Shi Dekuan and Lu Zhengping hid in the reeds together, both of them had short hair, so they didn't have to make up like ordinary people. They were dressed in yellow and green "camouflage uniforms" and wore hidden hats made of reed leaves on their heads. In the summer, there were many mosquitoes, and in addition to the cuffs and trousers of their clothes, their exposed skin was coated with anti-bite ointment mixed with concentrated wormwood juice and other plant juices. In a hot and humid environment, the water vapor evaporating from the reeds was so hot that it penetrated through his clothes, and with this equipment, Shi Dekuan felt extremely uncomfortable.

looked at Lu Zhengping next to him, and Shi Dekuan couldn't find the slightest look of happiness or displeasure. Lu Zhengping raised the monocular and carefully observed the movements of the Hubei New Army in the distance. After reading it for a while, Lu Zhengping will also use a pen to record a lot of things in a notebook. Shi Dekuan took the time to read the book, which was full of the ship numbers of the ships of the Hubei New Army, some of the conditions on the head of the ship, and the positions of these ships at different times. Shi Dekuan is one of the cadres in the Yue Wang Hui who has the most dealings with the People's Party, and he is also one of the cadres in the Yue Wang Hui who has the most favorable impression of the People's Party. Although he didn't fully understand Lu Zhengping's purpose in doing this, Shi Dekuan at least understood that this was not the time to speak.

The investigation work is not endless observation, Lu Zhengping took Shi Dekuan to observe for a while, and then quietly retreated. In the depths of the reeds, the reconnaissance company established its own observation base. That is to say, a piece of reed was cut deep in the dense reeds, and in order to facilitate the retreat, some passages were cut out of the reeds, both real and false, and the purpose of the various passages was marked in a special way. Shi Dekuan was very puzzled by the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army under the command of the People's Party, who never seemed to be idle, and began to work whenever they had time. For example, the scouts who had returned had made a number of mats out of the reeds that had been placed according to local conditions, some of which were used for sleeping, and some of which were built into low, makeshift huts. The rest of the reconnaissance company soldiers were indeed much more comfortable lying in the hut than in the open air.

Seeing the two of them coming back, He Jinwu, the commander of the reconnaissance company, put down the half-woven mat in his hand, stood up and asked, "How is it?" ”

"The Beiyang Army is still engaged in bathymetric surveying. It doesn't look like it's going to come over for a while. Lu Zhengping replied. As he spoke, the intelligence aggregator had already taken the notebook in Lu Zhengping's hand.

"I didn't expect these people to be quite scientific." He Jinwu said with a smile.

"If even the sailors don't talk about science, we don't have to work so hard." Lu Zhengping also smiled.

In the reconnaissance company, such a concise conversation was enough for the soldiers to clearly understand what they meant. Lu Zhengping and He Jinwu can even joke about the Hubei New Army. And Shi Dekuan, who was standing next to the two, didn't understand what the two were talking about with a smile at all. It is no wonder that Shi Dekuan and the People's Party's reconnaissance units have all undergone professional training. The knowledge of the navy is a lesson that Yan Fu is personally responsible for. Behind these simple words, there are dozens or hundreds of hours of study as the foundation, and dozens or hundreds of field training as the foundation. Mo said that these non-professionals of the Yue Wanghui, even in the Hubei New Army Naval Army, which claims to attach importance to culture and education, are only a handful of soldiers who can surpass the soldiers of the reconnaissance unit in basic knowledge.

Shi Dekuan was originally sent by the Yue Wang Hui to contact, and the People's Party did not have the idea of using Yue Wang Hui as cannon fodder, and as soon as it received the news that Li Yuanhong's troops were attacking Hefei, the People's Party immediately sent people to contact Yue Wang Hui. When King Yue heard that the Hubei New Army was a little frightened, Chen Duxiu and others immediately sent people to contact the People's Party. Chen Ke proposed a "joint operation" to Yue Wanghui, and Yue Wanghui and others immediately agreed. Shi Dekuan was sent as a liaison officer, and as a result, he was sent to the reconnaissance unit.

As a guest of the People's Party, the reconnaissance unit's requirement for Shi Dekuan was to obey basic orders and not to talk nonsense. In addition, the People's Party did not ask Shi Dekuan to join the labor. In the past two or three days, in addition to following the troops to investigate, Shi Dekuan spent the rest of his time watching everyone work, and he was politely excluded from the People's Party group. Everyone is young, and it's easy to get bored after the first day or two of freshness. Seeing that others were in full swing, Shi Dekuan only felt uncomfortable.

During the attack on Anqing, Shi Dekuan saw with his own eyes the fighting strength of the People's Party. He originally thought that the battle of the People's Party would be the same as the battle of Anqing, the People's Party occupied the city of Hefei, laid heavy troops at the head of the city, and the two sides opened a battle with artillery and muskets. King Yue would be driven away from Anqing by the Manchus, and Shi Dekuan was eager to see how the People's Party would hold Hefei.

Up to now, the People's Party does not seem to have any intention of guarding Hefei at all, and as a liaison officer, Shi Dekuan is also responsible for transmitting the latest enemy situation back to Yue Wanghui. Seeing that the new army in Hubei had all reached the Nanqi River, it was close to Hefei. The reconnaissance unit of the People's Party was still able to weave mats without hurrying, and Shi Dekuan felt that the people of the People's Party were too child's play. Out of politeness, Shi Dekuan didn't talk too much, and now he finally couldn't help it, "Lian Commander He, it's time for the people below to do it, don't you yourself be in a hurry?" ”

"Comrades have their own jobs, I'm idle at the moment, I have to do something." He Jinwu replied, his fingers still working flexibly. He was a little puzzled by Shi Dekuan's accusations, when he was in the base area, Chairman Chen Ke lined up to eat, and occasionally went early, he had to help the comrades in the canteen carry the table, where was he so busy as a company commander. Now the headquarters of the reconnaissance company is here, and the weather is so hot that it is not easy to rest in this reed, so we can't let the soldiers who went out to reconnoiter sleep on the ground when they come back, right?

Shi Dekuan still didn't agree with He Jinwu's opinion, "Wouldn't it be safe to send more people to investigate?" ”

"Comrade Shi Dekuan, don't just think that we are spying on others. Reconnaissance units are dispatched too frequently, and on the contrary, it is easy to leak their tracks. Do things just right. He Jinwu continued to explain.

was said like this, Shi Dekuan couldn't answer. To what extent it was just right, he didn't know. As far as Shi Dekuan is concerned, he is eager to make all the plans of the Hubei New Army clear, and annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop when his side occupies the right time, place and people. But Shi Dekuan is a guest after all, and he can't point fingers at the People's Party. Although he definitely didn't agree with He Jinwu's thoughts in his heart, Shi Dekuan at least kept his mouth shut and never said anything again.

It's been sunny these days, and the sun is poisonous. When Shi Dekuan had nothing to say, he had to hide under the pergola made of reed mats. He still can't let go of He Jinwu, a company commander in charge of hundreds of people, who actually made up the mat himself. In the Yue Wang Society, you don't want to talk about the 100 people, even the leader of the more than 10 people, and it is impossible to make mats for the people below.

Since the defeat of the Yue Wang Hui and the retreat to Hefei, the People's Party allocated a piece of land to the Yue Wang Society. In the days that followed, these people made a lot of trouble. Last year's flood Hefei was not spared, the land of Juntun is also a white land, the people in the Yue Wang Hui are used to city life, and now let them in the nearby Hefei outside the city of Juntun, this is to take the lives of such a group of people. The people at the bottom were okay, but many people in the upper echelons of the Yue Wang Society questioned why the People's Party did not let the Yue Wang Society enter the city and station. These people still don't dare to tear their faces with the People's Party, so the phrases "assisting the People's Party in defending the city" and "maintaining law and order in Hefei" are endless.

Fortunately, Chen Duxiu and others were able to hold down the formation, and they brought a lot of silver from Anqing, in the first two months they relied on buying things from Hefei City, plus some supplies sent by the People's Party, although Yue Wanghui's military camp made no progress, but it was able to maintain a not too bad life. But King Yue will not engage in production by himself, and no matter how much money he has, he will sit empty. Although Yue Wanghui was a local revolutionary party in Anhui, they were defeated. Who will invest in the defeated? Although they also went to contact the local gentry, they did not get a penny. After more than two months, tens of thousands of taels of silver were not enough to spend.

The People's Party has never stationed heavy troops in Hefei City, and for more than two months, the cadres of the Yue Wanghui have already known that they have no money, and if they continue like this, they will have to sit on empty land in three months, and there is no other way than to ask for food from the People's Party. In the face of such a dilemma, King Yue will be "angry" within the society. Many middle-level cadres have already clamored for entering Hefei City and establishing the Hefei Revolutionary Military Government. Maintain the existence of the revolutionary military junta by collecting taxes. Fortunately, Chen Duxiu, Bai Wenwei, and Chang Hengfang were not confused, and a group of middle-level cadres such as Xiong Chengji resolutely opposed being enemies of the People's Party, so the situation was barely maintained.

It wasn't until I heard that the Hubei New Army was coming, and the statement in the Yue Wanghui changed again. Many people think that the People's Party is ready to pit King Yue again, so that King Yue will be in the top tank in Hefei. It has not been long since he was kicked out of Anqing last time, and many people in the Yue Wang Association firmly believe that the People's Party completely cheated the Yue Wang Association last time, and now they are preparing to repeat the old tricks. They had no interest in Hefei City at all, and some people simply proposed to grab a handful of them in Hefei City and leave.

Chen Duxiu and the others were still focused on maintaining the unity within the Yue Wang Society at the beginning, but this time they couldn't help it anymore. Those cadres who proposed to grab a handful of them in Hefei City were found, and Chang Hengfang scolded them. As a revolutionary party, you have to be a little shameful. The revolutionaries turned into bandits, and this is too much. After being scolded, four middle-level cadres said goodbye that day. The soldiers below were all instigated by the "revolutionary slogans". When they were in Anqing, they were still a "big force". In the more than two months since I arrived here, all revolutionary enthusiasm has been completely consumed. Now that the officers are taking the lead, the soldiers below are also beginning to leave. Over the next few days, the Yue Wang Society's forces were crumbling at an alarming rate. Up to now, there were only more than 300 people left in the Yue Wang Society. Even if it is more than 300 people, it is still Bai Wenwei, Chang Hengfang and other cadres who swear that the People's Party can definitely destroy the Hubei New Army, and when this battle is over, King Yue will be able to return to Anqing.

Shi Dekuan, as the supervisor of the Yue Wang Society, was very aware of the current situation. If Bai Wenwei, Chang Hengfang and others did not stop it, relying on their loyalty to the revolution alone, King Yue would be able to have a maximum of 100 people left. Among the 300 people now, many people made it clear that they just wanted to see the results of the battle between the Hubei New Army and the People's Party. Many people simply have too much curiosity and want to see this big scene. If the People's Party loses, I am afraid that King Yue will completely collapse by himself. Therefore, Shi Dekuan has a heartfelt fear of the People's Party's reconnaissance unit being so good and tidy. If the reconnaissance troops are so "careless," how can the main force of the People's Party perform well?

Shi Dekuan did not know that the main force of the People's Party had arrived near Hefei at this time, and Chen Ke's headquarters was only fifty miles away from Shi Dekuan's location. Chen Ke was very satisfied with the information provided by the reconnaissance unit. Every two hours, the latest information is delivered to command via carrier pigeons.

"Li Yuanhong's troops are moving so fast." Hua Xiongmao said with a little weakness.

Unlike the advanced pre-war mobilization before each previous battle, Chen Keyi assumed the post of commander-in-chief of the Hefei Campaign and immediately mobilized troops to start marching. Fortunately, after the completion of the People's Party's assembly more than a month ago, the level of combat readiness and vigilance has been continuously raised. So the movement of troops is not satisfactory. In the past few months, the central cadres have gone to the counties to take charge of the work, and the grass-roots governments in the base areas have been set up quite quickly. Everywhere there were disaster areas, the People's Party was able to provide food and supplies, and the sieges in various places were broken, and the People's Party was able to effectively control power under the favorable circumstances.

Hua Xiongmao was deeply impressed by this march, and it was the first time he had marched so far on land. Chen Ke demanded that the troops must take the land route, not the water route as before, as the commander of the water detachment, Zhang Yu was the first to come out and question. Chen Ke's explanation stunned the comrades of the Military Commission. "If the people in the base area don't see with their own eyes that we have so many troops, do you think the people in the base area will believe that we can win the war?"

Chen Ke's words are very nice, but what is not stated in these words is, "The strength of the base area must be proved by showing off force." "Comrades all know that Chen Ke has always believed that politics comes first, and effectively winning the hearts and minds of the people is the first thing. However, Chen Ke was able to carry out this attitude to the end when the soldiers of the Hubei New Army were frightened, and this practice really opened the eyes of the comrades of the Central Military Commission.

The route that was supposed to be the most economical and efficient march was abandoned, and the troops that were supposed to march all the way were divided into three routes, most of which were areas that had not until now fully accepted the existence of the BJP. Naturally, the military discipline of the People's Party has nothing to say, and there is no crime in the autumn wherever it goes. The soldiers lined up in a neat queue and sang military songs through the county seats, towns, and villages. It's not that the people in the base area have never seen the People's Party's troops, but the people have never seen a march of thousands of people in their lives, and the onlookers were dumbfounded.

Red flags fluttering high, neat queues, neat dark blue uniforms, and soldiers carry marching bags on their backs, rifles on their shoulders. There are also cavalry of the communications battalion, which is responsible for passing orders between the various units. When a unit is disciplined, even if it is just passing by, it makes those who see it feel a strong sense of oppression. Most of the people's knowledge of the BJP is through grassroots organization personnel in various regions, and there are also rumors from all over the country. Everyone was not necessarily convinced, and it was not until they saw this unit with their own eyes that the people knew how powerful the People's Party really was in military power. A sense of reverence for the BJP arose.

Because of the route of the march, the final assembly of the troops was much later. In less than four days near Hefei City, Li Yuanhong's fleet entered Chaohu Lake. By the standards of this era, the march speed of the Hubei New Army commanded by Li Yuanhong was not unfast. If the commander-in-chief of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army was not Chen Ke but other comrades, I am afraid that he would really be caught off guard by Li Yuanhong.

Chen Ke was not panicked by the news from all walks of life, for the traverser, thousands of miles of morning and evening is just a normal situation. In the modern concept, the march of the army is actually slower than that of normal people. Chen Ke often got up in the morning to go on a trip, and that evening he might have been thousands of miles away at his destination. This mentality may seem useless, but for a supreme commander of the whole army, the calm and composedness of this mentality is quite useful.

On the march, military meetings were actually done on foot. Chen Ke's ambition was not only to eliminate Li Yuanhong, but also to snatch the naval warships in the Hubei New Army. If this is the combat goal, it is necessary to separate Li Yuanhong from the naval army, and Li Yuanhong must be allowed to go ashore.

"In ancient times, there was an iron lock across the river, so we might as well learn from the ancients." That's how Chen Ke explained his battle plan.

The comrades of the Military Commission can understand the term "iron lock Hengjiang", but the base area has no time to build iron chains now, and this thing can't withstand the dynamite slag. Everyone didn't understand what Chen Ke meant at first, and the first reaction was Zhang Yu, who asked loudly, "Do you want to use cement?" ”

Even with such an obvious hint, there are still comrades who do not understand. They looked at Chen Ke nervously, and then at Zhang Yu. Hua Xiongmao also understood at this time, and he smiled: "It's just to get some bamboo cages, pour them into blocks with cement, and push them into the river." In this way, the naval army of the Hubei New Army could not pass these obstacles, so it could only take the land route. By separating the naval army and the army of the Hubei New Army, we will have a chance to break through each of them. It was only through Hua Xiongmao's explanation that the comrades suddenly realized.