However, although some of this puppet army are just bright-looking horse manure eggs, to Li Ziyuan's surprise, this does not mean that these puppet armies are really bad. Because these puppet soldiers were trained to be officers, their cultural quality was at least at the upper and lower levels.

Although the level of education is not high, at a time when illiteracy still accounts for the majority of the population, this starting point is not high, but it is definitely not low. And they have all been rigorously trained, although it has only been half a year, but at least it is a little bit of a look. The fact that the combat effectiveness is not strong does not mean that these people really have no value at all.

After all, no matter how good the treatment is, it is still a puppet army that sells his life to the Japanese. This is the teaching regiment of the puppet army, not the Central Military Academy in Chongqing. The reputation is a bit stinky, and the real level of education is relatively high, and few people are willing to do this. Almost the same people either went to the rear to take the Central Military Academy, or defected to the Eighth Road.

Being able to recruit so many high school graduates can be regarded as that guy's ability. It's just that what Li Ziyuan didn't know was that the deputy commander-in-chief of the Jicha Theater defected to the enemy and took up the post of director of the puppet Kaifeng Pacification Office. Taking advantage of Kaifeng's proximity to the Yellow Flood Area, the victims were recruited there.

Since the embankment burst at the mouth of the garden, the entire yellow flood area is full of mourning. Coupled with the impact of the war, the entire Yellow Flood Area has never recovered. Young people who have dropped out of school, lost their jobs, and lost their land have defected to various anti-Japanese armed forces. There are quite a few people who have nowhere to go. Although it is a bit ugly to be a puppet army, after all, he can lead a salary that can support his family.

In addition, his requirements are not high, and it is naturally good for people with a high level of education to be recruited. If no one is really willing to sign up, then he will not pick the high school that is equivalent to the upper grades of primary school graduates in a few decades. On the contrary, in his thoughts, people with too high a level of education generally have too flexible brains, and some are not easy to control.

Graduates of high schools have a certain level of education, but at best, the real level of education of primary school graduates is really not high. Anyway, these people are cultivated, and it is not for them to be teachers and regiment commanders. It's just that when you are divided into a platoon commander, the level is enough. Compared to the level of these people, he values the loyalty of these people to him.

Of course, for the person who is currently the commander-in-chief of the Second Front Army of Wang's puppet army and the director of the puppet Kaifeng Pacification Office. In his hands, he is considered by the Wang Puppet Military Committee to be the two most powerful brothers in the hundreds of thousands of puppet armies in the hands of Wang Puppet. What exactly do you think, Li Ziyuan naturally doesn't care.

Knocking on the map, Li Ziyuan shook his head and took his mind back from Ma Yongcheng. For him, he clearly knows that what he needs to consider most now is not how many puppet troops can be mobilized to join the army, let alone what the puppet army general thinks. For Li Ziyuan, it was a matter for Ma Yongcheng, the political commissar.

And what he should do now is to sum up the experience and lessons of this time, and at the same time ponder what to do next. After closing the map, Li Ziyuan, who felt a little tired, leaned against a big tree on the hillside and closed his eyes slightly. It's just that he seems to be resting, but there is no pause in his head.

In his mind, the entire experience of this battle from the moment of the attack on Qiaokou to the present is being replayed. For Li Ziyuan, there are only four words to feel about this battle, that is, unforgettable. We must properly sum up the experience and lessons of this operation so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past again.

Just when Li Ziyuan was leaning against the trunk of the tree, his eyes closed as if he was resting. He Sanliang came to him and draped a Japanese army coat over his body. It's just that when this coat just covered Li Ziyuan's body, Li Ziyuan opened his eyes, looked at He Sanliang in front of him and sighed: "Old He, this time we have learned a profound lesson." ”

"I've been a soldier for so many years, and it's the first time I've lost a battle. It was still when we were at our strongest, and we lost this battle. In a surprise attack, Lao Tzu lost half of the battalion, and I really can't swallow this kind of nest. I don't have so many taboos, a lost battle is a lost war. No matter where you go, no adjective can change the fact that Lao Tzu lost the battle. ”

Seeing that Li Ziyuan was not resting, He Sanliang also sat beside him, pondered for a while, and said: "Commander, this time is indeed a profound lesson, we were a little too light before. There were some undeserved mistakes in judging the follow-up actions of the Japanese army. But you can't be blamed for this, there are still certain problems with our intelligence. ”

"If our intelligence sources were more extensive and our judgment of the situation was more comprehensive, we should be able to avoid many problems. However, this failure is not necessarily a bad thing for us. At least let our previous feverish minds completely calm down. With this experience and lessons learned, I think we will be more mature in the future. ”

"However, to say that this is a defeat is actually somewhat reluctant. After all, although we lost half of our battalion at Qiaokou, we didn't let the devils achieve their strategic intentions. Moreover, the troops basically stood out in formation, except for the three battalions after the break, and did not lose a single wounded and rushed out. ”

"I also solved so many puppet armies in one go, in fact, it was a tie at most, but we just suffered a little loss. The outcome of a battle does not mean anything. Even if it was a tactical defeat, we didn't lose strategically. Regiment commander, you are the military commander of the whole regiment, and the whole army is watching you. ”

Regarding He Sanliang's persuasion, Li Ziyuan shook his head and said: "Old He, don't worry, I won't collapse to the end because of a failure." I, Li Ziyuan, are not so fragile that I can't afford even one failure. Now for us, the most important thing is to sum up the experience and lessons learned. You can't fall twice in a row on one issue. ”

Hearing Li Ziyuan's answer, He Sanliang breathed a sigh of relief. Since the first battle of Qiaokou, Li Ziyuan's face has not been better. He has always been worried that Li Ziyuan, who was originally a little arrogant, would not be able to accept this failure. After all, since the day I met him, he has been taking advantage of the devil, and he has suffered such a big loss?

It is said that victory and defeat are a common thing in soldiers, but for a master like Li Ziyuan, who looks easy-going on the outside, but is actually extremely arrogant in his bones, the blow of a defeat may be quite heavy. However, from now on, Li Ziyuan's mentality has adjusted well. Didn't let the defeat knock it down and slumped, at least it looked like it was in good shape.

Thinking of this, He Sanliang put the two telegrams into Li Ziyuan's hands: "This is the reply from the military sub-district, as well as the telegram from the military region. While we are worried about our superiors, our superiors are also worried about our safety. Now that the division has safely broken through, he has told us to revoke the original order, and everything is to preserve the vitality as the first priority. ”

"The main thing sent by the military region is a report on the enemy situation. Judging from the military region's report on the enemy's situation, the Japanese army's action should have been planned for a long time. Except that he has never given up his intention to destroy our Taihang base area and eliminate the headquarters organs. Another very important purpose is to solve your brother. ”

"The entire operational intention of the Japanese army's late sweep was formulated by our old enemy Tsuruta Numanan. However, compared with Tsuruta Numa, who was about to be ashamed, the First Army of the Japanese Army had two strategic intentions. The first is to completely destroy our Taihang Military Region, and the second is to use the sweep of our Taihang Military Region as a smokescreen. In the second phase, the threat of Pinghan Road on the Linxian side was lifted. ”

I heard a call back from the military division, already a telegram from the military district. Li Ziyuan immediately opened the telegram and read it carefully. The telegraph Shangjun sub-district clearly told Li Ziyuan that the original order for an external attack was all revoked. Let him look for opportunities, relying on the terrain and the masses, to persist in independent guerrilla warfare.

After reading the two telegrams, Li Ziyuan pondered for a while and said: "What is the current situation in Ludong, and the division has not yet given a reply?" There are two things that I am most worried about now, one is the whereabouts and situation of the third battalion. The second is the extent of the damage caused to Ludong by the Japanese army's sweep. Now there is no news from either side, and I am really a little worried. ”

Li Ziyuan's worries, He Sanliang nodded and said: "The third battalion, when Liu Lianming went out to investigate, I have already told him to send capable men to find the third battalion. As for the actual situation in Ludong at the moment, we are just in a hurry and have no choice. The devil's blockade is too tight, and we can't find out what's going on over there right now. ”

He Sanliang's words fell, and after Li Ziyuan pondered for a while, he suddenly said: "Old He, you said that after we rest in Shili Ridge for two days, let the troops recover their vitality." Will it be a more suitable method to kill another horse gun and return to the territory of the Ludong region? ”

"The devil has put so much effort into sweeping the Ludong area this time. After the division and we have both jumped out of the outer line to fight, I am afraid that the devils will not be even more unnecessary and continue to retain too many troops in the Ludong area. This is undoubtedly an opportunity for us, and if we choose this time to return to Ludong, it should be a good time. ”

Speaking of this, Li Ziyuan opened the map and pointed out that the Japanese puppet army moved along the border between Hubei and Huguan, until it moved to the northeast of Huguan in Pingshun and Hubei junction. Fingers into the flat, in the fold to the north of the territory of the pot. Stopped at the junction of Hubei, Licheng and Pingshun counties.

Looking at the point where Li Ziyuan's finger stopped, He Sanliang pondered for a while and said, "If we choose this route, we will pass through the junction of Pingshun and Lingchuan. However, it was the main area where the Japanese army fought against the Linxian side, and the southern part of Binh Thuan was also the defense area of the Linxian side. ”

"If we choose this route, will it cause us to have a misunderstanding with Linxian County? Also, it is a battlefield now, and if we pass by there, will it attract the attention of the Japanese puppet army and shift their attention to us. We are out of danger, and then let the Japanese puppet army beat the rabbit on the grass, but it will be a little bad. ”

"At present, the Japanese army has invested heavily in Linxian County. If the Japanese detect that our troops are coming behind them, we will probably be very difficult to resist as long as two infantry brigades come. At present, the four sub-districts operating in Huguan and Binh Thuan areas have never been able to get in touch with each other. Commander, where to go next, I think we need to be more cautious. ”

"And the political commissar's concern is not entirely unreasonable, if we enter or even approach their defense zone at this time, it will cause political strife. Commander, I think the most important thing for us now is to find out the exact direction of Tsuruta Numasu, and then make plans for the next step. ”