20_20434 When Du Jianqiu and Xiang Yongzhang heard this, they shook their heads lightly and said, "Political commissar, when the chief of staff talked to us and asked us to stay and insist, we were already mentally prepared. After three years of guerrilla warfare, which were so arduous back then, isn't the shape of the country much better today than it was then? Rest assured that we will stick to it. ”

Hearing the assurances of the two people, Yang Zhen still didn't answer, but stood up, walked to the window, pushed open the window, and looked at the mountains outside. Liang Jiucai said: "After the main force is withdrawn, the three theaters are bound to carry out a thorough sweep of southern Anhui. Although there is a certain mass base here, the room for maneuver is too small, and it has always been a fatal weakness. ”

"After the main force is gone, the shape will continue to deteriorate. From now on, you will have to rely on yourselves in everything. If the shape continues to deteriorate, it is really impossible to do so, and when necessary, it is necessary to preserve the vitality of life. You can retreat to southern Jiangsu and join up with the three detachments. From the vertical and horizontal restrictions on the activities of large forces. But there was still no problem with the small army getting through guò. The nights are long and the weather is cool, so be careful. ”

Regarding Yang Zhen's arrangement, Du Jianqiu and Xiang Yongzhang stood up and walked behind Yang Zhen. After a long time, Xiang Yongzhang said: "Political commissar, we understand your arrangement, we will be more careful and beat the red flag to the end." There are many wolves on the road, so you and the commander should be careful along the way. ”

Yang Zhen turned around, walked to the map in a few steps, picked up his baton and said to the map: "At 23 o'clock tonight, you command the five companies of the left-behind troops to take over the defense line of the special service regiment of the military headquarters first, and station on the line from Shibu Bridge to Xingling Mountain west of Yunling to cover the evacuation of the whole army. ”

"After the military headquarters is withdrawn, the new Seventh Division deployed in the west of Yunling in the Third Theater is bound to advance one after another to seize the front line of Yunling. If the troops of the three theaters advance towards Yunling, you should not come into direct contact with the three theaters, let alone directly clash with them. As soon as the military headquarters crossed the Qingge River, you immediately jumped to the outer line from the junction of the new 7th Division and the 144th Division. ”

"After jumping to the outer line, you secretly moved to the Jiuhua Mountain Range in the western Qingyang, and secretly took the lead on the first line of Jiuhua Mountain. Whatever happens on the side of the military department, you don't care. Your task is to recharge your energy first, and then stick to it on the spot,"

"The Japanese army east of the Zhejiang-Jiangxi line is still on the offensive, and it is impossible for the Third Theater to keep all the elites in southern Anhui for a long time. Unless they don't want western Zhejiang and northeastern Jiangxi. Once the northeast of Jiangxi is lost, the south of Jiangxi will also be dangerous. Therefore, in two months at most, the troops deployed in southern Anhui in the three theaters will be withdrawn. ”

"At present, most of the troops in the three theaters deployed around us are the elite of the Central Army, and southern Anhui is very close to the Japanese front. According to the traditional deployment, they will not put the Central Army on the front line. I think it is very likely that there will be a miscellaneous army deployed in southern Anhui, and even the Sichuan army is very likely. ”

"If the Central Army here withdraws and is stationed in Sichuan instead, it will be the time for you to return to southern Anhui. But you should focus your main efforts on the Suzhou-Anhui border area, rather than directly confronting the Sichuan army. It is still necessary to make friends with the miscellaneous army as much as possible, especially the miscellaneous troops like the Sichuan army, which have been squeezed out. ”

"As for how to jump from under the noses of the troops of the three theaters to the outside line, I think that with your many years of experience in guerrilla warfare, there is a way. Otherwise, you would not have been surrounded and suppressed by the Central Army, the Guangdong Army, and even the miscellaneous army, as well as a large number of security regiments, and you would not have persisted in the deep mountains and old forests for three years. I believe that you will make effective use of the experience of previous struggles and finally persevere. ”

Sending away the two who were going to stay and persist in the struggle, looking at the backs of the two people who were far away, Yang Zhen shook his head gently. I don't know if I can see these two people and the left-behind troops they lead. However, whether it is to contain the pursuing forces of the Third Theater of Operations, or to coordinate with the troops in southern Jiangsu. It is necessary for southern Anhui to leave troops to insist.

It's just that Yang Zhen's sigh didn't last long, and he was interrupted by the heavy work before the transfer. At 23 o'clock in the evening, Du Jianqiu and Xiang Yongzhang punctually commanded five companies drawn from various regiments to take over the special service regiment of the military headquarters that was responsible for the defense west of the military headquarters. At the same time, the various units that retreated north have also completed their assembly, and the Fifth Regiment, which is the vanguard of the military headquarters, has arrived at Zhangjiadu on the edge of Shuxi. The new regiment on the left as the vanguard of the whole army has also crossed Shuxi and advanced to the line of Luyujia.

At 24 o'clock in the evening, Yang Zhen and Commander Ye Xiyi led the military headquarters and the directly subordinate team to set off from Yunling on time under the cover of the military teaching corps. Behind them, the special service regiment, which was the general guard of the whole army, continued to confront a regiment of the New Seventh Division north of Yunling with the cooperation of the remaining troops.

After the military headquarters crossed Shuxi, the special task force immediately handed over all the positions to the remaining troops in accordance with the plan of the military headquarters, and followed the military headquarters south. In accordance with the established plan, the whole army shrank its positions one by one in an orderly manner, and alternately covered and evacuated the Yunling area, which had been fighting for three years.

Although the withdrawal to the north was not publicized in any way, it was even strictly kept secret. But with the withdrawal of tens of thousands of troops, it is impossible for there to be no movement at all. Although the local people did not get any news, the preparations for the retreat of tens of thousands of troops still made the people here aware of something.

The military headquarters of the New Fourth Army was stationed in Yunling for three years, and formed a relationship with the people here. Although all the local cadres had already joined the army, the remaining persistent personnel had already dispersed and concealed before the military headquarters took action, and no one had mobilized them. However, the people around Yunling still rushed to the starting point of the military headquarters to see off the soldiers who were about to retreat north.

Looking at the uninvited people on both sides of the road, carrying home-grown eggs and various local specialties, holding back tears and desperately stuffing the pockets of the commanders and fighters' military uniforms. Yang Zhen, who was standing on the side of the road and watching the team evacuate the troops according to the plan, turned his eyes and almost couldn't bear to look at it anymore.

He always thought that this kind of scene only appeared in later TV dramas, but he didn't expect the real situation to be so real. Until even the special service group that served as the guard had all left Yunling, standing on a hill outside Yunling, Yang Zhen could still see the ordinary people outside Yunling who were looking at this side with torches.

Standing on the hillside, Yang Zhen and several major leaders of the military department looked at the troops who were hurrying at the foot of the mountain. He turned his head to look at the people who were still reluctant to give up in the direction of Yunling. Putting down the telescope in his hand, Yang Zhen said to the director of the military and political department beside him: "The love of fish and water is unforgettable." ”

Staring at the direction of Yunling for a long time, Yang Zhen gritted his teeth before finally going down the mountain. Before getting on the horse, Yang Zhen said to the communication staff officer beside him: "Order the troops to speed up the march and arrive in the Maolin area tomorrow morning." Telegraph to the avant-garde troops, ready for battle. In case of encountering an enemy situation, the deployment of the commander shall prevail. ”

"I have left two operational staff officers here, and the rest of the staff officers have all gone to the army commander to assist the army commander in his work. The whole army was once again informed that if anyone disobeyed the orders of the army commander during the current retreat to the north, he would be severely punished by party discipline and military law. I, Yang Zhen, killed those who disobeyed orders on the battlefield, and I was absolutely not merciful. ”

Not only was the communications staff officer startled by the coldness in Yang Zhen's tone, but the director of the political department and the deputy secretary of the Southeast Branch who were standing behind Yang Zhen were also taken aback by his murderous tone. But when they saw Yang Zhen, whose face was sinking like water, the two of them opened their mouths but didn't say anything.

The two people, who were the two supreme leaders of the southern Anhui army, both received telegrams from the central government before and after Yang Zhen's arrival. The stern tone of the central government's telegram was the first time they had seen each other. The central authorities have repeatedly demanded that Yang Zhen be fully responsible for all matters relating to the party, government, and military forces of the troops in southern Anhui. All military and political leaders of the southern Anhui army must strictly obey Yang Zhen's orders.

In order to make the most of the confusion caused by the change of generals before the war in southern Anhui, the central authorities clearly told the military and political leaders of the southern Anhui troops in a telegram. For the troops in southern Anhui, Yang Zhen, a cadre at the detachment level, has the right to be directly dismissed. As for cadres at the level of deputy chief of staff and director of the political department of the military department, if they do not obey the command, their work may be stopped first. After reporting to the central authorities, they can be dismissed on the spot at any time.

In order to save the troops in southern Anhui, the central authorities even granted the young cadre in front of him the right to cut first and then play. And this right has never been held by the commanders of any strategic zone since the three main forces of the Red Army joined forces. In order to avoid the recurrence of such incidents as supporting the troops and persecuting the central authorities when the 1st and 4th Front armies met in those years, the central authorities have exercised extremely strict control over the appointment of high-ranking cadres in the major strategic areas after going deep behind enemy lines.

For example, even cadres at the level of deputy chief of staff of the armed forces can be dismissed on the spot if they do not obey orders. Since the 77 Incident, it was the first time in both the 18th Group Army and the New Fourth Army. The stern tone in the central telegram made several senior cadres choose to obey.

Although he was close to these two, he didn't know what the two people were thinking in their hearts, and Yang Zhen didn't have the heart to think about other people's thoughts at the moment. For him, how to bring out the more than 9,000 people of the military headquarters and the troops directly under him from the desperate situation in all sides is what he is most anxious to consider.

For Yang Zhen, he has changed the entire time and mode of action of the southern Anhui troops, how should the three theaters react? In the case that you have changed your course of action, will the losses caused by the slow action in history be avoided? Whether the 40th Division in front of him will completely complete the blockade of the encirclement in front of him as in history is something he has been pondering.

On New Year's Day in 1941, the entire military headquarters and its subordinate units spent this day on the march. Yang Zhen, like all cadres and soldiers, chewed the fried dry food invented by the Logistics Department in advance in accordance with the Anti-Japanese Federation, and spent this unforgettable New Year's Day for many people in the entire southern Anhui army.

Due to Yang Zhen's fast movements, coupled with his usual slow movements. When the southern Anhui troops led by Yang Zhen crossed the Litancang and advanced to the front line of Piling, this small mountain village that Yang Zhen knew had decided the fate of the entire New Fourth Army, it was not intercepted by the troops of the Third Theater.

Although the actions along the way were relatively smooth, Yang Zhen did not take it lightly. For him and all the commanders and fighters of the southern Anhui army, crossing the Piling was only the first step. I don't know how many hardships and dangers are waiting for me. To the east of Piling were the 40th Division and the 52nd Division, two defense areas that completely put the southern Anhui troops in a desperate situation.