Chapter 187 Putting the blame on others
"Baga, why haven't those bastards from the 21st Brigade come yet?
It’s already ten minutes overtime!”
In the northern edge of Shiquan County, there is a stronghold occupied by the Japanese called Xinzhuang.
Yonekura Taro, who was sent by Pinglu Yongfu to be in charge of the North China Front Army Officer Observation Group, stood on the top of the artillery tower in the middle of the stronghold. After looking at his watch, he looked towards the north while cursing.
Pinglu Yongfu wanted to ensure that if the battle failed, the blame could be put on the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group.
The 4th Brigade's Chief of Staff, Taro Yonekura, a colonel-level trusted officer, was specially dispatched to carry out the task of escorting the North China Front Army officers' observation group.
In order to "better" protect the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group and prevent it from being destroyed by bandits or the Eighth Route Army.
Pinglu Yongfu specially dispatched the most "elite" troops from the Fourth Brigade, the Third Independent Battalion of the Fourth Brigade, which had just been formed for no more than a month and most of the troops were new recruits, to be responsible for this escort work.
And Yonekura Taro naturally knew what Pinglu Yongfu's real intention was when he asked him to escort the officers' observation group.
But Taro Yonekura was also anxious.
Pinglu Yongfu clearly wanted to kill the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group.
But what he was carrying out was the escort mission to protect the officers' observation group.
If the officers' observation group was wiped out under my protection, I would not be able to bear the responsibility.
Even if Pinglu Yongfu could save his life, he would certainly lose his rank of colonel.
As for giving up the mission and honestly protecting the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group, Taro Yonekura had no idea of doing so at all.
Even if his protection work was not done properly, the officers' observation group was wiped out by the Eighth Route Army or bandits.
When the time comes, I will be dismissed, as long as Pinglu Yufu is still the major general and as long as Shinozuka Yoshio has not fallen.
Then sooner or later, Taro Yonekura will be able to become a colonel again. Not only that, Hiraru Isamu or Shinozuka Yoshio will also give him certain compensation for his efforts.
If Yonekura Dalang gave up his mission and protected the officers' observation group seriously.
If Taro Yonekura really did that.
Taro Yonekura didn't know how his direct superior Pinglu Yongfu would treat him after the battle was over.
However, Yonekura Taro dared to guarantee that he did not have to wait for the end of the battle. Pinglu Yongfu would let him lead the charge to the front line the next day after he returned to the 4th Brigade. If he was lucky, Pinglu Yongfu would remember their old friendship and he might be able to survive.
If he was unlucky, or if Pinglu Yongfu wanted to make an example of someone, he would most likely be shot eight times in the back and killed on the battlefield by the enemy in front of him.
As for why he was shot eight times in the back, that’s not important.
In any case, Yonekura Taro didn't think he could survive. After all, giving up the task assigned to him by Pinglu Yongfu was tantamount to betraying Pinglu Yongfu.
Pinglu Yongfu always treats traitors by killing them if he can. Even if he cannot kill them, he will make them suffer extremely.
Yonekura Dalang has followed Pinglu Yongfu for so long, he is very clear about Pinglu Yongfu's character.
In short, if Taro Yonekura had seriously protected the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group, he would not only fail to gain any benefits, but might even lose his life.
However, if Yonekura Dalang honestly completed the task assigned by Pinglu Yongfu, the biggest disadvantage would be being shot. But if Yonekura Dalang was shot, then Pinglu Yongfu would definitely treat Yonekura Dalang's family well.
Moreover, it was impossible for Pinglu Yongfu to watch Yonekura Dalang being shot. His subordinates worked diligently and loyally for him, but in the end he couldn't even save their lives.
With a leader like this, who would be willing to work loyally for you?
What's more, as the chief of staff of the 4th Brigade, Taro Yonekura knew that the plan was proposed by Yoshio Shinozuka.
As long as Yoshio Iwamatsu has not received orders from the headquarters, Yoshio Shinozuka will still be the commander of the Shanxi First Army.
He was under the jurisdiction of Yoshio Shinozuka, and whether to kill him or not was just a matter of Shinozuka's word.
In other words, as long as Yonekura Dalang conscientiously carried out the task assigned to him by Pinglu Yongfu, the most that awaited Yonekura Dalang was dismissal.
Even if he was dismissed, as long as he was still in the 4th Brigade, Pinglu Yongfu would be able to find an opportunity and easily make Yonekura Taro a colonel again.
Although Pinglu Yongfu had already told Yonekura Taro that this time he would need to take the blame for the failure to provide adequate protection, which led to the annihilation of the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group by bandits or the Eighth Route Army.
Although Yonekura Dalang agreed to Pinglu Yongfu and promised to complete the task assigned by Pinglu Yongfu.
But agreeing to it doesn't mean that Yonekura Dalang is willing to take the blame.
So on the way here, Yonekura Dalang kept thinking about what he should do so that he could complete the task assigned by Pinglu Yongfu without taking the blame.
It's true, but in the end, Taro Yonekura really came up with a solution that had the best of both worlds.
After thinking for half the night, Dalang Yonekura finally came up with a very good idea that would make Pinglu Yongfu's plan successful.
If the 4th Brigade fails in a battle, the blame can be directly placed on the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group.
It would also save him from having to bear the blame for failing to provide adequate protection, which led to the annihilation of the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group by the Eighth Route Army or bandits.
After Yonekura Taro told Pinglu Yongfu about his experience through the radio, Pinglu Yongfu told Yonekura Taro that he could try his method, but if it failed, he should still be prepared to take the blame.
And Taro Yonekura's method was very simple. He wanted to be blamed because he needed to take on the task of escorting the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group.
But if the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group had not been destroyed under their own protection.
We can't put the blame on him though.
So Yonekura Taro started to think of another guard force.
This was thanks to Pinglu Yongfu's report to his superiors that the 4th Brigade was short of manpower and needed to defend against attacks from the Eighth Route Army in Linyuan County, Shiquan County, and Shangdang area.
They also need to undertake escort work for more than 30 kilometers.
The Fourth Brigade does not have enough troops, and needs to quickly send another unit to assist in the defense.
Therefore, Yoshio Shinozuka urgently dispatched a battalion from the 21st Brigade to be responsible for the escort of the officers of the North China Front Army for observation.
The original plan was to have the 5th Infantry Battalion of the 21st Brigade and the Independent 3rd Infantry Battalion of the 4th Brigade perform the escort work together.
At that time, the troops of the 21st Brigade will be responsible for guarding various strongholds, while the troops of the 4th Brigade will be responsible for closely escorting the officers' observation group to Tongshi Town.
However, since it is a close protection job, it means that when the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group is attacked by the Eighth Route Army or bandits, the soldiers of the 4th Brigade will also die.
Especially if you are attacked by the Eighth Route Army, the Eighth Route Army will not care what you think. The Eighth Route Army will not let you go just because you also want to kill the officers' observation group.
To the Eighth Route Army, all the Japs were the same and they could be killed without any hesitation.
Therefore, Yonekura Taro fought for his own life and to ensure that the Eighth Route Army could destroy the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group.
So Taro Yonekura simply chose another way of protection.
That is, he led the troops of the 4th Brigade and the troops of the 21st Brigade, each of them was responsible for a section of the area.
The troops of the 21st Brigade were mainly responsible for the escort work from entering Shiquan County to the Dawangzhuang stronghold.
And Yonekura Taro led the troops of the 4th Brigade to be responsible for the escort work from Dawangzhuang to Tongshi Town.
As long as the Officers' Observation Group was wiped out by the Eighth Route Army on the road before the Dawangzhuang stronghold, the responsibility would naturally be on the 21st Brigade.
It has nothing to do with him, Yonekura Dalang.
The solution is a good one.
The prerequisite is that the troops of the 21st Brigade must be able to arrive here before the officers' observation group arrives.
This way the plan can proceed.
Otherwise, if the officers' observation group arrived first and the troops of the 21st Brigade had not yet arrived, then Taro Yonekura's plan would have failed before it even started.
At that time, only Yonekura Taro could bear the blame. So when he saw that the troops of the 21st Brigade had not arrived at the agreed time, Yonekura Taro started to curse.
According to information from the county train station, the officers' observation group will get off the train in an hour and rush over to their side.
Finally, when Yonekura Dalang cursed "Baka" for the eighteenth time, a ray of light began to appear on the road in the distance.
Then came the roar of dense truck engines.
"Baga, it's almost twenty minutes late!
Don’t the soldiers of the 21st Brigade have any sense of time?”
Yonekura Taro stood on the top of the artillery tower and looked at the team that stretched for several miles in the distance. He realized that the troops of the 21st Brigade that he had been waiting for had finally arrived.
……
"Sir, the Xinzhuang stronghold is ahead. The support troops of the 4th Brigade are waiting for us at the Xinzhuang stronghold."
On the road north of Xinzhuang stronghold, a large convoy was moving rapidly towards Xinzhuang.
Behind the convoy was a group of Japanese soldiers carrying guns and running along with the trucks.
On a large truck in the middle of the convoy, the driver used one hand to point to a lighted building ahead on the road, waking up Hayamura Akechi who was dozing with his eyes closed.
This team was none other than the 5th Infantry Battalion of the 21st Brigade that Taro Yonekura had been looking forward to.
Hayamura Akechi was the captain of the 5th Infantry Battalion, with the rank of lieutenant colonel.
The awakened Hayamura Akechi listened to what the driver said and nodded: "Yoshi, let the troops in front speed up and get to Xinzhuang as soon as possible.
The brigade commander will arrive here in an hour at most.
We need to prepare in advance and let all the warriors be in the best condition to welcome our brigade commander!
This time, the brigade commander brought nearly two hundred officers of the North China Front Army and above. We must not let the brigade commander lose face!
Anyone who brings shame to the 21st Brigade should commit seppuku!"
"Hi!"
The Japanese soldier who was driving listened to what Hayamura Akechi said, agreed, and then honked the horn to urge the truck in front to speed up.
"Yoshi, I hope the Fourth Brigade has prepared food and hot water for us, so that our warriors who have traveled a long distance can have a good rest and recover their spirits."
When Hayamura Akechi received the order to lead his troops to Shiquan County to escort the North China Front Army Officers Observation Group.
In order to leave a deep impression in front of the brigade commander, and also to rush to Shiquan County before the officers' observation group arrived in Shiquan County.
Hayamura Akechi directly plundered all the trucks and horses in the county, and then led his troops to Shiquan County without stopping.
Seeing that the Xinzhuang stronghold was right in front of him, Hayamura Akechi began to imagine how he would perform in front of the officers' observation group when he led his troops.
How to let the officers' observation group see the powerful strength of the troops he leads.
So that the brigade commander can save face in front of officers from other units.
Hayamura Akechi even began to fantasize about how he should respond if he encountered an attack by the Eighth Route Army while he was escorting the officers' observation group to Tongshi Town with his troops.
The goal is to eliminate the Eighth Route Army as quickly as possible and let the officers of other troops see the strength of their own troops.
Or did he throw the brigade commander to the ground without hesitation at the critical moment, and then use his own body to block a bullet shot at the brigade commander?
If he really blocked the bullet shot at the brigade commander, would the brigade commander marry his sister to him because he risked his own life to protect him?
If he became the brigade commander's brother-in-law, he could directly become a colonel in the 21st Brigade. If he could get help from the Hattori family, he might even become a general.
When I become a general, I must do this... that...
Before daytime, Hayamura Akechi had already started daydreaming. When he thought about becoming a general, Hayamura Akechi drooled.
Soon, the convoy arrived in front of the Xinzhuang stronghold.
The convoy was stopped, and a Japanese soldier who was standing guard in front of the Xinzhuang stronghold quickly ran in front of the first truck.
Then the Japanese soldier in the passenger seat of the first truck quickly got out of the truck and ran to the truck where Hayamura Akechi was with the Japanese soldier who came to check the ID.
"Baga, why did the truck stop?
Let the people at Xinzhuang stronghold remove the fence and drive the car into the stronghold!
Let the person in charge of the base come to see me!"
Hayamura Akechi believed that the person in charge of the Xinzhuang stronghold was at most a lieutenant colonel of the same rank as himself.
So, having just dreamed of becoming a general, he shouted orders to the Japanese soldiers who were running towards him without any hesitation.
"Okay, sir, I'll go back and inform our colonel and have him come to see you!"
The Japanese soldier who followed was a captain and also the adjutant of Taro Yonekura.
As the adjutant of Taro Yonekura, the captain naturally understood some of Taro Yonekura's thoughts.
After hearing what Hayamura Akechi said, the Japanese captain turned around and ran back to the stronghold without any courtesy.
Based on what Yonekura Taro said, the captain thought that Yonekura Taro was worried that the Eighth Route Army would attack the officers' observation group, so that he would be blamed.
Therefore, they wanted to defend separately from the troops coming from the 21st Brigade.
However, if both parties want to defend separately, they must obtain the consent of the other party.
Otherwise, if the other party becomes suspicious, it will be a big trouble.
Although Taro Yonekura could rely on his rank of colonel to forcibly issue orders.
However, the order to defend separately was obviously inappropriate.
But if it was because Hayamura Akechi had angered Yonekura Taro, then Yonekura Taro would be unwilling to carry out the escort mission together with Yonekura Taro in anger, and they would directly cooperate according to the division of labor according to the route.
In this case, it makes sense.
And now, with the arrival of Hayamura Akechi, he gave Yonekura Taro a reason to get angry.
Hayamura Akechi watched the captain running quickly towards the Xinzhuang stronghold and for a moment he didn't react to what was happening.
But soon, after being reminded by another Japanese soldier, Hayamura Akechi reacted fiercely.
The person in charge of the Xinzhuang stronghold is a colonel of the 4th Brigade!
The other party's military rank is higher than mine, and what I just said was an offense to him!
You know, in the Japanese army, senior officers can teach subordinate officers a lesson for no reason.
And junior officers are not allowed to refute.
Even ordinary soldiers, ordinary recruits who have just joined the army, have to listen to the veterans obediently.
Once the veterans or superiors feel dissatisfied with you.
Punches and kicks are the least of the usual accusations.
Some people even specially made spirit-infusing sticks to teach dissatisfied junior officers or recruits a lesson.
And when facing these lessons, the party being taught is not allowed to resist.
Thinking of this, Hayamura Akechi suddenly came to his senses, quickly opened the door, jumped off the truck and ran towards the Xinzhuang stronghold.
(End of this chapter)
