Chapter 779
Using a borrowed knife to kill, a vision of peace!
In Pengcheng, the rain has subsided slightly.
An inconspicuous black sedan slowly drove away from the forward command post.
Li Jingzhong stood at the gate, watching the taillights disappear into the rain, his expression inscrutable. Only after the taillights were completely out of sight did he turn back.
In a dark corner of the alley.
A man wearing a raincoat, who looked like a passerby, slowly lowered his head, turned around, and walked back into the alley.
He was an informant for the Fifth War Zone's office stationed in Pengcheng.
Half an hour later.
An urgent coded telegram was sent to Kaifeng via a secret radio station.
Kaifeng.
Li Delin held the newly translated telegram in his hand, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.
Outside the window, the wind and rain raged, and the howling wind mirrored his anxious and unsettled state of mind.
"At this time, what 'distinguished guests' could Pengcheng possibly have that warrant Li Jingzhong, the adjutant, personally seeing them off?"
Li Delin paced back and forth in the study, his leather boots making a dull, rapid sound as they stomped on the floor.
Huang Xuechu, the confidential adjutant beside him, whispered, "Lord De, could it be someone from the west (Yan'an)?"
"impossible."
Li Delin categorically denied it, waving his hand: "If it were someone from that side, Yunfei would be eager to launch a large-scale united front campaign to demonstrate his anti-Japanese stance to the Chairman and show his magnanimity to the allies. Why would he need to hide it?"
"Clad in all black, trying to conceal himself, without any military rank, and at this time of year."
Li Delin abruptly stopped, his eyes sharpening like knives: "Could they be Japanese?"
Huang Xuechu was shocked and lowered her voice: "Lord De, please be careful what you say. How could the War Commander be colluding with the enemy?"
"He wouldn't go so far as to collude with the enemy; he wouldn't do that, nor would he need to. But if it involves an exchange of benefits..."
Li Delin took a deep breath, a strong sense of foreboding rising in his heart. "The war in central Jiangsu is too strange."
"Okamura Yasuji isn't stupid. Why would he send the 60th Division right into our line of fire? Unless..."
"Unless he is certain that our defenses are a piece of paper, certain that someone will open the door for him, only then will the battle turn out like this."
Thinking about this...
Li Delin felt a chill run down his back.
"Send a telegram!"
Li Delin's voice suddenly rose, filled with a frustrated anger: "Ask him how he led his troops!"
"Why was it that with eight divisions of troops and relying on the natural barrier of the Huai River, they were still breached by a second-rate Class B Japanese division?"
"Yes!"
Eastern Anhui, Xuyi frontline.
The air was filled with the sound of gunfire, and the earth trembled.
Inside the forward command post of the 21st Group Army, dust fell in gusts, and each explosion felt like a blow to the heart.
Li Pinxian's face was covered in soot, and his hands were trembling as he looked at the thick stack of battle damage reports in his hand.
Chief of Staff Wang Hongshao rushed in, sweating profusely, clutching the urgent telegram from Kaifeng in his hand.
"Sir, an urgent telegram from Lord De!"
"Duke De asked how the battle was fought."
Li Pinxian grabbed the telegram, glanced at it, gave a bitter laugh, and slammed it on the table: "Duke De has been away from the Fifth War Zone for a long time. He doesn't know what kind of life the brothers are living these days."
"Chief Executive Officer" Wang Hongshao was slightly dissatisfied and hurriedly spoke up to express his opinion.
“Proposed electricity…” Li Pinxian
"Since the northward march from the Dabie Mountains, morale among the troops has been wavering."
"The brothers have left their hometowns and heard that the central government is about to implement a comprehensive reorganization. They are afraid of being discarded after their usefulness is over, and everyone is in danger!"
"In addition, some mid- to lower-ranking officers..."
Li Pinxian paused, then gritted her teeth and wrote: "They seem to have ulterior motives; it's impossible to guard against them."
"It's not that the command is incompetent; it's that morale has collapsed and the defenses have crumbled."
Wang Hongshao looked at the reply, sighed, and turned to send it.
The telegram was sent in less than two hours.
The reply from Kaifeng arrived, containing only eight cold words: "Hold your ground and hold out for reinforcements!"
Li Pinxian looked at these eight words, shook his head with a wry smile, and slumped down on the ammunition box.
Hold out to the death?
What can we use to defend it?
"boom--!!!"
A deafening roar seemed to explode right above the command post.
The blast wave blew the wooden door of the command post off, and screams of agony echoed from outside.
"Report—!!!"
A special operations battalion officer, covered in blood, stumbled in and collapsed at Li Pinxian's feet: "Commander-in-Chief, Chief of Staff, it's all over! It's all over!"
"Not just the 60th Division!"
"The Japanese 13th Division!"
"The 13th Division has broken out from the direction of Hongze Lake!"
"what?!"
Li Pinxian and Wang Hongshao jumped up in shock, their faces turning deathly pale.
"The 13th Division?"
"The 60th Division is holding them back from the front, while the 13th Division is flanking them from the flank. Our 174th Division has been completely surrounded!"
"The Huai River defense line has now been breached by the Japanese army, and there is no point in continuing to hold it."
Li Pinxian's legs went weak, and she slumped back into the chair, her face ashen.
The pencil in Wang Hongshao's hand snapped in two with a "crack".
"The Eighth Route Army's side"
"Don't even think about it. The 13th Division is, after all, a top-tier division of the Japanese army. It took the Eighth Route Army two months to capture Huaiyin City. How could they possibly stop them?"
Li Pinxian reluctantly ordered, "Prepare to break out. Let's move towards the 31st Army Group."
That's it, this time it's really over.
It seemed as if the Japanese were about to uproot the Guangxi clique's remaining assets in central Jiangsu in the blink of an eye.
original.
Li Pinxian thought that since the Eighth Route Army had already provided assistance, they could simply hold their ground and wait for reinforcements to arrive, which would be enough to turn the tide of the battle.
Moreover, the Japanese army in the Yangtze River Delta defense zone faced not only the National Revolutionary Army in North China, but also the New Fourth Army, the Eighth Route Army, and the elite main force of Li Yutang's Corps under the South China Joint Command.
However, Li Pinxian already had some guesses as to why the battle had turned out this way.
It's just that at this stage, the battle is not over yet, and there is no time for reckoning.
Kaifeng, the headquarters of the First War Zone Commander.
Inside Chang Ruiyuan's study, the fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air, yet it could not conceal the chilling atmosphere.
Chu Yunfei stood straight in front of the desk, his expression calm, as if reporting on a routine military matter.
"So, you're planning to use the Japanese to reorganize the Guangxi Clique?"
Chang Ruiyuan picked up the covered teacup, gently skimmed off the foam, and spoke in a flat tone, revealing no emotion.
"Yes."
Chu Yunfei made no attempt to conceal anything, looking directly into Chang Ruiyuan's eyes: "The Guangxi clique has become too powerful in northern Jiangsu and is severely corrupt internally. It has long been secretly colluding with the Japanese army."
"If we don't address the root cause, this unit will either become a puppet army or a stumbling block on the road to counter-offensive."
“Since Okamura Yasuji is willing to give me this sword, I will gladly oblige.”
"It not only diminished the prestige of the Japanese army, but also won over the morale of the Guangxi army, and also wiped out those parasites in one fell swoop."
"A triple win."
"Most importantly, Okamura Yasuji was one of the few intelligent people in the Japanese army. He was able to realize that Japan's defeat was imminent and was willing to become an 'agent' of the national will, which would reduce governance costs by several times."
Chang Ruiyuan took a sip of tea and stared at him intently.
He was clearly very interested, but unwilling to risk the exposure of his peace negotiations with the Japanese.
a long time.
Chang Ruiyuan put down his teacup with a soft sound: "You're very bold."
“This label of ‘colluding with the enemy’ could be pinned on you at any time, bringing you to ruin.”
"For the sake of the Party and the country, and for the overall situation of the War of Resistance, the students don't care."
Chu Yunfei's voice was firm and fearless: "As long as the result is good, the students will bear the blame."
"I won't let you bear such a bad reputation."
Chang Ruiyuan nodded, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes: "Go ahead and do it. If anything goes wrong, this old man is here for you."
"However, your hands and feet must be clean."
"Since they've been officially certified by the Japanese, none of these people should be spared."
Chang Ruiyuan tapped his fingers heavily on the table, a ruthless glint in his eyes: "Not a single one can be left alive."
"Since you've started, you might as well go all the way."
"I will have Yu Nong cooperate with you regarding the Military Intelligence Bureau. Your 88th Division is in Pengcheng. Get the 88th Division moving as well, and minimize the casualties of the 21st Army Group as much as possible. Do not let this escalate."
"Yes! I understand!"
Chu Yunfei saluted and turned to leave.
"Yunfei."
Chang Ruiyuan suddenly called out to him: "Chairman?"
"That cherry blossom badge."
Chang Ruiyuan pointed to the gold badge that Chu Yunfei had handed over, which Chen Zhigan had brought: "Put it away."
Consider it your spoils of war.
"It's also a wake-up call."
"The Japanese are not to be trusted, nor are those people from Guangxi. Only the gun in our hands and this passion are real."
Chu Yunfei was slightly taken aback, then nodded solemnly: "This student thanks Principal for his guidance."
Outside the headquarters.
The rain had completely stopped, but the sky remained overcast and oppressive. Zhu Peiji, the chief of staff, accompanied Chu Yunfei down the steps and all the way to his car.
Looking at the few refugees picking up rotten vegetable leaves in the cold wind at a street corner in the distance, Zhu Peiji sighed softly.
Zhu Peiji pulled his collar tighter, his voice somewhat desolate: "Look at these people."
"All they ask for is a full meal, a peaceful year, and a family reunion."
"But why is this world so difficult?"
"We've been fighting for so many years, and so many people have died. When will this end?"
Chu Yunfei stopped and followed Zhu Peiji's gaze.
The refugees, dressed in rags, smiled with a long-lost joy when they found half a cabbage, carefully tucking it into their clothes.
That humble yet satisfied smile deeply stung Chu Yunfei's eyes.
"Director Zhu"
Chu Yunfei turned his head, his gaze as firm as iron, as if he could see the light through the gloom: "It is precisely because it is difficult that we must fight, and fight ruthlessly."
“If we don’t fight, our descendants will have to continue living this miserable life and being bullied.”
"Our generation has fought the war, bled to death, and suffered enough."
"The next generation will be able to stand tall, be upright, and eat with peace of mind."
Zhu Peiji looked at the young general in front of him, noticing the few strands of white hair that had appeared at his temples, and felt a mix of emotions.
"You're right."
"But the road is too long and too arduous."
"No matter how long it is, we must keep going."
Chu Yunfei raised his head and looked at the leaden-gray sky to the north, as if he could see a brand new future through the clouds.
"Since the Chairman is so understanding, Yunfei dares not slack off."
"A strong nation leads to national rejuvenation and prosperous people."
"This is our grand vision, and also our responsibility."
Chu Yunfei extended his five fingers, clenched them into a fist, and forcefully swung them in the air.
"Five years, ten years, twenty years."
"That day will come eventually."
"We will see a truly peaceful and prosperous era."
"At that time, no one dared to bully us Chinese anymore."
"And no one dares to covet even an inch of our land anymore."
Zhu Peiji felt a jolt in his heart, and his eyes felt hot.
"it is good!"
"For that day."
"Let's work together."
Chu Yunfei nodded solemnly.
Then he turned around and strode toward the waiting jeep.
The car door closed.
The engine roared.
Chu Yunfei leaned back in the seat, closed his eyes, and concealed the weariness and murderous intent in them.
"Go to Pengcheng South."
"Your Excellency, I've never understood why, since you already provided aid in episode 31, you still needed to..."
"It is my duty, and I cannot shirk it."
"Brother Ligong and his men are ready to set off. We will fight this battle. This afternoon, let's discuss a simple battle plan with him. Tonight, we will return to the forward command post to contact the various combat units. Tomorrow morning, we will return to Pengcheng South to see off the departing soldiers."
Li Jingzhong nodded repeatedly: "Yes!"
The next day.
Pengcheng South Station.
Everywhere were gray figures rushing about, their heavy military boots pounding on the concrete, creating a deep and chilling roar.
The steam locomotive's chimney spewed white smoke, and the pungent smell of coal ash mixed with gun oil and sweat filled the air.
A portion of the main force of the 88th Group Army is boarding the vehicles.
They rested for less than a month at most.
Many soldiers' uniforms still carried the smell of gunpowder from the previous battle.
But this did not stop them from quickly loading the ammunition boxes and heavy machine guns onto the boxcar.
"crunch-"
A Willys Jeep sped up and suddenly stopped in the middle of the platform.
Before the car door opened, Chu Yunfei had already stood up.
He stood upright in the passenger seat, gripping the edge of the Jeep's windshield with one hand, his gaze sweeping over the forest of steel formations.
The once bustling platform fell silent in that instant.
Thousands of eyes turned to that figure.
That is their soul, the backbone of North China.
Chu Yunfei took off his white gloves and waved them vigorously.
"Brothers!"
His voice was deep and powerful, carrying far even without a megaphone: "Thank you for your hard work!"
"I haven't even had a peaceful meal or a good night's sleep, and now I have to drag you guys out to fight again!"
"But there's no other way!"
Chu Yunfei suddenly pointed south: "The Japanese devils' bayonets are already pointed at our hearts!"
"The 21st Army's defenses have collapsed, and tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers are about to wreak havoc on our loved ones."
"Can we agree to that?!"
"cannot!!!"
Thousands of officers and soldiers roared at the top of their lungs, the sound almost lifting the roof off the platform.
"it is good!"
"That is our liberated land, that is the glory we have defended!"
I only have one sentence!
Chu Yunfei's gaze swept across the young and resolute faces: "As long as the 88th Group Army is still here, the Japanese devils will never be able to swagger around on our land!"
"Get in the car!"
"Kill the enemy!"
"Victory! Victory! Victory!"
Amidst the frenzied shouts.
Chu Yunfei jumped out of the jeep and strode towards the front of the platform.
There.
Fang Ligong, along with a group of staff officers, stood at attention and saluted solemnly.
The autumn wind blew the hem of Fang Ligong's clothes. This chief of staff, who usually had a somewhat scholarly air about him, had bloodshot eyes at this moment.
Chu Yunfei strode forward, not returning the greeting, but instead tightly grasping Fang Ligong's hands.
Those were two rough, powerful hands, covered in the dust of battle.
"Brother Ligong."
Chu Yunfei's voice was low, carrying a hint of apology and a heavy sense of entrusting his life to someone: "This battle was rushed, I'm sorry to have troubled you."
"You understand what the Chairman means."
"We must both use others to do our dirty work and uphold our bottom line."
"In this battle, we must not only save the day, but also establish our authority!"
"We must severely damage, or even annihilate, the invading enemy, and completely crush the arrogance of the 13th and 60th Divisions!"
Fang Ligong felt the pressure from the palm of his hand but did not answer immediately.
He glanced at the slightly tired soldiers behind him, pushed up his glasses, and frowned slightly.
"Your Excellency."
Fang Ligong spoke frankly, his tone revealing a hint of worry: "You know the situation in the army."
"After less than a month of rest, although the troops have been replenished, new recruits account for 30%, so a decline in combat effectiveness is inevitable."
"Moreover, after continuous high-intensity combat, the brothers' physical and mental strength have reached their limits."
"Our current combat effectiveness is at least 20% lower than during the fourth phase of the counter-offensive."
At this point, Fang Ligong paused, then gripped Chu Yunfei's hand tightly, his eyes suddenly sharpening.
"but!"
"Please rest assured, Your Excellency."
"Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Even if we're on our last breath after eighty-eight episodes, we're still a tiger, not a sick cat!"
"The 13th Division?"
Fang Ligong sneered, a bloodthirsty smile curving his lips: "So what if it's a Class A division?"
"We will fight this battle as long as our brothers have a breath left."
"We will never tarnish the prestige of our Flying Tigers!"
"You're in Pengcheng, waiting for our good news!"
"it is good."
"I'll be in Pengcheng, waiting for your victory in the great battle. I'll throw you a celebratory banquet then."
"Go!"
"Yes!"
Fang Ligong turned around abruptly and waved his hand: "Continue boarding the vehicle!"
Soon, the long whistle of the steamer rang out through the night sky.
The train, laden with the elite troops of the 88th Group Army, roared across the tracks like a giant steel python, spewing thick smoke, and sputtered southwards towards the burning land under the watchful eyes of Chu Yunfei and the others. (End of this chapter)