Tang Jiyao received the news of the Battle of Taiyuan and the defeat of the Restoration Army, and was immediately shocked. Don't look at Hua Zhongtian's defeat all the way, but the loss is not big, when he leaves, he will also take away all the treasures that can be taken away, and the fire that can not be taken away is burned, saying that it is a strong wall and a clear field, but he has not committed any crime in the autumn, and he does not take a stitch from the people, and when Tang Jiyao's army is killed, except for the empty shell of the county, there is really no gain, and he wants to buy grain and grass from the people, and he wants to buy grain with money but finds that Huazhongtian is one step ahead of others, and he has already bought it with Yuan Datou, even if someone takes the opportunity to hoard Juqi, people are talking to Yuan Datou, Don't talk to your waste paper bills. These areas are inextricably linked to him, and they can't be robbed because of all kinds of faces and relationships, but it really makes it difficult for him, and the frequent good news on the front line has further lengthened Tang Jiyao's supply line.

"Marshal, Division Commander Tang Huaiyuan sent a telegram that our army has cut off all the roads around Changde, and the recovery of Changde is just around the corner!!"

Tang Jiyao glanced at the elated adjutant, eager to give him a few slaps to be more comfortable, this Changde has been a dangerous strategic place since ancient times, Huazhongtian sits in Changde, with the grain and grass scavenged in the southwest, it is not a good thing to stick to the fortified city, if there is really a protracted siege war, the whole Yunnan will have to be filled in, not to mention that the bandits in Changde and Xiangxi are famous, and there are fewer people who escort grain and grass, and there is no need for Huazhongtian to send people to hijack, those large bandits will rob, if there are more guards, It is really hateful that people eat horses and feed them, but the sweetness and bitterness of it make him unable to speak, not to mention the suffocation in it.

"What else did Tang Huaiyuan say?"

The adjutant said: "Division Commander Tang said on the telegram that Changde is easy to defend and difficult to attack, but he is confident that he will be able to overcome Changde within three months!" ”

"!"

Tang Jiyao reached out and clenched his fist and slammed it on the table, causing the adjutant to take a few steps back.

"Tell Tang Huaiyuan that I will give him another month of grain and grass at most, but I will send Wang Jiaben and Cun Xingqi two mixed brigades to support him, Changde must fight quickly!"

The adjutant was about to generate electricity but was stopped by Chief of Staff Yang Ximin, and he said to Tang Jiyao: "Dashuai, that's Changde, is a month too hasty!" ”

Tang Jiyao sighed, waved his hand to let the adjutant retreat, sat down on the chair in a gloomy manner, and said: "What can I do, now the entire southwest region except for Yunnan and Guizhou in our hands, there is no food at all, if we don't quickly take Changde and consolidate our achievements, I am afraid that Chang Zhenbang will take Xijing and sweep the northwest, so he will have to free up his hands to go south to clean up us." ”

Yang Ximin said: "Dashuai, in addition to us, we still have Zhang Zuolin in Fengtian in the Northeast and Wu Peifu in Rehe, these two people are not given in vain, I am afraid that if we have to clean up, we must also remove Zhang Zuolin and Wu Peifu first!" ”

Tang Jiyao said: "Zhang Zuolin, the bandit leader, is behind him with the support of the Eastern Army, and he is the godson of the Dongying people, let's compare with him, that is the godgrandson, whether it is economic or military support, it is far inferior." ”

Yang Ximin said: "Manchuria is the meat of the Dongying people, and the rebellion will go to the people, and at that time, he Zhang Zuolin doesn't know how to deal with himself, but the handsome dominates Tiannan and is within the sphere of influence of the French, and the Dongying people will never act rashly." ”

"Dongying people don't dare to act rashly, but Chang Zhenbang's milky kid is going to drive us back to our hometown in one go." Tang Jiyao said with a wry smile, don't look at what his general Chang Zhenbang said is useless, but he still admires him in his heart, once upon a time, a town guard who couldn't even look down on himself became a sky-swallowing predator in three or five years, which really made him love and hate.

"Don't worry, don't look at our narrow southwest and poor people, but the people are strong, I think Yuan Shikai couldn't take us at the beginning, what can he do with Chang Zhenbang? Left and right are just another Great North! ”

"Times are different." Tang Jiyao said in distress.

"What difference can there be, the left and right are soldiers to block the water and cover the earth, no matter how powerful he Chang Zhenbang is, can he have Yuan Shikai's old plan?"

"The people's hearts are tired, the people's minds are calm, and the southwest is about to be unable to hold on!" Tang Jiyao said lightly: "The era of melee is coming to an end. ”

"Why is the marshal so unfounded, Chang Zhenbang is just a military powerhouse, but when it comes to politics, what can he do with a hairy boy in his early thirties? This governing the world is not a march to war, the means are too tough for fear of backfire, although people are calm, it is impossible to say that two or three years later it will be a turmoil, when the time comes, the marshal will send troops to the Northern Expedition, is not a new world! ”

Tang Jiyao said: "I'm old, and I still have to give this world to you after all, whether I want to or not!" ”

"The handsome man is still very young!" Yang Ximin said complimentally.

Tang Jiyao said: "I hope so! What do you think about the matter of Changde? ”

Yang Ximin thought for a while and said, "Our army should capture Changde at all costs!" As long as Changde is taken, the territory of the southwest will be restored, and the army can attack Jiangxi and Guangdong, and push away Changde Yuezhou and Chang Zhenbang to divide the river! ”

Tang Jiyao said: "You have a lot of ideas, if you sit in my place, what should you do?" ”

Yang Ximin said: "The handsome man praises it falsely, if he is a big handsome, he will gather the army, stick to Changsha, Guilin, Shaoyang and other places, and concentrate all his forces to besiege Changde!" ”

Yang Ximin finished speaking for a long time, and Tang Jiyao didn't speak for a long time.

"I'm tired!"

Tang Jiyao said.

And so, the lowly office was retired. Please rest well! ”

"I have decided to go back to Kunming, and I have entrusted you with the military and political affairs here!"

"How to decide the matter of Marshal Changde?"

"Just do what you want! But you need to solve the problem of food and grass by yourself! ”

"Then I would like to send you to the handsome!"

"Although I'm gone, my eyes will still be fixed here, you have to do everything yourself!"

"Don't worry! The humble duty will definitely be faithful and live up to the high expectations of the adults! ”

On the second day after Tang Jiyao left Huaihua, Yang Ximin dispatched three divisions and two mixed brigades to the north, and went to the front line in person to formulate a battle plan, but when he saw the actual situation in the Changde area, he scolded Tang Huaiyuan and others for lying about the military situation, and almost missed the big thing. But the actual situation is not so, Tang Huaiyuan's army not to mention advancing to Changde City, it is Wufeng, and the public security did not take it, the so-called trapped Changde is to trap the Central China Heavenly Department in the Changde area, in the face of such a large place, if you want to finish your work in one battle, it is really a bit of a fool's dream, but fortunately, you have made sufficient preparations on your side, and almost pulled over sixty percent of the Yunnan army, even if you fill it with human lives, you can take Changde.

Looking at Tang Huaiyuan's submissive appearance, Yang Ximin didn't fight in one place, and really wanted to whip the fool a few times to relieve his anger, but at present, Tang Huaiyuan is also the head of a division, so he can't be too entangled, so he has to swallow the fire in his stomach. With the assistance of a military staff officer, Yang Ximin formulated a strategic arrangement called the Battle of Xiangxi, and at the same time comforted the generals with kind words, and did not hesitate to confer the title of official Xu Jue, and finally brought out the atmosphere, Tang Huaiyuan and other generals naturally impassionedly promised to overcome Changde at all costs and live up to the high expectations of Tang Dashuai.

However, Tang Huaiyuan was left alone afterwards, and said: "Old Tang, you are too unkind in this matter, the marshal believed your nonsense, and asked the brother to lead the troops to help you, hoping to take Changde as soon as possible, but you are good, you haven't even touched the wall of Changde City." ”

Tang Huaiyuan smiled and said unashamedly: "My good chief of staff, you don't know that we have forced the forces of Huazhongtian in Guangxi and Hunan to Changde, which is naturally difficult to overcome, and the handsome food is not allocated much, how can you let me take those heavily defended counties?" Fortunately, Brother Yang, you are clever, you have brought so much grain and grass and brothers over, and formulated such detailed military arrangements, this time we will definitely be able to win Changde, and when we see the handsome, your old man will give your brother a good round field, and my brother will never forget the benefits of my brother here! ”

"I don't dare to think about the benefits, just don't discourage me when you kid fights! So many brothers have come to help you make a contribution, if you are cowardly, the brothers will be bored. ”

"I know this, you just knock it! If I coax me this time, brother, you will cut off my head and hang me. ”

"Hmph, you'd better not think so, your head is worth a few dollars, but it's not worth the lives of so many brothers? It's just a good fight. ”

"You can rest assured!"

At the same time, the Central China Heaven in Changde City also mobilized for war as if facing the great enemy, and made corresponding arrangements for the terrain advantages of Changde.

The next day, Yang Ximin launched an offensive order, and the four divisions and two mixed brigades of the Yunnan Army were divided into three routes and attacked on all fronts according to the original military plan. Tang Huaiyuan's division was the left flank, Wang Jiaben was to assist in directly taking the main position of the Huazhongtian Group Army, and Yang Ximin personally led the two divisions in the center, preparing to pass through the middle of the junction of the two group armies and attack Taoyuan; Fang Shengtao's division was the right flank, assisted by inch, crossed Dongting Lake by water, landed in the area of Li County, and waited for Yang Ximin to outflank Huazhong Tianhou Road, and strive to encircle and annihilate Huazhongtian before and after, encircle the dead end of the Central Army and take Changde directly. He also asked the defenders of Changsha Yunnan and Yiyang to go north along the river at any time to block Li Tingyu's southward rescue army.

This arrangement of the Yunnan Army is quite profound. Yang Ximin has assembled nearly 50,000 or 60,000 troops that can be used by all the Yunnan Army, not to mention that it is only a division-level unit, but before the Eastern Expedition, Yunnan's divisions have been expanded, and the standard configuration of one division under the jurisdiction of three brigades has developed into an establishment of five to six mixed brigades under the jurisdiction of one division. It is fully capable of defeating the Huazhongtian Group Army from the front. But interspersed with Taoyuan, it is obvious that there is a plan to feed the war with war, and to supply the soldiers of our army with the enemy's food, and the water action of Fang Shengtao's department is like a sharp knife directly to Changde City.

Tang Huaiyuan quickly attacked, at this time the Central China Tiansuo Department has formed a whole line of defense along the Wangjiachang, Nuanshui Street, and Hongmiao line, the two armies launched a brutal battle, and the Hu Mingxiu Division of the Central China Tianbu fought bravely to kill the enemy, which greatly thwarted Tang Huaiyuan's offensive, and was about to further expand the results of the battle, but received a request to abandon Wangjiachang and concentrate troops to transfer the main position of Dao Nuanshui Street. Hu Mingxiu immediately transferred, Tang Huaiyuan chased after him, the Central China Tianwang Qingxin Brigade lightning assault hit Tang Huaiyuan's backup Wang Jiaben Brigade, Hu Mingxiu immediately killed a horse gun, Tang Huaiyuan was caught off guard, heavy losses, at this time the Yunnan army or advance or retreat, were blocked by the Central China Tianbu Constantly, can only keep circling around the warm water street.

Just as there was a fierce battle on all fronts of Warm Water Street, Li Tonghua of the Central China Heavenly Department was stepping into the killing formation. When Fang Shengtao's division was about to cross the river and land, it fought fiercely with all its strength and attacked the enemy halfway. Although Fang Shengtao was completely prepared, he was ready to counterattack at the beginning of the landing battle, but Li Tonghua's department was very tough, not afraid at all, but the bigger and more fierce, Fang Shengtao's side was in chaos, countless rushed up to the Yunnan army wanted to retreat, but knocked over the army that rushed over, the scene was extremely chaotic, without Li Tonghua's attack, the Yunnan army had already killed each other, when the blue waves became a sea of blood, the huge Dongting Lake, suddenly became a water burial ground.

As a response, he didn't have a good sense of insight, so he immediately turned around and left, his original intention was not to retreat, but he just wanted Fang Shengtao's division to retreat in full, and Fang Shengtao could understand, but those grassroots officers and soldiers didn't think much about it, they felt that they were running away when they saw the situation, why should they stay here to fight for others, just withdraw quickly. The more anxious they were, the more the boats used to cross the river became entangled and couldn't go fast, and when the shells hit the lake and the splashes fell on them, their hearts were even more as if they were tormented, and their eyes turned red all of a sudden. Just after everyone killed each other to fight a bloody way, unexpectedly, a column of warships emerged from the mouth of the Yangtze River, and while shooting at these small boats, they could hardly compete with these warships, even if they were in perfect condition, they could hardly compete with these warships, and after a while, the small boats were all blown to pieces, or knocked over in the lake. Even if the time to surrender and be rescued on the warship is rare, of course, it is not excluded that the lucky guys with good water nature braved the rain of bullets and bullets all the way away after capsizing, but most of them still died in the lake, that is, after thirty or forty years of fighting and still being able to fish out one or two skulls from the lake. It can be seen that there were many dead people at that time, and afterwards Li Tonghua resigned and entered the temple to become a monk, and it cannot be said that there was no reason for this.

Yang Ximin led the superior forces to attack Taoyuan, which is the southern gateway of Changde City, and is also the transshipment place of the grain and baggage of the Central China Army, it is said that nearly half of the central army's grain and grass are hoarded here, as long as this place is captured, it can not only hit Huazhongtian hard, but also greatly relieve the pressure of the Yunnan Army's grain and grass, prompting them to further exaggerate the results in the southwest, after all, Guangxi, Hunan is their traditional sphere of influence, the right time, place and the three are not bad, but out of this range is not easy to say, After all, Jiangxi is the place where Chang Zhenbang rises, Guangdong is the nest of the Central Army, and the people's aspirations of the two places are clear at a glance. Sichuan in the northwest is competing for hegemony, no one is easy to mess with, which one is protracted to fight, and which one does not need grain and grass? Even if the troops are collected, they also need a lot of grain and grass as defensive capital, so this peach source Yang Ximin is bound to win, even if he can't attack Changde, it doesn't matter, of course, it is the best to capture it.

Perhaps it is the importance of Taoyuan, Hua Zhongtian personally led a heavy army to defend this place, along the Xuejiachong Village Lion Ridge to defend this place, and Yang Ximin after two days and nights of fierce battles began to retreat from the north of the Lion Ridge, Yang Ximin was keenly aware of the fighter plane, immediately launched a general charge, Central China Tianbu retreated, although the counterattack in the Yuanjiang River was successful, but it was only to ensure that the whole army soldiers crossed the river smoothly, and then still under Yang Ximin's heavy fire the defense line collapsed, the whole army continued to chase Yang Ximin with the tail, after a few counterattacks on the way, A fierce battle broke out around Taoyuan City.

Yang Ximin saw that Taoyuan was imminent, so he didn't bother to continue to circle with Huazhongtian, and immediately pressed the heavy troops over and drove the Huazhong Tianjun out cleanly.

After he entered Taoyuan City, after seeing a number of plump granaries, his heart was sweet, surrounded by a staff officer, he opened a granary of the big men, and rolled down countless stones from it, Yang Ximin was taken aback, rushed up to pick up the stones but saw that there were a lot of explosives stored in it, and said in his heart Could it be that this is the powder magazine of Huazhongtian, even if it is a powder magazine, it will not be put in the granary, right?

Just when he hesitated, a fuse slipped into it all of a sudden, followed by an earth-shattering roar, Yang Ximin and the others turned into minced meat in the sky, and then there was a continuous roar in Taoyuan City. Hua Zhongtian launched a huge counterattack at this time, and they were like lost dogs just now, and they turned around and became fierce, and the Yunnan army in Taoyuan City was beaten by Hua Zhongtian under the heavy loss.

Subsequently, Huazhongtian went north along the way, and attacked Tang Huaiyuan's troops from the north and south, and the Tang Huaiyuan troops were annihilated. The battle of Changde has come to an end.