Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

Chapter 284 A relentless pursuit! Beating a drowning dog.

boom! boom!
The heavy artillery of the Ximentang Army continued to bombard the positions of the Sakata Army.

at this time,

The garrison in Songjiang Prefecture remained calm.

The war has not yet entered its final stage, but heavy machine guns, muskets, grenades, and other weapons are ready.

The decisive battle will only begin when the Kwantung Army gets within the last few hundred meters.

but,

No one, including Chen Jie, expected that Sakata Takeo would actually order a retreat.

at this time,

The Kwantung Army camp, eight kilometers away from Matsue Prefecture.

The shells fell, and the ground shook.

Even from eight kilometers away, you could feel the power of the shells.

"idiot--!"

Sakata Takeo couldn't help but curse angrily, his face completely changing color.

After a round of artillery fire, the Kwantung Army suffered a complete defeat.

He never imagined that Ximentang's cannons would be so powerful.

this moment,
He couldn't help but feel a little regretful; he shouldn't have started the artillery battle earlier.

Otherwise, the Kwantung Army would not have suffered such heavy losses.

of course,

He would never be willing to retreat without engaging in artillery combat.

He had originally planned to use large-caliber heavy artillery to blow up Ximentang's artillery positions.

Next,
That was the moment when the Kwantung Army launched its general offensive.

The harsh reality shattered all his expectations.

From the initial probing attack to the current artillery disadvantage, we are now at a significant disadvantage.

Sakata Takeo understood that the enemy's fighting strength was not on the same level as that of the Kwantung Army.

Therefore,
He decisively ordered a retreat to avoid further casualties.

At present, the main force of the Kwantung Army has not suffered heavy casualties.

Unfortunately, the puppet army of the Daqian regime was almost wiped out.

If the main force of the Kwantung Army were not supported by "cannon fodder," a general offensive would be the most fatal blow to the Kwantung Army.

On the faces of all the soldiers in the Kwantung Army, one could see that almost everyone was filled with fear.

this moment,
All the soldiers of the Kwantung Army were waiting for Sakata Takeo to order a retreat and had no desire to fight.

Therefore,
Upon receiving the order to retreat, almost all the Kwantung Army soldiers cheered with joy.

Dongmen Wulang was overseeing the battle when he saw the artillery and heavy infantry, and they all began to retreat.

In an instant, his anger flared, and he drew the command sword from his waist, snarling:

"No retreat! Continue the attack—Baka! Anyone who retreats again will be killed on sight!"

Pfft——!
As he was speaking, he happened to see a soldier from the Daqian puppet army step back and pass by him.

Without uttering a single wasted word, he beheaded the unfortunate puppet soldier of the Great Qian Dynasty on the spot with a single stroke.

To know,
The probing attack just now was launched by his elite troops.

After a single charge, the last two lines of defense in Songjiang Prefecture were completely breached before they even reached them.

Seeing everyone retreating now meant that his troops' probing attack on the city had been pointless.

Beep beep—beep beep—!
at this time,

In the distance came the bugle call signaling the retreat.

Sound the retreat!

Upon hearing this, Dongmen Wulang flew into a rage.

"Baka! Who gave the order to withdraw the troops? Who? I'll kill him!"

"Continue the attack! We must take Songjiang Prefecture!"

"Where are the artillery pieces? Fire!"

He roared loudly, wishing he could kill all the retreating Kwantung Army soldiers.

but,

Just as he was going completely mad, a voice came from the side.

“I ordered the withdrawal!” Takeo Sakata sneered.

"General, why—!?" Dongmen Wulang was stunned upon hearing this.

He hadn't expected that it was Sakata Takeo who ordered the retreat.

In terms of their positions, both were major generals in the Eastern Empire.

but,

Sakata Takeo was his former superior and also the commander of the Sakata Army.

He was just the deputy commander-in-chief.

Sakata Takeo was the commander-in-chief of the army, and his position was higher than that of Higashimon Goro.

in addition,

Sakata Takeo was a confidant of General Oyama Iwao of the Kwantung Army, and also enjoyed the deep trust of Emperor Meiji.

therefore,

When Higashimon Goro heard that it was Sakata Takeo who ordered the retreat, he fell silent.

Although he had a volatile temper, he didn't dare to lose his temper in front of Sakata Takeo.

call--!
Dongmen Wulang took a deep breath to calm himself down and said:
"General, we haven't even launched our final assault yet, why are we retreating now—?"

Takeo Sakata shook his head and said:
"Retreat! There's no need to fight anymore!"

"If we continue to attack Songjiang Prefecture, our Kwantung Army will suffer even greater casualties."

"Before setting off, the General specifically instructed that if Songjiang Prefecture could be captured, we should take it at all costs."

"However, if the defenses prove too strong, abandon the attack to avoid greater casualties!"

"We have already lost tens of thousands of troops in Songjiang Prefecture, and all our heavy artillery has been destroyed!"

"Although I hate to admit it, I have to say that we lost this battle!"

Dongmen Wulang gritted his teeth and said unwillingly:
"Our elite troops of the Eastern Empire have swept across Asia!"

"Since its establishment, the Kwantung Army has been invincible and has never had an opponent. Are we going to withdraw our troops before even launching a general offensive against Songjiang Prefecture, which is outnumbered by our forces?"

"How should we explain this to the general after we return to Lushun?"

Takeo Sakata took a deep breath, narrowed his eyes, and said in a deep voice:

"Our Kwantung Army has occupied the Northeast of the Great Qian Dynasty and reinforced it with a million more troops, thus establishing our dominance over the entire Northeast!"

"From a strategic point of view, we have already won!"

"The attack on Songjiang Prefecture was merely the Kwantung Army's attempt to seize the territory left behind by the Westerners."

"Even if we don't capture Songjiang Prefecture, it won't have any impact on our overall strategy for the Kwantung Army!"

"Our main purpose in sending troops this time is to deplete the national strength of the Great Qian Dynasty and add fuel to the fire of their internal strife."

"It won't be long before our Kwantung Army makes a comeback and brings the entire territory of the Great Qian Dynasty into the Eastern Empire!"

On the city wall of Songjiang Prefecture.

Through his binoculars, Chen Jie saw that the Kwantung Army was retreating like a tide.

Suddenly,

He muttered to himself in surprise:
"That Sakata Takeo guy actually withdrew his troops so quickly?"

Not only did Chen Jie not expect this, but many commanders in the Kwantung Army also did not expect it.

The main force of the Sakata Army is still intact and has not yet entered the battle.

This attack on Matsue Castle was merely a probing attack, and soon after, the Kwantung Army's heavy artillery was destroyed.

but,

Takeo Sakata seemed to have foreseen the impending crisis.

He knew very well that the chances of taking Songjiang Prefecture by force were slim.

Even if they can severely damage Ximentang's army, the Sakata Army will still suffer heavy losses.

After taking stock of the losses from the previous probing attack, Higashimon Goro had to admit that Sakata Takeo's order to retreat was a wise choice.

If the offensive continues, the Kwantung Army will suffer enormous losses.

There's no need to take further risks for Songjiang Prefecture, which isn't particularly strategically important.

-

The border between Songjiang Prefecture and Nantong Prefecture.

After the Kwantung Army withdrew from Matsue Prefecture, they took a long detour, deliberately avoiding the forests they had previously passed through.

All the soldiers were exhausted and weary.

Far from Matsue Prefecture, Sakata Takeo wasn't worried about being pursued by Nishimondo.

Therefore,
He ordered all the soldiers of the Sakata Army to set up camp and rest properly before continuing their journey.

Next,
Sakata Takeo, Higashimon Goro, and other commanders of the Kwantung Army held a meeting.

Dongmen Wulang spoke first:

"General, we are about to leave the territory of Songjiang Prefecture. Will Ximentang take this opportunity to ambush us on the way?"

Sakata Takeo said calmly:

"The main force of the Sakata Army is still here and ready at any time!"

"If they really want to fight us in the wild, we'd be more than happy to!"

"We have the numerical advantage, and our equipment isn't much worse than theirs. Without the city walls' fortifications, they can't easily move their heavy artillery. How can they fight us?" "But now I'm worried they might launch harassment tactics against us from the woods!"

"They can't beat us in a head-on attack, but those guys from Ximentang are cunning. If they continue with harassment tactics, it will be very troublesome!"

hiss--!
Dongmen Wulang felt a chill run down his spine when he recalled being attacked by Ximen Tang's special forces.

He was badly beaten by the elite special forces unit.

“That’s right, Ximen Tang’s army is too difficult to deal with. Their light infantry guns are not only simple, but also lightweight and easy to carry.”

"At the same time, this type of artillery is extremely powerful!"

"If they get entangled with you, it will be a real headache. This is the most difficult army I have ever encountered in all these years."

After the meeting.

The Kwantung Army continued its retreat, splitting into three parts.

Dongmen Wulang led an advance force of 20,000 men ahead of the main force, while simultaneously scouting the jungles on both sides of the road to avoid being ambushed.

Sakata Takeo followed closely behind with 60,000 elite troops.

In addition, Fujita Takeshi led 10,000 men to cover the rear.

The three groups of people moved like a wolf pack, with the first group connecting seamlessly with the second.

Sakata Takeo was always worried about being ambushed in the jungle, so he arranged for 5,000 elite troops to guard the flanks of his troops.

Simultaneously,

The supply train was positioned at the very center of the column to prevent it from being ambushed.

When the army charges, their morale is high and their marching speed is very fast.

When retreating after a defeat, the speed becomes very slow.

Sakata Takeo couldn't bear to discard the 330mm heavy artillery destroyed by Ximen Tang's armor-piercing shells.

These heavy artillery pieces became a huge burden during the retreat, causing the entire Kwantung Army to retreat very slowly.

at this time,

Dongmen Wulang, who was in charge of the retreat, was very vigilant and dared not be negligent in the slightest.

Because he was leading light infantry, their speed was relatively faster compared to the main force and supply troops of the Sakata Army.

Therefore,
Once they had gone more than two kilometers, he had to order his troops to stop and wait for the troops behind them to catch up before retreating.

of course,

Dongmen Wulang's more important task was to scout both sides of the road to prevent being ambushed by Ximen Tang.

The retreat route from Songjiang Prefecture was not easy.

There are main roads and mountain paths.

The narrowest mountain path is only wide enough for two people to walk side by side.

Therefore,
The Kwantung Army retreated from Matsue Prefecture, stretching its lines out in a long fashion.

Although most of the route is along main roads, traversing the mountain paths through the jungle will be a test for the Sakata Army.

The border area between Songjiang Prefecture and Nantong Prefecture was the most dangerous place, and the troops were scattered.

Therefore,
After entering the jungle area on the border, Goro Higashimon became more cautious and careful.

He deployed elite troops to lead the way into the jungle to search and investigate.

Although the safety of the entire Kwantung Army was ensured, the marching speed became extremely slow.

It wasn't until late afternoon, nearing evening, that the Sakata Army entered the territory of Nantong Prefecture.

Fortunately, no troops from the Ximen Hall of the Daqian Dynasty were found along the way.

at this time,

When the Sakata Army entered Nantong Prefecture, everyone in the Kwantung Army relaxed their guard.

Dongmen Wulang ordered the retreating vanguard to set up camp on the spot and begin to rest.

Then,

He sent someone to inform Sakata Takeo that the team was safe after entering Nantong Prefecture and could arrive safely.

At this time,

Sakata Takeo's elite force of over 60,000 men has also arrived in Nantong Prefecture.

Instead of relaxing, his sense of crisis grew stronger.

because,

If Ximentang wanted to ambush the Kwantung Army, it would be right after they entered the territory of Nantong Prefecture.

The surrounding area is full of jungle, making it the best place for an ambush.

Once an ambush is launched here, not only will the power of the artillery be fully utilized.

Simultaneously,

The heavy machine guns, positioned on higher ground, could easily inflict heavy damage on the Kwantung Army.

quickly,

When he received the report from Dongmen Wulang, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It's safe now!
Since the Ximen Hall of the Great Qian Dynasty did not ambush the Kwantung Army here, once they pass this section of the road, even if the Ximen Hall wanted to ambush them, they would not be able to do so.

After entering the open area.

Takeo Sakata believed that no army would dare to fight the Kwantung Army head-on.

No matter how strong the Ximen Tang army is, once they enter an open area, it will definitely be a bloody battle, and both sides will suffer heavy losses.

but,

Just as he relaxed, he suddenly heard news from the rearguard led by Fujita Tsuyoshi.

The forces of the Western Gate of the Great Qian Dynasty have caught up.

Fujita Takeshi is leading his troops and is currently facing off against the elite forces pursued by Nishimondo.

"Baka—what's going on?"

"These damned Daqian people, how dare they chase our Kwantung Army from behind?"

Sakata Takeo was startled when he heard the news.

For a while,
Sakata Takeo was somewhat conflicted.

The army has now entered the territory of Nantong Prefecture. If they continue forward, they can escape the most dangerous area of ​​the ambush once they reach the place where Dongmen Wulang is stationed.

but,

If no reinforcements are sent to Fujita Tsuyoshi at this time, his 10,000 troops will likely be surrounded and annihilated by the Ximen Tang army.

Although Takeo Sakata had great confidence in the fighting capabilities of his elite Kwantung Army.

If he were facing other ordinary armies, or even the allied forces of North Russia, Takeo Sakata would not feel any pressure.

However, he had no confidence in defeating Ximentang.

Since Ximen Tang dared to pursue the Kwantung Army, he must have been confident of victory.

Fujita Tsuyoshi's 10,000 troops, lacking artillery, would be no match for him.

If Takeo Sakata sends reinforcements, it will put the main force in a dangerous situation.

Because the area where the Sakata Army is currently located happens to be the most dangerous part of entering Nantong Prefecture.

The Sakata Army would be in grave danger if the surrounding area were ambushed by the Ximen Hall army of the Great Qian Dynasty.

"Damn it, is this a flanking maneuver? Are Ximentang's elite troops deliberately pursuing from behind while simultaneously encircling us on both flanks?"

Sakata Takeo fell into deep thought.

If at this moment, the Sakata army accelerates its march, widening the distance between itself and the rearguard led by Fujita.

Then,

Even if Fujita's army were completely wiped out, it would only be a loss of 10,000 men.

If they are blocked, it is very likely that the 60,000 main force under Sakata's command will suffer heavy losses.

support?

Or should we speed up the march?
For a moment, Takeo Sakata was caught in an internal struggle.

If the 20,000 light infantry under Dongmen Wulang could be recalled and reunited with Fujita Tsuyoshi, it would greatly enhance the overall combat effectiveness.

But it's too late!

call--!
Takeo Sakata couldn't help but take a deep breath.

He quickly made up his mind and ordered his troops to form an "ironclad defense" and defend with all their might!

Even if we march at full speed now, the speed won't be much faster.

They decided to simply set up camp and defend the area, while waiting for the outcome of Fujita's battle.

no way,
Sakata Takeo had too little intelligence about the army pursuing Nishimondo.

We had no idea how many people the enemy had, what their equipment was, or anything else.

Even if you want to adjust your battle plan, you must first understand the enemy's information.

At this point, Sakata Takeo only had two paths to choose from.

Or we could simply send all our reinforcements to Fujita Tsuyoshi and have a decisive battle with Nishimondo in Nantong Prefecture.

The other option is to abandon Fujita Tsuyoshi's 10,000 troops, speed up the march, and join up with Higashimon Goro, who is a few kilometers ahead.

The most urgent thing right now is to find out exactly how many people from the Ximen Hall of the Great Qian Dynasty have come.

Therefore,
Sakata Takeo could only order the army to a halt.

If Fujita Tsuyoshi were to engage in battle with the army of Ximen Tang, and were able to gain the upper hand, it would mean that the number of Ximen Tang's troops was not large.

Sakata Takeo's main force will turn around and directly engage in battle with Nishimondo.

However, Fujita's 10,000 troops were quickly annihilated by the enemy.

Then we can only wait for Dongmen Wulang's light infantry regiment to come and provide support.

After making the decision, Sakata Takeo set up an impenetrable defense and sent someone to inform Higashimon Goro and Fujita Tsuyoshi.

(End of this chapter)