"What?" Chairman Jiang was shocked when he heard this, stepped forward and quickly found the location of Baitu on the map. After staring for a moment, Chairman Jiang's face gradually became heavier.

How important the location of Baimakou is, it can be seen from the combat map. Since the Japanese army suddenly landed from here, its strategic purpose is self-evident. Even if Chairman Jiang's strategic vision is not very good, he also understood the suddenness and danger of the matter at this time.

Once the Japanese army captured Taicang and advanced towards Kunshan and Suzhou, they could cut off the Beijing-Shanghai Railway and highways. Then the main force of the national army, which was retreating from Shanghai along the Beijing-Shanghai Railway and highways, suddenly became a turtle in the jar, and it was very likely that they were surrounded by the Japanese army in Kunshan and were wiped out.

Thinking of this, Chairman Jiang didn't dare to think about it at all. Once hundreds of thousands of troops in the Songhu area were eaten by the Japanese army in one bite, not only would the elite troops be lost, but China's national defense power was greatly damaged. At that time, the capital of Nanjing and the entire Jiangnan region would lose the barrier and let the Japanese cavalry trample on and gallop.

You should know that Chairman Chiang has invested almost all the elite Central Army forces in the Songhu area. Once these troops are completely wiped out by the Japanese army, the strength comparison between the Central Army and the local army will be seriously unbalanced, and Chairman Chiang is likely to be replaced by others. At this time, China loses Chairman Chiang's unified command and will immediately fall into a situation of fighting each other and may eventually be defeated one by the Japanese army. At that time, China may really be about to destroy its country.

Therefore, Chairman Chiang, both public and private, would never sit still and watch such a result happen. He immediately turned around and asked in an undeniable tone: "Which unit is the closest to Taicang at present?"

"Report to the committee, the closest to Taicang is the Zhongrui Group currently resting in Jiading." Wang Shihe quickly replied respectfully.

"Zhongrui Group?" Chairman Jiang frowned and pondered when he heard this. For these days, he had been busy with the Battle of Shanghai and had no time to care about Zhang Xinghan and Zhongrui Group, whom he regarded as his confidant general.

It goes without saying how arduous the task of guarding Taicang this time is. If you are not careful, you will likely be wiped out. Although he is not willing to let his good students take the troops to take risks, the situation is urgent at this time and he is no longer allowed to do so. Compared with the main force of hundreds of thousands of national troops, Chairman Jiang will definitely be able to choose the former if he sacrifices a Zhongrui regiment and Zhang Xinghan.

Although he likes his excellent student and fellow villager very much, as an excellent politician, he naturally knows which one is more important.

After pondering for a moment, Chairman Jiang's face returned to normal and said, "Immediately, Immediately, Immediately send a telegram to the Rui Group and rush to the Taicang County to help Zhang Xinghan, Taicang County must not be misunderstood, and must hold on for more than seven days!"

"Yes!" Wang Shihe stood attentively and saluted, then turned around and left quickly.

………………………………………

Taicang County, Zhongrui Tuantuan Division.

Zhang Xinghan and Li Dashan and the guard platoon finally returned to the regiment headquarters without any danger. The Japanese attacking troops were intercepted by the minefield and it was impossible to advance to Taicang County for a while. Zhang Xinghan hurried back. He wanted to make final mobilization and deployment of all the regiment officers and soldiers, because the battle was about to really begin.

Zhang Xinghan, surrounded by Li Dashan, had just walked into the courtyard of the regiment headquarters. He happened to meet Du Qianxue who was walking out with a telegram in his hand. When he saw Zhang Xinghan, Du Qianxue quickly stepped forward and saluted, "Group, call from Nanjing."

"Oh?" Zhang Xinghan quickly received the telegram, hurriedly read it, and immediately looked up at Li Dashan and said, "Dashan, I will send my order immediately. The whole group will gather urgently, outside the east gate of the assembly place."

"Yes!" Li Dashan saluted, then turned around and left quickly.

"Qianxue, please immediately notify the Chief of Staff and ask him to take the regiment headquarters forward to the East City Gate. I will deploy the troops first." After Li Dashan left, Zhang Xinghan turned to Du Qianxue.

"Well, be careful yourself." Du Qianxue nodded and said.

"Well, don't worry." Zhang Xinghan nodded and responded. After speaking, he turned around and strode away.

At the East City Gate, more than 4,000 officers and soldiers of the Zhongrui Regiment had all gathered together, and the open spaces and walls of the city were filled with Zhongrui Regiment with live ammunition.

When Zhang Xinghan hurried to the guard company, the officers and soldiers on the street immediately made way out. Zhang Xinghan held a big knife in one hand and a telegram in the other hand, strode to the center of the crowd, whispered: "Brothers, the Japanese have cut off the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway and highways. At present, the Beijing-Shanghai Railway and highways have become the only way for retreat for hundreds of thousands of troops on the front line. If this retreat is cut off by the Japanese, then our hundreds of thousands of troops will be surrounded and annihilated by the Japanese. At that time, Nanjing will be in danger and the entire Jiangnan will fall. Therefore, Taicang City must not be lost. As long as we defend Taicang, we will win time for our retreat and re-arrange the defense, everything will change, and our capital Nanjing can be defended!"

"The city is here! I swear to live and die with the position!" Luo Tianyou, who was beside him, took advantage of the situation and turned around and shouted.

"People are in the city! Swear to live and die together with the position!"

"The city is here! I swear to live and die with the position!" All the officers and soldiers responded in unison, and their momentum was shocking and cheering people.

"Well said, people are in the city! Although the heavy rain destroyed our tunnels, it could not destroy our will to resist. Without the tunnels, we still have a passion and unswerving patriotism. We use our blood to defend China and defend our country with my life! Brothers are loyal to the country, die without regrets, and filial to the nation, and have no regrets! Our Zhongrui Group swears to live and die together with the position! The Japanese want to pass from now on, unless they step on our bodies, they will never retreat!"

"I will never retreat!"

"I will never retreat!" The officers and soldiers shouted again, and everyone was so excited that they were excited by Zhang Xinghan's words and their morale was high.

"The first battalion, the second battalion, the machine gun company immediately entered the position, the third battalion, the guard company, the reconnaissance company, the engineering company, and the baggage company stayed in the city as reserves. This order is urgent, and each battalion company will implement it immediately!" Zhang Xinghan struck while the iron was hot and issued an order.

"Yes!" The entire regiment of officers and soldiers immediately responded and began to mobilize.

However, at this moment, the sky suddenly shone again with thunder and dark clouds. Seeing the heavy rain coming down, Zhang Xinghan couldn't help but be overjoyed when he saw this and burst into laughter.

"It's going to rain on the pedestal, why can you still laugh?" Luo Tianyou next to him asked in confusion when he saw this.

"Tianyou, you don't know that once the rain falls, the impact on us will be limited, but the impact on the Japanese will be great. On rainy days, not only will the Japanese planes not be able to take off to help the battle, but their tanks, tanks, tanks and heavy weapons will also lose their effect due to transportation difficulties. So it's really God helping me when it rains." As Zhang Xinghan spoke, the heavy rain fell down.

"What he said makes sense. It seems that although the heavy rain destroyed the tunnels we worked hard to dig, it will inevitably cause a lot of trouble for the Japanese. It seems that God is still fair." Luo Tianyou nodded in agreement after hearing this.

"Happy Han!" While the two were talking, Chief of Staff Zhou Wei ran up from the city quickly.

"What's wrong, Lao Zhou?" Zhang Xinghan asked back.

"It's so heavy, I think the Japanese shouldn't attack us for the time being, right? Have you left some of the guards to withdraw the main force into the city to avoid the rain? Otherwise, with the current weather, if the brothers are wet from the rain for a long time, they may get sick." Zhou Wei wiped the rainwater on his face and suggested.

"Well, what Lao Zhou said makes sense. Xinghan, let's leave a series of alerts and withdraw the other troops. In this kind of weather, once the soldiers get sick, it's over." Luo Tianyou nodded in agreement.

"How can such a god-given opportunity be wasted?" Zhang Xinghan looked up at the sky and let the dense rain hit his body.

"What a God-given opportunity?" Luo Zhou and the others asked in confusion.

"It is well said in terms of military tactics. The best defense is offense. Now that it rains so heavily, the Japanese may have stopped moving forward. If we suddenly take the initiative to attack at this time and launch an attack on the Japanese, the Japanese will definitely be caught off guard and will definitely win a great victory!" Zhang Xinghan said his thoughts straight to the point.

"But what if the Japanese were prepared?" Zhou Wei raised objections.

"Let me lead a suicide squad to open the way, Tianyou and his main force followed up. If there is any unexpected situation, we will quickly leave the battle and retreat to defend our position. You must know that such a god-given opportunity is not always available. In such bad weather, the Japanese planes cannot take off the air, so we don't have to worry about the whereabouts being exposed. As long as we can catch the enemy in secret and then launch a sudden attack, we will definitely catch the Japanese off guard. How can we do it?" Zhang Xinghan explained and asked.

Zhou Wei and Luo Tianyou looked at each other, then nodded one after another and said, "Follow the leader of the group!"

"Okay! I'll set out with the guard company first, Tianyou, you will follow up with the first and second battalions. Lao Zhou, you will lead the third battalion and the machine gun company to stay in case." Zhang Xinghan immediately ordered.

"Yes!" The two of them agreed in unison and immediately followed Zhang Xinghan down the city wall.
Chapter completed!