Seeing everyone gathered, Brigadier Chen asked the group leaders to introduce the situation.

Only by understanding the situation first can we formulate effective strategies.

Cheng Shifa took the lead and said: "Report to the brigade commander that our regiment's attack went smoothly and we have captured all the strongholds outside the east of the city. At present, the Japanese and puppet troops have withdrawn into the city."

Ding Wei also said: "Our new regiment has captured the Xincheng Airport outside the north of the city, but the airport was severely damaged. The aircraft, oil depots and arsenals, including the airport runway, were all blown up. I don't know who did it."

Although the New Regiment captured Xincheng Airport, Ding Wei would not take credit.

If it was not done by Shin Yituan, he would never take it on himself.

"I know this." Li Yunlong chuckled, "The airport in the north of the city was blown up by our independent regiment. A few days ago, the chief of staff of our independent regiment led a flight formation through Taiyuan and casually dropped a few aerial bombs to destroy the airport.

It exploded!"

Chu Yunfei's expression changed, and he looked at Li Yunlong with deep meaning.

He was also wondering why he hadn't seen Wei Dayong, the top general of the independent group, in the past few days. It turned out that he was flying a plane.

Could it be that the bombing of Niangziguan was the work of Wei Dayong?

But the question is, where did Wei Dayong get the Hot Wheels from Nezha Naohai?

Although Chu Yunfei was full of questions, he did not say anything. Now is not the time to discuss this issue.

Cheng Shifa said: "What a pity. If Chief of Staff Wei had not blown up the Xincheng Airport, maybe our Eighth Route Army could have captured dozens more planes."

But Li Yunlong hummed: "We have captured dozens more planes, why don't you, blind man Cheng, go to heaven?"

Cheng Shi asked: "Li Yunlong, is there something wrong with what I said?"

Li Yunlong said: "There is a problem, and it is a big problem. If you think about it carefully, if Chief Wei and the others hadn't blown up the Xincheng Airport, we would have been hit by countless aerial bombs when we were in Yangquan. You seven

I am afraid that the 72nd Regiment will lose not only one battalion, but at least half of them!"

Cheng Shifa's expression froze and he was unable to refute for a moment.

When it comes to quarrels, even if two Cheng Shifa are tied together, they are no match for Li Yunlong.

Brigadier Chen's face darkened and he scolded: "Stop arguing! If you want to quarrel, when this battle is over and you return to the base, I will find a place for you to quarrel to your heart's content. Then invite the head of the headquarters to visit.

Don’t even look at the time when you quarrel!”

Seeing that the brigade commander was angry, Cheng Shifa and Li Yunlong quickly shut up and stood at attention, as cowardly as good babies.

After a pause, Brigadier Chen looked at Chu Yunfei: "Captain Chu, how is the situation over there?"

Chu Yunfei said: "The situation on our side is similar to that of your regiments. The Japanese and puppet troops have abandoned their strongholds outside the city and have all retreated to defend the city. The 358th regiment has launched two attacks on the west wall, but was suppressed both times.

When we came back, the enemy's firepower on the city wall was very fierce."

After all, the 358th Regiment only cooperates with the Eighth Route Army in fighting and does not need to listen to the Eighth Route Army's orders.

The three regiments of the Eighth Route Army would not attack the city wall without receiving orders from Brigadier Chen.

Brigadier Chen nodded upon hearing this. Based on the feedback from each regiment, the situation was almost as he expected at the beginning.

It is not difficult to capture the strongholds, bunkers and other fortifications outside the city. For the Eighth Route Army and the Shanxi-Sui Army, the city wall is the hardest nut to crack.

Brigadier Chen sighed in his heart that the main problem was the lack of large-caliber heavy artillery. If I had a few large-caliber heavy artillery, it wouldn't be a problem to blast through the city wall.

As long as the city wall can be blown open, the rest will be easy to say. There are not many Japs in the city, and relying on the puppet army's independent 2nd Division to fight street battles is no match for the Eighth Route Army.

Brigadier Chen said: "According to intelligence, in addition to the 2,000 Japanese troops in Taiyuan City, there is also an independent 2nd Division of the Imperial Association Army, with a total strength of about 8,000."

Except for Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang, Cheng Shifa, Ding Wei and Chu Yunfei all had surprised looks on their faces.

In addition to the Japanese, there is also a second independent division of the puppet army?

This is troublesome!

Brigadier Chen pondered: "Now let's discuss, should we attack Taiyuan City, or besiege it?"

Ding Wei took the lead and said: "We don't have much capital, and attacking the city will cause huge casualties. My opinion is to continue the siege and force the Japanese troops in Zhongtiao Mountain to return for reinforcements."

"Since we don't have the ability to take down Taiyuan City," Cheng Shifa immediately retorted, "then why do the Japanese want to return for reinforcements?"

The question before everyone now is.

Attack the city. The troops will be consumed bit by bit in the siege.

And no one can say for sure whether Taiyuan City can be captured.

If we don't attack the city, then the Japanese army will not return reinforcements and continue the fighting in Zhongtiao Mountain.

Regardless of whether they attack the city or not, it is not a good idea to deal with the Chinese army at the moment.

Ding Wei thought for a while and said: "Then let's fight with the Japanese and puppet troops outside Taiyuan City. Anyway, we seized hundreds of thousands of kilograms of grain in Yangquan. It's no problem to consume it for a month!"

"In one month," Cheng Shifa said, "the Japanese army has already mobilized enough troops from North China. There is no need to withdraw troops from Zhongtiao Mountain to return reinforcements. My suggestion is to fight, and to fight quickly!"

"That's easy to say." Ding Wei retorted, "Why do you want a quick victory? Not only will we not be able to defeat them, but our troops will also suffer heavy losses!"

The headquarters was divided into two factions, one was Ding Wei's non-siege faction, and the other was Cheng Shifa's siege faction.

In fact, what the two group leaders said is reasonable, and each has its own considerations.

Chu Yunfei was silent and didn't know what he was thinking.

Brigadier Chen glanced at Li Yunlong, whose eyes were wandering around, and asked: "Li Yunlong, what the hell are you pretending to be? Have you thought of any good ideas? Tell me quickly!"

Li Yunlong shook his pockets and said: "When we were attacking the outer strongholds, I carefully observed the Taiyuan city wall. The city wall was more than ten meters high and three or four meters wide. There were a large number of bunkers and fortifications on the wall, and there were gun towers on both sides of the city tower.

, forming a cross fire to control the city gate. The Japanese and puppet troops only need to push heavy firepower such as mountain artillery, field artillery and heavy machine guns onto the city wall, aiming at the siege troops and firing directly. For our army who lacks heavy artillery, it will be all in vain!

"

Brigadier Chen frowned slightly: "So you don't agree with attacking the city?"

"Of course not." Li Yunlong said, "This city needs to be attacked, but we can't do it recklessly."

At present, large forces have arrived at Taiyuan City. If they don't attack the city, they will not be able to get the food and weapons in the city.

Li Yunlong came to Taiyuan to make a fortune, not as a guest to drink and dine.

Not capturing Taiyuan City is obviously not in line with Commander Li's core interests.

Ding Wei asked: "Old Li, do you have any good way to break through the city wall?"

Li Yunlong said: "Allowing soldiers to risk their lives to attack the city is just a fueling tactic, which is taboo for military strategists. I don't recommend doing this!"

Brigadier Chen said: "Hurry up and tell me your method!"

"My method is very simple!" Li Yunlong said, "Use earthwork methods to blast the city wall!"

Cheng Shifa asked: "Old Li, do you mean to dig a tunnel?"

Li Yunlong nodded: "That's right!"

"You can think of this method." Chu Yunfei, who had been silent, suddenly said, "The Japanese and puppet troops can also think of it. They will send professional engineers to monitor the general direction of our tunnel digging, and then dig tunnels from inside the city outwards.

They buried all our engineers with explosives, what will you do?"

"This is simple." Li Yunlong said, "When our independent group captured Xiaodian Town in the morning, we found a firecracker factory there with a large number of firecrackers. When we dig tunnels here, we can set off firecrackers and beat gongs and drums.

Wouldn’t it be enough to make noise that interferes with the sight and hearing of enemy engineers?”

Chu Yunfei's expression changed, he nodded and stopped talking.

Brigadier Chen's eyes lit up slightly and he said, "This is a solution."

Cheng Shifa and Ding Wei were also happy, this stupid Li Yunlong had so many clever ideas.

Although it is a crude method, it is often this crude method that is sometimes the most useful.

In the last battle of Lijiapo, Li Yunlong abandoned Cheng Shifa's refueling tactics and used tunnel operations to completely annihilate the Yamazaki Brigade, while the independent regiment itself suffered very little losses.

After a pause, Brigadier Chen concluded and issued an order.

"During the day, each regiment stepped up the construction of fortifications outside the city, and at night each regiment selected engineers to dig tunnels."

"I will apply to the headquarters to send fighter planes to blow up the railways and highway bridges in the southwest, and make a gesture of eating Taiyuan in one bite."

"At the same time, let the border region government step up the production of a batch of leaflets, send planes to drop leaflets into the city, and launch an offensive to persuade the puppet troops to surrender."

…

Just as Brigadier Chen was making strategic arrangements, Wei Xiaoyong received the message from Wei Dayong on the armored train.

After receiving the news, Wei Xiaoyong did not dare to neglect and immediately reported to Brigadier Chen and Li Yunlong.

Brigadier Chen, who had just deployed his orders, was staring at the map closely, while the three Eighth Route Army commanders were preparing to walk out.

Chu Yunfei was still wondering and confused, where did the Eighth Route Army fighter planes come from? He was going to take the opportunity to ask Li Yunlong to find out.

Wei Xiaoyong shouted outside the headquarters: "Report!"

Hearing Wei Xiaoyong's voice, Li Yunlong said: "Come in!"

"Report important news to the brigade commander, regiment commander, and chief of staff!"

Hearing the brigade commander raise his head in surprise, Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang and others also looked at him quickly.

Brigadier Chen asked hurriedly: "What important news?"
To be continued...