Chapter 290 An Unbearable Price
The boss really didn't understand why Brigade Commander Chen still let Qin Yangming and others lead the troops to launch an attack on Ping'an County after knowing that there were eight more field artillery pieces in the Zhangzhuang stronghold and the defensive force had increased significantly.
According to the boss's idea, since the defense of Zhangzhuang stronghold has been strengthened, they should directly give up attacking Ping'an County and gather all their forces to take down Zhangzhuang stronghold first. After taking down Zhangzhuang stronghold, they can consider launching an attack on Ping'an County.
Then now Brigade Commander Chen’s intention is very obvious, which is to let Qin Yangming and others directly launch an attack on the Zhangzhuang stronghold, Ping'an County, and Xiaocaozhuang stronghold.
In other words, the four regiments had to open up three battlefields and disperse their forces greatly.
The boss pondered for a while and then looked at Brigade Commander Chen.
"The New Second Regiment is a blocking force. If the Japanese sent the entire 11th Brigade as reinforcements, the New Second Regiment could only delay the enemy for a dozen hours at most, even if it cost the entire army to be annihilated. Fifteen hours would be the best result.
In other words, the New Second Regiment could only buy fifteen more hours for the Vanguard Regiment and the Independent Regiment.
Even if the Japanese had not sent the 11th Brigade for support at the first time, the Independent Regiment and the Vanguard Regiment would have only twenty hours at most to attack the city.
However, if we take into account the capture of important areas such as Ping'an County and Zhangzhuang stronghold, we will need to re-strengthen the defense line to resist the Japanese reinforcements, as well as give the troops time to rest and regroup supplies.
The time left for the two groups...is less than ten hours.
Lao Chen, in ten hours, the independent regiment may be able to capture the Zhangzhuang stronghold.
However, it is absolutely impossible for the vanguard group in Ping'an County to capture Ping'an County within ten hours.
The independent regiment was able to form a large-scale artillery unit by concentrating the artillery of the entire independent regiment and most of the vanguard regiment to bombard the Zhangzhuang stronghold.
There are so many artillery pieces, except for the lack of heavy artillery, the combined artillery pieces are no worse than the heavy artillery regiment of the headquarters.
Relying on these artillery pieces, I don't deny that the independent regiment can capture the Zhangzhuang stronghold.
However, the Zhangzhuang stronghold is also a tough nut to crack. After the independent regiment takes over the Zhangzhuang stronghold, the losses will not be small.
Apart from anything else, with such a long period of bombardment, even the ammunition reserves of the Vanguard Regiment would probably be used up.
There was no 75mm mountain cannon in the Zhangzhuang stronghold... and after fighting for so long, even if there were a large amount of ammunition stored in the Zhangzhuang stronghold, most of it would have been consumed by the Japanese and puppet troops in the battle.
In other words, even if the independent regiment captured the Zhangzhuang stronghold, it would not be able to obtain sufficient supplies from it.
Even if the independent regiment lost at most 800 soldiers when attacking the Zhangzhuang stronghold, the casualty ratio with the Japanese and puppet troops was one to one.
But in fact this is impossible. We are the attacking side and the Japanese are the defending side. Our casualties will definitely be higher.
This is common sense.
Calculating based on a one-to-one casualty ratio would be exaggerating the independent regiment's combat effectiveness.
But in addition to casualties, there were also losses of various materials, not to mention the artillery shells. Even if the vanguard regiment could equip each mountain cannon with 500 rounds of artillery shells.
As long as Li Yunlong wants to minimize the casualties of his soldiers, the shelling will never end.
The bombardment lasted for ten hours. If it continues like this, how many shells will be left in each gun?
With that kind of high-intensity bombardment, how many artillery pieces will still be usable after the battle is over?
Although a gun can fire tens of thousands of shells, it does not mean that a gun can fire tens of thousands of shells continuously without moving.
After firing so many shells continuously, the rifling inside the barrel had to be worn out and the barrel could be used to light a cigarette.
Moreover, a battle that lasted for such a long time would not be able to withstand such a high-intensity battle, let alone the Independent Regiment, even the soldiers in the Vanguard Regiment who ate meat every day.
After ten hours, even the soldiers of the vanguard regiment would be exhausted.
Not to mention the independent regiment.
Even if Li Yunlong still retained some combat-capable troops, even if there were still two thousand people who could support the Vanguard Regiment and attack the county seat of Ping'an County together with the Vanguard Regiment.
But how can we attack Ping'an County without artillery shells?
Without enough ammunition, how can the Vanguard Regiment continue to block the Japanese 11th Brigade heading south?
You wouldn't expect those two Japanese devils, Qingquan Muyi and Murakuchi Saburo, to stockpile enough ammunition and supplies for the two top main regiments, the Vanguard Regiment and the Independent Regiment, in Ping'an County in advance, right?
Even if the Japanese soldiers in Ping'an County gathered all their ammunition, at most they could only replenish the consumed bullets of the Vanguard Regiment and the Independent Regiment.
Don't even think about the artillery shells.
Or are you expecting Qin Yangming to find another arsenal in Ping'an County?
The Japanese have been in Ping'an County for so long, and the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army has also been in Ping'an County for so many years. If there was a Japanese arsenal in the county seat of Ping'an County, they would have discovered it long ago. Why would it be Qin Yangming and his men's turn to discover it?
If there were no other variables and the battle was carried out like this, then apart from the defeat of the Vanguard Regiment and the Independent Regiment, and the annihilation of the New Second Regiment by the 11th Brigade of the Japanese army heading south, I really can't see any other results.
In other words, if we launch an attack on Ping'an County according to this battle plan, then our Eighth Route Army will be able to obtain the Vanguard Regiment, Independent Regiment, New 1st Regiment whose personnel and equipment have been exhausted, as well as the New 2nd Regiment which has been completely wiped out.
Others, get nothing.
Let alone Ping'an County, unless you, Brigade Commander Chen, transferred the 771st or 772nd Regiment to garrison in Zhangzhuang stronghold after the Independent Regiment captured it.
Then the remaining troops of the Vanguard Regiment, the Independent Regiment, and the New 1st Regiment gathered together to defend Xiaocaozhuang.
Otherwise, we won’t be able to defend Zhangzhuang or even Fu’an County.”
The boss summarized the known information and concluded that even the best outcome would be for the Eighth Route Army to capture the Zhangzhuang stronghold.
Ping'an County is definitely impossible to take, and even if it is taken, it cannot be defended.
Moreover, even if they captured the Zhangzhuang stronghold, the price they paid would be beyond the Eighth Route Army's ability to afford.
The three top main regiments, the Vanguard Regiment, the Independent Regiment, and the New 1st Regiment, were severely damaged and all their supplies and equipment were lost. This was a major blow to the Taihang Military Region.
Even for the entire Eighth Route Army, it was a major blow.
If we could capture Shuiquan, Luyang and other important areas at the cost of these three regiments, it would alleviate some of the losses, but it would only be equal to the losses and no profit would be made at all.
Unless the Eighth Route Army can capture Jinzhong, Taigu, Taiyuan and other areas, the price will no longer be unbearable.
But if it is used to exchange for a small Zhangzhuang stronghold, even if Ping'an County is included, it will be an unacceptable price for the boss.
Even if the New Second Regiment was used as the price to exchange for these two places, the boss felt that it was a big loss. "Old Chen, you are also a person who will not release the eagle until you see the rabbit. Unless it is necessary, you will never do a business that loses money... In a way, you are no different from Li Yunlong and Qin Yangming.
I will never take the initiative to do a business that will lose money.
They are all guys who will not do anything without profit.
But no matter whether it is your first or second battle plan, I can't see how this deal can make money, and a big profit at that.
Even if it were me, based on the current known situation, I couldn't say that I could gain enough benefits by attacking Ping'an County.
Of course, I am analyzing all this from the perspective of a forced attack, and have not taken into account the two variables of Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyozumi Kiichi.
If the two Japanese devils named Murakuchi Saburo and Qingquan Mu are really willing to sell the Zhangzhuang stronghold and the county seat of Ping'an County to us, and just want money, and if the ask is not excessive, then we can buy them with the money.
When the war between us begins, they will have to return the money to me later in the same way as they took it now."
Although the boss didn't ask much about the transactions between Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyozumi Muichi and the Eighth Route Army, he still knew a little about the general situation.
After all, the business that the two guys, Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyozumi Muichi, did with the Eighth Route Army was not small. The Eighth Route Army gave a lot of small yellow croakers to these two guys, Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyozumi Muichi.
In other words, Murakuchi Saburo and Qingquan Muyi are very trustworthy in this regard. As long as the transaction is completed, Murakuchi Saburo and Qingquan Muyi will be responsible to the end.
Sometimes they even give out gifts or something.
For example, if you buy a gun, you will give it to the puppet army; if you buy ammunition, you will give it to some intelligence.
Or if you need help escorting supplies, opening checkpoints, etc., you can directly ask Kiyozumi Muichi or Murakuchi Saburo to arrange for the Japanese's own troops to escort the supplies.
Because of these reasons, the boss knew a little about the situation of the two Japanese devils, Murakuchi Saburo and Qingquan Muyi.
For example, these two Japanese guys are definitely very rich now!
Of the gold bars and other things that the Eighth Route Army had accumulated over half a year, some were sent to Yan'an, some were kept as emergency reserves, and the rest basically went into the pockets of two guys, Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyomizu Muichi.
Especially this guy Qingquan Muyi, who, with the help of the Eighth Route Army, directly destroyed the gold mine in the mine at Chiyang Town.
All the gold mined from the visible gold mines belonged to the Eighth Route Army, while all the gold mined from the secret gold mine belonged to Qingquan Muyi.
Later on, Qingquan Muyi no longer refined the gold himself. Instead, he handed over all the ore to the Eighth Route Army, asking them to help with the refining and then send the finished gold to Qingquan Muyi.
Brigade Commander Chen listened to what the boss said and looked at him with some surprise.
"Hey, Boss, I didn't expect you to think of this tactic of robbing thieves."
The meaning of the boss’s last sentence is very clear.
If Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyozumi Muichi can really sell Ping'an County to the Eighth Route Army, then the money will be given directly to Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyozumi Muichi.
But once the war between the Eighth Route Army and the Japanese begins, the boss will definitely not let go of these two guys, Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyomizu Muichi.
At that time, as long as we catch Qingquan Muyi and Murakuchi Saburo, these two guys will have to return all the money they asked for from the Eighth Route Army.
The amount of money the two people had was enough to tempt even the boss.
After listening to what Brigade Commander Chen said, the general rolled his eyes at him.
"What do you mean by 'black eating black'? I captured the two of them openly on the battlefield. On the battlefield, they are enemies.
You are an enemy. I have captured you. If you want to leave and live, you will have to pay a price!"
When Brigade Commander Chen pointed out his thoughts, the general manager spoke without changing his expression.
"Besides, have you ever thought about taking advantage of these two guys? Have you ever thought about arresting these two devils and getting back all the money they have?"
Hearing the boss's question, Brigade Commander Chen nodded as a matter of course.
"Of course, how could I not have any ideas?
This was my original plan this time. If the two Japanese devils, Murakuchi Saburo and Qingquan Muyi, no longer wanted to cooperate with our Eighth Route Army, then I would let Xiao Qin and the others tie these two Japanese devils back.
Get all their money back.
Damn it, if you were a serious businessman, I would take responsibility for this business.
But who made them the Japanese?
Moreover, the things they use to do business with us are all produced using Chinese products. They are all our Chinese products!
Just take it back, there's nothing to feel guilty about.
Besides, those two little Japanese devils only cooperated with our Eighth Route Army for reasons of profit.
Similarly, we trade with them for profit reasons.
If the interests are interrupted, then we will have to face each other on the battlefield. Then we will see who is stronger on the battlefield!"
Brigade Commander Chen had no qualms about capturing Murakuchi Saburo and Qingquan Muyi, and then getting back all the money that these two guys had taken from the Eighth Route Army.
If Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyozumi Kiichi were serious businessmen, this would definitely not work.
But Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyozumi Muichi were not serious businessmen, but genuine Japanese officers!
Even if Murakuchi Saburo and Kiyozumi Muichi do not have the blood debt of the Eighth Route Army on their shoulders, do they not have the blood debt of the Chinese people on their shoulders?
Is there no blood debt among the troops they command?
impossible!
As for the situation where after the Eighth Route Army did this, no one in the subsequent Japanese troops would be willing to continue doing business with the Eighth Route Army.
The Eighth Route Army didn't care at all.
The current Eighth Route Army is no longer the miserable one it was before. The strength of the Eighth Route Army is there, and they are fully capable of robbing things directly!
Besides, doing business with the Japanese is always not a good idea. If you do it too much, it will easily lead to bad effects.
(End of this chapter)
