This is a difficult decision, but also a huge risky decision, 10,000 steps back, promised, but there are too many variables, too many uncertain factors, once there is a deviation, not only the more than 3,000 people here will be finished, together with the rest of the troops who participated in the battle, I don't know how many people will die.

Just as they hesitated, Chiang Kai-shek's telegram arrived again, this time no longer for them to consider, but directly ordered to hold out for twelve days. Chiang Kai-shek's words politely encouraged them to carry forward the traditions of the party and the army and not be afraid of sacrifice; At the same time, they are reminded that they are the pivot of the whole battle, and they must play their ability to ensure the success of this battle.

In just a few hours, Chiang Kai-shek's attitude changed abruptly, the previous telegram still meant to ask for advice, the latter telegram was completely different, there was no room for bargaining, Zhuang Jihua did not know what was happening, but his intuition told him that there must be a new situation in Chiang Kai-shek.

Indeed, it was not Chiang Kai-shek's headquarters that had a new situation, but a new situation in Guangzhou, and after establishing Chiang Kai-shek as the representative of the new right, he began to think of weakening Chiang Kai-shek's power and restricting the development of Chiang Kai-shek's forces.

The war on the front line of the Northern Expedition could not be concealed from the national political axe in Guangzhou and the Central Committee of the Kuomintang, under the city of Wuchang, the siege of the city commanded by Chiang Kai-shek failed, and Liu Zhi lied about the military situation, these two things had a certain impact on Chiang Kai-shek's prestige, and some members of the Central Committee in Guangzhou took the opportunity to propose to welcome Wang to his reinstatement, and this proposal was welcomed by [***] and the Kuomintang left as soon as it was put forward, Zhang Jingjiang was a little uncontrollable, so he quietly telegraphed to Chiang Kai-shek, when Chen Lifu handed over the telegram to Chiang Kai-shek, Chiang Kai-shek quickly calculated in his mind, only victory, A particularly big victory can re-push his prestige to the peak and stop the tide of Yingwang's reinstatement. Chiang Kai-shek changed course and switched to support Gallon's plan, and immediately telegraphed Zhuang Jihua to hold on to Niuhang Station for 12 days.

"Now, we don't have to think about it." Chiang Kai-shek made a decision for Zhuang Jihua, and Zhuang Jihua had no choice: "Order cadres above the company level to hold a meeting at the regiment headquarters." ”

"Cultural Revolution, do we really want to stick here?" Xue Yue hesitated with hope. Xiong Shouyun didn't ask, but turned around and went to convey the order, he knew that Zhuang Jihua would definitely carry it out when he received the order, and there would be no other decisions.

"An order is an order, and whether it is correct or not, it must be carried out; Commander Xue, the army is not a place, it can be discussed, it can be boiled openly, and the orders of the army are mandatory; Zhuang Jihua said categorically, and then saw that Xue Yue's eyes were still a little unconvinced, so he said: "For example, you, ordered to charge, but the soldier said that the enemy's machine gun is still screaming, and if you rush up, you will die, and ask you to shoot the machine gun first, can this work?" ”

Xue Yue smiled bitterly: "Damn, it seems that these more than 100 catties are going to be explained here." Heralds! Without confidence in his words, Zhuang Jihua shook his head: "Commander Xue Yue, if you command the battle with this mentality, then you will definitely not survive the end of the battle, you have to think about how to complete the task and survive." ”

After the herald left, the room fell silent for a while, Xiong Shouyun also returned, he hesitated for a long time before asking: "Cultural Revolution, do you think we can really hold on for twelve days?" ”

"I don't know, I'm just trying my best to complete the task, as for whether I can complete the twelve-day task, it's up to everyone, first of all, you two." In the absence of a junior officer, Zhuang Jihua generally told the truth.

"If we want to hold on, we must first solve two problems," Xue Yue said: "Food and ammunition, our ammunition is only enough for three days, and there is nothing else except food for each soldier." ”

Before the Northern Expedition, each soldier carried three days of rations and three bases of ammunition, which was certainly not enough for 12 days of combat.

"There is still some food and ammunition, when we conquered the Niuhang station, we found some rice in the station warehouse, more than 100 pounds of sacks, about more than 10,000 catties, ammunition in addition to the ammunition of the two regiments captured, there are also some ammunition in the warehouse, but not much, the main thing is captured by ourselves." Xiong Shouyun added.

"Oh, and food." Zhuang Jihua was a little surprised, when Xue Yue talked about food and ammunition, he was not worried about ammunition, after all, there were more than two regiments of ammunition left by him, what he was really worried about was food, but he didn't expect Xiong Shouyun to actually give him a surprise.

"It's been sealed a long time ago, and I was going to report to you at the beginning, one thing after another, and you usually don't care about these things, and you forget about them when you are busy, if it weren't for Captain Xue to talk about it, I wouldn't have remembered it first." Xiong Shouyun said with some sorrow.

Zhuang Jihua then remembered that Xiong Shouyun was in charge of the inventory and seizures, and he only signed.

"Later, you will go and check how many there are, this must be calculated."

More than 10,000 catties, not too much, no less, but 3,000 people can only eat for a few days, and the food is still not enough, but for a while, they went there to find food.

This is a problem that no one can solve.

If you can't solve the problem, leave it there, and there's always a way when the time comes.

"Do you remember that couplet on the gate of the military academy?" At the beginning of the meeting, Zhuang Jihua asked a question other than the battlefield.

"Report to the deputy division commander, remember!" Someone immediately stood up and replied.

Zhuang Jihua nodded, and then asked those who didn't speak: "What about you?" ”

"Remember!" This time, the answer was neat and powerful: "Please take the bypass road for promotion and wealth, and don't enter this door if you are greedy for life and fear of death." ”

"Yes, get promoted and get rich, greedy for life and afraid of death, don't enter Huangpu, Huangpu students must be prepared to die for the revolution," Zhuang Jihua looked at the people attending the meeting with a serious expression, these are all students who graduated from the Huangpu Military Academy, the first phase, the second phase, and the third phase.

"Today, just now, I received an order from the Commander-in-Chief, our headmaster, who ordered us to stay here for twelve days."

After Zhuang Jihua finished speaking, he looked at the following carefully, and the surprise could be seen from their expressions, but no one exchanged words, perhaps the meeting now has made them realize that the situation has changed significantly.

"The Commander-in-Chief no longer accepts us to break through, but asks us to hold on to the Oxhang Station, indicating that the Commander-in-Chief is planning a general battle, in which our position is crucial and will determine the development of the entire battle. Students, it's time to fulfill our vows, twelve days! We must stay here for twelve days! Even if there is only one person left, it must be stuck here like a nail! Zhuang Jihua slammed his fist on the table and roared angrily.

"Keep the ox and fulfill the oath!" Xiong Shouyun strode out, raising his arms and shouting.

"Never back down, swear to fight to the death!" Song Xiongfu stood up and shouted loudly.

"Defend the cattle line and fight to the end!" More people are standing up.

…

Zhuang Jihua motioned for everyone to sit down, and then said: "There is still some time before dawn, everyone hurry up and write a suicide note, twelve days later, the living person is responsible for sending the suicide note of the fallen comrades home." ”

Zhuang Jihua's eyes were a little moist when he said this, the officers of the two regiments, the oldest was Xue Yue's chief of staff Xi Nuping, who was only thirty-three years old, and the others were almost all young people in their twenties.

Overnight, all the deployments were changed, and before dawn, the General Headquarters of the Northern Expeditionary Army sent out one telegram after another, and the entire Northern Expeditionary Army in Jiangxi began to operate according to the new plan.

Lai Shihuang on the southern front transferred Xiong Shihui's first division as the striker and killed from Nanfeng to Nancheng; The three divisions of the 1st Army that occupied Ji'an, with Wei Lihuang's division as the left flank, went straight to Chongren, and Gu Zhutong as the right flank and rushed to Yihuang; Most of the Jiangxi army on the south road was transferred to counterattack Nanchang, and Yang Chisheng and other troops who stayed behind were originally defeated troops in Guangdong, and they could not stop the three-way attack of the Northern Expeditionary Army.

Zhu Peide in the middle began to storm Zhangshu, and at the same time launched a second army on the north bank of the Ganjiang River, led by Lu Diping to attack Gao'an; Since then, the consequences of Deng Ruzhuo's evacuation of the western front have been undoubtedly revealed, Zhu Peide quickly conquered Zhangshu and advanced to Fengcheng, while Lu Diping overcame Gao'an and attacked Xishan. Deng Ruzhuo was in a bit of a hurry when he received the help from the west and south lines almost at the same time, and finally simply took Jiang Zhenchen and others to the south line and handed over the entire west front to Zheng Junyan. Zheng Junyan left Tang Fusheng and others to guard Nanchang, and sent the 10th Division to Fengcheng and Xishan, while he himself was still at Niuhang Station, and he was ready to go to the West Line after solving Zhuang Jihua at Niuhang Station.

Sun Chuanfang on the Yangtze River arranged a trap, was waiting for Li Zongren to jump in, did not think that the latter suddenly disappeared, he could not be found anywhere, six days later he suddenly appeared in Jixi, gathered and annihilated Xie Hongxun, who had suffered Zhuang Jihua's big loss, 20,000 Sun troops were annihilated, and then took advantage of the victory to conquer De'an and coerce the Nanxun line.

A big battle that decided the fate of Jiangxi and even the Northern Expedition began, but the Niuhang Station, which was in the center of the war, was so calm at the beginning, Zhuang Jihua stayed for twelve days, and temporarily decided to deceive Zheng Junyan, and the two began "peace" negotiations.

(To be continued)