Chapter 246: Surrounded
The inspection ended, and after everyone returned to the heavy atmosphere of the operations conference room at the Fifth War Zone headquarters, the desires that had been forcibly suppressed at the airport finally erupted like a volcano.
All the generals’ eyes were red.
At this moment, their minds were repeatedly replaying those German-style steel helmets, Garand rifles, M1919 heavy machine guns, and the F4U fighters that descended like divine soldiers from heaven on the airport, along with that massive transport fleet.
The meeting had just begun, and before Li Zongren could assign combat tasks, Army Group 31 Commander-in-Chief Tang Enbo was the first to stand up.
He straightened his uniform, with a sincere expression of “for the cause of the party and the nation” on his face, and said righteously:
“Commander Li! Fellow colleagues! Colonel Su’s troops are well-equipped and powerfully combat-effective, serving as a model for our anti-Japanese efforts!
To better leverage their role and concentrate forces to strike the Japanese invaders hard, I earnestly request that you temporarily incorporate this Shanxi militia unit into the sequence of my Army Group 31, under unified command and dispatch by my department! I guarantee they will play the greatest role in the most critical places!”
These words were spoken with high-sounding nobility, but his intentions were obvious to everyone.
Su Yaoyang was just picking up the teacup served by the orderly when he heard this utterly shameless remark, nearly laughing out loud on the spot from anger.
He set down the teacup, a cold arc hooking at the corner of his mouth, leisurely watching this farce about to unfold, too lazy to even say a word.
Sure enough, before Li Zongren could respond, Army Group 22 Commander-in-Chief Sun Zhen was the first to slam the table. He pointed at Tang Enbo and sarcastically said without mincing words:
“Pah! Tang Enbo, have you no shame? Unified command? I think you want to swallow Colonel Su’s troops whole! Who doesn’t know your little schemes? You’re just dreaming of this pie falling from the sky!”
Army Group 2 Commander-in-Chief Sun Lianzhong was not to be outdone. Though not as crude as Sun Zhen, his meaning was the same.
He stood up, cupped his hands toward Li Zongren: “Commander Li, when it comes to coordinated combat, my Army Group 2 has been fighting the Japanese head-on for years, with rich experience. Brother Su’s troops have powerful firepower, which can serve as the spear for my army. If assigned to my department, we will surely slaughter the Japanese until they are thrown into chaos!”
“Commander Sun, you are mistaken!”
Army Group 29 Commander-in-Chief Wang Zuanxu also joined the fray, “My Sichuan army soldiers are fierce and fearless of death; what we lack is a sharp weapon like Colonel Su’s.
Hand the troops to me, and I guarantee to reclaim lost territory within a month!”
“Bullshit! Your Sichuan army can’t even pay salaries anymore, and you think you’re worthy of such fine troops?”
“What did you say? Say it again if you dare?”
In an instant, the originally solemn and serious operations conference room turned into a noisy vegetable market.
The various Army Group commanders, who were usually majestic and imposing, now tore off all pretenses to compete for Su Yaoyang this tasty morsel—slamming tables, blowing beards and glaring, pointing noses and cursing each other—the scene descended into complete chaos.
Su Yaoyang watched coldly from the sidelines, feeling a sense of helplessness as he saw this group of National Revolutionary Army generals squabbling.
“Bang!”
A loud bang shocked the entire room into silence.
It was Li Zongren.
He slammed his palm hard on the thick operations map, his weather-beaten face now gloomily dripping with darkness. He abruptly stood up, scanned his subordinates who were silent as cicadas in winter, his eyes burning with fury.
“Enough!”
He roared in an almost bellowing voice: “Look at yourselves! With the national crisis at hand and a great enemy before us, instead of uniting to fight the Japanese devils, you’re quarreling here over power and profit like this! You’ve lost all face for the party and the nation!”
After scolding, he took a deep breath, his gaze turning to Su Yaoyang, who had remained silent throughout, the anger in his eyes shifting to a trace of apology and resolve.
“From now on.”
His voice was resolute and unquestionable, “The Shanxi militia reinforcement unit shall serve as the war zone’s directly subordinate mobile troops.
It shall not belong to any Army Group, but be personally controlled and directly commanded by me! Anyone with further objections will face military law!”
At these words, the entire room fell deathly silent. Tang Enbo’s face instantly turned as ugly as pig’s liver, yet he didn’t dare utter a word.
Su Yaoyang gave Li Zongren an almost imperceptible nod, picked up his teacup, and took a gentle sip.
With Li Zongren taking Su Yaoyang’s troops under direct command, this farce sparked by “uneven spoils distribution” finally came to an end.
Immediately after, the true harsh test—the Battle of Zaoyi—officially erupted in full force.
However, due to Su Yaoyang this excessively robust “butterfly” flapping its wings, the campaign deviated from history’s track from the very start, taking on a bizarre and frenzied momentum.
The operations room at Fifth War Zone headquarters had now completely transformed into a high-speed war machine.
Telephone bells rang one after another, the telegraph machines’ “beep-beep” sounds merged into a continuous noise, staff officers ran back and forth with files and maps, hoarse command and report voices intertwined, the air thick with the scent of gunpowder, sweat, and caffeine.
But unlike history, this time, the content of the telegrams received by headquarters underwent a shocking change.
“Commander… urgent telegram from Army Group 33!
They are locked in fierce battle with the Japanese 13th Division on the east bank of the Xiang River, requesting fighters for immediate aerial interdiction! They specifically asked for those planes that can drop barrel bombs!”
“Commander… Army Group 2 reports.
They say the enemy opposite is the Japanese 3rd Division, with fierce artillery fire; our positions are under immense pressure, requesting the war zone’s directly subordinate heavy artillery units for counter-battery fire! Commander Sun Lianzhong also said… they say just five minutes of fire coverage will do! 」
“Commander! River defense forces report: Japanese boats massing in large numbers, suspected river crossing attempt, requesting… requesting the heavy artillery group for area fire coverage!”
“Aerial support”, “heavy artillery suppression”… these words unimaginable in the past now flew in like snowflakes from various battlefields, piling up on the staff officers’ desks.
Almost every unit engaging the Japanese sent aid requests to headquarters at the first moment. They were like drowning men grasping at straws, frantically calling for that miraculous “heavenly army”.
This unprecedented “happy trouble” nearly drove the headquarters staff mad; one by one with dark circles under their eyes, hoarse voices, feet not touching the ground in busyness, yet complaining endlessly with a hint of excitement.
“Sigh…”
Amid the clamor, Li Zongren holding a stack of just-compiled telegrams walked to Su Yaoyang’s side, who was standing calmly before the massive sand table observing the entire battle situation.
He “thud” threw that thick stack of telegrams somewhat forcefully onto the table beside the sand table, making a dull thud.
Su Yaoyang turned his head at the sound.
He saw Li Zongren’s face bearing an extremely complex, exasperatedly helpless expression.
He pointed at the stack of telegrams and said to Su Yaoyang:
“Mingxi, take a look.”
“Look… this one is requesting aerial support.
This one too, requesting aerial support.
And this one, requesting allocation of your precious heavy artillery…”
Li Zongren picked up the top few, waving them in front of Su Yaoyang like displaying rare treasures, “In just one afternoon, we’ve received thirty-seven telegrams specifically naming you for aerial and heavy artillery support.
My Fifth War Zone’s hundreds of thousands of brothers now all see you as the living Bodhisattva who saves the suffering!
If this continues, I’m afraid this war zone commander will become your errand boy dispatching tasks!”
Though his words carried teasing, the heavy pressure and helplessness were unmistakable.
Su Yaoyang said helplessly: “This is normal, just like a bunch of beggars used to poverty suddenly discovering they have such wealth—they’d squander it wildly, of course.
But we must also pay attention: how many are truly urgent, and how many are just grabbing what’s free. Only after distinguishing can we provide appropriate support.
Otherwise, we only have so many planes; if we satisfy them all, even working the pilots to death wouldn’t suffice.
Moreover, I’ve been here for several days, the troops are assembled, and outside it’s so intense, yet you’ve had our over ten thousand brothers just watching the show. If word gets out, it might harm your reputation.”
Li Zongren chuckled speechlessly: “You think at my age I still care about reputation?
I just haven’t figured out how to deploy you.”
On this point, Li Zongren was not lying.
Don’t look at how he now commands hundreds of thousands of elite troops; among them all, in terms of equipment excellence and combat strength, none match the Shanxi militia.
This wasn’t favoritism, but something Su Yaoyang had earned through battle after battle.
Precisely because of this, he planned to use the Shanxi militia as the sharpest sword in his hand, to be wielded at the most critical moment.
But that opportunity came soon.
Time flashed to May 16th; an urgent telegram suddenly arrived at Fifth War Zone headquarters: Army Group 33 led by Zhang Zizhong was surrounded by the Japanese near Pumpkin Shop, the situation extremely critical.
“Our codes have been compromised!”
Looking at the just-delivered aid request telegram, Li Zongren’s face changed, realizing their codes had definitely been cracked by the Japanese.
Su Yaoyang also grew anxious: “Commander, General Zhang is in dire straits; we must hurry and dispatch reinforcements, or it’ll be too late.”
“I understand!”
Li Zongren decisively said: “You immediately lead your main force at full speed toward Pumpkin Shop; you must rescue Xinchan!”
“Yes!”
Su Yaoyang wasted no words, saluted Li Zongren, and strode out of the command post.
Thus, the Shanxi militia welcomed its first tough battle since arriving in Nanchang, simultaneously facing the Japanese most elite mobile forces… the 11th Army.
