What Miyano Shun, Uehara Junichiro and Kurai Masan can see, naturally Shinozuka Yoshio cannot.

Even with the loss of Jinzhong County, the 9th Infantry Brigade, the 8th Independent Mixed Brigade and the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade, the 3rd Armored Vehicle Brigade, and the 1st Armored Vehicle Brigade were successively severely damaged, and the 1st Flying Brigade was destroyed.

Total annihilation.

Yoshio Shinozuka felt that even if the 41st Division, the 77th Infantry Regiment, and the 96th Infantry Regiment arrived in Taiyuan City, they might not have the strength to launch a counterattack against the Eighth Route Army.

Even if they have the strength to launch a counterattack, the most they can do is regain control along the Zhengtai Railway. As for raiding the Eighth Route Army's deep base areas and annihilating them or even severely damaging them, it is absolutely impossible.

Unless another division is invested.

Immediately, Yoshio Shinozuka issued an order: "Order, the imperial army in the remaining six strongholds along the Shotai Railway should evacuate the strongholds immediately after dawn and enter Shouyang County.

We are temporarily under the command of Captain Yoshida Hiroshi of the 33rd Infantry Regiment, and we will jointly defend Shouyang County!"

"Hiyi!"

Chief of Staff Miyano Shun nodded solemnly, then turned around and left the war room, going to the communications department in person to deliver the order.

…

8 o'clock the next morning.

Second Theater Command Chief's Department.

Yan Laoxi was having breakfast in the restaurant when an officer with the rank of colonel hurried in from outside.

This person is none other than Yan Laoxi's attendant and guard adjutant Zhang Riming.

Zhang Riming held a document in his hand, walked up to Yan Laoxi, bowed respectfully, and reported: "Report! Sir, it is not because I mean to disturb your meal because of my humble position, but there is something important that I must report to you!"

"Oh? What's the big deal? It makes you so flustered and impatient, Ri Ming."

Yan Laoxi put down the half-eaten buns in his hand, put his chopsticks on the plate, and then looked at Zhang Riming with interest.

"A secret message just came from the direction of Taiyuan. The Eighth Route Army attacked the Wusu Military Station and Wusu Airport in the east of Taiyuan City last night. Not only did they successfully destroy the Wusu Military Station and Wusu Airport, they also destroyed all the fighter planes in the airport and blew them up.

Airport fuel depot and ammunition depot.

In addition, this Eighth Route Army also severely damaged the Japanese independent mixed 2nd brigade that went for reinforcements."

With that said, Zhang Riming respectfully handed the document in his hand to Yan Laoxi.

Yan Laoxi read the document and said: "In addition to the 8th independent mixed brigade that was severely damaged in Fenghuang Ridge the night before, wouldn't it mean that the general reserve of the Japanese 1st Army was crippled by the Eighth Route Army?"

Zhang Riming: "Strictly speaking, it is not only the 8th independent mixed brigade and the 2nd independent mixed brigade of the general reserve of the Japanese 1st Army, but also the 3rd and 1st armored vehicle brigade, as well as the Black Island Cavalry Regiment.

They were all crippled by the Eighth Route Army!"

Yan Laoxi couldn't help but be a little stunned. At first he was frightened by the fighting power displayed by the Eighth Route Army. At the same time, he secretly regretted not cooperating with the Eighth Route Army to attack together.

If at the beginning of the Hundred Regiment War, he had not chosen to cooperate tacitly with Yoshio Shinozuka and allowed the other party to withdraw the 77th Infantry Regiment and the 96th Infantry Regiment stationed at the foothills of Luliang Mountain.

Instead, if he launched a counterattack against the Japanese army together with the Eighth Route Army, he might have recaptured his Taiyuan city by now.

However, it is too late to say anything now, because the Japanese 41st Division will soon arrive at Taiyuan City.

After recovering his thoughts, Yan Laoxi asked again: "Do you know which unit of the Eighth Route Army attacked Wusu Airport?"

Zhang Riming: "It's not clear yet, but according to people in the intelligence department, it is most likely the Second Independent Regiment of the Eighth Route Army."

Yan Laoxi: "The second independent regiment just formed by the Eighth Route Army again?"

Zhang Riming: "Yes."

Yan Laoxi: "Their leader is called Wang Chengzhu, right?"

Zhang Riming: "Yes, he was also the one who captured Naoomi Hattori, commander of the 21st Infantry Brigade of the Japanese Infantry Brigade, at the Huting Stronghold.

In addition, according to reliable intelligence, this is the same person who commanded the attack on Jinzhong County the night before yesterday, completely annihilated the enemy defenders in Jinzhong, and killed Naoomi Hattori, commander of the 9th Japanese Infantry Brigade."

After a pause, Zhang Riming continued: "Speaking of which, Wang Chengzhu is really Hattori Naoomi's nemesis."

Yan Laoxi completely ignored Zhang Riming's last words and murmured to himself: "This Wang Chengzhu is really a tiger general. It would be great if our Jinsui Army could also have such a fierce general!"

As Yan Laoxi's confidant, Zhang Riming has been following him for many years. He seemed to see through Yan Laoxi's mind and asked: "Chief Commander, are you trying to poach Wang Chengzhu here?"

Yan Laoxi: "For such a great general, not to mention me, I'm afraid even the guy from Chongqing will be jealous of him. If he can be poached, it will be worth it no matter how much money he spends."

Zhang Riming: "However, the commanders of the Eighth Route Army, at best, have firm beliefs, but at worst, the stones in the latrines are smelly and hard. They don't care about money or fame and fortune. It doesn't seem easy to dig them out.

"

Yan Laoxi: "Where is Zhirou, where is that girl now?"

Zhang Riming: "Chief Executive, don't you object to Miss becoming a war correspondent, saying that it is too dangerous?

So the young lady has been sulking at home."

Yan Laoxi smiled slightly: "It's not impossible to be a war reporter. Go back and tell that girl Zhirou that I will arrange a task for her. If she can complete it successfully, I will not stop her in the future."

Zhang Riming was startled: "Chief Commander, you don't want me to interview the Second Independent Regiment of the Eighth Route Army, do you?"

Yan Laoxi: "What? Wouldn't it be good to let Zhirou interview the heroic troops in our World War II zone, and then inform the whole war zone and even the country about their heroic achievements to boost the morale of the entire war zone and the country's soldiers?"

"

"This... of course is good."

Can Zhang Riming say it's not good? It's just that he always feels that what Yan Laoxi has in mind is not just that simple.

Yan Laoxi: "Go."

"Yes!" Zhang Riming promised, then turned and left.

As a war reporter, Yan Zhirou naturally knew about Wang Chengzhu and had even followed Wang Chengzhu for a long time. If Yan Laoxi hadn't allowed it, she would have gone to interview him long ago.

This time Yan Laoxi actually asked her to interview Wang Chengzhu. Of course she was extremely happy. She had always been at odds with her father Yan Laoxi, so she rarely obeyed his order.

Then, after a little preparation, under the protection of a team of guards, he quietly set foot on the road to the southeastern Shanxi region...

Not only Yan Laoxi, but also the chairman of the committee in the mountain city of Chongqing has been paying attention to the battle situation in southeastern Shanxi, even more than the Zaoyi area.

The reason is very simple. The national army in the Zaoyi area was defeated one after another, and every time it came, it was bound to be bad news.

However, all news coming from the southeastern Shanxi region was good news, which made the Chairman feel a little better.

Yes, just slightly better.

Firstly, the war situation in the Zaoyi area is really bad, and secondly, no matter how powerful the Eighth Route Army is, it is not our own army after all.

…
Chapter completed!