Lei Jian held the village chief's hand tightly and said excitedly: "I salute the old and young masters in the village on behalf of the soldiers who died in the attack on the Zuogezhuang Fort. ”

He took a step back and ordered loudly: "All the soldiers listen to the command and salute the villagers of Zuogezhuang who selflessly sacrificed the kang mats, quilts and door panels of the soldiers who sacrificed themselves to the independent battalion——。 ”

The soldiers solemnly raised their hands to salute the villagers, thanking them for their selfless support for the anti-Japanese fight against devils, the dedication of the most needed things in the family, and the sacrifice of comrades-in-arms, they are the cornerstone of the most supportive of the Eighth Route Army's anti-Japanese war and the fortress of the anti-Japanese devils.

Lei Jian led the soldiers of the independent battalion, buried the remains of his fallen comrades, and was about to return to Liugong Town, when suddenly several war horses galloped from the north, and shouted before they arrived: "Battalion Commander Lei, a large group of enemy puppet troops are rushing towards Zuo Gezhuang with great momentum. ”

Wang Xiaoliang, who reported an emergency, suddenly stopped in front of Lei Jian, Wang Xiaoliang turned over and jumped off the war horse, and continued to report in an accented tone: "Report to Battalion Commander Lei, the enemy puppet army that pounced this time is coming very fiercely, we have the strength of two companies, not the enemy's opponent, what should we do?" ”

Suddenly, Lei Jian was also blinded by this sudden situation, the previous encounter was decisive, at this time, in the process of seeing off the sacrificed comrades, the grief-stricken feelings leaked out, and he was a little drowsy and wanted to close his eyes.

Chun Tao, who was standing beside her, saw that Lei Jian's body was shaking a little, she hurriedly held it and whispered: "Brother Lei, you can't fall down at this time, so many soldiers and villagers are waiting for you to give an order." ”

Lei Jian's brain suddenly shook, and he came to his senses, his eyes lit up, his spirit refreshed, and he quickly shouted: "The first and third companies are ready for battle immediately." ”

He grabbed the hands of the village chief of Zuogezhuang tightly and said: "Village chief, the turret of Zuogezhuang is ended, the devil will definitely not let go of the villagers of Zuogezhuang, you immediately organize the villagers to evacuate, the sooner the better." ”

Lei Jian shouted to Xiao Zhou, the correspondent next to him: "Map." ”

Xiao Zhou quickly opened the briefcase and handed a folded map to Lei Jian.

Lei Jian squatted on the ground and spread out the map, along the main line of the Shahe River, looking upstream, when he saw Songzhuang, this was once the main battlefield of the 13th Brigade of the Japanese Army and the base of the Eighth Route Army, Lei Jian was very familiar.

He decisively said to Wang Xiaoliang, Li Gang, and Zheng Tie, two company commanders: "From Zuogezhuang to Songzhuang in the upper reaches of the Shahe River, it should be in eighty miles, we are more familiar with it here, and the local villagers have high anti-Japanese enthusiasm. ”

Lei Jian Order: Order a company to act as a rearguard company to block the pursuit of the enemy puppet army, not to fall in love with the battle, and wait for the opportunity to quickly keep up with the troops.

The third company was ordered to divide a platoon of troops and immediately assist the villagers of Zuogezhuang to evacuate, clear the wilderness, and leave not a grain of grain or salt beans to the enemy.

Zheng Tie was ordered to lead three companies and two platoons to escort the wounded and sick, and quickly retreat to Songzhuang.

The reconnaissance squad of the battalion headquarters was ordered to quickly convey the order, and ordered the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th companies to abandon the unfinished combat mission and immediately lead the troops and weapons and equipment to quickly move towards Songzhuang Jiming Mountain.

Lei Jian ordered Wang Xiaoliang: "Organize a platoon of cavalry to follow me, and the other troops will be temporarily led by Zheng Tie, the commander of the third company, to throw off the enemy's pursuit, march to Songzhuang, occupy Jiming Mountain, consolidate the position, and prepare for the enemy." ”

The companies that were distributed on the roads east of the Shahe River and carried out the campaign of destroying the enemy's lines of communication and destroying the enemy's artillery towers were ordered to immediately withdraw from the battle, join up with the companies of the independent battalion on the march along the east bank of the Shahe River, and move closer to Jiming Mountain as quickly as possible.

After Lei Jian gave the order, and when the companies moved separately, he led the cavalry team to bypass Zuogezhuang and quickly search north along the east bank of the Shahe River.

Wang Xiaoliang, who was riding on a war horse, suddenly pointed to the front and shouted: "Battalion Commander Lei, you see that a troop has appeared in front, do you want to hide?" ”

"Order the cavalry to rush into the depression in front, pat their horses and lie down, prepare for battle, and no one is allowed to shoot without an order." Lei Jian was the first to rush into the depression, patting the different positions on the war horse, and the war horse obediently lay on the ground.

More than a dozen war horses all lay down in the depression, Wang Xiaoliang and Ma Ming each held a machine gun, set up on the ridge, and watched a team of about 200 people getting closer and closer.

Wang Xiaoliang glanced back at Lei Jian, Lei Jian shook his head, and when the team was about to pass, Lei Jian suddenly stood up and shouted to the marching team: "Niu Dali." ”

Niu Dali, the deputy battalion commander who led the soldiers to march quickly, suddenly heard someone shouting to him, and he immediately took out his pistol and ordered: "Prepare for battle." ”

Lei Jian pulled up the lying war horse, flew over the horse, and shouted "drive" in his mouth, and the war horse jumped out of the depression and rushed towards Niu Dali's team.

Niu Dali saw that the person riding on the war horse was Lei Jian, he put the gun into the holster, ran and shouted: "Battalion Commander Lei, I, I can see you." ”

This man with a big mountain of horses pounced on the rushing war horse with tears in his eyes.

Niu Dali grabbed the reins tightly, Lei Jian jumped off the war horse, took Niu Dali's hand and asked, "How is it?" How many companies did you bring back? ”

"Report to Battalion Commander Lei, I brought the Sixth Company and the Ninth Company."

"How's the troop formation? Is the combat attrition big? ”

Niu Dali looked back, pointed to the troops who had not received orders and were still marching rapidly, and said: "Report to Battalion Commander Lei, the troops have been reduced, but seventy or eighty new recruits have been added, and the total number of the two companies is now more than fifty more than when they left." ”

"Very good, the troops of our Eighth Route Army must be replenished in the battle and trained on the march in order to improve the combat experience and strategy of the soldiers, as long as the soldiers can win the battle, the little devil will be defeated sooner or later."

Lei Jian suddenly asked with emotion, "Do you know where the other companies are?" Not far from us? ”

"As far as I know, when I did not withdraw from the combat area, I saw the fourth and seventh companies passing by my combat range, and the other companies had no contact." Niu Dali said.

Wang Xiaoliang jumped off the war horse, ran to Niu Dali, who was talking, and slammed a punch 'haha' and smiled: "You kid are still alive?" Okay, let's meet again, you've gained a lot this time, right? ”

Just as a few of their flesh-and-blood brothers were talking, there was a sudden fierce sound of gunfire from the direction of Zuogezhuang a few miles away.

Lei Jian looked back, he knew that he was too far away and couldn't see anything, but he just subconsciously looked back.

Wang Xiaoliang shouted nervously: "Battalion Commander Lei, it must be Li Gang, who is the rear guard company of the army, who exchanged fire with the devil brigade that pounced. ”

Niu Dali asked: "How dare Li Gang's company fight with the devil's army, isn't this?" How can a company be the opponent of the devils of the brigade? Let's take reinforcements immediately, Battalion Commander Lei. ”

Lei Jian shook his head and said decisively: "Order the sixth company to quickly occupy the high ground two miles away from the upper reaches of the Shahe River, prepare to cover the retreating company, block the enemy for half an hour, and retreat immediately." ”

He ordered Zhang Ting, the commander of the Ninth Company standing beside him: "You lead the Ninth Company to move rapidly along the Shahe River to the southeast, occupy the right flank of the high ground in the Sixth Company, prepare to strike at the enemy who pounces on you, contain the speed of the devil's march, and cover the Sixth Company to withdraw from the position after half an hour." ”

The two companies moved separately and, in a matter of minutes, disappeared to the south end of the east bank of the Sand River.

Lei Jian jumped on his horse and looked downstream along the Shahe River with a telescope, he was waiting, waiting for the other companies to quickly follow up and deploy a new combat plan.

He found that a troop of about sixty or seventy people, the speed of the march was particularly fast, and he was about to approach, Lei Jian suddenly found that it was a devil squad, and he ordered the cavalry: "Immediately change into the uniform of the Japanese army and prepare for battle." ”

Niu Dali only had two platoons of recruits around him, and this was still some of the soldiers he recruited to join the army on the west bank in this combat operation, some of them had sabotaged roads, and some had attacked artillery towers, and in general it was still a unit with no combat experience.

Lei Jian looked at Niu Dali and asked, "If you take this recruit army and immediately occupy the embankment one mile south of the Shahe River, how long can you stop this devil team?" I'm talking about the time of the blockade. ”

Niu Dali didn't dare to brag, and replied cautiously: "Fifteen minutes at most." ”

"That's enough, you immediately lead the troops to seize the upstream embankment, and prepare to meet the little devils who pounce on you."

After Lei Jian gave the order, he waved his saber and ordered: "The cavalry team comes with me, adjust the weapons when they quickly follow, the loaded saber is hung on the horseback, and the gun is ready to fire at the enemy at any time." ”