Hearing Li Mingrui's report, Yang Zhen couldn't help but be shocked. There is a devil's plane hovering above his head, is the devil already suspicious of this? Yang Zhen grabbed the telescope and ran out without the slightest hesitation.

Yang Zhen didn't run out, and there was a small open area of about ten square meters outside the wooden flute. Running away by yourself is tantamount to exposing your target. Yang Zhen is still confident in the concealment of this well-concealed wooden flute designed by himself. As long as you don't take the initiative to expose the target, the devil's plane can't be seen in the sky. After all, the aircraft of this era did not have the advanced equipment such as radar, thermal imager, and infrared detector in later generations.

Yang Zhen crouched at the door, carefully raised his binoculars and looked in the direction pointed by Li Mingrui. Sure enough, due north of him, there were several planes hovering over different areas at the height of the treetops. The air brought up by the plane blew the treetops back and forth. It was a reconnaissance plane, and Yang Zhen found out as soon as he opened his eyes.

Perhaps knowing that there was no anti-aircraft fire on the ground to threaten them, these planes flew very arrogantly. Because these reconnaissance planes flew too low, Yang Zhen could even clearly see the numbers on the planes.

Looking at these reconnaissance planes that couldn't stop circling, Yang Zhen turned around and asked Li Mingrui: "How long have these planes been circling?" Are our troops well hidden? ”

When Li Mingrui heard Yang Zhen's inquiry, he immediately climbed over and said, "These planes have been circling for a while. However, the commander was reassured that our control post on the hill had spotted these planes very early. ”

"Although this thing is a great threat to us, but the mountains and forests are quiet, and it flies low, and the movement can be heard from afar. As soon as the anti-aircraft post on the hill sounded the alarm, the companies took refuge in their respective barracks, as you had requested in advance. Even the pack horses were brought in. ”

"When we built the barracks, you specifically emphasized air defense, which is very well concealed. No matter how low the little devil plane flies, as long as it doesn't come down, it won't be able to spot us. And judging by the current shape, I also estimate that the devil's reconnaissance plane did not detect our troops. Otherwise, the devil's plane would have gone back to report the news a long time ago. ”

Hearing Li Mingrui's report, Yang Zhen pondered a little and said, "The little devil is looking for us." You go and inform the company commanders that the enemy planes are not leaving, and no one is allowed to show their heads. In addition, the troops were told to prepare dry rations, and no fires or smoke were allowed in the past two days. Especially at night, it is not allowed, and now that it is cold at night, I will add more clothes to the sentry, and if it is really not possible, I will go to Director Guo to get a few coats and put them on for the sentry. In addition, in the past few days, the light and dark sentinels have all been added to double posts. The firepower on duty should also be strengthened. The little devils didn't find anything this time, but they won't die if they don't find us. ”

After Yang Zhen finished explaining to Li Mingrui, he put down the telescope in his hand and stuffed it into Li Mingrui's hand and said: "It's all reconnaissance planes, just be careful, you continue to observe." I and the political commissar continue to have a meeting, you keep an eye on the point, and then report back on the situation. ”

Yang Zhen returned to his position, looked at a few people, and smiled: "It's a little devil's reconnaissance plane, there is no threat, let's not bother with it." Let's move on to ours. ”

After that, Yang Zhen said to Li Yanping: "Political commissar, I still say the same thing, no matter whether the commander-in-chief comes or not, this radio station must be sent to him." We can't just rely on traffic crews, which are not safe and slow to deliver messages. Some things, when the traffic officer arrives all the way, the daylily is cold. However, it is better to try to persuade the commander-in-chief to come over. “”

Hearing Yang Zhen's resolute tone, Li Yanping hesitated for a moment and said, "Since the commander insists, then I'll go." When others go, they may not be able to say clearly. What we discussed today, I can also report to the commander-in-chief when I go back. ”

Speaking of this, Li Yanping hesitated for a moment and said, "When I go back, maybe there is still a chance to persuade the commander-in-chief to move the headquarters over for rest." After all, I still have a certain say in the commander-in-chief. The commander-in-chief can listen to me. ”

Hearing Li Yanping's self-recommendation, Yang Zhen hesitated a little, and said after a long time: "Political commissar, you still think about it, think about it." There are few political work cadres in the army itself, and during the whole training period, the training of political work cadres alone cannot be separated from you. Go to the commander-in-chief, is there really no one who can replace you? ”

Li Yanping listened to Yang Zhen's words, was silent for a while, did not express his position, but shook his head. Li Yanping's insistence, but Yang Zhen somewhat understood the reason. In fact, it is not that there is no one who can replace him to return to the General Headquarters of the Second Route Army. At this moment, when he was sitting next to him as the commander-in-chief of the Fifth Army, he followed his old subordinate, Wang Guangyu, the former deputy commander of the Fourth Army and the current deputy chief of staff of the army, was much more suitable than him.

Li Yanping insisted on going back to see the commander-in-chief, of course, there was something important at stake, and he was not at ease when others went. But the more important thing is that he wants to go back, explain to the commander-in-chief who is the supreme leader of the party and government in Jidong at this time, and even ask for guilt.

Since Li Yanping joined Yang Zhen's department, although on the surface it seems to have come out of the shadow of the failure of the Western Expedition. But Yang Zhen, who was as careful as a hair, could see from the signs that he was just suppressing the failure in his heart. Otherwise, he would not have smoked and insomnia night after night.

The Fourth Army, which once served as the main force of the Second Route Army together with the Fifth Army, was once strong and strong, and had more than 2,000 guns at its peak, can be said to have annihilated the entire army in this Western Expedition, which had great hopes for the commander-in-chief, and became the first army to completely fail among the armies of the Anti-Japanese Alliance. As the commander of an army, it is impossible for Li Yanping not to suffer. It is even quite possible in his mind to blame himself for the complete cause of the failure.

In Yang Zhen's view, Li Yanping insisted on going back, not only to persuade the commander-in-chief to withdraw to the old black top secret camp to rest, but also to go back and ask for guilt. It's just that Li Yanping didn't say it for this reason, and Yang Zhen couldn't say it for him, so he could only choose to be silent.

Li Yanping's silence suddenly made the venue fall silent. For a long time, Wang Guangyu, who had been silent, said: "Commander, political commissar, I'll go to the commander-in-chief." ”

"I have been working in the Fifth Army since I joined the army, and I have been the director of the political department and the division commander for many years. Before being transferred to the Fourth Army, he also served as a member of the Party Committee of the Fifth Army. The Fifth Army is a unit created by the commander-in-chief, and I have worked there for many years, and I can be regarded as the commander-in-chief's old subordinates. I'll go, it's more appropriate. ”

"And I have followed the commander-in-chief for many years, and I know the commander-in-chief's personality and character very well, and I am also very clear about several secret camps of the commander-in-chief. The little devil mobilized heavy troops to encircle and suppress the Xiajiang area this time, and the general headquarters must be in constant transfer. Although I have been transferred to work in the Fourth Army, I can still roughly guess the transfer route of the General Headquarters. I'll go and find the commander-in-chief much faster. ”

Speaking of this, Wang Guangyu suddenly said in a much louder voice: "Political commissar, the reason for the defeat of the Fourth Army, I know very well as the deputy commander, and the responsibility is not yours. If you want to say that there is responsibility, it is also the responsibility of all of us, and it cannot be borne by each of you. You can rest assured, I guarantee with my party spirit that I will report in detail to the commander-in-chief on the reasons for the failure of this Western Expedition. ”

Hearing Wang Guangyu's self-recommendation, Yang Zhen glanced at Li Yanping, who was smoking there without speaking, and quickly clapped his hands and said, "Okay, you go." You can choose the escort unit, and the one you pick will give you the one. ”

Wang Guangyu shook his head and said, "No more, one class is enough." Although the devils have not yet entered the mountains to search for us, they have not yet figured out our movements. A large number of troops will definitely be assembled in the territory of Ning'an. There are many troops with them, and it is easy to be discovered by devils. Moreover, I have fought guerrilla warfare in Ning'an with the commander-in-chief for many years, so I am very familiar with the environment here. Few people can get out of the cracks of the devil. ”

After that, Wang Guangyu said half-seriously, half-jokingly: "Besides, our troops are now fully staffed. The strength of a squad is on top of a company in the Fourth Army in the past. When I say pick a squad, I'm actually taking a company. ”

After the joke was over, Wang Guangyu said sternly: "However, the fighters of this class must choose the most reliable. According to my feeling, the general headquarters should now be active in the Diao Ling and Yidong areas. ”

"Although we have achieved some victories in continuous battles in Tongguò, we have pinned down the forces of the Japanese puppet army in the Xiajiang area and transferred back a part of it. But if the Second Route Army of the Anti-Japanese Union is not eliminated, the little devil will not give up, I am afraid that the Japanese puppet army is still heavily gathered, and the blockade is tight, and I am likely to encounter the Japanese puppet army along the way. ”

"So there are not many fighters to escort, but they must be determined and reliable personnel. Because we have suffered too much from the traitors. Once anyone mutinies, it is entirely possible that this old black-topped secret camp will be exposed. Without the Old Black Top's Secret Camp, we are also losing our last shelter in the coming winter. ”

After listening to Wang Guangyu's words, Yang Zhen nodded and said, "What you said is very reasonable. In this way, the escort I will pick for you and equip you with the best equipment. And all the way is mountainous, I'll bring you enough provisions. As long as there is no contact with living people, the possibility of exposure is not too great. ”

"But from here to Diao Ling, you have to cross almost the entire Lao Ye Ridge and Zhang Guangcai Ridge, you must be more careful. As long as there are no accidents, every night at 10 p.m., we have to make a radio contact. ”

Speaking of this, Yang Zhen stopped Wang Guangyu's move to speak and said, "At the very least, we have to know if you are safe." Lao Wang, I just took a look at your journey, and basically marched in the deep mountains and old forests. ”

"Whether the devils find us or not, they will definitely keep the mountains in this area tightly sealed. Under the blockade of the Japanese puppet army, it was difficult for ordinary people to enter the mountains. Moreover, the devils have basically completed the integration of this generation, and the villages in the mountains have basically been relocated to the embers. Under the strict blockade of the Japanese puppet army, it was difficult for ordinary people to stay in the mountains for a long time. ”

"If you encounter any so-called ginseng pickers or hunters in the mountains and forests, it is likely that they are spies sent by the devils. You must be wary of strangers, as long as the identity of this person is unknown, they can be summarily executed in violation of mass discipline. In the future, someone will be held accountable, and I will be responsible. ”

"One qiē puts your safety first. Because you are not only related to our communication with the headquarters of the Second Route Army, but also related to the life and death of the headquarters of the Second Route Army. So you have to be cautious, careful. When necessary, don't have taboos. ”

"Besides, I have one more sentence for you to bring to the commander-in-chief for me. If you want to find the party, you don't have to send troops to the west to open up the route to the customs, let alone pin your hopes on the Soviets. Hope should still be in your own hands, and pinning your hopes on others will always be empty. Whether it's Big Brother or anyone else, your own interests come first. ”

"You tell the commander-in-chief and ask him to send capable men to Dalian and take a boat to Shandong without going through the party organizations along the route. Our 18 th Group Army has troops in Shandong, and in order to open up the situation in Shandong, the central authorities have sent quite a number of cadres to work in Shandong since last year. ”

"The people you sent can contact them directly, and they will be transferred to Yan'an. It is best for this person to be familiar with the former commander of the Fourth Army, who has been transferred back to work in the central government, so as to avoid misunderstandings. After all, we have lost contact with the central authorities for a long time, and the hostile situation is so complicated. Of course, it is best to bring a password with you when you leave, in case we can contact the central government directly in the future. ”

"Remember, don't go through the local party organization. Because we are now too closed to information, the situation of the local party organizations is very unclear. Moreover, the Japanese puppets are increasingly sabotaging local party organizations, and we do not know the situation of local party organizations, and it is very likely that if we rashly contact them, they will be exposed. ”

"Also, please tell the commander-in-chief that you must pay attention to your own safety, and at all times, you must leave a capable army by your side. Also, when things really couldn't be done, except for leaving a small force to persist in guerrilla warfare, the whole army retreated to the Soviet Union. At the very least, we must be able to get a short time to recuperate and respite to avoid the annihilation of the whole army. ”

"The Soviets will not help us to contact the central government, but at the moment of increasing friction with the Japanese puppet army, especially when the Japanese and Soviet armies broke out in the area of Zhanggufeng some time ago, I don't think they will mind that we get a stable source of information. After all, the Soviets were not blind and would not turn a blind eye to the Kwantung Army's successive increases in troops. ”

"I believe that as long as we can help them find out the deployment of troops of the Kwantung Army in the northeast, especially in the border with the Soviet Union, the Soviets will not mind providing us with a place to rest and recuperate."

Regarding Yang Zhen's words, Wang Guangyu nodded solemnly and said, "Commander, please rest assured, I will definitely convey your words to the commander-in-chief word for word." ”

After saying that, Wang Guangyu stood up, gave Yang Zhen, Li Yanping, Guo Bingxun, and Peng Dingjie a standard military salute and said: "Commander, political commissar, since it has been decided that I will report to the general headquarters, then things should be done sooner rather than later." We'll leave tonight, and I'll go down and get ready. ”

Yang Zhen nodded when he heard this, patted Wang Guangyu on the shoulder, turned his head to Peng Dingjie and said, "Old Peng, you will choose the best pack horse in a while, and if you really can't do it, you will choose it from the artillery." Then bring two boxes of Japanese canned food seized in Weihe County, as well as milk powder and refining ru, except for a part left for the wounded, all of them were brought to Lao Wang. Oh, and salt and medicine. The devils have repeatedly tug-of-war and sweep, and the commander-in-chief is afraid that it will be very difficult. These materials were replenished to the comrades of the General Headquarters. ”

After that, he said to Guo Bingxun: "Lao Guo, you go and pick the best radio station, and then choose the best operator." In addition, in the adjustment of the escort troops, it is necessary to select some veterans with strong military skills, and if they really can't do it, they will be selected from the squad leaders. It is necessary to ensure that the squad is equipped with two submachine guns, one pistol per person. Also, this squad leader asked Liu Changshun to be it. ”

"You tell him that no matter what, you must escort Deputy Chief of Staff Wang and the radio station to the designated location safely. Even if the class is gone, I don't blame him. As long as I can safely escort Deputy Chief of Staff Wang to the designated place, I will give him a great credit. ”

Yang Zhen finished assigning tasks to Peng Dingjie and Guo Bingxun, and was about to explain to Wang Guangyu some more matters that need to be paid attention to on the road, but there was an explosion outside. Hearing the explosion, Yang Zhen stopped talking and hurried to the outside of the wooden flute in a few steps.