Anti-Japanese War: From Becoming Chu Yunfei to Rising

Luxi, the front-line command headquarters.

A group of cadres and communications soldiers were busy removing the wires.

In order to better command the operation, at Chu Yunfei's request, their command post will continue to advance fifty kilometers.

"Sir, Qian Bojun is calling."

Fang Ligong handed a telegram to Chu Yunfei with a grim expression: "The casualties in the sixth episode were too heavy, and we are no longer able to block the main force of the Kwantung Army on the front. Brother Bojun has ordered the Jinpu Railway front to be opened, allowing the Japanese army to move south to the north bank of the Yellow River, intending to use the terrain and the natural barrier of the Yellow River to starve the enemy."

Chu Yunfei took the telegram and nodded slightly: "Although Bojun's move was out of desperation, it can be considered a good move. Now all units have been committed to the subsequent operations. The troops around Quancheng are very sufficient, and even the troops in the entire central and southern Shandong region are enough to form a 2:1 ratio against the Japanese army, or even a 4:1 ratio in some local battlefields."

"To put it another way, it's better to let the Kwantung Army bask in the sun on the banks of the Yellow River than to let our own brothers fight to the death."

Fang Ligong frowned and reminded him, "But Your Excellency, if this happens, the earthen bridge in Jinan City might develop some unwarranted fantasies."

"As long as the Kwantung Army reaches the other side of the river, even if they can't cross, it will still be a form of support."

"In order to wait for this glimmer of hope, Tuqiao will inevitably use the 100,000 people in the city as leverage, or even use them as bargaining chips to delay time."

Chu Yunfei's gaze was sharp as he stared at Quancheng on the map: "No rush. As long as he is willing to release the people, we can gather the Japanese troops together to form a huge force. Then we can wipe them out in one go and that will be enough to pacify North China."

"Your Excellency, what is this?"

"That's right, our objective in this campaign is to annihilate the main force of the North China Area Army and the 12th Army."

Half a day later, Fang Ligong came to Chu Yunfei again.

His expression was somewhat grim: "Your Excellency, it's just as you expected."

"Tuqiao has indeed started to act like a scoundrel once again."

"He announced on the radio that in order to 'protect' the citizens of Jinan, all city gates would be closed, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving, and a large number of barricades would be built in the city."

"Moreover, the Japanese army drove a large number of refugees to the vicinity of the city walls, even within the firing range of our heavy artillery!"

"He's using ordinary people as human shields! He's betting we won't dare fire!"

The air inside the operations room froze instantly.

This is indeed a difficult choice.

A direct assault would inevitably result in numerous civilian casualties, and even if victorious, it would bring condemnation and create potential problems for post-war governance.

If the attack is suspended and negotiations are held with the Japanese army to evacuate civilians, it would mean giving the Japanese army a chance to regroup.

What Tuqiao needs most right now is time!

He was eager for Chu Yunfei to stop negotiating so that he could reinforce his fortifications and wait for the Kwantung Army on the north bank to find a way to cross the river.

“This old devil is trying to wear us down through negotiations. Let’s play along and follow the example of Jining. Send people into the city to negotiate and evacuate the civilians.”

"We'll give him that time!"

Give him a way out!

"The Kwantung Army needed time to march south, and it took even more time to gather ships."

"And this period of time is precisely the time we need to evacuate the people!"

"Once the people leave the city, I will have no more worries!"

Chu Yunfei turned around abruptly, his expression murderous as he gave the order: "Immediately send a telegram to Xue Jie and Liu Wang at the front!"

"Order them to immediately arrange for negotiators to issue a final ultimatum to Tuqiao in Jinan!"

"The Japanese army was ordered to open the city gates within 24 hours, allowing civilians to evacuate freely to the safety zone established by our army. Our army promised to open the defense line, allow the Kwantung Army troops to go south to provide support, and suspend heavy artillery bombardment during the evacuation."

"And it must be emphasized that this is their last chance."

"Not only that!"

Chu Yunfei looked at the unobstructed mudflats north of the Yellow River on the three-dimensional combat map: "Tell the negotiators that if the Japanese army insists on disagreeing or questions our sincerity, in order to show our sincerity, we can 'withdraw appropriately' and give up part of the defense line on the Jinpu Railway front."

Fang Ligong was shocked. He pushed up his glasses and said worriedly, "Your Excellency, isn't this going too far?"

"If the Kwantung Army really crosses the Yellow River, then our game will be over."

"Crossing the river?"

Chu Yunfei abruptly interrupted him, turned around and walked to the window, looking at the sky outside which was beginning to clear: "The bridge is broken, the boats have been blown up, tens of thousands of troops, carrying heavy equipment, how are they going to cross the river?"

"As long as their light vessels appear on the inland waterways, they will become easy targets for our navy once they lose air superiority."

"We want to give them the illusion that they can cross the river, and the hope that they can reunite!"

"Only in this way will Tuqiao release people for that sliver of hope, and only in this way will the two Kwantung Army divisions on the north bank of the Yellow River crowd and assemble on the riverbank regardless of everything."

Fang Ligong still had concerns, and continued, "Once this tactic is used, the Japanese will probably not agree to negotiate the release of the prisoners in the future."

Chu Yunfei sneered: "Therefore, we need to play some tricks when negotiating and signing the ceasefire agreement. The safe zone we promise is limited to the area south of the Yellow River, that is, the area around Quancheng, not the area north of the Yellow River, especially the marching route of the Kwantung Army."

"We can promise that the Sixth Army Group will not attack them first, but that does not mean we cannot retaliate or use air force units to carry out airstrikes against them."

"In other words, our promise is a ceasefire within the walls and inside the city of Jinan, so that the people can walk out alive. Within this area, I will not fire a single shot or cannon, and I will keep my promise!"

"Your Excellency intended to exploit the wishful thinking of Japanese commanders like Tsuchibashi, which is why you initiated psychological warfare tactics earlier."

Fang Ligong understood instantly.

No wonder Chu Yunfei wasn't worried about using paper eggs to provoke the Japanese army; he had already planned his countermeasures.

Under such circumstances, if the Japanese army overinterpreted the armistice agreement, then the two divisions of the Kwantung Army would naturally become the biggest targets.

"The Japanese army will most likely see through our plan, but they have no choice but to accept it because at this point, the North China Area Army has no other options."

"A temporary ceasefire and evacuation would be extremely beneficial for both sides."
-
The next day.

Five-mile-long archway stands in the west of Jinan.

This place used to be a bustling market, but now all that's left is scorched earth and ruins.

Under a half-collapsed tea shed between the two armies' positions, a long table covered with a white cloth was set up, which became the temporary negotiation area.

The chilling wind whipped up dust from the ground, stinging people's faces.

"crunch-"

The sound of the jeep screeching to a halt broke the silence.

Liu Wang jumped out of the car, not even wearing a military cap; his buzz cut looked particularly spirited in the sunlight.

He casually patted his uniform, which was covered in gunpowder and dust, and strode confidently toward the negotiating table.

Behind him stood four burly guards, each armed with a Thompson submachine gun. Although the muzzles of their guns were lowered, their fingers remained on the trigger guards as they surveyed their surroundings with icy eyes.

Across from them, Lieutenant General Tsuchibashi Ichijō, commander of the Japanese 12th Army, had been waiting for some time, surrounded by his chief of staff and several military police.

Compared to Liu Wang's ruggedness and domineering manner, Tu Qiao specially changed into a brand-new military uniform.

The old Japanese soldier's chest was covered with medals, and he carried an ancestral samurai sword at his waist, as if he was trying to maintain the last bit of "decency" of the Great Japanese Army.

"General Liu, I've long admired you."

Tuqiao bowed slightly, his face pale, but his tone remained firm: "Regarding the evacuation of the citizens of Jinan, based on humanitarian principles, we agree in principle."

"However, given the large population in the city and the complexity of the evacuation work, we request a 48-hour ceasefire, and that your troops withdraw 10 kilometers to show your sincerity."

Forty-eight hours?

"You want our troops to retreat?"

Before Liu Wang could even sit down, he heard this and immediately scoffed, pulling out a chair and plopping down: "Hey Tuqiao, are you still half asleep?"

The accompanying staff officer suddenly pulled a document from his pocket and slammed it on the table with a "thud": "Twenty-four hours, not a minute more!"

Tuqiao suppressed his anger and gritted his teeth, saying, "General Liu, is this the sincerity of your army?"

"If our army perishes, the 100,000 people of Jinan will perish with us!"

"Can you bear this responsibility? Can Chu Yunfei bear it?" Liu Wang stood firm, leaning forward: "Stop trying to scare me with the common people. If you dare to lay a hand on the people, our bombers will be carrying napalm bombs to visit your land."

"you"

Tuqiao naturally dared not provoke Liu Wang, nor dared he take on such responsibility, but having come this far, he instinctively retorted: "If we cannot bear this responsibility, do you think your side can?"

Liu Wang feigned helplessness: "We can't afford it either, that's why we're sitting here wasting our breath talking to you!"

"The memorandum is right here. Sign it or not, give me a straight answer!"

Tsuchibashi picked up the document and carefully read the terms.

When Tuqiao saw the line "Our army promises not to conduct any form of artillery bombardment or bombing of Quancheng Wall and urban area during the evacuation period (24 hours)," his eyes flickered once.

This is exactly what he wanted; however, the Japanese forces in North China needed more.

"General Liu."

Tuqiao tentatively asked, "This agreement only mentions the urban area of ​​Jinan City."

"Then, what about our friendly forces on the north bank of the Yellow River?"

"If they cross the river to assist in the evacuation at this time, can your army guarantee that it will not attack?"

Liu Wang's expression remained unchanged, even revealing a hint of impatience: "Hey Tuqiao, is your brain filled with mush?"

"The agreement is for the evacuation of civilians!"

"What are you sending the Kwantung Army here for? To help the people move?"

Tuqiao shrugged and said without hesitation, "Our limited forces can only be used for combat and cannot assist in the evacuation of civilians."

Upon hearing this, Liu Wang immediately changed his tone, becoming ambiguous and suggestive: "As long as you don't fire on me first, as long as you obediently release the people."

"In these 24 hours, we were busy resettling refugees and cooking porridge. We didn't have time to care about things on the north bank of the Yellow River."

"We Chinese value 'courtesy before force' and 'keeping promises'."

"We will not launch an attack during these 24 hours as long as we remain within the ceasefire zone."

Liu Wang's words were watertight, yet full of implications.

He did not promise not to fight the Kwantung Army, but implied that he was "too busy rescuing people to fight."

But to Tuqiao, who was eager for quick results, these words were tacit approval!
Tuqiao was overjoyed.

He believed that as long as this so-called "humanitarian ceasefire" was seized, it would be a success.

Let the Kwantung Army quickly cross the river. Once the deed is done, what can the Chinese do?
"it is good!"

Without further hesitation, Tuqiao pulled out his pen and solemnly signed his name on the "Memorandum on the Evacuation of Civilians and Temporary Ceasefire in Jinan".

"General Liu, I hope your army will keep its promise."

Tuqiao pushed the memo back, a sly glint in his eyes.

"rest assured."

Liu Wang grabbed the memo, stuffed it into his pocket without even glancing at it, stood up, and a meaningful, cold smile curled at the corner of his lips:

"We will certainly fulfill our promise 100%. As long as the people leave the city, there will be absolutely no cannon fire in Quanzhou for 24 hours."

As for what happens after 24 hours...

Liu Wang straightened his collar, gave Tu Qiao a deep look, as if he were looking at a dead man: "See you on the battlefield!"

Watching Liu Wang's arrogant convoy drive away, Tsuchibashi's fake smile vanished instantly, replaced by a deep, sinister expression. He turned and climbed into his armored command vehicle, casually handing the newly signed memorandum to his chief of staff, Yoshimoto Teiichi.

"Go back to headquarters!"

The wheels rolled on, but the carriage was deathly silent.

Colonel Yoshimoto Teiichi took the document, but unlike the first time he read it, he didn't rush. Instead, he frowned, his fingers lightly stroking the "ceasefire zone" column, looking worried.

"Your Excellency Commander..."

Yoshimoto Teiichi finally couldn't help but speak, his voice low: "I was worried about this before the negotiations, and now it seems that Liu Wang really did dig a trap for us with his words."

“You see, the ceasefire promised by the Chinese has extremely strict limitations—'limited to the city walls of Jinan and the surrounding five kilometers of the city.'”

"However, the memorandum makes no mention of the Yellow River waterway or the vast area on its north bank!"

Yoshimoto Sadaichi raised his head, his gaze grave: "This means that the Chinese army made no promise not to attack my allied forces gathered on the north bank. Liu Wang's claim of 'being too busy rescuing people to care' is nothing but a lie."

"Once the 29th and 57th Divisions begin crossing the river, the Chinese air force... will very likely turn the area into a sea of ​​fire."

"This is a completely open conspiracy!"

Despite the Chief of Staff's concerns, Tsuchibashi remained unusually calm. He leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, as if resting, and finally let out a soft sigh after a long while.

"Yoshimoto-kun, do you think I don't know?"

Tuqiao slowly opened his eyes, his gaze revealing a chilling clarity and ruthlessness: "It's precisely because it's an open conspiracy that it's so terrifying. Chu Yunfei placed this cup of poisoned wine on the table, and we... have no choice but to drink it."

"Have you considered the consequences if we don't sign this document and release those hundreds of thousands of Chinese people?"

Tuqiao asked and answered himself, his tone chilling: "That would mean being indiscriminately bombarded by hundreds of heavy artillery pieces from the Chinese army. Quancheng would be reduced to ruins within days, or we would be starved by these 100,000 mouths and trapped to death in the rubble. Don't forget, the 14th Army Group of China is rushing north to reinforce us. We are now facing nearly 600,000 Chinese troops!"

"Now, we've used this empty piece of paper to buy ourselves 24 hours of breathing room."

"We got rid of these 100,000 burdens, leaving the Chinese to worry about resettlement, thereby disrupting their offensive plans."

"In Chinese terms, this is like drinking poison to quench thirst."

Tuqiao sat up straight, a gambler's ruthlessness flashing in his eyes: "We are using the risks the Kwantung Army takes when crossing the river to exchange for a glimmer of hope for the 12th Army and even the entire North China war!"

"If we don't take this gamble, we're doomed."

"If we take the gamble, there might still be a 50% chance!"

"The friendly forces on the north bank?" Yoshimoto Teiichi asked in a low voice.

"That's what I'm saying."

Tuqiao's expression turned serious, and he regained his commander's authority: "Send a telegram to the Beiping Area Army Headquarters immediately!"

"Please request Chief of Staff Kitajima to immediately forward this to Commander Okamura!"

"Submit the original text of the Memorandum, along with my special notes."

Tuqiao spoke very quickly: "Please make sure the Army Headquarters reminds Division Commander Gao Pinbiao: Although the Chinese army has promised a ceasefire, the risk of air raids north of the Yellow River is extremely high. Although this is a window of opportunity to cross the river, it could also be a huge trap!"

"Make sure they disperse and take advantage of the smoke and darkness to seize every opportunity to cross!"

"in addition!"

Tuqiao pulled out a cigarette case from his pocket, lit a cigarette, and took a deep drag: "Make an urgent request to the Army Headquarters!"

"Now that the main force of the Kwantung Army has moved south, please have the General Headquarters coordinate with the Kwantung Army Air Corps to take action!"

"I don't care whether they took off from Dalian or Sinuiju!"

"If an aerial protective umbrella cannot be formed over the Yellow River, then these tens of thousands of troops are just handing over kills to the Chinese bombers!"

"As long as their planes can come, even if it's just to tie down the Chinese air force for a few hours, it will allow even a single wing of the main force to come over."

Tuqiao clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white: "We still have hope to continue fighting this battle to defend Jinan!"

Yoshimoto Teiichi closed his notebook and nodded solemnly: "Yes, Commander, I understand!"

“We are using what you previously called the ‘benevolence and righteousness’ of the Chinese to find a way to survive on the edge of a knife.”

"Yes."

Tu Qiao glanced out the car window at the darkening sky, which was heading in the direction of the Yellow River: "Chu Yunfei thought he had calculated everything, but he underestimated the resilience of the locust army, especially since we still have over 100,000 locust auxiliary troops." (End of Chapter)