Start with Four Lines Warehouse

Chapter 13 Troops?force!
In order to destroy the buildings north of the Sixing Warehouse, Ma Chao planted eight thousand catties of explosives.

And the explosion of the [-] catties of explosives did instantly break the sensitive nerves of the joint authorities of the Anglo-American and French Concessions across the river.

At the moment of the explosion, a large area of ​​houses in the concession was damaged. Sir Howard, the British consul who was the top leader of the joint authority, was frightened and fled in a hurry. He calmed down after boarding a British cruise ship parked in the port.

After Sir Howard boarded the cruise ship, he found that there was no other movement after the explosion.Only then pretending to be calm, he took out a bottle of wine from the room he had already reserved on the tanker, and said to the captain who came in a hurry: "I think today's weather is very suitable for enjoying this bottle of red wine from Bordeaux, France." , what do you say, my captain."

If you don't look at Howard's appearance, just listen to his words and add to today's situation, maybe you will think that this is a brave and fearless person.

But if it is accompanied by his Mediterranean hairstyle that is not covered by a golden wig, the bruises on his face caused by the bruise caused by the hasty escape, and his fat body that is shivering due to the sea breeze.Coupled with listening to his pretending to be calm words, I think you have a good self-cultivation for not laughing on the spot.

Of course, although the captain of the cruise ship did not have such good self-cultivation, under Sir Howard's murderous gaze, he could only bite the bullet and agree: "You are so right, Sir Howard, in such weather , it must be a great enjoyment to drink a sip of Bordeaux red wine. So, do I need to prepare some side dishes for you, sir."

Howard knew that although the captain in front of him said so, he must have been smiling in his heart.so:
"No, Mr. Captain, I'm busy with business, so I'll leave right away. But I hope that what I've been here today hasn't happened to him, understand?" Howard said.

"As you wish, my lord consul!" replied the captain.

"I hope so." Howard whispered the moment he passed the captain.

The moment Howard left the pier, he threw the bottle of expensive French Bordeaux red wine through the car window, and finally it was broken into pieces on the ground of the pier.

"It's a pity that there is such a good red wine." The captain who picked up his pipe again muttered as he watched the vehicle Howard was leaving.

Ma Chao, who was preparing to take a break in the Four Lines Warehouse, suddenly thought of something.

That is, although all Chinese troops on the Songhu battlefield are now retreating.However, there are still many soldiers who have separated from the main force due to various reasons. They are like headless chickens bumping their heads in the entire Shanghai area.The lucky ones escaped from birth, and the unlucky ones never disappeared.

There are also local militias who received orders to increase their members from afar, and passionate people who voluntarily came to fight against the enemy and serve the country.It is very likely that they are still driving into the Shanghai area non-stop because they have not received the latest order from their superiors at this moment.

So he hurriedly found Xie Jinyuan and said:
"Regimental Commander, didn't we gather a group of defeated soldiers last night, you know about this, right?"

"I know, what's the matter." Xie Jinyuan said with a surprised expression.

"When Zhu Shengzhong questioned them, I heard them say that they were a team from the local militia in Hubei, and they were ordered to come to Shanghai for support. They were scattered because they encountered Japanese on the road." Ma Chao continued.

"Yes, that's how it was reported to me. Does battalion commander Ma think there's something wrong with them?" Xie Jinyuan was even more puzzled.

"So, head, tell me, will there be many teams like them?" Ma Chao raised his opinion.

Xie Jinyuan heard what Ma Chao said, and after thinking about it for a while, he also felt that the possibility of this situation was very high.

After all, according to the communication conditions at that time, there were only wired telephones and wireless stations, but the telephone was basically just a large local area network, which could only be used in places where telephone lines were laid, so it was basically not necessary for troops to march. existing.

The radio station can be used nationwide, but the problem is that the radio station was a very delicate thing at the time, and it was easily damaged due to environmental problems and lost contact.

Second, under the circumstances of the unified Anti-Japanese War at that time, the military units in the country were divided into three categories. At the brigade level, most of the regiment-level units below are absent, and this is still the case of direct-line troops.

The second category is those troops that are not directly related, such as the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, the Sichuan Army, and the Yunnan Army.Chairman Jiang will never care about their life and death. Even if they are used now, they are only purchased by themselves during the warlord melee. Not to mention the old models.

The third category is the local security corps, which are all established by the local government. Although they are managed by the national government in name, they are actually self-governing.Therefore, the quality of their weapons and equipment depends entirely on the local economic situation.The good equipment is excellent, second to none in the whole country, the poor ones are eating bran and swallowing vegetables, and everyone can't even have a red tassel gun.Among this type of troops, the most representative one is Song Ziwen's Tax Police Headquarters, whose combat effectiveness can be said to be the best in the country at that time.

Therefore, at this time, there are many military units on the road that have not received the order to retreat, and they are still gathering in Songhu.Just like the opening scene in the "Eight Hundred" movie.

"I think, a team like them, they should not be the first, but they will not be the last. And this is exactly what we need most." Ma Chao continued.

"Especially after this morning, the little devils have suffered such a loss. With their vengeful temperament, they will definitely retaliate. If they don't act now, it's nothing more than they haven't reacted yet. When they react, it's up to us How long do you think these 400 people can last?"

"So, you mean to gather these troops?" Xie Jinyuan asked.

"Yes, before the little devil can react, send people to guard the surrounding roads, and bring them here as soon as they see them. And if you see routs going out, bring them back. Now, we need manpower , a large number of people." Ma Chao suggested.

"However, expanding the army without authorization is a violation of military law." Xie Jinyuan said worriedly.It's not that he doesn't understand the current situation, it's just that military law is still an insurmountable red line for a pure soldier like him.

"Then what do you say, wait for the little devil to tear up our piece of fat, bite it into pieces and swallow it, and sit and watch those unsuspecting brothers who came to support and plunged into the arms of the little devil? Now, you are afraid of being dealt with by the military law, and you have to go back alive before he can deal with you. Besides, you will not be able to contact your superiors if you do not accept military orders abroad, right?" Ma Chao wanted to kick Xie Jinyuan twice at this time, but also If you have time to be melancholy about military law, let's talk about it after the battle is over and you survive.

(End of this chapter)