PFC Chapter 637 It’s Their Honor
Chapter 637 It’s Their Honor
"There's no such thing as luck on the battlefield; there are only commanders who are adept at seizing opportunities." Zhou Zhengqing's voice was steady and powerful. "General Itagaki, the Fifth Division is worthy of the title 'Steel Army'! This time, the Chinese people have witnessed the strength of the Empire's most elite Type A Division!"
Upon hearing this, Itagaki Seishirō threw his head back and laughed heartily, a hint of triumph crossing his dark face. "General Takazaki, you're too kind!" He gripped the saber at his waist tightly, his gaze fixed on the distance. "Although it's too early to declare victory, I daresay that within a few days, the southern entrance will be filled with the Empire's flags!"
Looking at Itagaki Seishiro's somewhat showy and immature actions, Zhou Zhengqing twitched the corners of his mouth.
"I will definitely hold a grand celebration banquet for the general at that time!" Zhou Zhengqing promised solemnly, and then turned his gaze to the group of officers standing solemnly in the distance.
The major generals and colonels lined up neatly, but could only watch the conversation from afar. He frowned slightly: "Are those your subordinates?"
Daihui Naoki lowered his voice and explained, "Yesterday we received an urgent telegram from General Terauchi Juichi, requesting an immediate military meeting upon arrival in Tianjin." The fat on his round face trembled slightly as he spoke. "To save time, we've brought all the key officers with us."
As he spoke, he suddenly lowered his voice, a hint of uneasiness flashing in his eyes: "Master Yingqi, do you have any inside information about General Terauchi? Such a big thing has happened to the garrison, and none of us are sure what to do..."
Zhou Zhengqing waved his hand gently, "Don't worry, everyone." He swept his eyes over the crowd and said in a steady and powerful voice, "The garrison's affairs will be judged by the public, and no innocent people will be implicated."
After saying that, Zhou Zhengqing suddenly smiled and pointed at the group of officers: "Why don't you take me to meet them?" There was a hint of sarcasm in his tone: "I see that many of them are my fellow major generals. We can't let them just stand there and not even have a chance to speak.
I'm not that unkind, am I?"
Upon hearing this, Itagaki Seishirō burst into laughter and immediately stepped aside to lead the way: "It is their honor to meet the general!"
When Zhou Zhengqing and his group approached, the group of officers straightened their backs in unison.
As he introduced them one by one, Zhou Zhengqing's social circle expanded rapidly. The sunlight shone on the epaulettes of everyone, reflecting different levels of light.
Due to the intense fighting situation on the front line, only Seishirō Itagaki was present in the 5th Division.
The commander of the "Steel Army" stood in the center of the crowd, his dark face showing a bit of fatigue, but he still maintained the upright posture of a soldier.
Two main officers from Tani Hisao's Sixth Division came. The chief of staff, Colonel Shimotsuke Ichikawa, was thin and had a sharp eagle-like gaze behind his black-framed glasses.
Major General Tokutaro Sakai, commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade, particularly attracted Zhou Zhengqing's attention.
The 52-year-old general has graying hair at his temples, but his back is straight and his every move reveals the calmness of an old-school soldier.
Through the introduction, Zhou Zhengqing learned that this person was actually from the Sakai family.
"General Sakai is from a branch of the Sakai family?" Zhou Zhengqing raised his eyebrows in surprise, which confirmed the influence of the family behind Itai Yudai in the army.
He deliberately used his white gloves to hold the other person's calloused hand, with just the right amount of strength: "No wonder I felt he was so extraordinary when I first met him."
Upon hearing this, Sakai Tokutaro's bronze face smiled. "Master Takazaki, thank you for your compliment." He bowed 90 degrees and said, "Master Yudai is under your command. I hope you will give me more advice."
This conversation attracted the attention of several generals around.
Itagaki Seishirō took the opportunity to change the subject, saying to Tani Hisao, "Speaking of which, your 36th Division, Ushijima Mitsuru's 14th Brigade, fought well at Nankou." He squinted his eyes toward the southwest. "Although that guy has a bad temper, he's a real leader. He held off the reinforcements from the Chinese th Army and even staged a brilliant ambush."
Zhou Zhengqing noticed that when Sakai Tokutaro heard his colleague's name, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
It seems like there's something going on inside the Sixth Division...
As for the 20th Division, Naoki Oshima, with his big belly, introduced the important members under his command one by one.
Chief of Staff Colonel Hisazo Kamura wore round-framed glasses, and his eyes behind the lenses were as sharp as a knife.
Major General Yoshito Takagi, commander of the 39th Infantry Brigade, was thin and always unconsciously stroked the handle of his saber while speaking.
When Major General Tomoyuki Yamashita, commander of the 40th Brigade, faced Zhou Zhengqing, he was just like Daihui Naoki, with a smile on his face and an undisguised flattery.
The number of people from Rensuke Isogai's 10th Division was similar to that of the 20th Division.
Chief of Staff Colonel Atsuro Umemura gave Zhou Zhengqing the feeling of a smiling tiger.
Major General Se Takehei, commander of the 8th Brigade, had a sinister look on his face, and the scar on his left cheek was particularly conspicuous in the sunlight.
Major General Eijiro Tajima, commander of the 33rd Brigade, appeared to be taciturn. He only saluted respectfully when facing Zhou Zhengqing, and did not show any intention of currying favor with him like others.
The newly arrived officers of Nakajima Imao's 16th Division stood at attention.
The chief of staff, Colonel Mitsuo Nakazawa's military boots were polished to a shine, reflecting the dazzling light.
Major General Tatsumi Kusaba, the commander of the 19th Brigade, is a short, fat man. When he smiles, you can hardly see his eyes.
However, Major General Sasaki Daiichi, commander of the 30th Brigade, seemed extremely reserved when facing Zhou Zhengqing, and kept adjusting the discipline button on his collar.
At the end of the crowd, Major General Hebian Zhengsan of the garrison army looked like a frightened rabbit.
As he hurriedly saluted Zhou Zhengqing, his forehead under his military cap was covered with fine beads of sweat, and then he quickly retreated into the shadows.
Zhou Zhengqing noticed that he looked pale, and it was obvious that he had been having a difficult time recently.
"General Hebian." Zhou Zhengqing suddenly raised his voice, attracting everyone's attention: "I hope you can take more care of the reorganization of the garrison troops." He said it gently, but it made Hebian Zhengsan tremble all over, as if he had been whipped.
Including himself, the gold stars of nine major generals and five lieutenant generals shone brightly in the sun.
Four colonel chiefs of staff stood behind their respective division commanders like stars surrounding the moon. Further away, there were dozens of lieutenant colonels and majors of staff, but they could only stand solemnly on the periphery like a human wall and were not even qualified to come forward and talk to them.
The sea breeze blew by with a salty and fishy smell, and Zhou Zhengqing slowly swept his eyes over the group of officers who controlled the fate of hundreds of thousands of Japanese troops in North China.
Itagaki Seishirō was touching his short hair and whispering to Nakajima Imao.
Daihui Naoki, with his pot belly, gestured something to Isogai Rensuke.
Tani Hisao stood alone like a lone wolf, his sharp eyes occasionally scanning the direction of the port...
"If a shell falls at this moment..." This dangerous thought suddenly flashed through Zhou Zhengqing's mind.
He seemed to see the blood mist exploding in the sunlight, with generals and limbs flying everywhere.
The entire Japanese military command system in North China would be paralyzed in an instant, and the more than 200,000 Japanese troops on the front line would fall into chaos and disarray. This fantasy made the muscles under his military uniform unconsciously tense, and the fingers in his white gloves curled slightly.
But the next second, Zhou Zhengqing regained his composure.