The rainy season in the Jianghuai region is like this, the drizzle has not stopped for a day and a night, the sky and the earth are empty, and everything is chaotic.

The tiny water particles converge into water droplets on the gray-black tile surface of the age, slowly rolling down the eaves and dripping on the stone slab pit in front of the humble ancestral hall, emitting an even, slow but clear "tick" and "tick" sound.

A steamboat slowly approached the Luozui Wharf under the dim light of the fish lamp, and the two signal soldiers of the first regiment flew to the shore without waiting for the ship to adjust its position, saluted the guard sentry, and rushed to the ancestral hall in the village.

An Yi, who hadn't closed his eyes for two days and two nights, had just laid down, and he made an even breathing sound, and the head of the guard, Lin Yaodong, took out an autumn coat, gently draped it on An Yi's body, glanced at the shabby bamboo mat under An Yi, and shook his head slightly.

There are four large incense cases in the ancestral hall, as long as you take out two at random and put them together, it is a sturdy and wide wooden bed, but An Yi would rather sleep on the damp ground than allow anyone to do this, the reason is that the customs here are quite exquisite, and the ancestral hall and temple are very important in the minds of the fathers and villagers, and we can't live up to the fathers and villagers who treat the revolutionary army like their own relatives.

Peng Jianqing walked over quickly from the back hall with an urgent electric flash, and immediately stopped when he saw An Yi lying on the ground sleeping so deeply. Lin Yaodong greeted him and asked in a low voice, "Urgent report?" ”

"Yes, Deputy Division Commander Hu called, the reconnaissance detachment of the guard battalion is in the two directions of Shuanggou Town, on the north bank of the Huai River in Liuxiang Town, and Xiaozhuzhuang, 15 kilometers northwest, and at the same time found that two teams with unknown numbers are marching overnight, with a number of about 6,000 per share, and it seems that they are moving in the direction of Liuxiang, and the situation is extremely urgent." Peng Jianqing reported in a low voice.

"Huh!? Both sides discovered a large number of enemies at the same time...... It seems that I can only wake up my eldest brother, otherwise I can't afford it! Lin Yaodong groaned slightly, immediately strode to An Yi's side, squatted down and gently pushed An Yi's shoulder: "Big brother, the deputy division commander is in a hurry!" ”

An Yi opened his red eyes with some annoyance, and just wanted to open his mouth to scold, when he suddenly recalled Xiao Jiu's words, he was stunned for two seconds, quickly got up from the ground, grabbed the message handed by Peng Jianqing, and another shrewd guard had already taken the horse lantern and held it up steadily.

After reading the message, An Yi immediately ordered loudly: "Xiao Jiu, light up all the horse lanterns...... Jian Qing, help me get the map to the table in the middle. ”

"Yes!"

The two of them got busy, and more than a dozen staff officers of the division headquarters had gone down to each regiment to assist in the operational command, and there was no one left around An Yi except Peng Jianqing and Lin Yaodong.

"Report!"

"Come in!"

An Yi, who walked to the table, looked at the signal soldier who was wet at the door, and recognized it as the platoon commander of the communication platoon under Xia Jian at a glance, and couldn't help beckoning: "Lieutenant Chu Zhifu, come in and talk!" ”

"Yes!"

The lieutenant took two steps forward and stood up with his legs: "The enemy troops in Changhuai Town opposite our regiment suddenly got up at about three o'clock in the middle of the night to make a fire, and the reconnaissance on the other side of the river found that the Changhuai garrison, which originally had only two regiments, suddenly had a large group of cavalry, and the specific number has not yet been clarified, but a rough estimate should not be under five hundred. ”

An Yi was taken aback when he heard this, he threw himself on the map on the table and calculated nervously, staring at Liuxiang Town on the map for five minutes, but he still couldn't be sure of the enemy's true intentions, so he couldn't help but throw down his pencil and walk back and forth, thinking silently...... In the military camp of Liuxiang Town, Hu Jialin was secretly frightened in the face of the urgent reports sent back by the reconnaissance detachment, he did not expect the enemy's movement to be so bold and fast, and he actually drove desperately in the most unsuitable weather and rainy night of the Northern Army, and couldn't help but think of the content of his call with the enemy commander Chu Yupu, and vaguely felt that this veteran commander who had experienced a hundred battles was angry.

Gu Changfeng stepped forward and said loudly: "At this time, there is no news from the boss...... Beard, the boss shouldn't be so indecisive, judging from the intelligence, the enemy must be coming towards our Liuxiang, you come - although we don't know the number of the enemy in the direction of Xiaozhuzhuang in the northwest, but according to the number of people, it is definitely not less than one brigade, except for the artillery team that cannot follow due to the weather and the difficulties of the march, it is likely to be the strength of a division.

Looking at Shuanggou Town on the opposite side, the enemy reinforcements that had just arrived must have been the 11th Division from Suqian, and from the analysis of the groups of torches along the coast, they were looking around for boats to cross the river.

The six-kilometer-long embankment of the Huai River on our right flank is low, and they may cross the river from one of the sections at any time, and it is impossible for our little force to intercept the entire line, and if we wait until the enemy in the direction of Xiaozhuzhuang arrives after dawn, we will be attacked on both sides. Therefore, you have to come up with countermeasures as soon as possible, otherwise you will be very passive! ”

Hu Jialin nodded and patted Gu Changfeng's shoulder: "Although what you said is very reasonable, but since Xiao Yi has not made a decision now, he must have seen something we can't see, we don't need to worry, there is time."

I calculated a little, it is unlikely that the 11th Division in Shuanggou Town on the other side will find a way to cross the river before dawn, and the fathers and villagers on the other side have all driven their fishing boats to Nushan Lake behind us, even if the enemy troops urgently transfer boats from the upstream, can they cross the river immediately to fight with the fatigue of their continuous marching?

Again, the reason why the enemy of Xiaozhuzhuang stopped and did not continue to advance towards my Liuxiang is not only as simple as resting and recovering, but also may change direction and go straight to the mouth of the Tong River, this possible surname exists, we did not arrange a garrison in the area of the mouth of the Tong River, and the enemy can calmly mobilize the boats in the upper reaches of the Tong River, force the Huai River from the mouth of the river, and outflank our Liuxiang.

In such a situation, we still have to keep our eyes open to Changhuai Town, what will the remaining two regiments of the enemy's Ninth Division and a cavalry team of more than 500 people do? Will you join these two armies or will you carry out a three-sided attack on our Willow Lane, or will you have another attempt? These have to be taken into account......"

"Report, the division is calling!" The staff officer of the division major strode forward to report.

After hearing this, both of them were in high spirits, and Hu Jialin waved his hand: "Read!" ”

"Yes!"

The staff officer of the major read the message aloud: "The enemy's outflanking of Liuxiang is purely an illusion, and the main purpose must be the mouth of the Tonghe River, order your unit to immediately mobilize the people of Liuxiang, and the whole regiment quickly retreats to the front line of Panjia Town, dig fortifications, resolutely resist the attack of the enemy's main force, and avoid being attacked on three sides. ”

Hu Jialin, Gu Changfeng and the others looked at each other for a moment, and they all walked to the map hanging high on the side of the wall, and after looking at it for a while, Hu Jialin and Gu Changfeng exclaimed at the same time, "Understood!" Orders were issued immediately, and the town of Liuxiang on a rainy night suddenly became noisy.

At five o'clock in the morning, on the south bank of the confluence of the Tong River estuary and the Huai River.

After an hour and a half of rapid marching, the 600 officers and men of Chen Zhibiao's 2nd Regiment successfully arrived in the dense forest facing the mouth of the river on the north bank.

Chen Zhibiao commanded the officers and men of each battalion to go out to the blocking position of Gu Changfeng's Third Regiment yesterday, and braved the drizzle to start the construction of trenches.

In Ziyang Town, nine kilometers behind the second regiment, more than 3,000 villagers who enthusiastically supported the front led pack horses and carried a pair of deputy burdens to send boxes of bullets and shells to the position of the second regiment in front. He drove away all the warlords who had been bullying and oppressing him for more than ten years, and from then on he lived a peaceful life without oppression and deprivation, without tyrannical expropriation, and without being arbitrarily beaten and beheaded by heinous warlords.

At six o'clock in the morning, the town of Gupei, southeast of the entire front.

Yin Jinan untied his Colt gun and delivered it to the forty-five-year-old Maogen, and under the eager gaze of the captains of the self-defense forces in the towns along Nüshan Lake, he said politely:

"Uncle Maogen, please accept this small gift from the juniors, the deep friendship of the villagers, and the 11,000 officers and soldiers of Jinan and the Reading Division will always remember it in my heart!"

"No, no! How can I accept this generous gift from the general? No, no! I'll just use the spear on my back, and this gun is so easy to call, and it's a good shot...... You see, there are 200 bullets in the bullet belt around my waist, and out of the 800 self-defense warriors, I have the most bullets. Uncle Mogen, with his dark face and towering cheekbones, excitedly refused.

Yin Jinan took half a step forward, tightly held Maogen's big hand holding the gun, and said earnestly: "Take it, Uncle Maogen, the little nephew is also a child of a poor family, so don't see me outside." The task of the Self-Defense Forces is very arduous, not only to organize the villagers to park more than 600 boats at various wharves in the west of the lake, but also to drive the two motor ferries to the Luozui Wharf in the east of the lake to transport batches of bullets and shells to a position in the north.

If it weren't for the full support of the fathers and villagers in all villages and towns, it would have been impossible for us to fight against the surging more than 20,000 enemies, and without the selfless help of the villagers, we would not have won victory after victory, and the villagers are the relatives of our revolutionary army!

After the battle, the little nephew will suggest that our army leave all the captured materials, including long and short guns and hundreds of pack horses, to thank the villagers for their deep friendship, so this gun is nothing, and Uncle Mogen has a little thought on his back. ”

Xia Jian, who was on the side, saw that the two of them couldn't hold each other, and hurriedly came forward to persuade: "Take it, Uncle Maogen, after we take Wuhe County at noon, the younger nephew's group of brothers will move all the cloth, salt, and farm tools in the city to Gupei Town to distribute them to the townsmen, haha!" ”

More than a dozen Red Guard captains were startled when they heard this, and Uncle Mogen opened his mouth wide and asked in some consternation, "Oh my God...... You actually want to attack the county seat? ”

"It's to attack the county seat, otherwise how can you urgently ask the villagers to send so much ammunition overnight? Ha ha! Yin Jinan laughed and told Uncle Maogen to accept the gift and leave as soon as possible.

Uncle Mao Gen and more than a dozen Red Guard captains were in high spirits, and admired the courage and arrogance of the revolutionary army, so they didn't make any more excuses and happily accepted the gifts, and then walked out of the gate of the Guandi Temple under the gifts of Yin Jinan, Xia Jian and other generals, made a farewell, and ran quickly to the south wharf.

Yin Jinan was just about to turn around and return to the temple, three war horses galloped from the overwhelming rain curtain, more than ten meters away from the temple gate, the three people on the horse flew off the horse, and the leading Dou Fang rushed forward two steps, and immediately stood up and saluted:

"Report to the deputy division commander, the subordinate third division team and the teaching team of Commander Chen Kan have successfully taken Qiaotou Town four hours ago, and completely annihilated 265 enemies in the town. According to the latest instructions of the division, the three companies of the teaching brigade and the three subordinate thirds of the subordinate brigade rushed to report for duty, and everything obeyed the orders of the commander. ”

"You're all here? Isn't Qiaotou Town guarded? Yin Jinan asked in surprise.

Dou Fang smiled: "There is no need to send people to defend it, the railway line from Shimen to Banqiao in the south of Qiaotou Town has been occupied by the friendly 40th Army at this time." The subordinate reconnaissance team has established contact with the friendly forces, and brought back the next direction of the friendly forces, and asked the commander to telegraph the division. ”

"Great! Now we don't have to worry about it, we can throw off our arms and fuck it! Yin Jinan rarely burst into foul language, and then led the brothers into the temple in a hurry.

…… At 6:40 a.m., the ancestral hall of Luozui Village, the temporary headquarters of the Reading Division.

“…… On the northern front, the 11th Division of the 11th Division of the enemy on the other side of the Huai River had discovered that our troops had abandoned Liuxiang Town and began to forcibly cross the river under the cover of mortars. The 2nd Regiment sent a report that no trace of the enemy had been found at the mouth of the Tong River on the western front at this time, but the enemy troops in Changhuai Town, west of the Tong River, began to advance slowly to the east, and there was no cavalry accompanying them; Deputy Division Commander Yin of the Southern Front called, and Chen Kan taught that the three companies of the brigade had joined the Reading Force Regiment and the First Regiment. Complete! Peng Jianqing sat back in his seat after the report, and it seemed that he had become more and more accustomed to the work of a communications staff officer.

An Yi nodded with satisfaction: "Okay, the banquet has been set up, just waiting for the guests to come to the door." This time, the 2nd and 3rd regiments each faced an opponent of a division, and the pressure was very great! However, the more fierce and resolute they fought, the greater their support for the actions of the Reading Force and the First Regiment.

Since Chu Yupu, a veteran of the battlefield, gritted his teeth and wanted to fight with us, we will fully satisfy his wishes. This battle was successfully fought, which not only had a huge deterrent effect on the Zhilu coalition army, but also gave great support to General Li Delin in the direction of Bengbu. As long as we successfully conquer Wuhe County, the two divisions and brigades of the enemy army that attacked our first regiment and two regiments will inevitably retreat to the north bank of the Huai River in a panic, Lao Tzu will not let them be so easy, and if they don't bite off a large piece of his meat, even if Lao Tzu is incompetent, haha......"

(To be continued)