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

Zhao Yunwen saw right through Qin Qingwu's ulterior motives, a common problem among Chinese people. Whether they are saints or commoners, as long as two people are together, there will inevitably be a drama of intrigue and backstabbing.

The idea of ​​"better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix" is deeply ingrained in the Chinese people.

Zhao Yunwen was a shrewd person; this kind of selfishness was perfectly normal for him, so he naturally wouldn't laugh at others. He immediately spoke seriously:

"Commander Qin, a snake can't function without a head. For two regiments to cooperate in combat, we must first appoint a commander, and then discuss the specific combat plan later."

Qin Qingwu never expected Zhao Yunwen to be so direct, throwing out the core issue without any transition, which was completely contrary to the Nationalist government's slow and drawn-out negotiation style.

He was momentarily speechless, so he could only turn his gaze to Deputy Commander Li—at least that would give him a buffer; if Zhao Yunwen rejected him on the spot, he would lose face.

Li Yaowen understood immediately and interjected:

"Commander Zhao is absolutely right. Without unified command, not only will there be internal friction, but we may also be vulnerable to being defeated one by one by the Japanese."

The most crucial thing for a commander is to be familiar with the enemy and our own situation and the battlefield environment. My 109th Regiment stayed in Dachang for two more days, so Commander Qin had a better understanding of the situation there.

Besides, the 109th Regiment is ordered to hold its ground, while the Security Regiment is there to reinforce. In my opinion, it would be better for Regiment Commander Qin to take command, with Regiment Commander Zhao assisting. We should go with the flow!

"No, no, that won't do!"

Qin Qingwu waved his hand, feigning refusal, and said:

"Deputy Regiment Commander Li is putting me on the hot seat!"

I think Commander Zhao is more suitable; after all, the security regiment has more men and guns, and they have more confidence!

Zhao Yunwen watched the two of them work together seamlessly, one praising and the other teasing, and he understood perfectly well that Qin Qingwu's words were veiled in barbs, the subtext being that command was not determined by the number of guns or people, and the security regiment should not try to take control.

Seeing that the other party showed no intention of relinquishing command, Zhao Yunwen didn't press the matter. He grinned, revealing a mouthful of bright white teeth that was unsettling to behold.

"Deputy Commander Li is right. The 109th Regiment was ordered to hold Dachang, and our security regiment's reinforcement mission has been completed."

"Your regiment will remain in charge of the main area, under the command of Regiment Commander Qin. The security regiment will provide support from the flanks. If you need anything, just let us know."

Upon hearing this, Qin Qingwu and Deputy Regiment Commander Li were dumbfounded—it was obvious that he was going to quit!

The 109th Regiment held the main position to the death, while the Security Regiment cowered on the flanks, doing nothing. At this critical moment, how could Qin Qingwu command Zhao Yunwen's three thousand men?

Qin Qingwu immediately became anxious. This guy surnamed Zhao was obviously cunning and scheming. It was possible that this reinforcement was just due to orders from his superiors and that he had no intention of actually putting in any effort.

There wasn't a single good person among those who came out of the Whampoa Military Academy, let alone Zhao Yunwen, who was taught by Chiang Kai-shek. Even if he disobeyed orders, no one dared to really deal with him.

If the security regiment just stands by on the flanks and does nothing, even if the 109th Regiment is wiped out, it still won't be able to hold Dachang.

Qin Qingwu turned his pleading gaze to Deputy Regiment Commander Li, knowing full well that on the battlefield, might makes right, and why should three thousand men listen to a mere thousand?

Deputy Regiment Commander Li felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, but for the sake of his men's lives, he could only endure it and quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile:

"I think Commander Qin is right. The security regiment is strong, and Commander Zhao is a top student of Commander Chang. He is good at commanding. It is more appropriate for you to take the command position."

Qin Qingwu immediately went along with it, his attitude extremely sincere:

"Commander Zhao, please don't refuse. In the current situation, there is no one more suitable than you. I, Qin, hereby guarantee that the entire 109th Regiment will absolutely follow Commander Zhao's lead!"

Zhao Yunwen feigned hesitation and continued to pretend to decline:

"I'm afraid that's not appropriate. Commander Qin is the senior officer, and your regiment is a regular army. If I, the commander of a security regiment, were to take command, I'm afraid it would be difficult to explain to your men."

Listening carefully to the implication, Qin Qingwu immediately patted his chest and expressed his determination:

"Don't worry, Commander Zhao! If anyone dares to get angry or disobey, I'll be the first to deal with them!"

Besides, the security regiment is now under the command of the elite 18th Army. Commander Zhao, you are Commander Chang's top student and Commander Chen's favorite. How can we local troops compare to you?

The insincerity in those words was obvious to anyone with eyes to see, but the situation was beyond their control. The 109th Regiment needed their help and had no choice but to obediently relinquish command.

Seeing that the two had finally shown sincerity, Zhao Yunwen stopped pretending and reluctantly nodded in agreement.

"Since Commander Qin has put it this way, then I shall respectfully comply."

We're all brothers fighting the Japanese, so don't be so formal. We'll discuss everything in the subsequent operations. Commander Qin, if you have any good ideas, please feel free to share them."

Qin Qingwu knew perfectly well that Zhao Yunwen's words about "discussing things" were just that—words. He should only listen to them and not take them seriously.

If we really anger this kid, he'll just run away with his security team. Chiang Kai-shek definitely won't punish his own students, and in the end, it will be the Hunan Army that takes the blame.

Having just settled command, Zhao Yunwen changed the subject, his tone becoming cheerful:

"Your unit fought fiercely in Dachang for two days, and the casualties must have been considerable. Your equipment and ammunition have also been almost exhausted."

"My security regiment recently seized some Japanese weapons: over a hundred guns, more than 20,000 rounds of ammunition, and 3,000 hand grenades. They're all secondhand. I wonder if Commander Qin would be interested?"

This was a real financial blow; it was called compensation, but in reality, it was meant to reassure the 109th Regiment—this was the equipment of an entire Japanese company, not some small favor.

Qin Qingwu was overjoyed upon hearing this, as it solved the urgent problem of insufficient equipment for the 109th Regiment, and he could finally give an explanation to his brothers.

As the rumors proved true, this young master Zhao is indeed wealthy and generous.

Qin Qingwu didn't stand on ceremony and gratefully cupped his hands in thanks:

"Thank you so much, Commander Zhao! Qin and all the brothers of the 109th Regiment will remember this! From now on, if you need anything, just give the order. The 109th Regiment will carry out orders without question!"

With tangible benefits in hand, Qin Qingwu's sincerity became noticeably stronger. Seeing this, Zhao Yunwen continued with even more drastic measures:

"Brother Qin, you're being too polite. We're all brothers who fought on the battlefield, why say such things? I see that quite a few of your brothers are wounded. I happen to have some medicine with me, I'll have someone send it over for the brothers to use, saving lives is the most important thing."

Upon hearing this, even Qin Qingwu, a man of iron, couldn't help but tear up. He grabbed Zhao Yunwen's hand, his voice hoarse:

"Brother Zhao, I can't thank you enough! I won't stand on ceremony with you. On behalf of all the wounded brothers in my group, I would like to express my gratitude to you!"

From now on, if anyone dares to disobey Brother Zhao's orders, I'll skin them alive!

To be honest, while Qin Qingwu's words had a bit of an act to them, his genuine gratitude was also real. Anyway, in this day and age, when you're on the battlefield, you don't have to take things too seriously.

In just a quarter of an hour, the two went from being rivals testing each other to becoming comrades-in-arms who called each other brothers.

After all, Zhao Yunwen's sincerity was evident, and Qin Qingwu and Deputy Regiment Commander Li knew better than anyone how precious medicine was on the battlefield—it was more valuable than gold, something that could save the brothers' lives!

Having achieved his goal, Zhao Yunwen stopped beating around the bush and got straight to the point:

"Brother Qin, let's not stand on ceremony. The Japanese are determined to take Oba, and they will definitely come back soon."

I've just arrived here and I'm completely clueless about the enemy and our own situation. Tell me about the current situation first.

Without any hesitation, Zhao Yunwen immediately assumed the role of commander, treating Qin Qingwu as his right-hand man.

Qin Qingwu and Deputy Regiment Commander Li exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in each other's eyes. The latter immediately took out a troop deployment map he carried with him, spread it on the table, and began to explain it in detail, pointing to the map:

"Commander Zhao, please take a look. Our regiment's core position is located along the line from Gejia Archway to Heidahuang Residence, Huli Residence, and Sheng Residence, about two or three kilometers northeast of Dachang City."

The outpost was set up along the line from the north bank of Zoumatang to Hujiazhai to Taheqiaozhai, one or two kilometers north of the city, and a whole battalion was stationed there. Now, more than half of them have been killed or wounded.

The Zoumatang River runs from southwest to northeast and is 10 to 15 meters wide. There used to be several small wooden bridges, which were important supply and retreat lines for our regiment. Unfortunately, the Japanese bombed two of them last night.

The town of Dachang stretches about 1.5 kilometers from east to west, with only one main street. The houses in the town are all earthen houses and are not very sturdy.

The surrounding villages, such as Hulizhai and Shengzhai, are small villages with ten to thirty households, many houses and bamboo groves, making them ideal for hiding.

There are also vast cotton fields, currently in the peak harvest season. The cotton stalks are waist-high, making them ideal for both concealment and ambush…”

The battlefield information provided by Deputy Regiment Commander Li was detailed and professional; as expected of someone from the Hunan Army, he certainly has some skills.

After the introductions, Deputy Commander Li and Qin Qingwu both turned their gazes to Zhao Yunwen. They didn't say anything, but their meaning was clear—the test questions were already on the table.

They wanted to see if this disciple of Chiang Kai-shek truly possessed any real skills, or was merely a pretty face with no substance.

On the battlefield, the strong are respected. If Zhao Yunwen wants to win over the masses, he still needs to show his real skills.

Zhao Yunwen's gaze fell on the endless cotton fields on the map, and he tapped them lightly with his fingertips, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

The Japanese soldiers of the 9th Division probably never imagined that their death warrant was hidden in this inconspicuous cotton wadding.