Age of Conquest Reborn

Chapter 550: Get into the pocket

At dawn, Rensuke Isotani, who had been awake all night, had red bloodshot eyes, a tired look on his face, and a dark stubble that had grown thick overnight. The staff all knew that the Commander was in a bad mood, and they all avoided hiding.

From a distance, even when entering and exiting, he was very tiptoeing, and no one came to touch this bad luck. There was a colleague who was not foresight and had already been punished to feed the horses.

The Japanese artillery bombardment started again. This time, it was more violent than every time and lasted much longer. All the artillery shells kept pouring out shells, as if to destroy the fear and resentment of the past two days.

The vented, whistling shells almost turned Shangqiu City upside down. Smoke filled the air, smoke and dust rose everywhere, and the artillery fire extended. The Japanese army's fierce charge began.

It went very smoothly. There was no resistance. The Japanese army successfully occupied the position. It was the same as the situation encountered in Kaifeng City. Apart from the craters everywhere, the buildings with lingering smoke, and the choking smell of gunpowder smoke, there was not even a single person.

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After receiving the report, Isoya Rensuke felt regretful and wanted to slap himself in the face. Six or seven hours of time were wasted like this. If he had been bolder, now, the troops have reached the outskirts of Xuzhou, and the battle has reached this point.

For his sake, he also understood that Tang Qiuli tried every means to stop him in the middle, at any cost, which could only explain one problem. The Chinese army was empty in the direction of Xuzhou, and he was trying to buy time to mobilize troops.

After understanding this, Isotani Rensuke was even more upset. Kaifeng and Shangqiu were both fooled and wasted more than a day. None of the commanders of this Chinese devil were simple. How dare they

In different locations, the same tactics were used to disrupt the deployment of the imperial army with a sneak attack, and then the entire army evacuated.

Isotani Rensuke immediately ordered the troops to advance at full speed. At six o'clock tonight, they must reach the Xuzhou City and attack the city overnight. It is now the morning of December 21, although they have been blocked by Tang Qiuli's troops for five consecutive days.

After many days, the suddenness of launching the battle has been lost. He still wants to capture Xuzhou in the shortest time and open the door to the south for the troops who have no retreat. Only in this way can the First Army escape the fate of being surrounded.

With less than 100,000 remaining Japanese troops, carrying the fear of the bloody battle for days, dragging their tired bodies and rolling up smoke and dust, they passed through the almost ruined Shangqiu and rushed towards Xuzhou. What awaited them ahead was

Destined to be his fate, Li Zongren mobilized his army and set up a pocket formation on the outskirts of Xuzhou. He set up a net and waited for Isotani Rensuke to rush to his death in a hurry.

At around 5:00 pm on December 20, Tang Qiuli received a telegram from Li Zongren, the commander-in-chief of the Xuzhou Theater. The main force of the Xuzhou Battle, Guangxi Army Liao Lei's 21st Group Army with 140,000 troops, had all arrived at the designated position.

, is currently being carried out in Yanglou and Jiahe Village.

If Rensuke Isotani gives up his plan to capture Xuzhou at this time, transfers from Shangqiu to Heze, and tries to join the Japanese army in Cangzhou, and the Japanese army in Cangzhou pulls him again, it may not be a way out. However, whether it is the Japanese army base camp or himself,

They were all obsessed with Xuzhou, as if by occupying Xuzhou, the war in Songhu would end satisfactorily according to the Japanese wishes.

The eight main divisions of the Sichuan Army could also arrive at the designated position at about 8 o'clock that night. Vice Chairman Tang's blocking force only needed to complete the blocking mission according to the original plan. The rest would be handed over to the Xuzhou Theater and deployed in Xiao County.

Will Deputy Commander Tang's troops in the area participate in the Battle of Xuzhou on the spot, or will Vice Chairman Tang have other plans?

Tang Qiuli was quite hesitant. Judging from the deployment of the troops commanded by Li Zongren, he wanted to give the Japanese First Army a hundred pocket formations and put all the 100,000 Japanese troops into them. With Liao Lei's 21st Army

The main force was ambushing on both sides of the only road from Shangqiu to Xuzhou. Most of the Sichuan army was deployed in the Huangkou area to tie up the mouths of the pockets, while Xuzhou was defended with a fortified city, attracting Japanese troops to gather under the city and all the troops were surrounded.

Judging from Li Zongren's battle plan, it is not impossible to completely annihilate Isotani Rensuke's First Army. He has 240,000 troops in his hands, more than twice the number of Japanese troops. He has the capital to think like this. In addition, the current Japanese army is

With one army alone and deep in the situation, the most likely Japanese reinforcements can only come from the direction of Cangzhou, Hebei. Where Liu Tiehan has nearly 300,000 troops, it is impossible to let go of the Japanese. He can have plenty of time, even if he consumes

Consumed Rensuke Isotani to death.

As soon as the war in Xuzhou begins, Liu Tiehan's troops will send reinforcements in northern Xuzhou. Li Zongren's troops can safely encircle and annihilate the Japanese First Army. Tang Qiusheng's troops will stay in the Xiaoxian area and have no big effect. The purpose of Li Zongren's call

, Tang Qiuli grasped very clearly that in the Battle of Xuzhou, the Xuzhou theater can be fought by oneself. As for your troops, Vice Chairman Tang, there is no need to participate anymore, right?

Looking at the telegram, Tang Qiuli shook his head helplessly. This leader of the New Gui Clan was very organized in his formation and had a big appetite. He enlisted the troops of the Army Division to help him, but he wanted to monopolize Xuzhou.

The credit of the battle, his troops

Why didn't you mention Tang Qiusheng's troops in Xiao County before they arrived? Anyway, not taking the credit from him would be equivalent to fulfilling his wish, but he couldn't decide whether to go north to Cangzhou or westward to the Taihang Mountains.

idea.

What Tang Qiuli considered was that once the Battle of Xuzhou started, the Japanese army in North China would definitely not sit back and watch Isotani Rensuke's First Army being surrounded and destroyed by the Chinese Army. They would desperately rescue them, and they would be beyond the reach of Songhu and Shanxi directions.

, only the day in Cangzhou

The army was closest to Isotani Rensuke, and the Japanese army was desperate. Liu Tiehan was under great pressure. It would be best if Tang Qiusheng's troops could be transferred to the Taihang Mountains to join the battle to annihilate the Japanese troops at Yamaguchi. But once Cangzhou was in a tight situation, it would be

There are no troops to reinforce.

This put Tang Qiuli in a dilemma, constantly weighing the pros and cons. He did not have more than 100,000 troops, so killing Shankou was an empty talk. What he wanted was annihilation rather than defeat. The direction of Cangzhou made it difficult for him to rest assured. He couldn't help but sigh: "

We still have few soldiers." If several other military leaders in the country heard this, they would roll their eyes in anger.

You, Vice Chairman Tang, now have more than 500,000 powerful soldiers, which is still less. Compared with you, we are almost like beggars. In fact, some people have long complained about this. Tang Qiuli already has four powerful soldiers in the country.

One-third of the armed forces, but they did not see that the Yellow River War Zone faced more than 1.1 million Japanese troops in the entire north. When the war started, Tang Qiuli was stretched everywhere, and the use of troops repeatedly reached the limit.

What if they weren't scared out of their wits when faced with so many Japanese troops? Tang Qiuli shook his head, trying to get rid of these unpleasant things, and concentrated on the matter in front of him. Suddenly, a gust of elegant fragrance blew into his nostrils.

This was a familiar scent to him, and he raised his head in surprise.

A smiling face like a flower was looking at him. In the bright eyes like autumn water, there was uncontrollable passion. It was Mei Ting or someone else. Tang Qiuli was even more surprised. Why did his wife suddenly arrive here?

Mei Ting's face has returned to its usual rosy color, but it has become slightly clearer, but it has gained a bit more charming charm, with a small proud smile. She seemed to be disappointed that she suddenly appeared in front of Tang Qiuli, giving him

She was very satisfied with the surprise. Looking at her goose-like husband, Mei Ting blushed. She noticed that the translator and staff in the room couldn't bear to see the division commander's appearance.

Cover your mouth and snicker.

After more than a month of separation, Tang Qiuli dreamed of his wife countless times. When he woke up, he found that he missed his wife more and more painfully. He was used to having Mei Ting by his side. When he had a little leisure time,

It is unavoidable to feel a little lonely. It is said that "love between children in troubled times" is a kind of helpless lovesickness and separation, but in Tang Qiuli's view, it is the fine wine in the cellar, the long-term concern, and the sweet lovesickness in longing.

I was surprised that my wife's injury healed so quickly, and even more surprised that Mei Ting suddenly arrived. Such an arrangement was made by Shan Hu, a lovely guy. Seeing that he was always depressed because of Su Jingfeng's death in battle, and had a lot of depression in his heart, he made the arrangement

The capable men rushed to Huangyadong and took Mei Ting to the Shanxi Guxian Division Headquarters.

Now, as if this great hero was nothing, Tang Qiuli secretly extended his thumb to him, "Those who know me are Shanhu. In fact, Mei Ting's injury has not healed, she just listened to the special guards picking her up."

When the soldiers said this, they felt anxious. She knew her husband very well and was a very emotional person. Su Jingfeng's death in battle must have been a huge blow to him.

At this time, he needed his own comfort and companionship. He begged the doctor for a long time, but the doctor did not dare to be careless. After careful examination and numerous instructions, he was reluctantly released. Mei Ting was anxious, firstly she was thinking about her husband, and secondly

I haven’t seen you for many days, so I miss you very much.

Seeing that his wife had not fully recovered and was traveling such a long distance, Tang Qiuli was so distressed that he didn't know what to say. He asked Mei Ting to go to the bedroom to rest, and he took a few guards and went around the mountains to fight.

I brought back some wild game and went to the cooking class to cook myself, making a fragrant and filling meal for Mei Ting.

He went to call Mei Ting for dinner. When he entered the bedroom, he saw Mei Ting wrinkling her cute little nose and holding the dirty clothes he had changed into with one hand. She didn't know where to put them. This situation made Tang Qiuli angry.

Unable to help laughing, Mei Ting glared at him angrily, "You don't know how to take care of yourself. How many days have you not taken a shower?" Tang Qiuli touched his head in embarrassment. He didn't know, but he smelled sour anyway.

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During the meal, Tang Qiu couldn't help but fill Mei Ting with soup and vegetables. When Mei Ting saw her husband in a happy mood and with a big appetite, she gave him a sweet smile from time to time. Communications Director Chen Feng took a telegram,

When I entered the door, I saw the sweet couple making love to each other. I couldn't bear to disturb them and lingered outside the door for a long time.

Just as Shan Hu came over, he saw Chen Feng wandering around, and pulled him strangely. When he saw the telegram in Chen Feng's hand, Shan Hu also changed his expression. This was the emergency pointed out to the division by Feng Zhi'an.

The telegram explained in detail the death of General Zhang Zizhong, the losses of the troops and their current status, and asked for instructions on the next course of action.

(To be continued)