The 156th Division sent a regiment to replace Yang Ling's guerrilla battalion. In addition, a tank company and a battalion of gendarmerie troops also arrived at Zhonghe Bridge to consolidate the defense line.
After the handover between the two sides was completed, Yang Ling did not stop and led the brothers from the guerrilla camp along the street to retreat to Daguang Road in the city.
Near dusk, the Japanese offensive also slowed down, and all the enemy planes in the sky disappeared. The brothers of the guerrilla camp lined up on the street to evacuate for the first time. They were almost able to rest and recuperate, which made everyone feel good.
"Hey, brother Qin, take out your chapter and take a look."
Wang Huzi and the others were very envious of Qin Shou and Liu Yidao. He moved closer to Qin Shou to see what the Baoding Medal looked like.
Qin Shou's heart was filled with pride at this moment, and his head was shaking like a rattle: "No, no, no, what if you break it for me?"
"I'll just take a look and make sure it doesn't move." Wang Huzi has been fighting for so many years and has never received a medal, so he also wants to take a look.
"Really want to see it?" Qin Shou chuckled, stared at Wang Huzi and said, "It's not impossible to see it if you want. Give me the pocket watch you captured for a few days."
Wang Huzi hurriedly covered his pocket. If he really let Qin Shou play for a few days, with Qin Shou's character, he would probably be beaten by a meat bun but never come back.
"I don't want to show you if I don't get it." Qin Shou saw Wang Huzi covering his pocket and wanted to leave.
Wang Huzi hurriedly stopped Qin Shou again, and took out his pocket watch heartbrokenly: "It's just for one day, and you must return it to me then."
"Five days-" Qin Shou stretched out his finger.
Wang Beard gritted his teeth and said, "Three days at most."
"Okay, three days is all."
Wang Huzi sadly gave the pocket watch he captured to Qin Shou, and Qin Shou took out the Baoding Medal he had received and showed it to Wang Huzi.
Looking at the simple tripod in the center of the tripod medal, Wang Huzi carefully touched it and liked it very much. This was a military honor. He was extremely jealous of Qin Shou. He had fought many battles, so why hadn't he won it?
.
"Next time I'll get one and wear it when I return to our village. It's so majestic." Wang Huzi murmured to himself.
Qin Shou said arrogantly: "It's just you, come on, I worked hard to earn it back."
"You make it sound like I'm not trying my best. Just look at it and I'll get a piece next time." Wang Huzi said unwillingly.
For soldiers, it is their duty to fight against Japanese invaders and serve the country, but they also hope to gain recognition and honor.
But for grassroots officers, it is too difficult to obtain honors. It is not that their contribution is too small, but that they do not live to receive the medal. Most of them die after one or two battles, and there is still a chance to obtain the medal.
.
The brothers in the guerrilla camp were in a good mood. They passed the Zhonghe Bridge and the moat while talking and laughing, and arrived at Guanghua Gate.
Yang Ling handed a note signed by Liu Xing to the military police guarding Guanghua Gate, and the troops were able to move forward.
The main gate opening of Guanghua Gate has been blocked by sandbags and barbed wire, leaving only a small opening for people to pass through. The area around the opening is also heavily guarded, including war defense artillery, civilian 24-heavy machine guns, two anti-aircraft guns and other weapons.
The layout is like a steel forest, which is daunting.
"If we had these guys, we wouldn't let the little devils run rampant."
Seeing the sophisticated equipment of the troops near Guanghua Gate, the passing brothers in the guerrilla camp were filled with envy and wished they could replace the tattered weapons in their hands.
When the guerrilla camp was in Jiangyin, it was a temporary piece together from several broken troops. It had a variety of weapons and equipment and had not received any repairs.
Now that they have retreated to the outskirts of Nanjing, they are still fighting, and the replenished weapons and ammunition have been completely consumed on the battlefield, so they have been very poor.
"Don't be jealous. Let's go quickly. Once we enter the city, I will go to the Logistics Office of the Military and Political Department to get new weapons." Yang Ling urged everyone to move on.
The troops passed through the dark city gate corridor and entered Nanjing through Guanghua Gate.
This is the first time Yang Ling has entered the city of Nanjing in this era. The wide streets can vaguely see its former prosperity, but now all he can see is rubble and ruins.
Although the Japanese have not yet invaded the city, tons of bombs in recent days have left this ancient city desolate and turned into ruins under the flames of war.
The gendarmerie troops under the Capital Guard were armed with guns to maintain order on the streets. Seeing Yang Ling's ragtag team, they were very vigilant. They saw the note approved by Liu Xing and were allowed to go.
The residents near Gwanghwamun have long since fled without a trace. There are barbed wire fences and sandbag positions everywhere. The city has become a fortress, with countless military police soldiers guarding everywhere. From time to time, there are military vehicles from the transportation department pulling ammunition and
Wounded soldiers passed by.
Seeing that the order in the city was still good, Yang Ling finally felt much better. It seemed that the situation was not as bad as he expected.
Yang Ling asked the gendarmerie soldiers stationed on the road for the direction to Daguang Road. He learned that Yang Ling and the others were troops who had fought in Shanghai. The gendarmerie soldiers were also in awe of them.
When they arrived at Daguang Road, Yang Ling and the others unexpectedly encountered many people who had already greeted them at the street entrance.
These people included the stretcher team, the medical team and the logistics team. What's more, Yang Ling saw young students under the banner of the Guangdong Field Service Corps. These were patriotic people who volunteered to help transport the wounded and cook for the soldiers.
Those who change medicine also do their best to protect their home and country.
The brothers in the guerrilla camp were well entertained, with hot meals and scrambled eggs, which flattered them.
When many extremely hungry brothers saw the rice delivered to their hands, they thanked them and put their dirty hands into their mouths. The common people did not laugh at them, but hurriedly handed them water.
Thinking that they were still alive walking off the battlefield, many brothers began to cry with red eyes as they ate.
Yang Ling was also hungry. He took the rice bowl that was handed to him and chewed the food. He felt very unhappy. Many brothers were gone and he would never be able to eat this food again.
While Yang Ling and the others were eating, those young female students began to sing a song for them, and what they sang was actually "Song of the Eight Hundred Heroes."
China will not die,
China will not die,
Look at that national hero Captain Xie.
China will not die,
China will not die,
Look at those eight hundred warriors fighting alone to defend the four lines;
There was artillery fire on all sides,
There are jackals on all sides.
I would rather die than give in,
I would rather die than surrender!
…
Rise up, fellow citizens,
Hurry up to the battlefield,
Take the eight hundred warriors as an example,
…
The vigorous and passionate melody echoed on Daguang Road and in the smoke-filled Nanjing. The veterans who had participated in the Songhu Battle also involuntarily sang the Huangpu Military Song in response to the heroic songs of the young students, expressing their determination to resist resolutely.
Many people were moved by the emotions expressed by these tragic songs. They took off their hats, shed tears, waved their hands and shouted loudly.
"Long live the Chinese nation! Long live! Long live the Chinese nation!"
This huge cheer resounded over Nanjing, covering up the hail of bullets, showing the unyielding backbone of a nation!