Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

The northern part of Taierzhuang had already fallen, and the streets and alleys were filled with a chaotic mix of enemy and friendly forces.

The once bustling streets are now just ruins, a scene of devastation.

Severely wounded, Sun Xiaohu sat leaning against the wall, his eyes tightly bound by thick bandages. The company commander had comforted him, saying that he would regain his sight once he recovered, but he knew in his heart that it was just a well-intentioned lie.

With the fighting intensifying, the field hospital was overcrowded and there were no more people available to transport the seriously wounded across the canal. He could only provide simple first aid on the spot and endure day after day in these ruins. Stray bullets and shells kept whizzing over his head, but his face remained calm.

Without him noticing, he picked up a small wildflower in his hand and brought it to his nose to smell it. This was the scent of his hometown in March.

In spring, the fields of his hometown would be covered with these little flowers. He used to pick a handful and give them to Xiujuan, then choose the most delicate one and tuck it into her hair. The fragrance of the young girl's hair was just like the wildflower in his palm now, subtle yet unforgettable.

Every spring, the mountain flowers bloom, but he has gone blind and will probably never be able to return to his homeland, nor see Xiujuan, who is more beautiful than the mountain flowers.

A familiar melody drifted on the wind; someone was playing a folk tune from their hometown, "Embroidered Purse," on a leaf.

The musician was an old soldier with a face covered in dirt and a deep sadness in his eyes; the music must have stirred up his own troubles.

Sun Xiaohu was originally from southern Shaanxi, and he knew this tune very well. The night he left home for the battlefield, Xiujuan softly hummed it to him under the moonlight:

A purse is embroidered, oh, it's just the beginning.

Oh dear, for embroidering a purse, I'll give up my gold and beauty. Someone is asking for it.

Embroider a purse, ma yi er ya yi ya he hai embroider it!

Ya'er yi'er yo, embroider a purse, ma gu'er she jin ge suo luo mei song xiao lang yo wei.

Three-embroidered purse, ma yi er ya yi ya he hai mandarin duck clasp, oh.

Ya'er yi'er yo, love is tied to the purse, ma gu'er shejin ge suo luo mei chang xiang shou yo wei.

Four embroidered purses, ma yi er ya yi ya he hai twin lotus blossoms yo...

Memories flooded back. On the eve of his departure, the shy Xiujuan pulled him into the haystack.

Afterwards, the two clung tightly to each other, and Xiujuan hummed "Embroidered Purse" with tears in her eyes.

That night they said many things that made people blush and their hearts race, and did many absurd things, all in order to leave a seed for the Sun family.

"Brother Tiger, I'm yours in life and in death. I'll take good care of our parents and wait for you to come back!"

The words of my deceased friend still echoed in my ears, and tears silently streamed down my face, soaking through layers of bandages.

"Boom boom boom..."

Shells rained down, and the Japanese launched another attack. Sun Xiaohu took out the only grenade from his body with his other hand, unscrewed the safety cap, and tightened the pull ring with his fingers.

If the Japanese invaders attacked, this grenade would be his last act of dignity as a soldier.

He would rather die than be taken prisoner, otherwise he would be ashamed of his hometown and Xiujuan who was waiting for him.

The veteran threw away the leaves in his hand, grabbed his gun, and charged at the Japanese soldiers. Gunshots, explosions, screams, and shouts of battle mingled together. It was a fight to the death!

At the Fifth War Zone Headquarters, Li Delin, with a cold face, telegraphed Tang Enbo:

"Your unit must lead its main force to penetrate deep behind enemy lines and launch a general offensive against the Japanese forces at Taierzhuang before dawn on April 6th!"

Military orders are absolute, and military law is merciless!

Anyone who dares to delay the battle again will be treated as an insubordination and severely punished!

This was a direct order; Li Delin left Commander Tang no room for negotiation. Xu Yanmou asked hesitantly:

"Duke De, the Sakamoto Detachment has ceased its attack on Linyi and is heading west to reinforce Taierzhuang. It arrived in the Xiangcheng, Aiqu, and Lanling area on March 31, appearing right behind the 20th Army Corps."

Tang Enbo is focusing all his efforts on countering Sakamoto's team, eliminating threats from the flanks and rear.

"Yan Mou, Tang Enbo has 70,000 troops, while Sakamoto's detachment only has a few thousand. We can leave one army to hold off Sakamoto's detachment and send the main force to reinforce Taierzhuang."

This is a military order; there's no room for negotiation!

The telegram was drafted, signed by Li Delin, and immediately sent out with urgency. The atmosphere in the command post was tense; everyone knew this was an ultimatum.

Xiangcheng, 20th Army Corps Headquarters

Tang Enbo received the urgent telegram from the chief of staff. After reading it, he was deeply moved, knowing the strictness of military orders and daring not to delay any longer.

The generals once again volunteered for battle, and Guan Yudong, commander of the 52nd Army, loudly proclaimed:

"After several days of fierce fighting, the Sakamoto Detachment has been repelled. Only a small force needs to be left to guard the area, while the main force can move south to encircle and annihilate the Seya Detachment."

Tang Enbo finally made up his mind, leaving one army to guard the Sakamoto Detachment to the east, while he personally led the main force to reinforce Taierzhuang.

On the eastern front of Taierzhuang, the 10th Infantry Regiment is launching a full-scale flanking attack, and the defending troops' lines are in grave danger.

On the northern front, the main force of the 63rd Regiment was already bogged down in the quagmire of the city. Although they had occupied two-thirds of the city, the defenders continued to put up a stubborn resistance, fighting them house by house and alley by alley. They suffered heavy casualties and almost exhausted all their strength.

"Boom boom boom..."

"Boom boom boom!"

A barrage of artillery shells rained down on the 10th Regiment headquarters from the flank and rear. The 52nd Army of the 20th Corps was the first to arrive and launched a fierce counterattack. The situation suddenly changed, and the Japanese troops were thrown into great chaos, unable to advance or retreat.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the 52nd Army infantry group broke through the Japanese guard line and crushed the blocking squadron with an absolute numerical advantage. Their advance was aimed directly at the rear of the 10th Regiment, and they swept away the enemy like dry leaves.

Upon hearing the commotion, the city's defenders launched a counterattack, joining forces with Tang's army to attack from both sides. Seeing no hope of rescue and the risk of being surrounded and annihilated, the Setani Detachment decided to break out and retreat to the north.

A happy smile appeared on Zhao Yunwen's face. The Battle of Taierzhuang was finally over, and the final battle was the most important thing.

Xie Polu rushed over to report:

"Commander, good news! The 20th Army Corps has marched south at dawn today and launched a counterattack against the enemy at Taierzhuang."

The Setani Detachment is making every effort to break through to the north. Commander Li has ordered our troops to immediately launch an attack north of Yixian County to cut off the Setani Detachment's escape route.

"We must also intensify our offensive in the Linyi direction, doing everything we can to hold off the Guoqi detachment, and ideally, defeat them!"

Before the 107th Division could cut off the retreat route of the Seya Detachment, it was crucial to deal with the enemy surrounded at Baoniugu. Fortunately, there was still time. The Seya Detachment would need another day to retreat to Yixian, which would give Zhao Yunwen enough time to deploy his troops.

"Chief of Staff Xie, send a telegram to Qiu Fengzi, ordering him to launch a general offensive against the enemy encirclement at Baoniugu, and to defeat them before dawn."

The 646th Regiment continued to pursue the remaining enemy forces, while the 648th Regiment left the mountains and cut off the main road from Yixian to Zaozhuang to the east.

The order was given to the isolated battalion to launch a flanking attack on Yixian County at dawn, to hold back the headquarters of the Setani Detachment. If the Japanese broke through to the north, the order was to capture the county town and seize the supplies they had stockpiled. All of these supplies would be ours.

Send a telegram to Deputy Commander Lu…

With orders issued, the 107th Division launched a full-scale counterattack against the Japanese. The moment of reckoning had arrived!