A soldier ran back and reported: "Report, a squadron of Japanese troops has been found ahead, camping."

Shao Fei opened his pocket watch and looked at the time, and ordered: "Order the troops to continue to advance towards the southeast."

The troops shifted direction and headed southeast, close to the area of Xingjialou. Three kilometers west of Xingjialou, there is the 183rd Division of the Yunnan Army garrisoned.

Gao Yi on the side suggested: "Just one squadron, we launch a night raid, and it should be no problem to destroy them."

Shao Fei said with a smile as he walked: "Boss, don't you see that the devil's hands are itchy."

Gao Yi said depressedly: "Can you not have itchy hands?" After being out of Yunnan for more than half a year, I didn't even see a ghost. It's like you, brother, who fought in the north and south. ”

Shao Fei looked around and said, "It was said that we were asked to infiltrate behind enemy lines, but the combat radius is not even five kilometers, and I can smell it as a fart."

Gao Yi smiled: "Then your fart stinks enough."

Shao Fei became serious: "Such a small area, but the devils have at least one wing, which means that there are devils everywhere around us, and we can't be exposed if we are not familiar with the terrain, landform, and the deployment of the enemy's troops."

After an hour's march, the troops came to a poplar forest northwest of Xingjialou. Shao Fei ordered the troops to camp in the center of the woods, and then ordered the special combat team to be divided into four groups and reconnoiter overnight in four directions.

Until 10 a.m., the special combat team rushed back one after another. Shao Fei immediately ordered Xiaodao to report the intelligence collected by the special combat team to the military headquarters.

Sabu handed a map to Shao Fei and said, "Instructor, this is a map drawn up, which shows the deployment of Japanese troops in detail. There were at least two Japanese brigades in this area, which should be in a wing formation, and the enemy's general headquarters should be in the east. ”

Shao Fei looked at it and said approvingly: "Yes, it seems that you have worked hard."

Sabu replied: "There has been basically no fighting in the past two years, just training what you gave us every day."

Shao Fei patted the sprinkler and said, "Go back and rest, take care of your spirits."

"Hmm." Sabu turned around and left, leading the special forces team to rest in the tent.

Not long after Shao Fei looked at the map, suddenly a roar sounded in the distance, and the ground began to tremble slightly.

Gao Yi quickly ran over and hurriedly asked, "Did the devil start attacking?"

Shao Fei smiled: "Why are you so nervous, it seems that I don't ask you to kill a few devils today, I'm really sorry for you." It's our artillery. ”

Gao Yi listened to the direction and smiled: "It is indeed our artillery."

"I sent the enemy's troop deployment back to the headquarters, although I can't strike accurately, but it's enough for the devil to drink a pot."

After Shao Fei finished speaking, he called a knife and ordered him to lead the reconnaissance platoon to set off immediately. Hidden in Chenwa Village, Xingjialou, and Wushengtang, there are main roads from east to west, and when the enemy situation is discovered, it is reported directly to the military headquarters.

In the early morning of the 23rd, the battle between Xingjialou and Wushengtang began. Chen Zhongshu, commander of the 542nd Brigade of the 183rd Division, personally commanded and launched a surprise attack on Xingjialou and Wushengtang, and soon occupied two villages.

"Clean up the battlefield, build fortifications to the east and south, the devil will be here soon!"

Chen Zhongshu ordered the troops to rebuild new fortifications. He knew that a large number of devils were stationed in the east and would arrive soon.

As Chen Zhongshu expected, it didn't take long for a large number of Japanese troops to launch a fierce attack on the Five Saints Church. Almost all of the positions were caught in flames.

Seeing that the position of the Five Holy Churches was not guaranteed, Chen Zhongshu immediately sent the 1083rd Regiment to the Five Holy Churches for reinforcements.

At the front of the Five Saints' Church, the sound of rushing killings, grenade explosions, and the metal impact of bayonets resounded. The two sides rushed back and forth in and outside the village, fighting house by house. After a bloody battle, they barely held the position of the Five Holy Churches.

The Japanese army did not die and shifted the direction of the main attack. The main force aggressively attacked the main position of the 542 Brigade in Xingjialou, and sent a small force to contain the 1083 Regiment of the Five Holy Churches.

"Covert"

Chen Zhongshu ordered all troops to hide. When the Japanese army entered the effective firing range, Chen Zhongshu gave an order, and machine guns and grenades hit the enemy together, and the Japanese army retreated in embarrassment.

The soldiers of the 542 regiment began to chant victory from their positions. Some of the soldiers, who were overexcited, began to curse the devils in Yunnan dialect. Chen Zhongshu also breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the trench.

"What are they shouting!?"

The devil commander in the distance heard the scolding and asked the interpreter next to him.

"This ......" the translator could not say.

"Say!"

"They're greeting your ancestors for eighteen generations." The translator replied helplessly.

"Eight Ga Ya Road!" The commander was furious and said angrily: "I must take Xingjialou today."

Chen Zhongshu leaned in the trench for a short rest, and suddenly found a soldier next to him folding the banknotes and putting them in his mouth.

"What are you doing here?" Chen Zhongshu asked with a smile.

"Brigade seat, even if you die in battle, you will have money to spend on going down, and they do it all." The soldier replied with a smile.

Chen Zhongshu smiled, patted the soldier and didn't say anything. Because these soldiers are ready to die for their country. (Money in his mouth, from a survivor's memoir.) ）

Not long after, the Japanese attacked again. Chen Zhongshu took the lead and led the soldiers to fight back. With the coordination of the two positions of Wushengtang and Xingjialou, they repelled the attack of the Japanese army.

After a bloody battle in the morning, both sides suffered heavy losses. The front of the position and the entrance of the village were full of the corpses of devils and soldiers of the Dian army. The land on the edge was soaked with blood and became extremely muddy. The entire village was devoid of tiles, and the walls had long since been blackened by artillery fire.

The Japanese army was unable to capture the rock-solid position in front of the upper front, and had no choice but to reinforce the rear headquarters.

All units of the 60th Army were actively preparing for a counteroffensive, but the most fierce battles were in Chenwa Village, Xingjialou, and Wushengtang. Therefore, the eyes of the whole army are focused on this area.

Headquarters of the 60 Army in the rear. There were no voices in the command room, only the constant "dripping" of the radio. Luján walked anxiously back and forth in front of the radio.

"Report! A call from the front. ”

"Read!"

"The Japanese army is sending reinforcements, a cavalry squadron, and two infantry squadrons are heading to the area around Xingjialou, hoping to make preparations in advance."

After hearing this, Lu Han ordered a Bai soldier to inform Chen Zhongshu of this information, so that he could prepare to deal with the cavalry. (The Yunnan army, from regiment to platoon, used Bai soldiers.) ）

Subsequently, Lu Han sent another regiment to reinforce the Xingjialou position. In any case, those two positions must not be lost.

In the afternoon of the same day, the Japanese launched another large-scale attack, and the cavalry soon arrived, launching a surprise attack from the left flank.

Chen Zhongshu had already prepared for a response, and with the strength of a battalion, grenades as the main attack, he quickly repelled this cavalry unit.

However, the Japanese follow-up reinforcements also arrived soon and immediately launched a frantic attack on the main position of the 542 Brigade.

Chen Zhongshu leaned against the trench, pulled down the bolt, and said with a smile: "Brothers, it is the hero who is shot in the chest, and it is the bear who is shot in the back!" Call me! ”

"Bang Bang Bang" "Da Da Da"

The rest of the warriors burst out of the trenches at once and launched a fierce attack on the devils in front!

"Defend your position to the death! Come on! ”

Chen Zhongshu roared angrily and rushed out of the position with the officers and soldiers of the whole brigade.

"Kill!" Chen Zhongshu took the lead and fought straight away. The remaining officers and men, at his instigation, all marched forward bravely.

"Shelling!" The Japanese commander spotted Chen Zhongshu and immediately ordered an artillery bombardment in the direction of Chen Zhongshu.

"There are still our people there." The adjutant on one side reminded.

The devil commander scolded: "Baga! I'm the commander, launch an artillery bombardment immediately! ”

"Boom Boom"

The artillery fire in front of the position shook the sky and the earth, covering almost all areas of the front of the entire position.

Chen Zhongshu was unfortunately hit in the head by a stray bullet and fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Yo Xi, order the reserves."

Seeing that Chen Zhongshu was hit by a shell, the devil commander was overjoyed and sent the last troops to launch a final attack.

"Traveler!"

The soldier shouted and quickly carried Chen Zhongshu down.

However, the devil's reserves quickly rushed up and attacked the position. At the end of the 542 Brigade officers and soldiers, the final fight was launched.

Seeing that Xingjialou is about to fall into the hands of devils. At this critical moment, the sound of killing in the west shook the sky. Reinforcements from the Dian army arrived in time to expel the devils from their positions.

The positions of Xingjialou and Wushengtang were firmly in the hands of the Dian army. However, Chen Zhongshu died that night due to his injuries.

Chen Zhongshu's body was transported by train to Xuzhou and buried in a messy hill overgrown with barren grass outside Dongguan.

(Colleague General, Wang Mingzhang received a state funeral treatment, but Chen Zhongshu was hastily buried.) Could it be caused by Li Zongren's enmity against the Dian army? ）

(End of chapter)