In Shouyang County, the Japanese military headquarters and war room.
The communications staff officer reported the news from the First Army Headquarters to the battalion commander Daisuke Takahashi.
"It is reported that the Eighth Route Army moving toward Yangquan is the main force of the 386th Brigade."
"Commander Shinozuka ordered our troops to prepare for battle."
"He also ordered the 386th Brigade, as the elite force of the Eighth Route Army, not to be careless, especially to be careful of Li Yunlong, the leader of the new regiment."
"Li Yunlong?" Daisuke Takahashi frowned, his face gloomy, "Li Yunlong who captured Yangquan? Li Yunlong who ate the headquarters of my fourth brigade?"
"It's this person." The communications officer paused and said.
A few months ago, Daisuke Takahashi fought against Li Yunlong in Cangyunling. At that time, Daisuke Takahashi's team leader was Nobutetsu Sakata.
At that time, Nobutetsu Sakata used the 3rd and 5th Infantry Battalions to counter-suppress the New Regiment, and Daisuke Takahashi was the captain of the 5th Battalion of the Sakata Regiment.
After the 3rd Infantry Brigade was completely wiped out by Li Yunlong's plan, the 5th Infantry Brigade came forward and was defeated and retreated. After Wang Chengzhu used Italian artillery to kill the Bantian Regiment headquarters, Li Yunlong led his troops to charge and occupied the main peak position of the Bantian Regiment.
Daisuke Hashi's 5th Battalion was completely defeated and suffered heavy casualties.
Daisuke Takahashi was Li Yunlong's defeated general.
Li Yunlong, a devilish name, is like a brand that leaves painful memories for Daisuke Takahashi that can never be erased.
Daisuke Takahashi will always remember that day when a mediocre Tubal Army unit, led by Li Yunlong, killed the so-called elite Bantian Regiment with heavy casualties and was completely defeated.
He hated and feared Li Yunlong and Daisuke Takahashi.
He wanted to chop off Li Yunlong's head, but he was also afraid of meeting Li Yunlong on the battlefield.
Li Yunlong put too much pressure on Daisuke Takahashi.
However, Daisuke Takahashi knew that he must not show fear of Li Yunlong in front of his subordinates.
If even he, an officer, is afraid of Li Yunlong, then the morale of the soldiers under his command must be low.
Daisuke Takahashi, who has experienced hundreds of battles, knows very well that if morale is low, half the battle will be lost first.
"Baga, I didn't go to find Li Yunlong, but he actually came to Shouyang County to die?"
"How many troops are there in the Eighth Route Army? What are their weapons and equipment?"
Daisuke Takahashi's palms were sweating, and he tightened his right hand on the scabbard of Shaozuo's command sword, but his tone was murderous.
Seeing that Daisuke Takahashi was very motivated to fight, several squadron leaders and several staff officers in the war room were slightly shaken when they heard this.
It seems that Takahashi Shaozuo is very confident. It seems that this battle is settled!
The communications staff officer even put his feet together, and there was a snapping sound under his feet, and he paused and said:
"The Eighth Route Army has about five thousand troops. According to the telegram from the headquarters, only Li Yunlong's troops are well-equipped and have a large number of submachine guns and light and heavy machine gun firepower."
"A mountain artillery battalion, more than ten 75mm caliber mountain guns, and about 40 machine-mounted anti-aircraft guns!"
"By the way, Li Yunlong's troops are also equipped with a certain number of anti-tank guns!"
"The equipment of the rest of the Eighth Route Army is very average."
When several staff officers and squadron leaders heard this, their expressions could not help but change slightly.
Daisuke Takahashi secretly cried out that something bad was going on. Li Yunlong's equipment was so terrifying, but he still had a calm look on his face.
The adjutant beside him, Karazawa Bano, asked the communications staff: "Has the headquarters said when the reinforcements will arrive?"
Communications Staff Officer: "The headquarters did not say anything, but only ordered our troops to hold on in Shouyang County for at least three days!"
"Nani?" Karazawa's face darkened, "So the headquarters didn't send any reinforcements?"
The communications staff immediately fell silent. The Eighth Route Army was attacking Yangquan County, and the Fourth Brigade headquarters was in danger. The headquarters did not send reinforcements, let alone Shouyang County?
"Send power to the headquarters immediately!" Daisuke Takahashi also lost his composure. "Our department will hold on for three days, but there are many Eighth Route Army troops nearby. If the Eighth Route Army attack does not go smoothly, more troops will definitely be added. Please ask General Shinozuka to send reinforcements to fight with me.
The internal forces should cooperate with external forces to eliminate all eight groups!"
"Hi!" the communications staff officer said, then walked towards the communications room.
Adjutant Karazawa Banko asked in a deep voice: "Captain, what should we do now?"
Daisuke Takahashi narrowed his eyes: "Li Yunlong fights without rules and doesn't follow common sense. We must not use conventional methods of defending the city."
"Otherwise, let alone three days, we won't be able to hold on even if it's one day."
"Captain." One of the squadron leaders asked, "What do you mean?"
Daisuke Takahashi narrowed his eyes, filled with murderous intent:
"Isn't Li Yunlong's department equipped with 75mm mountain cannon?"
"Then the city wall will definitely not be able to stop the Eighth Route Army."
"In that case, why don't we give up the city wall and put the main force of the Eighth Route Army into the city to fight in the streets?"
"Street fighting?" The squadron leader was stunned, "But our military strength is not superior, and our firepower advantage cannot be used."
The street fighting was extremely cruel. The ratio of losses on both sides was one to one, and the Japanese army only had more than 700 people. How could they fight?
"Baga!" Daisuke Takahashi scolded, "Sakai-kun, don't interrupt, please listen to what I have to say first."
"Since Li Yunlong doesn't like to play by the rules, why should we follow the rules?"
"There is an old saying in China, which is that soldiers use deceitful methods."
"Now I am making the following arrangements. Time is urgent, so I will only say it once."
All the Japanese soldiers straightened their bodies, then nodded slightly, as if listening to orders.
Daisuke Takahashi added:
"First of all, the 1st Squadron and the 2nd Squadron will exchange military uniforms with the Imperial Army."
"Let the Imperial Army put on the uniforms of the Imperial Army and go to the city wall to defend the city and carry the Eighth Route Army's artillery shells."
"The military police will supervise the battle. Once the Royal Association soldiers are found to be absent from their posts or showing cowardice, they will be killed immediately!"
"Secondly, lay mines on the streets. The more the better, then the Eighth Route Army will definitely attack along the streets. Use the mines to delay the Eighth Route Army's attack speed!"
"Furthermore, soldiers dressed in Imperial Army uniforms controlled the houses on the left and right sides of the street."
"Ambush in the houses on both sides, set up light and heavy machine guns, and once the Eighth Route Army enters the street, open fire immediately to create an ambush on the Eighth Route Army!"
"Finally, the Eighth Route Army finally entered the main street with heavy losses, and the artillery immediately used chemical bombs to attack."
"Take out the red bullets and yellow bullets and use them."
"After Tubalu was poisoned, our soldiers, wearing the uniforms of the Imperial Alliance Army and gas masks, only had to step forward and cut off the heads of Tubalu."
"As long as the tactics are executed properly, we can hold on to Shouyang County for three days without any problems!"
"Hi!" All the Japanese officers looked happy, nodded in unison, and then walked out one after another.
…
When the main force arrived outside Shouyang County.
Li Yunlong and the others have completed their reconnaissance and asked local people to learn about the situation in Shouyang County.
Before the Eighth Route Army attacked the enemy headquarters in Shouyang County.
Li Yunlong, Kong Jie and Ding Wei gathered together to discuss a specific siege plan.
Li Yunlong pointed to the sketch of Shouyang County and said:
"The specific siege plan is that each of our three regiments will choose a city gate as the direction of attack."
"We don't have sheep attacks in these three directions. They are all fucking main attacks."
"Gather all our cavalry at the remaining city gate and guard it outside to see if the Japanese can escape."
"I saw that the terrain outside the West City Gate is flat and suitable for cavalry, so I placed the cavalry outside the West City Gate without showing their heads."
"If the Japanese want to escape through the west gate, they will fall into the trap of our cavalry."
"On the open ground, if infantry meets cavalry, they can only be massacred."
"Do you two have any objections to this arrangement?"
"I have no objection." Kong Jie knocked on his pipe and said, "However, our regiment wants to attack the East City Gate."
"I have no objection either." Ding Wei also said, "Our group will attack the North City Gate."
"Okay, then our group will attack the south gate." Li Yunlong nodded and said.
It doesn't matter which city gate they attack. Anyway, now they have mountain cannons and enough shells, so there will be no problem in knocking open the city wall.
After Li Yunlong lent out 6 mountain cannons, he still had 6 more. Kong Jie and Ding Wei originally had 1 infantry cannon and mountain field cannon each, and they borrowed 3 more, which added up to nearly half a mountain artillery battalion.
Firepower cannot be underestimated either.
Moreover, Li Yunlong took a closer look at the city wall of Shouyang County during the reconnaissance, and it was not as good as the city wall of Yangquan City.
"What's next?" Ding Wei said, "After we attack the city, what should we do if the Japanese engage in street fighting or release poison gas bombs? These are all issues that need to be considered."
"That's right." Kong Jie said while smoking a dry cigarette, "Our two regiments don't have any gas masks. Each of your new regiments has a gas mask. If the Japanese release poison gas, we can't withstand it."
Li Yunlong said: "Originally, this matter is not under my control. Who put you two under my command?"
"This time my cavalry battalion, machine gun company and heavy machine gun company will not participate in the siege."
"I will reluctantly lend you the extra 500 gas masks."
Ding Wei and Kong Jie both nodded in agreement. Their two regiments did not have not one gas mask at all, but only very few. They only had about one company, which was only a fraction of the entire regiment.
If each regiment could borrow 250 gas masks, it would be enough to equip a battalion of gas masks, which would definitely be enough to fight the Japanese in the streets.
"Okay, the gas mask issue has been resolved."
"Let's talk about street fighting next."
"I suffered a loss when I entered Yangquan."
"When the Japanese soldiers are short of troops, they like to place only part of their troops and firepower on the street, while the other part is ambushed in the houses on both sides of the street."
"While our soldiers were attacking and advancing along the street, the enemy's machine gun suddenly stretched out from the window and fired black shots."
"Thanks to the lack of Japanese troops, I lost most of my platoon, otherwise I would have suffered a huge loss."
"This little devil's trick is quite sinister." Ding Wei's eyes flashed, "It's hard to guard against it."
Kong Jie said: "Then how did your group fight?"
"Later, I asked the soldiers to build ladders to go up to the houses." Li Yunlong said, "We started fighting house to house with the Japanese. The Japanese's dirty tricks were useless. In the end, it only took two hours to completely end the battle and capture Yangquan City!
"
Ding Wei said: "Let me tell you, this is the reason why you let our two regiments of cavalry go to people's homes to collect ladders."
"Lao Li, you are quite thoughtful."
"Of course." Li Yunlong said, "Old Li, we can let the soldiers of your two regiments die in vain?"
"With nothing in my stomach, how can we, Lao Li, dare to attack Shouyang County if we want this command?"
"If you give me another division, I will even defeat Taiyuan."
"Okay, Lao Li, stop talking so much nonsense." Ding Wei said, "Hurry up and give us the order to send us the mountain artillery, artillery and gas masks."
With a smile, Li Yunlong said: "No problem, you two will write me an IOU first. After writing the IOU, I will give the order immediately."
"What, writing an IOU?" Kong Jie said, "Old Li, you don't believe me and Lao Ding?"
"This is not a question of whether you believe it or not." Li Yunlong said, "Those mountain cannons are our old Li's treasures, just like my daughter-in-law, so you have to be more careful."
"Not to mention you two, even if the brigade commander and division commander came to borrow the mountain cannon, we, Old Li, would have to ask them to write IOUs."
Kong Jie smiled and said: "Old Li, you are really nothing. You even borrowed your wife."
At that moment, Ding Wei and Kong Jie quickly wrote an IOU and signed it, agreeing to return the mountain cannon and gas masks after the battle in Shouyang County.
Li Yunlong read the IOU, then carefully folded it and put it in his bag and put it away.