The Japanese Army Headquarters in Laiyuan City is not very far from Shangjie, so the rumble of artillery can be faintly transmitted here.
In addition, it is the early morning in the dead of night, and there is no noise, so everyone hears it more clearly.
The artillery staff first broke the silent atmosphere at the headquarters and reported: "General, there are mortar shells and infantry artillery shells in the explosion that is going off!"
"Your Excellency General, with the intelligence confirmation from the Intelligence Department and the sound of artillery coming from the battlefield, we can already confirm that the Eighth Route Army attacking the Shangjie stronghold is undoubtedly the main force of the Independent Regiment. I suggest that the reinforcements attack immediately and encircle and attack Shangjie.
Street's independent regiment!" the chief of staff judged with excitement.
"Did Aoki send a telegram?" Ono did not answer directly, but asked with a frown.
"Not yet!" replied the chief of staff.
"Then just keep waiting. Aoki is the front-line commander, and what he sees is more real than what we can infer. When will Aoki send the telegram, when will we send troops again!" Ono ordered with a serious look on his face, and there was a hint in his words.
There was no tone of discussion.
"Hi!"
Waiting is the hardest part.
After another five minutes, the sound of footsteps finally reached everyone's ears. Then, the figure of the communications staff member appeared in front of them.
"Sir, there's an urgent call from the Changjie stronghold!"
"Read it!" Ono ordered with a serious look on his face as he stared at the communications staff officer.
"Major Aoki reported that the Eighth Route Army attacking the stronghold has been identified as the main force of the independent regiment. The opponent's firepower is strong and the attack is sharp. It has caused nearly 100 casualties to the defenders. Reinforcements can be sent out to encircle them!" the communications staff stated the contents of the telegram verbatim.
Speak out.
"Yoshi, Chief of Staff, order the reinforcements to dispatch immediately, occupy the predetermined target, and encircle the main force of the independent regiment at the Shangjie stronghold!" This time, Ono gave the order very decisively without the Chief of Staff's suggestion.
Then the communications staff officer on the opposite side continued to order: "Call back to Qingmu. Before the reinforcements complete the encirclement, the troops must focus on holding on. After the encirclement, directly launch a counterattack against the current Eighth Route Army, attack them from both inside and outside, and destroy them!"
"Chief of Staff, order the troops stationed in the city to be on alert! The battle has already begun, and the rebels and snobbery in the city will definitely take the opportunity to cause chaos. The troops and patrols stationed in various places must annihilate them all to ensure the stability of Laiyuan City!"
In a forest two miles outside the west gate of Laiyuan City, nearly 1,500 people from two main battalions and directly affiliated troops were hiding inside to rest and replenish dry food.
"Captain, the reconnaissance platoon sent a telegram that a brigade of Japanese troops just left the city and drove towards Shangjie!" Xu Guang, the communications platoon leader, reported excitedly as soon as he rushed over.
Wang Ping deduced this result a few hours ago, but many people did not believe it, including Xu Guang.
Now that the inference has become a fact, it directly means that the entire war situation has been under Wang Ping's calculation and control from the beginning.
We are all soldiers, and we all know some of the most basic military common sense. Whoever can predict the enemy first on the battlefield and whoever can control the initiative on the battlefield can win the war.
Therefore, after Xu Guang finished telling the contents of the telegram, each of his subordinates looked at Wang Ping with admiration in their eyes, and they were also full of confidence in the battle that was about to break out. This confidence, undoubtedly, all came from Wang Ping's information.
The enemy is ahead.
"Order the troops to prepare for battle. We will dispatch in ten minutes and get as close as possible to the west gate. In half an hour, we will launch an attack, break through the city gate in one fell swoop, and rush into Laiyuan City, giving the Japanese a big surprise!" Wang Ping did not give everyone a big surprise!
Thinking time, Xu Guang started to give orders as soon as he finished speaking!
"The first battalion, after the troops enter Laiyuan City, set off immediately, occupy Zhangzhuang, and block the Japanese reinforcements until they receive my order to retreat!"
"In the artillery company, the two infantry cannons tried to move to within two hundred meters outside the city. They fired two rounds to blow open the city gate. Then they quickly moved the artillery position and waited for new orders. The Japanese stationed an artillery brigade in the city and stayed in one place for too long.
It’s very possible to be targeted by them!”
At this time, Chen Hu, who entered the city in advance, also received Wang Ping's order to cooperate.
In addition to one platoon of the guard company and one squad of the reconnaissance platoon, they were still lurking at the west gate, waiting to attack the west gate defenders from behind.
The others had dispersed to every corner of Laiyuan City as early as the day with the help of the underground party in the city.
"Bang bang bang..." Several harsh gunshots rang out in the quiet Laiyuan City, and a Japanese patrol immediately felled two soldiers.
"Beep, beep, beep!" Immediately, the patrol blew the alarm whistle, then rushed towards the direction where the gunshots were heard with their rifles in hand.
"Quick, the enemy is right in front, rush over and destroy them!" the Japanese leader shouted loudly, waving his command knife.
"Bang bang bang..." Suddenly, several gunshots sounded behind them again.
"Ah...Baga..." Two soldiers were shot in the back and fell directly on the charge road.
"BaGeYa Road, there are enemies behind us, rush back!" The team leader was stunned for a moment, and then reacted immediately!
"Bang bang bang!" Dozens of Japanese soldiers immediately opened fire, with rifles and machine guns, all shooting at the place where the gunfire had just been fired. The flying bullets hit the stone wall, and sparks flew everywhere, which was very scary.
But after they finally rushed over, except for a corpse wearing ordinary people's clothes in the corner, there was not a single living Eighth Route Army soldier in sight.
"The cunning Eighth Route Army, let them escape again! Troops strengthen their vigilance and continue patrolling!" The lives of four imperial soldiers were exchanged for one Eighth Route Army. You can imagine the frustration and anger in the squad leader's heart, and then he ordered with dissatisfaction.
At the same time, messy gunshots rang out from every direction in Laiyuan City.
"Your Excellency General, there are indeed many hostile snobs in the city who are cooperating with the independent group's actions outside the city. Various patrol teams are eliminating these enemies, and many enemies have been eliminated so far!" the chief of staff hurriedly walked to Ono and reported.
"Yo Xi! If the troops are not enough, you can order the garrison in the material warehouse to assist in the encirclement and suppression. We must kill them all!" Ono ordered with satisfaction.
Because this battle has developed according to his ideas from the beginning to the present.
As long as this development continues, Ono is confident that he will win in the end.
The few garrison troops on the city wall also turned their eyes and attention to the city. At the same time, they were secretly glad that they were not patrolling the city tonight.
More than 600 soldiers of the Second Battalion were walking towards the west gate step by step under the cover of darkness.
The first company commander, Yang Xiong, was very familiar with Laiyuan City because he served in the Imperial Army in Laiyuan City.
Therefore, in this raid, he led the company at the front.
More than a hundred people carried rifles, crooked handles, and grenades, and with the help of terrain cover, they reached a dark ditch fifty meters outside Laiyuan City without attracting the attention of the defenders at the head of the city.
