Chapter 1042
Tianjin! Tianjin!
Beiping.
Zhang Anping, disguised, secretly met with Sister Qian in a courtyard.
"Sister Qian, this is intelligence from Tianjin. Please take a look."
Sister Qian took it out of curiosity and found that it was an internal document from the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics, sent from the Tianjin Station.
She read it carefully, her expression gradually becoming strange.
This document describes the standoff at the directly subordinate division camp—regardless of the final outcome, the process of the standoff itself is laughable.
Well, Chen Jieshan, the commander-in-chief of the Tianjin Defense Headquarters, failed to suppress his directly subordinate divisions and even caused them to stand in a gun standoff with his guard battalion.
This one incident alone has utterly destroyed Chen Jieshan's authority as the commander-in-chief.
Not to mention that later, when the three armies joined forces to intimidate them, they were forced to let their directly subordinate divisions fall apart.
In a word:
Chen Jieshan, head of the Tianjin Flood Control Headquarters, has now completely lost his authority!
Sister Qian knew Zhang Anping's true purpose in setting up a directly subordinate division for the Tianjin Defence Headquarters, but when this scene actually happened as Zhang Anping had envisioned, she was still deeply shocked.
After calming down from the shock, Sister Qian couldn't help but reveal some news to Zhang Anping:
"Anping, do you know? The higher-ups have decided to launch a general offensive against Tianjin soon. The move you made will be of unimaginable help to this offensive!"
"They are worth tens of thousands of troops!"
Zhang Anping said with a smile:
"This is not my achievement—it is the Kuomintang's achievement, and I dare not take credit for it."
Sister Qian chuckled, "You, Zhang Anping, not only kill me, but you also destroy my spirit!"
After laughing, she said solemnly:
"This intelligence could very well lead to our army's general offensive on Tianjin being brought forward—I need to send it to my superiors immediately!"
Seeing that Sister Qian was about to leave, Zhang Anping reached out to stop her: "There's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"what's up?"
"Regarding the Hidden Edge Plan, I want Yu Zecheng and Zuo Lan to return to the party under the guise of surrender. Of course, in the Kuomintang's records, it will be recorded as the Hidden Edge Plan being carried out. What do you think?"
After a moment's thought, Sister Qian agreed:
"Alright! These two comrades should go home now—Anping, what about you? When are you ready to go home?"
"At this rate, I think we're almost there!"
"I will have Comrades Minglou, Zheng Yaoxian, and Xu Baichuan personally greet you when the time comes!"
……
Our side was overjoyed at what happened at the Tianjin Direct Division camp, but according to the law of joy and sorrow, someone was bound to be angry.
So the General Headquarters held a meeting because of this matter.
"Absurd! Absurd! Absurd!"
Fu Huabei started by saying three absurd things, and the Sui Army generals glared angrily at the Central Army. The Sui Army was in a state of shared prosperity and shared loss. Even though Chen Jieshan was a guest general, the Central Army was really going too far.
The generals on the Central Army side couldn't argue back, so they could only let the Sui Army glare at them angrily.
They mentally whipped those incompetent fools in Tianjin dozens of times.
They clearly emphasized not to lay a hand on their direct subordinates, but they all ignored it and caused this mess.
hateful!
That's truly hateful!
Li Shi and his companion planned to let Fu Huabei vent his anger and then let the matter drop. They had clearly discussed this with Zheng Yaoquan, but who could have imagined that Zheng Yaoquan would stand up at this moment?
"Commander Fu, although Commander Liu and Commander Lin were at fault, the root cause is the doubts surrounding Commander Chen."
"Right now, because of the Xuzhou-Bengbu incident, morale within our North China Suppression Headquarters is low, making us extremely vulnerable to being taken advantage of by the underground party. I think we should strengthen oversight to prevent similar tragedies from happening again."
"Of course, I think we can send an investigation team to Tianjin to give Commander Chen justice. What do you think?"
Fu Huabei narrowed his eyes slightly. He originally intended to use this incident to give the Central Army a warning, so as to prevent the Central Army from taking advantage of the situation.
Unexpectedly, before I could even give them a warning, the Central Army started to push their luck—they wanted to impose supervision again?
Previously, Zhang Anping had arranged for an inspection team to enter the Sui Army, but he eventually managed to infiltrate the team and prevent it from running rampant within the Sui Army.
Unexpectedly, Zheng Yaoquan's appetite has grown even larger!
Supervision—is it supervision across the entire army?
He remained silent, but his subordinate Sui army generals slammed their fists on the table:
"Zheng Yaoquan, how dare you! Your so-called supervision is just an attempt to monitor Commander Fu, isn't it!"
Zheng Yaoquan replied calmly, "I wouldn't dare."
Zheng Yaoquan could choose not to answer, but others in the Central Army took advantage of the situation, with one army commander saying sarcastically:
"If you have a clear conscience, you have nothing to fear!"
Zhang Anping, his face ashen, watched coldly as the two sides began to attack each other over this remark, but he never joined the fray, nor did he try to mediate.
He guessed why Zheng Yaoquan deliberately brought up the matter of "supervision"—out of a spy's professional instinct, Zheng Yaoquan suspected that Fu Huabei was having secret talks with our army, so he deliberately brought up supervision on this occasion.
The purpose was to test whether Fu Huabei had actually made contact with our army.
The secrecy surrounding Fu Huabei's contact with our army was extremely well maintained. Coupled with Zhang Anping's covert support, Zheng Yaoquan never obtained any relevant evidence, not even a clue.
But a spy's intuition can be terrifying. Right now, Zheng Yaoquan probably sensed that Fu Huabei was having a secret conversation and was deliberately testing him in this way.
Fu Huabei's response was naturally to stay out of the fray, instead having his men deliberately provoke arguments with the Central Army generals.
[At this point, he's only speculating; for now, things can remain stable!]
Zhang Anping made a decision in his mind and decided to continue to remain an outsider.
His "calm" reaction quickly caught the attention of Li Shi and the other man.
It's worth noting that Zhang Anping had always prioritized unity, and he was willing to take the blame for anything in the name of unity. In meetings where Zhang Anping was involved, it was rare to see the two sides arguing like they were in a marketplace.
But Zhang Anping is now standing idly by!
The two exchanged a quick glance, clearly guessing the reason why Zhang Anping had stood by, and couldn't help but feel uneasy.
If Fu Huabei really negotiates with the People's Liberation Army, how can Beiping be defended?
Faced with the tense argument between the two sides, Fu Huabei remained silent with a gloomy face, actually taking the opportunity to observe the reactions of the others.
Zhang Anping's inaction and Li and Shi's passive observation made him realize that Zheng Yaoquan's "provocation" was very likely a test by the Central Army as a whole.
Tests are not scary; what is scary is the meaning behind them.
This means that what he thought was an airtight negotiation has been leaked or known to the Central Army.
We can't delay any longer...
The longer this goes on, the worse it is for me!
Fu Huabei felt anxious. If this dragged on any longer, and the Central Army thoroughly investigated, he would have no leverage left!
Thinking of this, and facing the escalating argument, Fu Huabei angrily slammed his fist on the table:
"enough!"
"What kind of behavior is this? What kind of behavior is this!"
After saying that, he turned and left angrily, giving Zheng Yaoquan a furious glare before he left.
Zheng Yaoquan remained silent, but was deeply disappointed.
Fu Huabei's reaction showed no sign of guilt, which made it difficult for Fu Huabei to be sure whether the other party had really been in secret talks with the People's Liberation Army.
Seeing the Sui army generals leaving one after another, Zheng Yaoquan turned to Li Shi and the other man and said:
"Commanders, shall we have a brief meeting?"
Commander Li countered, "The three of us?"
"Ah."
Commander Shi said, "Let's take Deputy Director Zhang with us!"
Zheng Yaoquan's lips twitched, but he still nodded in agreement with Commander Shi's suggestion.
……
Yandu Hotel.
Small meeting room.
After sitting down, Commander Li went straight to the point: "Are you suspecting that Fu Huabei is having secret talks with the People's Liberation Army?"
Zheng Yaoquan nodded in agreement: "Yes."
"Is there any evidence?"
Zheng Yaoquan shook his head. If he had evidence, he would have reported it to Nanjing long ago.
"I would like to report to Nanjing—what do the two commanders think?"
Zheng Yaoquan knew that if he reported without evidence, he would easily end up pleasing neither side and might even become the scapegoat—in a worse scenario, the chief attendant might even turn against him in an attempt to win over Fu Huabei.
But if you don't report it, and it turns out to be true later, you'll be labeled as incompetent.
So he thought of submitting this speculation through a joint petition.
Commander Shi didn't answer, but instead asked Zhang Anping, "Director Zhang, what do you think?"
Zhang Anping shook his head and gave a jaw-dropping answer:
"I do not know."
Commander Li frowned: "Anping, now is not the time to throw a tantrum!"
Zhang Anping shook his head and denied Commander Li's accusation: "Commander Li, this matter is of great importance, and Anping dares not make a decision lightly."
"However, I will personally oversee the Sui Army Inspection Office from now on."
Commander Li then calmed down, thinking to himself that this was consistent with Zhang Anping's usual style. Commander Shi, at this point, sided with Zhang Anping:
"Director Zhang is right. This matter is of great importance. If we fabricate something out of nothing, we might be accused of spreading rumors. Vice Minister Zheng, we need to be careful!"
Zheng Yaoquan narrowed his eyes as he looked at Zhang Anping, his regret growing stronger.
Why would you go to Beiping for no reason?
If I hadn't come, Zhang Anping would have been the one with this headache; now, I'm the one with the headache.
Although Commander Li has not made a direct statement yet, he is in step with Commander Shi and it is impossible for him to go against the grain at this time, so the matter of jointly submitting a report will naturally not be raised.
Commander Shi was afraid of being labeled as a troublemaker, and Zheng Yaoquan was just as afraid!
"Then I'll increase the surveillance. If we find any evidence, we'll jointly report it. What do you two commanders think?"
"That's natural."
He didn't ask Zhang Anping for his opinion, and Zhang Anping naturally wouldn't offer an answer.
The meeting concluded, and as Zhang Anping returned to the Modielin Hotel, he was secretly pondering something:
It's been a few days since I've dug a hole for Zheng Yaoquan; it's time to start digging one again!
……
Tianjin.
Tianjin Station of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics.
Wu Jingzhong looked at the intelligence report in his hand and felt a chill run down his spine.
The last remaining strongholds on the outskirts of Tianjin have been wiped out!
It was completely swept clean!
On the 10th, the People's Liberation Army issued an ultimatum through the Tianjin Council, stating that if Chen Jieshan failed to surrender before 12 o'clock on the 13th, the People's Liberation Army would launch a general offensive against Tianjin.
Although Chen Jieshan, on behalf of the entire National Defense Headquarters, issued repeated statements declaring that Tianjin was impregnable, Wu Jingzhong knew at this point that it was time for him to leave.
If we don't leave now, it will really be too late!
Putting down the intelligence he was holding, Wu Jingzhong anxiously asked Secretary Hong:
"Haven't you called back yet?"
Secretary Hong shook his head, indicating no.
Upon hearing this, Wu Jingzhong stood up and paced back and forth anxiously.
Is the man surnamed Zhang someone who doesn't keep his word?
No way, no way, no way...
"No! Make arrangements first—if he doesn't agree, I'll act first and report later!"
"Secretary Hong, go and arrange a plane. Remember, it must be arranged secretly. It must be flown away tonight, no matter what."
Even after Secretary Hong left, Wu Jing's unease remained, and he hesitated whether to urge Zhang Anping.
He took the blame for the "Hidden Edge Plan" at Tianjin Station; you can't go back on your word!
Just as he was hesitating about whether to send a telegram to Beiping, there was a knock on the door. With his permission, Yu Zecheng pushed the door open and entered.
Wu Jingzhong immediately concealed the unease on his face: "Zecheng, you're here? Is something the matter?"
He only noticed Yu Zecheng's expression after he finished speaking.
gloomy!
Something happened?!
Wu Jingzhong's heart skipped a beat.
With an expression of barely suppressed anger and despair, Yu Zecheng handed a telegram to Wu Jingzhong:
"Stationmaster, the teacher... the teacher sent a telegram, please... please take a look."
Wu Jingzhong took it and scanned it. The first line of text immediately put his mind at ease.
Because it was approval that allowed him to leave.
As Wu Jingzhong read further, he understood why Yu Zecheng had such an expression.
I've been abandoned!
Simply put, Yu Zecheng was abandoned by Zhang Anping. In the telegram, Zhang Anping asked Yu Zecheng to take over the "Hidden Edge Plan" and to find a way to contact the underground party as a defector.
In return, he even allowed Yu Zecheng to secretly protect all the underground party members arrested in Tianjin prison.
It is clear that Yu Zecheng and his wife have become pawns in the Hidden Edge Plan.
That's ruthless!
Wu Jingzhong sighed inwardly, Zhang Anping was truly ruthless. The Hidden Edge Plan was the first wave to "open" in Tianjin. In order to "open" the plan, he even included his student Yu Zecheng in the scheme.
Ruthless!
After reading it, he suppressed his emotions and deliberately put on a stern face:
"Zecheng, you shouldn't have shown me this!"
"Stationmaster, Zecheng... Zecheng..." Yu Zecheng seemed unsure how to express his feelings.
Wu Jingzhong sighed and said from the bottom of his heart, "Zecheng, you are also my student. I really didn't expect to keep you in Tianjin, but what's done is done. You... you have to face reality eventually."
"Besides, look at the core of the General's Hidden Edge Plan: long-term infiltration and extraordinary effects in wartime. You, after surrendering, should be an obedient citizen, prioritize your own safety, and then exert your strength secretly when the time comes to counterattack."
"You absolutely cannot move until the counterattack begins."
"The Communist Party is ultimately trustworthy. Since you have surrendered, they will not make things difficult for you. Besides, the Director is not unprepared. Look, he has even prepared underground party members in prison as a 'pledge of allegiance' for you. With this merit, you will definitely not be purged."
Yu Zecheng looked dejected and disappointed, and left in a daze.
Wu Jingzhong never imagined that before Yu Zecheng arrived, he had actually communicated with Zuo Lan—if it weren't for the fact that Wu Jingzhong needed to take the blame for the so-called Hidden Edge Plan, the couple actually wanted to keep this big spy in Tianjin!
That night, Wu Jingzhong secretly boarded a plane and flew away from Tianjin.
……
Beiping.
Logically, at this point, the General Headquarters should have taken remedial measures as soon as possible to repair Chen Jieshan's shattered authority.
However, due to Zheng Yaoquan's "troublemaking," the General Headquarters failed to come up with any remedial measures for a short period of time.
Zhang Anping was the first to lose his temper.
At the military conference, Zhang Anping, facing the still-arguing generals of the Suiyuan Army and the Central Army, angrily said:
"Can't you see the Communist army's ultimatum? They are about to launch an attack on Tianjin. Instead of settling the matter in Tianjin, you are arguing about other things?"
"What kind of logic is this!"
Because of his anger, after three days of delay, the General Headquarters finally made a decision:
In the form of a military order, Lin and Liu, the two commanders in Tianjin, were instructed to apologize to Chen Jieshan with thorns on their backs.
For the sake of unity.
But, it's too late!
Just as the General Headquarters for the Suppression of Bandits finally made its decision, the People's Liberation Army launched its general offensive against Tianjin!
In fact, before the general offensive, our army had already been clearing out the outer strongholds one after another. However, the Tianjin Defense Headquarters did not invest much in the management of the outer strongholds, so the clearing out of the outer strongholds did not really affect the Tianjin Defense Headquarters.
Because the Tianjin Defense Headquarters' defense strategy is:
The Greater Tianjin area was fortified.
The city's moat, the outer minefield containing over 40,000 landmines, and nearly 400 bunkers formed what the Kuomintang considered an impregnable fortress in Tianjin.
Therefore, the clearing of the outer strongholds never affected the Tianjin Defense Headquarters' assessment of the defense.
But when the People's Liberation Army launched its attack, the Tianjin Defense Headquarters realized how naive it had been.
With 540 artillery pieces, 30 tanks, and 16 armored vehicles, the Tianjin Defense Headquarters was completely stunned when our army deployed its offensive firepower.
Is this... is this still the same Eighth Route Army?
On the 14th, a thick fog blanketed the area. When the fog cleared at 10 o'clock, our artillery began to roar.
Minefields and impregnable fortresses fell to the precise strikes of artillery fire.
As phone calls came in one after another, Chen Jieshan, who was directing operations from the defense headquarters, was dumbfounded:
"How is that possible!"
How come the Communist army's artillery seems to have eyes?
Either bomb the minefield or bomb the permanent fortifications!
There must have been a leak! Someone must have leaked the information!
But there's no way to hold anyone accountable at this point; he can only prepare to deal with any potential shocks.
At this moment, Chen Jieshan thought:
I'm afraid I can't hold out for three months, but I definitely can in one month!
Unfortunately, Chen Jieshan was dreaming!
After the artillery bombardment ended, our army launched a full-scale offensive, and our strategy was:
East and west approaching, cutting off in half;
First the south, then the north; first divide, then encircle and annihilate!
The attack from the east and west refers to the attack from the east at Hepingmen and from the east at Minquanmen and Minzumen. The general offensive was launched at 10:00 on the 14th. After an hour of shelling, the entire front was attacked. Minquanmen, which the Kuomintang considered indestructible, was captured by our army in just three minutes!
Just three minutes!
When the news spread, the generals of the Tianjin garrison were in an uproar. Three minutes? Are you kidding me!
But that's the truth!
By 5 a.m. the next day, the two attacking forces met at Jintang Bridge, which meant that the entire city of Tianjin was cut in half!
The progress is too fast, too fast!
After Tianjin was cut off in two, Chen Jieshan despaired, believing that the Tianjin defenders could hold out for at most five or six days, after which Tianjin would inevitably fall.
But the People's Liberation Army showed Chen Jieshan the truth:
You're overthinking it!
The 9th Column launched an attack on the south. Key locations controlled by the Nationalist army, such as Nankai University, Yaohua Middle School, and Haiguang Temple, were cut open like tofu. Haiguang Temple, in particular, was the core barrier of the southwest region. As a result, it was captured by our army in just two hours!
The speed of progress is simply outrageous.
What Chen Jieshan didn't expect was that at 7 a.m., the Central Plains Company, which served as the headquarters of the National Defense Headquarters, was attacked by our army. By 10 a.m., the entire Central Plains Company had completely changed hands, and he was captured alive by our army while he was on the phone with Fu Huabei...
Until the moment he was captured, Chen Jieshan could not believe what he was seeing:
Tianjin, which I thought could hold out for three months, then a month, and later five or six days of street fighting, barely lasted 24 hours before... it fell?
Of course, Chen Jieshan's capture did not mean the end of the battle. In fact, after capturing him, our army still spent several hours clearing out the remaining enemy forces. However, due to the defection of Yu Zecheng, the deputy stationmaster of Tianjin Station, the clearing out of the remaining enemy forces was more about winning hearts and minds than about resolving the issue by force.
In the afternoon, with the surrender of the last remaining enemy force, the entire city of Tianjin was completely liberated.
……
Beiping.
Fu Huabei listened to the noisy sounds on the phone and felt utterly hopeless.
One second he was telling Chen Jieshan to hold on, the next second the phone rang with a warning: "Surrender and you will not be killed." This reversal gave him the illusion of falling straight from heaven to hell.
That's outrageous, too powerful, too... exaggerated!
After a year of preparation, the commander-in-chief of the Tianjin Defense Headquarters was captured in just 24 hours!
What about Beiping?
If the People's Liberation Army were to launch a major attack on Beiping, given the current state of panic in the city, how long could it hold out? (End of Chapter)