"Comrades, the Beiyang Army is calling, do you know?"

"Yes!"

"So why fight, you know?"

"To defend the fruits of the revolution!"

"In the past, comrades had no land and no livelihood. You have to pay rent, you have to pay taxes, and you have to be bullied. Now that there is a revolution, everyone will divide the land and grain, and they will not be bullied by those officials and landlords. But the government and landlords didn't agree, and they wanted to come back and rob everyone's things. We are fighting this battle with them in order to preserve the fruits of this revolution and to defend all these things that everyone has worked so hard to build! Comrades, do you have faith? ”

"Yes!" The sound of a tsunami of mountains and mountains came from the army. This is not a perfunctory shout, most of the soldiers of the Shandong Military Region of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army are not from Shandong, but they are all from ordinary people. All the work in Shandong, where the local tyrants divide the land and help the localities to carry out infrastructure construction, is not only needed by the masses in the Shandong base areas, but is also the support that the masses in these places desperately need in any ordinary area of China. Although they served as soldiers in Shandong, the soldiers still believed that the same changes had taken place in their homes. Even in areas where a considerable part of the infrastructure has been completed in the old base areas, the soldiers also believe that what they have done is absolutely correct and just.

As for the Beiyang Army attacking the base areas, the soldiers firmly believed that these people had come to rob the people of the fruits of the revolution, and the consensus at the pre-war mobilization meeting was naturally to completely destroy the invading Beiyang Army. The political commissars struck while the iron was hot and shouted, "If we don't completely eliminate the Beiyang Army and the Beiyang government, we won't have a good life for the people." ”

"Destroy the Beiyang Army!"

"Down with the Beiyang government!"

The warriors shouted excitedly.

It was naturally impossible to defeat the Beiyang Army by shouting slogans, and the campaign deployment was also in full swing.

Jin Yunpeng knew that even the Japanese could not attack Qingdao, and if a simple attack was useless, if he wanted to attack Qingdao, he had to use superior forces to pile up, just like in the Russo-Japanese War, Japan won the Lushun fortress purely by virtue of its military superiority. The strength of Jinan plus Dezhou is about 400,000, Jinan and Dezhou each leave 50,000 people to defend the city, and the other troops attack Qingdao is about the same.

Even so, Jin Yunpeng didn't dare to hold it up, from his point of view, it was best for the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army to gather troops to defend Qingdao, and it would be too stupid if the back road was copied under Qingdao. Of the 300,000 attackers, about 100,000 were used to maintain the lines of communication and to prevent reinforcements from the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army south of Qingdao from the north. After completing such deployments, Jin Yunpeng took a train to Qingdao on July 10.

The carriage was naturally temporarily modified, in addition to Jin Yunpeng's own bedroom, which was very comfortable, there was also a carriage that was converted into a staff department, and a military meeting was held in it.

"Brothers" Because the people in it are all senior officers, Jin Yunpeng also calls him a lot more casually, "Let's fight Qingdao this time, as long as we fight Qingdao, I won't take anything from it, and the brothers will take it themselves." However, in my words, the president and Duan Dashuai have already issued strict orders, and this time they will not be defeated in the battle against the People's Party. If anyone fails to attack effectively and cowers, it is not that I am not merciful, but that the president and Duan Dashuai will not show mercy. ”

The senior officers in Beiyang were silent, in fact, what they said was the same as not saying it, Yuan Shikai would not show mercy to the officers who did not attack effectively, which had nothing to do with Jin Yunpeng.

After being silent for a while, Chen Guangyuan, commander of the Fifth Army, asked, "Mr. Jin, what are your plans for us to attack Qingdao?" ”

Jin Yunpeng is not completely incapable militarily, and it is impossible for a person without ability to be valued by Duan Qirui, he said seriously: "What kind of plan can this be, first bombard the city with heavy artillery, and then rush inside." The last time the People's Party attacked the Japanese, Qingdao was the right Japanese navy, and the Japanese army was defeated without seeing Qingdao at all. This time, we will attack together on both sides of the sea and land, and we are not afraid that Qingdao will not be able to attack. ”

"Can you elaborate on that?" Zhao Yuke, commander of the Sixth Army, asked. Although what Jin Yunpeng said was already the best combat method that the Beiyang Army could take, any plan before the war would seem insufficient. Wanting to capture Qingdao and having a detailed and reliable plan to attack Qingdao are two different things.

Jin Yunpeng frowned, "Brothers, are you afraid?" ”

"How so?! Mr. Jin, are you kidding! "Where do the generals dare to say a word of fear? At this point, they had no other way but to fight with their lives.

"Fighting a war depends on this kind of spirit, if you are afraid, you have no morale, you can't fight anything. This time, you will explain to the brothers below that when you hit Qingdao, the people in it are everyone's! Jin Yunpeng tried his best to encourage. The Beiyang Army had no experience in attacking cities at all, and Jin Yunpeng really couldn't come up with anything else to say except that.

After the train stopped in Weifang, the communications officer hurriedly boarded the train. "Report, the People's Party's forces in Rizhao have rushed into Qingdao before our army blockades!"

Hearing the news, the faces of the generals of the Beiyang Army in the car became ugly. Their plan to attack Qingdao with a strong superior force, and the troops of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army rushed ahead of the Beiyang Army to reinforce the defenders of Qingdao, which was by no means good news.

"How many people are sent in by the People's Party?" Jin Yunpeng asked with a calm face.

"There are probably less than 30,000 people in this ......!" The information obtained by the intelligence officer was also not very accurate, and the telegram said that a large force of People's Party reinforcements had rushed to Qingdao, and the intelligence officer could only guess the exact number.

"Order the Fourth Division of the Fifth Army to quickly block the railway, and absolutely not let a single soldier of the People's Party enter Qingdao!" Jin Yunpeng said.

"Mr. Jin, according to the investigation, the People's Party had 50,000 people in Qingdao, and now there are 30,000 people in Qingdao, will it be too difficult to fight?" The Sixth Army, which was originally defending Dezhou, was now being sent to attack Qingdao with the Fifth Army, and Zhao Yuke, the commander of the Sixth Army, felt quite nervous.

Before he could finish speaking, the intelligence officer came one after another with news that reinforcements from the People's Party were constantly appearing, and the troops of the Beiyang Army responsible for holding the south began to ask for reinforcements.

After hearing the news, Jin Yunpeng first paced back and forth viciously in the staff compartment with his hands behind his back a few times, and then stopped and laughed. This move made the other generals feel extremely puzzled. Everyone's puzzled eyes fell on Jin Yunpeng.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the brave wins when they meet on a narrow road. At that moment, our army must capture Qingdao, and the People's Party must rescue Qingdao. We are fighting in such a big place, and the People's Party can't play any tricks. As long as the Fifth Army guards the south side, we will attack with all our might, and we must take Qingdao. ”

After speaking, Jin Yunpeng strode to the map, "Brothers, the People's Party does not have a navy, and it is impossible for the People's Party to reinforce Qingdao from the sea. Our Beiyang navy surrounded Qingdao at sea. The rest is for our army to fight from west to east, and the People's Party will definitely concentrate all its forces to go north in order to reinforce Qingdao. As long as we can take Qingdao, and then the army suddenly goes south, and then there is the cooperation of the navy, I am afraid that none of the People's Party that goes north to rescue Qingdao will be able to escape. This is a great military feat, you brothers should rise up to kill the enemy, and make your own merits! ”

After such an explanation, the generals of the Beiyang Army suddenly felt that their eyes lit up. As Jin Yunpeng said, this is a great opportunity. As long as Qingdao can be taken in one go, the troops reinforced by the People's Party in the north will not have time to know that Qingdao has fallen, and the possibility of further victories for the Beiyang Army will be greatly increased.

"Mr. Jin, we will definitely take Qingdao to repay the president!" The Beiyang generals expressed their positions excitedly.

Later that day, Pu Guanshui also received news of engagement with the enemy. The firm attitude of the Beiyang Army to attack Qingdao relieved Pu Guanshui and the comrades of the front command. If Beiyang is half-hearted and seeks full blame after the battle, this battle is not so easy to fight. After all, by taking the train of the Jiaoji Railway, it only takes 12 hours to reach Jinan from Qingdao. If the Beiyang Army leaves troops in various places, this will put too much pressure on the reinforcements.

In the news received, the various units of the Beiyang Fifth Army not only did not have any intention of shrinking, but instead marched towards the rapid movement of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, and had the posture of blocking the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army to the south.

"The battle of the Daimyo's Mansion is a quick word!" Pu Guanshui said. Comrades looked at the map and already knew it in their hearts. Jin Yunpeng is not a fool, he will not be stupid and leave Jinan alone. In addition to leaving 50,000 troops to defend the city, the Beiyang Army sent troops in other important transportation areas to prevent the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army from suddenly marching to Jinan. The only advantage of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army is that it has basically occupied the Yimeng Mountains. If the troops take the mountain road, they can avoid all the heavily guarded areas of the Beiyang Army and go straight to the city of Jinan. Prior to this, the route of the march in the mountains had already been determined, and engineering units had been sent to clear the road. The only important point now is whether the 100,000 troops attacking Jinan can pass through this difficult and rugged road in the shortest possible time and launch a surprise attack under the city of Jinan.

"The morale of the troops is high, and the soldiers' desire to fight is very high!" said the political commissar of the military district.

Pu Guanshui nodded, "It depends on whether our construction in the Yimeng Mountains can satisfy the masses!" ”

It's too pragmatic, but there's no way around it. If there is no good mass base, if the mountain people, who have long been accustomed to crossing mountains and mountains, report to the Beiyang Army, although the campaign will not be lost, the resistance will certainly increase greatly.

And the Shandong Military Region has no better choice at the moment, Pu Guanshui ordered: "Feint the troops on the enemy's southern front to strengthen the offensive, so that the enemy feels that we must reinforce Qingdao, and the troops attacking the Daimyo's Mansion will start marching now!" ”

The mountainous area from the Yimeng Mountains to Mount Tai is an area that the People's Party has never let go, even after signing an agreement with Yuan Shikai a few years ago, the Yimeng Mountains were divided into two, with the south belonging to the People's Party and the north to Beiyang. The BJP has never given up on occupying the area. Now the 38th Army of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army marches through these mountains.

For the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, this barren mountainous area was no stranger. There are oak forests, mountain roads, and small reservoirs made of stones, as well as aqueducts dug and even built from the reservoirs. This was built by the officers and men of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army together with the local masses. As for the bridges made of cement and stones in difficult areas, they are the crystallization of the sweat of the People's Party engineering troops. The stone monuments erected at the head of many bridges are also engraved with the lives and identities of the victims when the bridge was repaired. The proportion of victims in military status is more than half.

In such a land, the BJP has only given for several years, and now that it is marching in the mountains, the troops must fully trust the people of this land.

This was the first time that a large force of this size had appeared in the Yimeng Mountains, and soon the villages along the way were alarmed. On the side of the road, the children herding sheep looked at the long procession with amazement. As the troops passed through the village, the people in the village were also alarmed. No one was afraid, but quite a few people rushed up one after another, and made various requests to the troops, as they had done before, some asking the troops to help them look after the planting of trees, some asking the troops to help repair agricultural equipment, and some had sick people in their homes and begged the military doctors of the troops to help them see the doctors.

The village chiefs had learned earlier that the troops were going to fight through the mountains, but at the same time as they got the news, the village chiefs were also ordered, "Absolutely no leaks of the news." So I wanted to persuade in my heart, but the village chief didn't know how to explain to the village name that the troops were not here to help everyone work, but to fight.

Fortunately, the troops were also prepared for this, and they left a certain amount of manpower in the village to help the masses solve the current problems, and the large army continued to advance in the direction of Jinan without stopping.

Of course, the roads in the mountains will not be easy to walk, and without the infrastructure construction that has been painstakingly carried out in the mountains in recent years, many places would not be accessible at all. Even so, in many places there is simply no way to keep the troops on the road of two people in parallel. The entire unit takes on a long, thin line that winds around the mountains.

During the day, the planes of the Air Force also flew in the sky. In the evening, the troops lit torches, strings of pearls seemed to light up the mountains, and the undulating procession continued to march through the mountains.

And the costumes of the masses along the way are also changing, and the further you go into the mountains, the more different the costumes become. In the more isolated areas, some people in the mountains even have braids. For them, the revolution, the abdication of the Manchus, the implementation of a republic in China, that was a distant thing. These masses have no idea what is really going on outside the mountain.

But in the face of the ranks of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, no one was afraid. This is the "official army" they have seen the most in decades, and this army has brought them too much. Although they don't know where so many people are going, and they know that the gruel made of the little grain in their homes is not enough for so many people to get even a small bite, many simple mountain people still take out the food in their homes to cook and give something to the army that has brought them too many benefits.

It is naturally impossible for the troops to accept food from the masses, which is required by discipline. But the enthusiasm of the mountain people could not be refused, and the troops had to give food and money as a reward. "That's not necessary! That's not necessary. The crowd said with smiles and bags of grain.

Each village along the route left behind a group of soldiers, who not only had to help the local people solve their problems, but also had to be responsible for not letting the local people leave the village to avoid unnecessary trouble.

From July 11, the vanguard of the army passed through the entire mountainous area and lurked near Jinan on July 15.

The intelligence services in Jinan quickly connected with the troops, and the defenders of Jinan did not notice the movements of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army. Now the city defense is still about the same as usual, except for the number of troops in the city, the vigilance has not been raised to the level of combat readiness.

After a brief reorganization, the siege corps launched an attack on the night of 16 July. The summer night is not as hot as the day, as the spring city of Jinan, the summer night wind is exceptionally cool, mixed with the water vapor wind blowing through the highlands, so that the Beiyang army guarding it is a little drowsy.

Jin Yunpeng didn't dare to hold it up, and Jinan City couldn't accommodate these 50,000 troops. Therefore, there were barracks and strongholds of the Beiyang Army in Lizhuang, Shuangshantou, Changqing and other important places, and the soldiers of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army were divided into two routes, one to the west to capture those key points, and all the way to the east to capture the eastern barrier of the city, Maoling Mountain, Yanchi Mountain and other important places.

Due to the capture of many Beiyang troops in the battle in Hebei, these Beiyang troops went south from Linqing, and there was no shortage of Beiyang military uniforms. The vanguard troops all put on Beiyang military uniforms and neatly advanced towards the enemy's situation. The only thing that can reveal everyone's identity may be the gun on the shoulder. However, the Beiyang Army did not find out about this, and small detachments approached the enemy's perimeter.