Chapter 1020
The Mastermind's Apprentice Arrives
With our army completing the encirclement and severance of Pingjintang, the Nationalist army in North China was divided into five parts:
The 11th Army Corps in Zhangjiakou, the 35th Army in Xinbao'an, Beiping, Tianjin and Tanggu.
The luckiest among them were probably the troops stationed in Tanggu. Although they were surrounded on three sides, they still had the port in their hands and the possibility of escaping.
But the other four only bring despair!
On the Northeast battlefield, the Nianzhuangwei battlefield in Xuzhou and Bengbu, and the Shuangduiji battlefield, facing the heavy encirclement of our army, including the main force, they could only accept their fate and did not believe that they could break through the encirclement.
However, the generals on the Central Army's side remained stubbornly defiant:
Tianjin was heavily guarded by over 100,000 troops and had numerous fortified defenses. Tanggu was also under their control, and warships patrolled the seas. Even with the 11th Army Corps' capture of Zhangjiakou and the annihilation of the 35th Army, the Pingjin-Tang area remained a crucial tri-way power balance.
The Communist army cannot and dares not divert troops from both sides to focus its attack on one place, so the pincer movement will not be broken!
As long as the strategic point of attack remains intact, Tianjin and Tanggu will not fall, and the sea route will remain forever. As long as we persist, the Nationalist army, having completed its reorganization, can land from the sea, and at that time, the outcome will be uncertain!
Well, the above is the stubbornness of senior generals in the Central Army. At this point, junior and middle-ranking officers had lost all will to fight—the intimidating power of the dog-skin hat was far greater than the senior generals thought!
In particular, some units in the Central Army in Beiping had participated in the Eastward Advance Corps, especially the 62nd Army, which was the main force of the Eastward Advance Corps.
Having participated in the Eastward Advance Corps means that they witnessed the resilience and tenacity of the Northeast Field Army at Tashan. Now, surrounded by their former adversaries, they wake up from their dream of Tashan, filled with nothing but fear!
Fear is contagious!
Therefore, one can imagine the mentality of junior officers and ordinary soldiers in the Central Army.
Tashan, that's a mountain built with the blood and flesh of the Northeast Field Army!
With this mountain blocking their way, facing Dongye with his dog-skin hat, they really couldn't stand up straight.
What was the mindset of the Sui Army generals?
At this time, the Sui Army generals were filled with hatred for the Central Army. The annihilation of the 104th Army and the entrapment of the 35th Army were directly related to the Central Army. It was because the Central Army was stuck in Pingjintang and did not move that the General Headquarters had no choice but to send its own people to fight.
Although the 16th Army was wiped out, the Sui Army really didn't care much about personal relationships.
During the rescue of the 35th Army, the 16th Army was responsible for flank security, which meant waving flags and shouting to boost morale!
Moreover, when Pingjintang was cut off and surrounded, the Central Army did not quickly send troops to coordinate and maintain the integrated strategy, but instead attacked its own people first.
How could you expect the Sui Army generals not to harbor hatred towards the Central Army?
They hated the Central Army, but they were utterly terrified of our army.
They're incredibly capable, so formidable—there's absolutely no hope for the upcoming battle!
If the generals of the Sui Army are like this, the morale of the middle and lower-ranking officers and soldiers will only be worse.
This is also the fundamental reason why it is emphasized in military affairs that one should not be surrounded:
Once surrounded, the longer it goes on, the more despair spreads!
Finally, it collapsed...
……
This courtyard is where Sister Qian and Zhang Anping secretly meet.
She usually waited for Zhang Anping, but this time when she came in, Zhang Anping had already prepared two cups of tea and was now leisurely lying on a recliner, swaying back and forth like a wealthy old man from the countryside.
At this moment, Zhang Anping had a faint smile on his face—the reason being that he had seen his two apprentices.
Those two "foolish" apprentices were both incredibly clever, yet their master followed them the entire time, and neither of them noticed, each believing they were hiding in an alley to put on makeup...
It has a certain pride about "your grandpa is still your grandpa"...
Although Sister Qian didn't know what Zhang Anping was thinking, seeing how relaxed he was, she couldn't help but smile as she entered the room:
"Comrade Anping, it seems you are very optimistic about the future situation—it seems you don't really believe in the so-called tripartite balance of power!"
That's right, the notorious spy Zhang Shih-hao is a typical example of someone who's stubborn to the end. He was the one who first made the statement about the three-way power struggle.
Zhang Anping smiled and got up from the recliner. After inviting Sister Qian to sit down, he sat down on the sofa and said with a smile:
"I have confidence in Higashino! Practice makes perfect!"
Sister Qian was even happier upon hearing this.
That's true. Back in the Northeast, the main force of the Kuomintang was trapped in three strongholds. At that time, the Northeast Field Army found the three-way standoff troublesome. But after annihilating the Kuomintang army in the Northeast, the Northeast Field Army is now much more skilled!
Moreover, back then, the Northeast had Huludao Island at sea and the Nationalist army in North China had to worry about crossing the border, but the Northeast Field Army didn't have to worry about that now.
In the Huaihai region, the Second Corps of Huang Er was defeated, and the Xuzhou Corps was trapped.
North China is like a turtle in a jar!
The Kuomintang's remaining forces were too busy reinforcing the Yangtze River defense line to possibly send troops.
If troops were to be sent to provide assistance, that would be the outcome that Higashino is currently hoping for the best.
Eliminating one more enemy now means one less enemy to face when crossing the river in the future!
After laughing, Sister Qian became serious again:
"As per your request, Comrades Xu Zhongyi and Jiang Si'an have already entered the city and are expected to return to see me in the next day or two—Anping. Although Fu Huabei's special envoy has already met with the comrades under our command, I still feel that Fu Huabei's sincerity is seriously lacking!"
Do you think the chances of a peaceful liberation of Beiping (Beijing) are high?
It's not just severely inadequate; in Sister Qian's view, Fu Huabei's proposal of "stopping all offensives and establishing a joint autonomous region along the entire Pingjin-Tangshan-Zhangjiakou line" is completely insincere!
Zhang Anping affirmed, "The possibility of peaceful liberation is very high! But he still harbors too many illusions. Don't worry, our army's commanders are experienced, how could they not see through his current wishful thinking?"
"But don't forget, the reason we look forward to peaceful liberation is because we can't bear to see this ancient city ravaged by war, not because we really can't conquer them!"
"Just wait and see, I think there will be big moves coming soon in Zhangjiakou and the Xinbaoan area."
"The longer it drags on, the fewer cards he has left to play. When he has no cards left to play, he will naturally face reality."
"Furthermore, we can also start with the Sui Army generals. These people may not directly betray Fu Huabei, but their attitudes can still influence him!"
Sister Qian nodded in agreement; that was indeed the case.
"Our next focus will be on united front work—Comrade Anping, your report is very detailed and has saved us a lot of time in our united front work. However… is it really impossible to win over these senior generals of the Central Army?"
Sister Qian said worriedly, "I'm worried they'll become a stumbling block in the negotiations!"
The Central Army in Beiping outnumbered the Sui Army. If the Central Army were determined to stage a mutiny, Fu Huabei's forces would not be enough to control the situation.
Internal strife may seem like a good thing to our army, but our army's goal is to protect this ancient city from the ravages of war!
Therefore, internal strife is something we actually don't want to see!
Zhang Anping shook his head and said:
“These Central Army generals will not surrender unless they are driven to desperation! Moreover, if we want to talk to Fu Huabei, we must not alert them. If they become alert, they may very well take action against Fu Huabei in a fit of anger.”
"Therefore, we cannot alert them, but we still need to make the necessary preparations—I asked you to transfer Xu Zhongyi and Jiang Si'an here precisely to deal with this possibility."
Sister Qian thought for a moment before she understood Zhang Anping's plan:
"You mean, start with the lower-ranking officers?"
Zhang Anping affirmed:
"Yes! The higher-ups are the diehards, but the middle and lower-ranking officers and even the rank-and-file soldiers are not!"
"How many years has this war lasted since the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty?"
"Most people are longing for peace to come!"
Zhang Anping then began to explain his plans.
All his plans were laid out for the peaceful liberation of Beiping—he didn't trust the senior generals of the Central Army, but he had a clear understanding of the middle and lower-ranking officers. Therefore, the main direction of his plans was to infiltrate the middle and lower-ranking officers.
Moreover, this has another advantage:
Once Fu Huabei fully accepts our army's conditions, as long as we control the senior generals of the Central Army, there will be no opposition from the middle and lower ranks. Even if someone tries to incite others, when the vast majority of people are on the side of peace, the incitement of a few will be nothing more than clowns!
As for the Sui Army, Zhang Anping's idea was to take a two-pronged approach:
It would be difficult for Xu Zhongyi to secretly contact the senior generals of the Sui Army to turn them to the side, but it would be possible to get them to influence Fu Huabei. He had a clear understanding of the Sui Army these days, and the attitudes of these generals could influence Fu Huabei!
Ultimately, however, all his plans were based on the overwhelming military might of our army—once the Sui Army and the Central Army realized that our army was powerless to deal with them, all these efforts would be nothing more than a mirage.
Sister Qian wholeheartedly agreed with Zhang Anping's plan and then discussed the details with him.
……
On the streets of Beiping, two men dressed as secret agents were wandering around. When they reached a deserted area, one of the agents said, "Given the current state of the Beiping army, if our troops can hold them off for another month, I think we can take them in one fell swoop!"
My companion said helplessly:
"Zhongyi, can you please stop being so arrogant? We're secret agents now, can you please stop constantly mentioning our army, our army..."
"Haha, old Jiang, you're too conservative! Don't forget your name is Okamoto Heiji!"
These two were Zhang Anping's only two disciples, Xu Zhongyi and Jiang Si'an.
However, their current "identity" is that of agents of the Beiping branch of the Party's Communications Bureau.
Jiang Si'an frowned: "Can we not bring this up?"
Xu Zhongyi: "Okay, okay, I won't mention it—there's no loose end here, right?"
Jiang Si'an said to her senior brother in an annoyed tone:
"You know better than I do, don't you?"
Xu Zhongyi is not good at action and his marksmanship is terrible. This well-known fact does not apply to Jiang Si'an. How could he not know the level of his master's eldest disciple?
"Hehe, I'm used to it, I'm used to it."
Xu Zhongyi chuckled, realizing he'd gotten so used to pretending that he'd always forgotten he was actually a tiger.
The two quickened their pace, turned into a small alley, and after confirming once again that they were not being followed, changed their clothes. When they emerged from the alley again, they were dressed as students.
The key is that it feels completely natural; these two people, who are almost thirty, look like they are in their twenties.
After wandering around for a while, the two finally arrived at the door of a house. After knocking and exchanging the secret code, they were invited inside, but were immediately taken into custody at gunpoint.
"Who are you people? How do you know the code?"
Ma Xiaowu kept a vigilant eye on the two of them, not daring to relax for a moment.
Sister Qian told him that two comrades would be coming to report today and tomorrow, and that these two were veterans of the underground front. The two did indeed come, but they were dressed as students and knew the code and hand signals.
How could he not be alert?
Xu Zhongyi and Jiang Si'an were both amused and exasperated, realizing that their attire was the cause of the trouble. Just as they were about to explain, they saw Comrade Chen Guohua wearing black-rimmed glasses heading towards a room.
Jiang Si'an quickly called out, "Comrade Guohua, it's me!"
Chen Guohua was taken aback. Did that voice sound like Comrade Jiang Si'an's?
But upon closer inspection, oh wait, a student?!
He walked over incredulously, looked at her closely before confirming that it was indeed a younger version of Jiang Si'an, and then said incredulously:
"An Sihe?"
Jiang Si'an was both amused and exasperated. "You're really vigilant!"
Call me Jiang Si'an or An Sijiang. What the hell is An Sihe?
"Comrade Guohua, please stop testing me!"
"Is it really you?! Wow—you can actually make yourself look so young with makeup? Xiao Wu, these are our comrades, they're here to see Sister Qian!"
Chen Guohua told Ma Xiaowu not to misunderstand, then curiously circled around the two of them. After confirming that it was indeed Jiang Si'an and Xu Zhongyi, he couldn't help but marvel at the sight.
These two are really good at makeup!
Just then, Sister Qian came in from outside and saw Ma Xiaowu holding a gun. After figuring out the reason, she found Chen Guohua's surprise amusing and thought to herself:
You haven't seen their teacher. If you had seen Comrade Anping's makeup, you would know what magic is!
"Xiao Wu, you continue to keep watch—you two come with me."
Sister Qian felt somewhat helpless; this master and apprentice truly seemed to share a common lineage.
The two followed Sister Qian into the house, intending to quickly change out of their immature school uniforms, but Sister Qian stopped them after taking a look:
"Keep this outfit—you two know too many people in the Security Bureau, and you might not be without connections in Beiping. This outfit will help you hide yourselves."
Xu Zhongyi chuckled awkwardly and said, "Sister, I don't think it's suitable for the two of us to come to Beiping. I wonder what the organization is thinking..."
Jiang Si'an, standing to the side, glanced subtly at his senior brother and offered his assessment:
Dancing with a broadsword in front of Guan Yu!
Sister Qian's expression turned serious:
"The organization has its own considerations, you don't need to worry about that!"
She knew Xu Zhongyi's personality all too well; this was clearly a subtle test.
She paused for a moment, then said:
"The Kuomintang in Beiping is now like a turtle in a jar, but we have been considering one thing since the strategic planning stage:"
Could Beiping, this ancient city with its rich history, escape the ravages of war?
"Now that the Kuomintang army is divided into five regions, it is the perfect time for us to win their hearts and minds—"
The senior generals of the Central Army tend to be stubborn, but many of the middle and lower-ranking officers have fought quite hard, while the Sui Army has no way to retreat. The reason you were transferred here is because you have been in the Nationalist government for a long time and are familiar with its system.
Especially you, Comrade Xu Zhongyi!
Xu Zhongyi sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Actually, I'm better at intelligence work, building relationships, creating cliques, and the like... I'm just better at that."
Seeing this, Sister Qian had no choice but to explain:
"Comrade Zhongyi, sometimes being good at communication is a skill, understand?"
Xu Zhongyi wanted to stand up and express his opinion—when he was in the Nationalist government, he was best at showing that he was flattered.
But Jiang Si'an quietly pulled him back as he tried to get up. Faced with Jiang Si'an's warning look, Xu Zhongyi awkwardly touched his nose, thinking to himself, "I'm just not used to it yet..."
Sister Qian pretended not to see Xu Zhongyi's embarrassment:
"Comrade Zhongyi, your next task is to secretly contact senior generals of the Sui Army. The organization will do its best to provide you with assistance, but there are some difficulties that you will need to overcome on your own. Are you confident?"
Xu Zhongyi did not stand up to answer immediately, but carefully considered his words:
“Sister, based on my understanding, the Sui Army generals’ loyalty to Fu Huabei is personal. This kind of loyalty, based on hometown ties and the favor of his promotion, tends to be stubborn. I think establishing secret contact with them shouldn’t be a problem, but getting them to choose to betray Fu Huabei, I think… is quite difficult.”
Sister Qian gave Xu Zhongyi an approving look, thinking to herself that although this kid usually seemed unserious, he was very thorough in his considerations when it came to actually doing something.
"The organization is very clear about this. Whether or not Beiping can be peacefully taken over depends on Fu Huabei, but the attitude of the Sui Army generals is also very important. We don't expect them to revolt directly, but we just need to influence Fu Huabei's determination."
Xu Zhongyi was relieved and immediately stood up:
"Don't worry, big sister! No matter how many difficulties there are, I guarantee I will complete the tasks assigned to me by the organization!"
"Please sit down—"
Sister Qian turned to Jiang Si'an and said:
"Comrade Si'an, your mission is to secretly contact lower-ranking officers in the Central Army. These people have completely lost faith in the future, but due to years of propaganda by the Kuomintang, they have a biased view of us."
You need to change their perception and make them recognize the core essence of our people's ranks.
The enemy's intelligence system has intensified its surveillance of the army due to previous uprisings. When you are moving among the lower-ranking officers in the Central Army, you must be careful to guard against these spies.
By the way, the organization has assigned you some men; they're all veteran agents from the Military Intelligence Bureau. You and they both used to work in the Bureau, so I'm sure there will be fewer problems cooperating with you later—are you confident in completing the mission?
Jiang Si'an stood up and said, "I guarantee I'll complete the mission!"
Sister Qian said:
"Although you two have different focuses in your work, you can cooperate and communicate with each other. If there are problems that you can't solve, don't force it. Communicate with me more. Our work in Beiping has been very successful, understand?"
"Yes!"
After arranging for Ma Xiaowu to take the two away, Sister Qian rubbed her temples, feeling quite troubled.
Zhang Anping's two students, one of whom seemed "carefree" but was actually quite cunning, almost got "fooled" by Xu Zhongyi himself;
As for the other one, he seemed particularly honest, but considering that he was already certain of Zhang Anping's stance, she couldn't help but admire him:
A good teacher produces outstanding students! (End of Chapter)