When it was time for dinner, Liu Yimin received a telegram from the chairman and the headquarters.

This is already the fifth telegram from the chairman and the boss.

Mr. Zhu said in the telegram that during the day today, the Japanese army attacked on all fronts under the cover of aircraft, and the fighting on all defensive lines was very fierce. However, judging from the situation of the Japanese army, the focus of the attack was on the Jinzhong base area of the Eastern Hebei and Independent Divisions, and other directions should be a diversionary attack. On the eastern Hebei side, the Japanese puppet army was dominated by the 110th Division, and the main force of the North China Public Security Army cooperated, attacked by separate routes, and did their best, wanting to destroy the eastern Hebei base area in one fell swoop; On the Jinzhong side, the Japanese army, with the 20th Division as the main force, implemented the tactics of breaking through the center, and other troops surrounded on all sides, with the same intention of destroying our Jinzhong base area in one fell swoop. The main force of our army in eastern Hebei is small, and it is very likely that it will completely fall into a guerrilla zone. Although the Japanese offensive is fierce, it is undoubtedly a fool's dream to destroy the main force of our independent division. However, the base area will suffer heavy losses.

Mr. Zhu asked Liu Yimin to be on high alert, especially to find out the changes in the strength of the Japanese army in the direction of Qingdao to prevent the Japanese army from suddenly increasing its troops and attacking suddenly. On the Taixi side, it is necessary to send more reconnaissance detachments tonight to the front line of Yanzhou to conduct reconnaissance on the enemy's approach and closely monitor the movements of the devils. It is best to send a reconnaissance detachment to disguise the Japanese army and blend in between Zou and Teng counties to monitor the movements of the 14th Division of the Japanese army.

Mr. Zhu reminded Liu Yimin that now the main forces of our army in Shandong have gathered in Taixi and opened a big net, and he is not afraid of the devils on the southern front attacking, but he is afraid that the devils will not attack. If the Japanese army on the southern front detected the intentions of our army, held on to the spot, attracted the main force of our army, and bought time for the Japanese army in the direction of Qingdao and the Japanese army in the direction of Dexian, the entire Taixi campaign plan would be in vain. Not only will the counties along Jiaoji Road be lost in vain, but even Jinan will be lost in vain. What is even more terrifying is that after the troops of the Japanese army's eastern and northern fronts join forces in Jinan, the main force of our army will be in the middle of the Japanese army's attack on the north and south fronts, and the situation in Shandong will be dangerous at that time. Therefore, it is necessary to firmly hold the 1st and 3rd Brigades, the Cavalry Brigade, and the Artillery Brigade as mobile troops, and once the Japanese troops on the southern front do not move, they can transfer the mobile troops to the Luokou River defense position to block the enemy's northern group on the west bank of the Yellow River and reduce the pressure. When necessary, the Yellow River railway bridge should be resolutely blown up to block the enemy's attack. There can be no woman's kindness and put the main force in danger.

The chairman's telegram went into more detail, first explaining the character traits of Tan Zheng and Xu Guangda, and then telling Liu Yimin that Tan Zheng's strengths were rigorous, loyal, and perseverance, but he was not a military talent. Liu Yimin must make it clear to Tan Zheng that our army in Ludong is definitely not the opponent of the Fifth Division, not to mention that Qingdao is likely to increase other elite divisions of the Japanese army. In the operational command of our army in Ludong, Xu Guangda and Yuan Guoping must be in charge, listen to the opinions of a few more brigade commanders, and delay the enemy with guerrilla warfare methods. Otherwise, with the strength of our army in Ludong, it is likely that it will be completely defeated by the Japanese mechanized division in the first battle, and even the whole army will be annihilated.

The chairman told Liu Yimin that the determination of the Taixi campaign was correct, and it embodied the guiding ideology of our army not caring about the gains and losses of one city or one place and concentrating superior forces to annihilate the enemy. The only thing that needs to be considered is to grasp the time difference, be sure to lure the enemy in multiple ways, and force the 14th Division to enter the battlefield as soon as possible, so that the Battle of Taixi can be ended as soon as possible. If you play well, Jinan may not have to lose. Once the main force of our army ends the Battle of Taixi, and the Japanese army on the northern front has not yet broken through the Yellow River, the Japanese offensive will come to an abrupt end, and the Japanese army on the eastern front will quickly retreat to Qingdao for fear of being besieged. Of course, this is the best scenario. Considering that the Japanese army has strong mobility and many ships, and that it is only the newly formed Jinan Garrison Brigade that undertakes the task of river defense, it is impossible to block the Japanese army's eastward crossing of the Yellow River, and that the Luxi Garrison Brigade and the new Sixth Brigade of the Hebei and Lu Border Brigades should be used to attack Cangxian, and it is suggested that Liu and Luo consider whether it is possible to use the 1st Artillery Brigade and the 3rd Brigade or the 3rd Brigade of the New Brigade to conceal the movement on the east bank of the Yellow River, and when the Southwest Lu Garrison Brigade withdraws from the west bank of the Yellow River to block the attack and the Japanese army arrives at Beiluokou, they will give the enemy a head-on blow and severely damage the devils, supplemented by blowing up the Luokou Yellow River Railway Bridge. can effectively delay the attack speed of the Japanese army on the northern front.

The chairman and the boss didn't know that the reason why Liu Yimin deployed like this was tantamount to wanting to let the little devils open up Jiaoji Road and capture Jinan. Because he figured it out, if the little devils are not allowed to recapture Jinan and open up Jiaoji Road and Jinpu Road, the main force of the devils will keep staring at our army in Shandong, and they will keep increasing their troops. It will even temporarily cancel the war in Central China and devote the country's strength to deal with the instructor. In that case, not only will the little devil not launch the Battle of Nomenkan again, but I am afraid it is difficult to say whether he will even start the Pacific War.

Liu Yimin has a very secret idea in his heart, that is, he longs for the Japanese army to launch the Battle of Nomenkan, and it is best to let the Japanese army fight with the Soviet Red Army and taste some sweetness. Only in this way can the Japanese army occupy more territory after the armistice between Japan and the Soviet Union. In the future, when the Japanese army loses in the Pacific theater, he will lead a large army to the northeast and Mongolia, and he will be able to justifiably recover the lost territory from the Japanese and make up for the wounds that can never be healed in the hearts of the Chinese in history.

This kind of thought can only be hidden deep in the bottom of my heart, including Tang Xingying and Ni Hua. If you say it, it will set off a monstrous sky*. However, if this idea is finally realized, Liu Yimin himself feels that he will truly live up to the opportunity to cross a trip and truly make outstanding contributions to the Chinese nation.

Sometimes when he thinks of this kind of thinking, Liu Yimin feels that he still has nationalist tendencies in his thoughts, and he doesn't know if it is correct. But later, after thinking about it deeply, I felt that we had to do this, and we could no longer be like in history, when the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression was won and New China was established, but the land area was reduced. That's not going to work

As for the chairman's proposal to send artillery and the Third Brigade of Jiao to the Yellow River for river defense, Liu Yimin had originally had such considerations, but he quickly rejected it. The main reason is that it is impossible to predict when the Japanese troops on the northern front will arrive near Beiluokou, and if they arrive in the evening, it is better to say, pull up the artillery brigade, the 1st Brigade, the 3rd Brigade, and the Cavalry Brigade Artillery Regiment, and beat them violently, so that the little devils will be allowed to fart. If the devils arrive in the daytime, as soon as the artillery group fires its artillery, the target will be exposed, and it will inevitably be targeted by the Japanese aircraft group, and maybe the Japanese army will dispatch all the planes that can be mobilized to destroy the artillery of the Eighth Route Army. Without the artillery group, there would be no need to fight the Battle of Taixi, with the firepower of the 14th Division with a heavy artillery brigade, plus the 35th Division and the 13th Brigade of the Independent Mixed Brigade, our army will win, it will also be a disastrous victory, and it will not be possible to win a quick victory. In that way, it is really putting the main force in danger.

Liu Yimin sent a telegram back to the chairman and the boss, reporting that there would definitely be accurate information on the changes and movements of the Japanese troops on the northern front, the southern front, and the Qingdao army tonight. In addition, Liu Yimin also reported to the chairman that the river defense position on the east bank of the Yellow River has been built for more than two months, and although the Jinan Garrison Brigade is a newly organized unit, the soldiers are all reconstituted veterans of the former Shandong units who have been trained by the training headquarters and recruited during the first heavy encirclement and suppression of the Japanese army. With Zeng Zhongsheng and Cai Zhong in charge, relying on the position on the east coast, there should be no problem in holding on for one to two days. The artillery group must be concentrated on the Taixi battlefield in order to achieve the goal of concentrating firepower and fighting quickly.

As for the issue of the Japanese army's occupation of Jinan, Liu Yimin reported that if the Japanese army was not allowed to occupy Jinan and the main force of the Japanese army was not allowed to go south to pursue our army, Xu Shiyou's Luxi Garrison Brigade and Fu Zhuting's New Sixth Brigade would not have the fighters to capture the Japanese army's supply base in Cangxian County. As long as Cangxian is captured, the supply of the Japanese army's northern front group will be cut off immediately, and the main force of the little devil will be paralyzed on the Jinpu line like a dead snake. Compared with seizing the Japanese army's logistics supply base, allowing the Japanese army to capture an empty city of Jinan is insignificant. Only by allowing the Japanese army to capture Jinan, open up the Jiaoji Road and Jinpu Road, and achieve a superficial victory, will the Japanese army divert its attention from Shandong, and our army will have follow-up fighters.

Soon after the telegram was sent, the chairman replied: "Thinking that Jinan may fall again, I am irritable and irritable. If the Taixi Campaign could be concluded before the Japanese troops on the northern front crossed the Yellow River and before the Japanese troops on the eastern front reached Zhoucun, Jinan should be ensured. Otherwise, there is nothing to do with the world. If the Japanese army on the northern front advances rapidly and crosses the Yellow River before we end the Battle of Taixi, Jinan cannot be defended, and Jinan is allowed to be abandoned. Please Liu and Luo make a decision according to this. ”

After reading the telegram, Luo Ronghuan was silent for a long time, and proposed to leave the New Third Brigade to deploy in Jinan, so that he could block the Japanese army on the eastern front and support the Jinan Garrison Brigade in combat.

Liu Yimin shook his head and said no need, the seven divisions of the Japanese army's northern front are left with two divisions to defend and five divisions to attack, which is also a great force. You must know that the first division and the second division are equivalent to two fourteenth divisions that are a little stronger. The main forces of our army also do not have the ability to swallow the first and second divisions in one bite. The Southwest Lu Garrison Brigade and the New Sixth Brigade could not be stopped, and the Japanese army could reach the west bank of the Yellow River in a day or even less. During this time, we were rearming for war, and the Japanese army was also engaged in it. In this battle, the Japanese army invested a lot of money, the Yellow River has now been frozen, and the Japanese army only needs to establish artillery positions to cover the troops to cross the river from the ice on foot. After using the fortifications to kill and wound a large number of enemies, the Jinan garrison brigade had to quickly withdraw before dawn and enter tunnels and positions on the outskirts of Jinan to resist one after another. There are too many troops left, and once the main force of the devils crosses the Yellow River, it will be difficult to get out.

Luo Ronghuan said: "Your reasoning is not true, the 14th Division, plus the 35th Division and the 13th Brigade Regiment, the strength of the 14th Division is also the size of two permanent divisions, or even larger. What does this say? ”

Liu Yimin patiently explained: "Although the 14th Division has strengthened the heavy artillery brigade and has been mechanized, it was almost wiped out in the Battle of Lanfeng. The 35th Division was originally defeated by our army, and the composition of recruits was also very high, and this was also the case with the 13th Brigade and Regiment that was independently mixed, and several of its infantry brigades from the Kwantung Army were all annihilated in the battle of our army's eastward march to Jinpu Road, and the current infantry brigade is mainly expanded from the wing of the 21st Division that swept the Jilu border. Generally speaking, this part of the devils has a lot of strength and good equipment, but their combat effectiveness is definitely not at the same level as the first and second divisions, and they are far behind. If the 1st Division and the 2nd Division had joined forces to attack from the southern front, I would not have swallowed it in one bite as it is now, but would have to slowly bleed the devil until it was bleeding and exhausted, and then launch a general attack. Commissar, as you know, my dominant ideology is not to cripple our main forces. If our army were to deal with the combined attack of the 1st and 2nd Divisions in the same way that the 14th and 35th Divisions were to deal with, we would have to pay at least 50,000 casualties. We can't afford it. ”

Luo Ronghuan pondered for a while, took off his glasses and wiped them, and then said slowly: "It's still your sentence, the same good gun, in the hands of a veteran, ten bullets can kill and injure at least three enemies." Fifty rounds of ammunition in the hands of a recruit may not be able to get on the enemy's clothes. In this way, we will stick to our determination to fight. I went to call back to the chairman and state our reasoning, and everything was mainly about destroying the living forces of the devils. As long as it can ensure that the main force does not hurt the muscles and bones, some battles will be fought."

Luo Ronghuan went to send the report, Jingjing came to Liu Yimin, took a few press releases that were ready to be broadcast to the whole country in the form of electricity, and asked Liu Yimin to review them.

Liu Yimin read it again, and one was Liu Yimin, the instructor of the Eighth Route Army, Luo Ronghuan, the political commissar, and Shen Honglie, the chairman of Shandong Province, investigating the construction of water conservancy facilities on the Yellow River and the canal. The second article is that Liu Yimin, Luo Ronghuan, and Shen Honglie went to the cemetery of General Fan Zhuxian in Liaocheng to pay respects and plant pine trees. On behalf of the Nationalist Government of the Republic of China and the Shandong Provincial Government, Shen Honglie laid a wreath at the tomb of General Fan Zhuxian. Third, General Liu Yimin delivered a speech in Linqing to cadres above the regimental level of the anti-Japanese armed forces in the western Luxi region, pointing out that the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression would be won. Fourth, Liu Yimin and Luo Ronghuan met with the representatives of teachers in central Hebei in Nangong, saying that our army would definitely recover central Hebei and give students a place to put their desks.

Jingjing is now a very famous reporter, and these scripts were arranged by Liu Yimin in advance, and how to write, time and scene are clearly explained. Jingjing came all the way with the main force, and was very familiar with the environment in Nangong, Linqing, Liaocheng, and Dong'e. Liu Yimin was very satisfied with this, and told Jingjing to send it out in the form of a telegram immediately, and at the same time informed the Xinhua News Agency in Xi'an, asking them to immediately add an editor's note, preferably write a news commentary, and broadcast the news release to the whole country again before 12 o'clock at night.

Jingjing was a little worried, and asked if the Japanese army would concentrate all their efforts on killing Luxi? The main forces are all in Jinan, the devils are gone, and the Luxi base is going to suffer again.

Liu Yimin praised Jingjing as becoming more and more sensible and knew how to consider the problem from the overall situation. But don't worry, the little devils won't go to Luxi, they want Jinan, Jiaoji Road, and Jinpu Road. The purpose of these drafts is to interfere with Shanshanyuan's determination, let him keep more troops to deploy along the Deshi Road, relieve some pressure on the northern front reinforcements, and support them for a longer period of time. When Shanshanyuan reacts, the 14th Division should enter the preset position of our army.

When Jingjing left, Liu Yimin took out the calligraphy written by the chairman for her and handed it to her for safekeeping.

At this moment, Jingjing was completely excited, and her voice became a trill: "Yimin, this can't be true, right?" Really write me his poems? I couldn't believe it, how could he know about me? ”

Luo Ronghuan's thick Hunan accent sounded: "Comrade Jingjing, when you see the No. 1 chief, you must respect, you can't call a people, you have to call the chief." ”

Jingjing was so ashamed that she muttered, covered her face and ran.

Luo Ronghuan shouted: "Come back, bring your things"

Jingjing was like a puppet, turned around when she heard the words, snatched the manuscript and the scroll written by the chairman from Liu Yimin's hand, glanced at Liu Yimin's face quickly, and ran out of Liu Yimin's office as if she were running away.

Luo Ronghuan shook his head and said to Liu Yimin: "I found that you do have a lot of problems, just like a black blind man." After this battle, the two of us have to talk about our hearts, and as big brother, I have to tell you what is the code of conduct of a gentleman. ”

Liu Yimin said directly: "I shouldn't be a hypocrite, just a general who wins thousands of miles." Okay, let's talk about the Chairman's reply. ”

Luo Ronghuan handed the chairman's telegram to Liu Yimin, which clearly read: "Everything is decided by Liu and Luo."

After reading it, Liu Yimin said to Luo Ronghuan: "There is only one thing left now, that is, the movement of the Japanese army in Qingdao, the Japanese army on the northern front and the Japanese army on the southern front tonight." Commissar, you are here to guard and inform the division headquarters to prepare for departure. I'm going to squint for a while, I haven't stopped for a day today, I'm sleepy, call me when you leave."

Luo Ronghuan thought for a while and said, "Don't sleep either." Ni Hua moved with the field hospital and has now set off. Tang Xingying and the children acted with the division, and they didn't know how they were prepared. You go back to see the children, it's time to go, they are too young, Tang Xingying and Li Yun may not be able to take care of them. ”

Liu Yimin said: "Tang Xingying has a strong personality and will not let me enter the courtyard." ”

Luo Ronghuan said: "You haven't been back since you got married, how do you know that Tang Xingying won't let you enter the courtyard?" Doesn't Li Yun often bring He'er to see you? Listen to me, go ahead"

By the time Liu Yimin was called back to the division headquarters by the guards, it was already 12 o'clock at night.

Seeing Liu Yimin holding Xiao Zhenghe's hand and his face was full of energy, Luo Ronghuan first went to pick up Xiao Zhenghe and kissed him twice, and then sighed and said to Liu Yimin after putting it down: "Things are really as you predicted, all aspects of the information are here, you can take a look"

Liu Yimin took the telegram and read that the intelligence personnel in Qingdao reported that from 9 o'clock in the evening, Japanese warships gathered at Qingdao Port, a large number of Japanese troops landed, and cars, tanks, and armored vehicles were lined up in a row. Considering the situation of each landing site, it was found that the Japanese army numbers were: Guards Division, Sixth Division, Sixteenth Division, and Armored Brigade.

The intelligence on the southern front was that the 35th Division, the 13th Brigade and the 14th Division had already begun to block communications in the afternoon, and that there were frequent troop movements before dark, and that all the barracks and strongholds of the Japanese army were quiet after nightfall.

The intelligence on the northern and southern fronts was almost identical, except that the numbers of the Japanese troops were different.

After reading the telegram, Liu Yimin laughed: "Let's go, go to Tai'an"