After adjusting the weapons and equipment, Li Ziyuan sent people to the logistics department of the sub-district to hand in the captured weapons and bring back the dozen or so mules that the political commissar had promised. Although when he sent someone to the logistics department, the face of the divisional logistics chief could be described as quite ugly.

But Li Ziyuan, who was eager to strengthen his mobility ability, didn't care about the ugly face of the logistics minister. After bringing back the mule and handing it over to the artillery company, Li Ziyuan's follow-up action was very fast, and all the preparations were completed in one day. After resting for a night to recover his strength, Li Ziyuan led his troops straight into Qiaokou.

At this time, the Japanese puppet army in Hubei suffered a lot of losses because of the many blows suffered last year. In particular, several strongholds that had penetrated deep into the mountainous areas in the eastern part of Hubei were all pulled out and contracted. After the New Year, the defense line was retracted back to the line from Qiaokou to the horse.

However, although he gave up some of his original strongholds, he was able to concentrate his forces to hold the two strongholds of Luoma and Qiaokou to ensure the safety of the Pingchuan and Baijin railways behind him. Although the Baijin Railway is currently being repeatedly damaged by the eight roads along the line, it has not been opened to traffic for much time, and most of the time is in the process of tinkering.

But it is clear that the Japanese army did not intend to abandon the railway. Although the long period of tinkering brought considerable economic pressure to the Japanese army. However, the Japanese army still had to continue to repair, and to a certain extent, it strengthened the protection along this railway line, as well as the investment in troops.

Therefore, while the Japanese army was shrinking in the mountainous area east of Hubei, it greatly strengthened the garrison of the three strongholds of Luoma, Qiaokou, and Pingchuan. In particular, Pingchuan, which is an important node on the Baijin railway line, has greatly strengthened the forces of Luoma and Qiaokou, two support points on the periphery. The kilometer between it and Pyeongcheon has also been greatly renovated.

At this point, before Li Ziyuan set off, the military sub-district had already made a detailed explanation to Li Ziyuan about the deployment of the Japanese puppet army in these strongholds. The chief of staff even warned him that when attacking Changzhi, he must pay attention to the three strongholds of Hirakawa behind him.

Compared with the Pingchuan stronghold, the Japanese army in Hubei County did not have many troops. It was only more than 300 puppet troops, and the Japanese reinforced half a squadron of a heavy machine gun squad. Moreover, at present, the actual deployment of the Japanese puppet army in the entire Ludong territory is basically along the Baijin Railway, plus along the Ludong, Hubei-Changzhi Highway.

The reminder of the chief of staff made Li Ziyuan pay a certain attention in his heart. Since this time he was going to make a big fuss in the Heavenly Palace, Li Ziyuan simply went straight and openly, and slashed the first knife at the Japanese puppet army in Qiaokou and Luoma, the stronghold of curbing the exit from the eastern mountains, and killed it directly from the front. Mobilize the Japanese army, and the bigger the commotion, the better.

But after Li Ziyuan led his troops to the periphery of Qiaokou, when he and He Sanliang took binoculars and went to the front to observe the enemy's situation, they always felt that something was wrong. It is true that the strength of the Qiaokou stronghold is not large at the moment, only more than 200 puppet troops and about a small group of Japanese troops, which is consistent with the intelligence.

It's just that although it is spring ploughing right now, the people walking back and forth on the streets of Qiaokou are also carrying hoes and farm tools, but it makes Li Ziyuan always feel that something is wrong there. Not only did the people on the streets of Qiaokou feel a little abnormal, but the number of people coming and going on the streets was also a little wrong, and the number was obviously a lot.

The most important thing is that in the fields around the Qiaokou stronghold, the farmers who are busy with farm work at the moment also make Li Ziyuan feel a little wrong. There are too many abnormalities, which makes Li Ziyuan a lot more cautious when he acts. He Sanliang, who was also holding a telescope beside him to observe, also obviously felt abnormal.

After observing for a long time, Li Ziyuan put down the binoculars in his hand and said to He Sanliang beside him: "Lao He, do you feel that the Japanese puppet army in Qiaokou stronghold, and what other ordinary people are a little wrong?" What is wrong, I can't say for a while. However, I think it's better to be cautious in our plan to fight Qiaokou. ”

When He Sanliang, who was beside Li Ziyuan, heard this, he put down the binoculars in his hand and said, "Commander, I also feel what you said." The report from the superiors to us is that there are more than 200 puppet troops and more than 40 devils in the Qiaokou stronghold. But at least what we have observed, the disposition of the puppet army and the Japanese army is significantly different from that reported by the military division. ”

"And since the Japanese army launched this sweep in the Taihang Mountains, our regiment itself has also been closely monitoring the Japanese puppet army in Hubei. But in the past two days, it is clear that some changes have taken place. You see, the right wing of Qiaokou has two more cross-fire points than our original intelligence. ”

"The attack route from the front of Qiaokou is relatively narrow, and if we attack from east to west, there is almost no possibility of flanking and detouring except for a frontal attack. It can even be said that we have no choice but to face it. And these two bunkers are on the flanks of our attack route. ”

"If we attack, the Japanese army will deploy two machine guns in these two bunkers, which will be enough to kill and injure half of our offensive echelon at one time. However, although these two hidden castles are quite hidden, they are almost invisible from the outside. But no matter how hard the devils put into it, it will still bring changes to the surface, at least their shooting boundary will definitely be cleared. ”

"Look at the right flank, and the two dirt bags there look inconspicuous, but they are a wasteland at the foot of the mountain. According to the climate of the southeast of Jin, the grass should be very high at this time. But the barren grass over there was obviously built, and although the two dirt bags looked like two barren graves, there were no other graves around. ”

"If we talk about new tombs, then the two tombs are too close to each other, and the grave bag is a little too low. Moreover, the location of these two dirt bags is too close to the position of the Japanese puppet army, and at the same time, there is a rain crack ditch that is not deep between them. Judging from the situation around these two dirt bags and their locations, I think these two dirt bags should be two dark bunkers. ”

"The grass on these two dirt bales is just starting to grow, and if you look at the surrounding wasteland, the grass is already quite tall. At such a close distance, it is impossible for grass growth to change so much. If it weren't for the location of these two dirt bags, which happened to be on the flanks of our frontal attack route, and the wild grass in front of the dirt bags, I wouldn't have been able to tell these two dirt bags. ”

"These two bunkers are the ones we haven't found in our previous investigations. In addition, there are some abnormal situations inside and outside Qiaokou at the moment, should we adjust the original battle plan, regiment commander? Or give up Qiaokou and go north to the Ludong region to fight in Changzhi? ”

Regarding He Sanliang's suggestion, Li Ziyuan pondered for a while and said: "Regardless of whether the original plan is changed or not, let's carefully touch the situation here." Tell the troops to do a good job of concealment, and no one is allowed to smoke, no fire, and no loud talk. ”

Hearing Li Ziyuan's order, He Sanliang turned his head and called the messenger beside him, asking him to return to the army station immediately to convey Li Ziyuan's order. And after the correspondent left, Zhang Yuhu, who was behind Li Ziyuan, opened his mouth and whispered to Da Li beside him: "Da Li, our regiment commander and chief of staff have never done farm work." ”

Although Zhang Yuhu's voice was small, Li Ziyuan could hear it clearly. Zhang Yuhu's words made Li Ziyuan suddenly feel as if he had caught something, but he didn't understand it for a while. It's like a door in front of you, but you can't find the key for a while.

After thinking about it for a while, Li Ziyuan, who didn't catch the clue of the matter, decided to look for the article from Zhang Yuhu's words. He turned his head, did not get angry because his train of thought was interrupted, but said to Zhang Yuhu: "How do you know that I haven't done farm work?" If you are right, I will not criticize you, but I will give you praise. ”

Seeing Li Ziyuan hear his words, Zhang Yuhu was a little embarrassed, scratched his scalp and said: "Well, regiment commander, if you and the chief of staff have done farm work, you can see that these people doing farm work outside Qiaokou are not serious people who go to the field at first glance." Now it is the time of spring ploughing, and no one dares to delay the serious croppers at this time, which will be delayed for a year. ”

"But look at these people who are going to the fields outside Qiaokou, they are all gathered in groups of three or five, this is doing farm work? In the busy farming season, I can't wait to have eight heads and eight retreats, finish early and rest early, or go to the landlord's house to earn a little more money as a wheat customer, where is there such unhurried work? ”

"Besides, even if it is a wheat customer hired by the landlord and the old wealth, he can't do this by fooling foreign devils. Just a palm-sized piece of land, where three or five people work? If the owner sees this, he won't even want to make a living in this area in the future, and no one will hire them as a microphone customer. ”

"And the shovel, at first glance, it looks like it can't work. I've been watching it for a long time, but I haven't finished two ridges. I work slowly in the countryside, but I can finish at least six or seven minutes in such a long time. If it were those good dealers in my village, they would have been able to finish one and a half acres in such a long time. ”

"Also, the grain grass is very precious, who has nothing to do with the pile of so much grain grass in the ground. It is better to put the grain and grass on the ground and not grow food and keep it for the animals. And those people in Qiaokou, how can they not go to the ground at this time, and they are still wandering around the town? ”

"When I was at home, every year in this season, the village longed to go to the ground, for fear of delaying the solar term and affecting the harvest of the year. In addition to those second-rate people, those young adults are still messing around in the town? If we were somewhere, these people would have to have their legs broken. People with little labor, regardless of gender, old and young, go into battle with their whole families, and even the nursing children are thrown on the ground. ”

"But you see, there is not a single woman or child in this mountain except for those who are fooling. Also, no matter how poor this Qiaokou is, it can't be without a single animal. But you see, not to mention a good animal like a mule, there is not a single donkey or cow. ”

"Such a large piece of hillside land, and such a grinding foreign worker, it all depends on people to turn the ground, how long will it take? Besides, this place is richer than mine. The people here can't even afford to feed a single animal? And I don't believe it, there is not even an older person in this Qiaokou. ”

"When it's time for us to farm together, even a 60-year-old man will go to the field as long as he can move. Uncle Wang of my village is still working in the field when he is seventy years old. But you and the chief of staff can see that the people who plough the land are all strong laborers, and there is one of them who is a little older. I can't see clearly without a telescope, but I can't see anything more than thirty. ”