69novels Chapter 274 A New Northern Expedition Route Bypassing Jinling
Chapter 274 A New Northern Expedition Route Bypassing Jinling
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Current funds: £6,543,876
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[Current troop strength]: Five fully-equipped German-trained infantry divisions of the Wehrmacht, four reorganized divisions of the Central Army, three reorganized independent mixed brigades of the Central Army, two heavy artillery brigades, the First Destroyer Fleet, a submarine fleet, two armored divisions, the First Motorized Infantry Division, etc.
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The night was cool and still.
The high-level operations conference room at the Jining headquarters was still brightly lit.
On the huge mahogany conference table, a newly drawn map of North China's topography was laid out.
Chen Zijun stood with his hands behind his back in front of the sand table, his fingertips gently stroking the baton.
The crisp, rhythmic sound of the system's funds increasing was exceptionally clear in my ears and mind.
With nearly 20 million pounds at his disposal, every move he makes carries an unwavering determination.
"Young Marshal, the reports on rest and re-equipment of each division are all here."
Shen Li pushed open the heavy pine door and walked in, placing a stack of military green-covered documents on the table.
His military boots made a steady tapping sound on the wooden floor, and his face was unusually solemn.
Chen Zijun didn't turn around, but simply replied, "Where are Uncle He and the others?"
"They're all waiting outside, just waiting for you to summon them," Shen Li said in a low voice.
"Let them in."
Chen Zijun raised his hand, and the baton drew an arc in the air before landing steadily on the Jining location on the sand table.
A moment later, several senior generals, led by He Maofeng, commander of the independent motorized infantry division, strode into the conference room.
Everyone stood at attention in unison and saluted Chen Zijun: "Young Marshal!"
"Sit down." Chen Zijun sat back down in his chair, his gaze sweeping over the group of officers whose faces were filled with fanaticism.
In the Battle of Xuzhou, Chen's army used armored formations and heavy artillery brigades to directly shatter the very foundation of the old warlords.
Now, with the arrival of General He Maofeng, the earliest and most loyal member of the Chen family, and his independent motorized infantry division, the appetites of these generals have been whetted, and their desire to fight is extremely high.
"Young Marshal, the brothers are cleaning the cannons in the barracks every day; their hands are so itchy they've developed calluses the size of bowls!"
He Maofeng, being straightforward, broke the silence by speaking first.
"Zhang Xinmin of the Fengtian clique was blown to pieces by the Japanese at Huanggutun. Now the Fengtian clique in Northeast China is leaderless, and the Kwantung Army is restless and could move south at any time!"
"Now that we've captured Jining, why not press our advantage and stop these Japanese devils outside the pass?"
"Young Marshal, our independent motorized infantry division has nearly 25,000 men, all of them the elite of the elite. Add to that two armored divisions, one defense division, and two heavy artillery brigades, all well-equipped with German weaponry. Even if we encountered a top-tier Japanese division, I'd dare to take them down!"
He Maofeng slammed his hand on the table and roared in a rough voice, his eyes gleaming with greed.
Shen Li sat to the side, tapping the table lightly with his knuckles, calmly pouring cold water on the situation:
"Uncle He, everyone wants to fight the Japanese, but how do we head north?"
"Further north of Jining lies the heart of Shandong, and beyond that are Hebei and Henan. Those are all nominally defense zones of the Nanjing government."
"Not to mention that Commander-in-Chief Chang of Nanjing just compromised with us and gave us northern Jiangsu and southern Shandong."
"If we were to march north with our army without authorization, what would the rest of China think of us? The Grand Marshal and the Young Marshal have only just changed sides; if a civil war were to break out now, it would truly be a catastrophe!"
"Screw him!"
An armored brigade commander, with a thick neck, chimed in, "Chang Guangtou himself doesn't have the guts to confront the Japanese directly, but he's always thinking about making trouble behind the scenes. When it comes to civil war, he's more enthusiastic than anyone else."
"If we really launch a northern expedition against Japan, and they dare to speak ill of us behind our backs, then they will be sinners against the entire world!"
"Young Marshal, although Governor Han of Henan and Governor Ni of Anhui are not as powerful as the Fengtian clique, they each have tens of thousands of troops under their command."
Shen Li looked at Chen Zijun and calmly analyzed the situation.
"If Chang Guangtou were to grant them official positions and promises, allowing them to hold us at the Yellow River crossing or the Huai River defense line, the logistical costs along the way would be substantial."
"Our heavy forces are too reliant on fuel and ammunition."
"Of course he dares to choke us."
Chen Zijun spoke coldly, interrupting the generals' discussion.
The meeting room fell silent instantly. Everyone stood at attention, their eyes fixed on Chen Zijun.
"I know Chang Guangtou's narrow-mindedness better than anyone else."
Chen Zijun stood up, walked slowly to the huge sand table, and slammed his baton down heavily on the location of Jining.
"He had no regard for the overall situation of the national resistance against Japan; he only cared about the legitimacy of his Nanjing court and his own small territory."
"Hoping that he would agree to let us pass through to the north to fight the Japanese is simply wishful thinking."
The generals looked at each other, somewhat discouraged.
"Young Marshal, does that mean we can only stay in southern Shandong and northern Jiangsu, watching the Japanese devils run rampant in Northeast and North China?" He Maofeng asked through gritted teeth, his eyes filled with resentment.
"Defend?"
A flash of violence and coldness appeared in Chen Zijun's eyes, and he burst into wild laughter:
"The phrase 'only defending and never attacking' doesn't exist in Lao Tzu's dictionary!"
"If Jinling won't let us pass, can't we just walk on our own?"
After saying that, Chen Zijun suddenly raised the baton in his hand and drew a breathtaking arc from Jining!
"You guys better watch out!"
"Independent motorized infantry division, lead the charge! Take the 12th Division, head north from Jining, pass through Jinan and Dezhou, cross the Yellow River, go through Cangzhou, and attack Tianjin!"
"The newly integrated First Army is based in Suqian, heading out of Anhui, into Henan, and directly penetrating the heart of Hebei!"
"Advance along both the Pinghan Road and the Jinpu Road, heading straight for Beiping!"
"hiss!"
A collective gasp filled the entire command center.
Even Shen Li, who had followed Chen Zijun the longest, was stunned at this moment, and a layer of cold sweat seeped out from his forehead.
Bypassing Nanjing's defense zone, they directly attacked Shandong, Hebei, and Tianjin, passing through Anhui, Henan, and Hebei provinces, and marched north to Beiping!
This is not a matter of borrowing a route; it is clearly a matter of using an iron fist to tear open a land route for the Northern Expedition against Japan on the map!
"Young Marshal, although the local warlords in Anhui, Henan, and Hebei are old and incompetent, if we force our way through, Nanjing will definitely issue them an order to be annihilated."
Shen Li pointed to the defense zones painted blue and yellow on the sand table, his voice trembling slightly.
"At that point, it will be a full-scale civil war."
"civil war?"
"I'm launching the Northern Expedition!"