Lu Ming's heart tightened when he heard the news. He instinctively felt that this was a clear signal that Japan was going to attack. Of course, there was no evidence, but it was just a strong instinct.
"How could it be? They are pressing harder and harder, just to blackmail us and get more benefits, right?" Kang Ze said in surprise.
"According to the general principle, if we agree to their unreasonable conditions, they will put forward even more unreasonable conditions until we cannot accept them. The purpose of the Japanese is to cause conflict in Shanghai, and there must be gunfire.
." Lu Ming insisted on his judgment.
Lu Ming thought of what the reporters said during the day. The British and American governments and the League of Nations were also paying attention to the issue of Northeast China. The League of Nations had met several times to discuss it, but could not form a unified opinion.
The Japanese may be unable to sit still because of this, and are very eager to shift international attention to Shanghai. When the puppet regime in Northeast China is established, the international community will have no choice but to accept this fait accompli.
This is the wishful thinking of the Japanese, so tonight's request is the first step taken by the Japanese. They will not stop until the two sides fall out.
"We are still studying the plan to move everyone underground. What's the use? It's too late at all?" Kang Ze was a little anxious.
"Why is it too late? Even if Japan really wants to capture Shanghai, it will not take a month or two. What's more, Japan has only used a large number of navy, and the Japanese army has not been dispatched at all. I am not a soldier, let alone a strategist. What do you think about Japan?
How many divisions are needed to conquer Shanghai?" Lu Ming asked.
"I calculated that the 19th Route Army plus the Central Army's Fifth Army have a total of 50,000 troops. Then... there should be at least five elite divisions." Kang Ze estimated.
Kang Ze realized his mistake. Now there is only a Japanese naval squadron around Shanghai and a small Marine Corps. If you really want to occupy a big city, you can't just rely on the Marine Corps. You must use a huge army.
Just fine.
At present, Japan's army in China is limited. It is nothing more than a few divisions in the Northeast and cannot leave the Northeast at all.
They were not only busy suppressing the anti-Japanese armed forces across the Northeast, but also preparing for a sudden attack by the Soviet Union.
There is not much of an army in Japan. If five elite divisions are to be used, they will need to temporarily recruit troops and then transport them to Shanghai by transport ships. It will take two months anyway.
"Brother Lu, don't laugh at me. I'm confused by this intelligence work now. To be honest, I'm really not suitable for this. It's better to go back to lead troops and fight." Kang Ze said with a somewhat embarrassed smile.
.
He really admires Lu Ming now. Lu Ming is not a soldier, but he has amazing military intuition. At least in this incident, all his predictions have been verified.
After lunch, the main cadres from various places continued to discuss the research plan in the conference room, while Lu Ming and Kang Ze sat in the office, waiting for the sound of gunshots.
Neither of them reported this idea. They knew that the two generals of the 19th Route Army had their plans in mind and were ready to fight at any time. The Japanese were no longer able to achieve a sudden sneak attack.
The hour hand moved towards midnight little by little. At 11:30, suddenly, intensive gunfire exploded, and the midnight sky was suddenly dyed red by the gunfire.
At 11:30 midnight on January 28, 1932, the famous 128 Songhu Anti-Japanese War began.
Those who had fallen asleep were awakened and hurriedly put on their clothes and went to the courtyard to watch the night sky.
Lu Ming and Kang Ze looked out of the office window and could see the flames of large-caliber artillery shells coming from the sea, as well as the loud explosions when they landed on the ground.
"This is the Zhabei area. The Japanese asked us to withdraw from this area at night." Lu Ming said with a heavy face.
Kang Ze dialed the number of the 19th Route Army Headquarters several times, but the line was always busy and could not be connected.
He dialed Deng Wenyi's number in Nanjing again and learned that the Japanese Marine Corps had launched an attack on the 19th Route Army under the cover of powerful firepower from the sea.
"You should pay attention to safety in Shanghai, and if the situation becomes tense, withdraw to Nanjing first," Deng Wenyi said on the phone.
"Let's take a look at the situation. We have no plans to retreat yet," Kang Ze replied.
He did not ask how the fighting was going at the front. He believed that the brave and skilled 19th Route Army, known as the Iron Army, would be able to defeat the Japanese attack.
At the closed-door meeting of the Military Committee that day, the Chairman issued a military order to the 19th Route Army. Once the war started, the 19th Route Army must defend its position for five days at all costs, waiting for reinforcements from Nanjing.
That night, all the people in Shanghai were awakened. They put on their clothes and ran to the streets to watch the artillery fire in the sky and listen to the deafening sound of gunfire.
Many people had already begun to pack their luggage, preparing to flee to other places once the Japanese invaded. They would rather be refugees than subjugated slaves.
Lu Ming's heart calmed down instead, and everything happened as accurately as a clock, which meant that his previous predictions were accurate.
The intelligence transmitted by Muto was basically true, which laid the foundation for his judgment. There is no doubt that this was a low-intensity local conflict, and the Japanese had no intention of capturing Shanghai.
Lu Ming called Caobang, and Ning Zetao answered the call, telling him that he had sent someone to escort his two sisters to Wanguo Apartment.
Ning Zetao still stayed at home to protect his mother, who would rather die than move to another place. Lu Ming asked him to strengthen his defense and try not to go out.
Lu Ming called Sheng Youde again. Sheng Youde spoke clearly, explaining that he was not sleeping yet and was waiting for the battle to start.
Lu Ming asked if the Liuyuan Garden was safe, and Sheng Youde reluctantly told him that they had just seen off a few Japanese guests, and they knocked on the door of the Liuyuan Garden while gunfire rang out.
Lu Ming was taken aback and didn't know what the Japanese wanted to do when they appeared in the Liuyuan Garden.
"They came specially to comfort me, and they also brought a letter from an old friend of mine in Japan, telling me that the Liuyuan Garden is already within the safe area they designated. As long as I don't go out, I am absolutely safe." Sheng Youde
There was suppressed anger in his tone.
Although it sounds ridiculous, Lu Ming had to sigh at the Japanese people's meticulous thinking. They even considered such details. Japanese ghosts are really not ordinary ghosts.
"Oh, I feel relieved that Liuyuan is safe. I have finished my work these two days, and I still have something to report to my uncle. I will decide the time depending on the situation." Lu Ming said.
"You go about your business first and leave me alone. I'm old and my old age is here. The Japanese think I'm still of some use and my safety is no problem." Sheng Youde said nonchalantly.
As soon as he put down the phone, Lu Ming heard a huge roar in the air. He looked out the window and saw a group of planes, about dozens of them, flying over from Wusongkou. Soon he heard a huge roar from Zhabei.
Explosion.
This was when planes taking off from a Japanese aircraft carrier joined the war and began to bombard the Zhabei area indiscriminately.
"I wonder if residents in the Zhabei area have been evacuated?" Lu Ming sighed.
"A lot of evacuation has been done, but there are still many residents who refuse to leave and stay where they are." Kang Ze replied.
The Japanese attack on the Zhabei area was not unexpected. It was the key fortification area of the 19th Route Army, and a lot of work had been done in advance to evacuate and resettle the residents.