On the evening of January 2, the headquarters of the Japanese 20th Division was in Lu'an City.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, we have been unable to contact the transportation brigade after sending the farewell telegram. I'm afraid the situation is in danger..."

The staff officers reported on the current situation one by one, each one getting worse and more desperate.

"The upper party has been supported, and the leading troops there have been defeated. The small team stationed there have been crushed by His Majesty the Emperor!"

"Branch, that person is attacking the artillery towers and strongholds outside the city. Our troops are limited and it is difficult to provide support. Various positions have been lost one after another. Tonight, that person may reach the gates of Lu'an City."

Ushijima Minajune's expression remained unchanged, and he seemed to have no reaction to the news.

Seeing the appearance of the division commander, the staff officer had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue:

"The aviation force reported that there is no sign of any exchange of fire around Gaoping, and the 40th Brigade should have been completely wiped out.

In addition, there are a large number of gangs on the road from Gaoping to Shangdang. They are active. There are soldiers and logistics transport convoys. They seem to be heading straight for Lu'an..."

"Your Majesty, Division Commander, what are your orders?"

The staff officer asked cautiously.

Ushijima Minoru felt despair at this moment. In just half a month of fighting, the 20th Division lost a chief of staff, a brigade commander, and four regiment captains.

The invincible 20th Division, which had fought numerous battles, was completely crippled and wasted.

For such a heavy loss, he, the division commander, should bear full responsibility.

Instead of going to the humiliating court-martial, why not commit suicide now to apologize?

"Qiang!"

Ushijima Minoru quickly pulled out his saber and stabbed himself in the stomach without hesitation.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, no!"

The staff officer seemed to have been prepared for such a situation. He swooped down and grabbed Ushijima Minoru's right hand that was holding the sword.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander..."

"Your Excellency, Division Commander..."

The rest of the people in the headquarters also ran over quickly, and everyone struggled to wrest the saber from Ushijima Minatsuki's hand.

"Bagaya road!" Ushijima Minoru stared with red eyes,

"I should take full responsibility for the destruction of the 40th Brigade. I am sorry to His Majesty the Emperor. Please let me die in an indifferent way!"

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, we have not failed yet." The staff officer said quickly:

"Together with the logistics and communications troops, there are still more than 1,700 imperial warriors in Lu'an City who can take up arms; there is also a puppet army regiment with more than 2,000 people. We can stay on the spot until the 38th Division arrives!

As long as the Independent Brigade can be annihilated, our 20th Division will definitely be able to rise again one day!

Your Excellency, Division Commander, please don’t be impulsive!”

Ushijima Minoru sighed heavily in his heart. Now he doesn't even have the right to commit suicide. It's really sad and deplorable.

"Let's all go about our business!" He waved his hand.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander?" The staff officer was always by his side.

Since we can’t die, we have to find a way to solve the current predicament. Ushijima asked:

"When will the 38th Division arrive?"

The staff officer's face turned bitter.

"Heavy snow has blocked the road. It will take them at least three days to reach Lu'an!"

"Three days...three days..."

Ushijima Minoru repeated.

With the combat effectiveness of the independent brigade, by the time the 38th Division arrives, Lu'an will probably be no longer in the hands of the imperial army, and Ushijima Minoru will also be a corpse.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, what should we do now?"

The staff officer asked another question that everyone in the headquarters wanted to ask.

Everyone's efforts to prevent Ushijima from committing suicide were also selfish. After all, as long as the division commander is still there, they still have the possibility of retreat and have a great hope of survival.

When the responsibility is investigated in the future, with a tall man like the division commander here, the anger of the headquarters and the commander will not be able to hit these small officials.

Everyone in the command center gradually stopped what they were doing, and they all listened with their ears tilted, waiting for Ushijima Minoru to give the order.

Ushijima Minoru was still inclined to commit suicide to apologize, after all, he wouldn't care about the flood after he died.

But the people at the headquarters and the more than 1,000 soldiers in the city were counting on him, and death was not that easy.

Ushijima Minoru was speechless for a long time, and the atmosphere in the headquarters suddenly became awkward.

Everyone seemed to be breathing slower.

At this awkward moment, the beeping sound of the radio seemed so clear.

"Your Excellency, Division Commander, the commander sent a telegram from Taiyuan!"

The translator quickly delivered the translated telegram to Ushijima Minoru.

The content of the telegram is simple:

"Evacuate Lu'an immediately, and don't think of committing suicide to apologize. The base camp and His Majesty the Emperor hope you can return safely!"

It turned out that Umezu Yoshijiro had also received a report from the aviation force. Since the 40th Brigade had been completely wiped out, in order to prevent the imperial army from suffering greater losses, he had no choice but to order Ushijima Minoru to evacuate Lu'an.

Losing a brigade is embarrassing enough. If another lieutenant general division commander dies at the hands of Koto, the impact on the morale of the imperial army will be immeasurable.

For the sake of the Imperial Army's face, Ushijima had to leave Lu'an.

As for whether he would go to court-martial or commit seppuku in the future, Umezu Yoshijiro was not particularly concerned.

In short, just don't die in Jiangdong's hands.

Ushijima Minoru handed the message to his staff officer casually, and the latter repeated with some joy,

"Your Majesty the Commander ordered us to retreat immediately!"

"call……"

After hearing this, many people in the headquarters breathed a sigh of relief.

Everyone turned to look at Ushijima Minune again, waiting for his decision.

After only thinking for a few seconds, Ushijima Minune understood the meaning of Umezu Yoshijiro's telegram, and he sighed with self-deprecation in his heart,

"Yes, if I die in Lu'an, where will the dignity of His Majesty the Emperor and the Imperial Army be?"

The Sino-Japanese all-out war has been going on for two years, and only a handful of senior generals of the Imperial Army have died in action, and there has never been one at the level of a division commander.

If he does not commit suicide to apologize, what awaits him in the future will be a trial under military law and a lifetime of shame.

The honor of the Army and the face of His Majesty the Emperor are obviously much more important than Ushijima Minoru's personal honor.

He had no choice, so he slowly said:

"Destroy the documents that cannot be taken away, evacuate Lu'an after dark, and approach the 38th Division!"

After saying this, his whole body shrank, and his face seemed to have failed in plastic surgery, with countless ugly wrinkles suddenly appearing.
Chapter completed!