The confused soldier quickly caught up with Zhou Changfeng and his party, and then conveyed these words intact.
For a moment, Miller, Chretien and several staff officers all looked at Zhou Changfeng, strange and strange.
Chretien smiled slightly, patted his shoulder and said: "Xia, always remember that a man who knows how to be romantic will never lack the love of girls, but that is just entertainment. If you want to enter the palace of marriage, you must Be steady. You should have explained the situation to your fiancée before coming here."
At this moment, Zhou Changfeng, who was speechless, could not hear such words. He felt that he was definitely full of black lines now!
No, why would Xia Xiaoshi come all the way here? Wouldn’t that just expose the secret?
He immediately came to a nearby tent, and the two "reporters" were also brought over.
As soon as they met, one of them reluctantly held up his hands and said, "Mr. Zhou, you are really a living ancestor. If this thing of talking to yourself and walking away as soon as you say it is revealed, it will cause a big mess."
As soon as he said this, Zhou Changfeng naturally understood that the point of the matter was that his whereabouts had been discovered!
He looked at the two of them from side to side and asked, "Who do you belong to? A foreign factory?"
The other person smiled and sighed: "You should be lucky that we are not from the factory. The outside world didn't find any clues. It was the princess who thought it was strange that you suddenly contracted the disease, so she followed it and checked it out, so..."
Outrageous! What happened to that woman? How come she found out the clues when no one else paid attention?
After thinking about it, Zhou Changfeng felt that this could only be attributed to her knowledge of medicine and having been secretly monitoring herself.
"..." He took a deep breath and asked, "What did she say?"
"I don't know, we haven't reported back yet."
"Is there any other explanation?"
"Uh... that's not the case. We have visited several brigades to confirm whether you are there or not. Now... of course it is best to go back quickly, otherwise if others from the outside world find out accidentally, there will be a big fuss. .”
But to be honest, Zhou Changfeng felt that if he was really discovered, the Military Justice Department of the Ministry of War would be amused if he was found guilty.
There are only two corresponding main crimes in the Ming Dynasty's military law, either rebellion or absconding. However, because the International Brigade is not an army of a certain country, but an international volunteer organization and is not hostile to the Ming Dynasty, Therefore, the crime of mutiny is not established.
Therefore, one can only be sentenced to absconding. The crime of absconding a soldier is divided into three levels:
The first level is in ordinary times, with no tasks, a staff of fifty, and a one-year apprenticeship;
The second level is also in ordinary times, but performs routine tasks, such as maintaining public security and suppressing bandits, with a fifty-fifty stick and three years' probation;
The third grade is for wartime, with a staff of eighty and five years of detention, that is, being sent to the army instead of being imprisoned. At the same time, continue to subdivide it. If you escape during frontline combat, you will be punished with a hundred rods and eight years of imprisonment. If it causes one's own defeat and the consequences are serious, the death penalty may be imposed.
The judges were probably speechless - the others absconded because they were afraid of death and hardship. It was really unusual for someone to lie about being sick and abscond to other battlefields.
According to the written law, it is basically a second-class sentence, with dozens of sticks, and then a few years of free accommodation.
It would then depend on whether the war started. Once the war started, as large-scale military expansion began, he would still be transferred to a front-line unit.
No matter what happens, they will be transferred to idle posts for a period of time first. After the war expands to hundreds of divisions, or a bunch of regiment commanders and brigade commanders die on the front line, all kinds of experienced and qualified officers will be needed. Being thrown to the front line.
There are many examples in history of prisoners being sent to the army, being punished for their crimes and performing meritorious service, and being shackled to prison.
As for the nature of politics, that is secondary. The Ming Dynasty's management of this aspect... is difficult to describe in one sentence. It requires officers not to join any party. In the past, no one controlled any party, and they could just withdraw.
But this is actually just letting things go. Various ideological trends between the government and the public are dancing wildly, ranging from left to center and right, and they cannot be controlled even if they want to.
"You probably don't know the situation here yet. There will be a big war soon. I can't leave even if I want to." Zhou Changfeng shrugged.
"cocoa……"
One person hesitated and didn't know what to say, and the other interrupted him and said seriously: "We don't know when someone from the outside world will notice. Maybe no one will find out in a few days or maybe a few months. Sir Zhou, please Think carefully, if this happens, I'm afraid you'll go to jail."
"I will leave after this battle is over." Zhou Changfeng said with a look of disgust: "This hellish place in Spain is also angry at me. It is hopeless."
What you said is a bit contradictory, right?
"Then why don't you leave as soon as possible?" The man was quite speechless and said hesitantly: "You... are making yourself so embarrassed. Stop the loss in time."
"Of course I can run away alone." Zhou Changfeng sighed, stretched out his index finger and pointed around, and said with a wry smile: "There are a group of guys with lofty ideals here, but they haven't realized that the Folangji government can't be helped by the mud. On the wall.”
"What...does this have to do with you staying?"
"It's very simple. After this battle is over, we should evacuate this miserable place. It's better to have fewer deaths. I wouldn't worry if someone else takes command. It can be regarded as a beginning and an end."
Hearing his explanation, although the two of them had a lot to say, they swallowed it in the end.
Hey, people with personality are indeed unusual. They can't be persuaded, so they slip away.
They said goodbye immediately and set off back immediately, planning to send a message to the Toulouse consulate when they reached the big city behind.
On the front line, several soldiers were chatting and filling sacks with sand with shovels; someone nearby was holding a cigarette and calling out who had matches or lighters.
Zhou Changfeng, who looked calm, was slightly distracted as he looked at such a scene. These people from all over the world obviously have their own lives, but they are willing to travel thousands of miles, overcome all difficulties, and devote themselves to highly dangerous battlefields for the "enemy" they have never met.
According to statistics, only a shocking 7% of International Brigade volunteers were able to leave Spain unscathed.
Even if the injured are not taken into account, the pure death rate is as high as 30%. This rate can be said to be exaggeratedly high in the 1930s.
Later generations have mixed praise and criticism for them. Some people regard them as great and noble human models, while others think that they are a group of victims who pursued illusory ideals and sacrificed their lives in vain.
Which one is right and which one is wrong depends on everyone's position and ideas, so it may be difficult to truly evaluate them fairly. This is history, everyone has different views on the same things.
But no matter what, the actions of the International Brigade are destined to leave a mark on the monument of human history.
On that eve when clouds were gathering and the city was about to be destroyed, there was a group of people who embraced the ideal of defending basic rights, abandoned their own contradictions and prejudices, overcame numerous obstacles, and came to the war-torn Iberian Peninsula. Participated in a war that was doomed to be fruitless.
"When ideals are shattered by reality, such behavior will be hard to see. Self-interest comes first after all."
Zhou Changfeng blew out a smoke ring, watched it slowly float and dissipate, and then put out the cigarette butt.
The contradictions accumulated in Spain for hundreds of years are irreconcilable and are bound to undergo a thorough baptism. However, the republican government, which is constantly fighting among itself and in chaos, cannot afford to support it.
They had been retreating steadily before, but now with the support of the International Brigade and the Red Eagle Legion, and the purchase of a huge amount of ordnance, they finally stabilized the situation, and as a result, a strategic decisive battle was imminent.
It's like a gambler who has finally filled in the pit and is now planning to play stud with the only chips he has.
Obviously, it is unlikely to win, or even a draw. Zhou Changfeng has a pessimistic attitude towards this.
Looking at the international situation, the non-intervention committees of Britain and France have been trying their best to mediate. Over the past few months, Berlin has been somewhat shaken.
I'm afraid it won't be long before the International Brigade and the Red Eagle Legion are ordered to evacuate.
Britain and France are now staring at the fact that once there is an obvious strategic imbalance between the two sides, or in other words, as long as the National Army has an advantage in the battle, they will soon recognize the National Army as a legitimate political power.
Therefore, Zhou Changfeng can basically predict the direction of Spain. When this decisive battle comes to an end, he will immediately escape from this smoky ghost place.
This was his first time experiencing a large-scale battle involving hundreds of thousands of troops. It was expected that both sides would spare no effort to invest all their trump cards.
Armored forces and aviation forces, it can be said that this will definitely be a magnificent modern land and air battle, and it will also be the first time in human history.
Zhou Changfeng is looking forward to it, hoping to learn from it and accumulate some useful experiences and lessons.
Interestingly, according to the briefing issued by the International Brigade Headquarters, the combat units and weapons and equipment added by the Red Eagle Corps a month ago have been completed and can be put into battle on time.
The aviation force acquired more than twenty of the latest Bf-109C fighter jets, thirty Ju-87A "Stuka" dive bombers making their debut, and twelve He-111B bombers.
The ground forces also received some Panzer III tanks, a dozen each of Type A and Type B, for a total of thirty-one tanks. The Germans finally had tanks with a total combat weight of more than 15 tons.
As the clouds of the decisive battle approached, the Republican Army Headquarters suddenly went against the norm and handed over the last batch of ordnance delivered to Barcelona by the Ming Dynasty to the International Brigade, including thirty Type 26 light tanks.
The International Brigade organized them into two fifteen-car tank companies and immediately launched intense training day and night.
The 101st Tank Company and the 102nd Tank Company were sent to the front line after completing preliminary training. They plan to continue training after being assigned to combat units so that they can participate in combat at any time.
Perhaps because the 50th Brigade was now at the forefront, the 102nd Tank Company was assigned, along with 300 additional troops.
The battle seems to start at any time, but in fact everyone knows that there will be a period of gaming next.
After all, a battle of this level cannot start right away. The tactical level confrontation, the battle level adjustment, and the strategic level game will take at least ten days and a half.
Both sides are gradually moving their respective heavy troop groups to this area, one in the south and one in the north, bounded by the Tejo River. The confrontation area is 200 kilometers wide, and Talavera is the key, right in the center. point.
Throughout early June, a steady stream of information was fed back to the brigade headquarters, and Zhou Changfeng had been considering the current situation.
Based on telecom reconnaissance and enemy prisoners captured by patrols, he was surprised to find that the Italian 26th Infantry Division had also been transferred?
This made him suddenly interested - wasn't that arrogant and stupid Enrique from the 26th Division? Is this delivered to your door?
The morning of June 10th was sunny, hot and windless.
In front of a bank in the north of Talavera, a black Alfa Romeo car slowly stopped.
Major General Antonio, commander of the 26th Infantry Division of the Royal Italian Army, looked indifferent and got out of the car. After taking off his white gloves, he took the map handed over by the adjutant and quickly scanned it.
What is different from ordinary senior generals of the Italian army is that Antonio is a very particular person. He believes that under any circumstances, he must face the public with the most solemn military appearance.
The Italians, who are romantic and often lead fashion aesthetics, are worthy of praise for designing clothes. At least, the tailor-made and well-tailored general's dress is very straight, the brim of the big-brimmed hat is polished spotlessly, and the long riding boots on the feet are even more... Brilliant.
"The intelligence is too scarce, incomplete, and too vague. Relying only on aircraft reconnaissance is not enough. Until now, you have not even figured out the opponent's main firepower points and defense lines. Is this how you Spaniards treat war?"
Antonio's evaluation made the 96th brigade commander of the National Army and all the officers feel ashamed.
Please! We don't have a corpse meal, so it's hard to deal with our opponent in front of us. The reconnaissance units dispatched over the past ten days, ranging from teams of a few people to detachments of dozens of people, have had very few successes.
Apparently the Italians didn't want to hear their explanation, or said it didn't make sense.
This is war, how can we turn a blind eye? If there are no basic reconnaissance results, why fight?
So Antonio immediately ordered his staff to formulate a reconnaissance plan, organize the reconnaissance unit of the 26th Division to cross the river for reconnaissance, and find out the deployment on the south bank of the Tejo River.
The next day, at dusk.
Today, the air forces of the Italian Army and the National Army bombed the defense areas of the 50th Brigade for the first time; at the same time, supply depots, roads, and bridges in depth were also attacked by air.
Before the war started, the logistics supply was hit first. Both ancient and modern wars actually follow the same core - paralyzing the opponent's supply line.
Zhou Changfeng, who was in the reinforced shelter, was distracted while looking at the dense numbers of combat units from both sides on the sand table. He imagined possible deployments and the corresponding impacts in his mind.
"...Seven people died and thirty-three people were injured. Considering that some people were seriously injured, it is expected that ten more people will die within twenty-four hours." Miller reported the losses caused by the air strike in a deep voice.
Zhou Changfeng did not raise his eyebrows and just replied calmly: "Request air defense units for reinforcements again."
"yes."
This is not the first time I have applied, and I can’t even remember how many times I have applied, but there has been no positive response every time.
When the encoded electromagnetic waves were emitted, seven kilometers downstream of the Tejo River...
(End of chapter)
