In less than a week, in cooperation with the surrounding anti-Japanese war troops, the task force, under the command of Hu Biao, successively recovered Maozhou, Wucheng and Mengcheng. Such a brilliant record was enough to shake the surrounding Japanese army.

Also shocked were the forces of all parties that sent troops to participate in the war, both the Fifth Theater and the Eighth Route Army, both of which were shocked when they received the third good news from Hu Biao. In their opinion, Hu Biao's combat efficiency is too amazing.

Even if these three counties are located around the Yellow Flood Area, compared to other counties swept by the Yellow River, these three counties are at least well preserved. In addition, the geographical location is also very important, so the Japanese army will choose to send troops to garrison.

But no one expected that when the national army and the Japanese army were focusing on the Wuhan battlefield, there were accidents in northern Anhui one after another. The loss of Haozhou was only felt by the surrounding Japanese troops as an accident, and the loss of Vortex City alerted the Japanese army.

It was not until Mengcheng was also recovered that the surrounding Japanese troops really realized that the national army and other anti-Japanese forces were afraid of opening up a new battlefield in northern Anhui. Even different from the Wuhan battlefield, the national army in this battlefield is the attacking side.

Originally, as a defensive side, the Japanese army felt that if the anti-Japanese troops wanted to recover the county they were stationing, they must use several times the number of troops, and at the same time, they also needed to be prepared to pay a heavy price. But in the end, they were given a resounding slap in the face.

When Hu Biao led his troops to attack the Japanese garrison headquarters in Mengcheng, the Japanese garrison headquarters in Suzhou also received a telegram asking for help. The Suzhou garrison, who was woken up in a hurry, was also extremely shocked when he learned the news.

When he immediately convened a meeting of his subordinates, he saw the helpless adjutant walk into the command room and said, "Your Excellency the garrison, just now, we have lost contact with the Mengcheng side. Keep calling, and get no reply! ”

"Na? How is this possible? In Mengcheng, we deployed half a brigade of elites, as well as nearly a thousand Imperial Cooperative troops. Even if an enemy invaded the city, it would not be defeated so quickly. Damn, what the hell is going on? ”

After the recapture of Vortex City, the Japanese army intensified its intelligence gathering. Although there was corresponding intelligence feedback one after another, the Japanese troops in Suzhou only knew that the Fifth Theater had sent a division of elite troops to the northern Anhui region.

But during the day, this main division had already exchanged fire with the defenders in the territory of Vortex City. Ambushed the Japanese puppet army brigade sent from Suzhou, not to mention, but also ambushed the Japanese army who came out from the vortex city to reinforce it, which eventually led to the capture of the empty defense of the vortex city.

According to the judgment of the Japanese army, even if this main division wants to attack Mengcheng's idea, it is absolutely impossible for the speed to be so fast. Soon, an officer asked: "Is it confirmed that the troops attacking Mengcheng are the main force of the Chinese army?" ”

"According to the telegram sent by the Mengcheng garrison brigade earlier, the Chinese armed forces that attacked Mengcheng at night were not the Chinese army that fought us in Vortex City, but the military uniforms of the Eighth Route Army. During the siege, they also used a lot of artillery! ”

"Impossible! In northern Anhui, except for the troops of the Fifth Theater of the Chinese Army, there were only a few guerrillas of the New Fourth Army. How could the Eighth Route Army suddenly appear in northern Anhui? There are also artillery guns, which is even more impossible! ”

Some Japanese commanders who knew about the Eighth Route Army quickly asserted that the troops attacking Mengcheng must not be the Eighth Route Army. The reason is very simple, according to the intelligence held by the Japanese army, the weapons and equipment of the Eighth Route Army are extremely backward, and most of the artillery is only equipped with divisions and brigades.

If such a main force of the Eighth Route Army entered the northern Anhui region, it would be impossible for the Japanese army to not be aware of it in the slightest way. What's more, the Japanese army also knew very well that the national army stationed in northern Anhui should not allow the Eighth Route Army to cross the border to develop.

In the face of such doubts, the officer in charge of receiving and receiving the telegram did not say much, and quickly handed over the telegram sent by the garrison of Mengcheng. In the telegram sent from the Mongolian side, it was clearly informed that it was indeed the Eighth Route Army that was attacking the city.

Seeing this scene, many Japanese commanders who were ordered to rush to the meeting were also puzzled: "Is it possible that the defenders of Mengcheng are mistaken?" Or are these eight ways of siege disguised by other troops? ”

It was still impossible to believe that the Eighth Route Army, which was operating in the northwest region of Shanxi, would send a main force into northern Anhui to fight. Based on the Japanese army's understanding of the Eighth Route Army, this area in northern Anhui should be regarded as a guerrilla zone of the New Fourth Army.

In response to the suspicions of his subordinates, the Suzhou garrison officer who listened to the discussion quickly said: "Continue to send a report to the special high class, and ask them to use all their forces to find out whether the Zhina forces attacking Mengcheng are the troops of the Zhina Army."

Second, immediately send a report to the troops in Huainan, Huaibei, and Bengbu, and ask them to strengthen their vigilance patrols and vigilance in the territory. At the same time, a telegram was sent to the commander of the front army, requesting the front army to mobilize troops from the Xuzhou side and prepare to organize a sweep.

With the strength of our current defenders in each city, I am afraid that it will be difficult to wipe them out. If the front army can transfer a brigade of troops, it will unite the troops of Huainan, Huaibei and Bengbu to recover the three cities as soon as possible.

In order to prevent the armed forces of China from absconding into northern Anhui, a report was sent to the garrison in Shangqiu and asked them to block the main transportation routes into northern Anhui. Once the Chinese army is defeated, it must be stopped. These damn guys, they must be wiped out! ”

The defenders of the three cities that have been captured at present are all under the jurisdiction of the Suzhou Garrison Command. Earlier, the garrison officer did not want to alarm too many people, and felt that with the strength of his own garrison, he should be able to recapture the recovered city of Maozhou.

But no one expected that in just one day, they would lose two cities in a row. Something so big happened, even if they wanted to, they couldn't hide it. What can be done now is to get back the lost face and annihilate the anti-Japanese troops that entered northern Anhui.

Regarding the decision of the Suzhou garrison, Hu Biao, who was far away in Mengcheng, naturally did not know. In the early hours of the morning, Hu Biao received a telegram from Bai Chongxi that the Fifth Theater had transferred a division from the alert troops in the rear to the northern Anhui region.

In addition, Bai Chongxi also sent nearly 30 pilots to Hu Biao who had experience in flying airplanes. Although none of these pilots are professional, they have all flown Japanese warplanes earlier, so it should not be a big problem to fly the planes.

Hearing the news, Hu Biao also quickly knew what Bai Chongxi was planning. If you really want to be able to grab thirty fighters from the hands of the little devils, I am afraid that the Fifth War Zone will also become famous throughout the country in an instant. These fighters will also become the trophies of the Gui family.

Since Lao Chiang didn't like it, he was even unwilling to send valuable pilots to cooperate in the operation. Then if the planes are really seized in the future, I believe that Lao Jiang is embarrassed to speak, and let Bai Chongxi ask these planes to go over!

Thinking of this, Hu Biao also smiled and said: "This Bai Zhuge is very powerful!" It's just that if we really want to eat this big fat meat, we have to share a little bit anyway. I'm also very greedy for those planes! ”

With Bai Chongxi, the big man of the Gui family, in front, he will be 'greedy for ink' and drop a few planes, I believe that even if Lao Jiang knows, he will not say much. Correspondingly, Bai Chongxi didn't dare to eat alone, that would only outweigh the losses.

Although there is no provision for the capture and return of public goods in the national army, when it comes to equipment such as fighter planes, I believe that Lao Jiang will also be very moved. Since the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression has been fought to the present, the national army can be said to have suffered from the Japanese fighters.

Even if the pilots of the national army are currently learning Soviet-style fighters, I believe that they will not refuse Japanese-style fighters. Lao Jiang refused to send pilots over to cooperate with the operation, thinking that he also felt that Hu Biao's plan to seize the fighter plane should have little chance of success.

At present, each of the pilots trained can be described as golden, and if they really want to lose money on the frontline battlefield, it will really be a big loss. On the other hand, these pilots sent by Bai Chongxi were originally former pilots who turned infantry officers.

This also means that these officers who have no fighters to fly, if they can capture the little devil's fighters, they will regain their status as flying officers. Even if you can't grab the little devil's fighter, you can also serve as a grassroots commander.

To Hu Biao's surprise, when he received a telegram from the Eighth Route Army, Hu Biao unexpectedly received a telegram from Lu Province. The person who sent this telegram also had a relationship with Hu Biao at the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army.

Seeing the telegram sent by Deputy Division Commander Xu, Hu Biao also knew that the Independent Regiment was also from his subordinates. In fact, the Separate Regiment had previously existed as a guerrilla brigade, and was sent here as soon as it was formed on an ad hoc basis.

Now that he learned that the Independent Regiment had captured a large amount of weapons, ammunition and materials from the Battle of Mengcheng, Deputy Division Commander Xu suddenly realized that if the passage between northern Anhui and Lu Province could be opened, then the Lu Provincial Column would also benefit immensely.

Looking at this telegram, Hu Biao thought for a while and said: "Call back to the Lu Provincial Column, I can't give too many suggestions about the expansion plan of the independent regiment. I only hope that the expansion of the independent regiment will not stimulate other friendly and neighboring combat units in the surrounding area.

As for the idea of establishing base areas in northern Anhui and southwestern Shandong, I think it can be slowly planned. Judging from the current deployment of the Japanese army, it is still relatively difficult to break the blockade of the Japanese army, and it is easy to anger the surrounding Japanese army.

Once the Japanese army withdraws troops from Xuzhou and other quarters, the independent regiment and the combat units in southwestern Shandong will be greatly threatened. The idea of a base area can be put on hold, but several secret transportation supply lines can be established! ”

According to the historical process of the Anti-Japanese War known in his mind, Hu Biao knew that the Eighth Route Army that would advance into the Central Plains in the future was not the troops led by Deputy Division Commander Xu. wants to connect southwest Lu with northern Anhui, Hu Biao feels that he is a little too optimistic now.

At present, three battles and three victories are more of the benefits of surprise attacks. If the Japanese army reacts and takes it seriously, then Hu Biao and the other invited combat troops will not be able to regain the lost territory so easily.

Appropriate advice can be given, but when it comes to such strategic planning, Hu Biao doesn't want to interfere too much. The reason is very simple, Hu Biao is now more of a neutral, and some things involve too much, and it will be difficult to withdraw at that time.

After sending the telegram, looking at the independent regiment that was transporting supplies outside the city, and looking up at the sky, Hu Biao quickly said: "Old Qin, gather troops, we have to prepare to leave." After dawn, the little devil is afraid that he will send a plane over, and then he will be able to leave! ”

"Understood! Everything was almost packed, and all the wounded had been sent to the rescue team camp. Over there in the independent regiment, do you want to say hello. If the little devil really dispatches a fighter, the people in the city will have to move in advance. ”

As Hu Biao's descendant, Qin Tianyou also knew that the little devil was extremely vindictive. I really want the little devil to know that the city of Mongolia has been lost. Then the Japanese fighters who came to reconnoiter were afraid that they would inevitably launch air raids and bombings on the city.

During the period when they came to northern Anhui, Hu Biao and Qin Tianyou heard a lot about the sins created by the Japanese fighters. Many county towns that had not yet been occupied by the Japanese army were threatened by air raids by the little devils every now and then, and many innocent people were killed by the little devils.

It can be said that the bombing by Japanese fighters was a great threat to the military and civilians in many areas ruled by the Nationalist Army. Because no one knows when those little devils' fighters will suddenly appear over their place of residence.

It was precisely because he knew this that Hu Biao would have the idea of attacking the Japanese airfield in Bengbu. In Hu Biao's view, only by urging the destruction of the Japanese airfield closest to northern Anhui, and the soldiers and civilians of the War of Resistance in northern Anhui and the rear, could they be less threatened by the scourge of Japanese fighters.

Taking off from other airports, the range of the little devil's fighter is also limited. In addition, other airfields also have corresponding combat missions, and if they want to be transferred to northern Anhui to carry out bombing missions, the number of times should not be too many.

In fact, this kind of wanton bombing is also one of the tactics of the Japanese army. Realizing that the ground forces could not eliminate the elite of the Nationalist army who resisted to the death in a short time, the Japanese army could only adopt this method of air raid destruction to consume the vitality of the Nationalist Government.

Second, this kind of air raid can also effectively hit the will of the army and people to resist and break the determination of the army and people to resolutely resist. In short, the Nationalist Government, which had lost air supremacy, was simply unable to effectively deal with the air raids of the little devils.

Even Lao Chiang, who had already moved to the mountain city, was extremely worried about the air raid plan formulated by the Japanese army. In the history of the Anti-Japanese War, the mountain city was bombed by the Japanese army in many batches, which also caused countless people in the mountain city to die in the air raids.

Knowing that Hu Biao was leaving, Sun Weimin, who was organizing the troops to transfer supplies, was also very concerned and said: "Mr. Hu, do you need the cooperation of our independent regiment for the next battle plan?" On my side, I'm afraid I need to take a full day off! ”

"It doesn't matter! My subordinates and I need to take a break. In addition, I also need to see what the little devils can do about it. Wait for the little devil to make a move, and then I will think about how to fight next.

If nothing else, shortly after dawn, there is a good chance that the little devil's bomber will fly over. Therefore, while transferring supplies, I hope that you can prepare for air defense in advance and find someone to organize the people in the city to take shelter outside the city.

Although it is more troublesome to do this, if you really encounter the bombing of the little devils, I am afraid that many people may die. Losing three cities in a row, the little devil must be extremely angry. Some retaliatory bombing is also highly likely! ”

Before leaving, Hu Biao did not forget to explain to Sun Weimin. Even if you do, it will make the city look empty. But in a short period of time, Hu Biao felt that in these counties, in addition to the garrison troops, the fewer the people, the better.

What's more, the independent regiment took over Mengcheng only temporarily, and after doing some anti-Japanese war propaganda, as soon as the main regiment sent by Zhao Chengwu arrived, the independent regiment would also withdraw from Mengcheng. If you really let two troops garrison Mengcheng at the same time, I'm afraid that both troops will feel uncomfortable!