Bright Sword: The Flowers of War

Chapter 280 Submissive
In the days that followed, troops from Wutai, Xiangding, and Mengxian counties all began to move.

Even Su Yaoyang probably didn't expect how much energy the Shanxi militia, this war machine, could unleash when it was fully operational.

When he began to take stock of his troops and homes, even he was stunned.

Several infantry regiments (don't ask for the exact number, it's just any number, the main focus is flexibility), one supplementary regiment, two armored regiments, two heavy artillery regiments, one air defense regiment, two air squadrons (more than a hundred aircraft), plus two engineer regiments, two pontoon bridge regiments and other auxiliary units.

With such immense power, it's no wonder that Yoshio Shinotsuka was willing to resort to assassination to kill him.

In Wutai County, after the Military Intelligence Bureau conducted a thorough search and elimination, almost all intelligence points were wiped out. Even the surviving spies could only hide in corners like rats, living in constant fear that one day a truck from the Military Intelligence Bureau would suddenly stop in front of them.

On the highway connecting several counties, the leisurely oxcarts are no longer seen; instead, there are endless rows of infantry marching in neat formations.

Batch after batch of fully-equipped elite infantry regiments, countless soldiers wearing German M35 steel helmets and German-made gray military uniforms, roared past in trucks. The trucks converged into a muffled thunder, and the dust they raised obscured the sky.

Two armored regiments, equipped with Sherman medium tanks and Chaffee light tanks, roared and creaked as their tracks rolled across the road, making the earth tremble.

Further away, Jinshaling Airport and Jiuquhe Airport have become a sleepless beehive.

Two squadrons, with more than one hundred F4U Corsair fighters painted with shark mouth designs, P-47 fighters, and gleaming silver B-25 Mitchell medium bombers and SBD2 Daredevil dive bombers, were neatly lined up on both sides of the runway.

Ground crew members busied themselves like worker ants under the fuselage, refueling, loading ammunition, and performing maintenance. The enormous roar of the engine during testing could be heard clearly from miles away.

In addition, anti-aircraft guns from the air defense regiment have been deployed at all key points, and the engineer and pontoon bridge regiments have also carried a large amount of equipment and materials, ready to clear all obstacles for the army's advance.

The logistics corps' trucks, loaded with ammunition, fuel, and food, shuttled between various units day and night.

Even Su Yaoyang himself probably never imagined before how much energy he could unleash when he mobilized all his strength.

In the temporary underground headquarters, Pi Ruoyu handed Bai Chongxi a list of troops and equipment that had just been compiled.

When Bai Chongxi's gaze swept over the densely written paper, he was instantly stunned.

This can no longer be described as a "military group" or "local armed force".

This is a powerful army with its own independent army, air force, armored forces, artillery, and logistics system, capable of launching a campaign independently!

He looked at the sand table, at the dense blue arrows representing his own troops, and then at the somewhat sparse red markers representing the Japanese First Army around Taiyuan.

An unprecedented surge of pride and confidence welled up in my heart.

At the same time, Omoi Shiori finally truly understood Yoshio Shinotsuka's fear from the bottom of his heart.

Anyone would feel uneasy having such a powerful army entrenched next to them.

He turned to Su Yaoyang and said, "Now I understand why that old devil Yoshio Shinotsuka is so determined to kill you."

His fingers tapped heavily on the location of Taiyuan on the sand table. "I would have done the same thing if I were in his shoes."

As the behemoth that was the Shanxi militia began to bare its ferocious fangs, the prey on the other side finally realized the potentially deadly danger.

After all, the mobilization of tens of thousands of troops, the assembly of hundreds of tanks, and the constant roar of takeoffs and landings at the two airfields day and night could not be completely concealed.

In an instant, the Japanese intelligence network throughout Shanxi was like a hornet's nest that had been stirred up, with countless telegrams marked "urgent" and "highest level" flying to the First Army Headquarters in Taiyuan.

"Report! A large-scale assembly of Chinese troops has been spotted in the direction of Wutai County. Their unit designation is unknown, and they are equipped with a large number of automatic weapons!"

"Report! A Chinese army artillery position has been discovered on the outskirts of Dingxiang County. Based on observation, it appears to be equipped with heavy artillery with a caliber of 150mm or larger!"

"Report! Our reconnaissance aircraft was attacked by a new type of Chinese fighter jet over Datong. The jet was extremely fast and had fierce firepower; our aircraft was shot down instantly!"

A series of alarming intelligence reports were placed on Yoshio Shinotsuka's desk.

The Japanese lieutenant general, who was known for his composure and shrewdness, now looked extremely grim.

He had originally thought that after assassinating Su Yaoyang, the Shanxi militia, even if it didn't collapse, would inevitably fall into chaos for a period of time. But reality slapped him hard in the face.

Instead of panicking, the enemy gathered a terrifying force with unimaginable efficiency, enough to crush his entire First Army.

"Bagaya road!"

Yoshio Shinotsuka could no longer remain calm. He slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups clatter. "Su Yaoyang... what is he trying to do? Has he gone mad?"

"All I did was send someone to launch a surprise attack, and he's already going to wage a full-scale war against my First Army?"

Chief of Staff Hideyoshi Kusuyama, standing beside him, also had a grim expression. He said in a trembling voice, "Commander, intelligence indicates that the scale of this Chinese army's mobilization is unprecedented. Their target is probably... probably Taiyuan!"

A deathly silence fell over the entire command center. Everyone was terrified by this horrifying deduction.

"The entire army...is on high alert!"

Yoshio Shinotsuka practically roared as he issued the order, "Send a telegram to the North China Area Army Headquarters! Immediately! Say that my unit is under siege by the main force of the Chinese army and is in imminent danger! Request urgent reinforcements!"

……

Meanwhile, in Peking.

Inside the headquarters of the North China Area Army, Lieutenant General Tada Shun, the commander, was leisurely sipping a cup of fine West Lake Longjing tea.

In his memory, the situation in Shanxi had always been very stable, and Yoshio Shinotsuka was a reliable subordinate.

When the communications officer handed him Yoshio Shinotsuka's first telegram requesting assistance, he almost laughed out of anger.

"Two divisions? Is Shinotsuka-kun joking with me?"

Tada Shun put down his teacup and said unhappily, "He's a dignified Imperial Lieutenant General, and he's scared like this by a local militia? He wants me to send him two more divisions? Does he think the Empire's military strength comes from thin air?"

However, his mockery did not last long.

Soon, a second and a third telegram arrived, each more urgent than the last. Finally, when the detailed list of the Shanxi militia's composition and weaponry, compiled by the First Army's intelligence department through risky reconnaissance, was transmitted via encrypted radio, Tada Shun's smile froze completely.

He stared intently at the list, his mouth agape.

Elite soldiers in German-style uniforms, armed with submachine guns and semi-automatic rifles, surrounded by a vast array of Sherman tanks and a massive formation of over a hundred aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers.

Tada Shun's breathing became rapid. He suddenly looked up at his chief of staff, his voice trembling: "Is...is this true? Are you sure there's nothing wrong with this intelligence?"

The chief of staff swallowed hard and nodded: "Commander... the First Army has confirmed repeatedly that the intelligence... is correct. They even attached photos of some of the equipment..."

Tada Shun snatched the blurry but still discernible photos, his hands beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

He felt like he wasn't reading an intelligence report about the Chinese military.

If it weren't for those familiar Chinese characters, he would almost have thought that he was facing the German Wehrmacht, which was sweeping across the European battlefield, or the expeditionary force of the United States of America, which had terrifying industrial strength, across the ocean!

A chill ran from the soles of his feet straight up to the top of his head.

"Bagaya Deer!"

All that could come out of Tada Shun's mouth was this one powerless curse. His usually dignified face was now ashen.

He felt his back was soaked with cold sweat.

Despite his position as the commander of the North China Army, commanding nearly 300,000 elite imperial troops, and seemingly possessing a large and powerful army, he was not a formidable figure.

But only he himself knows how difficult it is to hold this position; it's like sitting on a volcano that could erupt at any moment!

His combat mission was far too heavy!

He needs to use this force of less than 300,000 troops to control the vast territory of nearly six provinces, including Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, northern Henan, and even Chahar and Suiyuan!
On this land, his opponents included the elusive Eighth Route Army, the Jin-Sui Army entrenched in Shanxi, the fierce and battle-hardened Fu Zuoyi's troops, and the main force of the First War Zone led by Wei Lihuang, an elite member of the Central Army... All in all, there were more than 800,000 Chinese troops!
He was like a tightrope walker, with a bottomless abyss beneath his feet. Every step he took had to be taken with extreme caution, as if walking on thin ice. The slightest mistake would lead to total defeat and utter destruction.

Now, on the chessboard of Shanxi, a powerful armed force has suddenly emerged that even makes him tremble with fear. Moreover, it has made no attempt to hide its fangs and is clearly determined to swallow his first army whole.

So much so that Yoshio Shinotsuka, one of his most capable generals, disregarded all pride and sent him the most urgent plea for help.

This is a huge problem no matter how you look at it! A massive problem that could completely collapse his entire North China strategy!
Thinking of this, Tada Shun forced himself to calm down. He turned his head and looked at Chief of Staff Kasahara Yukio, who was standing in front of the desk with an equally solemn expression, and asked in a hoarse voice:
"I've heard a lot about this Shanxi militia and Su Yaoyang these past two years. But I remember Su Yaoyang was usually quite low-key, just staying in that poor mountain village in Shanxi and focusing on development. How come he suddenly adopted a posture of decisive battle and is preparing to attack Taiyuan?"

A hint of hesitation flashed across Kasahara Yukio's face. He lowered his head slightly, as if considering how to begin. After a long while, he spoke in an almost whispered voice, "Commander... this is because, a few days ago, Su Yaoyang encountered some trouble."

Immediately, Kasahara Yukio stopped hiding anything and recounted in detail how Shinotsuka Yoshio had bypassed the Army Headquarters and ordered the "Kiku Agency" to assassinate Su Yaoyang, which ultimately failed.

As Kasahara Yukio recounted the story, Tada Shun's face changed from white to green, then from green to purple, and finally turned ashen.

His chest heaved violently, his hands gripping the edge of the desk tightly.

When he heard that the assassination attempt had failed and instead enraged Su Yaoyang, leading to the current all-out war, Tada Shun could no longer suppress his anger.

"Baka yarou!" This roar was louder than any before, filled with boundless anger and disappointment. He slammed his hand on the table, sending all the documents flying.

"That idiot Yoshio Shinotsuka! A complete idiot who's good for nothing but causing trouble!"

He understands everything now.

This is not a strategic counter-offensive by the Chinese army at all; it's a damn personal revenge driven by the idiotic behavior of its own subordinates.

Thinking of this, Tada Shun wished he could rush into the First Army Headquarters in Taiyuan and split open that idiot Yoshio Shinotsuka's head on the spot to see if his blockhead was filled with brain matter or rice water for making paste!

A dignified lieutenant general of the Imperial Japanese Army, the commander of a main force corps under an army group, actually went to carry out some kind of shady assassination!

Did he not know that if this tactic failed, it would inevitably invite relentless and furious retaliation from the other party?

This is basic military common sense!
Moreover, the most unforgivable thing is that you did it, but then you fucking failed.

If the assassination succeeds, Su Yaoyang dies, and the militia falls into chaos, then Yoshio Shinotsuka will be a hero of the empire.

But now, the assassination attempt failed, not only failing to solve the problem but also creating a huge one. He is now a sinner of the empire!
Looking at Tada Shun's face, which was so dark it seemed to drip water, and his mouth twitching with anger, Kasahara Yukio cautiously asked, "Commander, what... what do we do now? Are we really just going to sit idly by and let Shinotsuka Yoshio be wiped out by that Chinese militia?"

Tada Shun almost blurted out, "I don't care if he dies!"

But he managed to suppress his anger.

He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He was the commander of the North China Army, not some private first class standing guard at the headquarters. Of course, he couldn't utter such extremely irresponsible words in anger.

He closed his eyes, his mind racing as he weighed the pros and cons.

Can't ignore it.

We absolutely cannot ignore this.

Taiyuan was the core of the empire's rule in Shanxi and the cornerstone of the entire Shanxi strategy.

If Taiyuan falls, the situation in the entire Shanxi province will immediately trigger a chain reaction, leading to an avalanche-like collapse.

Those Chinese troops that were originally suppressed by the Imperial Army, whether they were the Central Army, the Jin-Sui Army, or the Eighth Route Army, would definitely emerge from all corners at the first moment and pounce on them like wolves smelling blood.

Especially Yan Xishan, that cunning and shrewd opportunist, he would never let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

If the entire territory of Shanxi falls, Yoshio Shinotsuka will certainly not escape death; even committing seppuku as an apology would be too lenient.

And he, as the commander of the North China Area Army, was certainly no better off. If General Headquarters investigated, he would inevitably be charged with "misjudging personnel and improper command," and could be dismissed from his post and brought before a military court.

Thinking of this, Tada Shun felt a splitting headache. He opened his eyes, his gaze filled with helplessness and exhaustion.

In the end, he could only let out a long, frustrated sigh.

"Ugh……"

He waved his hand weakly and gave Kasahara Yukio the order he least wanted to give, but had no choice but to.

"Order... The 27th Division stationed in Hejian and the 7th Independent Mixed Brigade stationed in Zhangjiakou, assemble your troops immediately and rush to the aid of Taiyuan!"

Saying those words seemed to drain all his strength.

The withdrawal of these two mobile forces from Hejian and Zhangjiakou means a huge gap will appear in the defense of the North China Plain and the Chahar region. This is tantamount to robbing Peter to pay Paul, and it is also a high-stakes gamble, betting that nothing major will happen in the Chahar and Hebei regions during this period.

All of this was simply to clean up the mess left by that idiot Yoshio Shinotsuka's foolish actions.

…………

Just as the Japanese North China Area Army was forced to rob Peter to pay Paul and fall into a strategic passivity due to a foolish assassination attempt, the underground headquarters of the Shanxi militia was not peaceful either.

A minor "riot" is unfolding.

"Commander-in-Chief! Deputy Commander-in-Chief!"

Huang Guantao, the commander of the Second Regiment, practically stormed into the command room. His dark face was filled with impatience and dissatisfaction, and his loud voice startled Su Yaoyang and Bai Chongxi, who were whispering by the sand table.

He rushed up to the two men, saluted, and then shouted impatiently, "Commander, everyone has work to do. The First, Fifth, and Sixth Regiments have all been assigned the main attack mission, and even the Supplementary Regiment has been given the title of reserve team. Why are we, the Second, Third, and Fourth Regiments, left behind to guard the home front?"

Seeing Huang Guantao's anxious and aggrieved expression, Su Yaoyang couldn't help but find it amusing. He pointed to the chair next to him and said, "Old Huang, sit down and talk."

What, you're not happy about being told to rest?

Huang Guantao refused to sit down, sticking his neck out and saying, "Commander, we soldiers are here to fight!"

We're about to have a major battle with the Japanese, and even wipe out their stronghold in Taiyuan! Such a huge achievement, and you won't let us go? The brothers are resentful!

Su Yaoyang put away his smile and patiently explained, "Old Huang, listen to me."

Commander Bai and I were mainly considering that your Second, Third, and Fourth Regiments had just returned from a tough battle in Yichang, which was like a living hell, and the troops were extremely exhausted.

In addition, we just received a large influx of new recruits, and the veterans and new recruits need time to integrate; their combat effectiveness hasn't fully recovered. So don't rush things now. Focus on training the troops properly, turning those raw recruits into seasoned veterans—that's the real priority.”

“But Commander-in-Chief…we…” Huang Guantao wanted to argue, believing that his troops were still capable of fighting.

"What do you mean 'ours'?!"

Bai Chongxi, who had remained silent, was not going to tolerate him. He straightened his face and exuded an aura of authority, which immediately silenced Huang Guantao's words.

Bai Chongxi stared at him with sharp eyes and asked coldly, "Huang Guantao, I'm asking you, how many men did your Second Regiment suffer casualties after returning from Yichang? How many new recruits did you bring in? Tell me the truth!"

Under Bai Chongxi's gaze, which seemed to see right through people, Huang Guantao's momentum immediately diminished. He lowered his head and his voice became much softer: "Reporting to Commander Bai... 862 casualties, and 786 new recruits have been brought in."

Bai Chongxi curled his lips into a cold smile and pressed on, "Then do you think your Second Regiment has recovered its combat effectiveness?"
Those new recruits haven't even gotten used to their guns yet. Are you sending them to the front lines to die? A unit that's lost nearly a third of its veterans—can you honestly say its combat effectiveness is guaranteed?

"I……"

Huang Guantao was completely speechless. His face turned red, he lowered his head, and he didn't know where to put his hands.

Bai Chongxi slammed his hand heavily on the edge of the sand table, making a crisp sound.

Bai Chongxi's voice echoed in the huge command room, each word like a cold slap across Huang Guantao's face.

"Nonsense! What do you take war for? A children's game?"

Bai Chongxi's finger almost poked Huang Guantao's nose. "Sending a bunch of greenhorns who can't even pull the bolt properly to the battlefield, are you leading them to achieve glory? No! You're murdering them! You're using their young lives to satisfy your ridiculous vanity! You're going to kill them!"

His voice grew increasingly stern, filled with an indescribable air of authority and sharpness.

"This is not bravery! This is recklessness! This is foolishness! This is irresponsibility towards the lives of every soldier under your command!"

"Let me tell you, Huang Guantao! You can fight a war if you want. Who in the entire army doesn't want to win a battle?"
But the prerequisite is that you train your troops thoroughly! Turn those new recruits into soldiers! Otherwise, forget about going to the battlefield, whether you can even keep your position as the commander of the Second Regiment is questionable!

This series of merciless reprimands struck Huang Guantao's heart like a heavy hammer.

His face, which had been flushed with impatience, had now turned ashen, and even pale.

His proud head gradually lowered, his straight back slumped, and he seemed to have lost his backbone, no longer possessing the self-righteous spirit he had when he barged in.

His lips twitched a few times, but he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal. Because he knew that every word Deputy Commander Bai said was correct.

"Yes...the department...we know we were wrong."

Huang Guantao's face flushed red, and he looked extremely ashamed.

He silently took two steps back, saluted Su Yaoyang and Bai Chongxi, then turned around without a word, and walked out of the command room with heavy steps.

Seeing Huang Guantao leave speechlessly, Su Yaoyang secretly gave Bai Chongxi a thumbs up in his heart.

As expected, experience matters.

Although I am the commander-in-chief, I am still young and inexperienced.

Sometimes it's really hard to be too harsh on these proud and valiant soldiers who fought alongside me from Nanjing.

Bai Chongxi, on the other hand, was a veteran who had led troops for decades and commanded a million-strong army. His prestige and seniority were undeniable.

He's absolutely perfect for playing the villain.

With just a few words, he had subdued Huang Guantao, this fearless and fierce general, leaving him speechless. He really needed to learn this method.

(End of this chapter)