After a pause, Yan Yan continued: "The Songhu Independent Regiment is an anti-Japanese armed force spontaneously organized by patriotic youths, veterans of the National Army and overseas Chinese. Its only mission is to defend Shanghai."
After being stunned for several minutes, Chen Shunong finally came to his senses.
"It's useless even if you break away from the 88th Division."
"Even the Songhu Independent Regiment still belongs to the national army."
"As long as they belong to the national army, they must accept the jurisdiction of the national government."
"Now, as a special commissioner of the government, I order you..."
However, before he finished speaking, he was severely interrupted again: "Commissioner Chen, please save it. It is true that our Songhu Independent Regiment belongs to the national army's order of battle, but this is only in name."
"What? In name only? What do you mean?"
"Literally, we pursue an independent anti-Japanese policy."
"Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China put forward the spirit of his speech that 'the land does not distinguish between north and south, and people do not distinguish between old and young'. We will definitely implement it to the end. We will definitely defend Shanghai and will never give up territorial sovereignty. But how to fight the Japanese invaders specifically? There is no need to trouble the national government or the war zone to send personnel for guidance.”
"Bold! This is simply unreasonable!"
"You are maliciously distorting the leader's speech."
"What qualifications do you have to pursue an independent anti-war policy?"
"As long as they are anti-Japanese armed forces within China, they must accept the guidance of the national government!"
Chen Shunong was really furious now. The Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army just had an independent anti-war policy. Why the hell do you, a small army of more than fifty people, want to be independent? Are you worthy?
If it weren't for the special location of Sihang Warehouse, I could have suppressed you in a snap!
Facing Chen Shunong's incompetent rage, Yan Yan smiled lightly and said: "Commissioner Chen, this is not a request for instructions, but a notification."
Chen Shunong knew that it was useless to talk to Yan Yan, so he immediately turned his attention to Yang Deyu and the three of them: "Did you three just hear it? The one named Yan has no good intentions. He instigated you to break away from the 88th Division and form the Songhu Independent Tuan must have an ulterior motive, he is probably a spy! Yes, he is a Japanese spy!"
"Special Commissioner, do you think Lao Yan is a spy?" Wu Jie was amused, "How many more spies like this would be good?"
Zhu Shengzhong also sneered: "If there are more spies like this, the Japanese should surrender directly."
Yang Deyu also asked coldly: "Special Commissioner, have you ever seen a spy who killed two hundred Japanese in two days?"
Chen Shunong said: "Even if he is not a spy, even if he is a patriotic overseas Chinese who returned to China to participate in the Anti-Japanese War, he may not have any good intentions towards you. He instigated you to break away from the 88th Division and form the Songhu Independent Regiment. He just used you as a stepping stone to achieve the goal. His ulterior motives, yes, you guys are just his stepping stones!"
Wu Jie muttered, "What can Lao Yan have in mind? It's just to kill more Japanese."
Yang Deyu said: "If this is his intention, I would rather be his stepping stone."
Zhu Shengzhong snorted coldly and said: "Chen, get out of here before I change my mind, and don't come back again in the future, otherwise I don't guarantee that I will do something outrageous."
"You..." Chen Shulong really didn't dare to say another word.
Zhang Baiting took a deep breath and asked in a deep voice: "Have you really thought about it?"
"Take a seat, this is also the last time I call you to sit down." Yang Deyu said solemnly, "Take care!"
"Take care of yourself too." Zhang Baiting nodded, suddenly feeling relieved to put down his burden, "Come back and have a look when you have time. Anyway, you are also an old brother who left our 88th Division."
"If I am still alive when the Anti-Japanese War is won, I will go back."
After saying that, Yang Deyu stood at attention again and gave Zhang Baiting a standard military salute.
Zhang Baiting also returned the military salute again, then turned around and left the east building without looking back.
Upon seeing this, Chen Shunong could only catch up quickly. After chasing him into the cigarette shop, he couldn't help complaining: "Chief of Staff Zhang, are we two going back like this? Is this the end of the matter?"
"Otherwise, what else can you do? Can you change the fait accompli?"
"But how do you explain it to the army? How do you explain it to the concession?"
"We just need to tell the truth. The Sihang Warehouse incident has developed to this stage and is no longer something that the two of us can interfere with. Our mission is over."
…
After returning to the concession, Zhang Baiting fed back the results to Yu Hongjie.
Yu Hongjie rushed to the Chinachem Hotel by car and asked to see Bao Daizhen.
Bao Dezhen met Yu Hongjie in his large English-style suite.
"Songhu Independent Regiment? What do you mean?" Bao Daizhen didn't react for a moment and looked at Yu Hongjie with a blank expression. "Why did another Songhu Independent Regiment suddenly appear? Is it the local armed forces that just arrived in Shanghai? They are How did they get into Zhabei? Didn’t the Japanese army already completely control Zhabei?"
Yu Hongjie smiled bitterly and said: "Your Excellency, President, the so-called Songhu Independent Regiment is the small force left behind in the Sihang Warehouse, not some local armed force that has just arrived in Shanghai."
"That unit?" Bao Daizhen asked, "Aren't they subordinate units of the 88th Division?"
"But now they have broken away from the 88th Division." Yu Hongjie sighed.
Bao Daizhen suddenly said: "You mean this small army has declared independence, right?"
"Yes." Yu Hongjie nodded, "They are still an anti-Japanese armed force, but they no longer accept the command of the government. Now not only me, Chief of Staff Zhang Baiting, or Commissioner Chen Shunong, but also Chairman of the Standing Committee can no longer give them orders. Specific combat orders have been issued, so the government is really powerless to deal with the Sihang Warehouse."
"Damn it!" Bao Daizhen said angrily, "Isn't this a rebellion? Your government doesn't care?"
Yu Hongjie said with a wry smile: "Now is the critical juncture of the War of Resistance. The guns need to be unanimous. As long as the Songhu Independent Group does not act as traitors and lackeys and is willing to resist Japan, the government will not be able to use force against them."
This is a tough statement. Even if the government wants to suppress the Songhu Independent Group, it doesn't have the ability.
The reason is also very simple. The troops in the third theater are all in western Shanghai and cannot enter Zhabei at all.
Bao Daizhen said in a deep voice: "Then if the merchant group of all nations sends troops to suppress it, will your country intervene?"
"No, since the Songhu Independent Group is not under the command of the national government, their life and death is naturally related to the national government. The merchant group of all nations can act as cheaply as possible." Yu Hongjie knew very well that Chairman of the Standing Committee would definitely be happy to see the Songhu Independent Group destroyed. Just like he hoped that the Eighth Route Army and the New Fourth Army would be eaten by the Japanese.
…
News of the Songhu Independence Group soon spread to the Bank of China building.
The reporters and observers who were resting in the booth area were suddenly shocked.
"What? The small troops in Sihang Warehouse broke away from the national army?"
"Songhu Independence Group? Ohhhhhh, shit! They actually declared independence!"
"It's unbelievable, simply unbelievable. A small army of just over fifty people dare to declare independence? Are they planning to be enemies of the entire world?"
"What a bold bunch of guys."
"I think this decision was very wise."
"If you don't break away from the 88th Division, you have to obey orders and disarm. As a soldier, I would rather die in battle than put down my weapons."
Sophia's deep blue eyes were also sparkling.
The news that Yan Yan led his troops to break away from the national army and announced the establishment of the Songhu Independent Regiment reminded her of Napoleon's deeds when he abandoned the African Expeditionary Force and sneaked back to Paris.
At that moment, Sophia picked up a pen and wrote in her diary: From the first moment I saw him, I knew that this was a man destined to be extraordinary, and one day his name would shock the whole world.
After finishing writing and closing the notebook, Sophia stood up and left the booth.
"Everyone, I have to go back and write the article for Miller's Review, so I'll excuse you for now."
After watching Sophia's graceful figure disappear at the door of the ballroom, Reeves reluctantly withdrew his gaze.
Taking a long puff of cigarette, Reeves said bitterly: "It's just a small force of more than fifty people. It was originally backed by the public concession and the National Government. It could also rely on the Sihang Warehouse Building to fight with the Japanese army. They have been fighting for a while, but now they have offended the concession and the National Government at the same time. This is simply suicide!"
"Reeves, have you ignored a basic fact?" Lotov paused for a moment, then continued, "They have pinched the testicles of the public concession, haven't they?"
Hearing this sentence, Reeveston became speechless.
