great-warnovel Chapter 293 The Future of the Three Northeastern Provinces
Chapter 293 The Future of the Three Northeastern Provinces
Fengtian, the Marshal's Mansion.
"Snap!"
The exquisite blue and white porcelain teacup shattered on the floor.
Zhang Jialiang suddenly stood up from his chair, his face ashen, and cold sweat poured down his forehead like rain.
"What did you say?!"
"The Kawamoto Mixed Brigade... is gone?!"
Zhang Jialiang grabbed the collar of the staff officer who came to report the news, his eyes bulging with anger, and roared in a hoarse voice:
"That's six thousand men! An elite mixed brigade of the Kwantung Army! They have tanks! They have artillery!"
"How could they have been completely wiped out in just an hour and a half, without even touching the walls of Jinzhou?!"
The staff officer trembled violently, and answered in a tearful voice:
"Young Marshal...it's true!"
"Chen Zijun laid a large number of bounding mines and anti-tank mines outside Jinzhou, and all the Japanese tanks were rendered useless as soon as they entered!"
"Then Chen's army deployed dozens of heavy artillery pieces, using a continuous barrage of fire for a full half hour, repeatedly scanning that plain more than a dozen times!"
"The Kawamoto Puppet Corps didn't even have a chance to retreat; they were all blown to bits!"
"hiss--"
Inside the study, the high-ranking generals of the Fengtian clique gasped in unison, feeling a chill run down their spines and their palms were covered in cold sweat.
What terrifying firepower that must be!
Zhang Jialiang slumped back into his chair, his eyes unfocused, looking as if he had aged ten years.
He turned his head and looked at the huge map of Northeast China on the wall.
On the banks of the Yalu River, two elite divisions of the Japanese Kwantung Army were poised to make their move; while nearby Jinzhou was Chen Zijun's iron torrent, ready to march north and crush Fengtian at any moment.
"Young Marshal, what... what should we do?"
The chief of staff asked, his voice trembling.
"The Japanese have suffered such a huge loss this time, they're bound to go crazy. If their two divisions across the Yalu River cross..."
Zhang Jialiang gritted his teeth.
He knew he had no room to maneuver anymore.
If that old Japanese devil Honda Shigeru attacks, Fengtian will be the first to be hit; but if he dares to surrender to Japan, Chen Zijun's war chariot will definitely be able to enter the Fengtian Marshal's Mansion even faster than the Japanese, and send Zhang Jialiang and his whole family to their deaths!
But should he seek refuge with Chen Zijun?
Zhang Jialiang felt a deep sense of humiliation and resentment.
Chen Zijun was younger than him, and back then he had once defeated his elite Northeast Army cavalry outside Nanjing and at the foot of Ma'anshan.
If he were to side with Chen Zijun's Southeast Financial Group, wouldn't he, the King of the Northeast, be completely subservient to Chen Zijun? And wouldn't the Northeast Army inevitably be swallowed up by Chen's army?
"Young Marshal, Principal Chang of Jinling has just sent a secret telegram."
Another confidential secretary rushed in and handed over a telegram.
"In his telegram, President Chiang Kai-shek promised that as long as the Northeast Army resolutely resists Japan and obeys the unified command of the Nanjing National Government, Nanjing will fully support the Northeast Army in diplomacy and logistics, and will never interfere with the Northeast Army's internal organization or your position, Young Marshal!"
Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Zhang Jialiang's eyes.
He took a deep breath, slammed his hand on the table, and made up his mind.
"Send a reply to Nanjing! Say that our Northeast Army swears to defend the three northeastern provinces to the death and resolutely obeys the orders of the Nanjing National Government!"
"Furthermore, issue a nationwide, transparent telegram!"
Zhang Jialiang stood up, regaining some of the majesty of the King of the Northeast, and loudly proclaimed:
The telegram stated: "The Northeast Army will never retreat a single step! We swear to live and die with the three northeastern provinces! We will resolutely obey the unified command of the National Revolutionary Government and defend the national borders!"
He played this move extremely cleverly.
They will surrender to Nanjing but not to Shanghai!
By leveraging Chang Guangtou's influence, they preserved the Northeast Army's independent structure, preventing it from being directly absorbed by Chen Zijun. At the same time, they established a reputation for being an iron-willed anti-Japanese force in the eyes of the nation, forcing Chen Zijun to remain in place and unable to attack them, thus preventing them from fighting each other.
Meanwhile, in Jinzhou, Chen Zijun, standing in the command post, also received Zhang Jialiang's nationwide telegram in plain text.
"Young Marshal, Zhang Jialiang has sent a telegram announcing the surrender of Nanjing."
Shen Li sneered and said with utter disdain:
"This kid, even at this point he's still playing these balancing acts, afraid we'll take over his military power and he'll run off to suck up to Chang Guangtou."
Chen Zijun casually tossed the report into the brazier, watching it turn to ashes in the flames, and smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying anything.
"It doesn't matter. Chiang Kai-shek can't even manage his own territory in Nanjing. How can he protect Zhang Jialiang?"
"As long as Zhang Jialiang dares to stay on the front lines to fight the Japanese, I'll tolerate him; but if he dares to run away, Chiang Kai-shek may let him go, but I won't!"
"The key now is the Japanese."
Chen Zijun had just finished speaking.
In his mind, the system's extremely crisp and sharp electronic notification suddenly rang out:
"Ding! Congratulations, host! You have successfully annihilated the enemy's mixed brigade, thwarted their military blackmail, and achieved the 'Iron-Blooded Repelling the Enemy' achievement!"
"System determination: The host has severely damaged the Japanese army with industrialized firepower, greatly altering the course of history. Rewards are being distributed..."
"Ding! The new World War II end-of-war arsenal branch has been successfully unlocked!"
"Congratulations, host! You have obtained a complete production line and technical blueprints for the German-made Ju-87D Stuka dive bomber (Death's Howl)!"
"This production line has been installed in the secret workshop of the host Jiangnan Aviation Manufacturing Plant and is ready for mass production at any time!"
Upon hearing the system notification in his mind, Chen Zijun's breath hitched, and his eyes flashed with wild joy!
Stuka!
That "Death's Howl" that struck fear into the hearts of all Allied soldiers on the European battlefield with its piercing whistling sound of its blades!
On the vast plains of North China, without absolute air superiority for the Kwantung Army, the precise bombing of the Stuka dive bomber would become the ultimate reaper to annihilate the Japanese heavy armor and infantry formations!
"Young Marshal? Young Marshal?"
Seeing Chen Zijun suddenly stunned, Shen Li called out softly from the side.
Chen Zijun snapped out of his daze, suppressing his inner elation, his eyes replaced by endless coldness and murderous intent.
He looked at the charred battlefield outside the city walls and said in a cold voice:
"That old devil, Shigeru Honda, must have gone mad by now."
"Order the independent motorized infantry division and the 2nd armored division to enter Level 1 combat readiness!"
"If he really goes crazy, I wouldn't mind being a lightning master and giving him a thorough electrocution!!"