My client Li Yunlong

"Landmines?"

The next day.

Kazuki Yamamoto submitted an application report to Yoshio Shinozuka.

"Yes, mines."

Yamamoto said:

"Judging from the Heze unit's attack on the Eighth Route Army's transportation routes, sending a small group of troops to infiltrate the highway and attack the transportation team may not be effective."

Hearing this, Yoshio Shinozuka thought of the latest battle report he had received.

Although the Second Battalion of the Heze Regiment successfully attacked a grain transport team of the Eighth Route Army and burned almost all the grain and transportation vehicles, the grain transport guard force was very strong.

As many as a thousand people.

The firepower far exceeds that of the Locust Army infantry brigade.

As a result, the Heze United Second Battalion itself also suffered heavy losses.

If it were not for the timely support of the Army Aviation, I am afraid that it would be as simple as losing just one squadron. Subsequently, the second brigade of Heze United was also besieged by Tubal Road, and only more than 400 people were finally evacuated.

The result of the battle was that more than 500 grain transport vehicles were burned down and about 500 tons of grain were destroyed.

Basically, one locust army was exchanged for one ton of grain from Tubal Road.

A known,

The Eighth Route Army in the Taiyue Mountains can obtain more than 100,000 tons of grain every month.

This is no longer something that can be described as blood loss.

"really."

Yoshio Shinozuka nodded.

Yamamoto continued:

"Instead of sending a large force to attack, I think it is better to send a small force to infiltrate, harass, lay landmines, etc."

"That's what the Eighth Route Army calls the Sparrow War."

"Mine."

Yoshio Shinozuka frowned.

The empire has mines and corresponding technical reserves.

After all, mine technology is simple.

However, the North China Front Army and even the Republic of China dispatched troops did not have landmines. Firstly, they did not need landmines to deal with the Republic of China troops. Secondly, they did not conform to the tactical system of the Imperial Locust Army.

Mines are not offensive weapons.

Only the Kwantung Army had some anti-tank mines.

Fortunately, the production of landmines is not difficult. With the empire's industrial capabilities, it can be quickly produced on a large scale. However, even simple landmines will take about a month to be transported from the mainland.

"I will explain it to Chief of Staff Kasahara."

Yoshio Shinozuka said.

His relationship with Shun Tada is basically dead, and can only be conveyed through the new chief of staff.

···
"More than five hundred tons of grain were burned?"

"The air wing also photographed the battlefield?"

Unlike the military.

When Colonel Suzuki Toji, who was in charge of economic warfare, heard the news, he didn't have a moment to grieve and mourn for the more than 400 locust troops in Yusha. Instead, he couldn't help but be overjoyed.

Five hundred tons of grain is not much.

In the Jinan area on Tuba Road, more grain is put into the market in one day than this amount.

but that's okay,

Since there are aerial photos, the number of tons destroyed by the Locust Army is the number of tons.

The influence of Locust Army's newspaper is much higher than that of Xinhua Newspaper on Tubal Road.

The market is very sensitive to this kind of news.

As long as this battle report and the photo appear in the newspaper, things will be simple.

"Someone is coming."

Suzuki Fanji couldn't wait to call his men.

That night, Suzuki Toji worked hard all night. He first contacted the military headquarters and obtained aerial photos of the attack on the grain transport team. Later, he contacted news and printing companies and rushed to work on the newspaper overnight.

Finally, they sent someone to deliver the newspaper non-stop.

At his urging, the next day, recorded newspapers appeared in several Japs-controlled counties around the Jinan base area.

He even sent people to secretly transport these newspapers to the Jinan base area.

···
The next day.

Chi County.

As Ze County, which is close to the center of the southern Hebei base area, the Japs stationed a full brigade here, plus a cavalry brigade, the total strength of the Japs was more than 1,500 people.

If it weren't for the lack of troops and the fact that there were no important transportation lines passing through Chi County, I'd be worried if the Japanese would have to station a regiment here.

At this time, a newspaper issued by the Japanese appeared in the streets.

The people on the street looked at the newspapers and blurry photos on the wall with disdainful expressions.

Xinhua Newspaper was also posted in Chi County.

The common people were also excited to see it.

"Little devil, do you have the nerve to post this newspaper?"

Comparing the photos of the Japanese today with those of the Eighth Route Army at that time, the gap is so huge that the people are disgusted.

First, the gap in newspaper quality is indeed huge.

Secondly, the people in Chi County have long hated the Japs. Even the people who live peacefully and do not care about national affairs still hate the Japs to death.

Since May, food prices in the Eighth Route Base Area have increased a lot, but they are still only half of those in the Japs-controlled areas. It is said that food prices are still falling.

Moreover, the Eighth Route Army also sells grain to the market at the May price of one dollar per catty every day.

As long as you spend some time in line, you can buy this kind of low-priced food. Even if you don't eat it, you can sell it and make some money.

Jobs in the Eighth Route Base Area are also relatively easy to find. You have to be willing to endure hardships. Working in a construction team, one person can support a family.

It's nothing like the Japs here. It's hard to find work, food is extremely expensive, many people can't survive, and people leave every now and then.

If they hadn't been unable to leave, they would have left long ago.

"The grain transport team was attacked?"

But when people heard the contents of the newspaper and saw the photos, they felt extremely complicated.

The grain transport team was attacked, and the price of grain increased again?

A large part of the food in Chi County, a Japanese-controlled area, comes from the Eighth Route Army.

Do the Japanese really give people no way to survive?

Do you have to force people to death?

···
Different from ordinary people.

Some traitorous landlords in the southern Hebei base area were overjoyed and the gongs and drums were beating in unison. Jia Mansion.

Mr. Jia's two old cold legs jumped up quickly again, with a triumphant smile on his wrinkled old face.

"Ha ha··"

"After all, the Japanese are superior."

"A direct attack on the Eighth Route Army's food transport team directly cut off the Eighth Route Army's food source. How long can they last this time?"

“It’s time to let the market determine food prices.”

Mr. Jia thought of a few words he had recently come across - market economy.

"master·"

The housekeeper looked at the newspaper in his hand and felt something was wrong:
"Can the Japanese destroy 3,000 tons of grain of the Eighth Route Army in one go?"

"this··"

Although there were newspapers and photos, the quality of the Japs' photos was really unflattering. They were as blurry as if they were drawn with a pen. Compared with the Eighth Route Army's newspapers, it was hard to believe.

And a transport team can transport three thousand tons of grain?

The butler didn't believe it.

He was also someone who had organized grain transportation and knew that transporting three thousand tons of grain by mules and horses was almost impossible.

"Didn't you hear what the Japanese said?"

Mr. Jia has great trust in the Japanese:

"They used planes."

"I asked someone to inquire. There was indeed a fight on the highway that day, and a Japanese plane appeared."

"this··"

The butler hesitated.

"The newspapers also said that the Japanese were about to bomb the Eighth Route Army's bridges."

"What can Tubalu do to deal with Japanese planes?"

Old Man Jia's tone was triumphant and proud.

The Chief of Staff of the North China Front was publicly wanted and killed. Tada Shun was angry. Seeing that the Eighth Route Army was not currently equipped with anti-aircraft weapons, he also publicly announced that he would bomb Zhizishan Bridge and other important traffic arteries in an attempt to regain his position.

"Makes sense!"

The housekeeper nodded and took a photo of the horse:

"The master is still wise."

"Then let's..."

The butler looked at his master.

"purchase!"

"Purchase grain at a price higher than the market price."

"Unlimited purchases."

Mr. Jia waved his hand and spoke boldly.

"But we don't have enough money."

The butler frowned.

After hoarding 2,000 tons of grain, the funds obtained by the Jia Mansion from mortgaging 5,000 acres of fertile land have been exhausted.

"Then get a loan."

Mr. Jia continued to wave his old hands and said in a bold tone:
"Didn't the Eighth Route Army issue a low-interest agricultural loan?"

Even in the base area, which is dominated by small-scale farmers, where chemical fertilizers and high-quality seeds are rarely widely available, and the people provide their own labor force, farming still requires costs.

And not low.

But farmers are often penniless.

To this end, in order to promote agricultural development, the Jinan Base Area has opened low-interest and ultra-low-interest loans to the people, and even limited-time interest-free loans.

"Sir, that requires land as collateral."

replied the butler.

"Then use food as collateral."

Mr. Jia rolled his eyes and thought of the grain in the warehouse.

The current price of grain in the base area market is 2.5 yuan per catty for imported grain. Two thousand tons of grain can be used as collateral to lend a large sum of money to the Jinan base area.

The increased price is enough to purchase more than a thousand tons of grain.

"Okay, sir."

The butler immediately began to execute it.

···
Also in Ze County.

Su family.

When Mr. Su saw the Japanese newspaper,
Although I wish this was true,

But as an old fox, I didn't believe it immediately.

Instead, they immediately sent people to the Japs-controlled areas to inquire and contact some traitors to gather information.

After spending some money and through some contacts, Mrs. Su learned that the battle that took place on the road from Taihang to Jinan was real. The Eighth Route Army suffered a big loss, losing many large vehicles, and food was burned everywhere. .

Now and in the past, you can see traces of ashes from burned food on the ground.

"father?"

My son couldn’t wait:

"We need to buy food immediately..."

"Do not."

Mr. Su, an old fox, narrowed his eyes, took a puff from his old pipe, and said:
"Wait a minute."

"Let's take a look at the recent actions of the Eighth Route Army."

"Both the Wang family and the Jia family have already taken action. They have mortgaged all the food."

"Today, the Eighth Route Army is very relaxed about loans in order to develop the base economy."

the son urged.

"The Japanese said they burned thousands of tons of grain, just thousands of tons of grain?"

"Bombing bridges when they say they're going to bomb bridges?"

"Don't trust what's in the newspaper."

Old Fox Su put down his pipe and said in a tone of hatred:
"Don't just say it by hearsay. Whatever you hear is what you hear?"

"be patient."

"Yes."

Although he was unhappy in his heart and thought that his father had no courage to take a gamble, he was not the one in charge after all, so the eldest son of the Su family had no choice but to be obedient. (End of chapter)