Years of the Republic of China 1913

Zhang Xun's proposal made Fang Zida very shocked. He looked at the slapstick mahjong tiles dumbfounded, and just wanted to say no, but then swallowed the words back, neither agreeing nor saying no, It's just that the polite words of going back to discuss and discuss are vague.Zhang Xun wasn't angry at all, he smiled and said yes.

"That's it, hehe, what do you think?" Back at the division headquarters, he told Zhao Hengti, Wang Xiaozhen and Huang Kaiyuan who were waiting for the news, Fang Zida couldn't help laughing.

Who would have thought that Wang Xiaozhen was stunned for a moment while sitting there, and then nodded, agreeing that the Eighth Division accepted the conditions of this literary bet and martial arts bet, and bet with Zhang Xun.

"Deputy Commander Fang, my Eighth Division and the Braided Army fought fiercely for several days. Although the position is still there, the brothers on the front line have suffered a lot of casualties! Since there is a better solution, why bother to fight with the lives of the brothers? Who is not Born by father and mother? This life is as big as the sky! I think this article is a good bet, it doesn’t hurt peace, and it doesn’t use weapons, just laugh and talk about playing cards and solve the problem. It’s the best of both worlds, so why not do it?”

Huang Kaiyuan also had the same idea in his heart, and just wanted to echo Wang Xiaozhen's words, but seeing Fang Zida's face stretched, he immediately changed the words that came to his lips: "Mr. Yong, this is not suitable? You I am a revolutionary soldier, and the outcome is decided by gambling, isn’t it a bit…”

"What's there? Brother Baochang, this is not what you said! The two armies have been gambling since ancient times, what's so strange? Besides, they can solve the current predicament without any effort, why not give it a try?" Wang Xiaozhen Said disapprovingly.

"But what if you lose the bet?" Huang Kaiyuan asked back.

"Could it be that my Eighth Division will definitely win if we continue to fight like this? Besides, even if we win this battle, I am afraid that there will not be many people left in my Eighth Division. Beiyang has been eyeing Jiangsu and the Eighth Division. Once the Eighth Division is strong Big loss, the consequences can be imagined!"

"You...you have no revolutionary spirit!" Huang Kaiyuan accused him very vigorously, with a very determined revolutionary look, except that he himself knew that he was speaking for Fang Zida, the rest thought that Huang Kaiyuan's consciousness had improved.

"That's enough! What a shame to be so noisy!" Teacher Zhao Hengti heard them arguing about this, and drank in displeasure.

"Yes! This matter still has to be left to the teacher and Deputy Teacher Fang. Teacher, tell me what to do?" Huang Kaiyuan rolled his eyes and asked Zhao Hengti to also talk.

"This..." Zhao Hengti didn't seem to want to say it, but whether it was Wang Xiaozhen, Huang Kaiyuan or Fang Zida, they all turned their attention to him. After all, he is the nominal commander of the Eighth Division. Whether he agrees to Zhang Xun's suggestion is his opinion. very important.

"This matter is a little difficult!" Zhao Hengti sighed first, shook his head and said, "Brother Baochang just said well, my eighth division is all revolutionary soldiers, and the eighth division is a strong army of kmt, guarding Jiangsu, It is our duty to protect Nanjing. Now there are successive battles. Although the casualties are not small, the officers and soldiers of my Eighth Division are still fighting high and resisting the enemy vigorously. But then again, there are no undead in these battles. The casualties in the past few days I see all the brothers in my eyes one by one, thinking of the brotherhood of my compatriots on weekdays, I feel really uncomfortable as a teacher! Sometimes I think, if there is a better way to force the enemy back, it would be a good idea Good thing..."

Zhao Hengti went around in circles for a long time, whether it was east or west, talking a lot of nonsense.Several people in the room secretly scolded this guy as an old fox, which meant that he didn't say anything and didn't take any ideas.

In the end, all eyes were on Fang Zida, and Fang Zida had to take this idea.Fang Zida couldn't laugh or cry in his heart, he went around and finally he was himself, so he was not polite, and decided to reject Zhang Xun's "good intentions" immediately.

That night, Fang Zida sent someone to send a letter to Zhang Xun, expressing his rejection of the bet, and the Eighth Division would fight Zhang Xun to the end.Zhang Xun was stunned when he received the letter, and then he was so angry that he smashed his glass.Gritting his teeth, he scolded Fang Zida for being shameless, for actually wanting to compete with himself on the battlefield, he simply didn't take him seriously.

On the second day, instead of the lukewarm attack of the previous two days, Zhang Xun's braided army used all their skills, concentrated artillery fire and elite soldiers to bombard the Eighth Division's position first, and then launched an overwhelming offensive.In just one morning, casualties in the positions of the provisional 33rd regiment rose sharply. By noon, the crazy braided army broke through three positions one after another.

"Deputy Commander Fang, Commander Li on the front line urgently asks for help!" The staff rushed to report, Fang Zida hurriedly asked about the situation on the front line. After fighting for so many days, Li Shimao had never asked for help. It seemed that he couldn't stand it anymore.

Fang Zida immediately ordered Zhang Huafu's 30th Regiment to take over the provisional 33rd Regiment to retreat, and Li Jun's 29th Regiment to assist and withdraw to the second line of defense.At the same time, let the artillery regiment prepare for a counterattack.A few hours later, the temporary 33rd regiment, which was almost disabled, finally withdrew, and the front line fell into the hands of Zhang Xun's braided army.Zhang Xun's troops, who had suffered a loss, did not take advantage of the victory to pursue it like last time. Instead, after occupying the position steadily, their rear gradually moved forward, and continued to attack the second line of defense after the artillery was in place.

This day was the most intense battle since the start of the war. Zhang Xun's troops continued to attack after occupying the first line of defense. The 29th and 30th regiments guarding the second line of defense also suffered many casualties.This battle was fought from early morning to evening, until after dark, Zhang Xun's braided army continued to attack several times before retreating.

When the casualty report below came up, Fang Zida's hand holding the report was trembling slightly. Today's casualties are greater than the casualties of the previous few days combined, especially the provisional 33rd regiment, which is on the front line, can be said to be almost the same. It was almost gone, and even the 29th and 30th regiments had casualties as high as one battalion.

The Eighth Division simply couldn't afford such heavy casualties. If two more battles were fought, the entire Eighth Division might become empty.At this time, Fang Zida even regretted rejecting Zhang Xun's suggestion of betting instead of fighting. Maybe if the bet is really a foregone conclusion, so many people will not die.

"Deputy Commander Fang, our Eighth Division has suffered so many casualties, and Zhang Xun on the opposite side will definitely not be much better." Seeing Fang Zida's pale face, Huang Kaiyuan comforted him.

Fang Zida was refreshed, Huang Kaiyuan was right, the Eighth Division suffered so many casualties, so Zhang Xun's Braided Army had not suffered too many casualties?Although Zhang Xun's troops are extremely powerful and have better weapons and equipment than the Eighth Division, after all, the Eighth Division is defending and Zhang Xun is attacking. Even if one is exchanged for one, Zhang Xun may not be able to bear it.Gathering his mind, Fang Zida understood that this battle must continue like this, that Zhang Xun, Beiyang, Yuan Shikai, Sun Wen's revolutionary party, and even the people of the whole country must know the strength of the Eighth Division.Only by truly defeating Zhang Xun on the battlefield and cutting off the hand extending to Jiangsu, will Song Jiaoren and KMT's position in the center be stable.

The determined Fang Zida made emergency arrangements overnight. He even transferred a part of He Sui's 32nd regiment that had never been used to the second line of defense in order to deal with another big battle tomorrow.

As expected, it was another day when the sun was rising, and Zhang Xun's troops, who had long been impatient, attacked the Eighth Division's position again.Just like the previous day, on this difficult day, the two sides fought in the dark, with the positions changing hands several times, and the wounded and dead soldiers were carried back one by one. The shocking tragedy made Fang Zida feel like a knife.

"Report! Commander Zhang of the 30th Regiment is seriously injured, and the front line shows signs of collapse!"

"What! Zhang Huafu is seriously injured? Hurry up! Tell He Sui to lead the 32nd regiment to the top of me! Tell He Sui to hold the ground, and if I lose the ground, I will want his head!" Fang Zida was surprised by the report of the staff officer. After days of fighting, Several officers at the battalion and company level of the Eighth Division suffered several casualties, but Zhang Huafu was the first casualty at the regimental level.It is conceivable how intense the front line has become.Helpless, Fang Zida hurriedly mobilized the remaining troops of the 32nd Regiment, and gave He Sui a death order. If this line of defense also fell, the chips in the hands of the Eighth Division would only be the troops directly under the division headquarters and the cavalry regiment.If that time really comes, Nanjing and the Eighth Division will be in danger.

After receiving the order, He Sui hurried over with the 32nd regiment, fought back desperately, and finally stabilized his position and held the position.So far, almost all the troops of the Eighth Division have been put into the battle, which barely withstood Zhang Xun's crazy attack.

The long day finally passed, and the position of the second line of defense was full of desolation. Corpses lying in pools of blood could be seen everywhere, and even the soil was stained black and red.

That night, the news that Zhang Huafu was seriously injured and died reached the division headquarters, which made Fang Zida's anxious mood even more heavy.This is the first commander of the Eighth Division who died in battle since the start of the war, and no one knows whether it will be his turn next.Counting the remaining troops, Fang Zida knew that there were not many troops he could put into battle. He even wondered if the Eighth Division could still block Zhang Xun and those wolves and tigers like today after the sun rose tomorrow. Braid Army.

"Should the 31st regiment be transferred back?" Wang Xiaozhen's smoking hand was also shaking, and he couldn't help making a suggestion.

"Impossible!" Fang Zida rejected the proposal without even thinking about it. The importance of the 31st Regiment in Shanghai is no less than that of Nanjing. Besides, even if the 31st Regiment is transferred from Shanghai to the north, it will be too late.

"Tomorrow, what will we do tomorrow?" Huang Kaiyuan asked nervously, and everyone looked at each other with helplessness and a hint of panic in their eyes.

"Fight! We must fight on, even if the eighth division is gone!" Fang Zida's eyes were red, like a gambler who lost to the end, he knew in his heart that at this time no matter what, he must persevere, and once he gave up, persist , Don't say that the Eighth Division is finished, even he himself is finished.

"Pass my order! Let the cavalry regiment be temporarily changed to infantry. All officers, staff officers, military police, orderlies, and logistics personnel in the division are all ready to form an assault team. I will personally lead the team to prepare for tomorrow's battle!"

Fang Zida broke the boat and wanted to fight Zhang Xun. Zhao Hengti opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he sighed and said nothing.

Time passed day by day, and finally another day came.Fang Zida, who hadn't closed his eyes all night, was fully clothed, holding a rifle in his hand, anxiously and nervously waiting for the arrival of a new battle.But who would have thought that just as the Eighth Division was waiting for the final battle, there was no movement on the opponent's ground, it was so quiet.