Looking at the extremely tired commander-in-chief, knowing that his heart had been made by the successive heavy blows in the past few days, and the commander-in-chief who was almost physically and mentally exhausted to the peak by the deteriorating situation in Xiajiang was already exhausted, Yang Zhen waved his hand, signaled the beautiful secretary who had been following the commander-in-chief and his guards, and helped the commander-in-chief back to rest.

This half year may be the most difficult few days for the commander-in-chief. Since the beginning of the Second Route Army's westward expedition to the present, the commander-in-chief has not received a single piece of good news. In particular, the news that the Second Route Army's last hope, the Seventh Army, had suffered heavy losses, was a severe blow to the commander-in-chief. I am afraid that it is already the limit to be able to support it until now.

Yang Zhen wanted the commander-in-chief to rest, especially the beautiful secretary who was in a relationship with the commander-in-chief, just to let him relax. There was a thought that as soon as the two of them came into contact with the commander-in-chief's body, they were pushed away by the commander-in-chief.

Pushing away the two people who wanted to support him, the commander-in-chief walked to the map that was spread out in front of Yang Zhen, pointed to the map and said, "You go out of the river, here is the equipment you need." And not a few hundred guns, but enough to be organized according to the Northern Expedition, at least enough to equip the equipment of an integrated army. ”

Looking at the people who were puzzled after hearing his words, especially Yang Zhen, who was puzzled, the commander-in-chief's pale face finally said with a smile: "You also know that before the September 18 incident, some high-ranking figures in the Northeast Army may have foreseen the change of events, in addition to expanding some police forces, they also suddenly distributed some guns and ammunition for the establishment of self-defense regiments in various places. ”

"In addition to the special geographical location of the Northeast, after the October Revolution, a huge number of White Russians retreated to the Northeast, and a large number of weapons and equipment they carried also went to the people. As well as before the incident, all kinds of open and semi-open armed forces among the people, and even the private guns in the hands of the common people, I estimate that the number of guns in the entire Northeast is at least hundreds of thousands. ”

These weapons and ammunition became the main source of weapons for the anti-Japanese volunteers in Northeast China after the incident. When the Anti-Japanese Federation was first founded, it was precisely by relying on the weapons and ammunition collected from the people that it initially formed its combat effectiveness. ”

"In order to cut off the channels for the replenishment of anti-United Nations weapons, the little devils have been collecting civilian weapons in recent years. Not counting South Manchuria and West Manchuria, nearly 100,000 guns were collected from Xiajiang alone. Among them, the Italian-made rifles purchased by the original Bong Department, as well as the Shuilianzhu rifle and Hanyang-made, accounted for a considerable part. The number of the new Liao 13 rifles and the 38 rifles imitated by the Fengtian Arsenal is not too many. ”

"As for the amount of ammunition, I don't know, but it shouldn't be too much. After the 918 Incident, the little devils occupied all the arsenals in the Northeast, and almost all weapons lost their sources of ammunition. In addition to the collection and use of anti-Japanese armed forces in various places in recent years, the amount of ammunition will not be too much. ”

"The weapons confiscated by the devils in the Xiajiang area, mainly rifles, are stored here. But among them were mainly rifles, and the number of light and heavy machine guns was extremely small. And I estimate that most of these weapons have been in the civilian sector for so many years, and the state should not be too ideal. However, this batch of weapons is not ideal, but it is superior to the huge number. And there are a lot of water rifles in them, which are still the standard equipment of the Soviet Red Army. We are backed by the USSR, and the supply of ammunition should still be guaranteed to a certain extent. ”

Speaking of this, the commander-in-chief said in a somewhat heavy tone: "This information is the last piece of information that came from our Mudanjiang underground party organization before it was destroyed by the Japanese puppeteers. This is also the intelligence that our underground party comrades exchanged their blood for. Unfortunately, we have not been able to seize these weapons for our use. ”

Yang Zhen looked at the point where the commander-in-chief fell on the map, pondered for a while, but shook his head and said with a bitter smile: "Commander-in-chief, you let me go to fight Mudanjiang?" We don't have more than a thousand troops now, so what ability do we have to capture Mudanjiang? ”

"And equipment is the premise of army expansion. Without equipment, what do I use to arm my recruits? Moreover, these weapons have been used for many years, and they are mainly used by the people, and their maintenance, if not without, should not be very good. ”

"Especially those Italian rifles, I just got my hands on them, I didn't even have a place to get the ammunition. What's the difference with scrap metal? For the sake of these weapons, which lack spare parts or even ammunition, I will not risk attacking a heavily fortified city of devils. At least not yet. ”

For Yang Zhen's rejection of his own construction, the commander-in-chief was not half unhappy. This batch of weapons not only does not necessarily satisfy the rookie's appetite, but it is to go deep into the Mudanjiang River, where the devil is hoarding heavy troops, to seize it, and with his temperament, he may not necessarily take this risk.

So for Yang Zhen's refusal, the commander-in-chief was not angry. After being refused, the commander-in-chief just raised his head and looked at Yang Zhen with a smile: "Then what should you do?" I don't think you're going to scatter beans into soldiers and turn mountains and forests into weapons and ammunition, do you? ”

Looking at Xiao Yin and looking at himself, it seemed that he really had the ability to turn waste into treasure, but Yang Zhen responded with the same faint smile and said, "I have that ability." The matter of equipment can only be taken one step first, look at one step, and wait until the Xiajiang area is unfolded before considering it. However, there is still a road before the car reaches the mountain. ”

Regarding Yang Zhen's ambiguous answer, the commander-in-chief nodded at him and said, "Little slippery head." Since you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask about it. I'll see what you have to conjure up gear. ”

After sending off the commander-in-chief who went back to rest first, Yang Zhen turned his head to Li Yanping beside him and said, "The form is more relaxed, find an opportunity to handle the marriage between the commander-in-chief and Secretary Wang." The commander-in-chief should need a woman to take care of him. The guards are still men after all, and their minds are a little rougher, and women are more suitable for taking care of people. ”

Regarding Yang Zhen's idea of wanting to marry the commander-in-chief, Li Yanping said with a smile: "You dare to meddle in this kind of thing." However, there is still some truth in what you said, but let's talk about it later, and now put it forward, with the character of the commander-in-chief, you have to find a scolding. The most important thing for us now is to help you fulfill your commitments. ”

After listening to Li Yanping's last sentence, he was a little worried about whether he could fulfill his promise, but Yang Zhen, who was staring at the map, did not make any answer, but smiled unknowingly.

After deciding how to carry out the next action, the follow-up things will be much smoother. The Japanese puppet army's gaze, as Yang Zhen estimated, was dazzled by his false tricks. Attention was paid to the north, east, and even the west, but the least number of troops deployed in the south made Yang Zhen's southward movement go smoothly.

Yang Zhen led his troops south to the front line of Dashanzuizi, swept away the Japanese puppet organizations, police stations and group tribes at all levels in the north of Dunhua, and once occupied the first line of important official lands in the north of Dunhua. A large number of local organizations of the puppet Manchurians were destroyed.

It was on the front line of Yang Zhen's occupation of the official land that the Japanese puppet soldiers in the entire Dunhua area were panicked. Almost everyone was speculating whether this group of bandits with strong combat effectiveness would take advantage of the situation to occupy Dunhua County, which was empty due to the annihilation of the Second Brigade of the Eighth Wing, Yang Zhen suddenly shook a shot and suddenly seized the Harbaling Station, an important place on the Jingtu Railway, to the east.

After an hour of fierce fighting, a brigade of puppet Manchurian road guards was completely annihilated, and more than 30 kilometers of track on the Jingtu line were blown up overnight, causing the entire Jingtu railway to be interrupted.

When Sasaki mobilized all the reinforcements of the Japanese puppet army south of Dunhua and rushed to the Harbaling station, he was ambushed by Yang Zhen's preset ambush troops to the west of the station.

After two hours of fierce fighting, and then with intensive firepower, the reinforcements mainly of the puppet Manchu army were annihilated cleanly, Yang Zhen with the captured and captured equipment mysteriously disappeared again in the old black ridge of the Harba Ridge branch, and there was no trace.

After learning the news that he had lost the traces of Yang Zhen's department again, Sasaki, who had rushed to Dunhua County to personally supervise the battle, jumped like thunder, punched and kicked, and disappeared for several days, until Sasaki arrived in Dunhua County on the second day, Kitano Takatsu Shaosa, who had only run back from the mountains near the old mangou, had a swollen face.

If it weren't for the persuasion of the eighth wing captain Xingxian Yizuo, who was familiar with the background of this Shao Zuo, I am afraid that Sasaki, who was furious, would have directly and cleanly hacked this Shao Zuo, who was called the shame of the imperial army.

A complete infantry brigade, plus some of the puppet Manchurian troops who fought together, were defeated by a group of bandits, which was almost the first time for the Kwantung Army after the 918 Incident, and it also made a big disturbance in the Heavenly Palace after the family opened the passage out of the mountain. Why don't you let Sasaki burst into a storm?

Not to mention anything else, the loss of the 30-kilometer Kyoto line where even the roadbed was blown up was enough for Sasaki to drink a pot in front of the Kwantung Army headquarters, or even at the Tokyo base camp.

There are only a limited number of days that can be carried out in the North Manchurian area. Unlike the Anti-Japanese Union, which only stole steel rails, this time even the roadbed and the bridges on the large and small rivers were blown up for more than 30 kilometers in one go, and the losses were huge. That is to say, at least before the spring flowers can be constructed, the Jingtu Railway is completely paralyzed.

What made Sasaki even more angry was that these series of things actually happened the day after he arrived in Dunhua. That is to say, under the nose of himself, the commander of the purge and suppression, not only was a railway police brigade completely annihilated, but even the Jingtu Railway, which was vital to the Kwantung Army, was cut off, and it was still served more than 30 kilometers by the pot. If it is a little west, it will be bombed to Dunhua County.

After receiving an unusually harsh reprimand telegram from the Kwantung Army Headquarters, Sasaki, who was cold, sat down in a chair and couldn't even find an excuse to defend himself. After such a big incident and such a big loss, as the commander of the purging and suppression, and as the person who insisted on transferring the Fourth Division to participate in the suppression, he really could not shirk the blame.

Looking at the slumped on the office chair without saying a word, the iron-faced Lieutenant General Sasaki to the first lieutenant, and the Xingxian Yizuo next to him couldn't help but have a headache. After all, the mistake is from his own troops, and this board still has to be hit on himself after all. Especially at this critical time when he is about to climb to the position of major general.

It's just that what Xing Xianyi didn't expect was that after receiving the reprimand telegram from the Kwantung Army Headquarters, Sasaki Zhiichi, who had been in a rage, suddenly calmed down uncharacteristically.

Sasaki stood up and walked to the large map hanging on the wall, and was silent for a long time before turning to the adjutant and Xingxian, "The failure of this encirclement and suppression has caused the imperial army to suffer the greatest loss since the establishment of Manchukuo, and I, as the commander of the purge, cannot escape the blame." There is the Kwantung Army headquarters, I will go and apologize. But now for us, the most important thing is how to exterminate this group of bandits as quickly as possible, so that they cannot flow to other places. ”

Speaking of this, the originally somewhat gloomy expression regained his strength, and he issued several combat orders to the adjutant beside him in succession: "Order all units of the Manchukuo Army that have been stationed in Ning'an County to participate in the blockade of the eastern line of Zhang Guangcailing immediately move south to the line of the Great and Small Jiaji River, and carry out a large-scale cleanup of the Harbaling area from north to south. ”

"Order all units of the Manchukuo Army stationed in Weihe County to immediately load their vehicles and march eastward, get off at the Laosongling Station at the junction of Ning'an and Wangqing, and participate in the liquidation of Harbaling from east to west. The rest of the troops of the Eighth Wing, which had already advanced to the upper reaches of Laobaishan and Hailang River, immediately marched eastward and arrived at the line of Xiaoshanzuizi and Yuandianzi to deploy. At the same time, the Wang Qing garrison and the forest police departments were ordered to cooperate with the clearance. ”

"Order the various ministries involved in the attack to cooperate closely and strengthen ties with each other. Arriving in advance, the ministries temporarily sealed off the first line of the Harba Ridge. After all the departments involved in the attack are launched, they will be unified in the attack. The ministries shall advance in a single line, and the distance between them shall not exceed 10 kilometers. I'm going to take a step-by-step squeeze tactic, and I'll see how he looks for fighters. Harba Ridge is not Zhang Guangcai Ridge. ”

At the same time, a telegram was sent to the Kwantung Army Command that it hoped to send planes stationed at the Mudanjiang airfield to conduct close reconnaissance of the Harbaling line. It also dispatched planes with night flight capabilities to closely monitor the Harbaling area 24 hours a day. This time I want to know the exact location of this bandit. ”

After deploying the latest clearance plan, Sasaki turned his head to Xingxian and said, "Xingxian Daisa, this attack is still dominated by your Eighth Wing. Remember, this is my last chance for you, and if your troops are still so bad, you don't have to come back to see me, just apologize to the Emperor. ”

Hearing Sasaki's cold tone as if it were three or nine heavens, Xingxian Yiyi didn't even bother to wipe the cold sweat on his body, and quickly nodded: "Please rest assured, Your Excellency Lieutenant General, this attack on Harba Ridge, I will personally supervise the battle, and I will definitely not disappoint you again, let alone the scene in the northern mountains of Dunhua." ”

Xing Xian's chest was clanging, but it was hard to say whether things would go as he promised. Judging by the slow pace at which the follow-up of the Eighth Wing is not much faster than the turtle crawling, I am afraid that he guarantees that it is not worth even a penny.

No matter how much Xingxian Yizuo, who personally rushed to the front line of Laobai Mountain to supervise the progress, no matter how angry Sasaki was to the first lieutenant general, these soldiers of the Eighth Wing were still marching unhurriedly. Not even ten kilometers a day can be reached. Although the snow covers the mountains and the snow in the mountains is very thick, the speed of this march is definitely slow enough.

These Osaka soldiers were so anxious that they didn't bring the rank of major general, but they were the first to be ordered to commit suicide by Kyoken Ichisa, who was brandished all day long, and didn't care about the saber he wielded all day long. And Sasaki, who personally flew to supervise his progress, was airdropped every few hours, and he didn't care more about it than a harshly worded reprimand letter. No matter how much these two urged in the heavens and on the earth, the speed of the march would not be fast.

In fact, Sasaki Daichi overestimated the fighting determination of these Osaka soldiers. When a few of them fled into the mountains and forests after being scattered, and after a blind turn, they actually ran to the second group of stragglers of the Japanese army on the west road and depicted the battle that they remembered vividly, all the Japanese soldiers of the Eighth Wing understood one thing: "These bandits are definitely not soft persimmons. And to touch the stones, that is definitely not the style of the 4th Division. ”

Especially after learning that fighting in this icy and snowy environment could kill them with a slight injury, these soldiers made up their minds that it was better not to participate in this kind of unreasonable battle that met the private regulations of the Fourth Division, which was one of the three non-participation in the battle.

The trials and tribulations of these Japanese soldiers made it impossible for Sasaki to completely close the new blockade line built along the Harba Ridge. Yang Zhen was able to easily get rid of the encirclement of the Japanese puppet army, crossed the Laohei Ridge, a branch of the Harba Ridge, and entered the Jingpo Lake area in the southeast of Ning'an.